Class Notes: February 2019

Susan (Gradstein) Ramos, MD ’69 is a semi-retired general surgeon. She has been practicing as a general surgeon in Reno since 1978. Prior to assisting in surgery, she owned her own office, which closed about one year ago. She is married with three grown children and enjoys skiing, mountain climbing, hiking, backpacking, running, and Aikido, in which she is a third-degree black belt.

Robert S. Improta, MD ’69 completed his surgical internship at Washington University in St. Louis. He did one year of cardiovascular surgery at Cedars of Lebanon Los Angeles and three years to general surgery at Kaiser Foundation Hospital Los Angeles. In his last year, he was named chief resident. After becoming board certified in general surgery Dr. Improta did two years of plastic and reconstructive surgery at New York Hospital- Cornell Medical Center and became board certified in that as well. He practiced plastic and reconstructive surgery at four Kaiser Hospitals for one year and in 1977 he started his private practice in Camarillo, Ventura County, California where he now works part-time doing mostly aesthetics surgery. Trained in microsurgery at New York Hospital, he performed the first successful amputation replantation. He has worked with Internal Relief Teams (IRT) to treat cleft lip and palates. He also worked with IRT during the war in Kosovo, treating many in Northern Albania escaping the war. When the war ended, he has his wife Patricia Ann, a nurse, went back to Kosovo with the Australian Special Forces to open the hospital there and treat patients. While at Kaiser Dr. Improta did their first microvascular free tissue transfer and within the first few years of his private practice, he did the first successful finger replants in Southern California. Sadly, he lost his wife to breast cancer five years ago. She was the head Red Cross nurse of Ventura County.

Ronald E Hellman, MD ’75 is now retired from his position as Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Sinai, New York, but remains active as Associate Editor, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health.

In Memoriam:*The Alumni Association recognizes in the “In Memoriam” section, not all alumni listed are recently deceased. As we become aware of the passing of our alumni we recognize them to provide their classmates with an update.

Nelson Liss, MD ’68 has passed away.