Dennis Gates (M.D. '65)
-3.png "Alumnus Dennis Gates (M.D. '65) on the left with Stritch School of Medicine, Dean Marzo.")
What have you been up to since graduating from Loyola?
Since graduating from Loyola, I have enjoyed a busy, fulfilling, and productive life centered on family, service, and medicine.
I am blessed with five children, all of whom have grown into successful adults who appreciate the true values of life. Two of my sons are also Loyola graduates. I have been fortunate to share my life with two remarkable wives. My first wife accompanied me to the Peace Corps, where our first daughter was born in Nigeria. My second wife, Lois, introduced me to the residents of Misericordia Home in Chicago and joined me on dozens of medical mission trips, many of which focused on caring for individuals with disabilities.
Professionally, I became an orthopedic surgeon after graduating from Stritch School of Medicine. While I found great meaning in my medical career, some of the most impactful experiences of my life came through medical missions. From Zaire and Brazil to Haiti and beyond, these opportunities shaped not only my own life but also the lives of my family and, I hope, many of my patients in Chicago.
It was Loyola, and especially Dr. Dean Sheehan, who first inspired this path. As a sophomore, I spent a summer at a small orphanage and clinic in Bahia, Brazil. That experience changed the course of my life.
As a Loyola undergraduate and later as a medical student, I embraced the principles of Jesuit education, particularly the call to service, compassion, and care for others. Those values guided me throughout my career.
Over more than 50 years of overseas work, my goal was never simply to save lives, but to help people with disabilities live better lives. Lois, who dedicated 53 years of service to Misericordia, strengthened my ability to pursue that mission. Together, we completed 13 missions to the same hospital in Brazil, helping train seven orthopedic surgeons and improving the lives of hundreds of patients with disabilities. She traveled with me, kept me organized, and ensured I remained focused on what mattered most.
I was also fortunate to bring my children on many of these trips. They worked hard and learned firsthand that life can be challenging and that service to others is both meaningful and necessary. Some of the most difficult work came in Haiti following the devastating earthquake, where I returned on 10 separate missions to continue providing care and support. Along the way, I had the privilege of working with many Loyola medical students, mentoring future physicians and sharing experiences that I hope influenced their own journeys.
Looking back, I am deeply grateful for the education, values, and opportunities Loyola provided. They shaped not only my career but also my commitment to serving others, a commitment that has guided my life ever since.
How do you feel your experience at LUC prepared you for your career or life in general?
Loyola and Stritch taught me to embrace and live out many of the core principles of Jesuit education. They made those values both understandable and achievable, and they became a guiding force throughout my life and career. Whether at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Rush University Medical Center, Stritch School of Medicine, or on medical missions in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Haiti, those principles shaped the way I cared for patients, worked with colleagues, and served others. They have also influenced how I approach everyday life in Chicago and continue to guide me today.
What professor or class at Loyola shaped you on a personal or professional level?
Several Loyola mentors had a profound impact on both my personal and professional development. Dr. John Sheehan, my dean, inspired my commitment to service and global outreach. Dr. Walter Wood, an infectious disease specialist, and Dr. John Haley encouraged me to continue my work overseas and broaden my perspective on patient care. Dr. Frederick Selfridge helped me organize the clinic in Brazil that became a cornerstone of my mission work. Father Jack O’Callaghan also played an important role through his involvement in Loyola’s international programs. Their guidance, encouragement, and example helped shape the physician and person I became.
What are your fondest memories of Loyola?
Some of my fondest memories of Loyola include walking up and down the stairways in the original Stritch building on Walcott Street and catching the distinct smell of formaldehyde from the cadavers on the fourth floor. Those early days are still vivid and meaningful to me.
I also deeply value the experiences I had working alongside Stritch medical students and residents, both overseas on mission trips and in academic conferences. Those shared moments of learning and service created lasting bonds and shaped my appreciation for collaborative medical practice.
How have you stayed connected to Loyola?
I was a member of the Loyola faculty for about 10 to 20 years, which allowed me to stay closely connected to the university and its students. Even after that time, I continued working with students through their overseas experiences and also gave several lectures on integrative and holistic medicine. And of course, I still enjoy the occasional basketball game, which keeps me connected to the Loyola community in a more casual but meaningful way.
Do you want to be a Featured Rambler? Submit this Alumni Spotlight form and a member of our team will follow up.
What have you been up to since graduating from Loyola?
Since graduating from Loyola, I have enjoyed a busy, fulfilling, and productive life centered on family, service, and medicine.
I am blessed with five children, all of whom have grown into successful adults who appreciate the true values of life. Two of my sons are also Loyola graduates. I have been fortunate to share my life with two remarkable wives. My first wife accompanied me to the Peace Corps, where our first daughter was born in Nigeria. My second wife, Lois, introduced me to the residents of Misericordia Home in Chicago and joined me on dozens of medical mission trips, many of which focused on caring for individuals with disabilities.
Professionally, I became an orthopedic surgeon after graduating from Stritch School of Medicine. While I found great meaning in my medical career, some of the most impactful experiences of my life came through medical missions. From Zaire and Brazil to Haiti and beyond, these opportunities shaped not only my own life but also the lives of my family and, I hope, many of my patients in Chicago.
It was Loyola, and especially Dr. Dean Sheehan, who first inspired this path. As a sophomore, I spent a summer at a small orphanage and clinic in Bahia, Brazil. That experience changed the course of my life.
As a Loyola undergraduate and later as a medical student, I embraced the principles of Jesuit education, particularly the call to service, compassion, and care for others. Those values guided me throughout my career.
Over more than 50 years of overseas work, my goal was never simply to save lives, but to help people with disabilities live better lives. Lois, who dedicated 53 years of service to Misericordia, strengthened my ability to pursue that mission. Together, we completed 13 missions to the same hospital in Brazil, helping train seven orthopedic surgeons and improving the lives of hundreds of patients with disabilities. She traveled with me, kept me organized, and ensured I remained focused on what mattered most.
I was also fortunate to bring my children on many of these trips. They worked hard and learned firsthand that life can be challenging and that service to others is both meaningful and necessary. Some of the most difficult work came in Haiti following the devastating earthquake, where I returned on 10 separate missions to continue providing care and support. Along the way, I had the privilege of working with many Loyola medical students, mentoring future physicians and sharing experiences that I hope influenced their own journeys.
Looking back, I am deeply grateful for the education, values, and opportunities Loyola provided. They shaped not only my career but also my commitment to serving others, a commitment that has guided my life ever since.
How do you feel your experience at LUC prepared you for your career or life in general?
Loyola and Stritch taught me to embrace and live out many of the core principles of Jesuit education. They made those values both understandable and achievable, and they became a guiding force throughout my life and career. Whether at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Rush University Medical Center, Stritch School of Medicine, or on medical missions in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Haiti, those principles shaped the way I cared for patients, worked with colleagues, and served others. They have also influenced how I approach everyday life in Chicago and continue to guide me today.
What professor or class at Loyola shaped you on a personal or professional level?
Several Loyola mentors had a profound impact on both my personal and professional development. Dr. John Sheehan, my dean, inspired my commitment to service and global outreach. Dr. Walter Wood, an infectious disease specialist, and Dr. John Haley encouraged me to continue my work overseas and broaden my perspective on patient care. Dr. Frederick Selfridge helped me organize the clinic in Brazil that became a cornerstone of my mission work. Father Jack O’Callaghan also played an important role through his involvement in Loyola’s international programs. Their guidance, encouragement, and example helped shape the physician and person I became.
What are your fondest memories of Loyola?
Some of my fondest memories of Loyola include walking up and down the stairways in the original Stritch building on Walcott Street and catching the distinct smell of formaldehyde from the cadavers on the fourth floor. Those early days are still vivid and meaningful to me.
I also deeply value the experiences I had working alongside Stritch medical students and residents, both overseas on mission trips and in academic conferences. Those shared moments of learning and service created lasting bonds and shaped my appreciation for collaborative medical practice.
How have you stayed connected to Loyola?
I was a member of the Loyola faculty for about 10 to 20 years, which allowed me to stay closely connected to the university and its students. Even after that time, I continued working with students through their overseas experiences and also gave several lectures on integrative and holistic medicine. And of course, I still enjoy the occasional basketball game, which keeps me connected to the Loyola community in a more casual but meaningful way.
Do you want to be a Featured Rambler? Submit this Alumni Spotlight form and a member of our team will follow up.