About Frederick S. Crisafulli
Frederick S. Crisafulli was born and raised in New York, Dr. Crisafulli was a graduate of NYU Medical School. As he and two colleagues completed their residencies, they decided to go into practice together. “They got out a map and picked out cities on the East coast where they thought they might like to practice,” Bettina, his wife for over 50 years, recalls, noting they contacted physicians they knew at the Miriam Hospital and were encouraged to visit.
The young doctors were sold on Rhode Island, completed fellowships at the Miriam, and went into practice together. It was the beginning of Dr. Crisafulli’s 40-year career, from which he retired in 2013.
A clinical professor at Brown University, Dr. Crisafulli’s many professional achievements included serving as president of the medical staff at the Miriam and of Health Care Review.
“He was not only a physician, he was a healer. He had a thirst for knowledge. Italian became one of the loves of his life and he studied it for 25 years. He was truly a Renaissance man. He knew so much about everything. He had a great sense of humor, was a talented musician, and loved his family. He was the most genuine, thoughtful, interactive person you could ever meet. People would always stop by our house to ask for his advice,” Bettina says.
She concludes, “This really is the perfect thing for Fred. If this helps even one student a year, it’s a wonderful legacy.”