Ask Morris Green, MD '44(D), about the best memories from his 55-year career, and he'll say they are of his patients.His humility and compassion are the backbone of an exemplary body of work in the field of pediatrics, where Dr. Green is something of a living legend.
A respected clinician, teacher and administrator, his vast experience and pioneering contributions to his field are exactly why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) chose Dr. Green to participate in its new oral history program.
Dr. Green introduced the concept that psycho-social elements play a significant role in determining a child's medical needs. He stresses the importance of understanding the life patterns of a family, and has taught this insight to thousands of physicians and physicians-in-training all over the U.S. He notes that about twenty percent of the patients in a typical middle class practice have psychosocial as well as physical problems. In areas of poverty, this figure jumps to approximately fifty percent.
"To be a complete pediatrician, you must be aware of the other issues in a child's or family's life," explains Dr. Green, the Perry W. Lesh Professor of Pediatrics and former chairman of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine. "This contextual model of care really illustrates the breadth of pediatrics," he continues.
Marilyn Bull, MD, the Morris Green Professor of Pediatrics at IU, describes Dr. Green as an intuitive physician with a unique perception of humanity. "He has a gift. In addition to being a superb medical clinician, he can detect critical components of family relationships that have a significant effect on how a child responds to family and social situations and even medical care. Perhaps more importantly, he is dedicated to sharing his knowledge with young doctors and students," she says.
Dr. Green's philosophy of treating the whole child was seminal in shaping medical care at Riley Hospital for Children. During his tenure as chairman of pediatrics and chief physician, Dr. Green changed disease-based hospital wards to age-based units, developed the parent care concept to encourage parent participation in a child's care, and created Child Life Services to provide social, cultural and educational activities for hospitalized patients. Numerous hospitals and health care providers around the country adopted his ideas. He also was responsible for recruiting physicians in practically every subspecialty to complete the range of care offered at Riley Hospital.
When Dr. Green became chairman of pediatrics in 1967, there were four full-time pediatric faculty and eight residents. Many Hoosiers did not have ready access to a pediatrician. Today, there are 113 pediatric faculty members, 125 residents, and numerous pediatricians, family physicians, and medicine/pediatrics specialists practicing all over the state. In fact, many Indiana pediatricians and medicine/pediatrics specialists trained under Dr. Green during medical school or residency.
The AAP's oral history program ensures future physicians the opportunity to learn from Dr. Green's expertise. The program, created to preserve and document pediatrics' heritage, includes voices of the field's most important contributors.
"The past is a great predictor of the future," says Dr. Green. "I think the purpose of the oral history program is to evaluate the challenges faced in the field and to symbolize our confidence for the future growth of pediatrics rather than take satisfaction in the progress we've made."
Though he retired as chairman in 1987, Dr. Green continues his work as director of behavioral pediatrics for IUSM and maintains his clinical practice at Riley Hospital. He is still writing and publishing books and papers, is active with the AAP, and serves on the editorial board for Contemporary Pediatrics.
Notable among numerous awards he has received are the Abraham Jacobi Award, the highest award given by the AAP, and the IUSM Glenn Irwin Distinguished Faculty Service Award. Dr. Green has served in major leadership positions within the AAP, National Association of Children's Hospitals, and the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine. He served as the Indiana actinghealth commissioner in 1990.
Dr. Green and his wife Janice have six children and five grandchildren. Three of his children share his love for pediatrics. One son is a child psychiatrist, a daughter is a clinical child psychologist, and a daughter is a newborn special care nurse. Another son is a computer specialist for NASA, one daughter is an attorney, and another daughter writes for television.
"I just love what I do," he exclaims. "I can't wait to get to work every day because there's always more to do." Most certainly, Dr. Green will do a few more things before he decides to retire. But then, who said anything about retiring?
"To be a complete pediatrician, you must be aware of the other issues in a
child's or family's life. This contextual model of care really illustrates
the breadth of pediatrics."
- Morris Green, MD
Approximately twenty percent of the patients in a typical middle class practice have psychosocial as well as physical problems. In areas of poverty, this figure jumps to approximately fifty percent.