The Fraternity started funding educational lectures for our medical chapters shortly after Phi Delta Epsilon was started by Aaron Brown in 1904.  Each chapter has always been promised education by our Foundation.  Members made donations to the Foundation so that this legacy could continue.

 

When Dr. Aaron Brown passed away, this lecture was named after him.  In PhiDE, we have a few awards and lectures named after the members who have affected the most positive change on our organization. 

 

When premedical chapters in 1994, the undergraduate chapters were being organized and the Foundation wanted to ensure they had educational resources.  Because their lectures would not be as technical as medical lectures, the Fraternity wanted to differentiate between the two types of lectures offered.  Our premedical lectures were going to be called Foundation Sponsored Scientific Lectures until the death of one of our youngest and most active fraters.

 

Dr. William Gelfand, son of Dan Gelfand, MD (of whom our Outstanding Premedical Award is named) died at the age of 35.  William, known as Bill to his fraters, had been very involved with the Fraternity during his medical school career and had been convention delegate and chapter president.  Bill was always smiling, always glad to be of help and always there for our Fraternity.  Although he was a newly established physician, he was already active on the national level as a District Governor and was in line to be a National President. When he passed away at the early age, our Fraternity viewed this as a true tragedy.  The Fraternity Officers knew that Bill would have remained active throughout his life and wanted his legacy to be known for years to come.