Temple University School of Medicine - Skull Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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WILLIAM N. PARKINSON. M.D. William NT. Parkinson. Dean of the medical school for thirty years and for the past year Vice-President of Temple University in charge of the medical school and the hospital, has been the medical school—the admission policy, the admission committee, the director of policy, the initiator of the senior student internship program, the force behind the construction of the new pavilion which l ears his name, the single individual most responsible for the clevelop-men of the Temple Medical Center as a nationally outstanding institution. Dr. Parkinson has been an austere leader. It has been said of him that if he has nothing nasty to say he will say nothing. Yet one has the feeling that behind the grim facade lies a grin and a belly laugh. The grin because of the accomplishment, the laugh because of those who shrink from Parky in terror. The cartoon which appears on this page is to indicate that facet of Dr. Parkinson which usually is hidden. It would be impossible to have Dr. Parkinson state in a few hundred words his position on medical education. This total book, rather, tells more of the entire story. Since he has given the heads of the various departments their roles in education, it is more fitting that they tell of their concepts while Parky remains here, silent, yet by his very presence a significant indication that this education exists and that it exists as it does, to a great extent, because of him. 6 THE EDITORS

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This statement appearing opposite Dr. Bucher’s would be expected to reflect student opinion regarding the operation which he directs. As editor of this book. I must speak for more than myself, yet since education is the individual experience of assimilating concepts and knowledge. I may express a variation of my colleagues' beliefs. These four years have rushed past. Still, there remains within the confident demeanor of the graduate that thread of anxiety and uncertainty which was so apparent when he sat in his first lecture. Me knows that the acquisition of his degree is but one step. The final analysis of a preparation may be found only after there has been application. Accordingly, no absolute judgement of this institution’s efficacy can be stated here; we evaluate only by supposition. The student knows only that which he has lived. The most fundamental questions about education, however. are these: (1) has the student gained a firm foundation in the basic concepts of his profession; (2) has the pattern been well established for continual self-education. The first question lies under the immediate control and supervision of the institution and is its primary responsibility. The assumption is that these foundations have been established. At least as a Junior Intern. the student has concrete knowledge that he has applied these principles and that he has questioned other’s knowledge of them. He is aware of the total inter-relationships of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry' and pathology in the posterior, penetrating, peptic ulcer and he is able to visualize the effect of the patient’s total personality upon his disease while realizing that surgery may be imminent. A perspective has developed. Although the problem of education of fundamental knowledge has most probably been solved adequately, the direction for continued self-education may be eventually more significant. This area seems to need more emphasis. Dr. Thomas Durant's stature as a dynamic, thinking physician and the challenging, inquisitive atmosphere of St. Christopher's Hospital have given the student a concept of the ultimate in self-education but these factors are not dominant. Hopefully this type of inspiration for knowledge would replace the study-to-pass-the-exam type which exists today. The student knows that he has progressed. He has contributed to medical management. He would continue to learn. He would be grateful to Temple University School of Medicine for his Doctorate of Medicine. 5 DONALD J. RITT

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IN MEM OR I AM HOWARD WEISS, M.D. Dr. Edward Weiss was a quiet, dignified, unassuming but dedicated man—dedicated to the idea of man’s worth and his right to his own personal concept of living. Me early saw the interaction of man’s personality in health and disease. It interested him intensely. He changed the direction of his career considerably for this idea. Its pursuit in psychosomatic medicine was his vocation, his inspiration and often the source of his pleasure and satisfaction in living. I)r. Weiss believed in the patient as a combination of body and mind working together, and was one of the first to teach that understanding illness and sick people consisted of something more than a knowledge of organic disease processes but included a knowledge of emotional processes within that body as well. Dr. Weiss was a pioneer. He had creativity and the discipline to channel his ideas. From his fertile mind developed many of the first clinical evidences that emotional factors do complicate and add to the burden of physical disease. He could discuss, arrange, and teach these pieces of evidence in an interesting and convincing manner. He was appointed to Temple University School of Medicine as Clinical Professor in 1932. In 1933 he began working on clinical pro- lems in the medical school. He held what was called a medical-psychological conference which was a teaching exercise for senior medical students. It consisted of the presentation of patients from the medical wards who were studied psychologically as well as medically. From this idea and the case material presented, the book Psychosomatic Medicine grew. It has been translated into many languages and has been used as a textbook and reference book for many years and through many editions. Dr. Weiss served as one of the founders and as one of the first presidents of the American Psychosomatic Society. He was a member of the board of directors of the Marriage Council of Philadelphia and of the Family Service of Philadelphia. He was a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Philadelphia College of Physicians and a member of the American Society for Research in Psychosomatic Medicine. His most recent work was a popular book called Don't Worry About Your Heart published in February. 1959 by Random House. We mourn his passing at Temple University Medical Center with a sense of loss very poignant to the many of us who knew him. O. SPURGEON ENGLISH, M.D. 7