Share Your Memories
Classes of 1951-1975
Do you have memories of your time with The University of Utah School of Medicine? Please share your memories with us.
1951-1955
1952
John W. Emmett, M.D.
Radiology
I remember all the softball and football games at noon before I would sleep through the pathology lectures in the "temporary" wooden Army building behind the main building.
L. E. Stevens, M.D.
Surgeon
I'm grateful for the University of Utah School of Medicine, and for the teachers who made our medical education possible. I never did go to a place, in this country or abroad, but what physicians and researchers spoke admiringly of the "U" Medical School.
1956-1960
1956
Richard A. Aldous, M.D.
Ophthalmology; Private Practice
Dr. Davenport was conducting an experiment in Physiology Class in which he had to get a student totally rattled in order to demonstrate some physiological principles (change of vital signs, etc.). He began his lecture by saying that doctors should be cultured people and that he would probably fail any student who was not well versed in the cultural arts. He then looked directly at Stuart Datt and said, "Datt, name five operas by Verdi."
Stuart (instead of turning into a basket case) calmly recited more than five operas by Verdi. The challenge did not even increase his heart rate. Dr. Davenport's experiment was totally ruined. What he did not realize was that Stuart was an accomplished musician and an expert in opera, having grown up in New York City where he had regularly attended the Metropolitan Opera.
1958
Eugene L. Bellin, M.D.
Internal Medicine
I've regret not thanking the Admission Committee for accepting me, a Jewish person from New York, with a Yale average of only 83, and taking me three thousand miles to Salt Lake City into a fascinating LDS environment, giving me a chance to be a doctor - after a rocky medical course, helped by an understanding faculty (Wintrobe, Holmstrom, Price, etc.).
Joseph M. Heath, M.D.
Family Practice
We were in our first year, very green, and very apprehensive, wondering if we were going to make the grade. The first class of the day was physiology. No one will forget the towering, demanding professor, Horace Davenport. Every contact with him brought a combination of respect and fear. He usually let us know that he was condescending to be teaching freshman medical students away from his beloved Oxford.
Once morning during the first few weeks of medical school, Herb Spencer and I walked together, rather hurriedly, as we were a bit late to physiology. As we walked in the darkened room, the class had already started. For the first time Dr. Davenport was not teaching the class, I blurted out to Herb quite audibly, "Where's Horace?"
When my eyes adjusted to the dark, and I looked around, my heart went in my throat. Horrified, I discovered that "Horace" was seated directly behind us.
This story has a postlude. I began to feel that my days in medical school may be numbered. We had had a hard test in physiology and were awaiting the results. A few days later, we were in the physiology lab. I was "wired" with all the paraphernalia to measure pulse, respiration, and blood pressure under different conditions. Dr. Davenport walked by in his white coat, and suddenly asked in his authoritative, Oxfordian voice, "Heath, do you really think you can make it though medical school?" It was the best example of the day of the effect of emotions on vital signs.
1961-1965
1961
John V. Dickson, M.D.
Otolaryngology and Rhinologic Allergy
I remember Dr. Eddie Hashimoto's bimanual, colored chalk, blackboard presentations; with his drawings of multiple layers of anatomy. He would also enliven his lectures with numerous philosophical descriptions of reproductive anatomy.
Claude R. Thomas, M.D.
General Practice
Shortly after beginning medical school, after four years in the Korean War, we had a test in Biochemistry that was very difficult. In fact, my score was about 63. That same day, my wife told me we were expecting our 4th child. I almost quit medical school. As it turned out, the test was so difficult, 63 was not a bad score at all, and the child we were expecting is now a prominent physician at the Mayo Clinic.
1965
Penelope ("Penny") A. Pemberton, M.D.
Pediatrics
I'll always remember the care and concern, for my best interest and welfare that my fellow classmates always exhibited toward me. I felt like I had brothers for classmates. Also I discovered that the education and training that I received at the University of Utah Medical School was second to none.
1966-1970
1967
Kenneth D. Shanklin, M.D.
Plastic Surgeon
I have wonderful memories of being the first class to use the University Medical Center for our clinical years of training and its proximity to the mountains I loved.
I also remember the nightmares I had nightly for several weeks after our class started cadaver dissection anatomic training. Then, for an unknown reason, these nightmares ended as abruptly as they started. I thought for a period that I would have to drop out of medical school.
1968
John C. Nelson, M.D.
Ophthalmology
I remember watching Dr. Hashimoto drawing on the blackboard with both hands simultaneously, and teaching us clinical pearls when we were thirsting for anything beyond the basic sciences.
1971-1975
1973
Ben Marchello, M.D.
Medical Oncology
I remember the early mornings walking across the old golf course, shuffling into the medical school, and greeting all of the rest of my classmates as we settled in for what we thought was a hard day of studying.
1975
J. Bradley Taylor, M.D.
Urologist
I remember the first case I ever scrubbed on with Dr. Gary Maxwell; a kidney transplant. I have been in love with kidneys ever since.
