For Barb Dedo, returning to Feinberg for this year’s Alumni Weekend in honor of her late husband, Richard “Dick” Dedo, ‘64 MD, ‘69 GME, brought back fond memories of their love story and her husband’s career.
Dedo and her husband met on Feinberg’s campus while she was working as a medical technologist at Wesley Memorial Hospital (now Prentice Women’s Hospital) and while he was completing his orthopedic surgery residency. After graduating from medical school, Dedo’s husband practiced spinal orthopedic surgery in Florida and California until his passing in 2021.
“I met him when he was a dashing young intern in white. We got married when he was a second-year resident, and then he did a fellowship at Children’s, and then our first baby was born at Wesley, and through the years, Dick would say to anyone who would sit and listen that Northwestern was responsible for his success in life,” Dedo said.
In 2013, Dedo and his classmates Howard Schuele, ’64 MD, ’71 GME, Tim Sullivan, ’64 MD, and Howard Kidd, ’64 MD, established Feinberg’s Class of 1964 Scholarship, which continues to support medical students at Feinberg.
“I’m going to be meeting up with two of our friends. We had a posse of five couples. Every year, whether it was a significant reunion year or not, that was our excuse to get together. The guys were fast friends in the school and the wives got to know each other through the reunion. So, the reunion was always important to us,” Dedo said.
More than 450 alumni and guests returned to Feinberg on April 18, 19 and 20 to reconnect with former classmates, learn about the medical school’s latest developments and achievements, and reminisce about their medical school experiences at this year’s Alumni Weekend celebration.
William Iverson, ‘74 MD, a member of Feinberg’s Half Century Club, which includes alumni who have been graduates of Feinberg for 50 years or more, said he was thrilled reconnect with his classmates and be able to return to Feinberg’s campus for the first time since he graduated medical school.
“To go to an institution where they thought we were something special and that we were going to do something outstanding in our lifetime… they were right. I’ve been in practice for 46 years now, and I know how I’ve impacted my patients’ lives. Northwestern was the start of it all,” Iverson said.
During the weekend-long celebration, alumni attended social and educational events across Feinberg’s campus, including a concert by the Northwestern Medical Orchestra, walking tours of nearby Chicago attractions, and tours of campus facilities, including the Anatomy Lab, the Northwestern Simulation Lab, and the Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center.
The weekend also featured educational forums led by Feinberg faculty about the prevention and treatment of heart failure with artificial intelligence, navigating equity and inclusion in medical education, and the impact of gun violence on health outcomes and the importance of implementing public health policies.
Alumni and current students also had the chance to connect and chat during a mentoring lunch organized by medical specialty.
“I really enjoyed talking with students about pediatrics. One student I spoke to the most was a first year, and we talked about pediatrics and the different types of practices and what he’s heard about the grind of primary care and dispelling myths about it,” said Michael Salinsky, ‘94 MD, who attended the mentoring lunch and celebrated his 30th class reunion this year.
In the afternoon, alumnae gathered for the annual Women in Medicine Tea at Chicago’s historic Drake Hotel, which featured a candid panel discussion from alumnae who spoke about their challenges and success during their career, achieving work-life balance and leadership. The discussion was moderated by Kavitha Gandhi, ‘98 MD, clinical instructor of Dermatology and co-chair of Feinberg’s Women in Medicine committee.
“The more I dive into my research, I realize the sign of an effective and efficient leader is cultivating new leaders, so that you have that succession, so that you have accountability, so that you have sustainability…. So, I leave you this: be the leader that you wish you had, especially when it comes to transforming the actions and minds of others,” said Dawn Brown, ‘99 MPT, DPT, EdD, assistant professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences and a panelist at this year’s Women in Medicine tea.
The day concluded with remarks from Eric G. Neilson, MD, vice president for Medical Affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, who shared with alumni and guests an overview of the state of the medical school during “Conversations with the Dean.”
“I’m delighted to give our alumni an update on what’s happening and where things are heading,” Neilson said. “Feinberg is almost a billion-dollar enterprise, with a research portfolio that’s now over 700 million dollars.”
Neilson updated alumni on the medical school’s recent achievements, including Feinberg’s involvement in the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, new academic leadership appointments across the medical school, and diversity and inclusion programming and events.
On Friday evening, attendees gathered for an all-alumni reception and dinner, which included a salute to the milestone reunion classes, ranging from the classes of 1959 to 2019.
During the dinner, this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Thomas Quinn, ‘74 MD, professor of Medicine and of Pathology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health. Quinn also celebrated his 50th class reunion at this year’s Alumni Weekend.
“I am both honored and humbled at the same time to receive this award,” Quinn said. “This means so much to me to be recognized by the leadership of Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. There are so many outstanding scholars and graduates of the school that could be equally recognized and to be this year’s recipient is truly one of the highest honors for me. My four years of medical school shaped me as a clinician and researcher, and for that I am eternally grateful to my teachers, the faculty and the leadership at Feinberg.”
Quinn is a renowned international leader in HIV, STD and infectious diseases research, and has authored more than 900 peer-reviewed publications. He is scientist emeritus at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is an advisor on HIV and STDs to the World Health Organization, the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (PEPFAR), UNAIDS, and the FDA.
“Receiving this award was so special in itself, but to be able to share it with my class and to spend the weekend events with my former classmates was the most rewarding and emotional event for me, as I know it was for all of us,” Quinn said.