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John P. Hubbell, MD retired in July 2003, after a long and distinguished career, having been associated with BWH and the Boston Hospital for Women since 1947.
Hubbell began as a junior member of a four-physician pediatric practice at the Boston Hospital for Women. “I worked under Dr. Stuart Clifford, who was chief of Pediatrics at the time,” said Hubbell. “I can remember making lots of house calls, some as far away as Braintree or Framingham, which is so different from modern pediatric practice today. Parents would call with sick children who had cases of measles or chicken pox, so you didn’t necessarily want them to come in to the hospital, as they were so contagious.”
More than 55 years later, Hubbell continues to share his insight and expertise with residents from BWH and Children’s Hospital, participating in attending rounds in the Newborn nurseries once a week. “I have a certain knack for teaching, and I very much enjoy working with the residents,” said Hubbell, who has trained more than 400 residents throughout his career. “I’m very impressed by the quality of residents I’ve seen on the nursery rotation. They are extremely intelligent and knowledgeable, which keeps me on my toes and helps me to continue learning as well.”
As a tribute to Hubbell’s legacy and his love of teaching, the Division of Newborn Medicine has established the John P. Hubbell Newborn Medicine Education Fund to support pediatric training and development. The Division of Newborn Medicine, in conjunction with the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization (BWPO), made an initial contribution of $1,000 to the fund. In addition, the teaching service in Newborn Medicine will now be known as the “Hubbell Teaching Service.”
“Dr. Hubbell’s unwavering dedication and extraordinary care as a family physician to thousands of Boston-area children, and as an outstanding teacher to hundreds of pediatric residents, have made him a wonderful member of the BWH Division of Newborn Medicine and of Harvard Medical School,” said Steven Ringer, MD, director, BWH Newborn Medicine, during a celebration held in honor of Hubbell on July 24th. “He will long be remembered as an outstanding caregiver, mentor and friend.”