Stories - Fall 2020

President's Message image
President's Message
By Dr. Wendy Rheault

Rosalind Franklin University has been guided by values throughout its 108-year history that prioritize caring for our community. We take the long view…

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Editor's Note
By Dan Moran

History tells us that George Washington died following a bout of epiglottitis complicated by phlebotomy. Two centuries later, antibiotics have been developed…

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Building Trust: Working with the Community image
Building Trust: Working with the Community
By Yadira Sanchez Olson, Photos by Michael R. Schmidt

As early as grade school, Karina Luna was acting as a bridge between languages and cultures by interpreting from Spanish to English what her Mexican parents…

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Foundation Gift Delivers “Peace of Mind” in Community image
Foundation Gift Delivers “Peace of Mind” in Community

When A Safe Place needed to move clients affected by domestic violence back into emergency sheltering from hotels where they stayed for precautionary reasons…

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“I know what my goal has to be.” image
“I know what my goal has to be.”
By Sabreen Alfadel, Photos by Michael R. Schmidt

Andrew Romero, COP ’22, is keeping busy — and to say that is an understatement. As Mr. Romero works toward finding ways to adjust and maintain his study…

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Time for Action: Tackling Structural Racism image
Time for Action: Tackling Structural Racism
By Judy Masterson, Photos by Michael R. Schmidt

In 1964, while a freshman at Harvard University, Peter Orris helped register voters during Freedom Summer, arriving in Holmes County, MS, just after the…

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Diversity in Our Professional Ranks Is Key to Improving Health Care, Population Health and Health Outcomes

Here are three recently announced scholarships that help demonstrate the commitment of RFU and its leadership to this goal. The Fannie H. Emanuel, MD…

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The Future of Health image
The Future of Health
By Judy Masterson, Photos by Michael R. Schmidt

Improvements in health will be driven by those who bring value through innovation, but more importantly, it will be driven by those who establish trust…

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The Art of Medicine: Benchtop to Bedside image
The Art of Medicine: Benchtop to Bedside
By Jeffrey Bulger, PhD

Through the Microscope is a reoccurring Helix column that poses an issue to our community of experts. We asked Dr. Jeffrey Bulger to address how the humanities…

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Toward Health Equity image
Toward Health Equity
By Judy Masterson, Photos by Craig Melvin

Kevin D. Watkins, MD ’93, MPH, who serves as public health director for Cattaraugus County in New York, discusses disparities in COVID-19 infections and…

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Medicine and Humanities: The Physician as an Activist
By Jennifer Alvarez and Hector Rasgado-Flores, PhD

Through the Microscope is a reoccurring Helix column that poses an issue to our community of experts. We asked Jennifer Alvarez and Dr. Hector Rasgado-Flores…

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More Than Photo 51

Dr. Rosalind Franklin was many different things. Pioneering scientist. Francophile. Trailblazing female. Avid outdoorswoman. She balanced all of these…

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Highlights From the 5th Annual Women in Science and Healthcare Symposium image
Highlights From the 5th Annual Women in Science and Healthcare Symposium

Herstory Under the Microscope: Celebrating Rosalind Franklin’s 100-Year Legacy The 2020 WiSH Symposium, held virtually due to ongoing safety concerns…

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RFU in the Time of COVID image
RFU in the Time of COVID
By Sara Skoog, Photos by Michael R. Schmidt

The pandemic forced most of us to change how we learn and work, but it also brought to the fore RFU’s ability to adapt and innovate. Shortly after the…

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Inaugural Brain Science Institute Conference image
Inaugural Brain Science Institute Conference

The genesis of RFU’s inaugural Brain Science Institute Conference on “Investing in Brain Disease Research” can be traced to when concepts for the university…

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Innovation Spotlight image
Innovation Spotlight
By Sara Skoog, Photos courtesy of DispatchHealth

Kevin Riddleberger, MBA, MS '03, PA-CCo-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, DispatchHealth, Denver When physician assistant Kevin Riddleberger and his…

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Alumni Impact: Dr. William Miller image
Alumni Impact: Dr. William Miller
By Margaret Smith, Photos by Michael R. Schmidt

The pursuit “for a better quality of life for the community” is a mission that defines William Miller, PharmD ’17, who serves as a Walgreens pharmacist…

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Alumni Impact: U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup image
Alumni Impact: U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup
By Judy Masterson, Photos provided by Office of U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup

U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, DPM ’85, ABFAS, the only physician member of the House Ways and Means Committee, serves on the committee’s bipartisan Rural and…

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Department of Physical Therapy Marks 50th Anniversary image
Department of Physical Therapy Marks 50th Anniversary
By Kelly Reiss

A half-century ago, the Department of Physical Therapy (PT) matriculated its first class as only the second baccalaureate program for PT in the State of…

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