Dear Dean Pizzo,

I hope all is well. I am writing you with regards to the decision not to renew Dr. Wolfe's contract and the recent decision to terminate his contract during the second week of February. I know that you have received countless e-mails and heard the voices of many students at the rally held before winter break. I know that you are aware of Dr. Wolfe's countless accomplishments in the field of medical education, the awards he has won, and the impact he has had on students. I am not writing to reiterate any of these facts because the merit and impact he has had at Stanford is undeniable. Like one student said at the rally, debating Dr. Wolfe's contributions to this institution would only be a insult to his legacy.

Instead, I write you with a dilemma I face. Early in the first quarter, you spoke to the first year medical school class on the topic of advocacy. You described your own battle with your medical school as they tried to expel you for your protests and you urged us not to shy away from speaking our minds on issues that we deeply care about. In the case of Dr. Wolfe's contract, we have been left in the dark about the facts and can only speculate that his contract is not being renewed because of his outspoken nature on issues for which he holds conviction- Stanford Medical Students. Therefore it is difficult for me to reconcile your message on encouraging us to be advocates and the decision to let go Stanford's biggest advocate of all- Dr. Wolfe.

Dr. Wolfe has served as my preceptor for POM this year and has been one of only a few Stanford faculty I feel truly and deeply care about our education. The enthusiasm and passion he brings to our education has been unmatched by any instructor I have ever had. For example, our POM section is the envy of the first year class as we not only learn the art of the physical exam, but Dr. Wolfe rushes us to the hospital so that we can have the opportunity to examine real patients. As you know, he goes well beyond the call of duty. I was also amazed when I saw him take the time out of his schedule to take a fellow student out to lunch because they had expressed some concerns regarding the curriculum. However, I am sure you have heard endless stories better telling of Dr. Wolfe's compassion and dedication for students. I truly saddened at the thought of going forward in the curriculum without the guidance of Dr. Wolfe and know that no instructor will be able to match his quality of instruction.

It seems contradictory to me that instead of praising and recognizing Dr. Wolfe's contributions to education and his unrelenting commitment to students, he is being disconnected from medical curriculum at Stanford. I believe that the impact of this decision will send a clear message to the students and faculty that conformity is valued above excellence and integrity, robbing this institution of the vibrancy and original thought needed to maintain the greatness of Stanford Medical School. I, along with the hundreds before me, urge you to reconsider your decision.

Sincerely,
SMS I

Dear Dean Prober,

I am a proud graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine, where I received my M.D. and Ph.D. in the late 1990s. As one of two student representatives on the School’s curriculum coordinating committee for many years, I came to know Dr. Elliott Wolfe and his extraordinary dedication to improving student education. I was also fortunate to have been able to do my sub-internship in internal medicine under his tutelage when he was an attending at Stanford Hospital. I can honestly say that of the many brilliant and dedicated faculty members I was lucky to interact with at Stanford and who trained me to be a physician, no one made a bigger impact than Dr. Wolfe. He has remained my mentor to this day.

I am sure you can guess why I am writing. It has come to my attention that Dr. Wolfe received a letter of termination from Stanford. While I cannot claim to know the reasons, it would strike me as ironic if a new program entitled Educators-4-CARE (Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility and Empathy) had no room for an educator who is widely regarded as one of Stanford’s most compassionate, responsible and empathetic student and patient advocates.

Stanford’s educational strength has long been centered in the talented faculty and staff who go the extra mile in teaching and mentoring students. Dr. Wolfe is one of Stanford’s treasures. What a waste it would be if his enormous reserve of clinical knowledge and his gifts for teaching were left out of new initiatives to enhance clinical skills and professionalism. The School’s continued excellence depends upon the participation and leadership of individuals like Dr. Wolfe in student education. Individuals make the difference between a good education and a great one.

I am writing this letter because I love my alma mater and want the best for it. If there is anything I can do to support a reversal of the decision to terminate Dr. Wolfe, I would be grateful if you could advise me of it.

Sincerely Yours,
Sheri Fink, M.D., Ph.D.

Dear Drs. Pizzo, Prober and Stevenson,

I am writing to convey my deep disappointment, dismay and sadness at the school’s self-destructive decision to terminate Dr. Elliott Wolfe’s relation with Stanford.

Simply stated, Dr Wolfe is the finest physician, teacher and role model with whom I have ever worked. You are aware of the teaching awards Elliott has won and the high esteem in which students and alumni hold him. Elliott personifies Educators-who-care. It is incomprehensible to me that you would even think that there might be someone more qualified for the position.

You might not be aware of the magnitude of Elliott’s accomplishment in setting up the residency program at Kaiser Permanente in the 1970s. Kaiser’s primary mission has never been education. Moreover, Elliott thought that training programs should relate to their residents the qualities that are desirable in physicians: listening, nurturing, patience, honesty and caring as well as intellectual rigor. These ‘nurturing’ qualities were unusual in medical training programs at the time. In this somewhat inhospitable climate, Elliott was able to develop a superb training program that reflected his personal values. It expanded to other hospitals and has been a valuable source of physician leaders for our medical group.

Beyond his accomplishments as a medical educator, Elliott is a superb clinician. I have seen him make astonishing diagnoses just by listening to the patient. Even now, more than twenty years after finishing his medical residency, I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss difficult cases with him.

May I respectfully suggest that your stated reasons for letting Elliott go simply do not make sense. You will not be able to find a finer teacher or humanistic physician than Elliott. Perhaps it is your intention to change Stanford into a research institution like Rockefeller University. Perhaps there is some other unstated reason. I believe that Elliott has given unrestricted permission the university administration to disclose any and all personnel matters related to his contract without exception.

For the sake of the reputation of the University and for classes of medical students to come, I urge you to reconsider your decision and to retain this superb physician.

Sincerely,
Jon Zweig, PhD, MD

Dear President Hennessy, Drs Pizzo and Prober:

My classmate Dr Chen speaks for me with his eloquent letter below. I have this to add to his fine words:

My opinion of Dr Wolfe is reflected in the keynote speech I recently gave at the Stanford Fall Forum 2007. A podcast of that speech is posted on the Stanford website. I chose Dr Wolfe to introduce me for that speech and my gratitude for him is repeated throughout my lecture. If you listen to that speech, you will know of my high regard for Dr Wolfe. If it were not for Dr Wolfe, I would not have completed my medical studies. I would not have gone on to care for hundreds of underserved patients at the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center as a family medicine resident. I would not have gone on to found the non-profit that I run in Santa Barbara called Doctors Without Walls (providing volunteer medical care to the homeless and most vulnerable where and when they are in need). I would not have become a physician working in the California prison system under federal receivorship, where we are providing needed care to thousands of sick incarcerated people. If it were not for Dr Wolfe, I would not be a doctor.

When I think back on my days as a Stanford Medical student, I am certain that the most important element of my training was given by Dr Wolfe. I am sorry to say that I experienced many things at Stanford, as did my classmates, that made me very unhappy with the medical school. But Dr Wolfe always turned those negatives into positives. He inspired us to keep believing in the profession of medicine. He taught us to be good doctors. Indeed, I can proudly say that I attended the Elliott Wolfe School of Medicine as his influence was so strong.

If Dr Wolfe is fired from Stanford, I will never give a penny to the Stanford medical school. Firing Dr Wolfe is an indication that the medical school has lost its heart and soul.

Please reconsider Dr Wolfes termination. He deserves to be promoted, not fired.

Noemi C Doohan (Steiner) MD PhD

Dear Dean Pizzo, Dean Prober, Dean Stevenson, and President Hennessy,

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend to the critical matter of Dr. Wolfe's legacy (thank you Dean Pizzo for attending the rally and for responding in your newsletter) and to consider the following "meta-analysis" of the large collection of support letters for Dr. Wolfe written by our colleagues:

At the most profound level, what has triggered such a broad and deeply shared commitment by the alumni/a and current medical students of Stanford School of Medicine to ensure Dr. Wolfe's permanence at our beloved alma mater is eloquently described by the Swiss philosopher Henri-Frederic Amiel: "What is threatened today is... respect for the soul, the very nobility of man. To defend the soul, its interests, its rights, its dignity, is the most pressing duty for whoever sees the danger."

Philosopher Amiel's truth applies not only to Dr. Wolfe's most noble career, but also transcends it:

I have observed that at every top medical school, there is that one Mother Teresa of the faculty, that one mascot-professor who endows the medical students with their school pride, and whose memory sustains them throughout the course of their medical career. At Stanford Med, that Mother Teresa is Dr. Wolfe. In other words, what is threatened today is not only Dr. Wolfe's nobility, but also the very soul of our School of Medicine.

Mr. Deans and Mr. President, the Body of students and alumni/a needs our Soul. Please don't extinguish our spirit.

I hope that ultimately, you may elect to view this crisis as a synergistic opportunity to boost rather than cripple the school pride of the alumni/a and student body of Stanford School of Medicine.

Thank you again for taking into consideration this deeper perspective.

Sincerely,
Sean Lin
Stanford School of Medicine Class Entering 1996

Dear Dr. Wolfe,

I am writing to express my gratitude for your teaching at Stanford. Since receiving notification of Stanford's decision a few weeks ago, I have been thinking of you and how you have impacted my learning. Going to the rally of support for you a week ago and in talking with your wife, I could see how many others were touched by their interactions with you too. My first quarter of medical school was a very challenging time for me. I was constantly challenged by the rigors of academics, pressures to do more outside activities and research, and interactions with so many other talented students. Your end-quarter meeting with me in the fall was very encouraging and empowering for me to push past the initial challenges. In the winter when my end-quarter physical exam went poorly, you were very supportive and gave me some very helpful advice on how to improve my skills. By the end of my first year, my physical exams went much better, and my confidence to learn and to push my limits increased greatly. This past fall was my best academic quarter, and I appreciated your patience and willingness to answer my questions in the classroom and hospital. I just wanted you to know how much I have appreciated learning from you, and I look forward to your mentorship in 2008.

Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Dear Deans of Stanford University and the Medical School:

I graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1994 and subsequently was involved with medical education in my Internal Medicine residency and during my subsequent years in private practice. I am currently in private practice in San Mateo.

I am writing regarding my concern about Dr. Wolfe’s termination. I am passionate about improving the quality of medical education and feel strongly that a stronger emphasis needs to be placed in educating more compassionate and humane- as well as capable and intelligent- physicians. Dr. Wolfe is a great educator and has contributed more to this end than most of his colleagues. It is unfortunate that he will not be part of this new curriculum, as he would be a great mentor and asset to the program.

We urge you to reconsider your decision and to invite Dr. Wolfe to return to teaching next school year. The next generation of Stanford students deserve the opportunity to benefit from Dr. Wolfe’s teaching and experience just as we have. I am not inclined to support Stanford Medical School financially or otherwise if it does not share my views about Dr. Wolf's values and his contribution to the Medical School. My Husband, Walter Sujansky MD, Ph.D. ( Stanford Medical School class of 1996) shares my feelings in this.

Thank you,
Ulrike Sujansky (nee Drees)

Dear President Hennessy, Drs. Philip Pizzo, and Charles Prober,

As an alumnus of both Stanford University (1995) and Stanford School of Medicine (2000), I care about my alma mater and have appreciated the many opportunities it has given me. I hope to someday give back to Stanford in a more substantial way. However, I am increasingly hesitant to do so every time I hear that gifted educators are not supported and are subsequently fired.

In particular, I am dismayed and disturbed that Dr. Elliott Wolfe, a cornerstone of a Stanford medical education, has been fired. More importantly, I am writing to encourage you and the Stanford leadership to promote Dr. Wolfe as a lead educator for the new Educators for CARE program that is being proposed. In my medical career, I know of no better teacher than Dr. Elliott Wolfe to lead such a program that is purported to enhance the clinical skills and professionalism of students.

Dr. Wolfe’s impressive resume and accomplishments are well documented on the website: (http://www.drwolfeappreciation.org). However, I want to share with you memories from my medical school years that highlight Dr. Elliott Wolfe’s embodiment of the ideals that the CARE program stands for: Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility, and Empathy.

Compassion
In my first year at Stanford Med, I remember Dr. Wolfe sharing many stories with us about the compassionate practice and art of medicine. These stories are filled with the wisdom that continues to guide me in many of my clinical encounters today. There are too many of these stories to share, but let me relay one of them to you…

When Dr. Wolfe was a young physician, one of his attending physicians returned to the hospital to be with a patient who was dying. The attending physician was dressed in fine attire for a gala event that night and interrupted his evening activity to come to the hospital room of his patient. Recognizing that the patient would likely die by the end of the night, the attending took off his coat and sat quietly near the patient, much of it in comforting silence. Dr. Wolfe, as a young resident, would return to check on the patient intermittently throughout the night. Each time, Dr. Wolfe would find his attending physician awake by the side of the patient, helping to create a peaceful and comforting space in the room. When the patient died that morning, the attending physician quietly rose to find the rest needed to continue the next day of caring for patients.

Dr. Wolfe shared this story to teach us about the profound relationship between doctor and patient, and the importance of “accompanying” and “being with” patients especially during their darkest times. This patient did not die alone, but was accompanied by his caring physician. To this day, this story continues to hold deep meaning for me as I care for the underserved, which are often abandoned by society.

Dr. Wolfe’s stories have had a lasting impact on numerous generations of physicians. To paraphrase Dr. Rachel Remen, “it is through stories that wisdom is passed on...the stuff that helps us live a life worth remembering.” Dr. Wolfe exemplifies this passing on of wisdom, and Stanford needs to support the gift that Dr. Wolfe gives to students.

Advocacy
Dr. Wolfe is the quintessential advocate. He sees things differently, and he is committed to the success and well being of all students. When Stanford accepts students, it has a responsibility to support and coach them to continued success. Dr. Wolfe is the infrastructure of support that allows students to blossom into creative, nontraditional leaders. He understands that each student has unique gifts they bring to the school, and that students do not always fit into the traditional conforming culture of medicine. Perhaps this is why Dr. Wolfe’s advocacy for students may put him at odds with more traditional faculty.

By leading by example, Dr. Wolfe embodies the meaning of advocacy. The outcome is clear. Some of the most interesting, creative, and nontraditional students I know would not be continuing their pioneering work in their respective fields were it not for Dr. Wolfe’s advocacy during their medical school years.

Future generations of Stanford students need an advocate like Dr. Wolfe -- someone who believes in their unique gifts, someone who understands that there are “second chances” to becoming successful, someone that understands that there is an invisible curriculum that stamps out creative thinking, and someone who understands that the making of a successful physician is a life-long marathon of humble learning rather than merely obtaining the exterior accolades of AOA, Honors, or the highest USMLE scores possible.

Responsibility
There are multiple ways in which Dr. Wolfe modeled the notion of responsibility. From the first day of medical school, Dr. Wolfe addressed us as “colleagues”, and treated us as professionals entrusted with the responsibility of caring for our patients and communities. He encouraged the responsible and judicious use of lab tests and studies by challenging us to develop and rely more on our clinical examination skills. He shared with us ways to ethically handle challenging patient-doctor situations. Dr. Wolfe exhibited the utmost responsibility in his role as physician and educator, and encouraged us to do similarly.

Empathy
Dr. Wolfe’s empathy and care are evident when he interacts with students and with patients. He is a deep listener who creates trust. During his innovative Physical Finding Rounds, Dr. Wolfe exhibited empathy for each patient. Patients were never just interesting cases with interesting physical exam findings for us eager students to learn from. Dr. Wolfe modeled how to interact with patients, to respectfully learn from them, and to see their humanity.

In summary, Dr. Elliott Wolfe is one of Stanford’s most outstanding teachers and mentors, and it was a privilege to be one of his students and a fellow colleague. When thinking about my Stanford education, it is educators like Dr. Wolfe that stand out. I want the next generation of physician leaders produced by Stanford to have had the privilege to learn from a wise master physician like Dr. Elliott Wolfe. The core of a Stanford Medical education less about how many new “state of the art” center or buildings it possesses, and more about learning from “state of the art” educators and mentors who embody CARE principles…people like Dr. Elliott Wolfe. I ask you to reverse your decision and encourage Dr. Wolfe to be actively involved in the new Educators for CARE program.

Sincerely,
Steven Chen, MD
Asian Health Services
Oakland, CA

Dear Sirs:

I am writing a letter in support of the efforts of the students and alumni of Stanford University Medical School, who are working to get reconsideration and reversal of the decision to terminate Dr. Elliot Wolfe’s contract. As a 1996 alumnus of Stanford University Medical School, I enjoyed the privilege of being educated by several fine physicians, mentors and teachers. I look back on med school as the happiest time in my educational career, in large part because of the sterling quality and dedication of the faculty who cared so much about us, not just as evolving physicians, but also as people. Dr. Wolfe stands out as one of the finest of those mentors, someone whose personal interest and commitment to our education and well being made Stanford such a nurturing environment that turns out outstanding physicians, researchers and teachers. Dr. Wolfe was responsible for our clinical placements in the early preclinical years, and designed the course on clinical medicine, in which we were paired with mentors. He was personally very responsive when my first assignment to a rather unsympathetic and critical doctor made me question my abilities and commitment to a medical career; he heard my deep concern about this, read the discouragement in it correctly, and reassigned me to someone who, like him, was extremely interested in my personal happiness as well as education, and who was an excellent role model. This is the kind of man he is, someone who acts in an avuncular and compassionate role for students. I remember that during residency interviews training directors were impressed and sometimes incredulous at the tone and humanity of his Dean’s letters. They weren’t used to seeing such complimentary and comprehensive evaluations of students, and clearly it impressed them. During our 10 year reunion in 2006, Dr Wolfe was the faculty member invited to dine with us. He graciously accepted, and showed genuine interest in the paths our lives had taken since graduation.

Since graduating, I have proudly supported Stanford Medical School through the Med Fund, and hope to continue doing this. Already I have been saddened to learn of the deaths of two of our most beloved anatomy instructors whose mentorship and guidance helped us navigate those first critical months. It also saddens me to think that my support of the fund may depend on whether or not the administration can see the groundswell of support for Dr. Wolfe as evidence (as if there needed to be more) of his superb qualities as an outstanding physician/teacher, and a great man whom so many of us have been lucky to know and learn from.

I hope you will reconsider and overturn the decision to terminate his contract.

Yours truly,
Lawrence T. Nash, MD
Med School Class of 1996

Dear Dean Prober:

I graduated from Stanford School of Medicine in 1999. Since then, I have complete residency in Anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins where I served as Chief Resident. I am currently on faculty at Johns Hopkins. I come from a family of educators, both of my parents have Ph.D.'s in education. However, I am the first in my family to work in the medical field.

This letter regards my concern about Dr. Wolfe’s termination. Dr. Wolfe is part of the reason I attended Stanford (as opposed to UCSF). He is a master educator and mentor. Besides my family, Dr. Wolfe has inspired growth and interest in medical education. I know that he has touched many more lives in addition to mine- both personally and professionally.

I sincerely hope that you are able to find a way to continue to utilize Dr. Wolfe's expertise at Stanford. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. Have a happy holiday season.

In 1999, on the afternoon before the deadline to submit my prefered match list for residency, I was agonizing over which program to list first. My choice was between two: a residency in my hometown and a presigous residency in LA. I was in my hometown, on an away-rotation, without my med school friends to consult. I remember pulling up to a phone booth, to call the one person I knew would sincerely help me figure out this dilemmna, Dr. Wolfe.

I explained to Dr Wolfe that I wanted to make the choice that would provide the best post-graduate education. Knowing that I was a single parent of a three year old, Dr Wolfe stated, "you are going to learn best, when you aren't worrying about your daughter, and know she is happy and safe." I switched my first choice to the residency in my hometown. I often reflect on the importance of that decision, for both my daughter and me. There is no one at Stanford, I trusted more.

Monica Carrillo, 1999
Family Physician
SeaMar Community Health Clinic

To Dr. Hennessy, Stevenson:

It has come to my attention that Dr. Elliott Wolfe's contract has been terminated as of August 2008. This is a grave mistake. I attended Stanford University School of Medicine from 1998-2003 and had the pleasure of interacting with Dr. Wolfe on many many occasions. He is the heart and soul of Stanford University School of Medicine. He is an enthusiastic and motivated mentor and teacher. His warm bedside manner, clinical acumen, and gift of teaching should be the foundation of any curriculum at Stanford and the benchmark for other medical programs.

In 1998 the reason that Stanford University School of Medicine was unique from other programs was because of Dr. Wolfe and his emphasis on bedside manner. At that time no other schools even included this in their curriculum. Dr. Wolfe is more than adept at explaining the science behind medicine but also emphasizes the art behind being an active listener and friend to the patient. I owe much of my own bedside manner to his teaching.

In addition, Dr. Wolfe provided me the support of a parental figure in a highly demanding environment. He made you feel protected - our only concern was learning. He made that possible.

Dr. Wolfe always provided us with what we needed and it would be a detriment to Stanford University School of Medicine to release him. I know that I speak for each and every one of my classmates.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. I am currently a proud Stanford University School of Medicine and I would like to continue to be proud of my medical school.

Sincerely,
Kavita Trivedi, MD
Lieutenant, US Public Health Service

All-

I’m sure the inboxes have been flooded with letters of support for Dr. Wolfe. It’s not surprising given that he was such a central part of the Stanford Medical School experience, including my own. I’m now a venture capitalist here in the Valley focusing exclusively on the life sciences. If it weren’t for Dr. Wolfe’s willingness to allow me a leave of absence during medical school to pursue my own entrepreneurial dreams (which ended in a public company that ultimately was acquired), I would never have been able to find my professional calling—a mix of science and startup business.

I am deeply grateful to Stanford Medical School and favor it above all my other alma maters (Harvard ’96, Stanford Med ’03, Stanford Business’04). But, I must say, it is also the most deeply frustrating institution in my past educational history. The treatment of Dr. Wolfe has been consistent since I left the school—the administration seems determined to marginalize Dr. Wolfe because of a perceived favoritism by the student base. Look, I understand the need to have research oriented faculty to help institutionalize the research focus of the medical school. A balance of humanity, however, as epitomized by Dr. Wolfe, is a good and necessary thing for medical education. There are better things for the faculty to focus on than pushing out a dear friend of the student base.

Overall, this pattern of “picking the wrong fights” is reflective of the medical school these days. The recent actions (or usually lack thereof) of the Stanford Medical School alumni association, for instance, epitomized by the loss of the Class Notes section in the Stanford Medical magazine, demonstrates the lack of perspective of this administration. Why the alumni association allowed the magazine—supposedly there to serve the Medical School community—to eliminate the single most important connection between alumni is beyond me.

In the end, I’ll remain an active donor and a rabid supporter of the Med School because of all it’s done for me, but I truly hope the administration figures out what are the important battles to fight and what “problems” are better left alone.

Sincerely,
Chen Yu

Dear Dean Prober:

I am an alum (Stanford Med class of 2003, recently completed my pediatric residency and chief residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program) and am writing regarding my concern about Dr. Wolfe’s termination. Knowing Dr. Wolfe as I do and the adoration and respect he receives from my fellow alums and classmates, I am sure you have been barraged by emails such as these. As you appreciate the impact he has had on so many of your accomplished graduates and reflect upon his many teaching credentials and awards, I hope you will see him as an assett to your new curriculum and take every measure to not only keep him on, but to expose as many students to him as possible.

I cannot recall another mentor more relied upon or well-regarded than Dr. Wolfe during my tenure at Stanford Medical School. We teasingly referred to him as "the patron saint of medical students." Furthermore, Dr. Wolfe embodies a number of qualities far too rare in today's academic medical culture.

Teacher: Of all the teachers who ever taught me how to perform a physical exam, I best remember Dr. Wolfe. In my mind I can see him sitting down next to a patient. I can see him holding her hand and I can remember my own surprise as I realized that it was okay to hold a patient's hand. I can even see his fingers percussing out a liver and the first time I recognized egophony in one of my pediatric patients and proudly demonstrated it to my medical student,it was thanks to Dr. Wolfe. I fully appreciated his gift of teaching this lost art of the physical exam a year ago when I went to practice in Zambia. Without the aid of pricey diagnostics, Dr. Wolfe's carefully taught skills allowed me to provide good care.

Mentor: I was a teaching assistant to Dr. Wolfe for the very popular "Hope and Suffering and the Doctor-Patient Relationship." Attendance at that elective was better than the majority of our required classes. Students trusted Dr. Wolfe. The was obvious because not only would we confide in him, but 4 or 5 a year would volunteer to sit in front of 70 peers and talk openly about their own experiences- as cancer survivors, as children who have lost parents, as a person living with Chron's Disease. I know these lessons made me a better physician. When I go to break bad news to a family, I remember their words. We had one class addressing Pediatric Palliative Care. I still remember direct quotes read to us from parent surveys after losing children's. I know I am a better physician for hearing these, for having someone like Dr. Wolfe advocate for these lessons and assign them importance. Dr. Wolfe not only taught me, but he teaches the residents and students I am working with as I pass on these lessons.

Friend: During my second year in medical school, my own mother had a lump in her breast and needed a biopsy. I remember feeling overwhelmed by fear and helplessness and responsibility as she turned to me to provide her with medical advice. I don't tend to ask for help or confide in people easily, but Dr. Wolfe was an exception. He helped me call a breast surgeon, get my mom scheduled for her biopsy. I was living alone at the time and Dr. Wolfe and his wife even offered to have me stay with them for a night or two so I wouldn't have to be alone. I didn't take them up on the offer, but just to know that kind of support was there for me was invaluable.

As a member of the Stanford medical community I feel honored to have Elliott Wolfe in our midst. I urge you to reconsider your decision and to invite Dr. Wolfe to return to teaching next school year. The next generation of Stanford students deserve the opportunity to benefit from Dr. Wolfe’s teaching and experience as I have.

Thank you,

Leah Bartsch Mallory, MD
BA, Stanford University '97
MD, Stanford University '03
Boston Combined Residency Program- Pediatrics '05
Chief Resident, BCRP '06
Pediatric Hospitalist, Barbara Bush Children's Hospital

Dear Dr. Hennessy,

I, for one, was not surprised to learn that the Administration of the School of Medicine intends to involuntarily terminate Dr. Elliott Wolfe's employment as a consulting professor of medicine in August of 2008. I have been expecting this for some time.

Dr. Wolfe has a big problem. Simply put, he is so good at what he does that he makes the faculty and administration around him look bad by comparison. Small wonder they want to get rid of him.

I have known Elliott Wolfe for over 35 years. He is my next-door neighbor and a good friend. He was the reason I joined the Kaiser Medical Group as a patient, and was my primary care physician there until he retired and joined Stanford. Without question, I trust him with my life.

As a physician he is superb. As an educator, he is excellent. As a caring person, he is unparalleled. When our neighbor suffered a stroke, I called 911 and then called Elliott. He was there before the paramedics arrived, advising the Emergency Room doctors prior to her arrival there. On another occasion, when a neighbor's young daughter was seriously ill, but had been sent home inadvisably by another physician, I had her parents call Elliott. He came, rushed her to the Stanford Emergency Room, and supervised her treatment. He was there as a physician and friend as my in-laws grew older, grew ill, and passed away.

I have followed Dr. Wolfe's career as a physician and teacher at Kaiser Medical Center, and later at Stanford. When he first came to Kaiser, Santa Clara in 1970, he quickly established the residency program in internal medicine, taking Stanford medical students and graduates and turning them into superb practicing physicians. He continued and expanded these programs throughout his career at Kaiser, eventually becoming the head of medical education for all of the Kaiser Hospitals of Northern California.

Upon retiring from Kaiser in 1994, Elliott formally joined the faculty at Stanford (although he had extensive interaction with Stanford medical students, faculty, and graduates throughout his Kaiser career), where he continued his mission of turning medical students into caring, competent, physicians.

His students love him. They, more than his colleagues, recognize his outstanding competency, compassion, and commitment. Elliott puts the students first, and they know it. His numerous teaching awards are evidence of their regard.

Sadly, Elliott's colleagues and "superiors" view him less favorably.

While the Stanford Medical School prides itself on its high ranking as a research institution (Newsweek rates it as about 7th nationwide), Stanford doesn't rank so well as a clinical education institution (not even in the top 25 nationally). It is clear that clinical education has not been a major concern of the administration and faculty.

Belatedly, the medical school now seems to be preparing to beef up the clinical training syllabus. Dr. Wolfe has been doing that more or less single-handedly over the past decade. And now the Stanford Medical School Administration intends to get rid of their so-called "troublemaker" in a callous and summary manner.

I've observed Stanford's wretched treatment of Dr. Wolfe play out over the past several years. As a Stanford graduate myself, I frequently get letters asking me to include Stanford in my will. Well, Dr. Hennessy, in view of Stanford's behavior in this matter, you can "FUGGEDABOUDIT".

Lewis Schiff
M.S., Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, 1963
Ph. D., Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, 1973

On July 3rd of this year I attended the fireworks display and concert at Frost Amphitheater. We live near Stanford and we attend the concert every year on my oldest son's birthday. Before the performance began, I was surprised to see someone quickly making his way through the crowd toward me, happily shouting my name. As he got closer I realized that it was Elliott Wolfe. I had not seen him since I graduated from Stanford Med School in 1997. We hugged and chatted for a few minutes and I introduced him to my family, including my three children. Dr. Wolfe not only remembered and recognized me, but he also remembered that I stayed at Stanford for an extra year for internship, followed by residency in Radiology at UCSF. I am not sure that my parents could have so accurately recalled my educational journey. When he left, my 4 year old daughter asked me who he was. I replied "That was mommy's favorite teacher in medical school. He taught me how to be a good doctor." She said "when I become a doctor, will he be my teacher?" I replied "I hope so." It is with a heavy heart that I learned of Dr. Wolfe's contract termination. I have never known a teacher more dedicated to his students and his patients. In a busy hospital filled with interns, residents, fellows, attendings etc, the medical students are often overlooked. He knew each of us. His termination will be an extraordinary loss. My husband and I are seriously reconsidering our continued financial support of the medical school, given this disappointing decision.

Diana Baker, M.D. (Diana Levitt)
Stanford B.S., M.S. 1991, M.D. 1997

I'm an International Medical Graduate. As an option, my school offers US clinical experience during med school. In my immersion into the American health care system, I had the impression that be it in my own country or outside, the patient has been reduced to numbers and statistics. The rigors and demands of the medical profession has turned us into thinking and hardworking but heartless doctors, until I met Dr. E. Wolfe. I had the privilege of attending a course where he prepares internationally trained physicians for one of the many requirements of US license. Seeing him in action reminded my why I want to be a Physician in the first place. Feeling his passion gave me the sense once more that medicine is not all brains, it has a heart and a soul.

He will always be one of my most treasured mentors.

May Ladrillono, MD
International Medical Graduate

Dear Dr. Wolfe,

It’s been over four years since I graduated from Stanford School of Medicine. I’ve gotten older if not necessarily wiser, and I am planning what to do after residency. Occasionally I reminisce about my med school days, and I always think how fortunate I was to attend Stanford. My classmates, the faculty, and the kind administrators over in the MSOB like Char Hamada, Zera Murphy, Dr. Patricia Cross, Marti Trujillo, Suzanne Bethard and many others made my Stanford experience amazing. To this day I feel incredibly loyal to Stanford. It was a special place totally different from all the other homogenized medical schools, which is why I came to the Farm. During orientation, a senior told me about the “Stanford Way” and I hope it still exists for current students.

I returned to campus this October for a classmate’s wedding. I stopped by the MSOB to say hello, and I was disappointed I couldn’t find your office. I was told that you were now mostly off campus, working with students as a “consultant.” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I hoped it was something you wanted. And of course, a few days ago I read via email that your contract would not be renewed.

Of all the great people I met during my Stanford days, you stand out. Your kindness, humanitarianism, compassion, caring, empathy, and diagnostic skills made a huge impression on how I wanted to be as a doctor. You always made time to listen to students, no matter how busy your schedule. If you could support a student’s dreams or aspirations, you would. You freely gave your home phone number to students. I admired that you, a Dean of a prestigious medical school, were so modest and friendly you were willing to self-effacingly star in our hokey talent show videos. You affected so many students in such positive ways that The Palpitations arranged a song about you on their 1999 album, something no other person obtained. While perhaps a dubious distinction, it clearly demonstrates the affection students felt, the rapport you held with them, and how highly you were regarded.

I am very saddened that for reasons I don’t understand, it seems your time at Stanford is ending. You were a mentor, a role model, a friend, and someone who repeatedly earned my respect. I hope your contract will be renewed, because the students deserve and need to be taught by you.

Sincerely,
Brett Pariseau
SMSA president 2002-03

Dear Dean Prober,

I recently learned with dismay of the administration's decision not to renew Dr. Wolfe's contract in 2008, and am writing to urge you to reconsider this action.

Dr. Wolfe was without question the most important faculty mentor of my Stanford medical school experience. He is a wonderful teacher, a gifted clinician, and a very caring individual. He managed to make me, like so many of my classmates, feel deeply valued not only as future Stanford-educated physician leaders, but as individuals. He took the time to get to know us, and always made himself available to us, whether it was offering a sympathetic ear, helping us resolve a conflict, or encouraging us in our goals and dreams.

Dr. Wolfe exemplifies humanism in medicine perhaps more than any other faculty member at Stanford. He inspired me to strive for the clinical acumen and empathy he models. He played, and I’m sure continues to play a crucial role in medical students’ evolution into competent, caring physicians. It seems crazy to me that the school would decide to let him go before he is good and ready to leave, thus depriving the next generation of Stanford medical students of an incredibly important and effective faculty mentor. This decision saddens me, and leaves me worried about the future direction the school is being steered toward.

Sincerely yours,
Sarah E. Morgan, MD
Class of 2001

Dear Drs. Pizzo, Prober, and Stevenson,

I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment in the matter concerning Dr. Elliott Wolfe. I am disturbed that Stanford would have no value for the one individual who was instrumental in the development of the careers of countless alumni. Dr. Wolfe is a skilled physician, a dedicated teacher, and a wise, compassionate mentor. Enumerating the many ways in which Dr. Wolfe has had an impact on the medical education and personal development of young physicians is a task beyond the scope of this letter. Suffice it to say that in over a decade in medicine, I have yet to encounter another individual who has been so influential and consistently positive in my training. I know that my voice echoes that of many alumni.

As my training comes to a close and I begin to transition to a junior faculty member here at The University of Chicago with responsibilities for medical education, I realize time and again that Stanford was truly a special place to train. Both the School of Medicine and the University as a whole distinguish themselves from other institutions because of a spirit that is unique to Stanford. During both my undergraduate and medical school years, the Stanford student was allowed-indeed encouraged-- to follow his or her own path. Students at Stanford had the flexibility to accomplish amazing undertakings in addition to their academic curricula; they did so with an energy that was infectious. Obviously, this spirit has led to paradigm-shifting innovations in technology, science, the arts, and biomedicine driven by faculty, students, and alumni.

During my years at Stanford Medical School, (1997-2000) an issue concerning Dr. Wolfe's position arose, and I vividly recall the dissension among the students. We valued that our opinion was entertained; we believed that our voices were heard. Unfortunately, this has not been my experience as an alumna.

The overhauling of the curriculum at the School of Medicine has been done without the input of alumni, and I fear that the School of Medicine will create a very different student body. Perhaps, this is an intentional consequence due to the changes in leadership that began during my final years in medical school. I strongly believe that the culture of Stanford is unique; there is no need to make Stanford like other institutions. In trying to make Stanford Medical School like other institutions, you will destroy the Stanford spirit at the School of Medicine.

My husband, Jayant Pinto (B.S., A.B. '92, MD '97) and I share these sentiments. We will certainly question our commitment to the School of Medicine should the decision to terminate or render Dr. Wolfe ineffective be carried out. Together, we have spent seventeen years at Stanford University and will always hold Stanford dear to our hearts. Our positive feelings about the School of Medicine has already been affected. I am embarrassed to ally myself with an institution that would treat senior faculty such as Dr. Wolfe so disrespectfully. When alumni are no longer proud of the direction of the institution, the leadership has done a great disservice to all.

Sincerely,
Neethi Panicker Pinto, MD (A.B '94 , MD, '01 )
Pediatric Critical Care
The University of Chicago

To whom it may concern,

This letter is written in an attempt to express, however inadequately, my appreciation of Dr. Elliott Wolfe, who has been my mentor and professor for the full extent of my time here at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Wolfe is of course an incomparably brilliant man. He is outstanding in his seemingly infinite knowledge of doctoring, of patient care, and of the teaching and mentorship of medical students. Having established these things, I still have to say that what distinguishes Dr. Wolfe most--are in fact his great heart; the love he brings to the practice of medicine and to the care of patients; his meticulous, lifelong honing of his own clinical skills for the betterment of his patients; his fierce devotion to the teaching the practice of medicine; his exceptional willingness to take extraordinary risks for the sakes of his students; his courage in facing down injustices with regard to how the medical students at Stanford are treated; and his seemingly infinite willingness to make personal sacrifices for us. No one incident could possibly sum up the kinds of actions Dr. Wolfe has undertaken in the best interests of his students and patients on a moment-to-moment basis, with infinite love and care, for over 40 years. Dr. Wolfe is a man of great heart and courage. He is an outstanding physician, professor, and mentor. I hope that one day I can teach and mentor medical students in a way similar to the manner in which Dr. Wolfe has mentored me, and I know a great many medical students who feel similarly.

Dr. Wolfe’s life in medicine has been, like a stone thrown into a pond, an extraordinarily influential one. The infinite circles of his example will persist for many generations through the students he has taught—that is, through our efforts to replicate the great example that he has set for us. We all feel that Dr. Wolfe is really the heart and soul of Stanford Medical School. That Dr. Wolfe would no longer be a presence here is unthinkable. My feeling is that the impression Dr. Wolfe will have left is so indelible that even in his absence, the parts of himself that he gave so freely, will remain here at Stanford in some form—whether in the form of the curricula he established, or the colleagues he influenced toward actually walking their talk about ethics in medicine, or the successive classes of students he led toward becoming excellent practitioners of the art of medicine.

Dear Stanford Faculty and Community,

I am writing this email in support of Dr. Eliot Wolfe. As a former medical student at Stanford University and a current Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCSF, I am dismayed to hear that there has been any reduction in the amount of exposure that Dr. Wolfe has with medical students at Stanford. As I reflect on my years in medical school and in my daily practice as a physician and medical-educator, there is one person who stands out as an ideal role model throughout my medical education. It is Dr. Eliot Wolfe. It is a travesty that this dedicated person who embodies all of the wonderful characteristics of a compassionate physician and educator is being phased out of medical education. It is shocking to hear that there would be consideration for anything less than grateful celebration for Dr. Wolfe's lifetime of contibution to the medical community at Stanford. I sincerely hope that this claim does not have merit; however, if it does, I request that those currently at Stanford take a moment to listen to those of us who consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have had Dr. Wolfe as a part of our medical education. This would be a great loss for Stanford and for future generations of physicians who will matriculate.

Sincerely,
Heather A. Harris, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Administrative Director, UCSF Palliative Care Leadership Center
University of California, San Francisco

Dear Deans Pizzo and Prober:

I am very concerned about Dr. Elliott Wolfe's termination. He is a great mentor, teacher, and healer, and has been an essential part of my Stanford experience and my development as a physician. I hope that you will re-consider Dr. Wolfe's termination so that future classes of Stanford students can benefit from his teaching and mentoring.

Sincerely,
Jacek Skarbinski, MD
Stanford Medical School Class of 2001

Hi Dr. Pizzo,

I am writing this letter to ask you to use all that is in your power as Dean to halt the planned termination of Dr. Elliott Wolfe from the Stanford Medical School Staff. While I do not know the intricate details of this matter, I am both shocked to hear of this planned termination and amazed that Stanford would let consider terminating such a prolific Stanford School of Medicine Educator. Your leadership in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Sabrina I Ward, MD
Stanford School Medicine, Class of 1995

To whom it may concern:

I have worked with Dr. Wolfe as a Standardized Patient at Stanford University for the past five years. I feel he is a great asset to the medical profession as a teacher, mentor and role model. He is compassionate, dedicated and goes way beyond the norm to give to his students and all who work with him. I feel it would be a mistake and tragic to let such a wonderful educator leave Stanford. I ask that the administration reconsider their stand and continue Dr. Wolfe's contract.

Sincerely,
Donald R. Bisbee
Teacher, Actor, Standardized Patient

Dear Dr. Prober and Dean Pizzo,

I am a Stanford MD/PhD student who was very dismayed to learn that the School of Medicine does not intend to renew the contract of Dr. Elliott Wolfe. Dr. Wolfe was easily my favorite instructor at Stanford, and perhaps the most influential teacher I have ever had. He taught me not only proficiency in clinical skills, but he also instilled in me a deep compassion for the ill and the desire to always advocate for better patient care.

An example of his exceptional devotion to clinical education is the incredible amount of time he has devoted to teaching MD/PhD students. For the last few years, he has taught an intensive 2-quarter-long clinical skills class to MD/PhDs who are about to start clerkships. He recognized that MD/PhD students, due to their long absence from medicine during the PhD, need extra help in preparing for clinical medicine. So he designed and taught this course, devoting countless hours, both in the classroom and on the wards. On several occasions, he spent 2+ hours with me one-on-one, examining patients and looking for ways to improve their care and comfort. In today's environment of major time constraints for physicians, it is extremely difficult to find a physician with not only Dr. Wolfe's teaching abilities, but also his willingness to devote so much time to teaching. Thus it seems surprising that the School of Medicine would willingly give up such an asset to the teaching staff.

I sincerely hope that the School of Medicine will reconsider the decision to release Dr. Wolfe. He has already touched so many patients and physicians, and he still has so much more to contribute.

Cheers,
Jake Brenner

Dear Dr. Prober,

My name is Angelica Loza and I graduated from Stanford Med last year. I am now in So. Cal in my internship. I am emailing regarding Dr. Wolfe's dismissal from Stanford Medical School. This saddens me very much. I would like to express my sentiments and hope that you find this email moving and informative.

I honestly think Dr. Wolfe has touched all medical students in a myriad of manners. From receiving a quick physical fiding tip to endless hours of wisdom to having a great friend to talk to. Dr. Wolfe constantly offered his support, and we felt that we could talk to him regarding any manner in medical school. He was so humble, yet so sharp and knowledgeable.
Dr. Wolfe has been an insipiration to all medical students I know. He has truly defined the definition of a dedicated, compassionate and talented teacher. He was one of the few physicians at Stanford who enjoyed primary care. I will never forget his physical findings courses at bed side; I learned so much. This is a well needed course at Stanford.
I know he loves medical students and the feeling is definitely mutual. I am not sure the reason for Dr. Wolfe's dimissal, but please know that he is a great loss to Stanford. He will be missed deeply. If there is anything else that we as alumni can do, please let me know.

Thank you,
Angelica Loza

How outrageous to even think that Dr. Wolfe would be terminated by Stanford. He is the best teacher I have ever encountered in my many years of being in and around educational institutions. His knowledge, wisdom, and ability to communicate with students is absolutely astounding. His clarity, compassion and caring nature refreshing. What in the world are they thinking? What a loss to the medical students who are studying under him and to his colleagues on the faculty. Do I smell agism in this act? This has got to be stopped!

Sincerely,
Linda Ayres-Frederick
Standardized Patient
Artistic Director, Phoenix Arts Association
San Francisco, CA

Dear Deans Prober, Pizzo and all other concerned parties:

I was a Stanford medical student from 1998-2003 and am now a faculty member at Maine Medical Center as part of their emergency medicine residency program. I am writing regarding my concern about Dr. Wolfe's termination. I read your letter to the student body regarding the restructuring of POM and appreciate your efforts in trying to improve our medical education. Dr. Wolfe is a great educator and it is unfortunate that he will not be part of this new curriculum, as he would be a great mentor and asset to the program.

He has touched many of our lives as a dedicated teacher and compassionate mentor. Specifically, he is the reason that I am able to be a successful emergency medicine physician and educator at this time. Not only did Dr. Wolfe inspire me, teach me, mentor me as he did with countless other students, but he lead me to enjoy medicine at a time in my life when I was struggling. I know that I am not alone in saying that if not for Dr. Wolfe's personal commitment to my medical education; I would not be where I am today.
I urge you to reconsider your decision and to invite Dr. Wolfe to return to teaching next school year. The next generation of Stanford students deserve the opportunity to benefit from Dr. Wolfe's teaching and experience just as I have.

Thank you,
Megan Fix, MD

Dear Stanford Faculty and Community,

I graduated Stanford Medical School in 2001 and am now a practicing psychiatrist in a public psychiatry clinic in San Antonio, TX. I still feel a deep sense of pride in having studied medicine at Stanford. I cannot imagine having enjoyed medical school nearly as much if I had attended any other institution.

Whenever I think of Stanford Medical School, the image of Elliott Wolfe’s face comes to my mind. Dr. Wolfe showed me the best example of skillfulness, compassion, knowledge and strong ethics I have seen in any physician. I still think of him all the time and try to emulate him in my practice. Dr. Wolfe helped me in my professional and personal development and showed me compassion in difficult personal circumstances. I will never forget the way he saw me as not just a doctor in training but as an individual. During the time I studied at Stanford, treating students as a whole individuals was expected, in large part due to Dr.Wolfe’s leadership. It is hard to believe that his position on the faculty would be any less valuable today than it was just a few years ago.

I ask the Stanford Faculty and Administration to listen to their consumers, the young people who give years of their lives and tens of thousands of dollars to be a part of this marvelous profession. Dr. Wolfe and his example are precisely what we come to Stanford to learn to be.

Respectfully,
Dr. Victoria Trickett

Dear Dr. Prober,

I want to commend you on developing the Educators-4-Care program. I believe students will benefit greatly from this program. I understand that you are not at liberty to discuss personnel. However, I would like to encourage you to do all you can to retain Dr. Elliott Wolfe at Stanford Med so that students can continue to learn from him. Dr. Wolfe has been an outstanding teacher and mentor to me and my classmates. I cannot imagine the medical school without him.

Sincerely,
Stanford Medical Student

To whom it may concern,

I am a Standardized Patient who has been with the program since its inception over fourteen years ago, and have worked with Dr. Elliott Wolfe on many projects during this period of time. I am truly shocked to learn of the administrations decision to terminate Dr. Wolfe's contract with Stanford University next year!

In all the years I have been working with Dr. Wolfe,I have observed him to be one of the finest teachers it has been my privilege to know. He not only offers his knowledge of the medical profession,but offers his patience,calm understanding of the difficulties in many of the exercises we work on,and any extra assistance needed for the students to accomplish the tasks involved. I know for certain, from all the comments made by the many students (and the SP's) I have been involved with in the Standardized Patient Program,that most (if not all) of them feel the same way!

For these many years that I have been involved in the SP Program,I have worked in several departments (including the Practicums for the Nurse Practitioners Program and the special Alzheimer Project) and have always been delighted to find that Dr. Wolfe would be running the session(s) on which I would be working.
I certainly hope that the letters supporting Dr. Wolfe will have some effect on reversing the decision made to terminate the outstanding work that is being done by Dr. Wolfe. He is an intricate and essential part of your faculty; and one who should not be dismissed !

I can't begin to express how much your future medical students will miss by not being exposed to all that Dr. Wolfe brings to the table! Please reconsider and do the RIGHT THING!!!

Respectfully,
Ms. Lee Garay Toney
Standardized Patient
Professional Actor/Director

To whom it may concern:

How sad to see Stanford make a shortsighted decision to deprive students and faculty of the opportunity to experience the teaching, mentoring, compassion and sense of humour that Dr. Wolfe has so generously shared with so many people. His colleagues, students, friends and acquaintances can provide numerous examples of the times that Dr. Wolfe has gone beyond the "required" to the "extra mile" as he demonstrated the skills and empathy necessary to be an effective physician. Not only is this a losing proposition for the medical students, it's also a great loss for the patients who will be treated in the future.

I have personally observed Dr. Wolfe's ability to move a medical student or physician from fear to confidence because of his ability to remind them that they have the skills and knowledge to do what they need to do to create trust between the physician and the patient.

It's not too late to reverse direction and avoid a train wreck. Please reconsider this decision.

Sincerely,
Patricia Gallagher

To Whom It May Concern:

I am amazed that Dr. Wolfe is being terminated on August 31, 2008 due to a change in "programmatic need" with the creation of the Educators-4-CARE (E4C) program after 37 very successful years of training current and future doctors and other medical personnel.

If Educators-4-CARE truly does aim "to foster the development in each of our students of four key qualities embodied in thoughtful and effective physicians: Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility and Empathy (CARE)," I can think of no one more qualified to do so! I have seen him in action for over 2 years now during my work at Kaplan as a "standardized patient". He is very detail oriented, very compassionate and empathetic and definitely instills in his students the qualities of compassion, advocacy, responsibility and empathy. The numerous medical students I have worked with in the last 2 years, that Dr. Wolfe has trained, have all exhibited these qualities, some much more so than some of the veteran physicians I have been cared for both in California and Illinois during my lifetime!

I think terminating Dr. Wolfe will result in a great loss to the medical students and the medical community, not only at Stanford, but world-wide as his students do end up working all over the world because of the great qualities that Dr. Wolfe instills in them.

Please reconsider terminating Dr. Wolfe for the sake of patients everywhere!

Very Sincerely,
Edith Kerr
"Standardized Patient"

Dear Dean Pizzo-

I am writing to express my concern and dismay at the treatment of Elliott Wolfe, MD. I understand that he will not be invited back to Stanford to be involved in medical student education.

Dr. Wolfe served the School of Medicine with distinction for many years. He was instrumental in developing new ways of introducing medical students to clinical experiences early, something that is now taken for granted at Stanford and elsewhere. I will not recount all the ways he influenced me and my classmates-- through his role in the dean's office, in PCM, and many other ways--- but I think he is a superb role model for medical students.

Simply put, Dr. Wolfe was an inspiration to me and many of my classmates in his kindness toward patients, dedication to teaching young students, and devotion to the School of Medicine.

It will be hard for you to find faculty members that devoted to teaching medical students in this special way, especially since clinical teaching is an underappreciated skill in the academic medical center, one that rarely is granted accolades or recognized as stellar accomplishment by promotion committees at research universities, my own included.

My wife, Neethi Pinto (Panicker), is also a graduate of the School of Medicine ('01). She shares my regret that Stanford not only will be losing someone who made a great impression on her career, but also that Dr. Wolfe was treated in such an unprofessional way.

I am sure you will be receiving email from other alumni. I hope this situation can be rectified, so as not to affect the relationship between alumni and the School of Medicine, personally and financially.

Sincerely,
Jayant Pinto
Class of 1997

Dear Dr. Pizzo and Dr. Prober:

I was saddened to hear of the termination of Elliott Wolfe's contract. I would like to voice my support of Elliott Wolfe. He stands out strongly from my days at Stanford School of Medicine (1997-2001) as a superb teacher, clinician, and advocate for students and medical education. As with all academic institutions, change is required to maintain excellence. Clinicians change. Program Directors change. Deans change. However, even in such an environment, I believe Elliott Wolfe would remain a valuable teacher and resource in any medical center. Stanford School of Medicine is and has been a wonderful training program--certainly Elliott Wolfe has contributed greatly to what has made Stanford special.

Thank you for your time. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Chris Wong, MD
Graudating Class of 2001

Dear President Hennessy, Dean Pizzo, Dr. Prober and Dr. Stevenson;

I was deeply saddened and disappointed to learn of the decision to remove Dr. Elliot Wolfe from his teaching position. As a graduate of Stanford University, Stanford Medical School, and the Pediatric Residency Program at Stanford, I can think of no one in my training who touched my mind and my heart as profoundly as Dr. Wolfe. Few days go by in my busy pediatric practice when I do not reflect on Dr. Wolfe, and remind myself to try to emulate the kindness, caring and compassion that I associate with him.

After reading through the website of Dr. Wolfe’s accomplishments, I realize that he has been recognized in numerous ways by countless Stanford students since I first met him at Kaiser Hospital. I was a 2nd year medical student taking “Introduction to Clinical Medicine”, and was able to observe and experience, at that early stage, what is truly meant by the “art of medicine.” It was in the mid 80’s, AIDS was epidemic, and “universal precautions” meant for many to remain as far away as possible from potential infection. I remember seeing my first AIDS patient, with Dr. Wolfe, and seeing the genuine concern and empathy as he took a seat next to the young man’s bed. Their eyes met, and as Dr. Wolfe examined his abdomen, the gloves and protective equipment never created a barrier. We sensed and understood the unmistakable connection between patient and physician, and yearned to one day emulate that magic. I remember the young, obese woman with a myriad of complaints and how we laughed with the young doctors, calloused with cold humor, as they referred to her as the crazy hypochondriac. I also recall how Dr. Wolfe sat bedside this woman, held her hand, and listened. He was patient, kind, gentle and contemplative. He walked out of the room with her diagnosis—intracranial hypertension—and was ultimately proven correct.

I have been a doctor for almost 18 years, and although I continue to learn, in many ways clinical knowledge reaches a plateau. Dr. Wolfe’s clinical acumen is astounding, and yet he manages to teach more than science. He teaches, and exemplifies how to treat another human being, and his teaching is timeless. His lessons are not only for the doctor and the patient; the kindness, caring, sensitivity and compassion that Dr. Wolfe demonstrates is a model for all human interactions and relationships. I can think of no one who better represents the qualities that are being sought in the new E4C teaching program, from what I understand of it, than Dr. Wolfe. At this stage in his career, Dr. Wolfe deserves better from us and from Stanford. He deserves to be treated with the compassion, caring, respect and dignity that he has so brilliantly exemplified during his teaching tenure.

Very truly yours,

David K. Trager,M.D.
Stanford University, ’85; Stanford Medical School, ’90,
Packard Pediatric Residency Program, ’90-’93; Chief Resident, Pediatrics ‘94

To whom it may concern:

This email is in support of Dr. Wolfe. There may be many reasons why he is being asked to leave that are beyond me, but I can say he added positively to my experience at Stanford and has helped me to become a better physician. He is without question an asset in the eyes of the students and one of the many reasons why I look back so fondly at my experience at the farm. I can not fathom what the reasons were to ask him not to return, but I can assume it had little to do with student opinion.

I can not in good conscious support these actions. It is disrespectful, dishonerable and fosters resentment.

Member of the Class of 2002

Stanford University Administration:

It is with great sadness, disbelief, and concern that I write these words of support for Dr. Elliote Wolfe. As a proud Alumni of Stanford University Medical School, I always believed in the university’s passion to care, teach, and educate. In no other educator were these goals and vision more engraved than in Dr. Wolfe. He was truly a born educator, with a genuine passion for teaching, an envious gifted talent for patient care, with a warm and charming personality. Dr. Wolfe’s contributions to Stanford University and to the Palo Alto community are exemplified by his numerous teaching and merit achievement awards, and his many years of commitment to the medical school. The long-lasting positive impact Dr. Wolfe has had on medical students, residents and physicians lucky enough to have worked with him are evident by the timely and undivided support he has enjoyed from this unexpected termination.

Dr. Wolfe’s unexpected termination raises concerns to all of us. Unfortunately, other students will not have the opportunity to work and learn from Dr. Wolfe. Further, an unexpected termination of an established, dedicated, and well respected educator/student advocate with an unprecedented track record questions the school’s commitment to teaching, caring, and education.

Sincerely,

Esequiel Rodriguez Jr., MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Urology
UC Irvine Medical Center
Orange, CA

Dear Dr. Wolfe,

Thank you for sending me these letters. I had begun to hear about this issue a few days ago, and since then, a flurry of support has certainly arisen in your favor. I am but one of many students who fervently supports your involvement in the medical school, and it certainly distresses me that the administration has sought to terminate your employment on such sudden terms. I have benefited from both your clinical acumen and your interpersonal grace and compassion. I am very sorry that this is happening.

I will do my part to contribute to the maelstrom of student support that I hope will ultimately keep you here.

Best of luck,
Fifth-Year Stanford Medical Student

Dear Deans Pizzo, Prober and Stevenson, and President Hennessy,

I am a Stanford Medical School graduate from 1996, and was president of the SMSA in 1991. After starting training in Family Medicine, I switched to Psychiatry and am a graduate also of UCSF's residency training program in Psychiatry, and currently work in community mental health in San Francisco as well as in my private practice. I say this only to inform you that I've experience many varied medical communities during my career thus far.

Dr. Elliott Wolfe remains one of the best memories I have of a wonderful time at Stanford. He was unfailingly kind, compassionate, and incredibly knowledgeable. His clinical acumen was nothing short of legendary, and his bedside and teaching manner were outstanding. When I faced health problems, he was deftly able to serve not only as a dean and administrator, but also as a thoughtful and caring mentor.

I am surprised and confused to hear that he is being let go, apparently against his will and the wishes of everyone he's ever taught. I hope you can remedy the situation by finding some reasonable accommodation with this stellar teacher who embodied the best of Stanford Medicine. I read Dean Prober's statement about the new Educators 4 CARE program, and this sounds wonderful. I can't imagine how Dr. Wolfe couldn't fit into such a program.

I must say that I am concerned about the direction of Stanford's medical education, if this departure is a reflection. I would hope Stanford would continue to be a model for humane, outstanding education and care, reflected in all the people it chooses to employ and support. In the future, I would certainly wish to assess student views on these issues before donating money.

Thank you for your time and attention,
Ravi Chandra, M.D.

To Educators-2-Lead,

Stop. Please stop for a few moments. Really read this letter. Please.

By now you are starting to see, hear, and possibly feel, the level of support Dr. Elliott Wolfe has at the School of Medicine - past and present. And by now I'm sure the defensive neural pathways are actively carving themselves a path and you are thinking "These students, ..." or "Those alumni, ...". Such is human nature.

But stop. Really think about this. Think deeply. Too much is on the line not to.

Ask yourself: Could you have made a mistake? Could you be wrong? Could starting a program called Educators-4-Care, by letting a physician go who is literally emblematic of the principles it aspires to teach, really be a proper start? Do you really know Dr. Wolfe? Have you tried? Can this many people be wrong? Are you reacting? If so, why?

Watch the movie Sicko. We have a huge problem in the health care system today. People like Elliott Wolfe are the solution, not the enemy. Please understand. Listen.

Again. Stop. Have you made a mistake?

Let me answer for you. Yes, you have made a mistake. You have attacked the very heart and essence of the school's past, present, and future. And his support won't wane, it will only build. It is only at a low hum right now.

Hear. Solve.

You have a rare opportunity to correct the error. Instead of the typical double-talk of the past and wishing this would all go away, you can really try to understand and solve the problem. Get to the root of it. Understand who this man is. We need more than simply Educators-4-Care -- we need Educators-2-Lead. This is Stanford Med.

But where do you go from here? How do you solve this? Weakness would have you believe you can't beckpedal. Strength will have you believe you are leading a solution. In the end, the neural pathways can be carved either way.

Let me help. The solution looks something like this:

"We have heard you. We made a mistake. We're sorry. We had no idea. We want to turn this completely around. We are pleased to tell you that we are offering a new position to EW. We have invited EW to join us in planning, building, and running the new program..."

Scott K.
Stanford Med Alumnus
Medical Scientist

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have recently been made aware of the Medical School's decision to terminate Dr. Elliott Wolfe's employment. This news struck me to the core and I was compelled to write you and express my vehement disapproval. I truly believe this is a terrible, terrible mistake and must be reversed immediately.

Dr. Wolfe's record of achievement speaks for itself (http://www.drwolfeappreciation.org). He personifies the best qualities of physician, scientist and gentleman. There is no one more dedicated to the education and betterment of Stanford medical students than Dr. Wolfe. It is difficult to believe that there is NO PLACE in the new E4C curriculum (http://www.drwolfeappreciation.org/admin.html) where Dr. Wolfe can continue his excellent work in helping to train future leaders in medicine. If The Daily were to take a straw poll of current students and alumni of their top 5 Medical School professors, I'm sure Dr. Wolfe would be at the very top.

Books and lectures and board exams do not alone a physician make - it is also the love, care, and guidance of our mentors. By removing Dr. Wolfe on your watch, you will be responsible for lessening the quality of the Medical School. One of the most special aspects of the Stanford Medical School experience will be lost.

I do not support your decision and I will urge my classmates to follow suit. Please reconsider this wrongful action. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Hiren R. Patel, MD
SMS class of 1997

Dr. Prober,

I'm sure many students have already written you regarding the Dr. Wolfe situation, so I'll keep this short and sweet. As a student who had the benefit of having Dr. Wolfe as my POM preceptor last year, I thought I would just write to offer my thoughts and willingness to help with anything should I be of any potential assitance.

Dr. Wolfe led my group's POM small group discussions throughout the course of last year. Our sessions were very student-centered. Dr. Wolfe accepted our group's input on how we thought we learned best and then conducted the sessions accordingly. From speaking with my peers, the way Dr. Wolfe ran our group's sessions was somewhat different from the way other POM preceptors ran their sessions. Nonetheless, I felt very engaged, that we learned the necessary material (and oftentimes more from his individually prepared presentations), and that we made good use of our time together.

I can certainly understand how from the administration's standpoint, it is important and necessary for all faculty members to be on the same page regarding curriculum and the conduct of small group sessions. From many students' perspective, however, it's very obvious to us that Dr. Wolfe has been among the most dedicated teachers/mentors we've had albeit in his own unique style that has been at odds with other faculty members.

If there's any way that Dr. Wolfe can remain involved in the Stanford Med educational experience, I believe that would be a great boon to the current and future generations of Stanford Med students.

If I can further help in any way, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks, and it was good seeing you at the Clinical Research Foundation meeting on Friday.

Best wishes,
SMS 2005, POM student

Dear Dr. Pizzo,

This is a brief note of support for my beloved mentor in medical school, Dr. Elliott Wolfe. Dr. Wolfe helped me and my wife (also a Stanford Medical Alum) put together our couples match list by painstakingly meeting with us almost weekly during much of our senior year. He also inspired me to embrace the delicate but critical balance between technical and emotionally intelligent thinking about my patients.

One particular EW anecdote has permeated my clinical teaching of residents and students (I paraphrase): 'One call night when you have been particularly busy, when you have finished checking all your labs and looking over your sickest patients take a few moments at the end to walk somewhere in the hospital where there is an Eastern exposure and watch the sun rise on your call night. Appreciate that it's another day and another opportunity for you to have the privilege of caring for others in a way that few else do.'

Is it time for the sun to set on Dr. Wolfe's fabulous career teaching at Stanford? I certainly hope not.

Sincerely
Neal L. Rojas, MD MPH (Class of 2000)
UCSF Pediatric Chief Resident (2003-4)
Fellow, Children's Hospital, Boston (2004-7)

To whom it may concern,

I am terribly shocked by the news that Dr. Wolfe's contract will be terminated in order to support the E4C Program. As a student, I am not in the position to judge the politics behind such decision. What I can comment on is the impact Dr. Wolfe has on the quality of the medical education, which, I hope, is the main focus of Stanford School of Medicine.

Of my five years here at Stanford, I have never encountered any faculty member who can teach clinical pearls, physical exam skills, and clinical thinking as well as Dr. Wolfe. I have learned far more from him within one-two quarters of Physical Finding Rounds than from my 14 months of clinical rotations. His physical exam skills are just exceptional. Even some of the senior faculty here at Stanford were impressed with what I learned from Dr. Wolfe. Taking Dr. Wolfe out of the medical school curriculum would be the worse mistake the school has ever made.

Dr. Wolfe is not only a fantastic teacher, he is also the only faculty member whom I can count on for any advices. Unlike other advisers who just refer you to other resources and hope that other people can resolve my difficulties (both academic and personal), Dr. Wolfe actually ACT on finding out the root causes of my difficulties and spending hours (literally hours of either phone call or face to face time) working with me to overcome my problems. No one has ever gone beyond to the extent that Dr. Wolfe has done for me.

While the goal of the E4C program is wonderful, it does not make sense that Dr. Wolfe is not leading the program. It also does not make sense that Dr. Wolfe can't be part of the teaching faculty when the Practice of Medicine has such a difficult time recruiting clinical faculty to teach the clinical practicum portion of the curriculum. Currently, the Practice of Medicine is having physician assistants and nurse practitioners to teach first year medical students on medical interviewing and physical exam skills. Why should Stanford medical students who pay huge tuition be taught by physician assistants and nurse practitioners? With the current difficulty in securing clinical faculty to teach clinical skills, why should E4C be successful in doing so since this program is recruiting from the same pool of faculty? Why should Dr. Wolfe's salary be sacrificed and not the salaries of those who are less competent?

These thoughts are echoed throughout the student body. I sincerely hope that the administration will reconsider its decision or else the medical education at Stanford will suffer greatly.

Fifth-Year Stanford Medical Student

Dear colleagues, mentors, friends, and faculty,

I am writing simply to express deeply my gratitude for the teaching, mentorship, and guidance of Dr. Elliot Wolfe during the seven years in which I attended Stanford University Medical Center between 1998 and 2005 as a doctoral student in Cancer Biology and a medical student. Dr. Wolfe represents the rare humanitarian and compassionate teacher that all students love. Beyond that however, I do think he is a cornerstone of what I consider to be the Stanford medical center and my happiness with my training at Stanford. Stanford has always been a superb place for research and science; clearly it continues to grow in this direction. It is uniquely collaborative, free thinking, cutting edge and brings so many brilliant and passionate people together. Now granted I am biased but I truly can think of no better place to have completed graduate studies and medical studies. However the core of what drives my loyalty to Stanford stems from those teachers and mentors whose guidance shaped us into who we are as physicians and individuals- the humanists. This is what I consider unique to Stanford. Incredible, bright driven people who are driven by their passion and not by arrogance or competition. Teachers and mentors who give their whole heart to the field, their students, and their patients. Dr. Wolfe, is such a human being. He is an individual more accessible to students, and with true compassion and human insight such that he could guide our career choices wholly. Dr Wolfe and Dr. Neil Gesundheit guided my decisions and steered me through confusion reconciling my place as a physician scientist, and truly helped me to balance my drive to contribute to clinical knowledge and patient care with my commitment and passion for scientific thought and research. I do not know and do not wish to be drawn into any details of why Dr. Wolfe may no longer be teaching at Stanford. As an alumni however it makes me truly sorry for generations of students who might not experience this incredible human being. These teachers and mentors are the ones who maintain my passion to remain in academic medicine and their memory drives and will continue to drive my support for our medical center.

Respectfully,
Niroshana Anandasabapathy MD PhD
New York, New York.
Stanford University BA Art History 1997
Stanford University BS Biological Sciences 1997
Stanford University PhD Cancer Biology 2004
Stanford University MD 2005

Dear administration of the medical school,

I got a very disturbing email this am informing me that Dr. Elliot Wolfe’s contract with the medical school was terminated. I just recently saw Dr. Wolfe at my 10 year medical school reunion earlier this year. Seeing him brought back all the memories of all the things he did for me during my time in school. He was really involved in helping me to decide to go to Children’s Hospital Boston which was the biggest career move of my life. I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Dr. Wolfe. I was dismayed at his abrupt removal from the medical staff. Dr. Wolfe is more than just an administrator. He really cared about the students. He worked hard to keep the student’s best interest at heart. He is quite an asset for the medical school that should not be removed. He has been a core part of the medical school for over 30 years. I have nothing but the fondest memories of Stanford and my experience there. Dr. Wolfe is a part of that experience. I think the students should not be deprived his influence. As an active alumnus, I am very concern. Please reconsider and bring Dr. Wolfe.

Thanks for your consideration

Dear Stanford School of Medicine Administrators,

A few days ago I opened my inbox to find an email entitled "Dr. Wolfe." Immediately I felt my heart stopped beating, because I assumed that something had happened to Dr. Wolfe and that he was no longer with us. You can imagine my relief when I read further and discovered that Dr. Wolfe is fine health wise, however then I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest because I was so angry at the information that was shared in the email. I am sure there are plenty of issues to blame for the administration's current actions towards Dr. Wolfe, but I think that the decision to no longer employ Dr. Wolfe is one of the most, if not the most, perverse and regrettable decisions that the school could have made. It makes me ashamed of the administration at the moment, makes me feel as though I cannot honestly promote where this school is going when I conduct applicant interviews, and it makes me wonder what role I want to play when I become an alumni if this is the direction the school is headed. It has literally shaken me to the core. While I realize there are plans in the works for the new E4C curriculum that could affect staff, I cannot believe that the administration has decided to take a faculty member who is very qualified to be a large part of that curriculum, a faculty member who has taught and inspired for 37 years with high approval ratings, and turn him away.

As a current second year student, I have had the pleasure of having Dr. Wolfe as a teacher in my POM small group setting for my first year and taking physical finding rounds with him for a quarter. The only reason I do not have him as my preceptor this year is due to my teaching assistant position, and I miss him and his method of teaching dearly. I feel blessed that I had Dr. Wolfe as my mentor for what I believe is the most crucial part of patient care: establishing the relationship. I have received very positive comments from my colleagues, clinical practicum preceptor, and the patients themselves this year about my ability to communicate with the patients in an empathetic manner. I know that I developed those skills to where they are now because of Dr. Wolfe's critiques and praises during my first two quarters of medical school. I believe that the art of connecting with your patient is the most important skill in medicine, and I cannot believe that the school is no longer going to provide one of the best teachers of that art.

I took physical finding rounds with Dr. Wolfe in my winter quarter first year, in conjunction with learning the physical exam. It was amazing because Dr. Wolfe took the time to find us patients that had findings that matched the exam we learned recently. A CML patient with organomegaly when we learned the abdominal exam, a cardiac patient with heart failure with a displaced PMI when we learned the heart exam, these are just a few of the things I saw with Dr. Wolfe. I would say that 75% of my actual physical findings I have ever seen and been able to detect were with Dr. Wolfe in this setting. Does the administration have a plan to have someone available every Wednesday morning from eight am to noon to teach students like this? In a manner similar to Dr. Wolfe, where the majority of the patients advised us to "be like Dr. Wolfe because he has the best bed side manner?" It was in those same meetings that we encountered a patient that had a very complicated medical history at the age of 38. Her parents came into the room and her mother basically collapsed onto a chair in tears. In a split second I looked at Dr. Wolfe and from the look in his eyes I knew what to do: I put out my hand and the mother gripped it tightly. I will never forget that moment; it was the first moment that I knew I was practicing the art of medicine with a master of it by my side.

Dr. Wolfe was always open to feedback in our small sessions and tried to make them as worthwhile as possible. He brought in supplemental presentations and papers on how to read an EKG as well as many other subjects, he constantly asked if we were learning the way we were being taught, and he even brought us EKG rulers to keep. He was open to our criticism of the RATs (mini quizzes) not being based on the assigned readings and took our comments to the higher level. From what I know from my colleagues, no other preceptor was as responsive to their students as Dr. Wolfe. Dr. Wolfe's group was the envy of the other first year class members. Trust me. I heard plenty of whines about it last year.

And what is the most gut wrenching for me, putting aside Dr. Wolfe's generosity and skill at teaching the art of medicine, is how much Dr. Wolfe cares for his students. He has responded to emails I have sent him with personal health questions late at night with reading materials on the issue. He helped me get an MRI for my back because I had an injury before medical school that I felt was flaring up but no one at Vaden would help me. I am in a long distance relationship, something that I have shared with several faculty members, and Dr. Wolfe is the only one who really talked to me about it and how it was affecting my life. I do not know if my experience at Stanford would be nearly as positive without Dr. Wolfe. There were things I did not feel comfortably addressing with anyone else besides Dr. Wolfe and I know for a fact that I am not alone. Just like he creates trust with the patients, Dr. Wolfe creates trust with his students. Does the administration have a plan to replace Dr. Wolfe with someone who will be just as compassionate towards their students?

I felt like the School of Medicine and I took a huge blow last year with the loss of Dr. Mathers, as he was another faculty member that had the rare ability to truly connect with his students. That is why when I first opened the email about Dr. Wolfe I was barely breathing. And then to find out that the School of Medicine is dealing itself this blow, that is perverse to me. I know that Dr. Wolfe has played a huge role in my professional and personal development, and I know that I am not alone. I suspect that I am not the only student upset with this decision and I hope that the administrators will reconsider their actions. Again, I know that there is going to be a change in curriculum to Educators 4 Care. I can honestly say that I would pay another $82,000 for the opportunity of two more preclinical years with Dr. Wolfe as my mentor in this new program. I am begging and pleading with you to have him available to me as a mentor during my clinical years. Thank you for you time and hopefully your reconsideration. From my side, I will be working hard to try to trust and take pride in this administration and the School of Medicine again. I have been so proud of everything that the school and this administration has done, until now.

Sincerely,
Second-Year Medical Student

Dear All,

I would like to question your decision to terminate Dr. Elliot Wolf's contract in the coming year. Dr. Wolf is a great educator, mentor and most importantly, a caring friend of every Stanford medical student. I do not think Stanford should get rid of this great asset.

Respectfully,
Member of the Class of 2001

To Whom It May Concern at Stanford University and Stanford School of Medicine:

I am writing to expression my concern regarding the recent decision of Stanford University and Stanford School of Medicine to not renew the contract of Dr. Elliott Wolfe. I would ask that the administration reconsider this detrimental decision to terminate Dr. Wolfe. He is an asset to the School of Medicine, the University, and to the profession of medicine.

Dr. Elliott Wolfe, affectionately known as “EW”, was instrumental in my medical education at Stanford University during the pre-clinical and clinical years. He embodied the true grace of a physician. He listened to the patient, taught us patience and humility, and encouraged us to grow not only as very knowledgeable doctors, but as healers. Because of Dr. Wolfe, countless students have been affected by his dedication and tireless teaching efforts. They have been molded into amazing caring and knowledgeable physicians. I am one of them and a large part is due to the support I received from Dr. Wolfe.

I have been told that the School of Medicine is creating an Educators-4-CARE (E4C) program. If this is true, then I can think of no better person to lead this program than Dr. Elliott Wolfe. He is a highly capable teacher, a true advocate for students, the embodiment of compassion, and has invaluable experience as a leader of the Preclinical Medicine / Practice of Medicine program, of which I was lucky enough to go through under his leadership.

I hope that Stanford University will consider the tremendous support of the medical school alumni for Dr. Wolfe and act swiftly to revoke their decision. I have always encouraged pre-medical students to consider Stanford and encouraged them to attend if they offered a position over other equally prestigious schools. I will have second thoughts about this now though if it is the policy of Stanford University to terminate its premier medical educators. Though the money may be in NIH research, private foundation research, and industry, we must never forget that we will all get sick, we will all have family members get sick, and I only hope that my doctor(s) and that which care for my family will emulate just a few of the amazing qualities that Dr. Wolfe embodies and has taught his students. More medical schools need physician educators like him training our future doctors. Stanford should be doing all possible to retain him, not terminate him.

Sincerely,
Member of the Class of 2001

Dear Dr. Prober and Dr. Pizzo,

Dr. Wolfe was my outstanding preceptor for the POM course. The goal of the proposed "Educators 4 CARE" program are to foster teaching physicians who demonstrate Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility, and Empathy. These are all qualities that I doubt the administration has witnessed firsthand from Dr. Wolfe. The best people who can speak for Dr. Wolfe's 4 qualities are his patients and us students.

Let me tell you a story of one of my best friends, a fellow classmate, who became Dr. Wolfe's student and patient. About two years ago, she was feeling an unnerving tingling in her legs, and in the middle of the night she called Dr. Wolfe. There was no other faculty member she would have felt comfortable calling at that hour. Dr. Wolfe was not upset but listened intently and based on his thorough questions, he strongly suspected cauda equina syndrome. Dr. Wolfe told my friend to go to the ED immediately and he personally called a neurosurgery resident here (one of his former Stanford med students) to make sure that he'd admit my friend ASAP. The MRI was consistent with cauda equina, and my friend ended up having emergent spinal cord surgery that night. The neurosurgery resident told my friend that even though he was not on call that night, he'd "do anything for Dr. Wolfe" and made sure that the care was expedited. Had Dr. Wolfe not gone above and beyond his roles of compassion, responsibility, responsibility, and advocacy, she may not have received the surgery in time. This story is something that I will remember and will wish to emulate.

Hence, Dr. Wolfe is outstanding in all 4 aspects of CARE. Because he may not have patients of his own or his own lab, he can devote 24/7 to medical students -- and that's very rare and very important for a teaching institution. The administration has to let patients and students decide who are the best teachers for this position, and we all would call Dr. Wolfe a "must have." It's hard to find the right words to describe a title for Dr. Wolfe. It's like beyond being a "teacher" during POM, he's on call 24/7 as our own "personal doctor" and as our "life coach." Whatever title you give him is up to you, but please keep him on the faculty.

Sincerely,
Rajen Desai, SMS V

To Whom it May concern,

Dr. Elliott Wolfe was instrumental in our teaching at Stanford University Pre-clinical years. He taught us grace and utmost respect for the patient. Without him, we may not have learned how to do this during these years of training. He was our first introduction to "how to approach a patient" which we believe, at times, may be more important than knowledge. The knowledge, you can look up, but the patient interaction occurs during that instant you walk in the room. We attribute our ability to do this well to him, in part. Please reconsider his termination or further medical students may not get this same superb training we received.

Leslie M. Brocchini, MD
Internal Medicine
Class of 1999

Zachary A. Cooper, MD
Dermatology
Class of 1999

Dear colleagues,

I am shocked and dismayed that Dr. Wolfe may no longer be a part of Stanford medical education. He was one of the most beloved clinician educators at our medical school. He exemplified the ideal qualities of exemplary clinician and teacher. I will never forget the fundamentals he taught us and always strive to implement them in my interactions with patients and students. I sincerely hope that future Stanford students will not be deprived of the incredible good fortune of working with him.

Sincerely,

Sujoya Dey, MD
Class of 2000

To Whom it May Concern,

I received notification today that Dr. Wolfe is being, "let go" from the Stanford University School of Medicine. I must say, I'm absolutely astounded and, frankly, outraged. Given his devotion to students at the School of Medicine, it is bad enough that Dr. Wolfe has been marginalized (due to whatever questionable political processes) over the years. But terminated!?

Dr. Wolfe (a.k.a. "EW") is one of the bright spots in my memories of the years I spent at Stanford. An open door (he was Associate Dean during my years as a student), a kind voice, a warm heart, and above all a great teacher... Dr. Wolfe is one of the few professors I truly looked up to and respected.

It is my understanding that the School of Medicine is creating an Educators-4-CARE (E4C) program, and that ostensibly Dr. Wolfe is being let go due to "programmatic needs" secondary to this program. Given Dr. Wolfe's capabilities (as a teacher and mentor) and experience (as a leader of the Preclinical Medicine / Practice of Medicine program), it astounds me that he would not be consdered as a candidate to lead the E4C program, let alone that such a program would be used as an excuse to terminate him!!! After all, Dr. Wolfe embodies the, "four key qualities" that the School of Medicine hopes to instill in students via the E4C program: Compassion, Advocacy, Responsibility, and Empathy (CARE).

I have not spoken with Dr. Wolfe recently. I do not know what he wants. But I suspect that he probably doesn't want to be treated with the disrespect that he's currently being shown by the administration (which, by the way, happens to be the antithesis of the "CARE" attributes. What is going on here!? Just what type of legacy does Stanford want to create with its School of Medicine? Do I, as an alumnus, want to support that legacy (disclosure: I don't currently make annual donations to Stanford, but Stanford is included in my Estate Plan)? These are some of the questions that run through my mind, and I suspect the minds of others...

I sincerely hope that the administration will reconsider it's unilateral move to terminate Dr. Wolfe. He was, and I trust still is, one of the greatest assets of the School of Medicine. More than a decade of students have benefited from being able to develop their skills as physicians with the support and guidance of Dr. Wolfe, and are themselves better physicians and humans for having had that privilege. Another decade of students still deserves the opportunity to receive that same support and guidance from Dr. Wolfe.

Sincerely,
Shane A. Johnson, M.D.

p.s. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions about my position on this matter.

Dear Colleagues,

I am sure you have already heard many stories of Dr. Elliot Wolfe's outstanding mentorship and educational skills. My experience was no different -- during my formative years in the Medical School (1995-2000), he always remained the penultimate example of the caring and astute clinician. My current practice style and patient rapport are modeled closely after his example.

Please revoke Dr. Wolfe's termination, and give this man the recognition that he deserves as a superb educator and mentor. He is loved by the student body, and revered by the alumni. Many more classes of students could truly benefit from his wisdom. I still draw on it daily.

Dear Stanford Med,

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I hear the news that Dr. Wolfe will lose his place at Stanford Med this upcoming academic year. I write you with a perspective I know you have heard many times - the tenuousness of Dr. Wolfe's place at Stanford was already well established when I arrived to Stanford Med. But, if this firing is in fact true, I cannot let this decision stand without once again speaking my peace with those I remember and respect.

For students, Dr. Wolfe is - and will always be - the heart and soul of Stanford Med; the icon of what it means to be “called” to this profession. For decades of Stanford grads, he is the ideal of integrity, mentorship and humanism in Medicine; the mark by which all others are judged. He has set a standard that I - and an entire generation of physicians - use to guide our professional, personal and civic lives.

Mine is just one of an endless list of stories in which Dr. Wolfe takes center stage. I hold him personally responsible for turning this unpolished ex-secretary from the wrong side of the railroad tracks into a practicing physician. Many times, as an early student, I felt like a trespasser, especially in Stanford’s "hallowed halls". Dr. Wolfe did what few others could do, despite their best intentions. Early on he won my trust and, in times of disillusionment and doubt, he was my rock. In my darkest moments, he was there, pulling me up to glimpse the healer I could not yet visualize. And in times of triumph, he grounded me with a reminder of the privilege and humility of service. While I believe it takes a village to make a doctor, Dr. Wolfe is among those I credit most for my family’s tears as I walked across that stage to accept my degree.

In a place that lauds its lineage of “non-traditional” students and yet often struggles to find how best to keep and support us, Dr. Wolfe has always stood out as a haven, our beacon and a champion of students. Programmatic changes, ideological differences or politics aside, the fact remains that anyone who values Stanford students cannot in good conscience deny what Dr. Wolfe means to us. He is the spirit - the very soul - of Stanford Med…and he cannot be lost.

If this decision to release Dr. Wolfe is carried out, it will be for me one of Stanford Med’s gravest errors…and one of our greatest losses. Stanford Med’s student body will be forever diminished without his presence; our school will be a lesser and more barren without him. That said, I believe there is a place for Dr. Wolfe at Stanford Med and I implore you to do whatever you can to help find it.

Thank you (and yes, residency is going just fine…only a few scars and stretch marks!).

Sincerely,
Gina Perez-Baron, MD

I cried reading this email, as I'm sure many others will.

It goes against everything that I very strongly feel sets Stanford apart from other medical schools and the reasons I am proud to be here - our commitment to honest, sincere, compassionate, open-minded, and open-hearted medicine. Dr. Wolfe is a model and example of all of these things for all of us and it makes me very sad for future medical students who will not interact with him...

~ Second-Year Medical Student

To whom it may concern,

Our class was recently notified that Dr. Wolfe has been fired. I am deeply saddened by this, but do not presume to know the circumstances. I don't expect to be told, but that isn't why I am writing you this email.

I would just like to say that future classes will be missing a phenomenal mentor and educator. I did not sign up for Physical Findings Rounds, but go almost every week. Through this hands on experience I have learned more about true physical findings, compassion in speaking with patients, and analytical skills than all my other classes combined (POM standardized patients included).

Short and sweet: Dr. Wolfe, more than any other educator this quarter, made me remember why I want to be a Doctor.

I hope you may understand my frustration, and keep an open ear when other emails pour in over the next weeks.

My Best,
JTK

Dear Drs. Pizzo, Prober and Stevenson,

I am writing to express my shock and extreme dismay at recent news featured on student chat lists, highlighting the decision by the administration to fire Dr. Elliott Wolfe from his current teaching position at Stanford University. His termination in August 2008 should not only be reconsidered, but should be made null and void. He is a primary candidate to lead your new Educators for Care program and will make it a great success for Stanford Medical School.

Please think carefully about the ramifications of letting go one of your finest clinical educators, a physician with a remarkable aptitude for patient analysis and observation. Elliott Wolfe is a doctor who is second to none when it comes to teaching both the basics and finer points of the physical examination procedure and a man of such compassion, idealism and humanity that he is without compare. The physical exam techniques he taught my class are frequently commented on in a positive way by other physicians we work with at the VA, Kaiser and SCVMC. Elliott is a connoisseur of skilled patient care, always up to date on new medical literature, a disciple of lifelong medical learning and a paragon of the art and science of medicine.

Stanford clearly contains many remarkable, world class physicians, yet none stand out as the superb educator and compassionate advocator that you have in Elliott Wolfe. His ceaseless advocacy for the students, his tireless care for patients of Stanford hospital and his overriding concern for the reputation of the medical school make him invaluable and irreplaceable.

When I was in my third trimester of pregnancy, Elliott averted precipitation into eclampsia by catching my gestational hypertension before it reached critical levels. He was able to take my blood pressure three different ways to confirm his diagnosis, he visited LPCH to make sure the automatic sphygmomanometers they used on me were accurate, and he then emailed my ob/gyn at Packard and they admitted me that day for induction. Elliott has advocated for me academically, he has made sure the classroom has been a pleasant environment for all of us and has ironed out any possible unpleasantness with a deft, just and expert hand.

Please reconsider your decision to fire Dr. Wolfe - perhaps you were not given the relevant information about his high standing within the student body and with patients alike. Maybe there was a mistake and you were unaware of his superb clinical expertise and exceptional teaching skills. There must have been an innocent mistake. In addition, Elliott barely costs the university any money at all - perhaps around one or two student's tuition fees, barely anything in terms of the affluence of our medical school and its laudable fundraising abilities.

It would be a great injustice to let Elliott Wolfe go from your teaching staff, an injustice to the students, the school, the administration and to Elliott himself. Please consider him as an outstanding recruit for your new Educators for Care program, because he is perfect for that job, perhaps the best candidate you have got, in fact. I have every faith in the medical school administration and know you will make the right decision, given the pertinent information and a survey of student opinion on the direction of the school's educational programs.

Greetings. I was recently informed of some very distressing news that my Practice of Medicine course preceptor has been terminated as a faculty member from Stanford. As a first year medical student, I found Dr. Elliot Wolfe to be the most kind and approachable faculty member I have met to date. This of course is in addition to his excellent teaching methods and his ability to make students feel comfortable to discuss any issues with him. Over the past quarter, I have begun to see him as a model of the caring physician. In fact, just last night I was talking to my dad on the phone about Dr. Wolfe's teaching methods and character.

Please do know that I am deeply saddened by this decision and wish to express my concern.

Thank you for your time and consideration.