Alumni ‘Expect the Unexpected,’ Fauci Tells Weill Cornell Medicine Students Stories You May Like Home Care Aides Are Undervalued—But an Alum Aims to Change That Alum’s Documentary Profiles Famed Physician Anthony Fauci, MD ’66 After Decades as the Nation’s Leading Health Columnist, Jane Brody ’62 Retires The distinguished physician-scientist returned to his alma mater for a screening of the new PBS documentary about his career This story was condensed from a feature in the Cornell Chronicle. By Brian Mastroianni The summer before he started medical school, Anthony Fauci, MD ’66, worked on the construction crew that built the Samuel J. Wood Library at Weill Cornell Medicine. While on his lunch break, Fauci entered the building, looked down from the top of the library stairs, and said to himself: “Oh my God, one of these days I’m going to be in this institution.” And so he was—first as student, and later as chief medical resident at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, leading him to an unparalleled career spanning medicine and public service. Fauci discussed these experiences on March 13 in Weill Cornell Medicine’s Uris Auditorium before fellow alumni, current fourth-year medical students, and faculty during a pre-premiere screening of “American Masters: Dr. Tony Fauci.” The documentary, which debuted on PBS on March 21, illustrates the full scope of his career set against the backdrop of his final years of service, presiding over the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci (right) onstage with documentary director and producer Mark Mannucci. Following the screening, Fauci—who stepped down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in December 2022—was joined by the film’s director and producer Mark Mannucci for a Q&A featuring audience questions. For Fauci, it offered an opportunity to reflect on his achievements as the nation’s leading public health voice and his current mission to inspire the next generation of physicians and medical innovators. Fauci said he’s worn “three hats” over the course of a 54-year career. These include developing therapies for “unusual diseases,” working to better understand and treat HIV, and, lastly, what he thinks is one of his most enduring achievements: spearheading the creation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the largest commitment in history by any nation to address a single disease. Stories You May Like Home Care Aides Are Undervalued—But an Alum Aims to Change That Alum’s Documentary Profiles Famed Physician Anthony Fauci, MD ’66 Throughout the film, Fauci describes how his work has often taken place at the intersection of traditional medicine and policy. He has served under seven presidential administrations—finding himself at the center of the nation’s response to what are two of the defining public health issues of our times, the HIV/AIDS crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the film, Fauci describes how his work has often taken place at the intersection of traditional medicine and policy. Mannucci spent two and a half years filming Fauci, following him as he navigated the constantly shifting dynamics of both the coronavirus itself and a presidential transition that saw him serve most recently as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser. Fauci said as his time in public service came to a close, he considered his purpose moving forward. “I’ve had 54 years, 38 years as director [of NIAID]. I’ve written a lot of papers, done a lot of things,” Fauci said, when asked what was going through his mind in stepping down from government service. “Do I need to write another paper? Do we need to do another clinical trial? Or maybe there is something else that would be important, and something else to me became crystal clear—to inspire younger people who are either in science or who are thinking about going into science, to get enthusiastic about it, or consider a career in public health or possibly even in public service.” Fauci also reminisced about his time as a medical student. He lived in Olin Hall and was part of a graduating class that included four women. He recalled a class assembly in Uris Auditorium during his last year of medical school. A recruiting officer reminded the men that as graduating doctors, they would all be drafted into the Vietnam War and would have to select service in either the Army, Air Force, or Navy, or in public health. Fauci wanted to pursue infectious diseases, so he selected public health—a choice that led him to the National Institutes of Health and an unexpected career in clinical research and public service. “Expect the unexpected, and keep a completely open mind about what possibilities arise for you,” Fauci advised the medical students. “It’s great to plan, but sometimes things get thrown in front of you that are so irresistible that you really have to do it.” Top: Fauci speaks with medical students. All images by Studio Brooke. Published March 22, 2023 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. 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