From the editor: Two faculty members move on, but remain close at hand

Eleven years ago when I started as a staff writer here at Yale Medicine, one of the first people I met was Michael Kashgarian, M.D. ’58, HS ’63, whose name appears on our masthead as editor in chief. Since then, over lunches at Mory’s, meetings in conference rooms and chats in our offices, we’ve discussed the direction of the magazine in both generalities and specifics. He’s suggested story ideas and people to talk to, as well. What Mike Kashgarian always brings to these conversations is a love of both Yale and Yale Medicine. He sees the two as linked, with the magazine providing a way to keep alumni involved with the institution. Mike officially retired as of last July 1, but he’s staying on as a researcher until he finishes a few remaining projects, and he remains editor in chief of Yale Medicine.

In those days another member of the faculty I came to know was Asghar Rastegar, M.D. Although he plays no direct role in Yale Medicine, time and again we turned to him as a source for stories about an eclectic range of topics—collaborations with medical schools in Russia and Uganda, a Yale delegation in Iran, the challenges of implementing the 80-hour work week for residents and, for this issue, the declining art of the physical examination. It wasn’t just because of his role as deputy chair of internal medicine or his prominence in setting the direction of medical education at Yale. Nor was it his knowledge of medicine or of Yale that kept leading us to him. His knowledge goes beyond expertise and rises to the plateau of wisdom, which he has shared with us with grace and generosity. Even though he has stepped down from his administrative post in internal medicine, he’ll stay on as director of the international health program that sends residents abroad for rotations in underserved settings. As with Mike Kashgarian, it’s reassuring to know that Asghar Rastegar will still be close at hand.