The UNC Kidney Center clinical and research nephrology trainees presented the 2013-2014 Maestro Award to Dr. Bill Primack on June 11, 2014. Dr. Katie Westreich delivered the following speech in his honor.
Bill Primack is the quintessential clinical mentor. Whether writing clinical guidelines for the American Academy of Pediatrics or shepherding the Nephrology division through the transition to a new electronic medical record system, he unfailingly welcomes interruptions to teach. His seemingly endless collection of slides–from 35mm to Powerpoint–mirrors the generations of students he has taught, each lecture expertly adapted for the level of training of his audience, each talk peppered with his trademark grins and abundant bad jokes. One of Dr. Primack’s greatest talents is his uncanny ability to remind us of key historical findings in nephrology, while simultaneously issuing a constant challenge to stay current with ongoing developments in the medical literature. Fellows over the years have described him as their ‘rock’—unflappable under pressure, perpetually optimistic and practical, and able to creatively overcome nearly any obstacle standing between his patients and the level of care they deserve. Equally adept at compassionately navigating a difficult family meeting, directing a busy nephrology clinic, coaxing a laugh from a frightened child, and performing a renal biopsy on a kidney the size of a cherry tomato, Bill Primack sets the standard for master clinician and educator.
Katie Westreich, MD