Chicago City Wire

For Margaret Bavis, Rush University System for Health is more than just a workplace; it is an integral part of her life and family history. Her connection to Rush began with her parents, both healthcare professionals who built their careers at Rush University Medical Center. Her mother, Mildred Perlia, was a faculty member and philanthropist who supported nursing science and patient care initiatives. Her father, Charles Perlia, served as the director of oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine.

“Rush has always been in my blood,” Bavis stated. “I was born at Rush. I have always gone to Rush. I work at Rush. I gave birth at Rush.”

Bavis initially pursued psychology but found her calling in nursing while working on the psychiatric unit at Rush University Medical Center. She appreciated nursing as a holistic approach to patient care and decided to pursue an advanced degree at Rush.

“Nursing is a holistic way to approach patients,” she explained. “It’s patient-centric and deeply focused on understanding the whole person.”

Currently, Bavis serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing and participates actively in various educational roles.

“It says something about an organization when people want to find their own joy in it,” she remarked.

Her commitment extends beyond academia through a partnership between Rush and CommunityHealth, where she mentors nurse practitioner students while treating patients on Chicago’s West Side.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Bavis noted. “The program has expanded, reaching more students and allowing us to provide high-quality care to diverse patient populations.”

Aligned with Rush's mission for health equity, Bavis emphasizes social factors affecting health in her teaching approach.

“Rush’s mission of health equity is a core part of why I stay,” she said.

As an educator under the “practitioner-teacher” model, she values sharing real clinical experiences with her students.

“I always felt like my professors were truly expert clinicians,” Bavis recalled.

Looking ahead, Bavis hopes for continued expansion of community health partnerships and strengthening nursing education at Rush. Her ties to the institution remain strong as she contributes to its evolving legacy.