Dr. Martin C. Mihm Jr., My Mentor, My Friend, My Family

As I am writing this short but heartfelt communication, we are observing the third anniversary of Dr. Mihm's passing. It is with great honor and gratitude to the editors that I am, for the first time, addressing this milestone officially. A myriad of thoughts and remembrances wander in my mind, as I am still trying to understand the magnitude of Dr. Mihm's influence in my quest to find a place in this world. In the process, I am marveling at how a series of fateful coincidences carved out a most unexpected trajectory in my career, bringing me to where I am today. In July of 1998 I started my training in surgical pathology at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), I was fortunate to spend my first rotation in the dermatopathology service, where Dr. Mihm was the “attending” for the week. I was frightened and overly excited by the prospect of sitting “tete-a-tete” with one of the giants in the field. As soon as I entered the sign-out room, carrying a large pile of slide trays, Dr. Mihm gave a most sincere welcome and immediately proceeded to ask me questions about my background and interests in pathology. I felt immediately at ease, and in the process, I almost forgot that, while I was making a new friend, I was also learning from one of the legends in dermatopathology. I came to the United States with the goal of obtaining excellent training in Surgical Pathology, with emphasis on Gynecologic and Genitourinary Pathology. By the end of my first year at MGH, I was fortunate to secure a position as the “Scully Fellow.” However, due to bureaucratic issues, my training visa was not extended. Hence, I had no choice but to forfeit the fellowship and started making plans to return to Paraguay. One random afternoon, while roaming through the hallways of Warren 2, I incidentally ran into Dr. Mihm, who was running to attend mass in the hospital's chapel. True to form, he greeted me with enthusiasm and when he heard the news, he immediately stopped and expressed his interest in helping me find a more suitable option. I thanked him and, while appreciating his interest, I did not think much about that quick interaction. One week later, at Dr. Mihm's behest, I found myself in his office. He congratulated me while telling me that, if I was agreeable, I was set to start a junior staff position as an international research collaborator with the melanoma group at the National Institute of Cancer in Italy, under Dr. Juan Rosai's sponsorship. By January 2001 I was in Milan, Italy, being introduced as Dr. Mihm's protégé to the WHO melanoma group. The rest is history. I worked in Milan for almost 3 years, then returned to the United States to obtain formal training in the Harvard Combined Dermatopathology Training Program. During this time, under Dr. Mihm's direct supervision, I was also fortunate to learn from Dr. Steven Tahan, Dr. George Murphy, and Dr. Lyn Duncan, and so I became a part of the Harvard Dermatopathology Family. It may seem that this story is about me, but it really is about the true meaning of being a teacher, a mentor, and a molder of people's lives, with the only goal of achieving personal satisfaction by improving other people's well-being. I am a true example of the selfless actions of a human being who was larger than life and excelled in all the feats that he set out to accomplish. The author declares no conflicts of interest. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.