F. Miles Skultety, M.D., Ph.D., knows that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
That’s why he was suspicious in May 2000, when James Armitage, M.D., then dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, and Irene Klintberg, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Medicine, invited him to lunch.
Sure enough, there was an agenda for the lunch. Drs. Armitage and Klintberg wanted Dr. Skultety to update the history of the College of Medicine from 1980 to 2000.
Dr. Skultety admits his “defenses were up.” He left lunch telling the two administrators that he “would think about it.” Three months later, albeit reluctantly, he agreed to take on the project. His compensation – the free lunch.
A master gardener, Dr. Skultety did set some ground rules. He would only work on the project during the three winter months when he wasn’t gardening.
Over the past three winters, Dr. Skultety has diligently worked on the history, and the end result came off the press in late November.
The 86-page book is titled: “The University of Nebraska College of Medicine: The Second Century, The First Twenty Years, 1980-2000.” The volume extends the history of the College of Medicine from the previously written trilogy, which covered the period from 1880 to 1980.
In the book, Dr. Skultety highlighted four key events, which stood out in the 20-year period:
- The change in the College of Medicine curriculum in 1992, which resulted in the college going from the traditional large lecture groups to small groups of students engaged in problem-based learning;
- The merger of University Hospital and Clarkson Hospital to form The Nebraska Medical Center in 1997;
- The fetal cell research controversy in 1999;
- The controversy surrounding UNMC seeking a hospital partner, which eventually resulted in the resignation of Chancellor Carol Aschenbrener, M.D., in 1996.
However, the book is broader than just these four events. In addition, it details the physical changes that have occurred as a result of construction on campus, highlights the administrators who headed the medical center and the various departments within the College of Medicine, and notes the research, education and clinical milestones that have taken place.
“We are all indebted to Miles for an extraordinary amount of work in documenting history that might otherwise have been lost,” Dr. Armitage said. “The history of our college is important. How we define ourselves, our traditions and our aspirations are in a significant part determined by our past. It’s important that we record our accomplishments, so we know where we’ve been.”
For Dr. Skultety, who retired in 1987 after serving 21 years on the UNMC faculty, the project was an educational experience, which allowed him to learn more about the institution and work with several new administrators who joined UNMC since he retired.
Dr. Skultety, 81, had an illustrious career at UNMC. He served as chairman of the department of neurosurgery from 1975 to 1987, associate dean for clinical affairs in the College of Medicine from 1974 to 1982, and medical director of the Nebraska Pain Management Center from 1973 to 1987.
From July 1978 to February 1979, Dr. Skultety served as interim dean of the College of Medicine. He was president of the medical staff from 1974 to 1980 and chief of staff from 1980 to 1982.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Dr. Skultety earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Rochester and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He served on the faculty of the University of Iowa from 1952 to 1966 before coming to UNMC.
He was recruited by Cecil Wittson, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine from 1964 to 1968 and chancellor from 1968 to 1972. “Wittson was a salesman,” Dr. Skultety said, “When he recruited me, UNMC was basically a hospital for indigent people. When I left Iowa, my colleagues thought I was making a poor decision. As it turns out, it was an excellent choice.”
After arriving at UNMC, it didn’t take Dr. Skultety long to see the potential that existed with Clarkson Hospital right across the street from University Hospital. “It was obvious to me from the day I came here that there had to be an integrated relationship between the two hospitals,” he said. “Of course, back then, talking about a partnership was like swearing in church.”
The new book has been distributed to administrators in each of the departments that make up the College of Medicine. Additional copies of the book are available in the dean’s office of the College of Medicine by calling Judy Houfek at 559-4146.