VIEWPOINT
A LIVING LEGEND, A BEACON, AN ICON By Sudha Ravilla, M.D. I am honored to pen this personal essay about a great physician and human being, Dr. J. Orson Smith. It may not be common knowledge to many physicians in Tallahassee that this living legend just embarked on his ninth decade of life, but he is a living testament to the fact that for some, age is merely a number. I first came to know Dr. Orson Smith when I applied for an open position for Medical Director of the Lipid Center. As I started conversing with him, I quickly realized that I was perhaps preordained to be his professional partner, despite the fact that in every conceivable aspect, I was pretty much his phenotypical antonym! He had a simple and grace imbued unpretentious way about him, that never reminded me of the glaring contrasts between us. Still, our minds could not be more in sync professionally and we connected instantly. I was quickly educated by my peers at the time that he had a spectacular reputation and that filling his shoes would not be for the faint of heart, and I soon realized why that was the prevailing sentiment.
He may be best known as an excellent physician to people at large, known for his knowledge, dedication, and clinical astuteness embedded with stellar clarity of thought. Still, I would like to highlight some of his other personal attributes that I have come to know over time and greatly admire. There are many, but there are a few that stand out from my perspective. They include his broad-mindedness, pragmatism, positivity, grace, humility, lightheartedness, not to mention dedication to his family - I am sure that Mrs. Smith would vouch for the additional title “great husband” as well, and one could argue that tops all the rest!
One particular personal attribute that spills into his professional career ever so seamlessly and deserves special mention is his broadmindedness, which is a unique attribute for someone of his stature. I can vouch for this as a woman, much younger, with contrasting skin hue, a relatively recent implant in the healthcare landscape in town, and embarking on my practice. It soon became evident to me that he is not one to see color, age, or gender when it comes to recognizing or sharing intellectual property. One striking His very first gesture of generosity example is when he would walk up toward me, his professional partner, to my exam room in the clinic and was to offer up his lovely office. He casually ask for my opinion. “Sudha, J. Orson Smith, Jr., M.D. recognized the symbolism of that what are your thoughts on this case?” move and made the transition as seamless as he would ask. Secretively, of course, this was one possible and never once made me feel the weight of my greatest honors that “the great Dr. Orson of his baton. As I learned the unique ropes of Smith” asked for my opinion! I am not sharing the practice of Lipidology from him, putting this in a braggadocious way but highlighting his my passion for Lipidology to the test, he never professionalism, punctuated by his admirably raw towered over me, symbolically speaking, to and humble passion for intellectual curiosity! I remind me of his stature. Without ever subtly have a special appreciation for his equanimous implying that I should practice in the shadow of approach to professional partnership, sans any his reputation, he graciously gave me the freedom barrier, no holds barred. In other words, he makes to establish myself on my own terms and me forget about the stark visible contrasts that the potential — this natural grace, notwithstanding world may see between us, which is a colossally his stature, was never lost on me. For that, I am ever grateful. 20 CAP SCAN - A CAPITAL MEDICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION
