From vision to reality

In 1980 my department chair told me to become an expert in vasculogenic impotence. Bob Krane was already one of the earliest implanters, trained by Scott, so I agreed although I had no idea what that meant.

It started me on a road of basic science research to understand the physiology of erection and pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction. It brought Michal to Boston to teach me penile revascularization surgery. It brought Pfizer to our basic science laboratory to understand why sildenafil worked. And when sildenafil came on the market it brought women to our clinic looking for initial medical treatment. Through Krane’s guidance, Saenz de Tejada’s basic science brilliance, interested fellows, my wife’s support and the engineer within me, I have been at the right place at the right time.

Team this with the need for the International Society for Sexual Medicine to have its own journal edited by someone with expertise in male and female, basic science and clinical research, I was named editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. In five years we have grown to a monthly publication. I am honored to receive the WAS Gold Medal, but I hope to continue to contribute. I am committed to seeing sexual medicine recognized as its own discipline.