Engineering Empathy: Dr. William Murray's Legacy of Innovation and Giving
A Renaissance Physician
The glass windows in Dr. William Murray's sunroom face south. In winter, when the sun is low, it shines through and warms the space. His approach to giving does the same, bringing light and warmth to those who need it most, especially in their coldest moments.
Dr. Murray's journey to medicine was layered with innovation. Before he ever donned a white coat, he was diesigning computer circuits and pioneering real-time computing systems. Curiosity drove him to aviation, where he earned his pilot's license and launched a business servicing aircraft at Harrisburg's Capital City Airport. A desire to bridge engineering and medicine led him to Jefferson Medical College, launching a legacy that would resonate across the country.
Dr. Murray's influence extends even beyond technical achievements. He is a man of deep generosity who is passionate about supporting physicians and medical students in need. Dr. Murray is known for helping his neighbors and is an avid supporter of local classical music, serving on the boards of the Harrisburg Symphony and Market Square Concerts.
As an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Murray brought his inventive spirit into the operating room. During his residency at the University of Pittsburgh, he developed an external fixation system for fractures - an innovation that allowed precise stabilization without casting, especially critical for patients with open injuries. He patented the system and later founded Precision Medical Devices, distributing his inventions worldwide.
As a steadfast Foundation donor, Dr. Murray believes in supporting others and encouraging young people to pursue medicine with integrity and curiosity. His giving spans local and global causes, always with an eye toward supporting services that benefit the wellbeing of future and current physicians. He hopes for a future where innovation and empathy remain central to health care.
Dr. Murray's story reminds us that true legacy lies not only in what we build, but in how we care. The journey he's taken proves that innovation and compassion can, and must, go hand in hand. His investment in The Foundation has helped build a support system that safeguards assistance for medical students and physicians, ensuring that they flourish throughout their careers.
“There is nothing so constant in this world as change”
“I started thinking about the fact that engineers don’t know anything about medicine and doctors don’t know anything about technology, and I thought it’d be kind of interesting to bring them together because I like to develop things, so I decided to go to medical school.”
