Medical Director Citrin Leaves After 25 Years
After twenty-five years of serving as Phillips Exeter Academy’s beloved medical director at the Lamont Health and Wellness Center, Myra Citrin, M.D., is set to leave Exeter at the end of this winter term. Both students and faculty are saddened by the upcoming departure of a supportive friend, loving mother figure and, above all else, extraordinary physician.
Though for a brief period of time Citrin considered working as a park ranger, she ultimately followed what was for her the natural path to medical school. Exposed to medicine at an early age from her parents’ jobs as medical professionals, Citrin drifted towards the field. “I remember writing my application for medical school at the ranger station in the Hoh River Rainforest,” she recalled. “But my application was successful, and off I went to medical school.”
After medical school, Citrin continued to train in the pediatric field at the Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York. There, she met Dr. Richard Kreipe, a well-known giant in the field of adolescent medicine who inspired and taught her skills she still uses today. “[Kreipe] trained me in the art of communicating with adolescents,” Citrin said. “He taught me how to laugh, share stories, show compassion and most importantly, gain the trust of my patients,” she said.
As a result of Kreipe’s mentorship, Citrin decided that adolescent medicine was the field for her. She and her husband took front-line emergency calls in their respective practices. She recalls one night when she and her husband were both called in to the hospital at 2 a.m., forcing them to pull their then-18-month-old son out of bed to rush to work. “At this moment, we realized this arrangement wouldn’t be sustainable as our family grew,” Citrin said. Soon after this incident, Citrin saw an advertisement for a position at Exeter in the Carriage Town News and applied. Citrin was then hired by Kendra Stearns O’Donnell, principal emerita, and Kathy Brownback, who was a dean at the time.
“This is a unique community that always strives to be even better.”
“I was fortunate that Exeter afforded me the opportunity to work with teens from all over the world, and from all walks of life,” Citrin said, reflecting on what she will miss about the Exeter community. She elaborated on her joyful experience at PEA, particularly on the impact her patients had on her. “Many students have left a lasting impression on my heart, and it has been my honor and my privilege to help them when they have struggled with health related issues. I have been inspired over and over again by their strength, resilience, intellect and creativity,” Citrin said.
Empathetic as a mother of four Exonians herself, Citrin also hoped to help ease the concerns of her patients’ parents. “Importantly, I have also found my work with parents to be very rewarding,” she said. “It is challenging and stressful to be far away when your child is ill or struggling, and I hope I have made this experience easier for many caring families over the years.”
Aside from providing care and relief for Exonians throughout her time here, Dr. Citrin has been a vocal advocate for women’s rights for a significant part of her career. She fights for the sexual and reproductive rights of both women and adolescent girls.
Citrin also prioritizes doctor-patient confidentiality. Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Jeanne Stern called Citrin a vocal champion “for upholding the constitutional protection of teenagers and their right to receive private and confidential medical care.”
When she begins her time off, Citrin plans to continue advocating for women’s and adolescents’ rights. “I would like to participate in the fight to preserve them,” she said. Citrin wants to support movements led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood and intends on pursuing yoga, standing up while paddle boarding and spending time with her close friends and family.
Many members of the PEA community will miss Citrin’s caring nature and medical expertise. “I feel like a small part of Exeter is dying because of all the support and love she gives to this school,” said lower Morgan LeBrun. “Even when I’m sick, Dr. Citrin always puts a smile on my face and makes me feel better both physically and emotionally.”
Other Exonians held similar sentiments. “We will miss Dr. Citrin’s energy, wisdom, sense of humor and genuine humanity. We are enormously grateful that she has shaped our Health Center and tended to the needs of so many students for the past quarter of a century,” Stern said. English Instructor Barbara Desmond added, “I am going to miss her great humor, her warmth and her strong voice at faculty meeting.” Upper Sebastian Bango similarly said, “Dr. Citrin made me certain my well being was her highest priority– she’s the kindest, coolest woman and it’s been an honor to have her level of care available during a PEA experience where I often neglect my own health. I wish her a wonderful retirement.”
Physician Assistant Rebecca Fisher agreed, and said, “It has been a pleasure to work with such a skilled and intelligent physician who brings joy and humor to every interaction. We will all miss her wise counsel and friendship.” Health Services Coordinator Sarah Kelly echoed Fisher’s statements. “What I will miss most are her humorous and often sarcastic comments that take you by surprise, and come when you need a good laugh the most,” Kelly said. “I will miss her approachability and genuine caring for all of the staff here at the Health Center. She is always everyone’s biggest supporter and number one fan. She is the first to offer kind words or congratulatory hugs.”
Overall, Citrin is grateful to have worked at PEA and formed lasting bonds with students and faculty alike. “I have loved this community, and have made many friends with whom I hope to stay in touch. I will miss the lunchtime conversations with my colleagues, the joy and the richness of the discourse here,” she said. “This is a unique community that always strives to be even better.”