Over a 44-year career at Rosalind Franklin University, with six as its president, President Emerita Wendy Rheault has a long list of accomplishments.
One at the top of her list is the establishment of an interprofessional collaboration model with healthcare professionals working together for the benefit of their patients.
During their first quarter at the school, Rheault said students in all six of the colleges of the university take a course together where they study the basics of collaborative care.
“You get more energy and ideas when clinicians talk directly to each other,” she said. “They have to look at what path will work best for the patient.”
Rheault officially retired as Rosalind Franklin University’s seventh president on Nov. 6 at the school’s North Chicago campus after six years at the helm, feeling proud of what she has accomplished for the school.
“I felt I had accomplished important goals, and the time seemed right for someone else to lead this incredible academic institution,” she said. “I (also) wanted to spend more time with family and friends.”
Jim Carlson is a physician’s assistant and the university’s interim provost who oversees all of the school’s academic departments. He has worked closely with Rheault during his 22 years at Rosalind Franklin.
Carlson said he was professionally involved with Rheault as she established the interprofessional model for all areas, including physicians, nurses, physical therapists, physician’s assistants, podiatrists, pathologists, psychologists and more.
“The program is very unique,” Carlson said. “It gets people to think outside of their silos. We developed a core mission of leadership skills for the betterment of the patient. The more you work together, the better the outcome will be.”
As president emerita, Rheault said she will also continue her relationship with Rosalind Franklin as a professor. She started her career there in 1981 as an assistant professor of physical therapy before holding a number of administrative positions.
“There is a lot of knowledge I can still impart to students,” she said. “I want to teach while I can still do it. I feel I can contribute.”
After becoming a full professor, Rheault said she was promoted to the chair of her department, associate dean and then dean of the College of Health Professionals, a vice president and then provost, before being elevated to president.
As well as stressing collaboration among the different healthcare professionals, Rheault helped establish the university’s College of Nursing during her presidential tenure in 2022. She lists it as her top achievement, along with the collaboration initiative.
“Nurses spend more time with patients than any other professional,” she said.
During her presidential tenure, Rheault said the university established a medical clinic for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Lake County in 2024. The center is operated by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to help youngsters who are victims and survivors of sexual abuse.
Jeff Espina, the university’s vice president of clinical services, said creating the clinic was filling a need in the county because sexually abused children can often have medical issues along with emotional ones.
“She recognized the need in the community because there are very fragile children who are the victims of sexual abuse,” Espina said. “You don’t want them to wind up in the emergency room. We have the right resources for these kids.”
Finding other ways to help the community, Rheault said, a care coach was established to go to different spots around the community, like libraries and other gathering places, to give people physical examinations, like taking their blood pressure. Patients are referred for medical help if it is needed.
Recognizing the need for low-income people to access healthcare in places other than the emergency room, Rheault also established the Interprofessional Community Clinic. It benefits the community and the school.
“It’s a free clinic for people with low income,” she said. “Students see patients with faculty there to help. It’s another project of collaborative medicine.”
