Richard Eisenberg (1942-2025)

Richard Eisenberg, a foundational figure at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Medical School, passed away. He was one of ten founding faculty members and served as the head of the Department of Pharmacology for 29 years. A pioneer in educational technology, Eisenberg developed educational software programs and established a small business to distribute them. Beyond his academic career, he was deeply involved in the Duluth community, holding leadership positions such as president of Temple Israel in Duluth and president of a community mental health agency. A professor emeritus, he was a respected leader in his professional field and a dedicated community member.

Richard Eisenberg was a key figure in developing pharmacology education at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). He was a member of the Subcommittee for Drugs Acting on the Central Nervous System, group within the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), which was responsible for creating pharmacology knowledge objectives for medical students. This work was part of a larger effort to standardize and improve pharmacology education, ensuring future physicians had a strong foundational understanding of drug actions and their appropriate use.

He was a co-editor of the "Knowledge Objectives in Medical Pharmacology", a crucial document sponsored by the AMSPC. This document was designed to provide guidance to faculty members on the essential pharmacology concepts and content that should be taught to medical students, and the updated version is still being used today. His involvement helped shape the curriculum and educational standards for pharmacology in medical schools, ensuring a consistent and comprehensive foundation for future physicians.