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Ben Portnoy
Ben grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio where he began his writing career as co-editor of the feature page of the Walnut Hills High School’s weekly newspaper, the Chatterbox. He briefly held the nickname “Wombat,” so his column, “The Wombat Weeports” appeared weekly for a year. Then writing disappeared as Ben attended Harvard College where he studied Russian Literature. After that he got his M.D. degree at Case Western Reserve University and continued his internal medicine training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He joined the U.S. Public Health Service Center for Disease Control and was sent as a field officer to Houston. On January 3, 1973, while pushing a baby carriage down the street while wearing a T-shirt – no need for a winter coat – Ben decided that he would never leave the Houston area. After finishing training in Infectious Diseases at the U.T. Medical School, Ben practiced internal medicine and consulted on infectious diseases for the next 44 years. Upon retiring, he recalled his high school days and began writing again.
Articles Authored
Article Mentions
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FATHER’S DAY, SHMATHER’S DAY The author shows off his super intelligent face in this Father's Day photo while sitting on his father Sam's lap. His older brothers Richard and Joe may be thinking “Father's Day, Shmather’s Day.”
From: Father’s Day -
USE IT IN A SENTENCE Writer Ben Portnoy muses over new words, such as bosky or alliaceous. He recalls a favorite high school teacher who taught a new word each day. (Photo: Dylan Aguilar)
From: What’s the Word? -
SERIOUSLY Writer Ben Portnoy wants you to pay attention to April 1. (Photo: Dylan Aguilar)
From: April Fools -
WORDS AND WISDOM Ben Portnoy ponders “brain rot,” which was named Oxford University Press’ 2024 Word of the Year. (Photo: Dylan Aguilar)
From: Brain Rot -
HERE COME THE ROMEOS Pictured are some of the ROMEOs, dining at Niko Niko’s: (left side, from front to back: Henry Peterman, Paul Scott, Lester Klebe, Sandy Weiner; (right side, from back to front): Ben Portnoy, Nachum Dafny, Howard Derman, Marvin Beasley, and Chuck Pehr.
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READY FOR THANKSGIVING Writer Ben Portnoy finds his holiday crustacean missing. (Photo: Aimee McCrory)
From: Lobster at Thanksgiving? -
WHAT TO RESOLVE Ben Portnoy considers eating more prunes in the new year. (Photo: Caroline Siegfried)
From: It’s that Time Again -
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS Ben Portnoy looks for enlightenment in the morning paper. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)
From: A Serpentine Demise -
PEN TO PAPER Ben Portnoy embraces the beauty of writing with a fountain pen. (Photo:lawellphoto.com)
From: Fountain Pens -
FOUNTAIN PENS Ben Portnoy used a fountain pen for most of his career as a doctor, but electronic records have replaced handwritten notes in doctor’s offices and hospitals. (Photo:lawellphoto.com)
From: Fountain Pens -
RETIREMENT DILEMMA Dr. Ben Portnoy ponders the future of his bow ties. (Photo: Aimee McCrory)
From: Bow Ties
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