In memory of Professor E.V. Frolova

Abstract

This obituary is dedicated to Professor E.V. Frolova of the Department of Family Medicine, a member of the editorial board of the Russian Family Doctor Journal.

Full Text

Professor Elena Vladimirovna Frolova, DSc, PhD, MD, Professor of the Department of Family Medicine at the North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, a member of the editorial board of the journal “Russian Family Doctor,” passed away on November 20, 2023, at the age of 71 years after a serious and chronic illness.

Elena Vladimirovna joined the Department of Family Medicine at St. Petersburg Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education (SPbMAPO) as an established clinician and teacher in March 1997, a few months after the department’s establishment.

Elena Vladimirovna gained significant practical experience as a physician in the 1970s and 1980s at the specialized cardiology unit of the Leningrad City Ambulance Station. She eventually became the head of the substation. Her work at the Leningrad Research Institute of Cardiology was a crucial stage in her career. Under the guidance of the institute’s Director, Doctor of Medical Sciences Prof. V.A. Almazov, she completed her Ph.D. with the thesis titled “Improving the activity of specialized cardiology teams of emergency medical aid.” After the successful defense of her thesis, she was invited to work as an assistant at the Department of Polyclinic Therapy at the Leningrad Sanitary and Hygienic Medical Institute (since 1994 – St. Petersburg State Medical Academy named after I.I. Mechnikov).

Elena Vladimirovna was a creative person who did not limit herself to teaching. She was always searching for the most relevant topics for scientific research. In the late 1990s, she focused on the effectiveness of preventing noncommunicable diseases, particularly in women. She later pursued this research in another department. In 1996, the Department of Family Medicine was established at the St. Petersburg State Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, now known as the North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov. This department was headed by Prof. Olga Yu. Kuznetsova, DSc, PhD, MD, who had previously worked at the Department of Emergency Medicine of SPbMAPO.

The Department of Family Medicine actively participated in international projects focused on introducing American methodology for training doctors in basic and advanced cardiac life support courses. Elena V. Frolova was a key participant in these projects. Her extensive clinical and teaching experience, combined with her joint work in international projects, led to her appointment as an assistant and later as an associate professor at the Department of Family Medicine in 1997. She was responsible for the department’s scientific activities and resident training. She not only adapted quickly but also continued her scientific research in the field of prevention, which culminated in the successful defense of her doctoral dissertation, “Prevention of cardiovascular diseases in general medical practice,” under the guidance of Prof. Olga Yu. Kuznetsova. Under the leadership of Elena V. Frolova, the Department of Family Medicine implemented various international projects that contributed to the development of new areas of research. One of the most significant projects was dedicated to studying different types of aging in the Russian population. Thanks to Elena’s efforts, terms such as “frailty,” “geriatric syndrome,” and “complex geriatric assessment” were introduced into public health practice. The results of the research in this field have been published in leading international and Russian journals and have received widespread attention. Prof. E.V. Frolova was appointed as the chief specialist in geriatrics of the Ministry of Health of Russia for the Northwest Federal District. She was also elected as a member of the Presidium of the Russian Association of Geriatricians and Gerontologists and a member of the dissertation council on the scientific specialty “Geriatrics and Gerontology” at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University.

Anna. V. Turusheva was invited to work at the Department of Family Medicine after successfully defending her Ph.D. thesis in English under the supervision of Prof. Jan Degrise from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium). This marked the beginning of a large study that culminated in Anna V. Turusheva defending her doctoral dissertation in 2023 at the Dissertation Council of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University. Elena Vladimirovna supervised five PhD theses, including those of Claudia Konson, a nurse with higher education and a citizen of Israel.

Elena Vladimirovna has dedicated considerable time and effort to enhance the teaching of family medicine and geriatrics. She has introduced various teaching methodologies, including the use of clinical cases, for which she coauthored a manual for nursing teachers in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo, Norway. In addition, she has developed methods for problem-oriented teaching, blended learning, and a methodology for creating educational films.

All members of the department have fond memories of the “Spring Schools of Practical Geriatrics” organized by Elena Vladimirovna. These schools brought together doctors from different regions of our country, and foreign colleagues from Europe, Israel, and the USA who acted as teachers. Methodological support for teaching was not limited to the preparation of teaching aids. With Elena Vladimirovna as the author and title editor, national guidelines for general practitioners and geriatricians were published, along with a manual for doctors titled “The Elderly Patient in Family Medicine Practice” and a textbook for students titled “Polyclinic Therapy.”

Elena Vladimirovna has been actively involved in promoting orthogeriatrics in our country and implementing interdisciplinary management principles for older patients with fractures. She was elected as the Vice President of the Russian Alliance “Fragile age — FFN-RUSSIA,” conducted a series of webinars on orthogeriatrics, and was the driving force behind the establishment of the first orthogeriatric clinic in the country, which is based at the Hospital for War Veterans in St. Petersburg.

Elena V. Frolova was always willing to assist and provide support to the staff of the Department and the Center for Family Medicine. Her advice as an exceptional clinician was highly valued by patients, faculty, and students of the university who sought her expertise.

Elena Vladimirovna’s sessions with the department’s residents were always incredibly informative and enriching. She not only imparted her knowledge to the young physicians but also helped them develop their clinical thinking, teaching them to approach diagnosis and treatment with care and attention to detail.

Despite having a very busy professional life, Elena Vladimirovna managed to be a caring wife, mother, and grandmother. She devoted much of her attention to her beloved grandchildren, encouraging their interest in knowledge and helping them develop a love for reading and classical music. Elena Vladimirovna was a versatile personality, and she believed that these activities were essential for the development of a well-rounded individual.

The staff of the Department and the Center for Family Medicine, along with the members of the editorial board of the journal Russian Family Doctor, are deeply saddened by the loss of Elena Vladimirovna. We will always remember her and her contributions to the scientific projects that she initiated and worked tirelessly to bring to fruition. Her students will continue to carry on her legacy by not only continuing but also expanding upon these projects.

We remember our wonderful colleague, teacher, and friend with fondness. May their memory be a blessing!

From the Editor

The North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, the Department of Family Medicine, and the editorial board of the Russian Family Physician have received condolences from the chief freelance geriatric specialist of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Director of the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Olga N. Tkacheva, DSc, PhD, MD, as well as colleagues from Belgium, the USA, and Israel.

I offer my sincere condolences, on behalf of the staff of the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center, as well as the Russian Association of Geriatricians and Gerontologists, for the loss of Elena Vladimirovna Frolova. She was an exceptional scientist, teacher, physician, and professor.

Elena Vladimirovna exceptionally displayed great courage and determination in defending the interests of science. She was a gifted teacher, mentor, and highly skilled professional. Elena Vladimirovna made a significant contribution to the advancement of Russian geriatrics by establishing a scientific school and training numerous students. For several generations of her followers and colleagues, Elena Vladimirovna will always be remembered as a model of dedication and a symbol of integrity, kindness, and bravery.

Sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Elena Vladimirovna.

O.N. Tkacheva

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To my dearest colleague and friend, Prof. Elena Vladimirova Frolova,

You were such an inspiring lady, always radiating a positive and encouraging atmosphere around you, and you were so supportive of the new generation. You have impacted so many and left behind such a great legacy in family medicine, geriatric care, and research in your country. I am sad to lose such a wonderful friend. You will continue to occupy a special place in my memory and heart.

Prof. Jan Degryse (Belgium)