W. Benson Harer Jr., M.D. '56
When it came time to choose a career, the young W. Benson Harer Jr., M.D. ’56, was sure of one thing: he did not want to go into medicine. He figured his father, W. Benson Harer Sr., College ’17, M.D. ’21, a renowned Penn obstetrician and former president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, would be a hard act to follow.

Marjorie A. Bowman, M.D., M.P.A.
Physicians in Penn’s Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine really get to know their patients, perhaps more than in any other field of medicine. This special intimacy isn’t just a hallmark; it’s a prized value. In her philanthropic activities, Marjorie A. Bowman, M.D., M.P.A., the department chair, has extended that principle – determining needs, and meeting them – to support Penn.

Marc B. Garnick, M.D. ’72, G.M.E. ’76
When Marc B. Garnick, M.D. ’72, G.M.E. ’76, meets with other School of Medicine alumni, their conversations inevitably revolve around their early days at Penn. The memories vary, but the theme is usually the same.

Frixos C. Charalampous, M.D.
Frixos C. Charalampous, M.D., grew up in a rural village on the island of Cyprus, off the coast of Greece. “My father wanted me to follow him the import/export business, to raise a family in Cyprus – to live his life,” he recalls. But Charalampous had another future in mind: to become a doctor.

Gordon W. Webster, M.D. ’58
Gordon W. Webster, M.D. ’58, remembers something his parents said during a discussion about his medical school tuition: “It will be hard,” they said, “but we will find a way.”

David B. P. Goodman, M.D. ’68, Ph.D. ’72
Starting with his first days as a Penn medical student in the fall of 1964 and throughout his professional career, David B. P. Goodman, M.D. ’68, Ph.D. ’72, has called Penn his home. “I’ve been here a long time and I’m loyal to Penn,” says the professor of pathology and laboratory medicine. “It’s a great place.”

Louis B. Flexner, M.D.
Louis B. Flexner, M.D., former chair of Penn’s Department of Anatomy, became a world leader in the study of memory. He never forgot the generosity that allowed him to pursue a career in medicine.

Ralph Weaver, M.D., C’41, M’44
When Ralph Weaver, M.D., C’41, M’44, recalls his days as a Penn Med student, he thinks of his teachers first. "I enjoyed every day of medical school because I learned something every day," he says. Weaver never passes up the chance to reaffirm his belief in the enduring quality of his alma mater:

Philip M. Gottlieb, M.D.’35
Philip M. Gottlieb, M.D.’35, believes in giving credit where credit is due. In private practice in internal medicine and allergy for more than 40 years, he played a major role in persuading the American Medical Association to move allergy to its own section (he served as founding chair) and to include it as an independent field in the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Ferdinand G. Weisbrod, M.D. ’42, G.M. ’50
Ferdinand G. Weisbrod, M.D. ’42, G.M. ’50, remembers reading about the life of the industrialist/ philanthropist Andrew Carnegie during his undergraduate years at Penn. He never forgot Carnegie’s personal philosophy about wealth: Give money to your children but “don’t overdo it – too much money can make them soft and non-productive.” Instead, Carnegie advised, leave most of your wealth to philanthropy.