William Bean Community

Our name pays tribute to a prominent figure who's legacy is still very evident in the college. Dr. William Bean served as the Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine from 1948 to 1971; during that time building a great academic enterprise that encouraged excellence in patient care, teaching and research.

2024 Staff and Student Leadership

  • Community Directors:  Michael Haugsdal, MD, Paul Van Heukelom, MD  
  • Manager:  Carrie Bernat
  • Support Staff:  Kathy Foss
  • Co-Mayors: Amanda Litka and Kenan Najdawi
  • Treasurer: Zach Case
  • Secretary: Taryn O’Brien
  • Diversity Co-Chairs: Rachel Gorelik and Aditya Somisetty
  • Advocacy Chair: Gabe Ewert
  • Philanthropy: Madeleine Jennisch (co-chair), Bailey Garnica (co-chair), Abby Jones (Carver Carnival)
  • Wellness (+ activities): Jennifer Ong (chair), Johanna Theeler, Aditya Alluri, Veena Venkatesh
  • Grand Rounds: Kip Cullinan (chair), Bella Trane, Nate Wieting
  • PA Rep: Emily Sarvis

Follow the Bean Community on social media to stay up to date on community events.

About Dr. William Bean

There are several special attributes of William Bean that seem to stand out in particular. He had:

  • A keen eye for talent - Dr. Bean recruited the very best and brightest to join his growing Department, and several of those recruits still provide their talents and energies to the college in very tangible ways.
  • A leadership style that encouraged, even inspired young faculty---and I quote Dr. Clifton, "to greater heights of achievement than most dared dream they would attain."
  • A nearly boundless curiosity and a genuine love of learning. He is repeatedly described as a voracious reader who meticulously catalogued key points for future reference and inclusion in his own writings.
  • And he did have a passion for the written word. Those passions lead him to become a prolific writer, contributing to hundreds of scientific papers, book chapters and editorials. 
  • He was a physician who practiced and taught the value of patient contact and detailed observation in performing a physical examination - particularly important to remember in these times of increasing reliance on technology.
  • He possessed a wit that matched his great intellect, and that combination led to many a smile in otherwise rather staid circumstances. 

Dr. Bean truly was beloved for these and many other marvelous characteristics. There can be no doubt that he richly deserves to be a namesake for a learning community. Now it's up to us to uphold and extend his legacy.

We must embrace his respect for individual enterprise, his love of scholarship, and his passion for carefully crafted communications. We can take heart from his showing us that a sense of humor promotes equanimity of spirit. Above all, we must strive to apply both the science and the art of medicine to our educational processes and, ultimately to the care of patients.

Original written by: Alfred R. Hansen MD, PhD   May 14, 2002

Adapted by: Kate DuChene

Curriculum