In Memoriam: Robert A. Sofferman, MD
Robert A. Sofferman, MD, passed away October 14, 2015, after fighting a valiant battle against multiple myeloma for nearly a decade. Most would have never known anything was wrong. He would always greet you with his contagious smile and direct the conversation to something other than himself.
Robert A. Sofferman, MDRobert A. Sofferman, MD, passed away October 14, 2015, after fighting a valiant battle against multiple myeloma for nearly a decade. Most would have never known anything was wrong. He would always greet you with his contagious smile and direct the conversation to something other than himself.
Dr. Sofferman was born and raised in New Jersey. He went to Lehigh University for his undergraduate studies and the University of Maryland for medical school. His residency was divided between the University of Colorado and the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. He broke residency, serving three years in the U.S. Army in Berlin, Germany. Upon graduating from the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, he went to the University of Vermont where he spent his entire career. After being on faculty for two years, he was appointed division chief of otolaryngology, a position that he held for nearly three decades.
Most of us know him best for his expertise in endocrine surgery and head and neck ultrasound, but this man could do it all Dr. Sofferman could perform with proficiency a thyroidectomy, a laryngectomy, an optic nerve decompression, and resection an acoustic neuroma in the same week. He was a jack of all trades and excellent in everything he did.
Dedication to otolaryngology was constant throughout Dr. Sofferman’s career. He contributed to 67 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. He was an active member in not only the Academy, but also was a major contributor to The Triological Society, the American Head and Neck Society, the American Laryngological Association, and the American Neurotology Society. He also was a Board Examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology.
Dr. Sofferman was one of the most progressive thinkers when it came to the importance of ultrasound to our specialty. He realized the value it added to our patient care, especially when done as surgeon-performed point-of-care-ultrasound. With that being said, he did not want to be a dabbler in the technology. He wanted to make sure that his ultrasound exam was of as high a quality as that of any radiologist. To accomplish this goal, he reached out to Anil Ahuja, MD, (radiologist with expertise in head and neck ultrasound) in Hong Kong and spent significant time learning the nuances of performing and interpreting head and neck ultrasound from him. All of us are the benefactors of this dedication and passion as Dr. Sofferman was the driving force behind quality educational opportunities and the accreditation process that exist for head and neck surgeons today.
He was a renaissance man. He pursued a variety of interests outside of medicine with the same exacting approach. He was an avid angler, golfer, and photographer. He treasured the times he spent with his friends in these activities. Dr. Sofferman cherished his family life too as husband to Barb and parent to Rebecca and Brooke.
Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery was fortunate to have him as one of our own.
