A Pillar of Support

Dr. Robert Masland Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Master, Cannon Society

Having been here since 1954, there is little about Harvard Medical School that Dr. Masland does not know. Generations of HMS graduates remember him for his wise counsel; as an advisor, a mentor, a friend who was always there when they needed him.

Dr. Masland’s responsibilities have ranged from being Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston—an HMS affiliate—to serving on innumerable committees and sub-committees at Harvard Medical School. After more than fifty years of service, he remains as dedicated to his students as ever.

The best Harvard Medical School students have the inquisitiveness of a second grader—they are always curious about why things work and how they can work better. This is what allows them to become leaders in medicine.

“As Associate Master, my role is to match the interest of my students with the abundant academic and other resources that Harvard has to offer,” says Dr. Masland. “The large majority of students who come to Harvard have already got their objectives figured out. I simply use my knowledge about the school and the faculty to help them make the right connections to achieve them.”

Based on his extensive experience, Dr. Masland believes that what makes Harvard Medical School so unique is the extraordinary quality of students it attracts. “We seek people who have the potential to be leaders,” he says. “Harvard is a leader in the medical profession, and therefore, we want students who also want to be leaders in their professions and communities. We’re also very big on people who have what I call a high curiosity index. They want to know why things operate the way they do and have a strong penchant for investigative work. And finally, we want people who have the potential to teach the younger generation.”