Dr. Ferucci says Dr. Templin was very supportive throughout her career. She also continued to marvel at his professional journey. “The most impressive part about Dr. Templin’s work as a rheumatologist was the high value he placed on knowing patients’ families and community connections,” she says.
“Because he had worked in general practice prior to rheumatology, there were several patients who he had actually delivered,” Dr. Ferucci says. “When taking a family history for a new patient, if they reported a family member with a rheumatic disease, he almost certainly had diagnosed and treated their family member and remembered them.”
She describes his story as an old-fashioned doctor who valued his career and patients and was always available for the rural doctors by phone.
Dr. Mehta says that Dr. Templin was what he considered to be the “ideal rheumatologist,” with complete dedication to his patients.
“On more than one occasion, I had patients who were unsure of their medical family history. When I checked with Dr. Templin, he would recall the details of multiple family members with autoimmune conditions,” Dr. Mehta says.
He also recalls seeing a patient with an unusual autoimmune presentation. Dr. Mehta briefly discussed the case with Dr. Templin, who returned a week later with the patient’s medical records from 40 years ago.
“He helped me decipher handwritten notes, which eventually led to the correct diagnosis. He routinely went above and beyond to ensure patients received the highest quality of care,” Dr. Mehta says.
“He embodies what I imagine when I think of a well-rounded rheumatologist—someone who leads with empathy and compassion, is always learning and staying current with the latest research and advancements in the field, and consistently advocates for patients,” Dr. Mehta says.
Vanessa Caceres is a medical writer in Bradenton, Fla.
