July 7, 2020
Nine years ago, the daughter of long-time Local 355 Burris Foods driver, Leonard Russell, set her sights on a medical career. With her father’s encouragement, Rebecca applied for and received a $10,000 award from the 2011 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. Today, as Rebecca Jean Russell, M.D., she is doing her medical residency at Christiana Care Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.
Dr. Russell achieved her dream of becoming a family physician specializing in geriatrics after an eight-year educational journey.
“Thank you so much for supporting me and my family on my journey to becoming a medical doctor,” Dr. Russell wrote in a recent letter to the Teamsters. “I have completed my education at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University [Philadelphia, Pa.]. Completing this dream would not have been possible without the generosity of the Teamsters. Through helping me complete my education, I have gained invaluable experiences at Thomas Jefferson University, which have shaped my outlook on medicine and will no doubt influence my future career.”
The only child of Leonard and Donna Russell, Dr. Russell graduated from Milford High School (Milford, Del.) and was valedictorian of her class. At the time, she aspired to be a dermatologist. Dr. Russell completed her undergraduate education in the Biochemistry/Pre-Med Program at the University of Delaware. She went on to graduate from the University of Delaware with an Honors Degree of Bachelor of the Arts in Biological Sciences with Distinction with minors in Medical Humanities, Medical Diagnostics, and Spanish. At the University of Delaware, she completed a research thesis, worked as a resident assistant, and served as the president of the Biological Honors Society.
“Again, thank you for all your help on this journey! We couldn’t have done it without your wonderful support.”
Local 355 extends its congratulations and best wishes to the Russell family.
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