yLevinale steps down as An electronicm medicaledicine More students opt winter 2013 Yale’s president record comes to Yale for fifth year 4 18 26 winter winter 2013 CONTENTS 2 Letters 4 Chronicle 8 Books & Ideas 10 Capsule 12 Junk no more Yale scientists joined in an international effort to map non-coding regions of the human genome, perhaps ending the notion that those regions are “junk.” By Colleen Shaddox 18 Yale’s Epic Challenge The health care system embraces an electronic medical records and takes on a monumental task. By Bruce Fellman 24 Faculty 26 Students 28 Alumni 32 In Memoriam 33 End Note Chalk Illustrations by Jennifer Stockwell, photos by Kelly Jensen On the Web yalemedicine.yale.edu On our website, readers can submit class notes or a change of address, check the alumni events calendar, arrange for a lifelong Yale e-mail alias through the virtual Yale Station, and search our electronic archive. 2 letters How words can give Tribute to Arthur Ebbert a charming man!” He indeed comfort rekindles memories was a charm for the School of It’s Day Two of the Hospital of What a wonderful tribute to Medicine with his 34 years of Saint Raphael becoming part of Arthur Ebbert in the Autumn devoted service. Yale-New Haven Hospital. Since 2012 edition of Yale Medicine! William Narva, m.d. ’56 I came to the United States of [“A gentle man,” Yale Medicine, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.) America five years ago, New Autumn 2012] Art was very spe- Los Angeles, Calif. Haven has been my home and cial. I met him prior to my arrival Saint Raphael’s, my family. I walk at Yale for my surgical resi- Photo dating incorrect in—it’s the same building, mostly dency in July 1970. As did Art, I As usual, Yale Medicine is splen- the same people, the same rou- graduated from the University did. I well recall Arthur Ebbert, Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Burlington, VT 05401 m.d., and you have nicely and Permit No. 696 tine, but also there is a distinct of Virginia (uva) undergradu- yCancerale treatment Yale doctorsm around edicineMedicine and human autumn 2012 of the future the world rights in Uganda difference. New badges, new ate and medical schools, and aptly summarized his key role at 6 16 26 id e-mail ids, and new policies; had met Art at uva alumni the school. the familiar place is suddenly a events while still a student I might point out the incor- bit alien. I am on the medicine in Charlottesville. His love for rect dating of the full-page “A consult service; and in between uva and his adopted Yale were spread aerial photograph of the gentle doing a preoperative evaluation pervasive, and I enjoyed seeing medical school campus on the man” and placing an ng tube in an him throughout my six years as second and third pages. It shows Arthur Ebbert Jr.’s friends and colleagues recall his graciousness and unfailing courtesy. anorexic patient, I find myself a house officer in New Haven. the medical school on Cedar 12 wandering toward the library. The article in Yale Medicine por- Street, the hospital, and a bit of There are a myriad of things to trayed him beautifully and cap- what was then named Grace- read, especially in the journal tured his humility and grace. New Haven Hospital. However, section. My eyes fall on a colorful I also want to thank you for Harkness Hall, the residence YM_Fall2012_Front.indd 2 9/18/12 9:35 AM journal on the lowermost shelf the cover picture showing the for medical students, is missing of the rack. I pick it up—it’s Yale aerial view of the Medical School from the photograph—which how to reach us Medicine, Winter 2012. I had never campus. While I was a house shows a large empty field next Yale Medicine welcomes news noticed it before. As I browsed officer, my wife and I lived in a to the pediatric section of the and commentary. Please send through its 33 pages, I found house at 796 Howard Avenue school. I lived in Harkness for letters (350 words or fewer) and myself reading every page of it and our “Memorial Unit” new- four years beginning in 1956, news items to Yale Medicine, and actually enjoying it. born daughter spent the first the first year it opened. Since 1 Church Street, Suite 300, The article that caught my six months in that house. When the caption says, “as it appeared New Haven, CT 06510, or via attention was “Doctors Who these buildings were torn down during the 1960s,” that is incor- e-mail to [email protected], and Write,” by Cathy Shufro. That in later years to make room for rect. Harkness was in place in include a telephone number. article struck a chord with me, new construction, I was sad- the 1960s and there was no Submissions may be edited for made me happy, and somehow dened that I had no pictorial empty field between Grace- length and content. made me feel like I belong. It is remembrance of that old neigh- New Haven Hospital and the amazing to see how words can borhood on Howard Avenue. medical school. give comfort. In this time of tran- How wonderful it was to look at Thank you for publishing the visit us on the web sition from the Hospital of Saint the cover honoring Art Ebbert photograph, which reminded Our new website is up and Raphael to Yale, where there was and to view that house that me of a glorious four years—the running—and the feedback has a sense of unfamiliarity, this arti- was so important to me and my most important time of my life. been wonderful! Visit us cle made me feel that there are family in the mid-1970s. You see, Malin Dollinger, m.d. ’60 at yalemedicine.yale.edu and people at Yale who enjoy what I having Art Ebbert at Yale and Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. peruse the newest issue or enjoy—writing! I felt like some in my life continues to give me issues going back to 1998. of the things said by Richard such rich memories. from the editor Selzer and Dagan Coppock came Frederick L. “Rick” Many alumni wrote to point out right out of my head—I had Greene, m.d., hs ’76 the incorrect dating of the photo- thought them but never said Clinical Professor of Surgery graph mentioned above. As best them. It felt calming. This is unc School of Medicine we can determine, the photo- exactly what I needed today. I Chapel Hill, N.C. graph was taken about 1954. wanted to share my experience with you and thank you, for you Great cover and great story correction have made me feel excited and about a great man!! I have keen The End Note in the Autumn hopeful about my Day Two—and memories of Dr. Ebbert’s arrival 2012 issue of Yale Medicine 2013 my upcoming days as a part of at Yale in 1953 during my sec- incorrectly identified the student Yale-New Haven Hospital. ond year. My wife Rose was a in the photograph. Her correct winter Safia Siddiqui, m.d. secretary in the Yale Diagnostic name is Lara Rosenbaum. Clinician-educator Clinic for Dr. Beeson and she edicine Department of Medicine met Dr. Ebbert before I did. Her We regret these errors. m Yale-New Haven Hospital initial comment was “What ale y starting point 3 yale medicine Alumni Bulletin of the Yale University School of Medicine Winter 2013, Volume 47, No. 2 Editor in Chief Michael Kashgarian, m.d. ’58, hs ’63, fw ’65 Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Senior Research Scientist Editor John Curtis No shortage of breaking news Contributing Editors Jenny Blair, m.d. ’04, Peter Farley, People often ask how we come up with ideas for the articles that appear in Yale Medicine. Jennifer Kaylin, Karen Peart, Cathy Shufro, Marc Wortman, ph.d. There’s no easy answer to that question. Ideas might come from a chance conversation, a tip Contributors from a scientist or clinician, or a writer’s familiarity with a beat. We observe, discern patterns, Sonya Collins, Terry Dagradi, develop a hypothesis, then look for information to confirm or deny that hypothesis—like scien- John Dillon, Bruce Fellman, Colleen Shaddox, Natalie Villacorta tists, we sometimes find ourselves following a path that leads nowhere. For this issue we had Design an abundance of important breaking news stories with significance not just for the medical Jennifer Stockwell school, but for the university and New Haven. Copy Editors In August we learned that President Richard C. Levin would be stepping down after Rebecca Frey, ph.d. Advisory Board 20 years at the helm of the University. Two months later the Yale Corporation unanimously Sharon L. Bonney, m.d. ’76 chose Provost Peter Salovey as his successor. Irwin M. Braverman, m.d. ’55, hs ’56 Sharon A. Chekijian, m.d. ’01 In September came the news, long anticipated, of Yale-New Haven Hospital’s acquisi- John A. Elefteriades, m.d. ’76, hs ’81, fw ’83 tion of the Hospital of Saint Raphael. Over the years we’ve covered the history of medical Rupali Gandhi, j.d. ’00, m.d. ’04 Owen D. Garrick, m.d. ’96 care in New Haven and the evolution of the city’s various hospitals through mergers and Robert H. Gifford, m.d., hs ’67 acquisitions. Now only one hospital remains in the city.