Dear Friends,
Last week, we held our annual Thanksgiving luncheon—one of our many cherished traditions. We celebrated with Middle Eastern food. And if you ask me how it started, I wouldn’t be able to tell you, but it is now quite a feast with a generous spread from one of our amazing local restaurants—complete with falafel, kebabs, hummus, muhammara, eggplant, salads, and many other delicacies.
Most of our traditions are centered around breaking bread with colleagues, friends, and peers. On the eve of Fellowship Research Day, we host our annual women’s faculty dinner with the honorary guest speaker; at ATS, we gather for a fun reception at a special venue; during the holidays we alternate between an Italian festive sit-down dinner and pizza, cannoli, and hockey at a local ice rink.
Regardless of the event, what I enjoy most is pausing just long enough to take in the room. I love seeing our people—faculty, trainees, staff, from both Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven, from countless nations, religions, and backgrounds—sitting together, talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company.
These moments of togetherness are, for me, the essence of our community. They are also what make the chief job rewarding.
During the luncheon, I shared a summary of the year's achievements: the growth and reach of our clinical programs, the success of our trainees, and the productivity and recognition of our members. This year, we had many such highlights and many reasons to be grateful.
We also paused to remember Dr. Brett Gerstenhaber, a deeply respected and beloved member of the pulmonary community, who passed away a few weeks ago. May his memory be a blessing.
Below you will find several stories from our section. I hope you enjoy reading them, and I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Naftali