January 17, 1934
Dear Dr. Brues,
I seem to be one of those people who never write a letter unless they want to know something. Well, I want to know lots of things, if you don't mind.
After a talk with E. C. Andrus. who is assistant-dean down here, I have become fairly settled in my mind, with his entire approval, that M.G.H. is the most advantageous place for me to do my internship in surgery. He also suggested Presbyterian and Cornell in New York. It likely seems foolish to be thinking of such things when graduation is still a year and a half away, but the decision concerns my present plans also.
If I decide definitely to apply at M.G.H., it would be well for me to have worked there as a substitute for a while -- just to become known -- this would be most convenient to me if done during next August and September. In case I do that, I should do much better if I had already had my fourth-year surgery here, which I can easily do in the last two months this year, April and May, provided I make up my mind about in the near future.
The whole question revolves around this point: do you think, coming from Hopkins as I do, and being what I am, etc., that I have enough of a chance of getting an internship in surgery at M.G.H. to warrant injuring my chances here at Hopkins if I should decide to apply here, as I would likely do if I were to shuffle my schedule as mentioned above? How many men from elsewhere than Harvard are ordinarily taken there in surgery? Is the examination conducted by the Boston hospitals in December a cut and dried affair? or just what sort of a thing is it? How good a chance do you suppose I would have of being allowed to substitute in surgery in August and September? Would I do better to wait till October and take surgery as a transfer student in the Harvard Medical School?
Do you happen to know anything about Presbyterian or Cornell in New York? Are my chances likely to be any better there than in Boston, both for the substitute's place and for the internship?
This letter seems to be just one grand cross-examination; I hope you will look on that with a forgiving eye, for I am really anxious to know the answers.
I imagine you are working still with Dr. Aub. My regards to him and to Dr. Salter. With my best to Mrs. Brues and to the kid, who must be taking all of somebody's leisure by this time.
Very sincerely,