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

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DEDICATION Wallace P. Richie, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. To Dr. Wallace P. Ritchie. Jr., a man of many accomplishments, a dedicated physician, mentor, academician and leader, wc. the Class of 1994, dedicate our yearbook. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota. where winter temperatures below zero are not uncommon. Dr. Ritchie grew up wanting to be a history teacher It didn't matter that there were generations of physicians in his family; that his great grandfather, an obstetrician was the first chairman of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Minnesota and later went on to become the school's second dean; that his grandfather was a plastic surgeon and his father, a neurosurgeon. In fact. Dr. Wallace P. Ritchie. Jr., tried to avoid becoming a physician. He saw first-hand the dedication and devotion that a career in medicine demanded of his father. Although his two brothers found their success in law and banking. Dr. Ritchie could not resist his true calling. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Yale University in 1957, he found himself entering medical school at The Johns Hopkins University. His M.D. degree in hand. Dr. Ritchie remmed to Yale for two years of surgical internship and residency. Soon after, he landed back in Sl Paul, where he served as Chief Surgical Resident and pursued post-graduate training at the University of Minnesota, a premier place to train. After he received his doctorate, duly called and he joined the military. He served his country as a lieutenant colonel and Chief of the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Walter Reed in Washington. D.C. Dr. Ritchie then became a professor at the University Virginia and left ten years later to join Temple’s faculty in 1983. To list Dr. Ritchie’s professional memberships, honors, awards, recognitions and publications would fill the pages of this book. Highlights of his many professional activities include membership in the American Surgical Association, the Association for Academic Surgery (for which he has served as president), and an active role as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has received many honors and awards for his research, including the Established Investigator Award given by die American Heart Association, and the Arthur H. Shipley award for best paper by a new member of the Southern Surgical Association. He has well over 100 published articles and abstracts on his research in gastrointestinal disease. He has also authored numerous textbook chapters and currently holds positions on several editorial boards. Dr Ritchie has served as a moderator and or participant on dozens of panels and symposia and has lectured as a visiting professor to physicians at countless universities over the last decade. But of all these major accomplishments, lire thing that holds Dr. Ritchie close to his students and residents is his dedication to teaching. His commitment to our education has been recognized on many occasions. Dr. Ritchie has been the recipient of such prestigious awards as the W. Emory Burnell Award and the Wallace P. Ritchie. Jr.. M.D.. Ph D. Award, both given by Temple residents and the Golden Apple Award, given by Temple medical students. Most recently, in 1993. Dr. Ritchie was presented with the Lindback Foundation Distinguished Teacher Award. On a more personal level. Dr. Ritchie heads a family of three children with his wife. Barbara, of 33 years. Jessica, the youngest daughter, currently works in a law firm in northern Virginia; Stephanie is pursuing a career in the arts in fast-paced New York City, while his son. David, has established himself on the west coast in California. In his spare time (a rare commodity these days). Dr. Ritchie continues to pursue his love of history and architecture, and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He frequently i finds himself ambling in his own backyard, doing yard work at his wife’s insistence. When asked about the changing front of medicine. Dr. Ritchie admits that no one really knows what the practice of medicine will be like in the future. , Certainly the style of practice will change, the physician's ability to direct patient care will be altered to some degree, and the sense of autonomy physicians now share continued on page 8 6 Skull

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Wallace P. Ritchie,M.D.,PhD. Chairman Dr. Ritchie and his wife, Barbara, enjoy Hawaii continued from page 6 will be challenged. He admits that it might be more difficult for established physicians to adjust to these changes than those of us just beginning to practice. But one thing is guaranteed to remain constant.... the caring of patients will continue. No matter what you arc interested in or what you end up doing, the patient will always come first. Unfortunately, this is Dr. Ritchie’s last year as Temple's Chief of Surgery. He says he is proud to have participated in all aspects of academic surgery here at Temple, and has felt privileged to work with such outstanding individuals, faculty, residents and students alike. He speaks of his faculty members with fondness and calls them “incredible teachers. Of the residents and students, he is continually amazed at their diverse and interesting backgrounds. They come from incredible places and have done many incredible things. He has enjoyed supporting and nurturing these young surgeons-to-be and gets great pleasure from watching them grow. All-in-all. Dr. Ritchie feels he is leaving Temple’s surgery department in great shape for his successor. “The program is running well, we have very high continued on page 9 8 Skull