About the Cover Artist: Dialogical Perception-Martin Buber, 2020, by Paul Kolker, MD, JD

Dr. Paul Kolker has built a career that is remarkable not only for its breadth but for the way it unites medicine, law, and art into a singular exploration of the human condition. A pioneering cardiothoracic surgeon, attorney, and contemporary artist, Dr. Kolker has long viewed these disciplines as complementary pursuits.

After earning his medical degree from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, Dr. Kolker completed his surgical training at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, before serving as Captain and Chief of the 3565 US Air Force Clinics, James Connolly AFB, Waco, Texas. He completed his surgical training at Long Island Jewish Hospital after a transplantation fellowship at Brigham Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Following training in cardiothoracic surgery at Mayo Clinic, he helped establish the internationally recognized Heart Center at Saint Francis’s Hospital before serving as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwell’s Glen Cove Hospital and obtaining a law degree at Hofstra Law School.

Throughout these distinguished professional achievements, art remained an essential part of Dr. Kolker’s life. Beginning with anatomical illustration and sculpture during his medical training, his artistic practice evolved alongside his surgical career, each informing the other. His work explores the nature of perception—how we construct meaning from what we observe.

The artwork selected for the cover of the August issue depicts the philosopher Martin Buber, whose seminal work “I and Thou” profoundly influenced Dr. Kolker’s artistic thinking. Buber’s philosophy centers on authentic dialogue and the recognition of every person as a unique individual rather than an object to be managed or categorized. These ideas are especially fitting for an issue devoted to medical-legal issues in neurology. Through his portrait of Buber, Dr. Kolker reminds us that, even amid the complexities of modern medicine and the law, the physician-patient relationship remains grounded in dialogue, mutual respect, and shared humanity. Additional details about Dr. Kolker and his work may be found on www.paulkolker.com.