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Essay

Matthew B. Stern, MD'78
A Young Northerner Ventures South to Medical School: Letters Home from Duke, 1974-1976
A Young Northerner Ventures South to Medical School: Letters Home from Duke, 1974-1976
Excerpt

“. . . Surgery was amazing. The chairman of the department is named Sabiston. I know you’ve never heard of him, but around here, he’s pretty much the king. He talked to us the first day of the rotation and knew all of our names. He looked right at me and said, 'What do you think, Mr. Stern?' . . .

"I saw my first open heart case at the VA hospital with one of Dr. Sabiston’s protégés. I was really excited. I had to wash my hands for what seemed like an hour, put on gowns on top of my scrubs and a cap and mask. I felt really confined, and my nose began to run because I think I’m allergic to the material in the mask. When I inadvertently scratched my nose while staring in awe at a beating heart, the surgeon told the head nurse to take some sutures and tie my hands behind my back. I guess I’ll have to find another specialty.”

In This Essay
  • Learning to cope with tobacco fumes, trains, and Tar Heels
  • The Primal Scream psychiatry rotation
  • Sweating exams with Sabiston; cooling it in Duke Gardens
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Matthew B. Stern, MD'78
Biography

Matthew B. Stern is the director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He also co-directs the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Stern has authored or co-authored numerous papers on Parkinson’s disease and edited or co-edited eight books. He has held several leadership positions and is currently secretary of the International Movement Disorder Society. He serves on numerous consulting boards and has lectured throughout the world on Parkinson’s disease and related disorders.

Stern received his medical degree from Duke University and completed his neurology training at the University of Pennsylvania. He remains connected to Duke through his support of medical student aid and his membership on the Duke Medical Alumni Council.

The views expressed within each of these essays are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Duke University School of Medicine or Duke University Health System.