Anthony F. DePalma facts for kids

Anthony F. DePalma (October 12, 1904 – April 6, 2005) was a famous American doctor. He was an orthopedic surgeon, which means he specialized in fixing bones and joints. Dr. DePalma was also a professor at Thomas Jefferson University. He even started the orthopedic department at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. During World War II, he served as a commander in the US Navy. He wrote many medical books and articles. He also created and was the first editor of a medical journal called Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.

Dr. DePalma's Early Life and Career

Anthony F. DePalma was born on October 12, 1904, in Philadelphia. His parents were immigrants from Italy. He went to Central High School. Then, he studied at the University of Maryland. In 1929, he earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College.

After medical school, he worked for two years at Philadelphia General Hospital. He then became an assistant surgeon at a hospital in Coaldale, Pennsylvania. In 1932, he started a special training program. This program was at the New Jersey Orthopedic Hospital. He became a certified bone doctor in 1939. He then joined the hospital's team of doctors.

Military Service in World War II

Dr. DePalma joined the military in 1942. He served in the United States Navy. First, he worked at a naval hospital in South Carolina. Later, he was the chief orthopedic surgeon on a hospital ship. This ship was called the USS Rixey.

His ship helped move injured soldiers to New Zealand. It also served in major battles. These included the Battle of Guam, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa. In 1945, he moved to the Naval Hospital Philadelphia. He left the Navy in 1946. By then, he had reached the rank of commander.

Return to Jefferson University

After the war, Dr. DePalma went back to Jefferson University. He joined the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. In 1950, he became the head of the department. He also became a special professor there.

While at Jefferson, he did many important things:

• He helped create a Ph.D. program in anatomy.
• He had his own private medical practice.
• He started a research department for orthopedics.
• He wrote over 70 articles and five famous medical textbooks.

His books were very important. They were translated into many languages. Some of his well-known books include:

• Surgery of the Shoulder (first published in 1950)
• Diseases of the Knee (1954)
• The Management of Fractures and Dislocations (1959)

He also started the medical journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. He was its first editor-in-chief from 1953 to 1966. Dr. DePalma also taught medicine overseas. He taught in the Dominican Republic in 1957. He also taught in Japan in 1961. In 1962, he taught in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

He retired from Jefferson the first time in 1970. He moved to Pompano Beach, Florida. But he was soon asked to lead a new department. The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey invited him. He stayed there for five years. He trained many new doctors during that time. He retired again in 1976 and moved back to Pompano Beach.

Later Career and Honors

Dr. DePalma received many awards from Jefferson University. He got an Alumni Achievement Award. He also received an honorary degree in 1975. In 1988, he was given the Dean's Medal of Honor. The class of 1962 at Jefferson had a portrait painted of him. It hangs in the school. An auditorium there is also named after him. Another portrait was painted in 1988.

He came out of retirement ten years later. In 1977, he opened his own medical practice. It was in Fort Lauderdale. He ran this practice until 1983. The next year, Jefferson University asked him to teach again. He taught special sessions for radiology students. He traveled to Philadelphia twice a month. He taught for eight-day courses. He retired for the last time in January 1989.

Personal Life and Passing

Dr. DePalma was married two times. His first wife was Vivienne Muti. They were married for 36 years. She passed away in 1997. His second wife was Gertrude "Trudy" McGowan DePalma. They were married for 34 years. She was an operating room nurse when they met in 1953.

Trudy, his two sons, and four grandchildren survived him. One of his sons is the famous filmmaker Brian De Palma.

In his retirement, Dr. DePalma wrote several novels. Some were medical mysteries. These books were not published before he died. He didn't show his novels to his son Brian. He joked that Brian would "steal my ideas and make them into movies."

Anthony F. DePalma passed away on April 6, 2005. He was 100 years old. He died from congestive heart failure at a hospital near his home. His funeral was held on April 9.