Mt. Sinai Co-workers Remember Dr. Richard Mackay

Richard Mackay, or as many of us referred to him “Mackay”, was truly one of the best physicians, teachers and human beings we have ever met.  I asked people to share their thoughts and memories with me last night.  We live in a world where we often get the message that you have to be assertive and boisterous, sometimes to the point where being self-serving seems to be encouraged.  Richard Mackay proves that even in a place like New York City and in a field like academic medicine, kindness, integrity, and gentleness have a far more lasting and far reaching impact that any amount of bravado.  He was quiet, never self-seeking, all about compassion and service and he has inspired and impacted countless physicians, healthcare workers, patients and people throughout the world. – Meekers A few things I can say about Richard is that he was all that we think about a “perfect” doctor: caring, humble, excellent clinician ,teacher and colleague. Even as ill and debilitated as he was in January when I last visited he was the kindest. – Gabriela Rodriguez I don’t have any specific memories or particular things I need said, just my general thoughts and feelings about him which I think we all feel similarly about. That I have met no better doctor, teacher or inspiration than Dr MacKay. He lived life his in a way that always put others first and yet exemplified the mantra of living life to the fullest.  As my co resident and then my co-fellows and I would often say, someday we hope to be like Dr MacKay. – Sarah Schaefer Richard Mackay was the kindest person I’ve ever met. He was generous, thoughtful with patients and trainees, and a staunch advocate. Nothing would stop him from doing the right thing for the patient. He was a role model to everyone he met. His legacy lives on in countless trainees and colleagues who seek to emulate a small fraction of his humanism. – Talia Swartz As someone who worked with him as a student who was in the process of becoming a teacher he was an inspiration to me on many levels. He could teach you in a way that you didn’t know you were being taught. I’ve tried to emulate him in that way, but I think it might just be a skill that you either have or you don’t – and he definitely had it. Every time I give my “ARVs 101” talk I think about Dr. Mackay and his “chinese menu analogy”. I like to think of it as might little part to helping Dr. Mackay’s legacy live on with med students, residents and fellows who didn’t have the privilege or working with him.  – Allie Abrams-Downey It’s hard to capture what Richard meant to me and to many of us. First and foremost, he was a wonderful, kind, gentle, funny and deeply good person. You wanted to be his friend and he made you feel at ease instantly. This was his gift. But he also had a brilliant mind. When we worked together, I looked forward to the morning when we would sit together and discuss our most complicated and interesting patients, devise plans, and then discuss his garden or my next vacation. I still miss that time. He was a role model for us all; he is the kind of doctor and person I strive to be. I thought of him every day during the pandemic, because I know that had he been able, he would have been alongside us and we—patients and health care workers—would have been the better for it. So in his honor, I try to do as he would have done.  – Beverly Forsyth Re: the COVID pandemic, “If Richard were alive he would have charged out of retirement to help.  We all know that’s true.” – Alan Cohen Dr. Mackay was the type of doctor who sat on his patient’s bed and held their hand. These gestures of kindness and focus on the patient inspired countless interns and residents and brought medicine away from the computer chart and back to the patient. – Allie Glaser One of the most humble, gentle, kind and well natured colleagues and a true gentleman.  Go sing his praises – Michael Gaisa When I first came to Sinai, Richard was the first one to make me feel welcomed. I immediately noticed how much he was cherished by everyone and when I saw how he interacted with patients and their loved ones, I was blown away. Over the years we became friends and to this day, I’ve never met a more devoted, compassionate and conscientious physician. He was truly one -of-a -kind.  – Michael Mullen I always remember his ways of think aloud on all the diagnostic / therapeutic options and the ways to try to minimize discomfort to the patient. It always struck me how such a brilliant doctor, with an amazing experience, would have this discussion with all the team and listen to each of us carefully.  I cannot think of anybody more humble and with a better disposition than Dr. Mackay. Totally agree with Alan, he would have been seeing patients with covid nonstop. And I know he would have made the situation so much better and bearable for the team, and for the patients.  I think his example made us all better doctors, better teachers and better people. And how can I forget his crazy stories! Which sometimes would start like: “when I was in Sudan vaccinating for the meningococcal outbreak … “. He made my day with those stories. Also, gave me some perspective on just how things would get eventually get better. – Fanny Ita Nagy He was the consummate physician. They don’t make them like him anymore. His physical exam skills, clinical acumen and deep devotion to every single patient were extraordinary. He is the kind of person and physician you meet once in a life time. – Valerie Parkas Richard was the very best of humanity…. always inspired me to be a better, more caring physician.  – Mary Klotman I was here already by the time Richard joined us at Sinai. I remember heading toward his office to introduce myself and welcome him. His office’s door was open, and until he left he never closed it. I didn’t know then but everything you needed to know about Richard was in that gesture. And yes, he was bright, resourceful and very knowledgeable. He will go the extra mile for his patients and even more for his colleagues. But it was his relentless kindness and unflinching honesty what made Richard such an incredible human being. He made everyone around better. Professionally and personally. He shaped the career of countless physicians, including me. Truly one of a kind. – Fernando Borrego Richard was the kind of person that made a difference in the world. He treated others with respect and demonstrated kindness in all his actions. He identified as a physician and wore his white coat with pride. He was a leader , a mentor and a gentleman.  I am lucky to have met him and worked by his side. – Erin Flynn Richard was an incredible attending and all around kind person. I bonded with him over our Texas connection early on and his gentle demeanor put all at ease – patients and colleagues alike. Feel incredibly privileged to have crossed paths with him. – Charu Jain Sabharwal I learned from Richard as a resident, fellow and young attending, at that point his colleague. As so many of us have mentioned, he was a fantastic clinician and I wish I could spend countless more hours absorbing his clinical knowledge, rounding with him, watching his physical exams, thinking through cases with him. But when I think about what I took away from my time with him, I am struck by the overall approach to the patient, the real human connection he had with patients that I witnessed – in the focus, the paying attention to what they were saying to him, being present with the patients he took care of, never in a hurry, always interested in their lives, worried about them, and working his absolute hardest to better their health and their lives. I’ve met so many patients in the hospital and the clinic who had been cared for by Richard, and they always remember him — because they felt they were in good hands, but they also felt respected and knew that they really mattered to him. I believe that was palpable for each individual patient he interacted with — whether it was here, for patients living with HIV in New York City, or in any of the other parts of the world he lived and worked in. He remained enthusiastic about medicine, even when the days were long, excited by the human connection we are privileged to be able to form in this work, and endlessly curious, always learning. I keep that in mind, and smile at the memories of his kindness, humor, and oatmeal cookies for breakfast as often as I can.  – Rachel Chasan He was a warm and compassionate person towards patients, trainees and animals.  And probably my fondest memory of him is the day I bumped into him when I was walking Bunson (her pug) and they both seemed so genuinely excited to see each other. – Megan Acho He was simply the best Infectious Disease clinician I have ever known. – Fran Wallach Tell them that even docs who had been in practice for 20 years (me) looked to Richard as an inspiration of how to practice medicine. – Brian Markoff