Dr. Fart’s farewell
More than 150 people squished into a conference room or joined virtually for Dr. Michael D. Levitt’s final Grand Rounds: “A Career in Review and Celebration” at the Minneapolis VA on Dec. 1, 2023.
During this last opportunity to present his clinical findings, this professor of medicine and gastroenterologist (GI) shared stories from some of his most interesting work. Levitt was the father of Golytely, bowel prep as we know it today, and the King of Farts, analyzing the composition of farts, and even contributed as a NASA consultant in the design of astronaut suits.
Over the years his studies provided eye-catching headlines like “Tolerance to the Daily Ingestion of Two Cups of Milk by Individuals Claiming Lactose Intolerance,” “Flatulence,” “Only the Nose Knows,” and “Effectiveness of Devices Purported to Reduce Flatus Odor.”
“Dr. Levitt was an incredible teacher, a compassionate clinician, a mentor for mentors, and most importantly a caring friend and human being. Dr. Levitt's legendary legacy will live on forever,” said Dr. Susan Lou, GI physician colleague. "Dr. Levitt was an inspiration for the attending physicians, who were an inspiration to me.”
With a long list of awards and accolades, two that rise to the top include the 1998 Miles and Shirley Fiterman Foundation Joseph B. Kirsner Award for Distinguished Achievement of Clinical Research in Gastroenterology and the 2000 Janssen Award in Gastroenterology – Award for Lifetime Achievement in Digestive Sciences.
An Air Force Veteran, Levitt taught at Boston University and the University of Minnesota and has played a critical role in research and as a physician at the Minneapolis VA since 1978.
Levitt is retiring after nearly seven decades of work as a gastroenterologist, and nearly 300 publications.