美国国家公共电台 NPR--Black lab technicians at Johns Hopkins remember the man who changed their lives

Black lab technicians at Johns Hopkins remember the man who changed their lives

Transcript¹

Fred Gilliam and Jerry Harris remember Vivien Thomas, who in the '60s ran a research lab at Johns Hopkins Hospital, helping² invent surgical³ techniques — even though he didn't have a medical degree.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Time now for StoryCorps. In the 1960s, Vivien Thomas ran a research lab at Johns Hopkins Hospital helping invent groundbreaking surgical techniques, even though he didn't have a medical degree. Thomas was also a mentor⁴ to Black laboratory technicians at Johns Hopkins. Two of them, Fred Gilliam and Jerry Harris, came to StoryCorps to remember the man who changed their lives.

FRED GILLIAM: It was mind-boggling. I had no medical experience. And he took me under his wing, and he taught me everything I needed to know. Back then, there was smoking allowed in the buildings, and he would always have his pipe. He'd peep over your shoulder, and he wouldn't hesitate to say, well, you're getting ready to make a mistake. But when he would puff⁵ on that pipe, smile and walk out, you knew you were doing your job.

JERRY HARRIS: Yeah. He had patience. He would never raise his voice.

GILLIAM: And he obviously saw something in me that I maybe didn't see in myself. I remember there was one time in the critical part of the operation, a doctor became ill and fainted. Vivien was walking by at the time, and I'm standing⁶ there, and he said, well, no, you go ahead and finish (laughter). And I was stunned⁷, but I wasn't shocked. I think that was one of the days that I grew up as a surgeon. He was an excellent mentor, and he was a father figure. The very first car I had purchased, somebody hit me in the rear, and I was without a car for two weeks. So he came by my house every day and picked me up and took me to work. Never accepted a penny.

HARRIS: I think Vivien's greatest accomplishment⁸ was just training and mentoring⁹ young men. But we weren't appreciated, I don't think. How many people knew that there were 26 Black technicians in that lab and what they were doing?

GILLIAM: You know, I feel blessed and privileged to have been part of his history. If I had the opportunity today, I'd just thank him for being who he was in my life at that time in my life.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MARTINEZ: That's Fred Gilliam and Jerry Harris remembering their mentor, Dr. Vivien Thomas. Gilliam later worked for the American Red Cross. Harris stayed at Johns Hopkins as a coordinator¹⁰ in the School of Medicine. Dr. Thomas' pioneering research and innovation helped lay the groundwork for modern heart surgery. In 1976, he received an honorary medical degree from Johns Hopkins Hospital. He died in 1985.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

4 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

5 puff   

n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气

参考例句：

• He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
• They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

8 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

9 mentoring   

n.mentoring是一种工作关系。mentor通常是处在比mentee更高工作职位上的有影响力的人。他/她有比‘mentee’更丰富的工作经验和知识，并用心支持mentee的职业（发展）。v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• One of the most effective instruments for coaching and mentoring is the "role rehearsal" . 辅导和教学的最有效的手段之一是“角色排练。” 来自辞典例句
• Bell Canada called their mentoring system a buddy-buddy system. 加拿大贝尔公司称他们的训导系统是伙伴—伙伴系统。 来自互联网

10 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？