A Different Time

October 2025 | Vol. 69, No. 3
Written by Barry Getzoff, DO

Sometimes I think about the beginning of my career at 48th and Spruce Street as a student at PCO, as it was called at that time. Classrooms were set with movable chairs and numbers on the back….so different from when I now enter the amphitheater as an instructor to give a lecture. From a classic show that had a song that began, “It’s a very ancient saying, but a true and honest thought, that if you become a teacher, by your pupils you’ll be taught.” As a mentor and instructor, I find that is definitely the case. I’ve been fortunate enough to have students work with me in my office, and because of my niche in practice, I am not privy to a lot of the information that they have. It is not unusual for a student, resident, or intern to interject some very pertinent information into our conversation with a patient that I was not aware of. I welcome that. I am also amazed by the quality of students who come through, as well as the information and medical knowledge they already have before they even get to my office. It’s very reassuring to know that the next generation will be well prepared to practice.