COM Outlook Winter 2019

26 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE How many years does it take to train more than 12,000 physicians and 86 surgical residents? If you are Norman Rose, D.O., FACOS, FICS, clinical professor of surgery, the answer is 55. That includes 25 years training medical students at NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM). Since earning his D.O. degree from Des Moines University (DMU) College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1963, Rose has dedicated his career to advancing the surgical field. In a career overflowing with awards and accom- plishment, however, Rose said his ultimate contribu- tion to the profession is the positive influence he’s had on teaching and training generations of physicians. “My greatest accomplishment has been the oppor- tunity to train more than 12,000 physicians and 86 surgical residents in the last 55 years,” he said. “Many have gone on to chair departments in various areas of medicine, and several have gone on to become deans and presidents at several of our colleges and universi- ties. Last May, as grand marshal at the DMU gradua- tion, I was able to meet up with graduates I taught 40 and 50 years ago. Through Facebook, I am still able to watch their growth within the profession.” As a child growing up in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, in the 1940s, Rose was initially inspired to become a physician after his mother became ill. “We went to the family doctor—a well-respected man who practiced out of the basement of his home. He treated my mother and gave her some medication. He was kind and gentle and took time to talk to me about what he was doing,” Rose explained. “What was amazing was that, as we were leaving his office, there was a cigar box at the door, and my mother put one dollar in for payment of services, which probably was all we could afford at the time,” he added. “I knew then I wanted to be a doctor, but that was only the first step.” Seven years later, following his family’s relocation to a new housing project in nearby Flatbush, Rose experienced his own brush with illness that cemented his decision. “At the age of 12, I developed severe abdominal pain, and my father took us by trolley car to see our old family physician, Dr. Freidman,” he said. After diagnosing Rose with an acute ruptured appendix, Freidman provided money for the family to take a cab to the hospital, where Rose was rushed into surgery. A few weeks later, once his recovery was complete, Rose narrowed his focus to becoming a surgeon. This story, however, has a surprising twist. “Many years ago in Des Moines, when I was lectur- ing on appendicitis and explaining my experience, a second-year student in the class approached me,” Rose recalled. “It turned out it was his grandfather who was my Dr. Freidman. How blessed I felt to be able to give back to someone who influenced my life so much.” Sibling Connection Leads to NSU During the first 25 years of his professional life, Rose carved out an influential career in the Des Moines area, serving in various roles at the nearby FACULTY Spotlight FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Norman Rose Professor Saves Lives Through Surgery and Students BY SCOTT COLTON, B.A., APR