Prof. Rhoton: Master and Mentor.

Abstract

It is with great sorrow, but profound gratitude that I write thesewords in remembrance of Prof. Albert L. Rhoton Jr. Using his own expression, not in my wildest dreams I could have imagined working closely with him, one of the greatest medical souls that have ever lived. I had the unique privilege of spending two extraordinary years in his laboratory, and here, a decade later, I would like to illustrate what it was like and what it meant to be his fellow. Prof. Rhoton established his microneuroanatomy laboratory at Mayo Clinic in the late 1960s, as he would say “not to write a paper, but to improve the life ofmy patients.” In 1974, he created his microsurgery education center at the University of Florida, with a missionary leitmotiv: “Every Second of Every Day,” he wanted to train and teach enough surgeons in microsurgical neuroanatomy and techniques so that there would be someone having surgery during every second of every day that was being made better because of his influence (►Fig. 1). After 42 years with more than 100 fellows, more than 500 scientific articles, and thousands of lectures later, there is no question he has accomplished that goal: patients all over theworldwill continue benefiting from Prof. Rhoton’s work forever. When I started training in Prof. Rhoton’s laboratory in 2005, he was a living legend, the father of microsurgical neuroanatomy, and mentor for many world-class neurosurgeons (►Fig. 2). I remember vividly the initial meeting in his office to discuss the goals for my fellowship, and there I felt for the first time his magic aura of love and kindness that would irradiate and comfort everyone around—like the giant oak that gives shadow and protects from the bright sun. “Other than working in the lab, you may want to visit Florida’s coast and Disneyworldwith your wife,” he saidwith that smile that would illuminate your soul. We had sold everything we had back in Spain to fund our stay and work in Prof. Rhoton’s laboratory looking for microsurgical training and anatomical knowledge, and we found so much more. Since then, every single second we spent with him and his family was unique and special. All fellows and families particularly enjoyed those pizza parties at Rhoton’s that Mrs. Joyce Rhoton organized to celebrate every fellow graduation (►Fig. 3). Dr. Rhoton was a devoted family man and he tremendously enjoyed being around and playing with children (►Fig. 4). Joyce, his wife for 58 years, is the great woman behind the great man. Her dedication and support, always by his side, is a key aspect of Prof. Rhoton’s successful biography (►Fig. 5). The working philosophy in the laboratory was defined by Prof. Rhoton’s description of the brain as the crown jewel of creation and his quest for beauty and perfection. I attended my first days in the laboratory observing with astonishment the exquisite dissections that the fellows were performing. I found out then that those extremely beautiful and unreal