"I believe all people are intrinsically valuable and deserve respect and compassion. I do my best to incorporate this belief into my medical practice."

Family nurse practitioner Richard Arnold, A.P.R.N.,B.C., sees adults and children in MIT Medical's Urgent Care Service, but, he explains, "I originally came to Boston to study music."

Arnold graduated from the Boston Conservatory and sang with the Boston Opera for six years before deciding to go into business with his brother. They opened Cecil's, a restaurant named after his father, in downtown Boston. "I really enjoyed the work," he says, "but the hours were brutal. When my daughter was born, I realized I wanted to be home more."

"I did that whole 'what color is your parachute' thing," says Arnold , "and decided to go to nursing school." He'd always been intrigued with health care, particularly public health. He earned his associate's degree in nursing at Bunker Hill Community College and went on to earn his master's as a family nurse practitioner at Simmons College. He's now worked in the health care field for more than 10 years.

Arnold, who came to MIT Medical in July, says he enjoys the energy of the academic environment and the diversity of cultures. Still interested in public health, he goes on an annual two-week medical mission to supervise nursing students providing care for hundreds of patients in a rural area of the Dominican Republic. "I really enjoy introducing the students to this aspect of nursing," he says. Arnold, who speaks Spanish fluently, hopes to go to Guatemala with the nursing students next year for their two-week mission trip.

When not working, Arnold enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. He also enjoys traveling, music, and good food.

"I try to make my patients comfortable with the therapeutic process."

Social worker Audra Bartz, L.I.C.S.W., came to MIT Medical's Mental Health Service in April. In addition to individual therapy, she also serves as the care coordinator for the eating disorders team. "I help facilitate communication between the medical services—nursing, nutrition, and internal medicine—and the mental health staff," she explains.

Bartz, a California native, earned her undergraduate degree in music therapy at the University of the Pacific. "I come from a musical family and have always played the piano and sang," she explains. Studying music therapy was a way to blend her musical background with her interest in mental health services. "I liked the idea of using music to draw people into the therapeutic process, to make them more comfortable," she says.

Bartz eventually decided to pursue a master's degree in clinical social work at Smith College. "I was drawn to social work because it focuses on the person in the context of their environment," she explains. "Social, economic, cultural, and religious circumstances contribute to who we are. I think it's important to consider these factors when working with a patient."

Bartz says she still plays music in her spare time and enjoys spending time outdoors.

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"One of the things I love about nursing is getting to know my patients and their families."

Marilyn Donovan has been a nurse for 22 years and an allergy nurse for 10. "I like all aspects of nursing, but working in an allergy clinic is really rewarding because I see my patients regularly," she says. Donovan, who sees patients on 2East at MIT Medical in Cambridge on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursday mornings, says safety is her top concern. "I am very strict about making patients wait 30 minutes after receiving their allergy shots, so I can check for any sign of reaction," she says.

Donovan also has a special interest in patients with asthma. "There is so much overlap among allergy and asthma patients that I see a lot of patients with asthma in the allergy clinic," she explains. "By helping patients manage their asthma, their quality of life can be so much better." This interest has led Donovan to pursue certification as an asthma educator. She hopes to be certified in the next few months.

Outside of work, Donovan enjoys walking and spending time with her husband and two daughters. "My daughters are into everything from Irish step dancing to ice hockey, so they keep me pretty busy," she laughed. Donovan also enjoys music, especially rock and roll, and is a huge Bruce Springsteen fan.

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"I'm all about prevention-by making sure my patients to have regular check-ups, they can avoid some problems in the future."

Chandra Fontair joined the MIT Medical staff in July 2004 as a triage nurse in the 2East Internal Medicine cluster. She also coordinates the anticoagulation clinic, where she monitors patients taking Coumadin, a blood thinner.

Fontair says she decided to become a nurse after giving birth to her children. She recalls, "When I was in the delivery room, I thought, 'Wow, look at what these nurses are doing. What a great job,'" She returned to school when her two sons were still in diapers and her husband was in the military. She admits it wasn't easy. Taking a microbiology test with her children in tow was a particular challenge. "I was stuck without a sitter and I had to take the kids," she explains. "The professor put me in a separate room, but I still had to keep the kids busy while answering test questions," she laughs. In the end, she earned her B.S.N. at Fitchburg State College and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, a national nursing honor society.

A sports fan all her life, Fontair became a baseball fan when she moved to Boston 12 years ago and says can't imagine cheering for any team other than the Red Sox. As the mother of two teenage boys who play baseball and soccer, Fontair also spends a lot of time at their practices and games.

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"The relationships I form with patients and their families are the most rewarding part of pediatrics for me."

Pediatrician Susan Robinson, M.D., came to MIT Medical in September 2004. She sees patients in Cambridge on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and on the second and fourth Thursday of the month in the afternoon. "Since I started working at MIT, I've been seeing a lot of newborns. Working with new parents is really rewarding."

Robinson originally planned to follow in her father's footsteps and pursue a career in dentistry. "I saw how much my dad loved his work as an orthodontist, particularly with children, and I wanted to do the same thing," she says. Robinson says it was just luck that her first year of dental school was spent in a joint medical/dental program at Harvard. "It gave me a chance to see what the medical students were doing, and I decided that pediatrics was a better fit for me." She transferred to Georgetown University School of Medicine School the following year. "My dad took my change in career paths well," she laughs.

After earning her medical degree, Robinson returned to her native Rhode Island and completed her internship and residency at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence. She then moved to Boston with her husband, who was finishing his degree at Harvard Business School.

When she is not at MIT Medical, she works at a Cambridge practice affiliated with Mount Auburn Hospital. When not at work, Robinson enjoys cross-country skiing, tennis, running, and spending time with her husband.

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"Listening to my patients is one of the most important things I do. Understanding my patients' experience helps me treat their problems."

Neurologist Emilian Wasserman, M.D., knew from the first year of medical school that he was interested in neuroscience. "After all these years of practicing, I still think it's fun," he explains.

Wasserman, who goes by his middle name, Joe, came to MIT Medical in July. He sees patients on Wednesday mornings in the medical specialties area on the second floor of E23.

Wasserman grew up in New York, earned his undergraduate degree at Princeton, and studied medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He completed his internship, residency, and two neurology fellowships at McGill University in Montreal. He returned to New York for a research fellowship at Cornell, and then completed a clinical fellowship at New York University Medical Center.

One of the things Wasserman likes most about the practice of neurology is that it involves listening to patients. "I make sure my patients have the chance to tell me about their symptoms in detail," he explains, "so I can figure out what's going on and try to help them."

When not working, Wasserman enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He also enjoys books and music. "Classical music and opera are my first loves," he says. "But I listen to all kinds of music. Jazz is one of my favorites for the morning commute."

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