The Yale System, in black and white

Congratulations on the autumn issue of Yale Medicine. The handwritten letters on the front and back covers convey the human quality and the personal and professional benefits of the Yale System like nothing else could.

George S. Goldman, M.D. ’29
McLean, Va.

Thank you so much for the issue on the unique Yale System. I learned much about its origins, development and problems that I never knew before.

For me, the Yale System was also crucial and affected me even before I entered medical school. I suppose as an extension of the system’s philosophy, I was accepted after three years at the University of Michigan, with no degree and no major. I wonder if others were chosen with that background, or if I was a one-time experiment! If there are others like me among our readership, please let me know.

That confidence in me, and my idiosyncratic way of approaching requirements, helped me to later petition out of redundant residency requirements, subjective board certification, and to enter the managed care beast from an academic laboratory perspective. The latter has won me some recognition and respect as an objective assessor of managed care. Without the Yale System, I’m sure I would never have taken these risks.

H. Steven Moffic, M.D. ’71
Milwaukee, Wis.