Richard Root
Encyclopedia
Richard K. Root was a clinical teacher at the University of Washington Medical Center
and former chief of medicine at Harborview Medical Center
in Seattle, Washington. He launched the infectious disease division at the University of Pennsylvania
while a professor there in 1971.
After leaving the University of Pennsylvania
, Root worked on infectious diseases at Yale University
and served as vice chairman of medicine. In 1982 he was voted medical school teacher of the year. He subsequently became the Chief of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, where he was much admired by the residents and faculty as an academic leader, scholar, and teacher. He later became chief of medicine at Harborview 1991 and became an emeritus professor in 2002. He was a former president of the American Federation of Clinical Research, editor in chief of a textbook, Clinical Infectious Diseases, and, from 1986 to 1991, director of the National Institutes of Health
's AIDS Advisory Committee.
Root received his MD from Johns Hopkins University
in 1963. Residency and Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
from 1963-1965. Chief Resident and Instructor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington
from 1968-1969.
He moved to Botswana
on 25 February 2006 to help alleviate Africa's shortage of doctors and nurses. He intended to return to the United States at the end of April, but Root's life came to a sudden end three weeks later, due to a crocodile attack
while on a wildlife tour of the Limpopo River
. He was in the lead dugout canoe when a 13-foot crocodile
followed him and tipped it over. It then leapt out of the water, grabbed Root by his neck and shoulders, pulled him under and drowned him. The crocodile which ended Root's life was never found.
Parts of his body were found a few days later and cremated.
University of Washington Medical Center
The University of Washington Medical Center is a nationally renowned hospital located along the Montlake Cut and Portage Bay in the University District of Seattle, Washington, USA. It is one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Washington School of Medicine. UW Medical Center...
and former chief of medicine at Harborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center, located on Seattle's First Hill, is a public hospital in King County, Washington and is managed by UW Medicine.-Overview:...
in Seattle, Washington. He launched the infectious disease division at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
while a professor there in 1971.
After leaving the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Root worked on infectious diseases at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and served as vice chairman of medicine. In 1982 he was voted medical school teacher of the year. He subsequently became the Chief of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, where he was much admired by the residents and faculty as an academic leader, scholar, and teacher. He later became chief of medicine at Harborview 1991 and became an emeritus professor in 2002. He was a former president of the American Federation of Clinical Research, editor in chief of a textbook, Clinical Infectious Diseases, and, from 1986 to 1991, director of the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
's AIDS Advisory Committee.
Root received his MD from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1963. Residency and Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
from 1963-1965. Chief Resident and Instructor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
from 1968-1969.
He moved to Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
on 25 February 2006 to help alleviate Africa's shortage of doctors and nurses. He intended to return to the United States at the end of April, but Root's life came to a sudden end three weeks later, due to a crocodile attack
Crocodile attacks
Crocodile attacks on people are common in places where large crocodiles are native and human populations live.Only six of the 23 crocodilian species are considered dangerous to adult humans, and only individuals in length or more represent a serious danger to humans, as smaller crocodiles are...
while on a wildlife tour of the Limpopo River
Limpopo River
The Limpopo River rises in central southern Africa, and flows generally eastwards to the Indian Ocean. It is around long, with a drainage basin in size. Its mean annual discharge is 170 m³/s at its mouth...
. He was in the lead dugout canoe when a 13-foot crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
followed him and tipped it over. It then leapt out of the water, grabbed Root by his neck and shoulders, pulled him under and drowned him. The crocodile which ended Root's life was never found.
Parts of his body were found a few days later and cremated.