DR. CLIFFORD C. SNYDER
1916 - 2007 (By Dr. James E. Pickens)
I first met Dr. Clifford C. Snyder while doing research on limb re-plantation at Variety Children's Hospital in Miami. I helped design a heart/lung machine for the re-planted limb and after over a year of research, he helped me get into medical school at the University of Miami. We also did research on snakebites that became the national protocol for snakebite treatment. Dr. Snyder moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1968 to become Professor and Chairman of the Plastic Surgery Department at the University of Utah and the Chief of Surgery at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Salt Lake City. I followed Dr. Snyder to the University of Utah where I completed my General Surgery and Plastic Surgery Residencies and then I opened my private practice of plastic surgery in Salt Lake City, Utah.
I was Chief of the Plastic Surgery Division at the VA for about 15 years. Dr. Clifford C. Snyder became my valued teacher, mentor, and friend. He filled these capacities, not only to me, but to many of his residents over his years of service at the University of Utah Medical Center. He was dedicated to teaching and helped residents to become the best that they could be as well trained and skilled plastic surgeons. He was an inspiration to those who felt they could not accomplish what they wanted but with his contribution to them as a teacher, they were able to reach their goals. These residents were able to develop the ability to give to patients the most that they could because of Dr. Snyder's influence and love of the Plastic Surgery Specialty that he was able to teach and pass on to others.
Dr. Clifford Snyder
Audio Clip
on Plastic Surgery (9:55, 3.4mb mp3 file)
Recently, I was able to give back to Dr. Clifford C. Snyder a bit of what he was so unselfish in giving to me as a resident. He is now elderly and I was able to live near him and re-enforce what a great person that he is and has been as well as to comfort him with stories and remembrances of what his generous personality gave to all of us.
