University of Michigan Medical and Nursing School - Aequanimitas Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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P-.-- Y - --Y -- To anyone who has ever seen Ur. Swain lecture it would probably come as no sur- prise that before choosing to become a pro- fessor of pharmacology he considered becoming a minister. Although he obviously has talent in that direction, he claims he was utoo dirty mindedfl He turned toward sal- vation of medical students instead. Michigan medical students have re- sponded to Dr, Swain as they have to no other professor in the medical school. He is the sole winner of three different awards for teaching excellence, having won the Crosby Award and Senior Award in 1961 and the Galens Shovel award in 1962. That he won an award for excellent teaching of both basic sciences and clinical sciences all while teach- ing the same course is testimony to the value given his instruction by students through the years. lt is important however not only to recog- nize good teaching but to examine what qualities make it good. An important part of Dr. Swain's style is showmanship. Some would say that this should not be considered necessary to be a good teacher, but it is a simple fact of life that unless a teacher can keep a student awake and interested he cannot educate him. In this field. Dr. Swain has few peers. Ifmjohnny Carson had writers like Goodman and Gilman and the PDR he would quickly be off the air. But Dr. Swain manages to take this dull script and create an hour's entertainment. Supporters of information theory would probably argue about exactly how many bits of information this approach actually gets across. But they would be missing an important point. Dr. Swain feels that he is teaching medical stu- dents to become doctors. He is teaching them to have 'fa meaningful concern for another beingis welfare? Incidentally, they might learn some pharmacology. He is far- sighted enough to realize that the material he touches is without clinical application at the moment, and therefore soon forgotten. But the students have been given a working vocabulary and that is what they will need for the future. Hopefully, as they have taken the course, they have absorbed some of the deeper message that Dr. Swain has tried to communicate. 30 ..,,.yy..... Y ,.,e...., ...... ..,,..,,.. D 1 1 ex .1 I t HENRY H. SWAIN

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, W Dr. Ritter is one who recognizes the medical students and imitates a cheerful 'fHello Doctor when he sees you in the halls of the hospital and street. His friendli- ness and eagerness to work with medical students is exemplified by the active role he plays as Prefect of the Galens Honorary Medical Society. He endears the friendship of medical students and these friendships strenghten his understanding of students and their thinking, and their expectations from the staff. Dr. Ritter trained in ENT at the University of Michigan. His mentor was Dr. A.C. Furstenburg, Chairman of the Department of ENT and Dean of our medi- cal school. Dr. Ritter is often known to quote Dr. Furstenburg's aphorismsg he states that these have also provided him with the direction and spirit that have led him to the position he is in today, that of clinician and researcher. Dr. Ritter has given me the following list of Dr. Fursten- burg's adages that we might also use them in good stead. Nothing like hard work lo give a fel- low good hol-housegrowlh. Don 'l look from side to side but fJCU.f on whalfs' in front of you. Ifyou're busy enough with your own work, you w0n'l he .to concerned with how much your competitor hai accomplished. Don? he concerned with whether students seern lo rexpond or not. fusl teach them. Once a man ls' won his spurs, give him his head. It is his drive to achieve excellence in teaching tempered by humor and friendli- ness which we remember. We should incor- porate this example into our own attitudes, so that in the future we may also have the rapport with students which is so character- istic of Dr. Ritter. gllflike johns Frank N. Ritter Born 1928 B.S., Notre Dame University M.l-J., St. Louis University Medical School Intern at St. kIoseph's, Toledo, Ohio Residency at University Hospital, Ann Arbor Galens Shovel, Senior Award 29

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Another part of his technqiue is to deve- lop as personal a relationship as possible with as many students as he can. When he lectures he establishes eye contact with only one student and lets the other 199 eaves- drop. In the age of busy men Dr. Swain's door is always open, W'hen he talks with a student he manages to make the student feel that he is sincerely interested in what he has to say. Probably the greatest secret to success -that Dr. Swain has is that he is happy with what he is doing. Dr. Swain relates that he was a k'revolutionary in his days in medi- cal school, and like many students today he s unhappy with the course of medical ation. Fortunately for Michigan medi- students he had the courage to attempt to Sitting on Dr. Swain's desk, amidst his awards. is a beaten up old trophy Henry Swain the least valuable at his high school l937f38. It at our hero was a 5'l0'f95 lb. who insisted on wrestling and both football and baseball. lt is this type of spirit that we now salute. for it made this 'kleast valuable athlete into a most valuable teacher. -1,. VV. Crzzbcr Henry H. Swain, Professor of Pharmacology Born .july ll, 1923 AB., M.S., M.D., University of Illinois Intern at Cook County Hospital Crosby Award, Galens Shovel, Senior Award j,.w