Summer 2007

Lasting Impressions

Alumni reflect on medical school courses that influenced them most

Classes represented in this story:  '57, '62, '67, '77, '82, '87, '91, '92, '96, '97

For Robert Frost, only two roads diverged in a yellow wood. If he had more than 24 roads from which to choose, what would have influenced him most as he considered the direction he would travel?

Medical students have at least this many choices as they contemplate their careers. A number of factors may contribute to their decision, but many alumni can point to a particular medical school course or teacher that steered them toward their specialty.

For a number of alumni,  a specific course helped shape their philosophies about medicine, about patients or about the learning process itself. Some alumni recently took the opportunity to share their memories of a Medical College class that left a lasting impression.

Classroom memories through the years

John B. Marta, MD '57
Retired 1998. Most recently in Radiology Practice, St. Paul, Minn. from 1967 to 1998;
Clinical Instructor, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota 1967-1998

"Physiology had the most influence on my career as a physician. During this course, color vision was studied, and I found out for the first time that I was color blind. This probably explains why I couldn't see amyloid in the pathology slides. Radiology seemed like a logical choice to avoid problems with this physical handicap. This proved to be a fortuitous choice and one never regretted."

William J. O'Leary, MD '62
Retired. Most recently practiced OB/GYN at Skemp Clinic in LaCrosse, Wis.

"Jack Klieger (MD '41) was instrumental in my decision to become an obstetrician." (Dr. Klieger was Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a distinguished member of the Medical College of Wisconsin faculty for more than 50 uninterrupted years).

James D. Thomas, MD '91
Associate Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Caritas-Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Mass.

"The one course in medical school that had the most influence in my career was pathology. The study of disease states brings many other basic sciences together. Pathology provided a foundation for the clinical rotations which followed. As an emergency physician, I use the knowledge gathered in this class as I diagnose and treat my patients every day. Whether I am treating a febrile infant, an acute MI, a respiratory tract infection or a major trauma, learning about the disease process is pivotal to formulating a definitive diagnosis. Overall MCW prepared me very well for my residency and for my subsequent career in emergency medicine."

Amy M. Kelly, MD '97, MPH
Pediatrician, Director of the Health and Wellness Center at the College of St. Catherine in Saint Paul, Minn.

"The one class I took in medical school that had the most influence on me was anatomy.  It influenced me for two reasons. The first was that I loved it and was in awe of the complexity, beauty and perfection of the human body. The second reason was the instructor, Gary Kolesari (MD '77, PhD '76). He was obviously passionate about what he taught, and seemed to truly love his job, and I remember thinking that whatever I ended up doing, I wanted to be as passionate and happy about it as he was." (Dr. Kolesari is Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy).

Thomas Doyle, MD '67, GME '74
Urologist at Western Wisconsin Urology, SC, in Eau Claire, Wis. Planning 2007 retirement after 32 years in practice

"My favorite class was biochemistry. The molecular function of cells fascinated me beginning in college biology and chemistry. The amalgamation of the two in biochemistry was fascinating and provocative. We knew DNA and RNA but not in the molecular detail we do today. It led me to a fascination with renal function and transplantation. This interest led me to combine an interest in surgery with the medical and molecular, and subsequently to urology, which more or less combined these interests."

Kathleen S. Stokes, MD '87, GME '91
Partner, Affiliated Dermatologists, Milwaukee, Wis.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin

"The physiology/pathophysiology course taken as a sophomore had the most profound influence on my medical career. This course was rather all-encompassing. It was there that I first learned CPC or 'clinical pathologic correlation.' I learned in this course that often, the clinician was 'right' despite the fact that not all the features of each disease were expressly exhibited in each patient. It was there that I learned Osler's definition of 'clinical judgment.' I believe this is a most powerful concept with which to practice medicine. Often, in medicine, we do not have all the answers. We do not have all the facts. We must make a judgment based on the facts available to us and do our very best job 100 percent of the time. Good 'clinical judgment' truly makes a fine physician a superior one."

Robert Falk, MD '82, GME '87
Practicing diagnostic radiologist at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Ky.
Founder of 3DR, Inc., an outsource laboratory for advanced image processing

"I would have to say that the most influential medical school course for me was anatomy and, in particular, neuroanatomy. I remember being amazed that something as complex as the human body could ever develop and function the way that it does. I have fond memories of the hours in the gross anatomy lab with my lab partners Bob Calder (MD '82, GME '85); Mary Middleton (MD '82, GME '86); and Dick Weekes (MD '82); struggling to dissect out and learn all of those structures. My interest in anatomy led to my ultimate career choice in radiology and subsequent neuroradiology fellowship."

Norman E. Taylor, PhD '06
Fourth-year medical student, Medical Scientist Training Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin

"I was particularly influenced by the physiology course in the first year of medical school. I was fascinated by the mechanisms in which small inanimate atoms and molecules could come together to make cells, tissues, and organs which in turn worked in complex ways to enable life in a whole organism. I was sufficiently intrigued that I applied to and was accepted by the MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program), and subsequently spent some time learning in greater depth the complexities of human physiology and participating in the effort to link genes to physiologic function in this post-genomic era."

Bhavna P. Sheth, MD '92, GME '96
Professor of Ophthalmology (July 1, 2007) at the Medical College of Wisconsin
Residency Program Director at the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Eye Institute

"I have many fond memories from medical school. I particularly recall spending time with Edmund Duthie (MD, GME '80) in ward medicine. Dr. Duthie taught me a number of things that I use in my career, even though I am not in internal medicine. He demonstrated how to take care of patients as a whole, addressing not only their medical issues, but also their family and social issues. He took time to listen to patients and address their concerns, as well as the family's concerns. Lastly, he helped me develop and refine my presentation skills.  I continue to use the skills that I have learned from him in my practice." (Dr. Duthie is Professor and Chief of Geriatric Medicine).

Mark Benjamin, MD '77
Private practice in pulmonary diseases. Living in Abington, Pa.

"The one course that had the most influence was embryology with Dr. Kaplan. I had done very poorly in my first few tests in medical school. I was used to doing nothing and then cramming in college and grad school. It wasn't working for me in med school. I went to Dr. Kaplan, my advisor. He looked at my grades in his course (embryology) and noted I was doing OK. He asked what I did that was different. He gave pop quizzes so, we had to keep up. I changed my study habits." (Stanley Kaplan, PhD, is former Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy).