“Her major guiding principles were to enhance the care of lupus patients by careful observation and documentation of this multifaceted condition and by greater understanding of the pathophysiology of lupus through excellent clinical and laboratory correlations and research studies.”
“Naomi’s extraordinary concern for her lupus patients translated into her giving her telephone number to many patients. They called her frequently to discuss not only their condition, but also personal life events.”
“As an educator, Naomi expected a high standard of knowledge from her trainees through reading, attending academic meetings, participating in clinical or laboratory research, and presenting and publishing results. She also expected a high standard of clinical and empathetic care for all patients and for lupus patients in particular. I recall that after our busiest lupus clinic, the fellows and faculty spent another 60–90 minutes reviewing and discussing each patient who had been seen.”
From France to Farmington
Fate paired Dr. Rothfield with a young immunologist named Maurizio Zanetti, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of San Diego, La Jolla, Calif., when they shared an office in Paris. “She was the chief of rheumatology at UConn and was doing a sabbatical in France. We became friends, and when she invited me to come to the U.S. she sounded like the prophet of my future. I accepted her offer, and actually stayed with her and her family for the first two months in the U.S.”
“Naomi’s leadership skills were legendary. She was always on top of any situation,” says Dr. Zanetti. “She dove into projects with a rarely seen vibrancy and enthusiasm. I think her passion is what she will most be remembered for. In running the division, she would skillfully connect the dots for patients in order to improve their lives. She saw their misery and was determined to do something about it using the best Medicine had to offer in those days. Naomi didn’t allow things to stand in her way. I can close my eyes and see her working feverishly on a grant, hacking away on an old typewriter.”
“Last month there was a celebration of life for her husband, and we got to sit together. She still ‘had it’ and recalled the names and situations of multiple patients from 43 years ago.”
Micha Abeles, MD, a rheumatologist at the Center for Arthritis and Rheumatologic Disease in Meriden, Conn., worked with Dr. Rothfield for 40 years. “She was a brilliant physician who was demanding, exacting and expected excellence from those who worked with her. I recall when she seemed to have written chapters on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for every textbook available. I watched in amazement as she typed without notes because she knew the literature by heart.
