A. Lee Osterman, Jr. – 50th Reunion Essay

A. Lee Osterman, Jr.

1444 Old Gulph Road

Villanova, PA 19085

loster51@bellatlantic.net

(610) 585-5105

Spouse(s): Elissa Topol (1979)

Child(ren): Meredith (1980), Alexis (1982), Zoe (1989)

Grandchild(ren): Porter (2011), Pace and Lively (twins 2013), Finn (2013), Stella (2016), Quinn (2016)

Education: Yale (1969), Univ. of PA med (MD 1973)

Career: Academic Hand surgeon, Professor of Hand & Orthopedic surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, President of the Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder center, Chairman Hand Fellowship Directors, past president American Association of Hand Surgery and the Eastern Orthopedic Association

Avocations: Travel, road biking, skiing, photography

College: Branford

I came to Yale from West Virginia via a prep school education at Choate. What vistas Choate opened became solidified at Yale—my love of art, more specifically photography and literature. I majored in art history and minored in photography where my passion demanded many hours in the darkroom in the base of Rudolph’s A & A. The combination led to many exciting projects—a Cloisters fellowship to photograph the stained glass windows of St. Denis that were scattered throughout Europe, a road trip through Georgia and the Carolinas to photograph Gullah cemeteries, and finally a three-month stay in Tanzania at a mission hospital where I made images for a United Nations book, Jungle Doctor Panorama.

It was there I met Mr. Roger Jameson, an English general surgeon who taught me about dedication, patience, respect, and care for others, the benefits of surgery, and the joy of being a doctor. The experience ignited a spark, always there since my father was a doctor. He also gave me a book by Sir Charles Bell, The Hand, its mechanism and endowments as evincing design (1884). That seminal volume defined my eventual career—hand surgery.

Enthusiastic teachers like Vince Scully, Joel Katz, and others were role models who brought architecture, film, and novels into real life. In between, I journeyed to Kline Tower to complete the required premed courses.

When Scully slammed his 16-foot pointer into Greek temple images shouting “And the walls parted and the columns began,” he treated it as a metaphor for life. My columns were my roommates with whom I shared a suite in Branford Tower. Steve (the chef) developed my palate beyond the burgers of Louis’ Lunch; Jim (the navy officer and later banker) showed me what steadfast means; Buzz (the architect) taught me thoughtful observation and made buildings exciting; John (the psychiatrist) made social concern a verb. They all made life fun and full of laughter.

John shared a family role model of love and openness exemplified by his parents. It is a model that I adopted as I fell in love with my wife Elissa, raised a family of three daughters, and now six grandchildren. That our family has respect for each other and joy in each other’s lives is my greatest satisfaction.

Bright college years became an even brighter post-college life, but my passions were seeded at Yale and that is the essence of education.