So Much More Than a Stethoscope
First-year medical student Christian Pelayo ’22, MDx’27 received his stethoscope from Pedro Banda, ’88, MD ’93 and had the opportunity to meet him in person when Dr. Banda returned to Madison for his 30th medical school reunion.
Photo courtesy of Todd Brown, Media Solutions
A quintessential symbol of the medical field, the stethoscope has a storied history at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH). The Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association (WMAA) Stethoscope Program — launched in 2013 — invites MD alumni and friends to sponsor incoming medical students with the gift of a high-quality stethoscope. Providing both a warm welcome and generous offering, this philanthropic program cultivates and sustains an environment that nurtures alumni connections, opportunities for giving back, and ongoing gratitude.
WMAA continues to engage the donor community to provide all incoming MD students with a stethoscope. Over the last 11 years, the program has seen great success — 760 patrons have contributed, including many who make annual contributions, and 1,925 first-year medical students have received their own stethoscope from someone who’s walked in their shoes.
Susan Martinelli ’99, MD’03, who now holds a named professorship in anesthesiology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, has been giving each year since the program began. Raised by parents who consistently support causes and organizations they believe in, Martinelli comes naturally to a desire to pay it forward.
“When I first learned about the program, I thought it was a great way to help students on their journey to becoming a physician,” she says. “Even though it isn’t a significant financial contribution, it makes a meaningful difference. And when we receive thank-you notes and photos from our student recipients, it makes our contribution tangible.”
An annual donor to the program, Pedro Banda ’88, MD’93 grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he resides to this day, working as a urologist at Ascension Columbia Saint Mary’s Hospital. The first stethoscope Banda ever received was from his father, who served as a pediatrician for 50 years and believed the best way to improve a community was by taking care of its children. Banda’s father passed away in 2023, making his most recent program contribution that much more significant.
“Giving a stethoscope is an act of legacy and symbolic of the essence of medicine,” says Banda. “It helps a student, and they in turn will spend their career helping countless others.”
The gifted stethoscopes are presented to students each August at a WMAA-hosted cookout at the school. Themes of advancing health outcomes and a commitment to providing excellent patient care are highlighted during the presentation. For the recipients, the ongoing significance of giving back is illustrated through these thoughtful acts of generosity, letting them know they are supported by their Badger physician alumni family.
Originally from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Catherine Ahern ’14, MD’21 became aware of the WMAA program the day she received her first stethoscope from a generous donor. Ahern has been a program donor each year since graduating from SMPH. She currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is completing her pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt University. She will stay on to serve as chief resident in 2025.
“I remember how excited I was to hang my stethoscope around my neck and listen to patients’ hearts for the first time,” says Ahern. “Medicine is so advanced from a technology standpoint, but a part of me loves how basic a stethoscope is and the usefulness of this tool even in today’s age. I also love having a connection to each class, and I hope to help the next generation of physicians feel welcomed into this community.”
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