February 13th, 2014
Roman DeSanctis, One of the Greats, Retires
Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM and Roman DeSanctis, MD
CardioExchange Editor-in-Chief Harlan Krumholz interviews Roman DeSanctis, one of the most influential physicians of his career, upon his retirement.
Krumholz: I met Roman DeSanctis when I was a third year medical student. I have always said that he and Kanu Chatterjee are the reasons that I am in cardiology. They shared this towering clinical ability with great respect for the clinical history and physical examination – and an intense interest in the patient.
When I heard that Roman was retiring I thought of what it must have been like in 1951 when Joe DiMaggio retired. Roman was like DiMaggio in that he had talent and charisma – and people were drawn to him. And with patients it was magic – he connected with them – and they trusted him. It was something to see.
It is a loss for cardiology – I think that there will not be cardiologists in quite the same mold. I wanted to pull him into CardioExchange to have the chance to connect with him again. I wanted him to know that he would continue to be an inspiration to me. I wanted to thank him.
For our readers I posed the following questions to him:
Over all the years, what is your favorite memory of your career in cardiology?
DeSanctis: Clinically, there have been just too many memories to pick out a single one. The 18 years that I was involved as a cardiologist to the king of Morocco was a uniquely wonderful and interesting period of time. King Hassan II was a brilliant, sensitive man, and very important to the United States as a major, behind-the-scenes player in the Middle East; I was very fond of him. However, I’ve probably experienced my greatest satisfaction in helping to train scores of brilliant young men and women who have gone on to become leaders in cardiology, medicine, and health policy.
You have seen remarkable changes in cardiology over your career. We can do so much more now. Is there anything we lost in the progress?
DeSanctis: In 60 years we have gained so much in our ability to treat people with heart disease; but the advent of technology, IT, medicine that is driven heavily by financial considerations, and many other external forces have greatly diminished the personal, human aspects of taking care of patients.
What is your advice to the next generation?
DeSanctis: Remember that we are so fortunate to be in medicine; we go to work every day with no other purpose than to relieve pain and suffering and try to heal the sick. Is there a higher calling? Despite all of the external forces that make it harder for us to enjoy this noblesse oblige, we must never forget that the beauty and the essence of medicine is still the interaction between ourselves and the patients we serve. Doctors should never underestimate their importance to their patients.
4 Responses to “Roman DeSanctis, One of the Greats, Retires”
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Harlan, thank you for your interview with this exceptional physician!
In the news letter of BMJ, February 1, 2014, titled “Named doctor will end culture of “brief encounters” in hospitals” England’s Health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, was quoted saying: Hospital patients should each have a “whole stay doctor” assigned to them who would be accountable for their care throughout their stay an who made sure that they were handed over to a named GP after discharge.
When fragmentation of patient care becomes epidemic, it is great to look up to noble physicians like Roman de Sanctis. His kindness with patients and colleagues was outstanding. Personally, I was impressed of his strong support of Valentin Fuster at the MGH and how he cared as a friend.
Unforgettable!
Beat J Meyer
He is my inspiration and role model as he is for many generations of trainees. His wise counsel and dedication to his patients keeps us focused on the reason we entered medicine. I sincerely hope he understands the depth of respect and love we all have for him.
Roman is a truly remarkable person and physician. His impact on those of us privileged to have trained under him is remarkable and continues, undiminished, through our careers. He set the bar high and showed us, by personal example, what it meant to be a devoted, caring, and insightful physician. He is truly in a league apart, and I am so grateful for his training and inspirational leadership.
Roman’s dedication to teaching in the midst of a potentially overwhelming clinical demand impressed me as a medical student at MGH. He combined a didactic style with genuine respect and concern for the students. He set high standards, outlining the numerous electrocardiographic criteria for ischemia in the setting of a LBBB as if we just needed a quick reminder. I consider myself privileged to have learned at the bedside with the master clinicians Roman Desanctis and Saul Farber at NYU.