Resident Rounds – Program Spotlight: The University of Pittsburgh Residency Program in Dermatology In Memoriam, Dr. Lisa Grandinetti

Selfless. Determined. Compassionate. Driven. These words only scratch the surface when describing the kind of remarkable person and medical professional Dr. Lisa Grandinetti was. Despite being diagnosed at age 38 with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, Dr. Grandinetti continued tending to her patients for as long as she was physically able. Two weeks before her untimely passing, Dr. Grandinetti was still running her cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) clinic. It was that week, in fact, that one of her patients was disheartened to learn of her newly diagnosed stage 1a mycosis fungoides. The patient and her two daughters had many questions for Dr. Grandinetti. Although struggling with metastatic cancer and severe dermatomyositis, Dr. Grandinetti put aside her personal suffering to console her patient as well as her children. She subtly leaned against the wall with the little strength she had and addressed every question as if it were more important than the last. Expecting only a sigh of relief when Dr. Grandinetti was able to sit for a moment, instead she had a smile, which told us that she was just happy to have helped them. At the end of this clinic, Dr. Grandinetti was visibly exhausted, in pain, and ready to go home. However, at the last minute, a medical student arrived to ask for some help reviewing a poster related to CTCL. Dr. Grandinetti, in her best enthusiastic voice, said “Sure!” and proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes working with this student. She always placed the needs of others in front of her own, and was truly selfless in all aspects of life. Her dignified strength and compassion was unmatched by many.

Dr. Lisa Grandinetti embodied the physician and person that most people can only aspire to become. She was an extraordinarily incredible woman, wife, mother, doctor, teacher, mentor and friend who mastered the work/life balance with such ease, giving all of herself to both her family and her patients. Although many of us succumb to daily time constraints and life stressors, Dr. Grandinetti taught us that we can accomplish more than we ever thought we were capable of. She did so with effortless poise and a perpetual passion for medicine. Despite being dealt a very difficult situation, she had an unbreakable spirit and a ray of light shining through her, exuding positivity to her family, friends, and colleagues. Through her example, we are reminded that practicing medicine is a privilege. It is our hope that all in the field of medicine can take a page out of Dr. Grandinetti’s book. For all of these reasons, we celebrate her legacy and mourn her loss deeply.

During her untimely passing, Dr. Lisa Grandinetti was a full time faculty member and the residency program director at The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Department of Dermatology. She was adored by all who had the honor to know her.

A special thank you to Dr. Grandinetti’s sister, Gina Grandinetti and to Sue McCann, Dr. Grandinetti’s research nurse, for their help with this piece.