Dr. Hunter Patch Adams

[Dr. Don]

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hey people, this might sound a little funny, but has any of you actually heard of this doctor? besides the actual movie! I would love to meet him, I know hollywood tends to exagerate things, but if his beliefs are at least somewhat reflected through the movie, then he must be a cool guy. Have you heard of that hospital he is building?

 

[SMW]

Do a search. There was a thread on him a while back.

 

[NineSixteen]

Read the book - "Gesundheit" by Hunter "Patch Adams, MD. It's even more fantastic than the movie, it renews faith in the medical system, the man is so incredibly wise and the book will keep you smiling from start to finish...you'll want to drop everything and go to the hospital that he is building and practice medicine there (except he is a little bit of a communist, even though I have VERY far left political views, he's even too radical for me) But still, EXCELLENT book!

 

[Ben01]

yeah too bad he is a bitter old man who really isn't all that the movies have made him out to be. Were his motives sincere? Sure. But that doesn't mean that everything he did/believed was correct or even the best thing for his patients. Sorry but building a huge replica of a vagina over the entrance to a hospital is not appropriate (though it is slightly funny..) .

 

[scottie]

A girl from my school did an internship with Patch Adams this past summmer.

 

[Dr. Don]

yeah Benh1, I can definitely see how the vagina joke could have been inappropriate, but it was FUNNY!!! another thing though, I bet you that if he wasn't a top student, he would have been kicked out of the university without a doubt! Either way, whether you people out there like it or not, his views on health care are great. I personally like them and NO I AM NOT A COMMUNIST! I wouldn't mind doing a rotation in his hospital just to check out the atmosphere there. Does anyone know if it is already built?

 

[vyc]

any 2001 ucsd grads here?
i think patch adams spoke at their commencement last year.

 

[spicoli]

Yeah, he spoke at the commencement. He was good: very sincere and true. Then he mooned the entire class. It was awesome!!

**I didn't graduate, but I watched it.

 

[Mr. Furious]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Dr. Don:
•yeah Benh1, I can definitely see how the vagina joke could have been inappropriate, but it was FUNNY!!!•••••I have to say something here for those who haven't seen the movie: there was no vagina!!! It was just two legs, one on each side of the door. So no, there isn't a "huge replica of a vagina" anywhere in the movie, it's just implied.

Mr. 😡

 

[Atlas]

I hope I don't get into trouble by doing this.

Hunter D. Adams M.D.
VA Commonwealth University School of Medicine (1971)
Residency: Pediatrics -> Georgetown University
Currently working in administration in Arlington Virginia.

Peace

 

[Optimistic]

I would like to meet patch adams too . Any body has any connections? 🙂

 

[megkudos]

My friend, Doc Blondie on this board (she's Osteopathic, so she hangs out there a lot), used to write to him by letter often. Then one day about a month ago he called her up on the phone!! He doesn't do email though, just snail mail as far as I know.

 

[katiep]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by MrFurious:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Dr. Don:
•yeah Benh1, I can definitely see how the vagina joke could have been inappropriate, but it was FUNNY!!!•••••I have to say something here for those who haven't seen the movie: there was no vagina!!! It was just two legs, one on each side of the door. So no, there isn't a "huge replica of a vagina" anywhere in the movie, it's just implied.

Mr. 😡 •••••Actually, if you want to be technical about it, it would be vulva, not vagina.

 

[Mr. Furious]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by katiep:
•[Actually, if you want to be technical about it, it would be vulva, not vagina.•••••Either way, there wasn't any. Just two giant legs that we were supposed to believe he built out of papier-mache in one afternoon.

Mr. 😡 , who is NOT looking forward to OBGYN rotation. 😳

 

[ckent]

I saw a news program on Patch Adams which gave people the low down on him: He's weirder then they portrayed him in the movies, he likes to wear clown outfits, the whole story with the girl who was his classmate was made up. He definitely has a very histrionic personality (needs to be in the spotlight all the time), I, and I supsect most people, would find him annoying to be around if I ever met him in person. In my opinion, if he wants to be a clown, he should be a clown, not a physician. I don't know if you guys have ever really been sick, but believe me, the last person you want to see while your are sick is some freak dressed up in a clown outfit saying that he is your doctor.

 

[wolferman]

My aunt is an artist. She was commissioned to create a plaque to present to Patch at an award ceremony recognizing him for his work with the Gesundheit Institute. She also made commemorative earrings for everyone in attendance. Both the plaque and the earrings were whoopee cushions. I'm not really sure how my aunt met him, but she used to be a hippie, and from what she's told me, so was Patch (well, at least as much as a doctor can be). So maybe they met at some hippie function or something. 🙂

 

[j99]

I saw him in Charlottesville one time...weird looking dude...

Also, I have to give props to where they filmed the movie--UNC Chapel Hill! Go tar heels!!!

 

[Daredevil]

I actually went to his talk at Cornell University last Saturday, Feb 2nd. He talked about what he has done, kind of funny things that he does to make people laugh (and honestly, they were FUNNY), and his work at his institute, etc. He emphasized treating people with compassion. He also mentioned how there were some differences between his life and the movie. For example, he actually went to med school in his 20s, not older as portrayed in the movie... his male best friend WAS murdered. He also said that the movie understated the amount of noodles used in the 'tub' for that lady.. It was surprising to hear that he didn't gain much of anything monetarily from the movie, besides fame. However, he is making a lot of money from giving speeches and stuff, BUT he still needs donations to build his hospital ( a decades-long project that has yet to take off) in West Virginia.

He is a very intelligent, compassionate man (tall too!) and has a damn strong handshake. I was lucky to get his book and have him personally addressed it to me and my girlfriend. I can't say enough about what a great guy he is.

It's pretty ironic how they showed 'patch adam' on ABC, the day after I saw him at Cornell..

DD

 

[Daredevil]

Oh yeah, like Wolferman said, Patch is somewhat influenced by the liberal 60's hippie's culture about love and peace, which was evident when he answered an audience question about how we should react to Sept 11.

 

[Ben01]

DareDevil -- was this talk at Cornell Med School or Cornell University? Do you go to Cornell ?

 

[Daredevil]

Sorry, this took place at Cornell Vet school, which is in Ithaca with the undergrad college. I just graduated from there this May, but I happened to be visiting my girlfriend last weekend.

 

[Catalyst]

I actually met Patch Adams about 4 years ago when I was shopping for Christmas gifts at Pentagon Mall in D.C., he seemed like a real personable and interesting guy, although his hair and the way he presented himself seemed a bit eccentric..

Sachin (new guy on the block)

 

[Daredevil]

I dunno.. I just love a guy/doctor who doesn't like himself TOO seriously. People are too serious and sensitive these days (even prior to 9/11).

 

[Ben01]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Daredevil:
•Sorry, this took place at Cornell Vet school, which is in Ithaca with the undergrad college. I just graduated from there this May, but I happened to be visiting my girlfriend last weekend.•••••Cool, yeah I just graduated from Cornell (undergrad) last May also 🙂

 

[Brian20]

guys

where can i get a schedule of patch adams tour appearances? if anyone knows i would really appreciate it if you could send me to a good site that lists his tour dates and locations.

thanks

 

[NineSixteen]

<a href="http://www.patchadams.org" target="_blank">Gesundheit Institute</a> Look at the website, there may be a schedule on that!