22 Sidney Kimmel Medical College Alumni Bulletin
Advancing Jefferson Catherine Rommel, MD ’80 and F. Michael Rommel, MD ’81
A Tradition of Giving — to Jefferson and to Each Other Cathy (Thomas) Rommel, MD ’80, and Mike Rommel, MD ’81, were both cramming for chemistry tests at West Virginia’s Bethany College when members of their respective study groups became convinced no one was going to pass the next day’s exams. Around 2 a.m., the students closed their books and headed to a nearby hangout where Cathy and Mike began commiserating over a beer — and ended up planning a date. More than 40 years later, the couple is still going strong. After finishing her bachelor’s degree, Cathy enrolled at Jefferson; a year later, Mike followed. Nurturing a relationship during medical school proved challenging at times, but a shared understanding of what the other’s schedule entailed kept the two aspiring physicians in sync. They married in 1979, shortly before Cathy graduated and went on to serve an internship at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. After Mike’s graduation in 1981, they both completed residencies at Geisinger Medical Center — Mike in urology, Cathy in ophthalmology. The couple ultimately settled in Lancaster, Pa., and raised sons Chris and James and daughter Bethany, MD ’14 (named for her parents’ undergraduate alma mater), currently an ophthalmology resident at West Virginia University. The family’s ties to Jefferson also include Chris’ wife, Alex Starks, MD ’14, an orthopaedic surgery resident at Virginia Commonwealth University; and Cathy’s sister Cindy McMurtry, MD ’82, a geriatrician at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center in Richmond, Va. Photo courtesy of V&V Photography.