Martin P. Szuba
This notice was sent by Dwight L. Evans, MD and Ruth Meltzer, Professor and Chairman, Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine, and Neuroscience to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine faculty and staff.
I am writing to share the very sad news that Martin P. Szuba, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry died this morning at 1:00 am at his home in Haddonfield, NJ. He was with his family—his wife Geralyn and his two young sons, Jared and Michael. Marty had just turned 44.
As you may know, Marty was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer only a few months ago. He displayed extraordinary courage during this most difficult time. It was with grace and dignity that he suffered the many indignities that his illness brought him. Marty was a big man with a big heart—gentle and kind. During his last months of life he continued to express his deep concern for others. He wanted to put us at ease with what he knew would be a rapidly progressive, terminal illness.
Marty was a remarkably talented and innovative psychiatric physician who was extremely committed to his patients, his trainees and his work. In recognition of Marty's excellence, the Martin P. Szuba Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and Research was established this year by the Department of Psychiatry. Marty was aware of this newly created award, and he was very touched that the department (house staff) would honor him and his work in this fashion. The award will be presented annually to a Department of Psychiatry faculty member with outstanding teaching abilities, ongoing clinical research and a focus on translating research concepts and findings into clinically useful teaching.
Marty Szuba was known for his clarity, coherence and openness as a teacher, and for his ability to bring research findings to bedside teaching and clinical care with compassion, humanism and directness. He exemplified the ability to combine the art and science of medicine.
"Marty was always looking for new scientific evidence and medical treatments that would help treat severe disorders," said David Dinges, chief of the division of sleep and chronobiology in Penn's psychiatry department. "He was a remarkably adept teacher, clinician and scientist and a superb combination of the three."
—Dr. David Dinges was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer on October 6, 2002.
