December 10, 2007

Dear Rich,

Until recently, I had never known the real depths of despair. As an individual who has desired to be a physician from a very young age, witnessing first-hand the near destruction of my career was tantamount to being annihilated as a person. Your perseverance to rectify my situation and to seek-out the hidden method to unravel and thus resolve the dilemma of my career is nothing but phenomenal. The drive with which you approached the case and your unyielding desire to see this “wrong” put to “right” is remarkable. Few individuals have the motivation to help anyone in a situation such as this, yet you assisted me although I was previously unknown to you. Quickly, you established a method to salvage my career. You did that for me as well as many others. I can not thank you enough for the work that you have accomplished.

If I could reward you the Nobel Prize for humanitarianism… I would do so. There are many unsung heroes in this world. You are definitely one of them. A civil rights activist of sorts…. Leading the fight for those unjustly accused who have committed no crime except that of desiring quality. Unfortunately, the medical community has named the outspoken disruptive. Ironic, I think, in a land where speech is to be free. Is it really free if it costs one his/her career? I think not.

I applaud your efforts and those of your hidden “band of brothers” who guide you along the way.

May you continue to persevere for those of our medical family who are unjustly persecuted.

Please continue your grass-roots efforts to inform the uninformed of the misnomer assigned to the phrase peer review.

With heart-felt gratitude,

(Anonymous)