Read the biography of MEDEX founder, Dr. Richard Smith
Multiply My Hands: The Life of Dr. Richard Smith
A MEDEX Magazine Series
Series Introduction
Richard Alfred Smith was born during the Great Depression with a twisted foot and a future no one could yet see. When his father died just five months later, his mother, Mabel, was left to work her hands raw cleaning other people's homes to support Richard and his older brother. From these humble beginnings came a life that would stretch across continents and touch the lives of millions.
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Chapter One: From Humble Beginnings
The autumn wind rattled the windows of the small house in Norwalk, Connecticut, carrying with it the pungent smell of coal smoke from neighboring chimneys. It was October 13th, 1932. Inside, a single lamp cast weak light against the gathering dusk. In that dimly lit room, made sparse by the times, the newborn Richard Alfred Smith drew his first breath.
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Chapter Two: A Calling
It was a summer that would change everything. Richard stepped off the DC-3 and into a haze of heat and uncertainty. The air clung to him, thick and humid, carrying the sharp scent of damp earth. Jagged mountains stretched toward a sky heavy with tropical clouds. As he stood under a sun that seemed close enough to touch, a flicker of unease twisted in his stomach. What exactly had he gotten himself into?
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For More information about the history of the PA profession please visit the Physician Assistant History Society at: http://pahx.org/