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From the Editor |
Index terms: Editorials • Perspectives • Radiology (journal)
On a day at the 1992 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, Richard M. Friedenberg, MD, approached Stanley S. Siegelman, MD, then Editor of Radiology, with the concept of what is now published in the Journal as Perspectives. Over a cup of coffee, Dick Friedenberg and Stan Siegelman discussed the changes occurring in the practice of medicine. As noted in a letter to me, Dick suggested to Stan "a series of articles relating to the social, economic, and political changes affecting medicine" and agreed to prepare six articles per year. The first appeared in October 1993 (1), and since then more than 45 have been published, with occasional others written by invited guest authors. In this issue of Radiology, Dick has contributed his final article as Perspectives Editor and revisits some of his prior published articles, indicating whether or not his predictions and speculations have been proved correct (2). I urge all of you to read this valedictory.
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A member of many professional organizations, Dick Friedenberg holds a fellowship in the American College of Radiology and has served as treasurer, secretary, vice-president, and president of the Orange County Radiological Society; as secretary-treasurer, president-elect, and president of the Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments; and as president of the New York Roentgen Society. Among his honors are the following: Rigler Lecturer, Milton Elkin Lecturer, Walter B. Cannon Lecturer, and receipt of the gold medal of the Society of Uroradiology in 2001 for his contributions to the specialty of urologic radiology and the Society. Dick has published more than 90 scientific articles, 11 book chapters, and four books.
I asked Dick to write a letter explaining his involvement with Perspectives. As those of you who regularly read Perspectives have undoubtedly concluded, these insightful and extensive discussions of specific topics do not result from a brief period of time and effort. After Dick identified a topic, he would research the literature and select some 40–50 publications relating to that topic, usually ending with some 20 or more that had pertinence to the area of discussion. The manuscript would be prepared over a 5–6-week period and would involve numerous hours of time. The topics were not identified in advance but rather were selected from "current events" and comments he would see "in the newspaper, magazines, and journals." This is how he stated it in his letter to me:
I never had a list of topics prepared in advance, just selected a topic each time from something which I felt was current and appropriate. Several of the articles related to the general topic of what was happening to the practice of medicine. In these I tried to take the approach that medicine was flowing in a current of change, and what we were seeing today would not be the same as what we would be practicing tomorrow. I also felt strongly about the loss of the personal relationship between patient and physician, which was so necessary to the practice of medicine.
Dick was also concerned about "how impersonal medicine was becoming and how this detracted from the healing process."
How does Dick Friedenberg characterize his years as Perspectives Editor? What has this responsibility meant to him? As he wrote in his letter to me,
This has been a major learning experience for me. The numerous unrelated topics provided me with a background in areas where I previously had very superficial knowledge. I am sure I learned much more than any reader and this in itself is, of course, very satisfying. Writing Perspectives bridged my retirement. When one retires from an area which has involved 90% of your time for over 50 years it is not a good idea to retire cold turkey. Retirement should be gradual, should involve part-time work of some type relating to what you did before, as well as an effort to stimulate interest in new areas. For people who have been active over many years, that activity is necessary to maintain life.
He goes on to say, "It was always soul satisfying to receive comments from radiologists around the country. Perspectives has become part of my life... . "
Reminiscing about his experiences with Dick as Perspectives Editor, Stan Siegelman wrote to me, "I was delighted when Dick approached me as Editor of Radiology with a proposal for a bimonthly commentary on the issues which still held his interest: the future directions of medical care, medicine as an art as well as a science, and the impact of governmental regulation and managed care on the practice of radiology. Dr Friedenberg succeeded brilliantly in providing thoughtful insights into these and many other areas." My own experience over the past 7 years as Editor of Radiology has been an exceptionally positive one as related to Dick Friedenberg. As an author with responsibility, he was on time and had prepared in-depth coverage and analysis of the topic at hand. When he invited a guest author to prepare a Perspectives article, he functioned as an editor working with that individual before the manuscript was sent to me. I have found Dick’s writing style to be clear, and his manuscripts demanded little time on my part regarding editing activity.
Please join me in thanking Dick Friedenberg for his years of time, effort, and dedication as the first Perspectives Editor of Radiology. He has provided our readers with food for thought and opportunity for comment. As Dick stated in his letter to me, the comments he received on each of his Perspectives articles were "not always positive." But that is the way it should be. Articles of this type are meant to be thought provoking and to pique the reader’s interest, particularly if the reader should have an alternative approach to the matter (3–6).
Dick Friedenberg, we are indebted to you for your years of service. We know that you will continue to contribute to our specialty, for dedication and contribution are part of what you are all about! As Dick says in his final article as Perspectives Editor, "In this article I am saying au revoir, but not necessarily goodbye. I hope to be able to contribute to Perspectives in the future" (2). We hope so, too!
REFERENCES
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