By Julie Wood
Photo credit: William James Dorsey
Newly retired Michael N. Braffman, MD, former chairman of the Department of Medicine, is not one to court recognition. He’s still a little overwhelmed (yet grateful) for all the congratulatory speeches at his retirement party in November. But Braffman’s impact at Pennsylvania Hospital is too significant to overlook. This spring, Braffman received several significant awards from the hospital for his contributions to clinical care and education.
Braffman first walked through PAH’s doors as a medical student in 1978 and joined the faculty in 1986, serving as Chair of Medicine for 10 years and Section Chief of Infectious Diseases for 14 years. He recalls first entering medicine at the height of the HIV epidemic, and concluded his career in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was his expertise and compassionate care for patients and colleagues that helped soothe uncertainties in the first wave of COVID-19. He remembers listening intently to each patient’s concerns, even with the often overwhelming admission rates, and ensuring they understood their plans for treatment. Braffman also sent daily updates to staff as information on the virus changed minute to minute. “Communication and transparency are so important,” said Braffman. “People want to know what’s going on and this calmed a lot of jitters.”
Although he’s technically retired, Braffman still serves as an adjunct professor in Clinical Medicine and makes monthly visits to PAH to guide residents through the challenges that come with health care. He discussed some of these challenges at the 40th annual Molly and Sidney N. Zubrow Award ceremony, a lecture program that highlights humanism in medicine. On April 5, Braffman delivered his lecture, “The Name of the Dog: Reimagining Patient Care.” He reflected on his four-decade career, discussing how physicians often face time pressures and emotional costs.
“As physicians, we see a lot of difficult situations and suffering, and sometimes we need to distance ourselves from our work,” said Braffman. “We are people at the end of the day and we need to refocus and make sure we’re also taking care of ourselves.”
Braffman found that surrounding himself with a support system eased the stresses of working in health care. He described how he and his colleagues became a family, and PAH became a second home. “Medicine is the ultimate team sport. You’re stronger together as a team,” said Braffman. “You can hit a home run by yourself but you need your whole team to win the game.”
On May 19, Braffman received the 2022 Good Samaritan Award. PAH’s seal depicts the image of the Good Samaritan, representing an individual who selflessly helps others – an image Braffman has exemplified throughout his career. In an outdoor ceremony on the Pine Lawn, Braffman was joined by his family and colleagues who shared words of high praise for his years of service.
“He was simply the best colleague that anyone could ever have,” said Daniel Feinberg, MD, current chief medical officer at PAH. “I have often thought, ‘What would [Braffman] do?’ when dealing with clinical situations. His role modeling of professionalism and kindness were rare and worthy of emulating.”
In his honor, PAH established the Dr. Michael N. Braffman Medical Education Fund to enhance research opportunities for residents and professional development for faculty, leaving a lasting legacy in education. “We’re always students. Humans are life-long learners,” said Braffman. “We have wonderful instructors and mentors at PAH, and these funds will help support the future of educational training.”
In his retirement, still maintaining his professorship duties, Braffman has been enjoying the little things – sitting in his backyard and getting “reacquainted with daylight,” along with spending more time with his family. “My three kids were born at PAH, and two of our 11 grandchildren were born there. PAH is very much home. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to serve there,” said Braffman. “If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”