Got Rain? UCSF Medical Center

Speaking of prostates, I just returned from UCSF where I gave the Earl Miller Memorial lecture. Since there isn’t much I can teach the UCSF group about prostate MRI, I chose the topic, “How Radiologists can add Value to the Management of Patients with Crohn’s Disease”. This will also be my topic for the ESGAR meeting in Paris this year and will present an opportunity to highlight the efforts and achievements of the SAR disease focused panel on IBD to our colleagues in Europe.

Derek Sun, Michael Ohliger, Jane Wang, Ben Yeh, Antonio Westphalen, Ron Zagoria, John Mongan

There’s no place like California. The on-going drought ensured perfect weather for my visit (although I would have gladly suffered the rain to help out the farmers). The pre-visit checklist they sent me included the usual inquiries about my topics and disclosures in addition to a few nonstandard questions that you would only find on the West Coast: Will you be drinking white or red during your talk (I chose white)? Will you be wearing clothes (yes, but only because I don't have any ties that match my skin color)? How many wives will be accompanying you to dinner (oops, sorry, that was last month)? Unfortunately, drinking wine during my talk didn’t improve the quality of my delivery nearly as much as it improved my perception of it.

Lunch at UCSF was nothing like lunch at Indiana. No gigantic fried pork sandwiches for one thing. Instead, I had the free-range, gluten-free, organic squash soup in a fully recyclable bowl made by fair trade craftsman using eco-friendly, sustainable methods (I’m still not sure what a free-range squash is. At UT Southwestern, we have free-range residents). For dessert, I had a green tea enema. 

The views on campus are stunning, but the real show-stopper at UCSF is the faculty. Their friendly, relaxed demeanors belied the incredible depth and breadth of their expertise and range of accomplishments. I particularly enjoyed catching up with former SUR president and Wake Forest co-worker Ron Zagoria. Ron taught me much about GU radiology and nearly everything I know about leadership during the years we worked together at Wake. I also enjoyed some one-on-one time with Emily Webb, Dave Avrin, Ron Arenson, and Ben Yeh. I plan to tap into Ben’s extensive knowledge of spectral CT as we ramp up our program at UT Southwestern.

The view from the Library.

I also had the pleasure of all-to-brief encounters with many SAR members, including SAR president elect Judy Yee, prostate guru Antonio Westphalen, MRI prodigy Mike Ohliger, hyperpolarized Carbon-13 aficionado and former IEC participant Jane Wang, PET/MR advocate Spencer Behr, US disciples Tara Morgan and John Mongan, and heir to the Workshop throne, Stefanie Weinstein.

Judy Yee, Emily Webb, and Ron Zagoria get soused before my talk. Good move. 

The next time you visit San Francisco, consider making the two hour drive (30 minutes if you routinely drive in Dallas or LA) down to Point Lobos State Reserve. Few places in the world combine such spectacular scenic vistas and wildlife diversity so close to a major metropolitan area. While there, my family and I spied sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, and even a few whales from the rocky cliffs overlooking Monterey bay. Volunteers set up spotting scopes at numerous locations throughout the park to provide visitors with close-up views of the animals. If you plan a trip, avoid the weekend. The park can absorb the crowds well enough, but the limited parking options forced us to park far from the entrance. 

One of many spectacular views along the coast at Point Lobos.

We capped the day off with a seafood dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, stalked the entire time by hungry seagulls. 

Looking for handouts. Can you find the bird that photo-bombed him?