Med Prof retires after 35 years

LOUIS BROWN/Daily Hematology Prof. Roland Hiss sits in his office at the Towsley Building on the Medical campus. Hiss has announced his retirement after 35 years of teaching at the Medical School.

By Sarah Lewis
Daily Staff Reporter

Hematology Prof. Roland Hiss, a Medical School faculty member since 1966, has announced his retirement, after teaching a hematology course for 35 years.

Hiss plans to remain in his other positions: chair of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Professions Education, and organizer of continuing medical education courses.

Having received both his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University, Hiss has a long history with the department of internal medicine and the campus in general.

Hiss joined the faculty after completing his residency and fellowship at University Hospitals and has been at the University since, spending only four years of his life since his first year of college away from Ann Arbor.

Hiss said the atmosphere of the town and University have kept him in the area.

"I like Ann Arbor. The University has been a very challenging place. It's a combination of good things: a good school and a good community," Hiss said. "I've always felt that what I was doing here was exactly what I wanted to do."

Dedication certainly describes Hiss, said Medical School Dean Lorris Betz.

"Dr. Hiss has shown extraordinary talent and enthusiasm for teaching hematology to 35 classes of Medical students. More than 6,000 practicing physicians are fortunate to have benefited from his superb instruction," said Betz, who presented Hiss with a clock Monday during his final class in appreciation of the services he has provided throughout his tenure at the University.

Hiss' medical fraternity initiated the "Phi-Chi" note system, a type of scribe service in which one student types up the notes for all participants in the class. Students continue to use this system today in lecture classes.

His experience has taught him to deal with people on their own level and understand the situations of his students, he said.

Hiss said he feels it is important to "stimulate real situations, because it is a more powerful way to teach students. I've never forgotten what it's like not to know something." He said he has even used his own blood in lab exercises.

Medical second-year student Ann Little said Hiss is "very interesting."

"After teaching a course for 35 years, it might become stale. But with him, it's done to perfection. His lecturing is incredible, perfectly timed," Little said.

Ample positive reaction to his teaching may explain why he has received student-selected awards multiple times.

The Galen Medical Society, a voluntary and honorary medical organization, awarded Hiss its Galen Shovel Award.

He also has received the Teacher of the Year Award more than once, in addition to winning the University's Distinguished Service Award.

Hiss said the years he spent teaching have allowed him to take his experiences, "turn them around, and make it a better learning experience for the students."

He said he takes pride in his role in educating aspiring doctors.

"I'm pleased to have had the chance to do that," he said.

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