You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
n ‘Don’t miss out on Joe’s tutes’ was the unanimous advice pre-fellowship oral exam.<br />
So, heavily pregnant, I heeded Joe’s stern warning and arrived early for each 7 am tutorial,<br />
dressed formally and ensured all my equipment was in order.<br />
My son was born five weeks before the exam and five days before my next session with Joe.<br />
More fearful than the exam, more fearful than new motherhood, was calling Joe to postpone<br />
the tutorial by a day so I could make it. Of course, he obliged.<br />
When I called Joe five weeks later to say I passed, his response, ‘It couldn’t have happened<br />
to a more deserving person,’ brought tears to my eyes and still does.<br />
Joe not only handed down the science of medicine, but the art of medicine. He has taught<br />
me to respect not only the patient but the pathology and he has taught me to teach.<br />
When overwhelmed by ‘targets’ and ‘ramping’, it serves me well to recall Joe’s passion for<br />
emergency medicine, the kindness he endowed on each patient and the generosity with<br />
which he mentored all staff.<br />
On this momentous occasion, Joe, I would like to thank you – my supervisor, my teacher,<br />
my colleague and my mentor.<br />
Karen Winter | emergency physician and former registrar, Western Health<br />
n It was busy in ED on a<br />
Monday. Joe was one of the<br />
doctors rostered to work<br />
afternoon shift. A flustered<br />
summons from one of<br />
the doctors told me that,<br />
well after he should have<br />
arrived, Joe was not in.<br />
‘Joe <strong>Epstein</strong> speaking’<br />
‘Hello Joe. It’s Lien here.<br />
Where are you Joe?’<br />
A little hesitation, possibly<br />
sensing the slight note of<br />
desperation in my voice.<br />
‘I’m in Canberra. I’ve<br />
been here all weekend.<br />
I’ll be back tomorrow’.<br />
‘Um ... did you know that<br />
you are on the roster<br />
for pm shift today?’<br />
Confused silence.<br />
‘Am I? S*** ! Look, I can try<br />
to get a flight today and get<br />
back to Melbourne later this<br />
evening, and come into work<br />
straight from the airport’.<br />
Knowing this would not<br />
work, I reassured him that<br />
it would be all right and<br />
that we would cope.<br />
This would be just one of the<br />
many occasions where Joe<br />
would receive a call from me<br />
to ask if he was coming in.<br />
You see, Joe’s burgeoning<br />
calendar of commitments<br />
– spread across multiple<br />
notebooks – sometimes<br />
made it impossible for him<br />
to remember them all.<br />
All in all, and despite<br />
these momentary lapses,<br />
Joe’s memory served him<br />
remarkably well. Everything<br />
was written down in his<br />
very distinctive flowery<br />
and expressive script.<br />
Pens were not lacking. Joe<br />
always kept his top pocket<br />
filled with various coloured<br />
pens in a row. There were<br />
packets of them scattered<br />
in his office. Not biros, but<br />
the preferred ink pens.<br />
Lien Wright | emergency<br />
department office manager<br />
34 | A tribute to <strong>Joseph</strong> <strong>Epstein</strong>