It’s Such a Good Feeling, to Know You’re Alive, It’s Such a Happy Feeling, You’re Growing Inside

My trip to Pittsburgh was a lot smoother than my previous trip 30 years ago, when I ended up in a ditch during a blizzard in western New York. I was driving to interviews for a fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. This time, I had a smooth and quick plane ride.

You are Special

The late Fred Rogers, who spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, made it his goal for every child to feel special. I have attended many radiology meetings, but this one was particularly special, as I was one of two recipients of the ARRS gold medal, awarded for my years of volunteer service and involvement in the society.

I asked a long-standing mentor and ARRS Past President to introduce me, Dr. Melissa Rosado de Christenson. Coincidentally, she also gave her last planned national meeting lecture this week. It was a true career highlight. Melissa, yes, it’s you I like!

Although understandably a smaller in-person group than last year’s meeting in San Diego, there were plenty of folks here from my own department, including my Chair, a native of Pittsburgh. When done with his lecture he stated, “It’s dinner time with my mother and sister”. There was a lot of immediate camaraderie on the first day, and I reconnected with numerous colleagues within and outside of my department. I also met some new folks, including many junior and more senior faculty members and attendees, as well as trainees from around the world. Would you be mine, could you be mine, won’t you be my (radiology) neighbor?

In addition to the awards ceremony on Sunday morning and other activities, I bookended Tuesday by moderating a session early in the morning and giving a new lecture, “On How to be Safe,” in the afternoon. I also mentored a resident outside of my department on a project, which was presented on Monday.

I gave two modest donations to the Roentgen Fund and received a color grid Roentgen t-shirt, which was an homage to another native son of Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol. There is an entire museum here devoted to his oeuvre. For the second donation, I received a t-shirt displaying the new ARRS mascot — a cute “Roentgen RayVen,” with the bird wearing black glasses (x-ray goggles?) and a blue and white sweater with the ARRS logo on it. Inspired, I immediately put on my marketing hat and came up with ‘RADMORE the Roentgen RAYVEN’, which I pitched to the staff. This checks a few boxes: alliteration (and a reference to R3, the Society’s new journal Roentgen Ray Review); the obvious reference to radiology/radiologists; and the perhaps slightly less obvious reference to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” (i.e., “more”, as in “nevermore”). We do need more radiologists to meet current demand, although we don’t exactly want to be doing more work.

Sometimes People Are Good, and They Do Just What They Should

Mr. Rogers, no surprise, appeared in Dr. Richard Gunderman’s annual lecture. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to visit the Andy Warhol museum, but I did spend a few hours at the excellent Senator John Heinz History Museum (yes, that Heinz), which included, among many other things, the mandatory Mr. Rogers (and ketchup) exhibits. A display explained that “the act of [Mr. Rogers] taking off his suit jacket and dress shoes and putting on a sweater and tennis shoes at the beginning of each show, then reversing the process at the end, provided predictability and security for viewers.” I often cite this when stating how similar my OCD routine is when entering and leaving my reading room, and that such repetitive and predictable behavior, which some could consider negative and inflexible, also keeps us safe as radiologists, e.g., in terms of our consistent search patterns.

What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel?

Well, I had several snappy, not mad, new days in Pittsburgh. On Monday night, we were treated to a special event, a tie-in baseball game with ARRS, the Pirates versus the Washington Nationals at PNC Park. To say it was a blowout was an understatement. The mad that you feel was felt by the Nationals – they were beaten 16-5.

I treated my local friend, Dr. Elliott Gozansky, cardiothoracic radiologist and budding pilot, to the game, and on Thursday morning, we also got up at the crack of dawn to visit one of the most famous houses in America, Fallingwater, in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. That’s been on my ‘to-do list’ literally for decades. I have always been fascinated by the genius – and of the madness – of one of America’s first ‘starchitects’, Frank Lloyd Wright. He felt a lot of “mad” throughout his life and career. Our excellent tour guide, Phil, elucidated that Mr. Wright and the Kaufmanns, who commissioned the house and were aware, prospectively, of what they were getting themselves into, fought a lot throughout the construction of the house. Interestingly, I also found ‘starchitecture’ where I did not expect it, at the site of the ARRS annual meeting, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Designed by Raphael Viñoly, he used open cables to suspend the roof, which were supposed to echo the many, many (446) bridges of Pittsburgh.

I Think I’ll Make a Snappy New Day!

Pittsburgh and the ARRS absolutely exceeded my expectations in every way, although perhaps I was biased and wore rose-colored glasses all week because of my award. But I don’t think so. I think the meeting was very well received by all attendees. We are all looking forward to next year in Denver, although perhaps not the altitude (at least by me, as this triggers migraines).

Dr. Katz declares no conflicts of interest with respect to this OpMed piece. He does declare, however, that he grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Illustration by Jennifer Bogartz