Robert A. Riehle, Jr. MD – 50th Reunion Essay

Robert A. Riehle, Jr. MD

340 Hanover Arms, Apt C

Winston Salem, North Carolina 27104

robertriehle1947@gmail.com

864-357-6139

Spouse(s): Nancy (1987–2015)

Child(ren): Christopher (1991), Kathryn b. (1994)

Education: Yale University 1969; Columbia University of Physicians and Surgeons 1973

Career: Academic Surgery: Associate Professor of Surgery at New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center in NYC. Director of Shock Wave Lithotripsy; author of 50 scientific articles, including a medical monograph and films on lithotripsy. Physician Executive: numerous facility medical directorships; Chief Medical Officer of a tertiary teaching hospital; Medical Director of corporate health plan

Avocations: Married for 28 years; two post college children Christopher, 26 (University of Chicago) and Kathryn, 23 (University of Aix-Marseille, France). Interests: performing arts boards, international travel, and literary arts—both writing and leading discussion groups. I collect leather-bound books, bookends, fountain pens, and artisan masks.

College: Branford

Recently, when I attended a writing workshop on how to approach one’s memoir, the leader posed prompts that are traditional for such endeavors of selective reflection. “Describe the most important decisions in your life; create your life’s tagline, as you lived it, or now in retrospect, how you wished you had!:

Yale was the community where I first youthfully sorted life’s options. Yale presented me with a pensieve of possibilities. There, I chose a career as a physician rather than a journalist; a major in psychology rather than a biological science (which allowed me more time for liberal arts courses while in a premed track); a capella singing over heeling for the YDN. I sought friends throughout the College and its activities rather than within my bubble of the moment. I decided upon New York City for medical school rather than remaining in New Haven, and I foresaw a future in the seductive Northeast.

As decades passed, I chose urban New York City life, then marriage, family, parenting, relocation for career, international travel, and friends, amongst a myriad of other curiosities and interests.

But I also chose to keep in touch with my Yale friends from ’69. It was an active choice, and a great one for me. I have so valued the continuous camaraderie with this bright, engaged, witty band of talented former classmates. Amongst roommates, singing colleagues, Branfordites, and fellow students, I have shared dinners, weekends, trips, weddings, christenings, anniversaries, second weddings, and of course reunions, both official and mini. Their verve, varied expertise, and genuine bonhomie have spawned warm and wry friendships which have greatly enriched my life. Staying in touch has wonderfully enhanced my years and been a renewable source of entertainment for my family.

Yet Yale bequeathed an imprimatur that set expectations. I internalized the sense that a Yale education was an obligation to leadership. I transitioned from academic surgery to physician executive leadership roles, and enjoyed managing others, both operationally and strategically. At each career stage, through change management, I sought to achieve a better outcome or performance.

I have aspired to become a well-informed person with global sensitivities; I have persistently resisted my submersion into a vast ocean of medical science, limiting and all demanding, in favor of nurturing connections with the world beyond medicine. Now in recent retirement, the balance has swung favorably. I am quite happy forming new relationships, welcoming my children as new best friends, writing memoirs and novelistic vignettes for my children, as well as passing along to them the following reflection:

Think strategically during youth—who are you as a person, and what do you want your life to be? Then plan accordingly and revise as tempted. Achievement, performance, marriage and family, parenting, continuous catering to curiosity, community membership, friendships across time, and will to have a societal impact—all are active choices and bring color and shape to your life vision—to explore and engage life with purpose, personally, intellectually, and socially. Be an upstander rather than a bystander. Do good and stay in touch.