A ViM INTERVIEW: Dr. Myron Falchuk

Dr. Myron Falchuk is an immigrant, and his contribution to our community, and to health care overall, is remarkable.  

Dr. Falchuk was born in Venezuela to an American mother and a Ukrainian father and in 1953, he came to New York. He has had a storied career in gastro-enterology, as Clinical Chief of gastroenterology of numerous prestigious hospitals. During his career he was involved in research in the field of immunology of the gastrointestinal tract, and in his clinical practice he took care of a variety of patients with diseases of the liver, stomach, colon and pancreas. In 2020, after a career spanning over 50 years, he retired from administration and patient care. 

We spoke with Dr. Falchuk about his volunteer work with ViM.

(Joshua Briggs conducted this interview, and it has been edited for clarity and length) 

How did you learn about ViM Berkshires? 

About four years ago, as I began to spend more time here. Along the way, we met Nelson, and Nelson introduced me more to the existence of ViM. I decided at the time that I didn't want to be a physician at ViM but because my first language is Spanish. I thought I could start with a nice purpose by being an interpreter and working with the doctors. And the doctors having a gastrointestinal consultant alongside of them, not only interpreting but if any patients had GI issues that I would be able to help.  

That’s very interesting, that you felt like the best way to be impactful was to act as an interpreter. What is it that you find most meaningful or rewarding about being able to work at ViM?  

These are patients who are vulnerable. The population that ViM treats is a vulnerable population, and for them to have an interpreter who's actually, I would consider myself a Latin even though I'm a European American, but the interface with me as somebody who carries their interests, speaks their language, and that connection, which I carry throughout my professional career, is something that contributes a lot to their experience. 

I think that is a key part of ViM’s approach, that notion of carrying a patient’s interests and building a connection. I think that is true of our physicians as well. What do you see as the role of a volunteer physician, in our community? What part do you think they play, and what role do you think ViM plays in addressing health inequalities?  

Well, it's night and day. I mean, the whole medical establishment in the U.S. is under significant stress at the moment. If you talk to the elderly, if you talk to disabled people, if you talk to even people with means, the system is really stretched to nearly the breaking point. It's just not enough doctors and nurses and PAs. Nowadays, the stress and the system has become even harder for the doctor and the patient to see each other face-to-face. The doctor is looking at his computer. He's not looking at the patient. To me, that's really the key. The key issue is to bring humanity back to medical care. When my strength is being able to speak medical language and translate it in a way that people can really relate, you know, it's a big deal. We really need to have more of what ViM does to bring humanity into the medical care system.  

It sounds like you have gotten a lot out of your time with ViM. What would you say to others who might be interested in getting involved? Other volunteers, healthcare professionals or interpreters?

Most of the physicians I think are either retired or very near retirement and concluding their professional careers at VIM keeps them connected in a way that's so meaningful to the patients. It allows them to really fine tune the ability to do what we used to do in the medical world, which is really connect with our patients, which the modern establishment isn't really allowing anymore. So I think it's beneficial for the patients and certainly for the doctors. It allows them to continue in service and in fulfillment. You know, most doctors are in the profession because we want to help people and this allows them to continue to do that.  

We are always thinking about how we tell ViM’s story, how we make the case for what we do. What would you say to get people to contribute to ViM?

ViM is a unique entity. There’s nothing else like it in the whole community. There are private doctors' offices that don't have room and don't have expertise in the language and don't understand the nuances of people's backgrounds. ViM allows the patient and the doctor to have the time. They're not constrained by having to see patients every 10 minutes. There's no financial issues that come into play to provide the care. It's really an environment that's so permissive to good care. Patients walk in and they're not afraid, you know, with the current immigration situation. They know that ViM has their backs.  

Is there anything else you'd like to tell me about ViM that I haven't asked about?  

ViM has been around a long time. They understand people and they know how to give service in a way that's meaningful and kind. And that's really the major strength of the entity. It has a heart. Over the 10 or 15 years that I worked at the Brigham, I found that it lost its heart. It didn't feel. It was a numbers game. And then I moved over to the New England Deaconess, which had a heart. And so I consider ViM is a health providing institution that has a heart. And that's really the most meaningful thing that I can say. One day when you become a patient, you'll see you want a caregiver that has your best needs in his heart and can communicate with you that way. And you want a doctor that looks at you and talks with you and you feel a connection with. ViM provides that.  

One last question on a lighter note. When you are not seeing patients at ViM, how do you like to spend your time in the Berkshires?  

I like to ski at butternut. It's a nice little mountain. It gives me enough workout at my age that I really appreciate.  in the summer times we have a bicycle that my wife and I ride around, you know, we'll do 20 mile rides. And of course, the summertime provides all of the entertainment that the Berkshires has to offer between Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow and all the theater that we have. And most importantly, we live in a community that we have close connection to. At least 10 of the families that live in this area are friends that we've had either over time or have made while we've been here. And I think the social interactions are so critically important today.