4 Things to Know About Dr. Sousa

A Q&A with RFU's incoming president

Aron Sousa, MD, became president of Rosalind Franklin University on November 10, 2025. Helix caught up with him by phone during his busy move from East Lansing, Michigan, to North Chicago and asked him a few questions.

What is the most important quality you’ll bring to RFU from your tenure as dean of the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State?

Aron Sousa: I’ve spent my career trying to expand opportunities and connections among the college and the university and our communities. That means developing ways for people to get the benefits of academic health, which includes better health care. Figuring out how to talk about the importance of good research, of innovation, of opportunity through education is only going to become more important. That’s what I’ve spent my time doing, and I look forward to working with everyone at Rosalind Franklin to expand the great work they already do in those areas.

How does your work as a practicing general internist inform your role as an educator?

AS: I grew up in my discipline, and I learned to be an educator by teaching internal medicine residents, then medical students, then nurses and physician assistants. One of the things I enjoyed most when I rounded was the interprofessional teams. Medical students, nursing students, pharmacy students would join the internal medicine team and were incredibly valuable. It was wonderful to watch the students work together. There’s just something about patient care that changes the way you think about education and administration.

Community health is a core focus at RFU. What does that term mean to you personally, and how will that guide your leadership here?

AS: It’s among the work I am most proud of over my career. You have to engage with the people of a community — understanding not just that you’re there to serve, but that you’re a collaborator. Value their expertise and what they bring to the effort. What are the goals we share that we can work on together? In my career, that’s worked multiple times in multiple places in different kinds of communities. There’s an approach that can help that happen. It isn’t fast. It doesn’t happen overnight. You have to understand each other; you have to develop trust. Institutions are successful when their community is successful.

Detroit-style pizza or Chicago deep dish?

AS: Chicago deep dish. Forever and always. I don’t know what Detroit thinks they’re doing.