Richard Ropp:
CLASS OF 1971
Watchung Hills Regional High SchoolClass of 1971
Warren, NJ
New Providence High SchoolClass of 1976
New providence, NJ
West Essex High SchoolClass of 1971
North caldwell, NJ
West Essex Junior High SchoolClass of 1967
North caldwell, NJ
Gould Avenue-Mountain Elementary SchoolClass of 1965
North caldwell, NJ
Richard's Story
Life
I RECEIVED BA AND MS DEGREES FROM RUTGERS U. AND WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL AT UMDNJ, NEWARK. I SPENT 4 YEARS TRAINING FOR SURGERY AND THEN DECIDED TO GO INTO ANESTHESIA. I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING FOR 15 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN HAPPILY MARRIED TO CATALINA FOR 22 YEARS. WE HAVE TWO WONDERFUL GIRLS CHRISTINA,17 AND ANDREA,13 YEARS OLD. CHRISTINA IS AT LOYOLA ACADEMY PREPARING TO ENTER COLLEGE.
I HAVE LIVED IN WASHINGTON,D.C.,WEST CALDWELL,N.J.,DETROIT, MICH. AND CHICAGO,ILL. MY WIFE IS FROM MEXICO AND WE VISIT TWICE A YEAR. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW BUILDS CUSTOM HOMES FOR THE RICH AND FAMOUS IN CABO SAN LUCAS.
WE LOVE TO TRAVEL AND HAVE VISITED ROME,FLORENCE,VENICE,MILAN,THE FRENCH RIVERA AND SOUTHERN FRANCE WHERE MY WIFE'S NIECE IS MARRIED TO A FRENCHMAN. PARIS AND MADRID HAVE BEEN ON OUR TRAVEL LIST ALSO.
WE LIVE IN AN UPPER BRACKET NEIGHBORHOOD IN A WELL-TO-DO JEWISH COMMUNITY 25 MILES NORTH OF CHICAGO ON LAKE MICHIGAN WATERFRONT,KNOWN AS "THE NORTH SHORE". CHRISTINA IS AN ACCOMPLISHED VIOLINIST AND ANDREA IS PLAYING VIOLIN AND PIANO. BOTH HAVE STUDIED BALLET AND ARE IN TENNIS LESSONS FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS. CATALINA IS A GOURMET COOK AND I PLAY CLASSICAL GUITAR.
WE LOVE OUR LIFE AND THE TIME WE SHARE. I SPEND ALL MY FREE TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND WE DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
IT IS NOW JUNE 2006 AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT RUSH UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO. CHRISTINA IS A JUNIOR AT GEORGE WASHINGTON U. IN PREMED. ANDREA IS A JUNIOR AT LOYOLA ACADEMY AND WANTS TO GO TO BOSTON COLLEGE. CATY IS CATY AND WE WILL BE ENJOYING AN EMPTY HOUSE IN ANOTHER YEAR.
WELL IT IS NOW JULY 2009 AND ONE CHILD HAS RETURNED HOME FOR THE PAST AND IS WORKING BUT NEEDS TO FINISH HER EDUCATION. THE YOUNGER IS AT GW AND IS MAJORING IN ANTHROPOLOGY. I MISS HER.SHE IS DOING WELL; MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR THE OLDER ONE.
Workplace
I FINISHED MEDICAL SCHOOL AT UMDNJ, NEWARK IN 1982. I STARTED A SURGICAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN 1982 AND SPENT 4 YEARS TRYING TO GET A TRAINING POSITION IN ORTHOPEDICS BUT THIS NEVER HAPPPENED AND SO I SPENT THOSE YEARS BOUNCING FROM ONE PROGRAM TO ANOTHER UNTIL I TIRED OF NOT HAVING A PERMANENT POSITION IN A PROGRAM TO FINISH AS A SURGEON. I WAS AT PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY HOSP IN 1982 OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON DC THEN AT UMDNJ NEWARK AND TURNED DOWN OPPORTUNITIES TO STAY IN GENERAL SURGERY OR ENTER NEUROSURGERY. I THEN WENT TO DETROIT TO A PRIVATE WITH A SMALL TRAINING PROGRAM AND THEN T...Expand for more
O CHICAGO. AFTER THIS FINAL YEAR IN GENERAL SURGERY IN 1984 I DECIDED TO APPLY FOR ANESTHESIA AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ACCEPTED. I FINISHED THIS PROGRAM IN 1989 AND THEN TOOK A POSITION AT ST JOSEPH'S HOSP IN JOLIET. HOWEVER THIS WAS 50 MILES FROM MY HOME IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO AND THEREFORE I ELECTED TO GET A JOB CLOSER TO HOME. HOWEVER IT WAS ONLY A PARTTIME JOB AND THINGS DIDNT WORK OUT SO I BOUGHT A HOUSE AT MY CURRENT ADDRESS IN HIGHLAND PARK AND WENT TO WORK AT A HOSPITAL IN WAUKEGAN ILL. IT WAS ONLY 18 MILES TO WORK AND THE CALL SCHEDULE ALLOWED ME TO STAY AT HOME NIGHTS. HOWEVER THE GROUP I WORKED FOR DIDNT NEED MY SKILLS AS A CARDIAC ANESTHESIOLOGIST BECAUSE THEIR PROGRAM NEVER STARTED AND THEREFORE I HAD TO SEARCH FOR ANOTHER POSITION. IN 1991 I WENT TO WORK IN HELLS KITCHEN AT A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL IN CHICAGO THAT SPECIALIZED IN TRAUMA AND HIGH RISK OBSTETRICS. I SPENT 10 YEARS THERE AND THE PAY WAS SO SO. MOST OF THE PATIENTS COULDNT AFFORD PRIVATE INSURANCE AND THEREFORE THE STATE WAS MAKING PAYMENTS AND THE CHRONICALLY LATE AND LOW REIMBURSEMENT MEANT THAT MY PAY WAS INADEQUATE. I SEARCHED FOR 5 OR 6 YEARS FOR A BETTER POSITION BUT WAS FRUSTRATED. FINALLY A GOOD FRIEND WHO I HAD WORKED WITH WHEN HE STARTED HIS PRACTICE LET ME KNOW AFTER SOME INQUIRIES ON MY BEHALF THAT A NEED WAS PRESENT ONCE AGAIN IN WAUKEGAN. NO ONE EVER ADVERTISES; IT COSTS THOUSANDS. I HAVE BEEN WORKING THERE FOR 2 YEARS BUT BECAUSE OF BUSINESS PROBLEMS I CANT JOIN THE GROUP RIGHT NOW. HOPEFULLY THIS SITUATION WILL IMPROVE AFTER A NEW HOSPITAL IS BUILT BY THE ORGANIZATION AND WE WILL ONCE AGAIN HAVE ENOUGH REVENUE TO ALLOW ME ACCESS TO THE GROUP AND THEIR FUNDS. UNFORTUNATELY, TIME IS STARTING TO CATCH UP WITH ME. I AM IN GOOD HEALTH BUT AT 50 WITH ANOTHER 5 YEARS TO GET INTO THE GROUP, I HAVE PRECIOUS LITTLE TIME TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY OFF MY MORTGAGE AND THE $750,000 IT WILL COST TO PUT MY 2 CHILDREN THROUGH PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS. I WILL PROBABLY BE 75 YRS OLD BEFORE I CAN RETIRE.
WELL, I HAVE DECIDED TO WORK AS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AS OF MARCH 14, 2005. THERE IS LESS PHYSICAL WORK AND MORE TEACHING INVOLVED. I LIKE THE WORK AND HOPE TO REMAIN AT RUSH PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL CENTER IN CHICAGO FOR A LONG TIME. I MAY EVEN WRITE SOME RESEARCH PAPERS.
NOW 4 YEARS LATER, I HAVE BEEN PLACED IN A NICHE. NOT ONE OF THE GOLDEN BOYS BUT VALUED. I'M TOO OLD TO TEACH NEW DOGS NEW TRICKS ONLY OLD TRICKS.
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