NASPGHAN meeting, an award dedicated to Teri

[For those new to blog, a photomontage of Teri's life is in September 19th blog.]

An incredible national meeting with 1075 attending in Orlando this past weekend, underscoring how much NASPGHAN (North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition) has become an extended family to Teri and I.  Many, many hugs, condolences, thoughts, prayers and support from colleagues around the country and world.  Even though it was hard to get on the horse again and attend in the wake of Teri’s recent death, it was indeed very comforting to be there.

After such an excruciating 19 months, several other things happened at the Annual Meeting that made me think Teri is looking out for me.  First, I received the Murray Davidson Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to “an outstanding clinician, educator and scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of pediatric gastroenterology.”

Second, it gave me a chance to go out to dinner with the GI Section (AAP) that selected me, and, to organize a 10 course Chinese/Japanese/Korean gastronomical celebration for 33 NASPGHAN and MCW colleagues.  Third, I was acknowledged at the business meeting and in private, despite my shortened tenure as President of NASPGHAN, for instigating a number of initiatives:  inaugural Mexican councilor, new patient website gastrokids.com, practitioner’s forum, neurogastroenterology committee, experiments in social networking, clinical research initiative with the FDA, new career development seminar, and the short and sweet 18 minute presentation format for the annual Post-Graduate Course.  And finally, the authors shocked me by dedicating the just published Board (Certification) Review Book to me.  A highlight of my life that I wish Teri could have shared with me in vivo.

I asked several colleagues if they were trying to make me feel better, given the year that I had, and they said no.  I felt I as President had developed good synergy with my Committee Chairs and proposed ideas but let them run with them, take ownership and credit – I do know they enjoyed working with me.  Because I am much more comfortable brainstorming in the back rather than ‘leading out front', I didn’t expect these kudos.  I had a chance to thank many of my Chairs and Councilors in person.  Almost too much for one individual … but it nevertheless felt very good to the core. 

First Asian American or minority President of NASPGHAN.  First Asian American or minority career achievement award winner.

Tom Sferra, a former GI fellow and mentee, who is becoming Chief of GI at Rainbow Babies, introduced me at the awards ceremony.  He didn’t roast me too badly, only lightly singed me as he talked about how I used to slice and dice fruit so it could be divided amongst the four colleagues at lunch.  He described how the four of us would share each other’s foods, even soup with one spoon, whenever we ate out in restaurants.  I commented that we were trying to train his intestinal microbiome, the intestinal bacteria that are proving to be so important to many diseases.

Here are my acceptance remarks to thank my mentors and a few of my colleagues.

It’s great honor to be here.  I would first like to thank the American Academy of Pediatrics for this award, especially my colleagues within the AAP Section of GI, Hepatology and Nutrition.  This award came as a very pleasant and unexpected surprise.  That I am in the mold of Murray Davidson – i.e. clinician-observer-educator-hobbyist investigator-activist – is most fitting.

I came to GI through a detour around my original intention to obtain an MPH and work globally.  Few I suspect will know who was the mentor most responsible for my detour into GI.  In this SLIDE, 

you will recognize the twin-like resemblance similar akin to that between Danny DiVito and Arnold the Governor.  For those of you who don’t know him, he is 6’5” Peter Whitington.  The graphic reversal was performed by my son.  Peter as a GI fellow, was the best teacher I had as a resident and inspired me with his prodigious clinical knowledge and investigative acumen.  LESSON:  Be open to opportunities, even in detour and even in arm twisting.

I initially worked under Gerry Odell a self-trained gastroenterologist and bilirubinologist and the 1994 Shwachman Award Winner who thought I should become a BLIrubinologist. 

Not to be.  I switched to Ward Olsen’s lab at the VA Hospital;  he mentored my studies on intestinal transport of carnitine.  

As part of the rigor, he required all GI fellows to do a triathlon with him – ultimately to help fish him out of the drink during the swimming leg.  OBSERVATION:  they don’t challenge fellows like the old days when giants walked the halls.

As a young faculty at Columbus/Nationwide Children’s Hospital, I prospered under chief Juhling McClung’s leadership philosophy (SLIDE) – let the inmates make decisions. 

 So, during our daily brown bag lunches, my fellow junior faculty inmates Bob Murray, Leo Heitlinger SLIDE and I began discussing Buckeye sports, troubleshooting divisional problems, and thinking creatively about change. 

The collaboration, synergistic thinking, and proactive desire to improve things provided horizontal peer-to-peer mentoring that has served me well throughout my career.  GOAL:  may you find simpatico colleagues who stimulate and energize your development.  

To these colleagues, I add Colin Rudolph a close friend and former chief at Medical College of Wisconsin who constantly challenged me to think broadly and ethically about NASPGHAN.  SLIDE  

Here he is performing an exam on a ancient tree in Scotland, true to his nature, plunging in head first.

Two NASPGHAN presidents provided the first windows of opportunity to me.  SLIDE  Dick Colletti took a chance and promoted me to Training Chair based upon no track record but an outline of a vision of how the fellows’ conferences could provide career development in an integrated curriculum.

Mitch Cohen gave me the opportunity to design the Teaching and Tomorrow and First Year Fellows’ Conferences and stood by (not too close) while I nearly hung myself with the Uniform Date of Offer for Fellows affectionately known as Black Monday – the precursor of the Match.   Lesson:  mistakes can be the segue into better things.

My family unfortunately couldn’t be here with me today SLIDE. 

Rachel our daughter is an 4X ironwoman who presented us with our first grandson Jack in October. SLIDE  Here he is one week old.

SLIDE  Here Jack is 10 months of age looking like he wants a cigar and a drink.  SLIDE
 

Ben our son has been a part of the NASPGHAN family:  he worked for pediatric gastroenterologist, presented an abstract here last year, and just began medical school.  

I’m very proud of both of them.

As I reflect, I realize that one of my key role models stood by my side for 39 years.  Teri was a Montessori teacher and volunteer who cared deeply about family, children, ethnic diversity and socioeconomic discrepancies.  She was my sounding board and ethical compass.  I’ll describe one teaching moment at a welcome party for incoming Asian American medical students just before she died 1.5 months ago.  To a medical student who was disparaging another medical school, I overheard her say SLIDE: 

“It is not about where your school is ranked [by U.S. News & World Report], it’s about what you do with your career, how you manifest your passion and compassion.” 
 

SLIDE

I was overcome by her inspired teaching lesson.  It is to Teri, my partner, that I dedicate this award.  [Standing ovation.]

Thank you.  Thank you all for your support.  [Somehow, I got through it without breaking down. - thank you Teri.]