Summer 2013 COM Outlook | NSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

21 COM Outlook . Summer 2013 was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “When I went to sum- mer camp at the age of eight, I recall the very first thing I wanted to do was be in the doctor’s office and help him do things like hand out the Band-Aids in the camp office.” As he reached his adolescent years, Dr. Greber’s fascination with the medical field was further nurtured by his family doctor, Arnold Berger, who just happened to be an osteopathic physician—a fact he kept well hidden. “I never knew what an osteopathic physician was,” Dr. Greber explained. “I knew nothing about osteopathy at that time, only the fact that I respected my family doctor, who was legendary in South Philadelphia. “He saw over 100 patients every day, and when the front of his office was mobbed, they’d come through the back door because he had another side entrance for his regular patients. They’d be waiting on the curb to get in.” Unfortunately, because osteopathic medicine was disparaged by much of the medical profession back in the 1950s, most D.O.s did not actively advertise their osteopathic status. “Be- cause of the prejudice, Dr. Berger did not even put the D.O. designation on the sign outside his office,” Dr. Greber said. “As a result, I don’t believe even five percent of his patients knew what an osteopathic physician was, includ- ing myself when I used to assist him in his office from time to time.” Following a Mentor’s Path After graduating from high school, Dr. Greber attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in microbiology and showcased his all-court skills by playing varsity bas- ketball. A career in medicine was the ultimate goal, yet Dr. Greber felt un- sure of the exact direction he wanted to take. That’s when his father inter- ceded, providing the budding physi- cian with some prudent advice. “My dad said, ‘Why don’t you talk to Dr. Berger? You’ve had a nice relationship with him and worked in his office. He knows you want to be a doctor, and he will recommend you to attend his alma mater.’ That’s when I found out he was an osteopathic physician, so I figured if it was good enough for Dr. Berger, it was good enough for me.” Dr. Greber recalled. Thanks to a glowing letter of recom- mendation from Dr. Berger, Dr. Greber was accepted to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) and began his distinguished journey toward an enriching career in the os- teopathic realm. After earning his D.O. degree in 1958, Dr. Greber completed his internship and residency at Osteo- pathic Medical Center in Philadelphia. In 1965, he earned his certification in internal medicine, which was followed in 1978 with certification in cardiology. Although he was initially unsure about where to relocate to when he completed his residency, fate again intervened in the form of Herman Kohn, D.O.—a prominent professor and surgeon at PCOM who had be- friended Dr. Greber. “Dr. Kohn came to me and said he had a spot for me at a new hospital called Parkview, which is now known as Metropoli- tan Hospital and owned by PCOM,” he explained. “He basically said, ‘You are going to practice with us,’ and that’s how I subsequently wound up becoming the chair of in- ternal medicine and then cardiology at the hospital.” Over the next 25 years, Dr. Gre- ber—much like his childhood mentor Dr. Berger—established himself as a respected osteopathic practitioner in the Philadelphia area, serving in a variety of positions at the Parkview division of Metropolitan Hospital such as chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine chief of the Division of Cardiology “Ever since I was a kid, as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a physician,” Dr. Greber stated. “When I went to summer camp at the age of eight, I recall the very first thing I wanted to do was be in the doctor’s office and help him do things like hand out the Band-Aids in the camp office.” On October 22, 2007, the Harvey Lab was officially renamed the A. Alvin Greber Cardiac Simulation Center. Pictured at the ribbon-cutting ceremony are Dr. Lippman, Dr. Greber, Geraldine Terry, and Mary Greber.