This is an archived UW-P news item,
originally posted: 2/7/2008.
A learning journey
Graduated: 1981
Job: Doctor of Oncology
Company: Oncology Alliance
Dr. Michael Mullane and his wife, Heidi, lived in some interesting
places while he completed his medical training. The couple enjoyed the
amenities of larger cities filled with restaurants, theatre, and
vibrant nightlife. However, once they had children, they decided
they wanted their two daughters to be able to spend more time with
their grandparents. So the Kenosha natives returned to southeastern
Wisconsin. That decision has given the region the services of a
physician who was educated and trained at two of the top medical
schools in the country: Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and
Washington University in St. Louis.
Thank goodness for grandparents.
As an oncologist, Mullane ('81 biological sciences) understands the
complexities and human intricacies of cancer and how it affects
individuals and their families. When his brother was diagnosed with
leukemia, Mullane himself became a bone marrow donor. That experience
allowed him to better appreciate the disease from the patient's
perspective. After six years on an investigational drug his brother is
in remission and doing well. "It's important to be empathetic," Mullane
said. "No patient is identical and each person comes in with a
different story, a set of life experiences, goals, and values."
Mullane has always loved to learn. He was a good student at Bradford
High School, and by his senior year he knew he was interested in
medicine. Mullane was accepted at Notre Dame, Marquette, UW-Madison,
and UW-Parkside. He chose to stay closer to home to be near his family
and to save money for medical school.
Being the good student, Mullane also recognized the opportunity to have greater access to his professors.
"When I visited Notre Dame or Marquette and met the chair of the
department, I knew I probably wouldn't see that person again until I
graduated," he said. "At Parkside, the chair of the department (Dr.
Eugene Goodman) taught the class and knew me well. I also had a close
relationship with Dr. Anna Maria Williams."
As it turned out, Parkside gave Mullane more than just an education. He met Heidi on the third floor of the library in 1979.
When it came time to apply to medical school, Mullane shot straight for
the top. His medical college admission test (MCAT) scores and grades
were good enough that he knew he would be accepted at schools closer to
home. But Mullane wanted a unique experience, the type of experience he
believed only Johns Hopkins could provide.
"When I got to Johns Hopkins, I realized I was as well prepared as
those who had attended Yale or Princeton or Harvard," he said. "If I
had gone to Harvard I might have had a class in molecular biology of
the tapeworm - at Parkside I had molecular biology, we had a more basic
palette to choose from."
Mullane became interested in hematology/oncology - the diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of cancers and blood diseases - and was inspired
by the research being done in these areas. "I was attracted to both the
molecular biology side of oncology and the human side," he said. "There
are very few disciplines in medicine where you get to know the patients
as people in this way."
After Johns Hopkins, Mullane did an internship and residency at the
University of Minnesota, which at the time offered the second largest
bone marrow transplant program in the country.
Ever the student, Mullane continued to study, research, and teach. He
moved on to a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at
Washington University. During his six years in St. Louis, he combined
scientific research funded by the National Institute of Health with
teaching and patient care, winning the Statton Jaffee Award.
Even today, after practicing medicine for more than 20 years, Mullane
has a strong desire to learn. "Parkside taught me how to be a lifelong
student," he said, "and to think beyond the test."
In addition to his top-notch training, Mullane brings a compassionate
approach to his patient relationships. He sees himself as an adviser,
friend, and confidant as he helps patients through a period of crisis. "You quickly develop a close relationship because of the intensity of
the experience," he said.
He finds his career very rewarding, especially with the advances in the
science of oncology. "People are living much longer and living well,"
he said. "In many cases we've been able to turn cancer from a
life-ending (disease) to a chronic disease."
However, not all of the battles are won. Mullane knows the importance
of teaching other oncology residents that it's not about wins and
losses. "You can't take credit for the successes or take the blame for
poor outcomes," he said. "Some physicians protect themselves by being
overly professional - I approach each patient as an individual, and try
to feel the same joy and sadness as my patients feel. I try to provide
the best care, regardless of whether it will provide a cure, prolong
their life, improve the quality of their life, or help them to die
peacefully and with dignity.
"It's rewarding to know that no matter what the outcome, you've made the journey better."
