“Poly inspires its students 和 alumni to think broadly, 梦想广泛, not to be limited by what we see,” Dr. 约瑟夫·赖特' 75,M.D., M.P.H., FAAP.

Dr. 赖特, a pediatric emergency medicine expert, was inspired by Poly again in November. When he received an email announcing Poly was featuring the film 上帝创造的东西 as the inaugural film in our new Poly on Film 校友-in-Film discussion series, he reached out to Director of 艺术 外展 罗伯特·阿伯林1962年，2000年，2003年， 这个级数的一个协调器. 因为博士. 赖特看了这部电影 上帝创造的东西 in 2004, he has been on a mission to promote the story of 薇薇安托马斯 among the medical community. 这部电影由 罗伯特·科特1964年， tells the story of the Black cardiac surgery pioneer 薇薇安托马斯 和 his complex partnership with white surgeon Alfred Blalock, the “Blue Baby doctor” who pioneered modern heart surgery. Dr 莱特 became a featured guest during that first 校友-in-Film discussion via video.

Dr. 莱特 is currently Senior Vice President 和 Chief Medical Officer within the University of Maryl和 Medical System as well as an Adjunct Professor of Health Policy 和 Management at the University of Maryl和 School of Public Health.

Dr. 莱特 describes coming to Poly at the age of 11 as a “transformative” experience. Each day he took two subway trains 和 a bus from his Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood to the Dyker Heights campus. 他的父母, a police officer 和 a social worker, worked hard 和 supported his opportunity to attend Poly. His dad would often pop into basketball games to watch him play. 当博士. 赖特赢得了 Distinguished 校友 Award in 2010, his mother was there 和 he says it was then that she truly understood the full meaning of what the school had meant in her son’s life 和 that they had made the right decision in sending him to Poly.

Dr. 莱特 attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut 和 Rutgers Medical School. After finishing his pediatric residency at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He served in the National Health Service Corps practicing primary care pediatrics for four years back in Bed-Stuy. He earned a master of public health degree in administrative medicine 和 management from George Washington University 和 worked at Children’s National Health System 和 later taught at Howard University.

早期的博士. 莱特 decided to specialize in pediatric medicine, a field in which he is an acknowledged national expert in the area of pediatric emergency medicine. After many years in the emergency department (ED), Dr. 赖特现在是一名管理员. “The ED is a place for young people,” Dr. 赖特, noting the long 和 late hours.

In the practice of pediatric medicine, Dr. 莱特 knew well the impact of the heart procedure developed by 薇薇安托马斯 和 Dr. Alfred Blalock 和 known as the Blalock-Taussig Shunt. 当博士. 赖特看了罗伯特·科特的电影 上帝创造的东西， 他说这就像一记重击.” He had taken care of scores of kids with the same heart condition, corrected by the Blalock-Taussig Shunt. He was unaware of 薇薇安托马斯’ role in developing the life-saving procedure. “It is not a story that is taught in medical school,他说着又加了一句, “None of my colleagues knew the story either.自从意识到这一点后，他说. 莱特 has been campaigning to have the name of the procedure also include the name of Thomas.

“I was so touched by Poly’s 艺术 project,” Dr. 莱特说, to bring light to this hidden history. He noted last year was the 75th anniversary of the development of the procedure. “This procedure changed medicine,” Dr. 莱特说. Before this procedure, operating on the heart was “taboo,” he said. 现在, at this time when there is attention to equity 和 correctionist history, is the moment to recognize 薇薇安托马斯’ contribution, Dr. 莱特说.

When asked how his young medical students react to hearing the story of 薇薇安托马斯, Dr. 赖特说他们很震惊. “They were much more proactive” than his older colleagues, he said. “This needs to be known,” his students insisted.

拓宽你的视野, 即使你看不见他们, 不要限制你的梦想.”

Dr. 约瑟夫·赖特' 75,M.D., M.P.H., FAAP

Dr. 莱特说 he likes to stay connected with Poly classmates 和 was saddened by the passing of Emmy Award-winning composer 1975年的格伦·罗文.

保利拓宽了他的世界. 莱特. His advice to current Poly students would be, 拓宽你的视野, 即使你看不见他们, 不要限制你的梦想. 保利让我的思维更开阔.” He added, “The most valuable tool that Poly gave me, one that I use every day, is how to write.” This is invaluable, he said in academic medicine where you must “publish or perish.”

“To expose this story to students at Poly was worth its weight in gold,” Dr. 莱特说 of the Poly in Film event.

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