Father Figure
Michael Migliori ’79 MD’82, P’11, P’12, P’14
Aside from my father, Stan was probably the most significant role model for me, not only professionally but also personally. Nobody taught me more about the profession of medicine, and what it means to be a professional, from the lexiconography of the term to the actual practice of it. He taught me that it wasn’t enough to be a good student of medicine, you had to be a good student of people. Having been in practice now for 27 years, it becomes more and more clear to me every day how important those lessons were. Stan retired as dean in my last year of medical school and my only regret from my time there was that I was not hooded by Stan at graduation.
My wife is the graphic designer for the Rhode Island Medical Journal, for which Stan was editor emeritus and still wrote a monthly essay and “The Physician’s
Lexicon.” He was still very active in the production of the journal, and over the past few years, especially since it became a digital edition, my wife and I had become closer with Stan and Gale. Although we all knew his health was failing, it still always seemed like he would be with us forever. He was a remarkable person and I am sorry that future generations of Alpert medical students will not have the benefit of having known him.
The first graduating class had 58 students, 45 men and 13 women. (Credit: Alpert Medical School Archives).
Incredible Leader
Arthur Horwich ’72 MD’75
I am so sorry to hear this, but rejoice that we all got together at Commencement last spring to celebrate Stan—that was just the right thing at the right time, and was an occasion not ever to be forgotten. Looking back, what an incredible leader he was of that fledgling school, with all the right instincts on how to make it fly high. I am so glad that we celebrated him on many occasions, and particularly last spring.
For the Greater Good
Terrie Fox Wetle, PhD, Dean of the Brown School of Public Health
Stan Aronson should be remembered as a man of towering intellect with an amazingly broad range of knowledge. He loved language and the etymology of words, as well as the history of medicine and public health. He should also be remembered for his warmth and sense of humor; his particular delight in crafting puns in the middle of serious discussions was notable. My conversations with Stan always began with questions about my work, the emerging School of Public Health, the Medical School, and Brown. He was truly interested and provided valued observations and advice.
Dr. Aronson was engaged and making contributions to the community to the very end of his life. His activities ranged from working with his wife, Gale, to organize summer concerts on Blackstone Boulevard to helping with political campaigns. He remained deeply committed to education and mentoring into the last week of his life, hosting groups of students to discuss medicine, politics, history, and how to be an ethical and effective provider of care.
