All in the Family: The Fullers of West Hartford
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Chair of Emergency Medicine at UConn Health, Dr. Robert Fuller, with two of his three daughters who are all following in his footsteps with careers in medicine. Pictured are Ellen Fuller, a soon-to-be UConn medical student, and Dr. Sarah Fuller, a 2023 graduate of UConn School of Medicine. Julia, not pictured, is a successful emergency room charge nurse. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo. Courtesy photo)
For the father of three daughters, happiness is the goal Dr. Robert Fuller has for his children as they follow in his medical career footsteps.
By Lauren Woods, Assistant Vice President of Health Communications for UConn Health and Director of Communication for UConn School of Medicine
Medicine is all in the Fuller family of West Hartford.
“Happiness is the goal always,” stressed the father of three daughters, Dr. Robert Fuller, this Father’s Day for Sarah, Julia, and Ellen who are all pursuing careers in the medical field just like dad.
Chair of Emergency Medicine at UConn Health, Dr. Robert Fuller, left, with two of his three daughters, Ellen Fuller, a soon-to-be UConn medical student, and Dr. Sarah Fuller, a 2023 graduate of UConn School of Medicine. Julia, not pictured, is a successful emergency room charge nurse. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo. Courtesy photo)
Since 2016, Fuller has served as chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UConn Health and professor of emergency medicine at UConn School of Medicine. His oldest daughter Dr. Sarah Fuller is a 2016 graduate of UConn and 2023 graduate of its School of Medicine. She is proudly following in her dad’s footsteps, training to be an emergency medicine physician at the University of Miami. She wants to help the underserved populations more frequently seeking care inside emergency rooms.
“I am so grateful to UConn. UConn School of Medicine was amazing and fully prepared me for residency,” said Sarah.
His youngest daughter Ellen, who graduated from UConn in 2022, spent a year volunteering in America Corps through CT AHEC based at UConn Health, and is looking forward to starting UConn School of Medicine this August following in her sister Sarah’s footsteps.
Chair of Emergency Medicine at UConn Health, Dr. Robert Fuller, with two of his three daughters who are all following in his footsteps with careers in medicine. Pictured are Ellen Fuller, a soon-to-be UConn medical student, and Dr. Sarah Fuller, a 2023 graduate of UConn School of Medicine. Julia, not pictured, is a successful emergency room charge nurse. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo. Courtesy photo)
Sarah said, “I am so excited for my sister Ellen to experience UConn medical school first-hand as well.”
“I am excited too,” shared Ellen. “I want to help people wherever I can just like my dad. UConn’s medical school is all about community service. It was at the top of my list. I saw my sister Sarah love going through UConn School of Medicine, and I want to be a part of it.”
Fuller is proud of his other daughter, Julia, an emergency medicine charge nurse at Darthmouth Medical Center. She graduated from UConn Storrs in 2019.
“She is the most like Dad, and the best ER nurse,” Fuller proudly shared with a smile about his middle-child, Julia.
The Fuller girls have a lot to say about their father, too.
“Our father is so humble. He really shows how much he cares about others. He is dedicated to caring for the community through action,” they said.
Fuller has distinguished himself around the United States and the world as a longtime volunteer with the International Medical Corps, a humanitarian organization that deploys doctors to disaster-ravaged areas from earthquakes to hurricanes to provide health care relief. Closer to home, he also led UConn Health’s efforts to plan and mobilize efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Rob Fuller stands in front of the COVID-19 Patient Evaluation tent he created as part of John Dempsey hospital’s response plan. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)
“Our dad’s actions have been a big driver for us all entering medicine,” shards the Fuller sisters. “He puts the community members he serves and his emergency room team first.”
“We are so lucky to have him as our dad,” they said. “Plus, we can always call him for advice.”
Fuller couldn’t be happier for his daughters, his medical career, and UConn Health.
“I’m happy. I’ve enjoyed my medical career on this planet,” said, Fuller who is thrilled that careers in health care are making all his children happy, too.
“Medicine is thoughtful. Our family likes to study and learn. In medicine, you are always learning something new. My children spent their lives going with me on medical trips around the world,” he said.
And Fuller’s wife, Natalie, while not working in the medical field is a scientist with a Ph.D. in molecular biology, and works as a scientific editor.
“The Fuller family will always try to help out others,” he added. “Connecticut really cares about its state University. I am really proud of UConn and our health system UConn Health. UConn Health plays a really important role of teaching and producing and preparing the next generation of physicians to take care of our citizens.”
Fuller concluded proudly, “My daughters are a strong example of exactly what we do at UConn.”
“We are happy, and happy to be a part of our father’s legacy and UConn’s,” shared the Fuller sisters. “UConn doctors are well-trained.”
Happy Father’s Day to Dr. Fuller and to all the proud dads out there.
This article, originally published in UConn Today, has been reprinted with permission.
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