Ensuring a Legacy of HOPE
In the 1970s, when Hal Strelnick chose a career in family medicine, his medical school dean, speaking from the dais at graduation, told him and six other classmates who matched in family medicine: "You're wasting your Yale education."
By any measure, that diagnosis has proven wrong. Hal spent more than 40 years practicing family medicine in the Bronx. Now semi-retired from Einstein as Professor and Chief of the Division of Community Health in the Department of Family and Social Medicine, and Associate Dean for Community Engagement, he also fashioned the legacy of which he is proudest: Bronx Health Opportunities Partnership @Einstein (Bronx HOPE), which helps underserved and disadvantaged students "pursue their dreams to become physicians, public health officers, and nurses."
Now, Hal and his wife, Deb Ellis, an attorney who last directed operations at NJ LEEP, a college-bound program in Newark, have generously contributed to Einstein's endowment to ensure that Bronx HOPE will deliver on its mission for years to come.
"Funding comes and goes, but the need does not," says Hal.
Hal and Deb, both Einstein Legacy Society Members, made their gift through their IRA.
"We've done this while we're still alive so we could structure our gift to ensure that Hal's legacy will live on," Deb explains. "We've both worked in public service, and while we live comfortably, we don't have other major assets. Our retirement savings have grown over the years, and when you give directly from an IRA to charity, the money isn't taxed as income. So, we'll still have enough saved if we live a long time."
Launched in 2004, originally as the Bronx Science and Health Opportunities Partnership, Bronx HOPE was renamed in honor of Hope Spano, a beloved administrator. It focuses on supporting the educational advancement of more than 300 students annually, from elementary through professional school.
"The earlier we reach them, the better their chances of success," Hal says.
Bronx HOPE places a special emphasis on mentorship, enabling students across the country to learn from experienced healthcare professionals and scientists. At Einstein, a summer program brings high school students to Montefiore, where they see firsthand what doctors in different specialties do. Other initiatives include a boot camp for prospective medical students and a virtual program that helps previously unsuccessful medical school hopefuls reapply.
These efforts get results: Since 2008, **92% of medical school applicants** who participated in Bronx HOPE's Medical Pathway Program ultimately matriculated into medical school.
Bronx HOPE also benefits faculty mentors. "Faculty are under so many pressures that it can be hard for them to take on work that isn't about directly advancing their own careers," Hal says. "The linked nature of our programs helps them to focus on the kind and degree of mentoring they want."
Beyond sustaining Bronx HOPE, Hal and Deb hope their gift will help the organization achieve two goals.
The first is to increase appreciation at medical schools for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. "Their knowledge, life experience, and ability to solve real-world problems is invaluable," Hal explains. "There's evidence that they are better advocates and clinicians for people with backgrounds like their own, especially in preventive care."
The second is to ensure continued recognition for bedside manner, community engagement, and other defining strengths of family medicine practitioners.
"Einstein has given me a seat at the table with the best and brightest," Hal says. "But I like to think that the learning has gone in both directions."