WCMS Foundation Initiative
Francis P. Rhoades, MD Memorial Lectureship
Celebrating the legacy of Dr. Francis P. Rhoades through distinguished lectures that inspire and educate the profession.
About Dr. Francis P. (Dusty) Rhoades
The Francis P. Rhoades, MD Memorial Lectureship honors the legacy of Dr. Rhoades through an annual program presented by the WCMS Foundation.
Francis P. Rhoades, MD 1902-1992
The man in whose memory this lecture is presented was a Detroit family physician for more than 52 years. An outstanding individual, he served his profession and his community in many capacities. Doctor Rhoades was a founding member and past president of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians. He was a delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians, and served as chair of the AAFP Committee on Scientific Assembly.
Doctor Rhoades was past president of the Wayne County Medical Society, on the Detroit Medical News Editorial Board for more than 20 years and also served with the Michigan State Medical Society. Doctor Rhoades was founder of the professional Convention Management Association, president of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine and American Geriatrics Society and vice president of the Interstate Postgraduate Association. In addition, he served four terms on the Detroit City Council and 14 years on the Detroit Planning Commission.
One of Doctor Rhoades’ greatest accomplishments came when he served as chair of the WCMS Polio Immunization Committee in 1964, when he organized a program of immunizations for over one million Detroit citizens, mostly children. Lacking funds to obtain the vaccine, Doctor Rhoades personally signed for $1,000,000. In the end, voluntary contributions netted the program $600,000 which formed the basis for the WCMS Else Kolhede Foundation, now known as the Francis P. Rhoades, MD, Memorial Foundation. Over the years, the Foundation has contributed substantially to medical research and health education in the City of Detroit.
Doctor Rhoades was a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine. Throughout his career, his wife Nell participated fully in his numerous interests and activities.
Past Lectures
| Year | Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Team Approach to the Silence of Violence: A Conference to Develop Hospital-Based Family Violence Programs | Robert E. McAfee, MD |
| 1994 | Legalization of Street Drugs: The Pros and Cons | Lester Grinspoon, MD Robert L. DuPont, MD |
| 1995 | Federal & Community Initiatives in Controlling Adolescent Sexuality | Henry Foster, MD |
| 1996 | Peace on Earth: The Physician's Role in Confronting Violence | Alexa I. Canady, MD |
| 1997 | WCMS Looks at Assisted Suicide | Howard Brody, MD Louis Zako, MD |
| 1998 | Youth Participation in Sports: Risks and Benefits | John Lehtinen, MD |
| 1999 | The Future of Organized Medicine: National, State, County | Nancy Dickey, MD |
| 2000 | The Future of Medical Education Assuring Quality Health Care in the New Millennium | Irvin D. Reid, PhD John D. Crissman, MD |
| 2001 | Obesity: A Social Disease | Charles Lucas, MD, PhD |
| 2002 | Neural Mechanisms of Pain: Implications for Treatment | Kenneth L. Casey, MD |
| 2003 | Drug Costs in the U.S. | James Stevenson, Pharm D |
| 2004 | Detroit Health Care Crisis | Janet Olszewski, MSW |
| 2005 | Expanding Access to Basic Health: Lessons from the Oregon Health Plan | Bruce Goldberg, MD |
| 2006 | Depression across the Lifespan: Medical and Societal Costs | David Rosenberg, MD Melvin G. McInnis, MD |
| 2007 | The Future of Graduate Medical Education in Southeast Michigan | Michael Duggan, JD |
| 2008 | Universal Healthcare | Ronald M. Davis, MD |
| 2009 | Patients Come First… Focusing on the Real Business of Healthcare | Brian Connolly |
| 2010 | Health Care and the Affluence-Poverty Nexus | Richard Cooper, MD |
| 2011 | Too Many Medical Schools - An Approaching Crisis | Peter Coggan, MD, MSEd |
| 2012 | Health Care Reform in 2012 – Where Are We? | Mark A. Kelley, MD |
| 2013 | Effects of Obamacare | Joseph J. Mullany |
| 2014 | Health Care Reform's Effect on Doctors and Hospitals in Michigan | Marianne Udow-Phillips, MHSA |
| 2015 | Health Care Reform's Effect on Doctors and Hospitals in Michigan | M. Roy Wilson, MD, MS |
| 2016 | Chair-Elect Federation of State Medical Boards | Arthur S. Hengerer, MD |
| 2017 | Making the Invisible Visible | James Blessman, MD Herbert Smitherman, MD |
| 2018 | Medical Ethics: The 21st Century Edition | Kathryn L. Moseley, MD, MPH |
| 2019 | Blockchain and the Promise of Physician-Owned Credentials and Patient-Owned Records | Natalie Smolenski |
| 2020 | Human Trafficking in Michigan: What Physicians Need to Know | Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General |
| 2021 | Yet with a Steady Beat - Pioneers in Michigan Medicine | Richard E. Smith, MD, FACOG |
| 2022 | Modern Trends in Human Trafficking | Jaco Booyens |
Support the Rhoades Lectureship
Your contribution helps the WCMS Foundation continue honoring Dr. Rhoades’ legacy through education and inspiration.