Mother-Daughter Docs

I read with interest the alumni profile about Janet and Karyn Baum (“Like Mother, Like Daughter,” spring 2009). I was surprised when I read that they are believed to be the only mother-daughter medical alumnae in the U-M’s history. My mother, Irene (Steltzer) Danek, as well as my father, Charles Danek, graduated from Michigan’s Medical School in 1968; I followed in 2005. I wonder how many women found such a strong and enthusiastic role model in their “doctor mom” that they, too, were inspired to follow in their footsteps? I look forward to the day (which is coming soon) when there is an exponential increase in the number of mother-daughter doctors, and it is no longer considered unusual.

Attached is a photo of my mom and me taken at graduation 2005 (she also is in cap and gown because she sat on-stage during the ceremony).

Katherine (Danek) Brito (M.D. 2005), Chicago, Illinois

I read the article on the mother-daughter grads, which mentions they are the first and only such pair, as far as can be determined. My mother, Lois Heath Harrison, and I both are U-M Medical School grads, she in 1962 and I in 1991. I would never have thought that we might be the first in the history of the school. My mom died in 1978 when I was 15, so of course she had no knowledge of what I would end up doing. If it did turn out that we were the first mother-daughter grads, it would mean a lot to my elderly father to know this.

Ann Elizabeth Harrison Uhle (M.D. 1991), Howell, Michigan

Any others? Let us know!

David G. Dickinson

I worked on the polio ward and knew Dr. Dickinson (Lives Lived, spring 2009). If he had graduated from medical school in 1945 he would have been the youngest medical graduate in history. He must have been a good bit older than 77. He was a wonderful man and everyone on the polio ward was proud to work there.

Marilyn Johnson Currier, Jackson, Mississippi

Regrettably, we printed David Dickinson’s age incorrectly; he was 87.

That Photo

As was noted in a spring 2009 letter to the editor, a photo on page 35 of the fall 2008 issue showed a doctor with a stethoscope listening to the heart of a patient through a layer of clothing. The examining physician concurred that the heart should always be auscultated without any clothing barrier. Yet, here in San Francisco most of the expert cardiologists I know listen to the heart through clothing. Is there more to this than has yet been explained? Perhaps this is answered in an article on medical economics on page 6 of the spring issue, in which a piggy bank’s heart is being auscultated without a clothing barrier.

Myron K. Denney (M.D., 1959), Sausalito, California

Losing Nickerson

Regarding Dr. Nickerson (“Seeing Red,” spring 2009): We were in our junior year when he was removed. We did not know that it was not only the House Un-American Activities Committee that caused his dismissal, but departmental in-fighting as well. We were very jealous of the Canadians for getting Nickerson, as most of us considered him to be one of the very best lecturers in the medical school. His successes after leaving Michigan proved his worth and what a loss he was to the U-M.

David P. Jahsman (M.D. 1955), Sedona, Arizona

Corrections

On page 35 of the spring 2009 issue, we cited Dean Woolliscroft’s membership on the steering committee of the AAMC Group on Educational Affairs and his presidency of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine; in fact, both terms of service have concluded. On page 30, we inadvertently omitted the credit for the image of William Carls: Portrait of William Carls painted by Robert Maniscalco; photograph courtesy of Children’s Hospital of Michigan. Our apologies.