Follow me: Exploring clinical medicine

Dr. Raghu Murthy ’81, an eye surgeon and founder of Retina Eye Specialists in South Pasadena, California, mentored and taught medical residents, teaching fellows and others in his practice for nearly 20 years. When Rankin asked him if he was interested in mentoring an Exeter student, he jumped at the chance. “It gives me a sense of purpose,” he says. “I want to pass along my knowledge and inspiration to others.”

During his two-month internship, Jett Goetz ’24 shadowed Murthy as he met with patients and took images of their eyes. Eventually, Goetz worked directly with patients, handling their intake information and conducting eye exams.

“It was really interesting because the cases Dr. Murthy works on are usually very complex, like retinal detachments, diabetic retinopathy, macular edemas, macular degeneration, certain cancers, etc.,” Goetz says. “The other technicians I worked with in the office were all medical students, so what I was doing was something most young students wouldn’t be taught how to do yet.”

Harkness-style discussions with Murthy about patient cases and diseases also proved enlightening. “Dr. Murthy always took the time to check in with me, answer my questions, and teach me how to interpret the images taken of patients’ retinas,” Goetz says. Dr. Grace Ting, an emergency room physician and Murthy’s wife, was also available to share her expertise with Goetz, including teaching him basic suturing skills.

Working with Murthy cemented Goetz’s desire to pursue medicine as a career. “Jett got clinical exposure he can’t get anywhere else,” Murthy says. He believes sharing his medical knowledge with aspiring physicians is yet another form of goodness, or non sibi. “That’s what Exeter’s all about,” he says.

This story was originally published in the Fall 2023 issue of The Exeter Bulletin.

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