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

Page 11 text:

IN APPRECIATION We celebrate Dr. Concetta HARAKAL'S 50 YEARS OF SERVICE AS AN EDUCATOR. SCIENTIST. AND FRIEND. She maintains that the quantity of her years at Temple pales in comparison to their quality: My first love is the student body and that is what has kept me here this long.” When she talks of Temple medical students, a sense of awe enters her tone as she recounts their brilliance in the face of such adversities as admissions, workload, and tuition. There was the student who studied medicine by day and drove a taxi by night to support his family. There were students who would stay in lab for up to eight hours after a full day of class because they were genuinely interested in the matcrial-and Dr. Harakal genuinely interested in teaching them. Then there are students in our class who were fortunate enough to interview with Dr. Harakal and receive the ultimate ofcmpathetic hugs. If there is one thing that makes Dr. Harakal such a remarkable individual it is that she genuinely cares for all of her students. Of course there is more than just one thing that makes her remarkable, but her concerted effort to understand and immerse herself in the plight of medical students is quite touching. She began teaching medical students by chance, she says. Temple medical students had tlA .1.1- .-. the hall t:«•: ft hci lab and her general curiosity presented her with an opportunity to teach. Inspired by their sin- i cere !• Dr. larakal took quite » k J a shine to them. She wanted to know more about them, what hardships they had to overcome, and how she could better help them: so, she joined the admissions committee. When her family emigrated from Italy to Philadelphia, they settled in a decidedly un-Italian neighborhood in order to better understand the new culture. Similarly, Dr. Harakal saw her position on the admissions committee as a way to understand medical students: I wanted to see exactly what they do - when they apply, what they do right when they were accepted, what they were after.” Helping with Dr. Harakal conducting an experiment in the late 1960 s. Con cxMa rJ {a rttkaX, rPfu 2). professor of pharmacology the difficulties that medical students faced, Dr. Harakal wanted to know: What's your trouble? Are we failing your What can I do to help you?” It is hard for me to believe that Dr. Harakal has ever failed to come through for anyone. It is also hard to accept that Dr. Harakal will leave Temple for retirement at the end of the year. For her, the decision was not an easy one and she does not in fact look forward to leaving what she loves and enjoys so much-teaching the TUSM student body. Nevertheless, she is optimistic about change and future endeavors of rc-Icarning Italian and reaching out to church parishioners without families by writing them letters. As her lovely smile has graced the pages of every yearbook since 1958, Dr. Harakal will surely be missed and never 2010 Skull T-

Page 10 text:

violence. The kids were brought to Temples trauma bay to learn about Lamont Adams, a 16-year-old who was shot 14 times over a $100 game of dice. The students were shown the heroic measures undertaken to save Lamont, who only lasted 15 minutes in the trauma bay before succumbing to his injuries. They were led through the morgue and shown the cold consequences of violence. This program has involved hundreds of children and adolescents, none of which have been trauma victims in Temples trauma bay. This program has helped Dr. Goldberg deal with the difficulties of her work by helping these kids have better lives when they leave here.” She certainly feels sadness at the end of a rough day, but doing what she can through service and education mixed with the healing nature of time arc what help her deal with the trials of trauma surgery. By helping to develop this program, Dr. Goldberg embodies the spirit of commitment to community that we all should strive for as physicians. So what docs a trauma surgeon do during her not-so-abun-dant free rime? Dr. Goldberg enjoys the arts and visiting the Philadelphia Art Museum. She notes the importance of balancing the structured aspects of medicine with the abstract aspects of art. She loves Impressionism, but not surprisingly, her favorite painting is Prometheus Bound by Rubens. If you have ever appreciated the theme of this painting, you can understand why Dr. “I think as a medical school, our students are really scrappy and have a whole lot of heart, and that's a description of me, too. That's a good thing. Goldberg makes sure to view it during each trip to the museum: Dr. Goldberg also bikes and, like many of our classmates, she has participated in several Broad Street Runs. She also enjoys the orchestra, attending lectures, and being in the know about politics. Of course, the Phillies remain dear to her and she is a season ticket holder. Although she still hates the morning. Dr. Goldberg has learned through long hours of training the importance of mental strength. The physical being is very strong and can tolerate a lot of hours of work, but really you have to be mentally strong. Your mind tells your body how tired you are. 1 came to appreciate that everybody, not just me, has a lot of inner strength. She continues to strive for excellence and attributes much of this commitment to all the nameless women during the 1960s and 1970s who entered the workforce, whether out of want or need. She sees their energy not only in herself, but also in us, the students of Temple Med. I think as a medical school, our students arc really scrappy and have a whole lor of heart, and that’s a description of me, too. That's a good thing. Scrappy means somebody that works hard and doesn’t give up, doesn’t take no, does what’s necessary, and it's because of their heart that allows them to do that, to do what’s right. Dr. Goldberg encourages us to ’really embrace the privilege of taking care of patients and understand that the relationship that you as a physician has with the patient can be very special. At rimes, medicine is much more an art than a science. Dr. Goldberg’s unending service to the students, residents and her patients is clear and will always be valued. We remember her just as she remembers us: Pretty scrappy with a lot of heart. By Varsha Somasckharan b'Ytemple University school of medicine

Page 12 text:

HOODERS Graduation is a cultural tradition considered a rite of passage from one platform in a students life to another. It has its origins in antiquity where many tribes were found to be celebrating their passing from youth to adulthood through various customs and observances. Todays graduation ceremony is a manifestation of this ancient rite of passage in the modern context. An important part of the graduation ceremony is the giving of hoods. The origin of the hood lies with the Celts and the Druids (the Celtic priests). Among the Celts, only the Druids wore mantles which had hoods attached to them as a mark of their rank in the society. In the schools of the Middle Ages, the hoods were worn as a head-covering to resist the frigid temperatures. But gradually, it was integrated into the academic system with much symbolic significance. Now, wearing of hoods symbolizes a kind of authority, a high standing, or to identify a new graduates institution and the degree. 8T Temple University school of medicine