Class of 1970 Commemorative Biographical Book

R O B E R T J . L E R E R Address: 5699 Green Oak Court, Fairfield, OH 45014 ● 17 Bald Eagle West, Hilton Head, SC 29928 Email: Rlerer@me.com ● Phone: C: 513-668-7734

Alma mater: Birmingham-Southern College, B.S. Postgraduate Training/Certification: Internship and residency: Yale

Professional and Volunteer Awards and Recognition: Unsung Hero Lifetime Achievement Award. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Pediatrician of the Year, Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics Humanitarian Award, Fort Hamilton Hospital, Ohio Person of Significance, Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Ohio Dr. Robert J. Lerer Conference and Media Room dedication and naming, Butler County Health Department, Ohio Board member, Caring Partners International, Ohio Board Member, Equipping Ministries International, Ohio Board Member, Medical Education International, Christian Medical Dental Associations Current Employment: Developmental Pediatrician, Pediatric Associates of Fairfield, Ohio. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Ohio Commissioner of Public Health, Butler County, Ohio Medical missionary internationally

I probably would have to choose one of those paths. At the end of the interview, he wanted to know if I had any questions. I did ask one. “Dr. Yardley, earlier I toured the medical school and hospital with a group consisting of all Ivy Leaguers from Harvard, Yale, Columbia. I’m going to graduate from a tiny college in Alabama called Birmingham- Southern. What chances do I realistically have to get into Hopkins?” Dr. Yardley smiled and winked, and said, “Well, I would say they are pretty good...you see, I too am a graduate of Birmingham-Southern.” A few weeks later, I received the letter of acceptance! Random other memorable moments from medical school: Anatomy labs, playing tricks on women students who had male cadavers... Pharmacology student research presentation: Our group won first place even though all our work was futile and yielded negative results in isolating Heme-A from yeast. (You can’t always get what you want...) Thirsty Thursdays at Nu Sigma Nu fraternity and fun at the Pithotomy Club. Enjoying the blessing of rooming with Victor Randolph for three years. Vic was one of the first black student accepted to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Spouse or Partner’s Name: Janis Kendall Lerer

Name(s) of Children and Grandchildren: Laurie, Angela, James, Rob

Narrative: What was your most memorable moment from medical school? I was 21 years old when I interviewed in 1965 for a spot in the class of 1970. My family had fled Havana five years before and I was still adapting to our new life in the U.S. Dr. John Yardley from the Department of Pathology conducted my interview. I believe he was the director of admissions. He asked me what hopes and aspirations I had after finishing my medical training. I answered naively, “I want to be a clinician in practice, and teach, and do research, and be involved in public health.” He laughed out loud and commented that

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