Retirement isn't supposed to be this much work, is it? While he officially retired Mar. 1, 2000, Roland Folse is still stationed in his Southern Illinois University office developing an entirely new curriculum for their School of Medicine. He's also teaching and doing administrative work. What gives? "The only thing I've given up completely is practicing medicine," he says.

That's good news for the medical students at SIU. Folse has chaired the department of surgery there since the school of medicine's inception in 1971. Reflecting upon Folse being given the Distinguished Service Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Surgical Education (ASE), former ASE president Merril Dayton said of him, "It is not inconceivable that future historians will look upon Dr. Folse as the foremost surgical educator of his generation."

"If I'm known for anything around the country," says Folse, "it is as a surgical educator. The thing that has been the most meaningful to me is my association with students and residents."

He says many of his teaching philosophies were born out of his experiences at Southwestern. "Small classes, personal touch, knowing my students. That has fit me very well. It's much different than my medical school experience at Johns Hopkins University. There wasn't as much attention to individual students."

Folse came to Southwestern from Beaumont, Texas, in the early 50's. He was a chemistry major, active in student government and a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He also took a French class where he met the woman he would marry. Hazen Folse '54 was a music major and Miss Southwestern in 1954.

"Our French grades certainly went down after that. That was a very enjoyable time for us, one of the highlights of our lives."

His grades must not have suffered much, because he graduated first in their class. The two were married a few weeks later. After Folse completed medical school at Johns Hopkins, they moved to Seattle, where he completed his residency and taught for two years at the University of Washington Medical School.

In 1971, Folse was asked to move half way across the country to head the department of surgery at SIU Medical School, a brand new institution. Although reluctant at first, he accepted the offer. "I wasn't sure what caused me to agree to it. I guess it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a challenge, a new adventure. Of course, I didn't fully understand the complexity of the job, but I'd always been interested in teaching and the organizational aspect of heading a department intrigued me. SIU is now a substantial state school with good students and faculty serving the region. We're doing what good medical schools are supposed to do."

Outside of his work with SIU, Folse is a successful artist and horticulturist. His love of art is a family affair. His mother was a talented artist and his oldest brother was a professional artist. His interest in horticulture, specifically bonsai trees, comes from his 10 years living in Seattle. "Living there, you become interested in what rain is good for." Bonsai are small, ornamentally shaped trees, and Folse still has some he started in the early 1960's. He estimates he now has 150 to 200 bonsai of 50 varieties of trees spread out in the two greenhouses attached to his Lake Springfield home.

When he decided to make the pots for his trees, it sparked an interest in ceramics. He has sold much of his pottery professionally for years now. "I like to create. Maybe it's my surgical instinct, but most of my life has been devoted to doing things, rather than being introspective."

In April, SIU sponsored an art exhibit featuring the culmination of Folse's life's work. He sold 100 pieces of artwork, including bonsai, woodwork, ceramics, and paintings. He donated all of the proceeds to student scholarships.

Folse and Hazen have four children and five grandchildren. Although scattered across the country, they remain very close. He says he's looking forward to fishing and traveling in his retirement. That is, whenever he actually does retire.