The Beginning
Growing up, Gault's family moved around frequently. He admitted that his decision to attend Amherst was not very well thought-out, and jokingly conceded that "most of us understand that we could never get into Amherst again."
At Amherst, Gault pursued his interest in science while playing football for two years. These two passions conflicted with each other with increasing frequency, as both labs and practices were in the afternoon. As a result, Gault had to make the extremely difficult decision to quit the football team. "My football experience had a profound effect on me," he said. "I often was sorry I made the decision to quit football; football meant a lot to me-the team experiences, the values it teaches."
Because of his interest in science, however, Gault took a closer look at the medical field, which he ended up deciding to pursue at the end of his sophomore year. "Medicine seemed like something that answered a need for my interest in science and people," he said.
Gault graduated from the College with a major in biochemistry and a minor in English. With a suppressed laugh, however, he confessed, "My English professors might cringe to learn how much of my medical writing has been published."
Heartfelt Education
Though it has been 50 years since he left the College, Gault still feels a great appreciation for his Amherst education and its lasting influences on him. "Medicine was my ending preoccupation, but I have probably gotten more out of my education overall," he said.
English was an especially enlightening area of study for him, perhaps because there was a formidable group of professors teaching English courses while he was at Amherst. "It was easy to be seduced by the charm of these guys and by their ability to engage you. English, though, was a great area that I could use as a basis for continuing to learn."
The reality of going to a prestigious small school with awesome professors was slightly daunting for Gault, as he conceded that "nobody's anonymous at Amherst, and as a result, there was a combination of allure and terror. You never knew when the monster might turn around and bite your head off."
Overall, though, Gault's college education equipped him with better tools to survive in the world. "It's a curious thing. After my education at Amherst, I have continued to engage in the world and be involved in the intellectual process more than I had ever thought."
Cardiologist
After graduation, Gault went on to medical school at Cornell University. Having developed a more specific interest in cardiology, he afterwards trained in internal medicine at the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center in New York City and went on to complete his cardiology training at the National Heart Institute, National Institutes of Health.
Gault later joined the faculty of the University of California, San Diego as the Director of Cardiovascular Diagnosis Laboratories. He then moved to the Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine where he was Professor of Medicine and Radiology and Chief of the Cardiology Division. He participated in the building process at both of these institutions and it was while he was at work in a hospital in Pennsylvania that he met his wife, Nancy.
In 1974, Gault left academic medicine to establish a cardiac program at the Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, Penn. There, he began to focus on adult cardiology, at first working long hours to build his practices and maintain them. During this time, he earned the distinctions of Governor of the American College of Cardiology, President of the College's Pennsylvania Chapter and a listing as one of the "Best Doctors in America."
During the next several years that he spent in Lancaster, Gault watched the development of new medical technologies and care for seriously ill patients using increasingly effective treatments. To Gault, this was the "Golden Age" of medicine. "We went through a very exciting time in medicine," he said. "We were involved in the era of angioplasty and stent treatment of cardiovascular disease, and got to be a part of the developmental process of those technologies. There was so much excitement to have that availability of treatment that had not previously existed."
The changes that have accompanied the improvement in care for cardiovascular diseases are visible to Gault. "What is different now from back then is the treatment available for these problems, which have changed the practice of medicine," Gault said. "The mortality rate has decreased significantly. About 40 percent of that decline has to do with treatment, while about 60 percent of it is prevention." Indeed, improvements in medical care continue to increase steadily, which impresses Gault. "Overall, though, the most significant outlook nowadays is preventative care, or at least preventing the disease's complication."
Also while in Pennsylvania, Gault had the opportunity to take care of all kinds of people, from the rich and famous to the working poor. He likened it a little to "Forrest Gump," and said, "I suppose that by virtue of visibility, I became involved in the care of important people." For instance, his fame as a cardiologist spread even to the Middle East, where he at one point had a significant clientele. When pressed for details, though, Gault modestly declined to talk about his work with his patients there.
In Love with Work
After the several exciting years that he spent in Pennsylvania, Gault moved with his wife to Okatie, S.C., in late 2000. He became semi-retired, allowing himself time to enjoy reading, studying French, playing the banjo and golf and participating in community life, while still engaging fully in the medical world. He currently works part-time in the cardiology division of the South Coast Medical Group in Savannah, Ga., doing more preventative care. "I enjoy the luxury of working on my own terms. At the same time, it is great to be able to stay involved at this very interesting time in medicine."
A Heartbeat Ago
Gault still has many vivid memories and a passionate appreciation for his experiences from the College. "Amherst enabled me to have the kinds of experiences and have the kind of friends you always will want to have. There are certain typical college experiences, which are very important and memorable to me."
The relationships that Gault developed at the College are very meaningful to him. He and his roommates still get together to play golf once a year, and Gault still takes an interest in what is happening on campus.
Did he and his fellow classmates and friends do anything that they would rather forget? Of course they did, he assured-Amherst students do not change that much over time. Gault noted to keep in mind that he is from a generation of politically apathetic students, as he divulged that "When the new religion building was built (Chapin), we didn't like the building. When the construction crew started digging the hole to start building the foundation of it, we went out that night with wastebaskets and filled the hole up again. Our causes were always ones we could never win; our protests were mainly ceremonial, but we had a good time."
Big Heart
Gault has immensely enjoyed participating in the medical community. The meaningful relationships that can exist between a doctor and patient are also important to him. "What has been most memorable for me is developing relationships with people over time and taking care of people," Gault said. "Being a part of a community, having the advantage of holding a recognized position for what I do in that community, has been very rewarding."