Murray Named Oppenheim Endowed Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedics

(November 21, 2025) — After graduating from the School of Medicine in 1970, William Oppenheim, MD, started making regular donations to his alma mater. Over time, his donations to the medical school increased, culminating in the establishment of an endowed chair bearing his and his spouse’s names.

Oppenheim’s generosity was honored during Georgetown’s medical and dental alumni weekend at a celebration marking the investiture of the Oppenheims’ endowed chair, the first chair at the School of Medicine to be fully funded by an alum.

“Your gift is one that will echo for generations, because the individuals that hold this chair will have the time and the opportunity to teach, to practice, to discover in ways that really go to advancing care for the whole person,” said Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, executive vice president for health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine.

During the November 7 event at the Reed Alumni Residence, Ryan Murray, MD (G’10, M’14), associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at the School of Medicine, was officially named the William and Patricia Oppenheim Endowed Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedics.

“A lot of chairs are probably awarded based on past success rather than as an accelerant for future success,” Murray said. “But in this case, I am really fortunate that you endowed this chair so I can do big things in the future for both myself and the department.”

Inspiring Generosity

Years before Oppenheim became a distinguished professor emeritus/chair emeritus in pediatric orthopaedics at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and director emeritus of the Center for Cerebral Palsy at UCLA, a half scholarship brought him to Georgetown for medical school. “That scholarship was really pivotal, because when I finished Georgetown, I knew that I wanted to give back and help other people who were in the same position,” he said.

Starting with a $50 donation during his internship, Oppenheim gave back more to Georgetown as his career progressed, increasing to $100 when he was a resident and $250 when he became an assistant professor. He has donated every year since his graduation, making him the medical school’s longest-standing donor.

Oppenheim has also given back to the Georgetown community through his leadership on the medical alumni board and board of governors, as well as his service as a class ambassador. Additionally, he and his wife, the Hon. Patricia Schnegg Oppenheim, Los Angeles Superior Court (retired), led the Georgetown Club for Los Angeles. Oppenheim recently received the 1851 Medical Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni leaders for their dedication to the School of Medicine.

Jay Khanna, MD (C’91, M’95), D’Aniello Family Department Chair and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, at the School of Medicine and physician executive director, D’Aniello MedStar Orthopaedic Institute, said that the Oppenheims’ generosity prompted him to consider how he can do more to support the Georgetown community.

“We get a chance to help patients on a daily basis, so maybe us physicians don’t feel the same need to pay back directly with treasure, and we do it with time and other things,” Khanna said. “But really, what you’ve done has inspired at least me to give back a little bit more to Georgetown and MedStar than I had previously.”

‘The Perfect Person for This Chair’

In 2020, Oppenheim and his wife established an endowed lecture in pediatric orthopaedics to encourage medical students to consider careers in the field. “My biggest regret as an assistant professor was not being able to invite speakers in my place because I had no funding,” he said. “And so I decided that we would have a lectureship.”

Oppenheim met Murray in his role as the department’s point person for the lectureship. “He’s helped guide me on what speakers to select and how to host them in a first-class way,” Murray said. “He also provided me with the freedom to utilize his resources to build our research program from a relatively small level into something much greater, and it’s really blossomed, and it’s helped our residents in the department tremendously.”

Working with Murray left an impression on Oppenheim. “He was the perfect person for this chair,” Oppenheim said. “He was affable, he was upwardly mobile, he was a great guy, and I couldn’t think of anybody better for this position.”

Murray earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College before coming to Georgetown for his master’s degree in physiology and medical degree. Following his residency at Georgetown, Murray completed fellowships in sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and pediatric orthopaedics at Children’s National Medical Center, then returned to Georgetown in 2021.

Working with a challenging patient population illustrates Oppenheim’s enthusiasm for the field of pediatric orthopaedics, Murray said.

“Dr. Oppenheim has spent his career taking care of one of the most difficult patient populations in orthopaedics: kids with neuromuscular diseases,” he said. “Although it’s really gratifying work, it’s not always glamorous, and it’s probably really challenging at times, and you could tell in talking to him that it’s palpable how much he enjoys pediatric orthopaedic surgery.

“It’s clear to me that I stand on the shoulders of many of you and many people who aren’t here, and I’m grateful that I can add Dr. Oppenheim and Patty to the list of everyone who’s been so important to my success,” Murray added. “And right now, this chair not only provided me with a tremendous honor, but also a lot of opportunities for growth.”

Kat Zambon
GUMC Communications