Fifty years after graduating from Temple’s medical school, a group of classmates from the Class of 1975 has stepped forward—for what they shared, what they gained, and what they believe is worth celebrating. The experiences that shaped them still define the kind of doctors Katz students are becoming today.
As Reunion and Alumni Weekend approaches this May 16-18, the Class of 1975 is marking a fifty-year milestone since they earned their medical degrees from Temple. In the event’s lead-up, six classmates came together to help rally their peers to return to campus. Some had stayed connected to each other or the school over the years. Others hadn’t returned since graduation. But each of them offered their time and commitment to supporting the celebration because what they experienced at Temple—decades ago—still matters.
“We weren’t trained to be aloof or academic,” said Dr. Brian Berman, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist who lives in Michigan. “We were trained to be in it—to practice medicine with skill, humility, and heart. We were Temple doctors, and we were ready.”
What started as an outreach effort quickly became something more: an opportunity to reflect on their time at Temple, and the relationships and values that shaped them. Alongside Dr. Berman is Dr. Harris Nagler, MD, FACS, a Professor of Urology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Medical Director of the Smith Institute for Urology at Lenox Hill. Dr. Nagler also serves as a member of the Katz Board of Visitors, and is the 2025 Medical Alumni Achievement award recipient. He was previously recognized as the Page M. and Henry P. Laughlin Alumnus of the Year in 2015; Dr. Stephen Rockower, a retired orthopedic surgeon and past President of the Maryland State Medical Society and delegate for the American Medical Association in Rockville, MD; Dr. Gerson Schreiber, a former chair of psychiatry and Medical Director with Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Haywood, CA; Dr. Walter Rosenfeld, a retired adolescent medicine specialist and chair of pediatrics in Morristown, NJ; and Dr. Edmund Wroblewski, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs for Cottage Health in Santa Barbara, CA. Each brings a range of experiences and perspectives—but found common ground in what Temple gave them. All agree that the committee’s charge is to bring more classmates into the fold to celebrate what they share and give back to support the future.
“Medical school is a shared rite of passage,” said Dr. Rosenfeld. “We were all intensely focused. We worked side by side. We went through something challenging and formative together. That doesn’t go away.”
What they experienced—rigorous training, meaningful mentorship, and a deep sense of purpose—still echoes in what draws today’s students to Temple: to receive an outstanding medical education grounded in humanity, focused on patient care, and deeply connected to the communities they serve.
“Our basic science and clinical training were both outstanding,” said Dr. Berman. “The faculty were deeply committed to shaping us into excellent, compassionate physicians. And the education we received—it has stayed with me through every stage of my career. It was fundamental, practical, and personal. I still use it today.”
At the time, it was hard to fully appreciate how profoundly our Temple medical education would shape our careers and lives fifty years later,” said Dr. Wroblewski. “Looking back now, I can’t imagine a better foundation for my professional path and life’s journey.”
For the group, returning to Katz now is important for reconnecting with people who shaped their lives, recognizing what Temple gave them, and doing their part to ensure today’s students have that same opportunity.
“This place shaped who we became,” said Dr. Rosenfeld. “You don’t have to come back every year. But this is 50. It matters.”
In Conversation with the Class of 1975 Reunion Committee
What stands out when you reflect on your time at Temple?
Relationships, and shared admiration for faculty, and their educational experience top the list.
“We went through something intense together. That creates a bond that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it,” said Dr. Rosenfeld. “It wasn’t just that we were classmates. We leaned on each other. We pushed each other. There’s a kind of respect and solidarity that comes from that—and it lasts.”
Dr. Berman described the education they received as both rigorous and enduring. “The basic science training at Temple focused on what was truly fundamental. And clinically, the expectations were high. We were being prepared to walk into any hospital, take responsibility, and care for people. That level of preparation has stayed with me through every stage of my career.”
Several reflected on the influence of legendary Temple faculty—not just in what they taught, but in how they modeled what it meant to be a physician. Dr. Schreiber still remembers the pride of presenting a case to Dr. Sol Sherry, the school’s nationally-recognized and celebrated chair of the Department of Medicine at the time. “After I finished, he told the chief resident I did fantastic,” Schreiber said. “That’s stuck with me for 50 years. It was one of those small moments that told me I belonged here.”
Other names like Herb Waxman, Carson Schneck, and Sarah Long came up often. “They expected us to be great,” said Dr. Rockower. “They didn’t just teach—they challenged you. And when they told you that you did something well, you never forgot it.”
How did Temple’s mission and patient population influence your approach to medicine?
Temple’s patient population shaped more than clinical skills—it instilled a mindset. “We were treating people who had nowhere else to go,” said Dr. Rockower, who carried that forward in his orthopedic practice by continuing to accept medical assistance patients when many wouldn’t. “It didn’t always pay the most, but it felt right.”
Dr. Schreiber recalled how that ethos directly shaped his leadership years later. As Chair of Psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, he made a department-wide change that prioritized access to care. “And as soon as I was in charge, I said, ‘The end of this.’ We’re going to treat anybody who walks in the door, no matter what the problem is. We’re going to treat the community, and not just people who can afford it. It changed the way our department functioned, and it’s because of the training I got at Temple.”
For all of them, Temple didn’t just prepare them to practice—it shaped the kind of physicians they became. “Temple gave us the medical education,” said Dr. Rockower, “but it also gave us the moral compass.”
What would you say to a classmate who’s unsure about attending the reunion?
“Just come,” said several, almost in unison. But not to reminisce for nostalgia’s sake—to recognize what Temple meant. “You don’t have to rekindle every connection,” said Dr. Nagler. “But you will remember who you were—and you’ll leave feeling proud of who you’ve become.”
Dr. Berman added, “It’s a chance to say thank you. To Temple. To each other. To yourself.”
And as Dr. Rosenfeld put it simply: “It’s one weekend. One opportunity. And it’s worth it.”
Supporting What’s Next: the Class of 1975 Scholarship
To mark their 50th reunion, the committee endowed the Temple Medical School Class of 1975 Scholarship—a lasting way to reflect what Temple gave them and help ensure that today’s students have the same opportunity to begin their medical journey with purpose and community behind them. Now, they’re inviting classmates to join them in supporting the fund, with every gift matched by the Dean’s fund, doubling its impact.
As Dr. Schreiber put it, “We all should have a debt of gratitude to an organization that gave us an opportunity to do whatever we’ve done—and had lives that have given us the opportunity to give back, prosper, and be fulfilled.”