U asked

Medicine at Michigan is the glossy quarterly published by the U highlighting happenings at “Michigan Medicine”, the latest marketing term trotted out to “brand” all the things that happen at the MECCA (sure don’t call it that anymore!). Last week, someone there sent out an e-mail to everyone with some conceivable tie to the med school or medical center, past or present:

“Hi med school alums!

We know you’re doing extraordinary things. We also know you have exciting hobbies, new family members, fun adventures, great stories about meeting up with other alums, experiences at Michigan football games, and more. Please share your story with us so we can share it with your classmates. Photos welcome!.”

I thought, what the heck, and sent out a little blurb at what’s been the surprising highlight of my retirement.

“My UofM ties began as a undergrad ’70-‘4 with a 1-year MS tacked on, and my time as a “Michigan Medicine” (we didn’t use that term then) trainee was brief, as a post-doc ’83-5.  Fortunately, that included a job offer which led to 34 years on faculty, from which I retired 4 Junes ago.  Not having to see all those patients left time for other things.  An invitation from a “predatory” journal to write about arthroscopy, a procedure I helped pioneer for the rheumatologist, got me writing about some of the unique things I used to do, generating 20 peer-reviewed publications, a book chapter, and 2 instructional videos, so far.  Deciding to share other parts of my life, I started a blog (theviewfromharbal.com) and have posted 385 items thus far.  The there’s those 7 books (with more to come).   My dad always said I should be a writer.  Maybe it took 41 years of seasoning at UofM (and 8 at some other institutions) for me to realize that.

Go Blue!”

Reference

1. Medicine at Michigan. Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan https://www.michiganmedicine.org/medicine-at-michigan