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In the News
GENERALSURGERYNEWS.COM / GENERAL SURGERY NEWS / JULY 2015
Arnold Salzberg, HB, MD: The Pied Piper of MCV BY DAN W. PARRISH, MD, JEFFREY H. HAYNES, MD, AND CHARLES E. BAGWELL, MD [The following is an excerpted and edited article that was originally published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery (2015;50:211-217). The full article can be found at www.generalsurgerynews.com.] Salzbergian \solz-bərgē-ən\ adjective of, relating to, or following the teachings of Arnold Salzberg. Noun one who embodies all that Arnold Salzberg taught about humanity. Noun one who has obtained his or her HB degree.
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ebster’s Dictionary would probably define “Salzbergian” as one who trained under Arnold Salzberg and exhibits the same great character traits, mentoring ability and surgical skills. These might be the words that are used, but many times words cannot do justice to something so special. Arnold Salzberg was many things to many different people—“father figure, “wonderful advisor and resource,” “ultimate mentor,” “humanitarian”—but when he was asked how he wanted to be remembered, he simply smiled and replied, “Icon … that would be nice.” Never at a loss for words or humor and forever with an open door to his office, home and heart, Dr. Salzberg embodied what so many medical students, residents and attendings have been striving for: the ideal combination of physician and human being. To be able to accomplish one aspect of his professional life would have made him a legend in the field of surgery. Bringing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), being the only pediatric surgeon in the community for more than 30 years, authoring more than 150 articles and chapters, and advancing the field of pediatric surgery and oncology would be enough for most people. Influencing nearly 20 medical students and residents to pursue pediatric surgery and become leaders in the field would also have been enough for most people. But Arnold Salzberg wasn’t most people. Even in his final days, he was influencing those he had mentored and still reminding them of what he had made them want to accomplish: not only pediatric surgery, but greatness. Many times during the writing of this paper, stories were told in the first person only for the teller of the story to realize that he hadn’t been there in the first place. The stories are recalled and told so vividly over and over, and his phrases and quotes continue to be spoken and passed
along like lines from our favorite movies, that those of us who never worked with or even knew Dr. Salzberg feel like we could be one of his students. By continuing to tell his stories and influencing those below them to pursue the same greatness for which Dr. Salzberg pushed, his “disciples” are continuing his tradition and continuing to demonstrate what it means to be Salzbergians.
The Beginning Paterson, N.J., is known for many things: Larry Doby, the first black baseball player in MLB American League; “Paterson,” an award-winning poem by William Carlos Williams; Joseph Pistone, an FBI agent portrayed in “Donnie Brasco”; and Lou Costello, actor and comedian. On May 21, 1922, Paterson became home to one of the pioneers of pediatric surgery, Arnold Martin Salzberg. Arnold Salzberg, or Arnie, was the son of Harry and Elsie Salzberg. His father was a Polish immigrant who settled on New York City’s East Side with little to no resources. His father pushed a garment cart in the city and, with his brother, earned enough money to purchase a textile factory. Like most young men at the time, he planned to follow in his father’s footsteps with a career in the textile business. When he began his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, the plan was to major in business. However, believing that medicine would be a more lucrative and sustainable profession than the ever-changing and competitive world of the textile industry, his parents encouraged him to obtain a medical degree. Arnold followed his parents’ advice and pursued his premedical education at the University of North Carolina from 1939 to 1942, before continuing his medical education at New York Medical College. In
addition to obtaining his degree, he lettered on a UNC tennis team that went undefeated in his senior season. From 1942 to 1945, Arnold trained at New York Medical College, including training in the Army Student Training Program as a private first class during 1943-1945. After medical school, he did an internship at Paterson General Hospital before serving as a lieutenant and captain in the Army Medical Corps from 1946 to 1948. He moved to Richmond, Va., to begin his general surgery residency at MCV in 1948. He completed his residency in 1953, a thoracic surgery fellowship at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., in 1954, and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1955. After completion of these fellowships, Dr. Salzberg returned to MCV as an associate in surgery in 1955. Following this appointment, he completed a second pediatric surgery fellowship at Babies Hospital at Columbia University, in New York City, in 1960, under the tutelage of Dr. Thomas Santulli, before returning to MCV as an assistant professor of surgery in pediatric and thoracic surgery. He rose through the academic ranks and became the chairman of the Division of Pediatric Surgery in 1967, and a professor in 1970. After a brief surgical practice in San Diego, Dr. Salzberg returned to MCV in 1973, because “it was where his heart remained.” When he arrived home, he picked up right where he left off, leading the Division of Pediatric Surgery, working tirelessly for his patients, and mentoring his students and residents. Dr. Salzberg was one of the first 50 American physicians to specialize in pediatric surgery, and his desire to practice pediatric surgery stemmed from wanting to help children move forward to a full and long life. Children seemed to recognize
Arnold Salzberg’s senior portrait in the UNC Yearbook, 1942. his fondness and caring nature and were not afraid. “He had a gentle touch and a smile that always radiated trust and comfort,” his wife, Cora, said. “In addition, he had great compassion for patients and families who were in distress.” Besides his patients, whom he often referred to as “his kids,” he had many other children. Some were his own, including Harry, Bambi and David, and some were his students and residents. “He always referred to them as ‘my kids’ and ‘my family,’” Cora said. At home, he was a great dad to his children, often making snacks for them while engaging them in discussions about their interests and goals. He took on each of their hobbies in an attempt to connect to them. He even went so far as to buy the same textbooks that they were using in school, so he could study and keep up with their schoolwork to help them if they needed it. His son, David, followed in his footsteps and trained in general surgery at MCV. Often when his wife returned home from work, there would be “one of [his] children” there, discussing an issue from the hospital or life. They would stay for dinner and “would retire to the sun porch for discussions, which resulted in solutions to the student’s problems.” Dr. Salzberg’s office and home were gathering places for students and colleagues to work their way through issues.
There are only 2 things wrong with you: DNA and RNA
University of North Carolina tennis team, 1942.
Although Dr. Salzberg was a caring, all-knowing man, he would not accept if you were not doing your best. “Arnie had a way of berating you with humor, while at the same time, making you feel appreciated and cared for,” said a former resident. If you were struggling with a certain step in an operation or with a question and said, “Dr. Salzberg, I’m doing the best I can,” he would quickly reply, “I know, that’s the pity of it!” or “don’t make it your life’s work” or “we could spend all dayy talking about what you don’t know” if “I don’t know” was your answer to one of his questions.