Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
♪[THEME MUSIC]♪
>>> HERITAGE IN THE BRONX, THEN NEW ROCHELLE,
PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. I REALLY LOVE MEDIEVAL LITERATURE.
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY,
NO, I'M GOING TO BECOME A PHYSICIAN.
I'M GOING TO GO TO BELLEVUE.
I'M GOING TO GO TO NYU.
I'M GOING TO BE TRAINED IN RHEUMATOLOGY.
YOU KNOW, I GOT INVOLVED WITH THIS GROUP AND I REALLY
HAVE TO MOVE ON IT. I HAVE TO GO FOR MY MBA,
FINISH THE MBA. I HAVE TO GO TO HARVARD FOR ANOTHER
TRAINING PROGRAM. YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M A LITTLE GIRL WHO'S
QUIET AND WHO'S NOW THE MANAGING PARTNER AND THE CEO
OF THE CONCORDE MEDICAL GROUP. DR. PAULA MARCHETTA,
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S AN HONOR.
>> SO TELL ME ABOUT THE GRANDPARENTS,
THE GREAT-GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW, THE ONES
WHO WERE IN THE DOCKS. IN HOBOKEN, OKAY?
GRANDPA WITH HIS CIGAR PROBABLY WHEN HE WAS IN THE CAB.
>> SO, MY FATHER'S FAMILY CAME FROM SICILY.
>> THE BOOT, RIGHT? THE BOOT.
>> RIGHT. HE CAME FROM SICILY.
HE WAS THE FIRST OF HIS FAMILY.
HE WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD, LANDED IN HOBOKEN,
WORKED AS HARD AS HE COULD TO BRING
THE REST OF THE FAMILY OVER.
HE WAS THE OLDEST SON AND EVENTUALLY
GOT EVERYONE HERE AND WORKED ON THE
DOCKS AS A LONGSHOREMAN IN HOBOKEN.
>> THAT WAS GRANDFATHER.
>> THAT WAS GRANDFATHER. MY FATHER'S FATHER.
>> TELL ME ABOUT YOUR MOTHER'S FATHER.
>> MY MOTHER'S FATHER, WE BELIEVE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HAZY.
CAME OVER AS A TOURIST NEVER WENT BACK. WE HAD SOME
DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER HE WAS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT
OR NOT. MY GRANDMOTHER CAME OVER IN THE BOAT IN
THE EARLY 1920s.
>> SO, TELL ME ABOUT HOW THE GRANDPARENTS MET.
>> FATHER'S FAMILY FIRST?
SO, MY GRANDFATHER, MY FATHER'S FATHER SAW
MY GRANDMOTHER THROUGH THE WINDOW OF HIS PATRON,
HIS BOSS'S HOME, AND FELL IN LOVE
WITH HER AT FIRST SIGHT.
INSINUATED HIMSELF INTO THE FAMILY
BECOMING THE GODFATHER, COURTED HER,
IT WAS AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE ON HER PART.
THE OTHER SIDE, AS IT TURNED OUT,
BOTH OF MY MOTHER'S PARENTS WERE FROM THE SAME
VERY SMALL TOWN IN ITALY,
OUTSIDE OF BARI, BUT THEY NEVER
WOULD HAVE MET EVEN THOUGH THEY
WERE IN THIS TINY LITTLE TOWN.
SO, THEY WERE DIFFERENT CLASSES.
BUT, WHEN THEY BOTH CAME HERE,
THE PEOPLE FROM THE SAME AREA
WHO SPOKE THE SAME DIALECT OF
ITALIAN WOULD HAVE PARTIES AND
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A VERY VIVACIOUS WOMAN --
SHE SANG. SHE KNEW ALL OF THE SONGS.
SHE COULD DANCE. MY GRANDFATHER,
AN INCREDIBLY HANDSOME MAN --
WAS SORT OF QUIET -- A STRONG, QUIET TYPE,
WAS SO ENCHANTED WITH HER
EVEN THOUGH, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION,
SHE WASN'T A GREAT BEAUTY BUT HAD A
VIBRANT PERSONALITY. THEY MARRIED.
>> THE NEXT GENERATION.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR FATHER.
>> OKAY, SO, MY FATHER WAS
THE SECOND-BORN SON
AND, YOU KNOW, IN TRADITIONAL
EUROPEAN AND ITALIAN FAMILIES
THE SECOND-BORN SON
WASN'T QUITE AS REVERED AS THE
FIRST-BORN CHILD.
THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN.
WHEN THE DEPRESSION
HIT THE FAMILY WAS FORCED TO LEAVE HOBOKEN,
ENDED UP IN NEW YORK AND SETTLED IN
THE BRONX, WHERE MY GRANDFATHER
WENT FROM BEING A LONGSHOREMAN
AND HAVING LIVED WELL ON MARGIN
BEFORE THE DEPRESSION AND
LOST EVERYTHING IN THE CRASH, SO AS IT WAS.
BEGAN TO DRIVE A CAB.
MY GRANDMOTHER WENT INTO BUSINESS
IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY.
MY FATHER WHEN HE WAS 8,
9 YEARS OLD, HE WAS ALREADY
SELLING NEWSPAPERS OR
ANYTHING HE COULD DO TO BRING MONEY
HOME AND NEVER LOST THIS SENSE OF --
OF SERVICE, OF OBLIGATION TO HIS PARENTS,
TO ALWAYS HELP THEM, PROTECT THEM
AND PROVIDE FOR THEM THROUGH HIS WHOLE LIFE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT INFORMED THE WAY HE LIVED HIS LIFE.
>> AND MOM?
>> MOM'S FAMILY, MY GRANDFATHER WORKED IN A FACTORY.
MY GRANDMOTHER HAD FIVE CHILDREN
WITHIN FIVE YEARS, ONE BEING A SET OF TWINS.
SO, SHE GOT THEM ALL IN.
SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD, SHE USED TO TAKE IN --
SHE USED TO EMBROIDER. AS MANY ITALIAN
WOMEN LEARNED THE FINE CRAFTS OF NEEDLEWORK.
SO, IN THOSE DAYS WOMEN'S SILK
STOCKINGS WERE IMBROIDERRED.
AND SHE USED TO COME HOME AND DO
THE EMBROIDERY AND RETURN THEM.
TO BRING EXTRA MONEY HOME.
>> NOW, WE GET TO HOW MOM MET DAD.
>> MOM AND DAD MET ON A BLIND DATE.
MY FATHER IS 12 YEARS OLDER THAN MY MOTHER
AND SHORTER. THE STORY IS,
THE PERSON WHO SET THEM UP WAS MY MOTHER'S FRIEND.
WHO WAS ABOUT 5'0".
MY MOTHER WAS 5'8" IN BARE FEET.
HER FIRST QUESTION WAS, IS HE TALL?
SO, MARY, HER FRIEND SAID, HE'S PLENTY TALL.
MY FATHER WAS ABOUT 5'5" ON A GOOD DAY.
>> WE HAVE THIS PICTURE OF HIM WEARING THIS HAT.
THEY LOOK THE SAME SIZE.
>> SO, THEY MEET AT A PARTY AND
MY MOTHER IS SEATED. HE WALKS IN.
HE'S WITH HIS BROTHER.
HE SEES MY MOTHER AND THINKS SHE'S
STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE MY FATHER.
AS SOON AS SHE SAW HIM, SHE SAID,
OH, HE'S TOO SHORT FOR ME.
MY MOTHER STOOD UP AND THEY
HAD THIS HEIGHT DISCREPANCY,
I LIKE TO SAY THEY HAD AN UNEVEN START.
IT TURNED OUT THEY BOTH SHOWED
UP AT ANOTHER PARTY, MET AGAIN --
>> YOU MENTIONED TO ME THAT YOUR MOTHER
ORIGINALLY WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE.
>> YES, MY MOTHER WAS THE YOUNGEST
OF A FAMILY OF FIVE.
ALL OF HER SIBLINGS
WERE BOYS AND BASICALLY WERE FREE
TO DO WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY ALL DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL
AND LEARNED A TRADE. MY MOTHER FINISHED
HIGH SCHOOL AND REALLY WANTED TO BECOME
A TEACHER, JUST TO ESCAPE BEING THE ONLY
GIRL IN A FAMILY OF MEN WHERE THE ROLE OF A WOMAN WAS
TO SERVE AND TO BE SILENT. SO, SHE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
GO TO A TEACHER'S COLLEGE, OSWEGO, ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS'
DAUGHTER HAD GONE. SO, THERE WAS PRECEDENT.
SHE WAS ALL SET TO GO. HER OLDEST BROTHER RETURNED
FROM THE WAR, BECAUSE 1947, AND HE HAD BEEN --
HE HAD ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED BEFORE THE WAR AND
WAS AT PEARL HARBOR WHEN IT WAS BOMBED.
WHEN HE RETURNED, THEY SHOWED HIM PAPERS,
HE SAID DON'T SEND HER. THAT WAS IT,
HER CAREER AS A TEACHER WAS OVER.
>> WHEN DOES MOM GET MARRIED TO DAD?
>> SHE GOT MARRIED SIX YEARS LATER.
SHE WENT TO WORK. MY MOTHER IN HIGH SCHOOL
LEARNED TO BE A DRESSMAKER SO
SHE INITIALLY WORKED AT DOING ALTERATIONS AND THEN
SHE WORKED AT A SMALL DRESS SHOP IN THE
BRONX DOING ALTERATIONS.
>> YOU SAID TO ME THAT DAD
WAS IN THE MERCHANT MARINE.
>> YES.
>> THEN, WHAT HAPPENS?
>> HE WENT INTO THE MERCHANT MARINES
BECAUSE HIS OLDER BROTHER HAD BEEN DRAFTED.
HIS PARENTS STRUGGLED FINANCIALLY.
HE SAID IF I GET DRAFTED WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM?
SO HE PUT HIMSELF IN WHAT WAS CALLED
A VITAL INDUSTRY.
MY FATHER WAS VERY MECHANICALLY GIFTED.
HE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY TO BE A TOOLMAKER.
AND WAS VERY INVENTIVE.
HE KEPT GETTING DEFERMENTS.
BECAUSE HE WAS SO IMPORTANT TO
THE WAR EFFORT -- NOT ONLY IN THE
WORK HE WAS DOING AND THE
INNOVATIONS HE WAS CREATING.
MY FATHER BEING MY FATHER LOOKED
AROUND THE SHOP AND SAID, THIS IS
REALLY TERRIBLE THE WAY THE
WORKERS ARE TREATED.
MAYBE WE FORM AN UNION.
THAT WASN'T SO POPULAR. THE DEFERRAL STOPPED.
HE SAID, BY NOW, IT'S 1944.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THE WAR IS GOING TO END.
SO, HE ENLISTED IN THE MERCHANT MARINES.
DID A LOT OF TRAVEL UNTIL THE
END OF THE WAR AND FROM THERE, RETURNED,
BUT THE MERCHANT MARINES WERE NOT CONSIDERED
MILITARY, SO HE HAD NONE OF THE PRIVILEGES UNDER
THE G.I. BILL TO GET ADDITIONAL EDUCATION.
>> BUT HE THEN WENT TO BECOME A CHIROPRACTOR.
>> HE DID. I'M NOT SURE HOW HE FOUND IT
AS SOMETHING HE WANTED TO DO.
HE SAID AS SOON AS I LEARNED ABOUT IT AND BACK IN THOSE
DAYS YOU DIDN'T NEED TO HAVE A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
HE WAS WORKING -- HE WAS A MUSICIAN,
ALSO, PLAYED SEVERAL INSTRUMENTS AND BEFORE THE WAR
WAS IN A BAND THAT TRAVELED AND DID
GIGS ALL OVER THE STATE AND DOWN SOUTH.
BUT THAT WASN'T A VIABLE PROFESSION,
SO HE WENT AND BECAME A CHIROPRACTOR.
AND LOVED THE WORK.
HE LOVED DOING FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE,
IT WAS JUST SO FUNDAMENTAL TO HIS
NATURE TO WANT TO HELP OTHERS.
HE FELT HE WAS HELPING THEM IN
SOME WAY WITH THE WORK THAT HE WAS DOING.
>> SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER,
SO YOU'RE BORN IN THE BRONX AND
THEN YOU MOVE TO NEW ROCHELLE.
>> I WAS A BABY.
>> TELL ME ABOUT GROWING UP IN NEW ROCHELLE AS A KID.
>> NEW ROCHELLE AT THE TIME WAS A
LOVELY BEDROOM COMMUNITY TO THE CITY.
IT WAS THE HOME OF *** VAN ***.
THIS WAS THE KIND OF LOVELY, SMALL CITY ENVIRONMENT
THAT I GREW UP IN.
I WENT TO PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, ALL-GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL.
>> YOU SAID YOU WERE READING BOOKS
AT 4 YEARS OLD.
>> YEAH, I TAUGHT MYSELF TO READ
BEFORE SCHOOL AND I LOVED BOOKS AND
LOVED READING STORIES.
I LOVED BEING TOLD STORIES.
MY MOTHER USED TO READ TO US
AT BEDTIME AND I WAS A VORACIOUS READER.
IN FOURTH GRADE I READ "LITTLE WOMEN."
I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE CHARACTER OF JO MARCH.
SHE WANTED TO BE A WRITER.
ALL OF MY ORIGINAL AMBITIONS OF
BEING A BALLERINA, BEING A MOVIE STAR,
THAT FELL TO THE WAYSIDE. I WANTED TO BE A WRITER.
JUST THE WAY JO MARCH WAS A WRITER.
>> IN HIGH SCHOOL YOU LIVED NEAR GLEN ISLE
>> I LIVED NEAR GLEN ISLAND YES.
>> AND YOU WERE THE CASHIER.
>> SO, WE LIVED AT THE SOUTH END
OF NEW ROCHELLE AND IT WAS A
SHORT WALK TO GLEN ISLAND BEACH
AND THE GLEN ISLAND CASINO.
THE CASINO OWNED THE BEACH CONCESSIONS.
THAT WAS MY SUMMER JOB FROM THE
TIME I WAS 16 UNTIL I WAS 20 AND
THE BEACH CASHIER WAS IN A
SEPARATE BOOTH BECAUSE THE MONEY
HAD TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE
COUNTER BOYS WHO THE OWNER DIDN'T
TRUST TO ADD OR MAKE CHANGE.
SO THE CASHIER WOULD SELL
TICKETS FOR THE FOOD.
BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAD TO BE A TICKET EXCHANGE.
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A CASH REGISTER.
SOMEONE WOULD COME TO YOUR
WINDOW AND SAY I WANT THREE HOT
DOGS AND THREE COCA-COLAs.
YOU HAD TO KNOW THE PRICES AND IN
YOUR HEAD YOU HAD TO ADD EVERYTHING
TOGETHER AND GIVE THEM THE PRICE.
AND FROM YOUR CASH BOX YOU MADE CHANGE.
>> WHEN YOU GRADUATED HIGH
SCHOOL, HOW DID YOU
DECIDE YOU WANTED TO GO TO FORDHAM?
>> WELL, I WAS A VERY GOOD STUDENT.
MY PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE LOT OF RESOURCES.
I WAS A GOOD STUDENT.
SO, THEY SORT OF ACCEPTED THAT
BUT IT WAS NEVER SOMETHING THEY
EXPECTED OR THOUGHT
WOULD EVEN BE NECESSARY FOR A GIRL CHILD.
SO, I HAD TO LOOK AT OPTIONS WHERE I
WOULD GET A SCHOLARSHIP FOR.
THEY ALSO WERE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT ME LIVING AT HOME AND NOT BEING AWAY --
>> YOU TOOK THE B-60 BUS.
>> I COULDN'T BE TOO FAR AWAY.
I TOOK THE BUS FROM MY FIRST YEAR --
BUT I WORKED EVERY SUMMER, MADE MONEY.
>> SO, TELL ME ABOUT THE JOB.
YOU'RE STUDYING MEDIEVAL LITERATURE, RIGHT?
>> I STARTED -- I WAS AN ENGLISH MAJOR.
WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST COURSE
IN CHAUCER, I JUST FELL IN
LOVE WITH THE MIDDLE ENGLISH
IT WAS WRITTEN IN, THE CONCEPT OF
COURTLY LOVE.
IT WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL IDEA.
AND SO, PHILOSOPHICALLY
AND IN TERMS OF THE WAY
STORIES GET TOLD, IT WAS A NATURAL FOR ME.
>> SO, HOW DOES THE MEDIEVAL LITERATURE PERSON
GET A JOB WITH THE ADVERTISING AGENCY --
>> BBD&O. I WAS FINISHED WITH GLEN ISLAND
AND I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.
I WENT TO AN AGENCY AND I COULD TYPE.
SO, I WAS LOOKING FOR TEMPORARY WORK.
SO, I WAS PLACED AT BBD&O,
WHICH WAS THE FIRST THING THAT MADE ME
REALIZE AS AN ENGLISH MAJOR I
DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT FUTURE,
BECAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE I WAS
WORKING WITH IN THE SECRETARIAL
POOL AND THE ACCOUNT MANAGERS
ALL REALLY WANTED TO BE
DOING SOMETHING ELSE. I SAID,
I WANT SOMETHING CREATIVE.
THEY PUT ME IN ADVERTISING AS MY JOB.
I SAID THEY'RE WRITING COPIES
FOR AD AND EDITING THE COPY AND
LOOKING AT NIELSEN RATINGS.
IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO
DO WITH YOUR LIFE?
IS THIS REALLY GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
WHEN I THOUGHT AS ENGLISH AS THE
ACADEMIC PIECE OF IT, YOU KNOW, MOST
OF THE PROFESSORS ALSO
WANTED TO BE WRITERS.
BUT WRITING IS VERY HARD.
WRITING IS NOT A CAREER YOU CHOOSE
IT'S SOMETHING THAT
YOU'RE BORN WITH, IT'S A GIFT AND, YOU KNOW --
>> WHAT HAPPENS ONE DAY WHEN YOU'RE TAKING ONE
OF THE COURSES AND YOU REALIZE
THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE MORE OF AN
IMPACT ON THE LIFE AND THE COMMUNITY?
>> WELL, ONE OF THE CLASSES THAT
I TOOK IN MY MEDIEVAL STUDIES
WAS A COURSE IN MEDIEVAL DRAMA,
WHICH IS A VERY LIMITED AREA.
THERE WERE VERY FEW PLAYS THAT SURVIVED.
ONE IMPORTANT WORK OF MEDIEVAL DRAMA
WAS THE "EVERYMAN."
THE STORY BEGINS WITH THE DEATH
OF EVERYMAN, HE HAS DIED,
AND ON THE STAGE HE'S SURROUNDED
BY CHARACTERS WHO REPRESENT THE
THINGS HE VALUED IN HIS LIFE --
GOOD FELLOWSHIP, BEAUTY, TRUTH,
KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND, AS HE'S
STANDING ON THE STAGE, HE HAS A
CONVERSATION WITH EACH OF THESE
CHARACTERS AND THEY EACH DESERT HIM.
THE FIRST BEING, YOU KNOW, HIS
BUDDIES, GOOD FELLOWSHIP GOES
OUT THE DOOR, BEAUTY GOES AWAY.
KNOWLEDGE IS THERE ALMOST UNTIL
THE END AND WISDOM IS THERE
ALMOST UNTIL THE END.
BUT THE ONLY THING WHEN ALL SAID
IS DONE THAT STAYS WITH HIM ON
THE STAGE AS HE GOES TO MEET HIS
MAKER ARE HIS GOOD DEEDS.
THE GOOD THAT HE DID IN HIS
LIFETIME AND THAT WOULD CARRY HIM OVER.
>> SO, AS I WOULD SAY THAT WAS YOUR EPIPHANY.
>> IT HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME THAT,
AND COMBINED WITH THE PHILOSOPHY COURSES
THAT I WAS TAKING LIKE PLATO
SAYING, EVEN IF THERE'S NO GOD
AND NO MEANING TO THE UNIVERSE
IT'S STILL BETTER TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE.
THEN TO LEAD A LIFE THAT'S NOT GOOD.
A LIFE WHERE YOU DO GOOD IN YOUR
LIFE, THAT YOU LIVE A LIFE THAT'S STERLING.
>> SO, YOU GRADUATE FORDHAM,
AND NOW YOU DECIDE TO GO FOR YOUR MASTER'S.
>> I WAS AT THE END OF MY SOPHOMORE
YEAR AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE
FOURTH GRADE WHEN I READ "LITTLE WOMEN"
I WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND
YOU KNOW, I SAID, YOU DON'T
HAVE CONNECTIONS.
YOU DIDN'T GO TO AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO
MAKE IT AS A WRITER?
EVEN TO BECOME A COPYWRITER FOR
A PUBLISHING FIRM WOULD BE A BIG
LEAP FROM WHERE YOU'RE STARTING RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN THERE'S ACADEMICS,
IS THAT REALLY GOING TO BE ENOUGH
FOR YOU WHERE JUST PUBLISHING
ACADEMIC ARTICLES ON LITERATURE?
I SAID, WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
WHAT'S A CAREER PATH THAT,
IF I PUT A FOOT ON IT, IT WILL GET ME
EXACTLY WHERE I WANT TO GO TO
LEAD A LIFE THAT'S MEANINGFUL?
I HAD BEEN A VERY GOOD STUDENT.
I WAS A VERY GOOD STUDENT IN SCIENCES.
I WASN'T INSPIRED BY THEM THE WAY
WRITING PHILOSOPHY WOULD GET ME SO EXCITED.
BUT, I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME TRY THIS.
SO, WITH A LOT OF TREPIDATION I TOOK
TWO PREMED CLASSES.
I DID BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY MY
JUNIOR YEAR AND MET WITH THE
PREMED ADVISER AND AS SOON AS I MADE
THAT STEP, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE
THINGS THAT CLICKED.
THIS IS MY PATH AND THIS IS WHAT
I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
EVERYTHING FELL IN PLACE.
>> YOU GET YOUR BACHELOR'S.
>> I FINISHED MY SENIOR YEAR.
I'M A YEAR OUT OF SINK TO APPLY FOR
MEDICAL SCHOOL. SO, I HAVE A YEAR.
SO I DECIDE THIS IS MY GOOD-BYE
TO THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES.
I DID MY MASTER'S AT
FORDHAM, ON ASSISTANTSHIP.
I WENT TO NYU.
>> YOU GO TO NYU MEDICAL CENTER
IN THE '80s WHEN HEALTH CARE WAS DIFFERENT.
>> VERY DIFFERENT.
>> AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF
GOING TO NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL IS
THAT YOU PRACTICED AT BELLEVUE,
THE CITY HOSPITAL, AND YOU GAIN
A LOT OF INSIGHT ABOUT HEALTH CARE.
>> BELLEVUE WAS AN AMAZING PLACE TO TRAIN.
BECAUSE IN THOSE DAYS --
IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT NOW IN THE
CURRENT CLIMATE, THERE WAS VERY
LITTLE OVERSIGHT, WE RAN THE
CASES, PEOPLE CAME WITHOUT A DIAGNOSIS,
THEY COULD BE DESPERATELY ILL AND A SECOND-YEAR
RESIDENT HAD TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.
IT WAS REALLY BEING THROWN INTO
THE DEEP END OF A SWIMMING POOL.
>> SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID TO ME
BEFORE BELLEVUE WHEN YOU STARTED
MEDICAL AT THE BEGINNING WAS
DIFFICULT FOR YOU?
>> MEDICAL SCHOOL -- AT FIRST
I ONLY DID FOUR SCIENCE CLASSES.
WHEN I STARTED I WAS
INTIMIDATED, FIRST IT WAS NYU,
THE TOP SCHOOL I WANTED TO GO
TO, AND I SAT IN THIS CLASS
WHERE, YOU KNOW, LOTS
OF PEOPLE FROM THE IVY LEAGUE
SCHOOLS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD TAKEN --
PEOPLE HAD TAKEN FIVE OUT OF THE EIGHT CLASSES
THAT YOU STUDY THE FIRST YEAR.
THEY HAD ALREADY TAKEN MICRO ANATOMY.
I HAD NONE OF THE SAME BACKGROUND.
SO, I SORT OF TOOK A DEEP DIVE
AND REALLY DIDN'T COME OUT FOR TWO YEARS.
ALL I DID WAS STUDY IN ORDER TO
GET THROUGH.
BUT THE SECOND YEAR, THE PLAYING
FIELD EVENS OUT AND THERE ARE
COURSES THAT NO ONE TOOK, I HAD
THESE INTENSELY GOOD STUDY
HABITS AND THE FEAR OF GOD THAT
I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH.
SO, I DID VERY WELL IN MY SECOND YEAR.
>> YOU GRADUATE NYU,
YOU DO YOUR RESIDENCY AT BELLEVUE, NYU, IN INTERNAL
MEDICINE AND THEN YOU DO A FELLOWSHIP.
WE HAVE A PICTURE OF THE RESIDENCY.
YOU DO A FELLOWSHIP IN RHEUMATOLOGY.
>> YOU HAD A MENTOR, YOU SAID.
THERE WAS A DOCTOR.
>> WHEN I WAS A FOURTH-YEAR STUDENT,
I LOVED INTERNAL MEDICINE AND IN FACT WHEN
I ARRIVED ON THE WARDS AFTER
ALWAYS FEELING A LITTLE BEHIND
EVERYONE ELSE WAS JUST DOING THE
BASIC SCIENCE, AS SOON YOU'RE ON
THE WARDS IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD.
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY ABOUT
STORYTELLING, FINDING OUT WHAT'S
WRONG WITH SOMEONE, FIGURING
OUT WHAT'S NOT APPARENT, WHICH IS
NOT UNLIKE LITERATURE WHERE
YOU HEAR A STORY BUT THERE'S
A MEANING BEYOND IT.
I'M MAKING IT ALL MEDICALLY
LOGICAL AND BEING ABLE TO
PRESENT THAT IN A LOGICAL WAY THAT
OTHER PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND
AND ARRIVE AT THE SAME CONCLUSIONS.
SO, I WAS IN MY ELEMENT CLINICALLY,
AND THEN TO GO TO RHEUMATOLOGY -- RHEUMATOLOGY IS
EVEN MORE COMPLEX, I LOVED
ALL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE.
TO BE A GOOD RHEUMATOLOGIST YOU
HAD TO CONSIDER ALL SYSTEMS,
BECAUSE ANY OF DISEASES COULD
HIT IN ONLY ONE PART OF THE BODY.
YOU HAD TO THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING.
THINK ABOUT THE PATIENT HOLISTICALLY.
AT THE TIME THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
>> YOU START YOUR OWN PRACTICE AND
THEN LATER ON, 1996 --
>> 1997.
>> 1997. THERE'S A NEW GROUP CALLED
CONCORDE MEDICAL GROUP, ONE OF THE
PREMIER MEDICAL GROUPS
AFFILIATED WITH NYU.
YOU JOIN THIS GROUP AS A SOLO PRACTITIONER.
IT'S GROWN TO 65 NOW.
>> IT'S 45.
>> 45 DOCTORS RIGHT NOW.
LATER ON, YOU DECIDE THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO BE RUNNING THE GROUP
THAT YOU SHOULD GO FOR YOUR MASTER'S.
YOU TAKE A PROGRAM AT GEORGE WASHINGTON?
>> SO, YES, AFTER A FEW YEARS AS
A PARTNER AT CONCORDE, BECAUSE
I HAD BEEN IN SOLO PRACTICE FOR EIGHT YEARS
AND THEN JOINED CONCORDE BECAUSE
IT SEEMED BETTER TO BE A
PART OF A GROUP TO NOT BE OUT THERE ALONE.
AFTER A FEW YEARS I WAS ELECTED
TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
YOU REALLY START THINKING ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND HOW THINGS CAN BE MANAGED.
DOCTORS THINK ABOUT TAKING
CARE OF THE PATIENT.
AND I WOULD SIT THERE AND SAY
THERE MUST BE A BOOK I CAN READ
OR SOMETHING I CAN STUDY THAT WILL
ALLOW ME TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THIS.
AND WHILE I WAS IN THAT SORT OF
MIND SET I RECEIVED A MAILING
FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY THAT HAD LAUNCHED AN
MBA PROGRAM FOR PHYSICIANS AND
ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER,
I ENDED UP STARTING THE PROGRAM
AND WAS BACK IN STUDENT MODE
WHICH IS SORT OF --
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ENJOY SO MUCH.
>> IT'S -- IT'S A HAPPY PLACE FOR ME.
I'M BACK IN STUDENT MODE.
I'M STUDYING.
I'M LEARNING THINGS.
I'M THINKING DIFFERENTLY,
SEEING PERSPECTIVES THAT I DIDN'T SEE AND
APPLYING THEM TO THE BUSINESS --
OR TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE
BUSINESS OF HEALTH CARE.
>> YOU FINISH THE MBA.
YOU SAY I STILL MORE STUDYING.
YOU GO TO HARVARD.
>> THE MBA FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON
WAS ALL DISTANCE LEARNING, IN 2007,
THAT WAS FAIRLY NEW.
MAYBE I DIDN'T GET A REAL MBA.
MAYBE THIS IS LIKE A FAKE MBA.
I WANT IT VALIDATED.
I WANTED TO BE IN A CLASSROOM
AND HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
HAD JUST LAUNCHED A PROGRAM --
I WAS PART OF THE INAUGURAL YEAR CALLED MANAGING
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY.
AND I LOOKED AT THE PROGRAM AND
I SAID, BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL,
ONE OF THE BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLS
IN THE COUNTRY I NEED TO VALIDATE.
SO, I SIGNED UP FOR IT AND THAT
WAS A TRANSFORMATIONAL
LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS PROBABLY AS MUCH AS I
LOVED MY EDUCATION THROUGH ALL
OF THESE DIFFERENT PHASES, THAT
WAS PROBABLY THE MOST
TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE I HAD.
>> YOU HAD YOUR SON.
TELL ME ABOUT HIM.
>> MY SON, MICHAEL, IS GREAT,
HE'S A SOFTWARE ENGINEER, PURELY BY TALENT.
HE NEVER FINISHED SCHOOL.
HE WAS RECRUITED OUT OF COLLEGE.
HE WOULD BE UP ALL NIGHT WRITING
CODE FOR OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE COMPANIES.
HE WROTE A LOT OF CODING.
HE WROTE A LOT OF VERY GOOD ELEGANT CODE.
AND HE GOT NOTICED BY A COMPANY
WHO FLEW HIM OUT TO CALIFORNIA,
INTERVIEWED HIM AND SO HE
STARTED HIS CAREER AND NOW
FREELANCES WRITING CODE FOR
VARIOUS COMPANIES.
>> IT WAS WRITTEN IN AN ARTICLE IN 2013
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF --
YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN INTROVERT?
I WOULDN'T CONSIDER YOU AN INTROVERT AND I WOULD SAY
YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL.
IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT YOU'RE RUNNING
CONCORDE AS A MANAGING PARTNER AND THE CEO.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH MIKE.
♪[THEME MUSIC]♪