Boston University School of Medicine
Boston Medica
Steven C. Borkan, M.D.
Evans Biomedical Research Center
Renal Section, Room 546
650 Albany Street
Boston, MA 02118-2393
Tel: 617-638-7330
Fax: 617-638-7326
E mail: sborkan@bu.edu
June 20, 2014
To Whom It may Concern
I am delighted to provide a very strong recommendation for Dr. Michael Holick as an applicant
for our Robert Dawson Evans Faculty Special Recognition Teaching Award. I have had the
pleasure of working beside Michael for nearly 25 years as a co-faculty member. As a result of
many close interactions with Michael over many years in which I have listened to his Medical
Grand Rounds, Endocrine Grand Rounds, CREx seminars, Renal Grand Rounds and cared
together for many of our BMC patients on the wards on both medical campuses, I can readily
provide an accurate portrayal of his many academic strengths. In fact, I am so impressed with
his academic contributions to our mission over a long period of observation that I spontaneously
offered to write this letter of support on his behalf.
First, Dr. Michael Hoosick has a unique, “rapid fire” style of teaching that enables him to
achieve his lofty goal: “to leave an indelible mark on my listeners” whether the learners are
students, residents, fellows, physicians or the general public. Watching Michael teach over 25
years reminds me that he is one of the most entertaining and memorable educators that
routinely accomplishes this challenging feat. He has honored his heartfelt quest of becoming an
expert communicator and teacher. He is in a word: “unforgettable”.
Since 1987, when Dr. Holick was first recruited to Boston University Medical School as
Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition at Boston City Hospital and Director of the
General Clinical Research Center, he has had an unmistakable presence here. He has taught
vitamin D physiology to medical students, the pathophysiology of metabolic bone diseases to
second-year medical students and clinical endocrinology to fourth-year medical students and
endocrine fellows in his busy outpatient clinic. He does this by “taking it personally”. “How much
vitamin D and calcium should you and your loved ones be talking?” Then he informs the
audience of how much he takes and why…He singlehandedly reiterated the Vitamin D message
in such an articulate fashion that it spread from one student to the next to our entire institution to
the Commonwealth, to the US and eventfully, entwined world leaders to listen as they
developed ad implemented health care policy that includes his recommendations. Dr. Holick is
first and foremost a teacher/educator with a passionate message. It is therefore not surprising
that he has aptly coupled his skills as a scientist with his clinical passion and in so doing, has
ensured than his message is heard and acted upon. It is also not surprising that he has received
many awards as one of the best or finest lecturers we have on campus.
Dr. Holick is one of the rare scientist-clinicians that has reached an audience so broad
that it covers virtually very aspect of adult medical education and seamlessly entails work from
the bench to the beside to the public health microphone. Aside from all of the accolades from
others, I have my own accolades to describe. After 25 years of being his faculty colleague, I
finally had the clinical occasion to care for patient with end stage renal and severe tertiary
hyperparathyroidism on whom we both consulted. I was so impressed by the breadth of
scientific knowledge and clinical experience than he brought to bear that I found myself reading,
intrigued and challenged by his high level of clinical reasoning and skill. I learned from Michael
and in so doing, wanted to shared my experience with others. For the past year we worked
together to write a case report that describes our patient, the state of the art of calciumphosphorus homeostasis and the pathologic factors that result in tertiary hyperparathyroidism.
My visits to his office were some other most remarkable intellectual steps that I have taken at
BMC and were an absolute pleasure. As a direct result of these encounters, I will not be the
same clinician or educator. I will be better.
In the end, I can now see what others have enjoyed and I have witnessed as a
bystander until this year. Dr. Michael Holick is inspiring as a scientist, academician, and
clinician-educator. I and we are so much better for his being here with us that I enthusiastically
support his candidacy for the Robert Dawson Evans Faculty Special Recognition
Teaching Award. He has so clearly and consistently demonstrated the outstanding leadership,
creativity, and dedication to educating all level of trainees and peers. I am but one of the lucky.
With best regards,
Steven C. Borkan, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Renal Section, Boston Medical Center
Associate Director, MD, PhD Program
Boston University
Principal Investigator, NIH