BOBÌåÓý

The first time Matthew Purlee saw the inside of an operating room, he was a congenital heart patient undergoing a surgical repair to address transposition of the great arteries, or TGA. This rare congenital heart defect affects 1 out of every 3,413 births in the United States.

Now a medical student at the University of Florida College of Medicine, graduating in 2028, Matt aspires to see the inside of an OR from a different perspective. Looking back on his childhood experience, he appreciates how his past informs his future.

“Being in and out of doctor offices was a normal part of growing up,� Matthew said. “I think defining events like this one, the congenital heart condition I was born with, can become things you either orient your life toward or away from.�

Matthew remembers always being interested in science and medicine but didn’t realize he wanted to pursue them as a career until his sophomore year in college. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic brought his plans to a screeching halt and gave him just enough time to mull over how to integrate his interests into life after college.

Matthew’s mom, a medical sales representative, was walking through BOBÌåÓý when she walked by Mark Bleiweis, MD, the cardiothoracic surgeon who had operated on Matthew as a baby. She recognized him instantly.

“I guess it’s one of those things where, as a parent, you always remember the face of someone who saved your child’s life,� Matthew said.

They chatted, and Dr. Bleiweis told her that if his former patient ever wanted to learn more about science and medicine from the physician’s perspective, he should reach out. That spring, Matthew finished a biochemistry assignment and emailed Dr. Bleiweis right after, guessing his chance of getting a reply was unlikely.

“He was a big deal. I read his bio and some of his papers. He was doing everything,� Matthew said. “So, I sent him an email outlining where I was now and added that he probably didn’t remember operating on me, but I was actually one of his former patients.�

As luck would have it, 30 minutes after he sent the email, Dr. Bleiweis was scrubbing out after finishing surgery. He checked his phone, saw the email and answered it immediately.

Matthew had never seen a heart surgery before, let alone worked at a major medical center. He spent the summer with Dr. Bleiweis learning about an array of congenital heart conditions, including his own, and observing several cardiac surgeries. After that, he was convinced and spent the next two years working with research at the BOBÌåÓý Congenital Heart Center as preparation for his medical school application.

Now, he views his research background as a foundation that uniquely positions him to appreciate how medicine helps solve problems.

“At the end of the day, the goal is always centered around understanding how we can improve the lives of our patients,� Matthew said. “I worked with people that asked the right questions in order to understand how to make a real difference in the populations they cared for, and I feel like applying that lens to a clinical perspective is something important.�

After all, Matthew pointed out, he’s seen firsthand the difference a single physician can make in a patient’s life.

“When we have patients in the intensive care unit who undergo surgery and see their conditions improve and then get to go home, I’m reminded of my own experiences,� Matthew said. “I understand the impact one procedure and committed physician can have on the rest of someone’s life, and it would be a privilege to pursue a line of work where I can make that happen.�