The Investiture of Li-Qun Zhang, PhD, as the Clifford C. Raisbeck, MD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery | Clifford C. Raisbeck, MD, Michael F. Schafer, MD, and Li-Qun Zhang, PhD (l to r) |
On April 7, Li-Qun Zhang, PhD, was invested as the Clifford C. Raisbeck, MD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, and praised for his energy, focus on education, and passion for research and resident teaching. Following an enthusiastic introduction by department chair and Edwin Warner Ryerson Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Michael F. Schafer, MD, it was time for Clifford C. Raisbeck, MD ‘53, to take the podium. A dedicated alumnus, Dr. Raisbeck endowed this professorship to support the work of a promising faculty member at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In his remarks, he mused on his times at the medical school, and why he was compelled to make such a tremendous donation in support of the orthopaedic surgery department. Opening with a toast to education, Dr. Raisbeck described his time at Northwestern University as an undergraduate student, medical student, and resident in the 1950s, sharing his opinion that his time at Feinberg especially prepared him to function well above the level of his peers when first starting out in the medical field. “I wanted to pay back some of my intellectual debt,” he said. “At Northwestern, we stand on the shoulders of giants—what a legacy.” He closed with a congratulatory nod to Dr. Zhang, under whose occupancy he is sure the professorship will soar. As extoller, W. Zev Rymer, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and vice president for research at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, lauded Dr. Zhang for his incredible energy, intellect, and overwhelming skill, saying that Dr. Zhang’s unbelievably productive research career is supplemented by his love and talent for teaching. Dr. Schafer also shared, “He brings passion to the department through his research and resident teaching, making a tremendous impact on the care of patients.” When Dr. Zhang took the podium for the final remarks of the evening, the group was greeted with a fitting example of his fervor and aptitude for teaching. He sincerely and graciously thanking Dr. Raisbeck and his wife Carol for their outstanding gift, Dr. Schafer for his guidance, and Dr. Rymer for the pivotal role he played in his career. Dr. Zhang then thrust into an excited discussion of his work: translational research to improve the treatment of elbow, ankle, and knee injuries, and the possible extension of these discoveries to help soldiers and military veterans. He closed the evening in the same collegial and celebratory manner as it had begun, by highlighting the importance of collaborative work as a catalyst for helping patients. By: Andrea Arntsen-Harris
Photo: Nathan Mandell | 
