Edwards, Arthur R. (Arthur Robin), 1867-1936

Dates

• Existence: 1867 - 1936

Biography

Arthur Robin Edwards spent many years at Northwestern, first as a student and later as a member of the Medical School faculty and Dean of the Medical School. Edwards earned his B.A. in 1888, his M.D. in 1891, and joined the faculty of the Medical School in 1892. He served as Secretary of the Faculty for several years, then in 1907 he became Dean and held that position as well as his faculty position until 1916.

Among Edwards' priorities as Dean were obtaining endowments and increasing research activities. Discussion of endowments can be found in his correspondence, along with matters such as relationships between the Medical School and various hospitals and rearrangement of course requirements. During Edwards' tenure as Dean, the Medical School was in the process of adjusting to new and changing standards in the field; this is reflected in a new requirement for two years of college before entering the Medical School, discussion of a six year combined B.A. and M.D. program, and a required internship for students of medicine.

After a period of some controversy, Edwards resigned in 1916 to allow for the appointment of a Dean who would be a full-time administrator. The next Dean was Arthur I. Kendall, who had been a Professor of Bacteriology. Edwards continued to teach at the Medical School for one year, after which he left Northwestern altogether; he died in Boston in 1936.

For a history of the Medical School, see Leslie B. Arey, Northwestern University Medical School, 1859-1979 (Evanston and Chicago: Northwestern University, 1979)

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