Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

D Y S O N Y E A R I N R E V I E W 2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1 10 Dyson Alumni Dr. Harold Brandford '72 Harold Brandford calls himself the accidental Pace student, and one can say the outcome has been positive, and even miraculous. Arriving in United States from Barbados as a young man, he was first directed to Pace College, as it was known in 1968, by an admissions officer at another institution he considered a ending, who had praised Pace for its experience guiding foreign students. When he sat for his entrance exam, so much in the educational system of this new country seemed novel to him: The use of No. 2 pencils instead of pen. Multiple-choice questions instead of essays. A required dress code of jacket and tie. Once accepted to Pace, Brandford immediately set his sights on going to medical school, and to fu her this, he found the pe ect mentor in Professor of Biology Dudley Cox. A family member of Cox's had also emigrated from Barbados, so the two men immediately shared a common bond, developing a friendship over the years. When Brandford expressed concern that Pace, known primarily at the time for being a business school, had not yet seen a graduate go on to medical school, Cox was confident that it would only be a ma er of time. Brandford was guided to enroll in challenging courses, seeing each as a step closer to his goal, and enjoying the process of learning. "I will never forget the look on [Cox's] face when I showed him my first acceptance le er from medical school. He sta ed giggling, looking back and fo h between me and the le er," Brandford said. Today, he is in private practice in Sea le as an anesthesiologist with a focus on outpatient surgery. His dream of being a doctor is rooted in his childhood, a time in which Brandford describes himself as rather sickly, suffering from asthma, eczema, and frequent injuries. When he visited the office of his local doctor, Brandford admired him as a man who could "fix" people, and he aspired to do the same one day. Initially studying surgery, he later switched to anesthesiology, finding it a pe ect mix of the understanding of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology and how these disciplines interacted. Celebrating his 40th year in the profession, he loves his work and is inspired to keep going, hoping that through his effo s, the quality of care in outpatient surgery will continue to improve. The journey wasn't easy, and Brandford admits that developing self-discipline was initially challenging. He recalls his days at Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medicine), when he would hear the sounds of laughter and good times outside his apa ment while he was studying. The habits he acquired then, however, served to benefit him. Brandford, who will now be collaborating with his alma mater as pa of his recent membership on the Dyson Advisory Board, also has a prescription for success for students. "Many people are endowed with considerable natural talent, but without self-discipline and the will to excel, they will, at best, be mediocre. Most of us are not especially gi ed, but if we set a goal, and make a commitment to achieve, miracles are possible." From medical doctors, authors, screenwriters, and TV and film producers and directors to executives in information technology, spo s, and marketing and communications, Dyson's amazing alumni are making a difference in the world. "Most of us are not especially gifted, but if we set a goal, and make a commitment to achieve, miracles are possible." —Dr. Harold Brandford Dyson Doctors Dyson has prepared students for careers in all aspects of healthcare and medicine, and in this section, we've highlighted three outstanding alumni—an anesthesiologist who was one of the first Pace students to go to medical school, a chiropractor who treats patients holistically, and a psychologist first inspired by music—so their stories can serve as a prescription for success.

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