Drexel University College of Medicine - Medic Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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,fn MM. 1 '--9' .1 ., X 32- . ' ' , , ,nr ,. , 1 ,. .. ,wwf sz., VT f ,M A- ' 7 ' x AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PHARMACOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT HAHNEMANN. of Medicine, and he in addition to being a great supporter of Continuing Education and Symposia Programs, was interested in large scale efforts outside the institutional boundaries. In 1971, Mr. Wharton Shober, became President of Hahnemann. It is an understatement to say that he was a controversial and extraordinary character. The challenge made by the Board of Trustees to Mr. Shober was to arrange for the financing of a new hospital. This was not an easy task at a time when construction funds from the Federal Government had dried up. It became obvious that the only path was that of a municipal bond issue. Mr. Shober created many unfortunate waves, the most disas- trous of which was the carbon dioxide programs for the therapy of opiate addiction. This generated much bad publicity for Hahnemann. Yet despite this, a new hospital was financed and money to support this project was ob- f. NU-'W'-'s!s'.i. ' P?-, ,- f QI' 'L ff '-.gi,,, 'g,.p- Ss I Oh! X BREAKING GROUND FOR THE NEW COLLEGE BUILDING. tained from the Federal Government. After many fiascos, a new and very practical hospital was financed, built and dedicated in 1979. Mr. Shober finally resigned in 1977 and Dr. William Likoff, an eminent cardiologist, became President. During these trying Shober years, my role as Dean was mainly to attempt to preserve the forward impe- tus of Hahnemann as an academic and scientific institu- tion. In all, I think that as a faculty and student body, and under the leadership of the present administration, we have been extraordinarily successful on all frontsg scienti- fic, educational and in health service. We have advanced and competed successfully with our sister institutions. To- day Hahnemann Medical College with an annual budget of over S30 million, stands as one of the formidable insti- tutions of the North Eastern group of Medical Schools. The next decade will prove our worth and hopefully a new Dean and many new faculty will build on the foundations of the past. Students and graduates may well be proud of our past and present achievements and our future promise. To all graduates, I wish you the best of all good fortune and accomplishment. You may rest assured that we will do all in our power to enhance your careers for in your success rests the future of the institution. JOSEPH R. DI PALMA, M.D AT THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW HOSPITAL.

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VADE MEC UM FOR THE DEAN Now that my days as Dean are drawing to a close, I have occasion to reminisce on the 30 odd years that I have spent at Hahnemann. When I first came to 15th and Vine in 1951, there were three red brick buildings heavy with Victorian overtones. The only fairly modern building was the Klahr Building fwhich still stands as part of the New College Buildingj. The hospital was already old having been built in 1928. The total budget of the Medical School could not have exceeded S500,000. Charles Brown was Dean and his avowed goal was to create the best basic science depart- ments in the city. He did an excellent job for he recruited Ray Truex, in Anatomy, Amedeo Bondi, in Microbiology, John Boyd, in Bio-chemistry, John Gregory, in Pathology, and yours truly in Pharmacology. John Scott was already at Hahnemann as Professor of Physiology and undoubted- ly was the senior scientist of those times. In the clinical sciences, Charles Brown was Professor and Chairman of Medicine and as such was an outstanding clinician. He recruited an excellent staff which consisted of Alfred Lup- ton, Foster Murphy, Otto H. Janton, Donald Fitch, James Donaldson, Daniel Marino, plus many others who were already at Hahnemann such as George Geckler and Low- ell Lane both very competent cardiologists. In Surgery, Bill Martin was Chairman and he had a superb clinical staff including Charles Bailey, of cardiac surgery fame. There were, of course, many other outstanding clinicians of that era in the other specialities. Hahnemann was al- ways considered to be a strong clinically oriented school. I was charged by Dr. Brown to get rid of Homeopathy which I promptly did by simply eliminating it from the standard curriculum of pharmacology. The students at Hahnemann seemed to me to be less bright and less ag- gressive than I was used to in New York, but they certain- ly were more gracious and friendly. In those days which were post-war, we enjoyed more mature and dedicated students than in more recent times. As I leaf through old year books, I can recall so many individual students who made a most favorable impression. It is surprising to esti- mate that in all my years at Hahnemann, I have in one way or another had some contact with over 4,000 medical students. My years as Chairman of Pharmacology f1951-19685 passed by quickly and we made progress in establishing a modern, scientifically oriented department. Perhaps the greatest achievement of all was taking over the editorship of Drill's Pharmacology in Medicine, a text with interna- tional reputation. However, we made credible contribu- tions to the pharmacology of cardiovascular, analgesic, and psycho-pharmacologic agents. In 1967, when Dr. William Kellow resigned, fwho had replaced Dr. Cameron as Deanj, I was asked to be Acting Dean. I assumed the job with considerable reluctance because I knew it meant less contact with the students and very little time for laboratory and the clinic. Charles Ca- meron was then the President and Charles Paxson was the Operations Officer. An active search was instituted for a new Dean. About midyear, I decided to put my hat in the ring and run myself for this office. Mostly, I was disap- pointed in the caliber of candidates which were coming through. To my surprise, I was offered the Deanship in 1968. I accepted with a great deal of trepidation. Little did I know what was to come! My first years as Dean up till 1971 were constructive and fruitful because Dr. Cameron, the President, was an understanding person. We made great progress in plan- ning and implementing the New College Building and made plans for the student housing facility fStiles Hallj. Because of the general impression that there was a short- age of doctors, it was relatively easy to deal with legisla- tors at both a state and federal level. Each year, the income to the school increased and more faculty could be hired and programs proliferated. It was about this time that the outreach programs were conceived and a consert- ed drive was made to fund them. Dr. Moyer was Chairman slr... AS A FELLOW IN PHYSIOLOGY AT HARVARD.

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THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ra:-1L ':.::s - fy .. 1 ., W: ' t f -Pia f-Hur: .- , TO: THE GRADUATING CLASS FROM: THE ASSOCIATE DEAN 1 This, the Class of 1981, is the 134th that has been graduated from Hahnemann. A product of its time and the individuals comprising its ranks, it has established a remarkably positive profile through a host of attitudes and acts. All of this came into being in a moment of great institutional stress, when Hahnemann's survival was seriously threatened and time-honored human val- ues were sorely tried. The successful pursuit of a medi- cal education in an atmosphere of uncertainty is not a simple task. To do so with dignity and honor is an exceptional accomplishment. The Class of 1981 also is distinguished because it is the last to be graduated during Dr. Joseph DiPalma's stewardship as Dean of the Medical College. This is a noteable mark, for Dr. DiPalma has fulfilled so many roles with distinction while serving our interests that he could easily serve as a role model for the physician this institution strives to create. Days have fused into a distant past quicker than you ever believed possible. Now you must look to what will be and how well you are prepared to meet and shape that future. If you regard the training this institution has provided as a mere preparation for the means to earn a living, the time spent at Hahnemann has been misapplied. To the contrary, if the medical education which you have received has increased the capacity for enlarging intellect, then the startling advances in the health sciences that are just ahead will be absorbed, mastered, and applied with utmost effectiveness. Congratulations on your accomplishment. All of our hearts are with your endeavor. WILLIAM LIKOFF, M.D. My friends, your yearbook editors have asked that l address you concerning the happenings at Hahnemann during the current aca- demic year. lt is very difficult to pick the most important events in a year when the Phillies won the World Championship, the Eagles lost and a new conservative wave headed by President Reagan has swept the country. At Hahnemann, three major events took place. First, the class of l98l graduated. Second, a sweeping new curriculum change was instituted. And third, Dean Joseph DiPalma, who has lcd the Hahne- mann faculty for I4 years, retired. Best things first. The graduation initiates the next step in your education and l believe that you are exceptionally well prepared and will bring honor and respect to yourselves and to your school. You are a great class and are prepared for a great future. Congratulations. The curriculum change to the two years of preclinical and the two years of clinical is in line with the conservative trend throughout the country. As an Alumnus, l know you will give all possible support to the school and to its students to assure that future Hahnemann students receive training as good as or better than yourself. lt is my own sincere intent to continue to work for the welfare of students at Hahnemann and l hope that you will do so also through your support ofthe Alumni Association. Now, for the momentous event ofthe retirement of Dean DiPalma as Vice President and Dean in June l98l. Joseph DiPalma has dedicated more of his highly productive life to Hahnemann Medical College than any other person that l can recall. He came here in l95l as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology, and built it into one of our strongest teaching departments. It remains so today. ln 1967, rather reluctantly l believe, Dean DiPalma became Act ing Dean and subsequently Dean of the medical school. This strong man succeeded, with the support of his faculty, in resisting an at tempt to relieve him of his duties when Mr. Shober was President. He subsequently became Vice President for Academic Affairs as well as Dean. He has carried out these strenuous double-duties ever since The Dean is the leader of the faculty. Joseph DiPalma has never forgotten that. He has always interceded for the faculty and has led them in the direction he felt best, both for their welfare and the overall welfare of the school. He has been a strong and very human leader in a very lonely position. His energy and his dedication to his position and the school as a whole has been outstanding. His strong wise advice will be dearly missed. l believe that the best thing that could happen to Hahnemann Medical College is for it to obtain another Dean almost as strong and almost as dedicated as Dean DiPalma. l doubt, however, that we can ever attain another Joseph R. DiPalma. Godspeed Joe. HUGH D. BENNETT M.D 9 , . - 1 1 7 jrfirf ij U l A . , .,:...e' 91' 4 5 f .JF-31 'f