Devastating diagnosis turns doctor into patient & mentor in unusual Alzheimer’s buddy program

CHICAGO – A retired Chicago physician and educator is getting a bittersweet last chance to teach about medicine. This time Dr. Dan Winship is the subject.

He’s 80 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Winship is among patients in a buddy program that gives medical students a close-up look at a disease they’ll likely see often in their careers.

Alzheimer’s affects millions nationwide and the numbers are expected to keep rising.

Northwestern University is among a handful of medical schools that run Alzheimer buddy programs. Students and patients socialize often and get to know each other during the school year.

Winship is paired with first-year med student Jared Worthington. He says the best part is just getting to hang out together.