Serving in the Heart of Medicine: A 40-Year Journey
Forty years ago, in 1984, Steve Jobs launched the Macintosh personal computer in the United States; the first untethered spacewalk was made; Born in the U.S.A., Springsteen’s seventh album, was released in America; Mary Lou Retton of the USA’s Olympic gymnastics team scored a perfect 10 for her final vault; and best of all, Martha Noll began her career as an administrative assistant in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at University of Utah Health.
With only four months of experience, a spry and eager Noll stepped into the role of assisting a cardiothoracic transplant legend, Bill DeVries, MD. Just 18 months prior, DeVries conducted the first transplant of a total artificial heart using the Jarvik-7 model on Barney Clark and forever changed cardiothoracic medicine. In this pivotal role, Noll began her 40-year journey, becoming a bedrock, confidant, friend, problem-solver, and vault of knowledge to five chiefs, hundreds of patients, physicians, residents, fellows, clinical staff, and colleagues.
After a few short months of working with DeVries, he moved on, and William Gay, MD, assumed the role of chief. Under his leadership, the Cardiothoracic Residency program was brought to the University of Utah from the LDS Hospital, formerly run by now Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints president Russell M. Nelson. Assuming the residency program was one of Noll’s first big projects. She was instrumental in supporting the transition of this program and eventually took on the role of running the residency while simultaneously managing Gay’s busy clinical practice.
Like a fly on the wall, in many interactions, Noll was not always the focal point but an observer – present in meetings, discussions, and interactions. One evening, shortly after Gay recruited his former colleague Shreekanth Karwande, MD, to join the team, Noll noticed a different buzz in the air. Just as she was leaving after a long day, Gay and Karwande continued to have an unusually intense meeting, nothing like she had experienced before. They were hyper-focused on planning, orchestrating, and devising something. While they often performed surgeries late in the evenings, she knew this was different. While she wasn’t privy to the details, she knew something big was about to happen. Early the next morning, the office was alive with excitement because just hours before, Gay and Karwande completed their first heart transplant together at U of U Health. With fondness, Noll recalled, “It was incredibly exciting to be a part of it.” Noll was not just watching history; she was living it.
Just six short years into her tenure, Noll had an incredible opportunity to run the national cardiothoracic surgery match. She recounted, “I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but Gay was a part of the national match, and so I became part of it too.” The challenging part was that along with gathering and managing stacks of applications, letters, and documentation for roughly 600 participants and over 100 institutions, Noll was pregnant with a due date the same as match week. “We all joked, which will come first, the match or the baby?” Noll said. It seems like the baby knew Noll had another significant role to play and waited until after the match, a full two weeks after.
In the years since, Noll has been a fly on the wall for countless pivotal moments, a conduit of energy and electricity, the “mom” of the division, and the glue that holds the ship together. While the division relies on her excellent technical abilities, her skills are not all that make Noll a wonderful colleague; it is her big heart. And maybe that’s why she was meant to serve in the heart of medicine for 40 years.
MESSAGES OF ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FROM THOSE SHE HAS SERVED
While Noll plans to keep working, she is also ready to take a step back and spend more of her time outside of the office. While her role is evolving, it is beyond evident that Noll is truly loved, respected, and admired. And after 40 years with U of U Health, what better way to capture the impact of a lifetime of service than by asking those she’s served?
Karwande, whom Noll worked alongside for 23 years through groundbreaking procedures, complex clinical schedules, and numerous new programs, reflected on her impact. “I remember when you graciously allowed me to share your office and desk for years,” he fondly recalled. “Your participation in starting the heart transplant program, the artificial heart assist program, and finally the lung transplant program was crucial.”
“I want to thank you for the privilege of working with you all these years. I will always regard you as a great friend and colleague.”
- Shreekanth Karwande, MD
An Ode to Martha:
Martha has been the Cardiothoracic Surgery rock
Although she had never been seen wearing a sock
She has given a lifetime to us and the U
But now is not the time to feel blue
The smooth beaches of Hawaii call her name
Making the rest of us feel oh-so lame
We will miss her greatly as she is off to have fun
I do worry, however, she will get too much sun
Her smile brings all around to feel joy
Martha know that I will always be your boy
- Craig Selzman, MD; Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at University of Utah Health
“Martha is always taking care of us like we are her family. In our old office, she had a chair next to her office desk where everyonewould sit to get some one-on-one therapy. But don’t let her sweetness fool you. She could kick anyone’s butt at The Orange Theory! Truly she is the mom of our team and makes us all feel loved and appreciated and we want her to know how loved and appreciated she is.”
- Tonna Russell
“Martha, your kindness and generosity define you! Thank you for all your dedication. Keep smiling, my friend.”
- Anna L Ciullo, MD
“Martha is the glue that holds our division together. While surgeons come and go, Martha has stuck it out and helped the division become what it is today. She has the answers to literally any question a person can come up with and keeps everyone in line on a day-to-day basis. Here’s to another 40 years with us!”
- Brian Mitzman, MD
“Martha – you were the first person I met on my first interview trip to Salt Lake City. I immediately knew this could be a great place to be from that moment. Often time folks who do the things you have done for the past 40 years are the proverbial glue or foundation that makes a place function. You are that. Your genuine approach to how you engage with and treat people creates a general sense of how the Division functions. Thank you for all you do today, for all you have done, and for all you continue to do moving forward. Everyone in our Division of CT surgery is so very fortunate.”
- Adil Husain, MD
“Martha is an angel. And she’s the boss. She knows everything, can get anything done, and smiles the whole time. She tolerates all the junk I send her, makes sense of it, and keeps me certified, paid, legal…all the things. She’s truly irreplaceable.”
- Joe Tonna, MD
“Martha is a true professional, and she plays a huge role in keeping the division smoothly on track. I am very fortunate to work with her!”
- Nate Van Dyk, MD
“Martha plays such a big role in this family and is a big part of the gears that make it work. So happy she’s been a part of it for so many years! And I have gotten to share many memories with her. I’m sure I speak for many when I say we love her, and she’s never allowed to retire.”
- Oralia Rodriguez
“To say Martha is the heart of CT Surgery is an understatement. She truly is the “Mom” of the division, and she treats everyone like family. The love, compassion, and empathy, she is an example to us all. Even when she is frustrated, she still has a smile on her face.“
- Heather Clark
“Martha is a friendly and welcoming face for anyone that interacts with her. She made me feel so comfortable and right at home when I first started with CT surgery in July of last year. She has been a wonderful coworker to get to know and we are so lucky to have her as av part of our team”
- Ellie Gosselin
“Martha has always made the CT Surgery team feel like a family. We'd be lost without her. I'm not sure how someone so young could have worked for 40 years already!! Hoping for 40 more!”
- Anne Dolan, EMT
“I’ve only had the privilege of working with Martha for the last few years but long enough to appreciate how amazing she is. I’ve dubbed her the “mom” of our division. She does everything (most of which I’m sure is not in her job description) and literally knows everything, she always has the answers! We quickly bonded over travel and I look forward to our chats about our adventures. I’m so grateful to call her my friend!”
- Chalese Groberg, RRT
“Martha is the kindest, most patient, and friendliest person in our division. She is easy to work with and always has a solution to every problem. She responds promptly to my questions and is available almost always. I love working with her! She remembers small details about my life and asks me about them when she sees me. I love having her in our department. She truly is the best! Love you Martha!”
- Anna Winn
“I've had the privilege of knowing Martha for several years. She has been amazing in dealing with the complexity that surrounds the division of Cardiothoracic surgery. I have never seen her without a smile and an amazing perspective on situations. I can only hope that after 40 years I can have the same outlook, enjoyment, and satisfaction for my job.”
- Chris Blaylock CCP
“What an accomplishment! Congrats and cheers to 40 more. Thanks for always being so helpful and kind.”
- Paul (perfusion)
“Martha, 40 years is incredible!! Thanks for all you’ve done to help me and the department in my short time with the university. Cheers to another 40!”
- Nate Sontu