A REMEMBRANCE OF PROFESSOR CHARLES COMPTON
I got a “D” on my first chemistry hour test. My future medical career seemed increasingly problematic. Distraught and forlorn, I went to see Professor Compton to figure out what had gone so horribly wrong. He saw me walking down the long hallway to the chemistry lab and knew immediately my concern.
As I got closer, he looked at me with a kindly twinkle in his eye and said: “Mr. Ruchman, fear not! All is not lost.”
With the kindness and concern of everyone’s favorite uncle, I went on to see him for private, weekly sessions to repair my obviously fractured knowledge of introductory chemistry.
As Department Chairman and as supervisor of all premedical students, he certainly had much better use of his time than devoting it to a potentially marginal “D” student like me.
Through his support and guidance, I did tough it out, got a B+ for the semester, an A- for the year, and three years later a “thick envelope” from Yale Medical School.
My ongoing gratitude to Professor Charles Compton.
Mark C. Ruchman, M.D. (1971)