"Leading Academic Health Care Institutions" will be the first of the FoMD Dean's Lecture Series.
One of the highest milestones of Joseph B. Martin's career has been the time he spent as dean of Harvard Medical School. This superbly accomplished alumnus from the U of A's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry will be speaking at the inauguration of the FoMD Dean's Lecture Series, September 9 with his lecture Leading Academic Health Care Institutions.
If you missed last week's story about him or want to know more, here are some interesting facts that were a part of his journey to become a celebrated physician and leader in health academic institutions.
1. He grew up on a farm and went to a one-room school
Although this may be old news to those who had the chance to read his publication Alfalfa to Ivy: Memoir of a Harvard Medical School Dean, many would be surprised to know that Dr. Martin's upbringing was very modest. He grew up on a dairy farm near Brooks, AB, and his education began in a small classroom he shared with students of all grades. His graduating class in 1955 had 20 students.
2. He left medical school and returned a year later
In what would seem a drastic vocational move for many, Joseph Martin took a leave of absence from the U of A and, coming from a Mennonite background, decided to enroll in a Mennonite college. He wanted to have more liberal education and focused on seminary, church history, ethics and similar areas. "It was a terrific year but my father who was very practical said, 'Well, why don't you finish medical school before you do something else?' And that seemed like good advice, so I came back and the rest is history," says Martin. In 1960, he returned to Edmonton to complete medical school.
3. He had an important role in the creation of major health research centres at Harvard.
During his time as dean of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Martin helped establish the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, an innovative collaboration that brings together seven Harvard-affiliated institutions in the fight against cancer. He also led the creation of the Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, a virtual centre of researchers who focus on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
4. He combined his interest in science with a love for administration
Even though he spent 20 successful years in science, he developed a passion for administrative work that would later become the focus of his career. He still remains in science, but his strongest field is now administration and his lecture will explain his personal experiences and lessons learned in this adventure.
5. The "B" keeps him flying safely!
What are the odds that a renowned researcher and health science professional is confused with a potential security threat? Dr. Martin definitely beat those odds. He prefers to go now by the name of Joseph B. Martin MD, as he has previously been mistaken for another person called Joseph Martin who is on the U.S. No Fly list. Adding the "B" certainly saves him some headaches and complications at the airport.