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April 2003 by Jesse Soll ’95 He became a doctor nearly 40 years ago, studying under two of the foremost doctors in their field before becoming a renowned pediatrician in his own right and yet when asked to discuss his prestigious career, Philip Steiner ’54 remains humble. “I became a doctor because it was challenging and I studied with a number of great physicians in my field of interest…but I do not think I deserve very much recognition at all.” Regardless of his reluctance for notoriety, even the most cursory of glances at Steiner’s career reveals that his work merits both praise and admiration. Steiner has recently retired as a full-time physician, at King County Hospital Center and University Hospital of Brooklyn and a professor of pediatrics at S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center where he has worked since 1968. During his career, he served on more then 50 committees, has published many dozens of times, and developed into one of the experts on the diagnosis and treatment of Resistant Tuberculosis in children. Steiner recalls his Brooklyn Friends days with fondness, and credits his education as uniquely preparing him for future studies. “I was incredibly equipped for study when I went to Hofstra University,” he explains. “The teachers at Brooklyn Friends often challenged me more than my future professors would. They were a great group, gentle and understanding of each individual’s needs. Being better prepared than my friends at college definitely helped boost my self-esteem.” Surprisingly, Steiner did not decide to become a doctor until midway through college, and did not decide to focus on Pediatrics until his third year in medical school. Both decisions were influenced by his passion for the sciences, his future wife, and his father, also a pediatrician. “I entered college unsure of what I wanted to study,” he says. “When I met my (future) wife, I knew I had to get serious, and studying medicine felt right. Pediatrics appealed to me because of the potential for challenges and rewards.” A two-year stay in the US Air Force during the Vietnam War delayed his professional career. Steiner joined the Berry Program, which allowed medical residents to finish their training before joining the armed forces. This allowed new doctors to enter and serve in their field of study, rather then face an assignment as a generalist. “I spent two years at Andrews Air Force base in Washington, DC,” Steiner recalls. “It was very strange: I took an oath, they handed me a uniform and I became a captain. We never had to go through basic training. I never saw or shot a gun.” Although he occasionally saw returning injured soldiers, Steiner’s two years of service were almost exclusively spent caring for dependent armed forces children. Upon his release Steiner secured a fellowship in pediatric pulmonary medicine at Bellevue Hospital. It was here that he received instruction from Edith Lincoln, who performed “most of the early significant work in childhood tuberculosis.” However, it was Lincoln’s successor, Rosalee Namir (whose children attended Brooklyn Friends at the same time as Steiner), who became Steiner’s mentor and primary influence in pediatric pulmonology. “Rosalee had a profound effect on my career. She was an outstanding physician, a fantastic teacher, and a wonderful human being” he says. Naturally, Steiner is less eager to praise himself. His explains his position today as a top expert on Resistant Tuberculosis in children as simply a result of years of dealing with and studying the disease. “After so many years, I became proficient at dealing with tuberculosis which was resistant to the usual anti-tuberculosis drugs. It was a matter of studying and reporting the results of different drugs and the different drug combination used to combat tuberculosis. “My interest in tuberculosis really came out of the challenge it presents. Each patient is different, so each brings a new venture. When you are faced with a patient whose illness is contrary to what is explained in the textbooks, you really have to think to find a solution, and to find that solution is a great reward.” Steiner is happy to discuss the rewards of working with children. “Younger people are nice to deal with, and that makes treating them positive. Children are very responsive, they smile and cooperate without a myriad of complaints.” Although he has retired from full-time work, Steiner still remains active as a member of the pediatric pulmonology division SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, where he supervises doctors, sees patients, and teaches medical students and residents. He also is consulted by physicians on childhood tuberculosis from around the country. It will be a few more years until he is ready to completely step away from the medical world. “I will be able to fully retire with a great deal of fulfillment,” he explains. “Saving a life is an amazing reward, but to affect or save a child’s life—life for another 80 years—is simply an amazing feeling.” |
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