Walter Charles Lobitz, Jr, 1911-2006
2007; Elsevier BV; Volume: 57; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/j.jaad.2006.07.028
ISSN1097-6787
Autores ResumoOn April 17, 2006 we lost a true giant of dermatology. On that day Walter C. Lobitz, Jr, MD, Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University died in Portland, Oregon at the age of 94. During his lifetime he saw dermatology evolve into a scientifically based specialty and he was a major contributor to the evolution.Dr Lobitz's enthusiasm and passion were contagious and obvious in all he did, whether he was working in his lab, teaching medical students, caring for patients, fishing, skiing, or mountaineering. He was a wine enthusiast; a gourmet cook; a musician and composer of music; and even a world-class watercolor artist. His watercolors are displayed in the homes of dermatologist friends all over the world and on the walls in the hallways at Mary's Woods, his residence in Oregon for the last several years of his life. He was a humble man who, despite his many talents, insisted on being called “Wally.” Those of us who trained with him could never quite accept such informality in addressing a person we so profoundly admired.Shortly after starting medical school Dr Lobitz developed generalized morphea, an event which profoundly influenced his life decisions. Dr Leon Goldman at the University of Cincinnati made the diagnosis, managed his disease, and became his friend and mentor. Dr Lobitz's experience with morphea and his relationship with Dr Goldman were the major reasons he chose a career in dermatology. Years later he would still roll up his sleeves to show medical students the atrophic scars left on his body by his encounter with this rare skin disease.Fig 2Two Masters in Dermatology deep in conversation. Walter B. Shelley (left) delivered the 1992 Walter C. Lobitz, Jr, lecture in Portland, Oregon.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)In 1959 Dr Lobitz succeeded Thomas B. Fitzpatrick as Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Oregon Medical School, now Oregon Health & Science University. Under his leadership the dermatology department in Oregon rose to national prominence. He remained Chairman until his retirement in 1977. Early on Dr Lobitz recruited one of his first residents at Dartmouth, Richard Dobson, to Oregon. There they continued their investigations into sweat gland biology and cutaneous carcinogenesis. Later Dr Lobitz's landmark discoveries on cellular immunity in atopic dermatitis inspired such current leaders in the field as Jon Hanifin and Kevin Cooper.Fig 3A master fisherman at work.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)During his career Walter C. Lobitz was the president of every major national dermatology organization: the Society for Investigative Dermatology (1957-1958), the American Board of Dermatology (1963), the American Academy of Dermatology (1969) and the American Dermatological Association (1972). He was a founding member of the Association of University Professors of Dermatology and its president in 1965-1966. He was chief editor of Archives of Dermatology from 1963 to 1969. He was a trustee of the Board of the Dermatology Foundation and received the Foundation's Lifetime Career Educator award in 2003.In the late 1960s Dr Lobitz helped shape the future of dermatology by his contribution to the publication of the “National Program for Dermatology,” a document which outlined the direction dermatology should take with regard to education and patient care. That document provided the foundation for the modern structure of the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr Lobitz was named Master in Dermatology of the Academy in 1988 and was awarded the Academy's highest honor, The Gold Medal, in 1985 by Richard Dobson, then President of the Academy.Dr Lobitz's most enduring legacy may be in those he taught and nurtured. He was a skilled mentor of young dermatologists and was very proud of his “dermatology children.” He personally made sure that doors were opened and the way made smooth. He was directly responsible for training a remarkable number of dermatologists who went on to become national and international leaders. His trainees include 3 Presidents of the American Board of Dermatology, 2 Secretary Treasurers, 3 Vice Presidents, 1 President, and 1 President-elect of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1 recipient of the American Academy of Dermatology Gold Medal, 1 recipient of the Dermatology Foundation Clark B. Finnerud Award, and 2 Masters in Dermatology.Dr Lobitz often quoted Ernest Martin Hopkins, 11th president of Dartmouth College, who said, “The final measure of a man's accomplishment … is not whether he has been acclaimed a hero, or has been adjudged a worthy candidate for martyrdom. It is rather his success in acting as a coordinating, harmonizing, energizing, stimulating force … .”Walter C. Lobitz, Jr, was a master at coordinating, harmonizing, energizing, and stimulating those he taught, worked with, and loved. He lives on in the Oregon Department of Dermatology to which he gave his heart and soul and in the many lives he touched. On April 17, 2006 we lost a true giant of dermatology. On that day Walter C. Lobitz, Jr, MD, Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University died in Portland, Oregon at the age of 94. During his lifetime he saw dermatology evolve into a scientifically based specialty and he was a major contributor to the evolution. Dr Lobitz's enthusiasm and passion were contagious and obvious in all he did, whether he was working in his lab, teaching medical students, caring for patients, fishing, skiing, or mountaineering. He was a wine enthusiast; a gourmet cook; a musician and composer of music; and even a world-class watercolor artist. His watercolors are displayed in the homes of dermatologist friends all over the world and on the walls in the hallways at Mary's Woods, his residence in Oregon for the last several years of his life. He was a humble man who, despite his many talents, insisted on being called “Wally.” Those of us who trained with him could never quite accept such informality in addressing a person we so profoundly admired. Shortly after starting medical school Dr Lobitz developed generalized morphea, an event which profoundly influenced his life decisions. Dr Leon Goldman at the University of Cincinnati made the diagnosis, managed his disease, and became his friend and mentor. Dr Lobitz's experience with morphea and his relationship with Dr Goldman were the major reasons he chose a career in dermatology. Years later he would still roll up his sleeves to show medical students the atrophic scars left on his body by his encounter with this rare skin disease. In 1959 Dr Lobitz succeeded Thomas B. Fitzpatrick as Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Oregon Medical School, now Oregon Health & Science University. Under his leadership the dermatology department in Oregon rose to national prominence. He remained Chairman until his retirement in 1977. Early on Dr Lobitz recruited one of his first residents at Dartmouth, Richard Dobson, to Oregon. There they continued their investigations into sweat gland biology and cutaneous carcinogenesis. Later Dr Lobitz's landmark discoveries on cellular immunity in atopic dermatitis inspired such current leaders in the field as Jon Hanifin and Kevin Cooper. During his career Walter C. Lobitz was the president of every major national dermatology organization: the Society for Investigative Dermatology (1957-1958), the American Board of Dermatology (1963), the American Academy of Dermatology (1969) and the American Dermatological Association (1972). He was a founding member of the Association of University Professors of Dermatology and its president in 1965-1966. He was chief editor of Archives of Dermatology from 1963 to 1969. He was a trustee of the Board of the Dermatology Foundation and received the Foundation's Lifetime Career Educator award in 2003. In the late 1960s Dr Lobitz helped shape the future of dermatology by his contribution to the publication of the “National Program for Dermatology,” a document which outlined the direction dermatology should take with regard to education and patient care. That document provided the foundation for the modern structure of the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr Lobitz was named Master in Dermatology of the Academy in 1988 and was awarded the Academy's highest honor, The Gold Medal, in 1985 by Richard Dobson, then President of the Academy. Dr Lobitz's most enduring legacy may be in those he taught and nurtured. He was a skilled mentor of young dermatologists and was very proud of his “dermatology children.” He personally made sure that doors were opened and the way made smooth. He was directly responsible for training a remarkable number of dermatologists who went on to become national and international leaders. His trainees include 3 Presidents of the American Board of Dermatology, 2 Secretary Treasurers, 3 Vice Presidents, 1 President, and 1 President-elect of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1 recipient of the American Academy of Dermatology Gold Medal, 1 recipient of the Dermatology Foundation Clark B. Finnerud Award, and 2 Masters in Dermatology. Dr Lobitz often quoted Ernest Martin Hopkins, 11th president of Dartmouth College, who said, “The final measure of a man's accomplishment … is not whether he has been acclaimed a hero, or has been adjudged a worthy candidate for martyrdom. It is rather his success in acting as a coordinating, harmonizing, energizing, stimulating force … .” Walter C. Lobitz, Jr, was a master at coordinating, harmonizing, energizing, and stimulating those he taught, worked with, and loved. He lives on in the Oregon Department of Dermatology to which he gave his heart and soul and in the many lives he touched. Much of the information contained herein was extracted from Masters in Dermatology, Volume 5, Number 2, a November 1988 publication underwritten by a grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc, and published by CPC Communications, Greenwich, Conn, in cooperation with the Committee on History of the American Academy of Dermatology and from a eulogy delivered by Dr Frances J. Storrs at a memorial service for Dr Lobitz on April 29, 2006 at the Provincial House Chapel, Mary's Woods, Lake Oswego, Oregon. I am indebted to Dr Richard L. Dobson, Dr Frederick A.J. Kingery, Dr Paul S. Russell, Dr Andrew Blauvelt, and Suzy Carroll for their reviews and edits. The photograph of Dr. Lobitz in fishing gear is reprinted with the permission of the photographer, Dr W. Mitchell Sams, Jr.
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