I met Leland House ’34 in early 1972 and became one of his resident physicians in 1972 in otolaryngology at White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles. I joined the team in September 1975.

Dr. House was a great teacher and Chief of the program. I was a Vietnam vet and was still troubled. Dr. House was a supportive chief and helped me in and out of medicine.

Unfortunately for me and the program, he was ill for over a year and absent from my senior year. That hampered my learning and maturation.

I joined his group, House, Gay, Hall, and Ermshar, and was, technically, his ”colleague.” I always called him
”Dr. House,” or “chief,” or ”sir.”

After four years, I left that practice and moved to a solo one on Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, in 1980.

I kept in touch with the Chief and took him to dinner and gifted him to show my respect.

With a new practice to start and several miles between us, my contact lessened. My loss.

It was under his tutelage that I invented the Doyle Septal Splint. He was completing a septoplasty and called for a sterile coffee can lid and tried to trim it to the proper size and shape to splint the nasal septum in it’s new position. I was anxious to finish the case and go home to my impatient wife.

I thought, “This should be a ready product in a sterile pack.” I went home and drew the design. My wife had undergone nasal surgery and advised me to add a breathing tube. I did, and now that product is sold in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, as well as the Caribbean. I will forever be grateful.

God Bless you, Chief!