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

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of the physician. Imagine a young undergraduate student who hates the morning and becomes queasy at the site of blood and patients in pain while volunteering in the ER and Labor floors of HUP; would you ever imagine such a student going on to become a trauma surgeon? Probably not, but this is Dr. Amy Goldberg, section chief of Trauma Critical Care and residency director for the General Surgery residency at Temple. Any student who has encountered Dr. Goldberg has immediately recognized her commitment to her patients, residents, students, and other medical staff at Temple. A Philadelphia native and avid Phillies fan for life, Dr. Goldberg grew up in Broomall with her parents, two sisters and brother. She is the only member of her family in the medical field. In addition to her love of baseball, Dr. Goldberg participated in sports such as basketball, field hockey and track. Her coaches, particularly her basketball coach, provided the initial encouragement that would carry her through her future endeavors while motivating her to serve as a coach in her own right for the residents and students she would train. Like all of us. Dr. Goldberg was fascinated by biology, science, and the miraculous nature of the human body. She knew she wanted to become a physician but pursued the study of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, considering herself a student of human nature.” She continued her education at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where Anatomy was her favorite course. Although she enjoyed her Internal Medicine clerkship much more than her Surgery clerkship as a medical student, anatomy was the clincher and the reason she chose surgery. T couldn't imagine other people with their hands in the liver and the spleen and everything else and not me; 1 would have felt cheated if I didn't get to work with the organs everyday too. It’s exciting to know that at any point you have the opportunity to operate in any part of the body.” Dr. Goldberg then returned to Philadelphia for her residency in General Surgery at none other than Temple. Afterwards, she completed a one-year fellowship in Traumatology and Critical Care at the University of Maryland - so much for feeling queasy around blood! Dr. Goldberg relates trauma surgery to being a member on a sports team: trauma surgery required quick thinking as well as the harmonious participation of all rhe team members. It is for this reason that she considers even us medical students as integral to rhe care of the patient. After completion of the fellowship, she was drawn back to Temple as an attending surgeon and has been here ever since, excelling in her field and motivating those around her to work towards their goals. Temple seems to have had a lasting impact on Dr. Goldberg. She smiles with pride when asked if she sees herself staying here for a long time, saying, “1 do, I really do.’ It is Temple's mission “This program has helped Dr. Goldberg deal with the difficulties of her work by helping these kids ‘have better lives when they leave here. ’ of service to the community, education of student and residents, and research that keeps Dr. Goldberg around. It’s the personality of the place. It's rhe people rhat define Temple. The reason why many people stay is because they too believe in the mission, in each other.” The community certainly is a major impetus for Dr. Goldberg’s work. Working in a hospital that encounters numerous traumas each day, especially among the youth of the surrounding community, it never becomes easier to watch patients who are severely injured, or worse yet to watch them die. Dr. Goldberg wanted to get to the root of the problem so that patients were not simply patched up and sent back out on the streets only to return again. She co-created the Cradle to Grave program with Scott Charles, the program’s outreach coordinator. This program involves middle and high-school aged children as well as those who have already been in trouble with 2010 SKULL T5

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We, as members ot the class ot 2010, began medical school only a few short years ago. Some ol us knew exactly what kind of doctors we wanted to be; others were open to anything; still others were on the fence between two or three options. Wc are now at a time when we know which paths we will soon walk on. Some of us will be surgeons, some internists, some pediatricians, and so forth. As much as we may joke about the superiority of one field over another, it is impossible to forget the com-men thread that links us alls the desire to serve our patients by being the best doctors wc can possibly be. We each still possess that optimism and enjoy the thrill ot practicing good medicine. Despite our different personalities and goals, wc all are united in this aspect, and we each have been influenced by the great teachers we have encountered on the wards who remind us daily that medicine is more than just science. Over the years, one particular physician has continued to show dedication and passion not only to her profession, but also to the role of educator, a role which is intimately tied into that 4 jTTemple University School of mfdicine

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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