Thomas Earl Starzl, M.D., Ph.D. died Saturday , March the Fourth at 90 years of age. Probably little noticed outside the transplantation community and the city of Pittsburgh.

I spent two years in Pittsburgh with Dr. Starzl. In retrospect, probably the two most unpleasant years of my life; yet two years in which I learned more than any other period in my life. I can vaguely remember having a wife and children during this period, and I think I had a house as well. Hard to tell.

Tom Starzl was loved/hated by everyone he trained. It was that kind of relationship with a man of genius and intolerance. He was brilliant and yet intensely disliked by most around him.

We tolerated what we had to tolerate to learn from him and in this we were never disappointed. He never failed to teach us, in the most painful ways, innovative methods in surgery and transplantation.

In short, it was a seminal period in my life and knowing what I know now, I probably would willingly subject myself to it once again.

It was that important.

Rest in peace Tom Starzl.

RMD

I have had two professors in my University career that were like that

hated them to the bone - arrogant and unpleasant to be around

but I learned more from each than any other three combined

There are many that probably owe a great deal to that man. Its a good thing to acknowledge & recognize the merits of the wisdom...

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Thomas Earl Starzl, M.D., Ph.D. died Saturday , March the Fourth at 90 years of age. Probably little noticed outside the transplantation community and the city of Pittsburgh.

I spent two years in Pittsburgh with Dr. Starzl. In retrospect, probably the two most unpleasant years of my life; yet two years in which I learned more than any other period in my life. I can vaguely remember having a wife and children during this period, and I think I had a house as well. Hard to tell.

Tom Starzl was loved/hated by everyone he trained. It was that kind of relationship with a man of genius and intolerance. He was brilliant and yet intensely disliked by most around him.

We tolerated what we had to tolerate to learn from him and in this we were never disappointed. He never failed to teach us, in the most painful ways, innovative methods in surgery and transplantation.

In short, it was a seminal period in my life and knowing what I know now, I probably would willingly subject myself to it once again.

It was that important.

Rest in peace Tom Starzl.

RMD

Are you also a transplant surgeon? My wife had a kidney transplant years ago, and we have great respect for your work. Seattle has a really good transplant center where she had it done. Actually it was a dual pancreas/kidney transplant. Cured her type one Diabetes at the same time.

Actually, no. I never intended to be a surgical transplanter. It just happened. I originally trained as an immunologist. However, one did not refuse the master when told to scrub. If was always all hands on deck at Pitt. I eventually became more interested in critical care medicine and the organ recovery aspects of transplantation.

I am glad your wife had a good outcome in Seattle. Some very good people there.

RMD

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
I have had two professors in my University career that were like that

That was the first thing that occured to me after reading rduckwor's opening post. Mine was the college program department head and a member of Who's Who in the US (an active labor lawyer specializing in arbitration, mediation, and fact finding). Very demanding and a very tough cookie. Suprised the hell out of me when he invited me to clerk for him and live in his mansion downtown. Learned more in that year than all the others including post graduate. Last I heard he was still kicking at 104.

I had more than a handful of attendings like him. My experience was different though. The way my brain is wired, I just turned those people off and didn't learn a damned thing from them. The ones who were friendly, helpful, understanding, etc...? I learned more from them than anyone and will be forever grateful to them.

I have zero tolerance and zero time for assholes, I don't care how brilliant they are.

Having said that, sorry for the loss.

I am sorry to hear of his death.

Salud Maestro; Ave Frater....

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I had more than a handful of attendings like him. My experience was different though. The way my brain is wired, I just turned those people off and didn't learn a damned thing from them. The ones who were friendly, helpful, understanding, etc...? I learned more from them than anyone and will be forever grateful to them.

I have zero tolerance and zero time for assholes, I don't care how brilliant they are

I think you read my mind as I was browsing through this thread. Couldn't agree with you more. Fortunately individuals like this are less frequent in my specialty, although I can't say the same for some of our colleagues we interact with. The only thing I've consistently learned from them is that life's too damn short to let it get to you.

I had a professor in engineering school that was known as Crazy Denny who taught structures and dynamics. He was so passionate and got so worked up that he would spit when he lectured, and if you sat in the back row too often he would make you come sit in front so that you could get spit on as well. His standard mode of communication was yelling.

He would get on the front table and would jump up and down to demonstrate factors of safety. He was very loud and intimidating but was ultimately so knowledgeable that it was impossible not to learn from him. Which was a good thing because his exams were extremely difficult, not many A's in his courses. As you got to know him he was really a very entertaining character that deeply cared about educating students but despised the academia teaching institution. He was also a successful businessman as an expert in his field and drove a Dodge Viper to class each day. I'll never forget Denny and what I learned from him.

Does anybody remember the Ford Explorer rollovers years ago that led to fatalities? Ford blamed Firestone and of course Firestone blamed Ford. Denny was the expert witness that proved it was Ford's fault, ultimately making Ford liable for the deaths and forcing them to make suspension improvements to future vehicles to improve safety in the event of a flat tire. Ford was a big donor to the university at the time so this made Denny hugely unpopular but he did what was right and helped save many lives as a result.

It always amazes me how many great men and women have such a huge impact in the worlds of science, engineering, and medicine and are rarely known outside their core field. What a stark contrast to the household names of actors and professional athletes.