{"id":319,"date":"2012-10-22T16:57:40","date_gmt":"2012-10-22T16:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/medex\/?page_id=319"},"modified":"2025-08-11T17:20:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T17:20:02","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/about-medex-nw\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"row row-collapse row-full-width align-equal align-center\"  id=\"row-105044706\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1312808426\" class=\"col small-12 large-12\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\" style=\"background-color:rgb(0, 41, 56);\" >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t<div id=\"text-4126545910\" class=\"text\">\n\t\t\n\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/><em>Read the biography of MEDEX founder, Dr. Richard Smith<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Multiply My Hands: The Life of Dr. Richard Smith<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"fancy-underline\">A MEDEX Magazine Series<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t\n<style>\n#text-4126545910 {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n#text-4126545910 > * {\n  color: rgb(255,255,255);\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n  \n    <div class=\"row large-columns-3 medium-columns- small-columns-1 row-full-width slider row-slider slider-nav-reveal\"  data-flickity-options='{&quot;imagesLoaded&quot;: true, &quot;groupCells&quot;: &quot;100%&quot;, &quot;dragThreshold&quot; : 5, &quot;cellAlign&quot;: &quot;left&quot;,&quot;wrapAround&quot;: true,&quot;prevNextButtons&quot;: true,&quot;percentPosition&quot;: true,&quot;pageDots&quot;: false, &quot;rightToLeft&quot;: false, &quot;autoPlay&quot; : false}' >\n\n  <div class=\"col post-item\" data-animate=\"fadeInLeft\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box box-push box-text-bottom box-blog-post has-hover\">\n            \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-image\" >\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-fade-in image-overlay-remove-50 image-cover\" style=\"padding-top:140%;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/series-introduction\/\" class=\"plain\" aria-label=\"Series Introduction\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"239\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/smith-portrait-1980s-1024x1284-1-239x300.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Photo of Dr. Richard Smith in the early 1980s\" srcset=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/smith-portrait-1980s-1024x1284-1-239x300.png 239w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/smith-portrait-1980s-1024x1284-1-817x1024.png 817w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/smith-portrait-1980s-1024x1284-1-768x963.png 768w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/smith-portrait-1980s-1024x1284-1.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n          \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-text text-center\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-text-inner blog-post-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"post-title is-large uppercase\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/series-introduction\/\" class=\"plain\">Series Introduction<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"is-divider\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"from_the_blog_excerpt \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRichard 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.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/series-introduction\/\" class=\"button primary is-default is-small mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead more\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"col post-item\" data-animate=\"fadeInLeft\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box box-push box-text-bottom box-blog-post has-hover\">\n            \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-image\" >\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-fade-in image-overlay-remove-50 image-cover\" style=\"padding-top:140%;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/chapter-one-from-humble-beginnings\/\" class=\"plain\" aria-label=\"Chapter One: From Humble Beginnings\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Richard-Smith_4yearold_portrait-with-dog-e1750200046219-236x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Richard-Smith_4yearold_portrait-with-dog-e1750200046219-236x300.jpg 236w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Richard-Smith_4yearold_portrait-with-dog-e1750200046219-806x1024.jpg 806w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Richard-Smith_4yearold_portrait-with-dog-e1750200046219-768x976.jpg 768w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Richard-Smith_4yearold_portrait-with-dog-e1750200046219.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n          \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-text text-center\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-text-inner blog-post-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"post-title is-large uppercase\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/chapter-one-from-humble-beginnings\/\" class=\"plain\">Chapter One: From Humble Beginnings<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"is-divider\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"from_the_blog_excerpt \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe 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.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/chapter-one-from-humble-beginnings\/\" class=\"button primary is-default is-small mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead more\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"col post-item\" data-animate=\"fadeInLeft\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box box-push box-text-bottom box-blog-post has-hover\">\n            \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-image\" >\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-fade-in image-overlay-remove-50 image-cover\" style=\"padding-top:140%;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/multiply-my-hands_chapter-two_draft\/\" class=\"plain\" aria-label=\"Chapter Two: A Calling\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.15.44-PM-300x168.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.15.44-PM-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.15.44-PM-1024x573.png 1024w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.15.44-PM-768x430.png 768w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.15.44-PM-1536x860.png 1536w, https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-at-4.15.44-PM.png 1794w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n  \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n          \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-text text-center\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"box-text-inner blog-post-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"post-title is-large uppercase\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/multiply-my-hands_chapter-two_draft\/\" class=\"plain\">Chapter Two: A Calling<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"is-divider\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"from_the_blog_excerpt \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIt 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?\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/magazine\/2025\/06\/30\/multiply-my-hands_chapter-two_draft\/\" class=\"button primary is-default is-small mb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead more\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-492917113\">\n\n\n\t<div id=\"col-462043001\" class=\"col small-12 large-12\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pahx.org\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-13111 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Silver-Historian-PAHx-Associate-Seal-2018_2019.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>For More information about the history of the PA profession please visit the Physician Assistant History Society at: <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/pahx.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/pahx.org\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":221,"featured_media":0,"parent":315,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-full-width-title-breadcrumbs.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-319","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/221"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=319"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/319\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27768,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/319\/revisions\/27768"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/familymedicine.uw.edu\/medex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}