Though we as a school convene in the chapel to hear many speakers, performances, and announcements throughout the year, rarely do we have the opportunity to select someone from our own community. This year, the student senate chose Dr. Thomas Gill, father of 2013 graduate Ty, and renowned field leader in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Gill previously served as Medical Director for the Boston Red Sox, Head Team Physician for the New England Patriots, and team physician for the Boston Bruins.
He began his talk with a short narrative concerning a conversation he held with his father when trying to find a more specific job in medicine. “I asked someone I thought knew what he was talking about about becoming a team physician. He replied, ‘Pathologists know everything and do nothing. Orthopedists know nothing but do everything’. I said, thanks, Dad, for that great advice.”
He then discussed the significance of his job, recounting the play in which Mo Lewis crushed Drew Bledsoe, breaking two ribs and causing severe internal bleeding of the chest. “If I hadn’t sent him to the emergency room, he would have died.” But just as he talked about the severity of his job, he also reflected on how a few times Manny Ramirez would come into the physician’s office and check his email during the game.
As his last slide of his presentation read, he emphasized the importance of finding a job that you do for the right reasons, making sure the job never defines you, and, most importantly, getting family involved. Following his contributions to eight championship teams, Dr. Gill continues to serve as a leader in the field of orthopedics, serving as the Director of the Boston Sports Medicine and Research Institute, and Medical Director for Orthopedic Research at Newton Wellesley Hospital.
Overall, Dr. Gill’s chapel talk provided a both humorous and informative insight into the field of sports medicine while also teaching each student life lessons applicable to whatever career he may choose.
