The passing of James T. Goodrich, MD, PhD on March 30, 2020, was a devastating blow — not only to the neurosurgical community, but to his many friends throughout the world. Jim was a kind and compassionate man who was revered by many. He was always willing to help others and traveled extensively to help those who needed his expertise. He was a great teacher, surgeon and student of medical history. His accomplishments were many and varied.
- He is probably best known for his technique for separating craniopagus twins. See, from the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, “Craniopagus twins.” Jim was an advocate for the staged separation technique and brought it to new heights with his development of a multidisciplinary approach and the use of modern neuroimaging.
- Jim was also an expert in craniofacial surgery. He was sought after for many national and international courses and conferences for his knowledge and teaching abilities. He was a frequent faculty member at the European Pediatric Training courses. He then helped developed these same courses in Asia, Latin and South America, and other locations throughout the world.
- He had a life-long love of medical history. As a young neurosurgeon in training, he started a business collecting and selling medical artifacts and books of historical significance.
- Jim was the recipient of multiple awards, including Best Doctors in America. He received the New York City Mayors Award in Science and Technology. He was a former marine and received the Marine of the Year Award for his contribution to society.
Colleagues, friends and family recently held a moving memorial tribute, which tells the story of Jim’s life and times.
He will be greatly missed.
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Marion L. Walker, MD, FAANS
Professor Emeritus
Department of Neurosurgery
University of Utah School of Medicine
