A Message from Richard K. Freeman, MD, and Sam J. Marzo, MD

Message originally sent June 9, 2020


Dear Stritch Students, Faculty, and Staff:

On behalf of Loyola University Chicago and Loyola Medicine, we have two important announcements to share with you, your faculty, and staff.

As you may have heard, Dr. Ravi Durvasula, chair of the department of medicine, stepped down as chair on June 1, 2020. During his two and a half years as chair, he led the recruitment of new faculty across all divisions, opened new practice sites, advanced programs in quality and value of care, and maintained robust growth. The residency has seen outstanding match results and board pass rates remain at 100 percent. With new research programs and recurrent success in attracting extramural funding under his leadership, the department developed a much deeper academic bench with faculty affiliates in four continents.

As Dr. Durvasula prepares to take a research sabbatical with a focus on several COVID-19 therapeutics in the lab, please join us in thanking him for his leadership. We certainly wish him the very best in all his future endeavors.

We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Sean Forsythe has agreed to assume the position of interim chair of the department of medicine, effective immediately. As many of you know, Dr. Forsythe served in this role prior to Dr. Durvasula's appointment. Dr. Forsythe has been a clinical faculty member since July of 2000 and currently serves as division director for pulmonary medicine. He has the full support of the department of medicine's vice chairs and division chiefs.

We look forward to working with him in this important role.

Richard K. Freeman, MD, MBA, FACS
Executive Vice President and Regional Chief Clinical Officer
Professor of Surgery
Loyola Medicine

Sam J. Marzo, MD
Dean, Stritch School of Medicine
Professor & Chairman, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery