Alumni

Memories: Medicine in a Time Capsule

Four former Internal Medicine residents are among many who went on to become leaders in their field. Years later, they reminisce about their experiences at Stanford.

Outside of the Box

“I think the most significant feature were examples of scientific excellence, education, and administration,” said Mark Anderson, MD, PhD. During his residency, program director, Kelley Skeff, MD, PhD, allowed Anderson to track early into cardiovascular medicine, giving him time to develop his research.  "He went outside the usual algorithm and created wonderful opportunities for me. I felt that the medicine residency was extremely responsive to the needs of learners.”
Today, a professor of medicine and physiology, Anderson is head of the department of internal medicine, and associate director of the cardiovascular research center at the University of Iowa.  He said, “Stanford is where I realized, you should aim questions that would lead to high impact, which would make your science more important. That was practiced really well at Stanford, by many people.”

Commitment to Clinical Education

“Morning report, when all the residents get together, that was fantastic,” recalled Jack Colford, MD, MPH, PhD. Colford became a chief resident at Stanford, after completing his residency at UCSF. He saw unusual cases, a factor which influenced his career. As professor, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, University of California at Berkeley, Colford works on international water borne diseases, “the roots of that began with my interest in infectious diseases at Stanford.”
What I remember most were the remarkable patients, the diversity of amazing diseases that were brought into Stanford, the dedication to rigorous and systematic residency training, and the residents themselves.

Learning from Colleagues

"As a resident you spend the greatest amount of time working with other residents. I learned a tremendous amount from my colleagues,” said Ameena Ahmed, MD, PhD, who spent a one month elective overseas in Cuba. “It propelled me, to compare that system with the system at place like Stanford, and delve deeper into population level determinants of health.” Ahmed went on to complete a two year program in preventive medicine.
She continues to work with a fellow resident in geriatric diabetes research.  Ahmed is a staff scientist at the Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Northern CA, works with trauma survivors, and directs the Human Rights Clinic at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA.

Inspiration

“There were all these world famous physicians whose names I’d read about.  There they were in real life and willing to exchange ideas,” said Don Redelmeier, MD, MSHR, FRCPC, FACP. Being able to come in contact with these leading authorities brought out the best in Redelmeier. Stanford was a place, he said, that grounded him as a clinician scientist, “You met with people who looked good both on Medline and in the wards.”
Currently, Redelmeier is a senior scientist and professor at Sunnybrook Health Sciences at the University of Toronto in Canada. He specializes in medical decision sciences; a field, which explores how people reason, formulate judgments, and make decisions.  In contemplating the last 50 years in Stanford Medicine history, Redelmeier said, “Stanford is not a place that intends on growing at all cost, or thinks that bigger is better, and that is something to think about in the next 50 years as well.”