George L. Engel

George Libman Engel, M.D., (December 10, 1913 – November 26, 1999) was an American Internist who, along with his colleague John Romano, was instrumental in developing and teaching psychosomatic medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. He was Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He is best known for his formulation of the biopsychosocial model, a general theory of illness and healing.

History

Early life Engel was born in New York City in 1913. He completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College in 1934. In the same year, he entered Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland to study medicine. He received his medical degree in 1938.

Academic career Engel began his academic journey at Dartmouth by majoring in chemistry and received his undergraduate degree in 1934. George and his identical twin brother both graduated with M.D. degrees at Johns Hopkins in 1938 and then went on to study Pavlovian behaviorism together at the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine located in Leningrad, Russia. He then interned at Mt. Siani Hospital in New York City and stayed for about two and a half years, where he met physicians such as Eli Moschcowitz and Lawrence Kubie were incorporating psychosomatics into the clinical service. At the time, Engel was skeptical of psychoanalysis and psychosomatic medicine. He was committed to purely physical explanations of disease processes. This model was theorised by Engel at Rochester and putatively discussed in a 1977 article in the journal Science.

Late years

In his later years, Engel never lost his sense of humor and his generosity. He was admired by his students and physicians who worked with him. He died suddenly of heart failure in 1999.

Awards and honors Engel received many awards and honors from the American College of Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association for his work.

Publications Engel, George L., and R.W. Gerard. “The Phosphorus Metabolism of Invertebrate Nerve,” The Journal of Biological Chemistry 112 (1935): 379-392. Gurvich, Aleksandr Gavrilovich, and George L. Engel. Mitogenetic Analysis of the Excitation of the Nervous System. Amsterdam: N.v. Noord-Hollandsche Uitgeversmaatschappij, 1937. Romano, J., and George L. Engel. “Syncopal Reactions during Simulated Exposure to High Altitude in Decompression Chamber,” War Medicine (1943): 475-489. Engel, George L., and J. Romano. Scotomata, Blurring of Vision, and Headache as Complications of Decompression Sickness. Washington, 1943. Engel, George L., and J. Romano. “A Migraine-like Syndrome Complicating Decompression Sickness: Clinical and Electroencephalographic Observations,” Transactions of the American Neurological Association (1944): 60-64. Engel, George L., and J. Romano. A Migraine-like Syndrome Complicating Decompression Sickness: Scintillating Scotomas, Focal Neurologic Signs and Headache: Clinical and Electroencephalographic Observations. War Medicine (1944): 304-314. Romano, J., and George L. Engel. Problems of Fatigue as Illustrated by Experiences in the Decompression Chamber,” War Medicine (1944): 102-105. Engel, George L. Fainting: Physiological and Psychological Considerations. Springfield, Ill.: C.C. Thomas, 1950. Engel, George L. Fainting. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas, 1962. Engel, George L. Psychological Development in Health and Disease. Philadelphia, Saunders, 1962. Morgan, William L., and George L. Engel. The Clinical Approach to the Patient. Philadelphia, Saunders, 1969. Engel, George L. and William L. Morgan. Interviewing the Patient. London, Philadelphia, Saunders, 1973. Engel, George L. "The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine". Science.1977.196(3):129-136. Engel, George L. "The Clinical Application of the Biopsychosocial Model," The American Journal of Psychiatry (1980): 535-544