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Active Faculty
Although we are not a true university and so we have no true "faculty," these excellent professionals have been selected for their expertise, experience and abilities to communicate those accomplishments and many have been with for many years.
Kinder Fayssoux, MD
She has also obtained a certification in Functional Medicine. Dr. Fayssoux runs the Integrative Track in the residency programs and immensely enjoys teaching these skills to her residents and students.
She completed medical school at St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO and her family residency in Philadelphia, PA. She has written multiple chapters in family medicine textbooks and peer reviewed manuscripts.
Leonard A. Hess, DDS, PA
Dr. Leonard Hess maintains a complete care focused private practice in Monroe, NC.
Dr. Hess attended Indiana University for his undergraduate education, and received his DDS from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. Dr. Hess is one of five Senior Faculty members of The Dawson Academy and an internationally recognized lecturer, author, and consultant. He is a member of the AACD, AES, NCDS, and ADA.
Chad M. Kamel DDS
Chad Kamel is a specialist in Prosthodontics, having completed dental school at The University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in 2001.
He continued his training with advanced education in general dentistry through the University of Florida. Lastly, he received his specialty training in prosthodontics through The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Kamel continues to practice full-time focused on implant and esthetic prosthodontics in the city of Boca Raton, Florida. He also lectures nationally on topics related to his specialty and in addition is a current faculty and speaker at the prestigious Sclar Implant Center in Miami.
Vickie Milazzo Institute
Founded by Vickie L Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD, Vickie Milazzo Institute is the nation’s oldest and largest legal nurse consultant training institute. Nationally recognized by attorneys, the CLNC® Certification is the official certification of the National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC®).
Christine Koman, JD
In addition, she provides third party claims management services to system affiliated physician and allied health professional groups. Prior to joining Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare, she was a partner at Hall Prangle and Schoonveld concentrating in health care related and medical malpractice litigation in Chicago.
Alice D. Domar, PhD
Dr. Domar received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Health Psychology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Ferkauf School of Professional Psychology of Yeshiva University. Her post-doctoral training was at Beth Israel Hospital, Deaconess Hospital, and Children’s Hospital, all in Boston.
She has conducted research on infertility, breast cancer, menopausal symptoms, ovarian cancer, pregnancy, and premenstrual syndrome. Dr. Domar has earned an international reputation as one of the country's top women's health experts.
She is currently the Executive Director of the Domar Centers for Mind/Body Health, and the Director of Mind/Body Services at Boston IVF. She is an associate professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, part-time, at Harvard Medical School, and a senior staff psychologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Dr. Domar has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments as a best-selling author, media authority and sought-after public speaker. She is the author of numerous books, including the national best seller “Self-Nurture”, and is on the advisory board for Parents Magazine. She was on the Board of Experts for ShareCare.com and was a columnist for Redbook and Health magazines. She was also a featured expert for LLuminari and on the online social health network BeWell.com. She served on the board of Resolve for ten years.
Three of her books have been finalists for the Books for a Better Life Award. She was also the Series Editor for a series of mind/body books by Harvard Medical Publications/Simon and Schuster. She is the narrator of the DVD’s “Stress and Relaxation Explained” and “Infertility Explained”, both of which won silver Telly Awards. Dr. Domar has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Dateline NBC, CNN, PBS, and the CBS and NBC Evening News, to name a few. She presents lectures and conducts workshops throughout the US and around the world and went on tour with Oprah in the spring of 2004 and 2005 with the LLuminari team. Dr. Domar was named to the prestigious list of 15 “Women to Watch in 2004” by Lifetime TV. Her seventh book, “Finding Calm for the Expectant Mom” came out in 2016.
Christopher Gharibo, MD
Christopher Gharibo, MD is an Associate Professor with the Departments of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine as well as Orthopedics at NYU School of Medicine and serves as the Medical Director of Pain Medicine at NYU Langone Hospitals Center. Dr. Gharibo obtained his M.D. degree from Rutgers Medical School in 1992 and completed his anesthesiology residency at NYU Medical Center. He served his Pain Medicine fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology and holds subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine.
He has acute pain experience with system-wide use of interventional techniques in combination with nonopioids and opioids as part of multimodal acute pain management pathways.
His areas of clinical expertise include low back and neck pain of musculoskeletal and spinal origin, cancer pain, and neuropathic pain syndromes such as painful peripheral neuropathies and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
His areas of technical expertise include nerve blocks, peripheral and spinal injection techniques for diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain syndromes including joint injections, epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks, facet injections, facet nerve blocks, radiofrequency rhizotomy as well as drug delivery systems and spinal cord stimulators. Many of these injections can provide diagnostic answers and be tailored to provide prolonged pain relief and functional improvement when used as part of an overall plan of care.
Rocky Khosla, MD, CAQSM, CAQBIM
Dr. Khosla has served as a crew chief with the United States Olympic Committee as part of their anti-doping program and has served as the teams physician for Pueblo City Schools, District 70 schools, and for Colorado State University-Pueblo. And yes, you might have seen him on the Weather Channel, Dateline NBC and Strange Evidence for his involvement in the 29th Street water rescue. His interests include kayaking, mountain biking, running, skiing, snowboarding and spending time with his wife and four kids.
Joshua Steinberg, MD
Dr. Steinberg has 20 years experience in patient care and medical education. At the UHS residency, he currently leads pregnancy care and education, quality improvement projects, scholarly activities, and evidence based medicine training. He also has a faculty appointment at Upstate Medical University, teaching medical students in a variety of roles over two decades of service. He presents regionally and nationally on medical practice and medical education topics. He has been published in American Family Physician, explaining and interpreting new findings to his field. He runs a nationwide collaborative curriculum project in obstetrics and leads regionally in the IMPLICIT Interconception Care project.
Closer to home he is a husband and father of two energetic boys. Dr. Steinberg enjoys running and biking and cooking with his kids, and posting lousy times at regional triathlons. He has a nerdy tech side, which you’ll hear a bit about. And he has vision. He believes that an army of well-trained family physicians armed with good information and good values can fix most of what ails American healthcare.
Carolyn J. Sachs, MD, MPH
For the last 23 years she has served as a chairwoman of the UCLA Intimate Partner Violence Committee. She serves as the voluntary medical director for a comprehensive forensic sexual assault examination program which provides over 1200 emergent sexual assault examinations to adults and children living in Southern California each year.
Dr. Sachs also a full time practicing academic emergency physician in the UCLA Emergency Department with an interest in physician well-being. She serves on the UCLA physician Health and Wellness committee and as the faculty advisor for the UCLA/OV Emergency Residency Wellness Committee. She has lectured nationally and internationally about intimate partner violence, sexual assault, provider well-being and other emergency medicine topics.
Chaim Lotan, MD, FACC, FESC
Prof. Lotan served as President of the Israel Heart Society in 2011-2013. He participates in various basic science and clinical research projects, and he is a consultant to several start-up companies. He is Course Co-Director of the international scientific congress “Innovations in Cardiovascular Interventions” held in Israel. Prof. Lotan initiated, and together with Dr. Yaakov Nahmias, built the interdisciplinary academic track of Biodesign Innovation at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Sughu Malayil Koshy, BDS, MSc (UK), DDPHRCS (England)
Dr. Sughu Koshy completed Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Annamalai University, Chidambaran, India in 1992. He finished MSc in Community Dental Practice from King's college London, UK with Merit and was also awarded Diploma in Dental Public Health (DDPHRCS) from the Royal College of surgeons of England. He is a member of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD), European Association of Dental Public health (EADPH), and member Indian Dental Association.
Dr. Sughu Koshy is currently the Secretary General of AKMG Emirates for the term 2019-2021.
Louis Verardo, MD
A native of Long-Island New York, Dr. Verardo is a 1978 graduate of the University of Bologna, Italy, and a 1981 graduate of the Family Practice Residency Program at Glen Cove Hospital on Long Island. He worked for several years in solo rural practice in Rhode Island, where he participated in and published original research in Lyme disease. He taught residents affiliated with Brown University’s School of Medicine, and he created a new elective rotation in Community Medicine for that institution. In the fall of 1985, he returned to Glen Cove and worked for 11 years as Associate Director of his former program.
In 1996, he took a new position as Medical Director of the Dolan Center, in Huntington, New York, a facility for the uninsured and underinsured in that community. In 2006, he was appointed Assistant Medical Director for Ambulatory Geriatrics at the Parker Jewish Institute’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center. In 2008, he returned to private practice in the South Shore area of Long Island, where he remained until joining the full-time faculty at Stony Brook medical school in late 2009. He then engaged in clinical practice, as well as teaching medical and dental students, and until July of 2016, he had also served as an Assistant Director of Stony Brook’s Family Medicine Residency Program. Although Dr. Verardo retired from active clinical practice on November 30, 2019, he remains a member of the faculty for the medical school course called Medicine in Contemporary Society, as well as serving as a facilitator for the Transition to Clinical Care course in 2020.
Throughout his career, Dr. Verardo has maintained an active teaching presence as a community faculty for several other institutions, including Long Island University (CW Post campus), Adelphi University, Molloy College, Touro College School of Health Sciences, and the former North Shore-Long IslandJewish Health System, now known as Northwell Health.
In addition to his work in Lyme disease, he has published work in familial alcoholism and on maintaining skills in neonatal resuscitation, and he has participated in practice-based research with a variety of national groups, including the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (ASPN). He is involved with the Suffolk chapter of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians (NYSAFP), serving as a county delegate, and he has reviewed program content for several organizations, including the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM), the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM), the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), and the Primary Care Network (PCN), a national CME program for generalist clinicians based in Springfield, Missouri .
Miguel A. Acevedo, MD, FACEP
He has academic appointments with the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and NOVA Southwestern School of Medicine helping hundreds of students on their rotations and mentoring them as they progress in their careers.
Dr. Acevedo has hold innumerable positions in the administration of his group: Florida Emergency Physicians of TH, in the AdventHealth Hospital System and has been involved in the Florida College of Emergency Physicians for more than 20 years, assuming administrative and academic positions.
Karen E. Adams, MD, FACOG*, NCMP**
She has served as a member of the Associate of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Board of Directors, and is immediate past president of the Council on Fellowship Training in OBGYN. She is a member of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education OBGYN Residency Review Committee, an appointed board that accredits all 241 OBGYN residency programs and 85 OBGYN fellowship programs across the country. She co-directs the ACOG School for New OBGYN Residency Program Directors, and she is a member of the ACGME Wellness Working Group, a national group of medical educators working to decrease burnout among medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. She has served as an oral board examiner for the American Board of OBGYN since 2008.
Of all her accomplishments, Dr. Adams is most proud of her directorship of the Menopause and Sexual Medicine Program in the OHSU Center for Women's Health. This program brings together specialists in many fields to provide comprehensive health care for women in perimenopause and beyond, with a special focus on midlife sexuality. She has published more than 30 scientific articles, given hundreds of lectures nationally and internationally, and is looking forward to publication of her first book, "Dr. Karen's Guide to Making Midlife Sex Fun Again."
Thomas G. Allison, PhD, MPH
He has been practicing in the fields of stress testing, cardiac rehabilitation, preventive cardiology, and sports and exercise cardiology for 41 years, including 31 years at the Mayo Clinic. He is a fellow in the American College of Cardiology, American College of Sports Medicine, and National Lipid Association.
Dr. Allison’s research interests parallel his clinical interests. He is currently principal or co-investigator on a number of studies in the field of exercise testing. He hosts students from all over the world who come to learn exercise testing and cardiovascular exercise physiology.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Dr. Allison did his undergraduate work at Princeton University and completed a PhD in exercise physiology and an MPH in cardiovascular epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh. An active participant in regional, national, and international cardiovascular conferences, he has given over 250 invited presentations in more than 25 countries around the world -- on all 6 inhabited continents.
Dr. Allison was for many years a successful long-distance runner with 26 marathons to his credit. He qualified for the US Olympic Trial in the marathon in 1980.
Professor Howard Amital, MD MHA
Prof. Amital conducts clinical and basic research and speaks at international Rheumatology conferences such as the EULAR (European League against Rheumatism) and the ACR (American College of Rheumatology). He has authored over 270 scientific peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and reviews. His papers mainly focus on autoimmunity research primarily in new avenues for the development of therapeutic peptides in RA, roles of vitamin D, use of biological therapy, pain and comorbidities of fibromyalgia and epidemiological studies based on Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) databases.
Sandra L. Argenio, MD
Dr. Argenio has nurtured new generations of doctors, was instrumental in the development of the Family Medicine Residency at Mayo Clinic Florida and served as the program’s first residency director. She has trained and mentored over 150 family medicine residents.
Dr. Argenio served as the President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in 2005 and has been active on many committees of the FAFP and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
She has been active in CME program planning at Mayo Clinic and the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, conducting Maintenance of Certification Workshop sessions on multiple topics for over 1,100 participants at FAFP meetings.
Dr. Argenio had a leading role in establishing communication training at Mayo Clinic starting in 2005. She was Chair of the Mayo Clinic Florida Communication Faculty.
She developed coursework for faculty and trainees at Mayo Clinic, including Longitudinal Research in Academic Medicine, Family Medicine Residency, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Team Communication, Strengthening the Cornerstone of Teamwork at Mayo Clinic’s three campuses. She also served on the Florida Governor’s Physician Workforce Advisory Board.
Dr. Argenio was awarded the Exemplary Teacher Award by FAFP in 2000. She also received the Outstanding Florida Family Medicine Education Award by FAFP in 2000, and the Mayo Distinguished Educator Award in 2003. She was listed as one of Jacksonville’s Best Doctors by Jacksonville Magazine from 2000 to 2014. She has published on the topics of presence, reflective listening and communicating effectively with female patients.
In her current work, she has collaborated in designing curricula and delivering programs at multiple hospitals, hospice organizations, and veterans administration and military healthcare organizations.Dr. Argenio is a graduate of Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Hahnemann Medical University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She completed her Family Medicine Residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania in 1982. She resides in Ormond Beach, Florida, with her husband Tom Sperrazza and daughter Jessie.
Hanish Babu, MD
Dr.Hanish Babu Started his practice in 1983, first as a general physician and then as a specialist dermatologist since 1989. He worked as a general physician among the tribals of Wayanad in the southern Indian state of Kerala from 1983 to 1989. He joined City Medical Centre, Ajman in 1996 as Specialist Dermatologist & Venereologist.
As a dermatologist, Dr.Babu has come across all forms of skin diseases in his busy practice. His patients belong to all nationalities and cultures. He is an avid educator and spends quality time with his patients both in his consultancy and during the group therapy sessions he conducts for psychodermatoses like psoriasis, urticaria, eczema, neurodermatitis etc. He is also a regular speaker in the Continuing Medical Education Programmes for Healthcare professionals in UAE and abroad. As a hobby and social service Dr Babu conducts stress management workshops for different groups.
He is also active in many social and professional organizations and is at present the President of AKMG Emirates, the Association of Kerala Medical and Dental Graduates, working in the UAE, formed in 2003 by the AKMG US. He is a life member of IADVL (Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists) and IMA (Indian Medical Association).
Miklosh Bala, MD
Dr. Bala's clinical and research experience in trauma care started in 2001 while he was a second year surgical resident at the Hadassah Medical Center and was first exposed to trauma surgery. Since then trauma surgery has become a major topic of his investigations and a main subspecialty.
During his period of residency in general surgery at Hadassah Medical Center, he took care of and was involved in the management of hundreds of casualties that arrived at our Trauma Center following terrorist attacks. On the basis of his experiences, he helped to first introduce the civilian protocol for the management of mass casualty incidents MCIs and showed his team's high success rate in saving life by fully utilizing the limited resources available in civilian hospitals. He was able to summarize this experience in a number of recently published papers relating to different aspects of MCI management, for the first time assessed in terms of ICU need and blood use during the MCI (Published in Injury and European Journals). He summarized his data from hundreds of victims suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to terrorist attacks in an article published in the Journal of Trauma.
Collection of this data is an ongoing project, for which he works in close collaboration with a psychological group in his hospital. The importance of these studies has been demonstrated in real-time and he have been invited as an expert speaker and guest lecturer to a number of teaching courses and conferences around the world.
Lastly, he is active in National Homeland Security committee for disaster preparedness, where he works on preparedness for earthquake and chemical disaster on hospital and national levels.
Other topics of special interest:
- Trauma surgery and surgical critical care
- Education in surgery and trauma
Allison Batchelor, MD, CMD, FAMWA
She is trained as a Certified Medical Director through the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Medical Women's Association
Edward M. Bednarczyk, PharmD, FCCP, FAPhA
He received his BS in pharmacy from UB in 1984, and completed a pharmacy practice residency at the Buffalo General Hospital in 1985.
He went on to receive his PharmD degree from the Medical University of South Carolina followed by a fellowship in Clinical Cardiovascular Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals of Cleveland.
His scholarship is split between the use of molecular imaging to explore drug effects, and drug outcomes and utilization.
His clinical responsibilities are divided between nuclear medicine and neurology at the VAMC. He is serving as the president of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APRS) of the APhA.
He established cHOPE as an unfunded center within the School of Pharmacy. It has since grown to approximately 3 million dollars in annual external funding.
Dr. Bednarczyk also serves as the CEO of University Pharmacy Resident Services, Inc, a 501c3 corporation for administering UB’s pharmacy residencies, chairs the Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC), serves on the executive committee of the university faculty senate, and has established himself as to “go to” faculty member for all things related to medical marijuana.
Joseph Beltempo, PhD Psychologist
Assistant Professor
Concordia University, Psychology Dept. Montreal, Canada
Instructor
McGill University, Counseling Psychology Dept. Montreal, Canada
Order of Psychologists of Quebec, Canada (OPQ)
Association of Psychologists of Quebec, Canada (APQ)
Since 1984 he was Lecturer in the Psychology Department of Concordia University (in Montreal) teaching in a wide spectrum of clinical and research areas; he is currently Assistant Professor.
His clinical training was in Gestalt and Cognitive psychology at the University of Montreal. His approach takes into account the holistic (systemic) ways reflecting Native cultural perspectives together with contemporary clinical psychology.
From 1982 to 2013, Dr. Beltempo, senior clinical psychologist, worked for Kahnawake Shakotiia'takenhas Community Services, a Mohawk Community. For two years he was the Coordinator for the Kahnawake Outreach Project, which was established to deal with the after-effects of the 1990 Mohawk Crisis.
His clinical work has largely focused on addiction, mental health, dual diagnosis, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and various methods of clinical intervention. He is highly trained in assessments and interventions of FASD and has received extensive training in diagnostics. He was also a Clinical Supervisor of Doctoral Interns in Psychology at Concordia University (2012-2014).
He is Practicum Instructor at McGill University Counseling Psychology for graduate students in Personality Assessment. He is also an Expert Witness and Consultant for Youth Courts of Quebec involving First Nations peoples. He is the father of three young adults and married since 1980.
Dr. Beltempo received his B.A. in Psychology from McGill University. He earned his Master's (MA, 1979; Ph.D. 1986 and Post-Doctorate, 1990) in Research & Clinical Psychology from Université de Montréal. He is a member of the Order of Psychologists of Quebec since 1979 (Lic. 2675-80).
John Bielinski, Jr. MS, PA-C
The military provided John with a unique learning tool – flash cards. One side of the card had a picture of the vehicle. The other listed identifying features. Reading and flipping the cards a few times, it clicked. John Bielinski learned the information. Quickly and effectively.
His military experience provided John with a foundation to build upon - and he took advantage as he made his way through college. A course at the University at Buffalo provided John with incredible insight into how people learn – called "Methods of Inquiry," the course covered different ways people learned. The course sparked a lifelong passion for learning and education.
After completing his degree, John Bielinski moved into clinical practice and threw himself into learning medicine at an extremely high level. He applied the techniques he had learned during his undergraduate studies to learn and remember medicine. Flash cards and memory tricks provided a solid foundation for retaining information that was critical to saving lives. He retained information and remembered it at critical times. He developed consistent, high-caliber, reproducible systems of assessing patients. Systems for evaluating patients with various symptoms.
John ran a rural emergency department for nine years without a physician on site. He took the opportunity and applied the techniques he had so carefully honed firsthand. John Bielinski got results. He took that success a step further and began teaching Advanced Cardiac Life Support and later an advanced course. Feeding his passion for learning, John developed a new passion for teaching. Through teaching, his learning deepened as well. He taught for ten years at two physician assistant schools in Buffalo, New York,and taped some of his lessons. Those lesson videotapes eventually turned into CME4LIFE.
John Bielinski, Jr. conceptualized CME4LIFE after being frustrated by CME and conferences that focused on learning tools that were…well…boring. Who learns effectively through busy PowerPoint slides or yawn-inducing charts and pie graphs? There had to be a better way.
John feels strongly that God has given him the gift of teaching to share with passionate, intelligent medical providers across the US. His humility in teaching allows him to pursue his passion and provide critical information to those who need it. He coined his unique learning system "Active Engagement Learning"- song and dance, various mnemonics, audience participation and critical thinking lead to CME that is unlike any other product available.
Adam Bisaga, MD
His NIH-funded research is focused on development of new medications to treat opioid and other substance use disorders.
Dr. Bisaga is co-directing federally-funded national training, mentoring, and technical assistance programs aimed at individual practitioners and states to implement treatments for opioid use disorder.
Dr. Bisaga is a member of UN Expert Panel and the UN Office of Drugs and Crime International Scientific Network. He conducts trainings and addiction treatment program developments internationally and he co-edited "UN/WHO International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders."
Dr. Bisaga is a practicing addiction psychiatrist and an author of the book "Overcoming Opioid Addiction."
Paul D. Blaylock, MD, JD, FCLM
Dr. Blaylock is a past ACLM Board Member, lecturer and winner of the Jefferson Cup and President's Award. Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Legal Medicine, Dr. Blaylock has worked in Emergency Medicine Level I/II Trauma Center for 31 years in Portland, Oregon. He has also worked as a Defense Trial Attorney for 25 years.
Nominated Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Tennessee Medical School (2007, 2008), Dr. Blaylock has also been on the Alumni Board of Governors for the University of Tennessee Medical School since 2007. Dr. Blaylock has worked on emergency medicine Disaster Teams in Mexico City, Guatemala, Ground Zero in New York City, and Hurricane Katrina disaster sites.
Dr. Blaylock has served as Adjunct Professor of Law at the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark as well as Clinical Instructor of Emergency Medicine at OHSU in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Blaylock worked with Providence Medical Group as Medical Director, Tanasbourne Immediate Care (2005 - 2009).
Robert Brodell, MD
Dr. Brodell is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, Noah Worcester Dermatological Society, American Society of Dermatopathology and he serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Dermatological Association.
He is a past president of the American Board of Dermatology and served on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology from 2012-16. He was honored to be a Master Teacher in his previous role at Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and served as chairman of the Master Teacher Guild.
He is currently Professor and Chair, Department of Dermatology and Professor of Pathology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. His interests are in general dermatology; dermatologic ethics; the treatment of warts; and, simple, quick, reproducible, almost fail-safe approaches to dermatologic procedures.
Bob enjoys travelling with his wife, Linda, a retired ophthalmologist, and their 5 children and 6 grandchildren.
Marni Brooks, BSc, MSW, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Upon her return to Canada, she completed a Master of Social Work degree where she spent years of training studying women's health and addiction as field placements. Her interest in addiction continued after she completed her medical degree and family medicine residency at the University of Toronto.
She is now a Fellow in Family Medicine and, until now, has explored working in the areas of family medicine, sleep medicine, addiction medicine and cannabinoid medicine. Dr. Brooks also sat on the OMA Executive of the Section on Addiction Medicine for nearly a decade where she assisted with negotiations with the Ministry of Health on behalf of the members in her section. Most recently, she founded and is the Chair of the OMA Medical Interest Group in Cannabinoid Medicine, the first such group in the country.
Dr. Brooks currently focuses her work in Cannabinoid Medicine, her two main interests. She hopes to help educate her peers, the community and patients, as well as advocate for them, on the benefits of cannabis for a variety of health conditions, either as sole therapy or in conjunction with other treatments. Other experiences in Cannabinoid Medicine include speaking on the Northwinds panel for insurance providers and acting as an expert witness on the safety and medical uses of cannabis in a sentencing hearing.
Monica Broome, MD, FACP, FAACH, FAMWA
Dr. Broome completed a three year fellowship under the Director of Education Development in the Department of Medical Education, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. During her fellowship she completed programs in the Macy Institute for Health Communication Curriculum Development and is certified as a master trainer of the Institute for Healthcare Communication. Her scholarly work includes presentations and workshops nationally for the Association of American Medical Colleges, Society of General Internal Medicine, and Southern Group on Educational Affairs, and internationally for the European Association for Communication in Health Care, the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, and the International Association of Law and Mental Health with the focus on communication skills training concerning conflict and bullying. She serves on the American College of Physicians Legislative Action Program for Health Care Reform and participated as a Florida delegate for Leadership Day in Washington DC. She servers on the Editorial Board of Medical Encounter, and Chaired the Committee on Communication and Technology for the 2006 American Academy on Communication in Healthcare Annual Research and Teaching Forum. Dr. Broome co-chaired the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare held in the USA in Miami, October 2009.
Dr. Broome, formerly Dr. Harris, is an alumnus of the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. Her specialty is Internal Medicine for which she has received recognition and accolades from colleagues and patients, including a service award from the State of Virginia Department of Disabled American Veterans. She was the Founder and former Medical Director of the Women’s Veterans Comprehensive Health Program, in Hampton Virginia. Dr. Broome was selected as one of the representatives from the state of Florida to participate in a National Summit on Women’s Veterans Health Issues at the White House which resulted in a position paper for Congress.
To continue her interest in promoting women’s health, Dr. Broome served on the Institutes for Women’s Health Education/Academic Training Subcommittee and currently serves on the Women in Academic Medicine at the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine. She is a Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine, a Fellow in the American College of Physicians, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Communication in Healthcare.
Dr. Broome was recently appointed to serve for two years on the Introduction to Clinical Diagnosis Test Committee of the National Board of Medical Examiners, and concurrently for the United States Medical Licensing Examination. USMLE is the sole licensing examination for allopathic physicians in the United States.
Internationally, she was recently awarded Elsevier Journal Reviewer Recognition Outstanding Reviewer Status for their Journal Patient Education and Counseling. Dr. Broome has been appointed to serve as Deputy National Representative of the European Association on Communication in Healthcare. There are only two representatives for each member country. This nomination and appointment has special significance on a personal level as representatives are nominated by the votes of colleagues.
Dr. Broome is the Course Director of the new Bridge Course for the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine. This new program facilitates the integration of incoming medical students from International Medical University Malaysia.
Current projects include serving as Educational Director of Candid Conversations, training and e-learning program of the sexual health concerns of women patients; and developing wisdom in medicine by enhancing personal awareness in the aftermath of adverse outcomes. Dr. Broome teaches communication skills updates as faculty of the University at Sea.
New for 2020, Dr. Broome is named the National Co-Chair East Coast for the American Medical Women’s Association Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans program.
Peter Buch, MD, AGAF, FACP
Dr. Peter Buch is a clinical gastroenterologist with 37 years of teaching experience. Teaching is his passion and his style is case based, practical, interactive and fun.
He is a graduate of Downstate Medical Center (NY) He completed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine and his Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center (now a division of Northwell Health).
Dr. Buch is an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Frank H Netter school of Medicine/Quinnipiac University.
Dr. Buch has been honored to speak at dozens of national conferences. He looks forward to learning with you!
Lauri Budnick, MD, FACOG
Lauri Budnick, MD, FACOG is an Assistant Professor of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at Stony Brook University Medical Center.
She received her MD degree from Wright State University School of Medicine and completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Illinois in Chicago, as well as a fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
She is board certified in OB/GYN by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and was one of the first fellowship trained physicians to become certified in the subspecialty of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.
David Alan Burke, DO, FAAP
He currently works at Cleveland Clinic Children’s and Cleveland Clinic Pediatric Integrative Medicine.
He enjoys hiking, running, camping and medical missions trips.
He is married to Jennifer, who is studying to be a lifestyle coach. They have a 12 year old son.
Ronald R. Butendieck, JR, MD, FACP
Dr. Butendieck has an interest in Behçet's disease and has presented on the topic of Neuro-Behçet's at the 16th International Conference on Behçet's Disease in Paris, France and the 56th Annual Australian Rheumatology Association Conference in Adelaide, Australia. He is the contributing author on the topic of Behçet's for the National Organization for Rare Disorders. He has also given numerous national and regional presentations and authored peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
Dr. Butendieck maintains membership in the American College of Rheumatology, American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association. In 2017, he was elected as a Fellow in the American College of Physicians. He currently serves on the Mayo International Health Program Selection Committee and the Humanities in Medicine Subcommittee.
Aaron Buzzard, MD, FACEP
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan-College Station Campus, Bryan, TX
Regional EMS Medical Director
Teri Campbell, BSN, RN, CFRN, CEN, PHRN
She has over a decade of experience as a clinical educator. She has taught for the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Emergency Nurses Association and the Air Surface Nurse Transport Association. Teri is an gifted speaker and has authored several medical publications.
Kathy L. Cerminara, JD, LLM, JSD
Professor Cerminara teaches Torts; Health Policy, Bioethics & Quality of Care; Administrative Law; Civil Procedure; Bioethics; and other health-law-related courses. She also created and was the initial director of the online Master of Science in Health Law program for non-lawyers.
In 2017, she received a Scholars Award for innovative interprofessional work with the Broward County Mental Health Court.
Since 2012, she has been a member of the International Scientific Committee for the International Academy of Law & Mental Health, based in Montreal, Canada. In that position, she has co-organized the stream of therapeutic jurisprudence presentations for four of the Academy's bi-annual Congresses: one in Amsterdam in 2013, one in Vienna in 2015, one in Prague in 2017, and one in Rome in 2019. In recognition of that work, in 2017, the International Society of Therapeutic Jurisprudence awarded her and her co-organizer the first-ever Wexler/Winick Distinguished Service Award in Prague.
In recognition of that work, the International Society of Therapeutic Jurisprudence awarded her and her co-organizer the first-ever Wexler/Winick Distinguished Service Award in Prague.
Prior to joining the College of Law faculty, Professor Cerminara taught at the University of Miami School of Law and St. Thomas University School of Law, clerked in the Western District of Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and practiced law with Reed Smith Shaw & McClay in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Professor Cerminara received her JD magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh and her LLM and JSD from Columbia University. She is an affiliate member of the Health Law and Tort Trial and Insurance sections of The Florida Bar, a retired member of the Pennsylvania Bar, and a member of organizations such as the American Bar Association, the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics and the American Health Lawyers Association.
Ashish Chandra, MBA, PhD
Dr. Chandra is a prolific researcher and has 75 publications in refereed journals, two edited books, ten book chapters, and over 250 publications in conference proceedings. He is an Executive Editor of the journal Hospital Topics (the oldest journal in healthcare administration field - almost 95 years in existence). He has served as the President of FOUR major international academic organizations - the Business and Health Administration Association; the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators; the MBAA International; and the Federation of Business Disciplines. He has also served as the Program Chair of over a dozen major international conferences, held in U.S., India, Turkey, and U.K. as well as aboard cruise ships in the Caribbean, Alaska, Baltics, and Mediterranean.
Professor Chandra has received numerous awards and recognition related to teaching, research, and service throughout his career, including the 2017 Excellence in Teaching Award by the National Society for Leadership Success; 2015 Outstanding Professor Award given by the University of Houston - Clear Lake Alumni Association; 2012 American College of Healthcare Executives Service Award; 2011 Outstanding Educator Award from the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators; to name a few. He also has the distinct honor of being the Commencement Speaker at the December 2018 graduation ceremony of the University of Houston – Clear Lake. The URL link to Dr. Chandra’s commencement speech is below. Please cue to minute 32 of the video link in case you just want to see Dr. Chandra’s speech.
URL to speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpwOooexSYA&t=2984s
Eric J. Christopher, MD, FAPA
Prior to joining PPD in 2016, Eric obtained his MD from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed the combined residency program of internal medicine and psychiatry at Duke University. He joined the faculty after completion and continued his tenure to be the Medical Director for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center. He oversaw the administration and clinical programs for the Department both inpatient and outpatient. He served as a hospitalist on the general inpatient medicine and inpatient psychiatry. In addition, he oversaw the Emergency Psychiatry division. He was the chief of the Medicine and Psychiatry service and grew the University's Med/Psych Program to the largest program in the country. Duke now has the largest faculty and residency education program in the US.
Nicole Harrington Cirino, MD
It is a multi-specialty academic clinic treating exclusively women with a strong teaching and research component. She the Division Chief of the Women's Mental Health and Wellness Program at CWH as well as the Co-founder and Co-Director of the Menopause and Sexual Medicine Program at CWH.
She has been fellowship trained in Reproductive Psychiatry since 2003. Reproductive Psychiatry is a specialty area of Psychiatry that focuses exclusively on the treatment of women across the reproductive life cycle. She has been practicing Sexual Medicine as a part of her practice since 1998. In the past 5 years she has expanded her work in Sexual Medicine to also include research and education. She teaches topics of both Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders and Female Sexual Medicine to medical students, residents and other academic medicine faculty nationally.
Dr. Cirino is also a Certified Sex Therapist through the governing body AASECT, American Association of Sexual Educators, Counselors and Therapists. She also is skilled in Interpersonal, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and other therapeutic interventions.
Dr. Cirino's research interests involve medical and behavioral therapy interventions for perinatal mental health conditions and female sexual dysfunction. She lives in Portland, Oregon and is married with three children. Traveling is one of her greatest passions.
Kristen M. Cline, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, CFRN, CTRN, CCRN
Kristen has over 12 years of experience in Med/Surg, Cardiac, Emergency, Critical Care, Forensic & Flight Nursing, serving as a bedside nurse, charge nurse, and clinical educator. She currently practices as a bedside ICU and ED nurse for the Veteran’s Health Administration & serves on the National ENA Board of Directors. Kristen is well-known for her down to earth and irreverent lecture style that is grounded in evidence-based practice and based on her extensive clinical experiences.
Kristen is passionate about empowering and inspiring clinicians to achieve excellence in their practice while providing them with practical clinical tools that will elevate their care to the next level.
Richard Colgan, MD
Dr. Colgan has been listed in Best Doctors in America, was chosen by the School of Medicine’s student body as its nominee for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ annual humanism award, and was inducted into the school’s Humanism Honor Society as well as Alpha Omega Alpha. In 2008, he was awarded the American Medical Student Association’s Golden Apple clinical faculty teaching award by the University of Maryland School of Medicine class of 2008.
Dr. Colgan is a colonel in the Maryland Defense Force, serving the state of Maryland as a volunteer physician in the 10th Medical Regiment. He is the author of two books: Advice to the Young Physician: On the Art of Medicine and Advice to the Healer: On the Art of Caring, both published by Springer. He serves as the director of the Maryland Area Health Education Center, the School of Medicine’s “Mini-Med School” and “Mini-Med School for Kids” programs, providing medical information to members of the local community. He also is the Director of the School of Medicine’s Executive Health Program.
David Colvin, MD, FAAP
After fellowship, Dr. Colvin returned to the Las Vegas area where he is clinical faculty at the University of Nevada Reno. He has served as residency site director for Sunrise Children's Hospital, Clerkship director for both pediatric and emergency medicine residencies in pediatric critical care medicine at Sunrise Children's Hospital and Medical Director for Pediatric and Neonatal Transport. Dr. Colvin's graduate education experience includes physician-as-educator training at Stanford University, the design and implementation of an individualized curriculum in critical care medicine for general pediatric residents, international lectureships and invited lectures for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Currently, Dr. Colvin resides in Seattle with his wife and children, where he continues to work in pediatric critical care medicine at Swedish Medical Center. David's interests include cycling, duathlons and civil aviation.
Blaise L Congeni, MD
Dr. Congeni received his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He completed his pediatrics residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, and his pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital
Dr. Congeni is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases. A member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and American Society of Microbiology, Dr. Congeni has been named in the Best Doctors in America for more than a dozen years. He has been the recipient of numerous faculty awards including Leibelt-Wheeler, 1999, Legendary Service, 2013, Golden Apple Award for teaching excellence 6 times, honorary hooder by the graduating class 4 times, and he was elected Master Teacher at NEOMED, class of 2000.
Dr. Congeni serves as an editorial board member for Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice, and he is a past editorial board member for Concise Reviews of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. He has authored more than 60 abstracts, book chapters, and peer-reviewed medical journal publications, and he has served as a guest editor of Pediatric Annals.
J. David Cunningham, Jr., MD, FACS
Dr. Cunningham completed his medical training at Thomas Jefferson University as well as an Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency in 1984.
He was in private practice in suburban Philadelphia and was an academic instructor in Otolaryngology with both the University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson until moving to North Carolina in 2001.
He is presently practicing at UNC Ear Nose and Throat, associated with University of North Carolina since March of 2018 and is an associate Professor of Otolaryngology with Campbell University Medical College since 2014.
He is board certified in Otolaryngology in 1984 and with subspecialty Sleep Medicine in 2008.
Tara Dall, MD, FNLA
In 2008, Dr. Dall formed the Early Detection Center for heart disease and diabetes near Madison, Wisconsin and served as a clinical associate professor for the Medical College of Wisconsin. Two years later, she brought her fight against heart disease to the web, co-founding Lecturepad.org and FHITtv.org, web platforms that advance clinical understanding and application of advanced lipid and biomarker testing.
For 3 years Dr. Dall served as Chief Medical Officer of Health Diagnostic Laboratory. As an author and educator on biomarker research focused on the role that insulin resistance plays in diabetes prevention she has expanded the education of physicians to prevent chronic disease. She has a special interest in insulin resistance's role in cardiovascular disease, women's heart disease, Autoimmune disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and obesity. She also serves as chief of cardiometabolic education at the non-profit Foundation for Health Improvement and Technology (FHIT).
Known for her passionate delivery of complex medical topics in patient-friendly terms, Dr. Dall is a sought after speaker, traveling the world to present research on advanced biomarkers. She is a also a regular go-to for reporters, appearing on Bloomberg News, CBS Sports, CNN Radio, Reach MD Satellite Radio, and RadioHealth Journal. She was also a regular guest on KTXD-TV's The Broadcast in Dallas, as well as programs on wabcradio.com (Optimal wellness and Forever Young). She continues to practice medicine as a physician founder of AvanceMD Concierge in Richmond, VA which incorporates cutting edge web based technology to the human touch of medicine, providing services to local as well as national and international clients.
Elliot Davidson, MD, FAAFP
He is Professor of Family and Community Medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUHCOM). He serves on many committees including the Research Oversight Committee and the Ethics Committee. He is past Chairman of the Board of Partners Physician Group, the Private Practice of Akron General Health System.
Dr. Davidson is passionate about the prevention of heart disease and has published in and is a reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. He is a leader in test taking preparation and has presented on this topic at many local and national meetings. For the 11 years he was a Family Medicine Program Director from 2008 to 2019 his graduates had a 100% pass rate on their first attempt on the American Board of Family Medicine Certifying Examination. He is actively engaged in teaching many medical and pharmacy students, and family medicine residents.
Dr. Davidson graduated from both Kent State University (Summa cum Laude) and NEOMED in 1982 and did his Family Medicine Residency at Akron General Medical Center.
He is married and has four children.
Mellar Davis, MD, FCCP, FAAHPM
He has been a member of the Geisinger Medical Staff since August 2016. In his role as Section Head, Dr Davis is responsible for developing palliative care services throughout the Geisinger Medical System including outpatient and inpatient services. In addition, Dr Davis works with the Geisinger Hospice Services to develop and coordinate care within the central region.
Dr. Davis was a member of the Cleveland Clinic Palliative Care section, Taussig Cancer Institute and fellowship director until joining the Geisinger Medical System. He was the co- chair of the Palliative Care Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care (MASCC) and a past board member since 2010.
He is a Professor of Medicine in The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, since 2009 and elected as a Fellow to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2010. He is Editor in Chief of Progress on Palliative Care.
His present duties within the Associate Editor in Chief of PC FACS (Fast Article Critical Summary for Clinicians in Palliative Care).
Dereck DeLeon, MD
Dr. Dereck DeLeon has been a Family Physician with Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, California for the past 22 years and was the Program Director for the Kaiser Permanente Family Medicine Residency Program in San Diego as well as the Southern California Regional Chair for Diversity in Graduate Medical Education Committee.
He was also the Co-Chair of the San Diego Graduate Medical Education Committee and the Chair of the San Diego, Innovation in Quality Education and Transformation Committee at Kaiser Permanente San Diego.
His leadership background also includes being on the Association of Family Medicine Residency Director Education and Program Director Development Committee as well past Chair of the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Continuing Medical Education Committee .He also has completed numerous Fellowships in Leadership, Faculty Development and Curriculum Design and Assessment.
Dr. DeLeon also maintains a busy clinical practice with Kaiser Permanente. He holds the appointment of Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Preventative Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.
One of Dr DeLeon's passions is in developing community programs that seek to expose those from underrepresented backgrounds to the health care profession as well as to educate other healthcare providers around the issues of health inequities in our communities. Dr DeLeon help pioneer the Kaiser Permanente/ San Ysidro High School Summer Urban Fellowship which has helped provide the education/mentoring and role modeling for local high school, college and medical students from underrepresented groups ,who seek careers in medicine .
Dr. DeLeon has been an invited speaker at numerous venues and has presented numerous scholarly work at, the AAFP Annual Scientific Assembly , the AAFP Program Directors Workshop , the University of California San Diego School of Medicine , and the AAMC Minority Student Workshop among others.
Tammie Lee Demler, PharmD, BS Pharm, MBA, RPh, BCGP, BCPP
Tammie Lee Demler received her Doctor of Pharmacy, Master of Business Administration, and Bachelor of Science degrees at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.
Dr Demler is a dually Board-Certified Specialist in both Psychiatric and Geriatric Pharmacy and is currently the Director of Pharmacy Services and Pharmacy residency training at the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center.
She holds numerous academic appointments, including Clinical Associate Professor for SUNY Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Clinical Assistant Professor at SUNY School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, D'Youville College School of Pharmacy, University of Florida School of Pharmacy, and Clinical Instructor for the Erie County Community College Pharmacy Technician Certification Program.
She collaborates with both the National Association of the Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS) to develop board examinations that establish the minimum competencies expected for new practitioners for practice in an ever changing clinical environment. Prior to embarking on her academic and institutional career, Dr. Demler's clinical practice focused on ambulatory care in community pharmacy.
Dr. Demler has authored and co-authored numerous original research articles and expert reviews for print media. She is a regular contributor to U.S. Pharmacist and reviewer for Pharmacist's Letter.
Prior to launching Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice, Dr. Demler authored a chapter on insomnia in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy's (ACCP's) Ambulatory Care Self-Assessment. She also has provided expert pharmacotherapeutic consultation for other books such as the Side Effects of Drugs: Annual Volume 36 and Clinical Consult to Psychiatric Nursing for Advanced Practice . She has presented medication continuing education programs internationally and nationally, and is an Academic Educator for the New York State Medicaid Prescriber Education program sponsored by the New York Department of Health.
Dr. Demler served as President of both the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York and the Pharmacists Association of Western New York. Dr. Demler is also a local media personality, hosting her own weekly TV talk show as well as a weekly community affairs radio segment. She has won a number of prestigious national, state, and local awards acknowledging both her professional and community-based contributions.
Glenn E. DuPont, DDS
Doctor Peter E. Dawson, Functional Occlusion From TMJ to Smile Design, Mosby, 2007.
Jonathan C. Edwards, MD, MBA, FACNS
Dr. Jonathan C. Edwards is a Professor of Neurology and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs at the Medical University of South Carolina. He serves as Director of the MUSC Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, and Medical Director of Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratories. Dr. Edwards attended Medical School at Wake Forest University, and then completed his residency at the University of Maryland, followed by a fellowship in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at the Cleveland Clinic. After nine years on the faculty at the University of Michigan, the last two of which he served as President of the Michigan Neurological Association, Dr Edwards joined the MUSC faculty in 2007 as Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
Dr. Edwards' clinical interests include epilepsy treatment, clinical neurophysiology, neuro-stimulation, epilepsy surgery, neurological education, and functional brain mapping. His research interests include new treatments for epilepsy, epilepsy imaging, and improving access to care for patients with epilepsy.
Dr. Edwards is a member of the South Carolina Neurological Association, the American Epilepsy Society, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society.
He has served on the scientific committee of several organizations, including the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, and has been a Board Member and Examiner for the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology and for ABRET. Dr. Edwards is currently President of the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, and has won numerous awards for teaching, research, and patient advocacy.
David Effron, MD
His special interest in the Emergency Department is medical photography. Many of his photographs have appeared in various publications and teaching textbooks, including Rosen, Tintinalli, Knoop’s Atlas of Emergency Medicine, and various Ohio ACEP publications.
He is the editor of visual diagnosis for Consultant magazine. He has had multiple articles published in Emergency Physician Monthly and ACEP Now.
His hobbies include travel, wildlife, and scenic photography. He is also involved in cruise ship medicine working for various companies including Holland America, Lindblad/National Geographic, and the Sea Cloud.
Duane C. Eichler, PhD
He was also the Basic Science Director of the Signature Interdisciplinary Program in Cardiovascular Research at USF Health. He received his undergraduate training at San Jose State University in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry, and graduated with Great Distinction. He received his Ph.D. from UCLA in Biological Chemistry followed by postdoctoral training at Stanford University, School of Medicine.
In June, 1977, he joined the Department of Biochemistry (renamed Molecular Medicine), in the College of Medicine at the University of South Florida. Dr. Eichler is still active providing invited talks and consultations, and currently chair's The Villages Community Advisory Council with oversight of cooperative university related clinical research activities.
Dr. Eichler is a dedicated and gifted teacher and has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the prestigious James Krivanek Award, awarded annually to an outstanding teacher at USF, and the Outstanding Preclinical Professor Award, awarded annually by students of the Morsani College of Medicine. He was the first recipient of the Outstanding Lifetime Educational Excellence Award for 2010 -2011. Dr. Eichler has mentored numerous high school students and teachers, undergraduate students, graduate students, and medical students.
As a Course Director, Dr. Eichler was responsible for the development and implementation of several interdisciplinary courses for medical students (Molecular Biology & Human Genetics; Human Molecular Genetics & Biochemistry; Molecular, Cellular & Genetic Basis of Medicine; Molecular Medicine) taught jointly by faculty from several departments.
From 2003 to 2010 he served as Director of an interdisciplinary and integrated course for first-year Medical Students entitled Molecular Medicine. This course was highly rated by both students and participating faculty, and was attributed in large part to Dr. Eichler's exceptional commitment, leadership and attention to detail. He was an invited Member of the Biochemistry Test Committee (1988 - 1991), Molecular and Cell Biology Task Force (1992 - 1994) and the Step 1 Human Development Pool Review Committee (1996) for the National Board of Medical Examiners.
Dr. Eichler has established an exemplary record in the area of service. He was the driving force behind the development of an active interdisciplinary Health Science Center Obesity Group. He organized a highly successful national Conference on Obesity and served as Director for seven years. The success of the Conference on Obesity also gained attention and support from the State of Florida, Department of Health, American Heart Association, and Tampa General Hospital.
In addition, Dr. Eichler was actively involved in community outreach programs for the University and USF Health as a frequent featured speaker on Obesity, and in particular, Childhood Obesity for local community groups, local high schools and the USF Health Mini-Medical School (2001 and 2004). From 2011 to 2014, Dr. Eichler was a volunteer liaison between USF Health and The Villages of Florida, providing support for The Villages / USF Health Alliance, as well as promoting participation of The Villages Charter High School Science Fair winners in USF Health Research Day. Dr. Eichler currently chair's The Villages Community Advisory Council.
Uriel Elchalal MD
Associate Prof. Ob/Gyn Hebrew University, Hadassah School Medicine, Jerusalem since 2009. Head of high risk pregnancy outpatient clinic, Hadassah Ein Kerem medical center.
Head of high risk pregnancy outpatient clinic, Hadassah Ein Kerem medical center. Head of Maccabi women outpatient health center in Jerusalem. Vice Dean&dasg; Student affairs Faculty of Medicine Hadassah Hebrew University. Contributor of over 100 articles to professional journals and author of 3 books in Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproduction (Hebrew).
Pamela Ellsworth, MD
Dr. Pamela Ellsworth graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston College. She completed her medical school at University of Massachusetts Medical School, her urology residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and her pediatric urology fellowship at University of Florida Gainesville/Nemours Jacksonville.
Dr. Ellsworth was awarded an Honorary AOA while on the staff at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for her teaching skills. She became the first female full time surgeon to become full professor at Brown University and received the resident teaching aware while at Brown University.
She was awarded the Top Doctor Award for 2 years while at UMassMemorial Medical Center. Much of her career has been decidated to education, both in the realm of pediatric and adult urology. The author of over 75 peer reviewed publications, over 50 book chapters and several books geared for the layperson, including 100 Questions and Answers about Prostate Cancer, with a 5th edition soon to be published.
Dr. Ellsworth has educated medical students, residents, peers and patients over the years.
Charles L. Emerman, MD
Dr. Emerman has been an examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine for the past 20 years. He has been an active researcher in the areas of pulmonary and cardiac disease with more than 100 peer reviewed publications. His grants total approximately $2 million. Dr. Emerman has been active in the teaching of Emergency Medicine, having founded the residency program at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been an active lecturer, providing CME to physicians around the world.
Corey Evans, MD
Dr. Evans has been a family physician and educator for thirty years. After six years in a rural family practice in South Carolina, he moved to Florida to begin teaching, as an Associate Director in the Florida Hospital Family Practice program in Orlando. In 1994, he accepted the position of Director of the Bayfront Medical Center's Family Practice program in St. Petersburg and was program director for seven years. In 2002, he accepted the position of Director of Medical Education at St. Anthony's Hospital. He also works in the St. Anthony's wound center, is a member of the Palliative care team at St. Anthony's and has a private practice. He is board certified in Family Medicine, Sports Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Palliative Care.
Originally from San Clemente, California, Dr. Evans attended Occidental College in LA, then St. Louis Medical School in Missouri, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. His family practice residency was at University of Missouri, Columbia where he was a Chief Resident. Dr. Evans tries to play the guitar poorly, and loves water sports. He teaches extensively at the national FP meetings with a special interest in exercise testing.
Kevin L. Ferguson MD, FACEP
He has academic appointment as Professor of Emergency Critical Care Medicine at the University of California Irvine, and the American University Antigua. He has lectured extensively on topics in emergency critical care as well as international & global health medicine.
Dr. Ferguson is an emergency intensivist physician and a graduate of University of Michigan medical school. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Martin Luther King LA County medical center in 1988. He also complete a critical care Fellowship at State University of New York in Syracuse in 1991. He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Board Eligible in Critical Care Medicine.
He was a member of the founding faculty in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan from 1991 through 1997. He joined the faculty at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 2001 and founded the emergency medicine residency program at UF.
He also founded the emergency medicine track for the critical care Fellowship at University of Florida with the Department of anesthesiology. At that time, he held a dual appointment in emergency medicine and anesthesiology critical care and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010.
He was a member of the University of Florida's NASA medical support team from 2001 until the end of the shuttle program in 2011; during the last three years, he was medical director of the medical support team. At the University of Florida, he was recognized as a master educator in medical education and twice received exemplary teacher awards from University of Florida. He was subsequently inducted as a member of the Society of Teaching Scholars in Medical Education at the University in 2011. Also at the University of Florida, he founded "Project Thailand" a global health program designed to teach students and residents topics in tropical medicine and global health, as well as bring primary medical care to the hill tribes people of northern Thailand.
He enjoys attending concerts, hunting sharks teeth on the beach, golf, and international travel.
Thomas M File Jr., MD, MSc, MACP, FIDSA, FCCP
Dr File is Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Past President of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). He is a Master of the American College of Physicians, a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, and a member of the American Thoracic Society. He is a past Chairperson of the Standards and Practice Guidelines Committee of the IDSA and served as a member of several guideline panels. He is a past-president of the Infectious Disease Society of Ohio.
Primary research interests that Dr File has pursued include respiratory tract infections, immunizations in adults, antimicrobial stewardship, and evaluation of new antimicrobial agents. A frequent lecturer nationally and internationally, he has published more than 250 articles, abstracts, and textbook chapters, focusing on the diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of infectious diseases, especially on respiratory tract infections and antimicrobial stewardship. He received the Watanakunakorn Clinician Award from the IDSA in 2013 and the John P Utz Leadership award from NFID in May 2017.
He authors sections on community-acquired pneumonia, acute bronchitis, and hospital-acquired pneumonia in UpToDate. He is Editor-in-Chief of Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice.
Gregory Firestone, PhD
Gregory Firestone, PhD, is Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health and President of My Florida Mediator. Dr. Firestone previously served on the faculty of the USF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine was Director of the University of South Florida Conflict Resolution Collaborative for twenty-two years.
Gregory Firestone served on standing alternative dispute resolution committees of the Florida Supreme Court for more than two decades (including seven years as Vice Chair of the Court's Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules and Policy Committee) and as Official Observer (on behalf of the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Academy of Family Mediators) to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws Uniform Mediation Act Drafting Committee. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of Family Court Review and has received numerous awards including the Florida Supreme Court Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution Award and the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators Merit Award.
Dr. Firestone is a licensed psychologist (PY3033), mediator, mediation trainer and dispute resolution system consultant and has maintained a private mediation practice since 1984. Gregory Firestone is a practicing 1) Florida Supreme Court certified Appellate, Circuit Court, Dependency, and Family Mediator, 2) Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Advanced Practitioner, and 3) Diplomate Member of the Florida Academy of Professional Mediator.
Dr. Firestone has lectured and published widely in the field of mediation including a recent article he co-authored on mandatory pre-suit medical malpractice mediation and is co-author of Mediation Works: Make it Work for You, a mediation orientation video produced by the Florida Supreme Court Dispute Resolution Center.
Michael A. Firestone, MBA, JD
Michael is a member of the California Academy of Attorneys for Health Care Professionals (CAAHCP), the Vaccine Injured Petitioners Bar Association (VIP Bar) and the California Society for Healthcare Attorneys (CSHA). He currently serves on the Medical Legal Liaison Committee for the San Mateo County Bar Association.
Michael has been involved with the Western Institute of Legal Medicine (WILM) since January 2013. He joined WILM’s Board of Directors in December 2017.
Edward Fisher, PhD, RPh
He also served as the Director of the MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology program. His current position is Professor and Dean, College of Pharmacy, Marshall B. Ketchum University, 2575 Yorba Linda Blvd., Fullerton, California.
Dr Fisher is licensed as a pharmacist in Arizona and Pennsylvania, and has practiced in a variety of clinical settings. He has devised and presented over 100 continuing education seminars and innovative NSF sponsored short courses. He is a past National Secretary of Rho Chi, the only pharmacy honor society, and recipient of the National Rho Chi Advisor of the Year award. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he currently plans to continue teaching in his areas of expertise which includes: substances of abuses, nutrition, and the pharmacotherapy of mental disorders.
Robert Fogerty, MD
In 2011, he joined the Yale faculty as a founding member of the Academic Hospitalist Program, where he currently is an Associate Professor and is Co-Director for the Quality Improvement & Physician Leadership Distinction. His academic interests include safety and quality of care in the inpatient setting, and cost-effective care.
In his position as Director, Bed Resources for Yale New Haven Hospital, known institutionally as the "Bed Czar," Dr. Fogerty holds administrative responsibility for the allocation and utilization of the 1,541 licensed beds at Yale New Haven Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the United States, and he remains clinically active on the inpatient general medicine service.
Publications include the Journal of Hospital Medicine, JAMA Internal Medicine, and The New England Journal of Medicine. He is a Senior Fellow of Hospital Medicine and holds leadership positions in the Society of Hospital Medicine and the Society of General Internal Medicine.
Roger W. Fox, M.D. FAAAAI, FACP
Rebecca Levy-Gantt, DO
She practiced on Long Island for 11 years before moving to Napa. Her special interests are menopause management, including hormones and alternative management strategies, as well as vaginal and vulvar pain syndromes.
She owns a solo private practice which has been growing for the past 5 years, teaches medical students from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and spends her free time teaching, traveling, running and writing.
Felice L. Gersh, MD
She specializes in all aspects of female health, with a focus on managing female hormonal dysfunctions.
In addition to her many national and international speaking engagements, she works full time as the Medical Director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine. She served many years as an Assistant Clinical Professor of OB/GYN at the Keck/USC School of Medicine and currently serves as a Consultative Faculty member with the Fellowship inIntegrative Medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Dr. Gersh has been awarded membership in the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha, named the outstanding volunteer faculty for the OB/GYN Department at USC-Keck School of Medicine, and identified as a Physician of Excellence for Orange County 16 years in a row.
She has her first book, PCOS SOS: a Gynecologist’s Lifeline to Naturally Restore Your Rhythms, Hormones, and Happiness, which is a #1 Amazon best seller and her second, just published book, “PCOS SOS Fertility Fast Track” is now also available for purchase on Amazon.
Hayley B. Gershengorn, MD, FCCM, ATSF
She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell and a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia.
She is Associate Editor for Critical Care of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, serves on the program committee for Critical Care for the American Thoracic Society, and is Chair-Elect of the Internal Medicine Section for the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
Barry Glasser, MD
Dr. Glasser is an accomplished speaker and educator who enjoys sharing his extensive knowledge and experiences with both the medical and non-medical community.
Jonathan Glauser, MD, FACEP, MBA
He has been active in the education of medical students and resident training for over three decades, and is currently on the full-time faculty of the residency program in Emergency Medicine at MetroHealth Medical Center/ Cleveland Clinic.
He serves on the editorial advisory board of three publications in the field of emergency care, and is section editor in Infectious Disease for the journal Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports. He lives with his wife in the greater Cleveland area.
Larry R. Glazerman, MD, MBA
Larry R. Glazerman MD, a native of Pennsylvania, completed his undergraduate degree cum laude at Muhlenberg College, in Allentown PA, and his MD at Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia. His residency in obstetrics and gynecology was at Lehigh Valley Hospital, also in Allentown. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and is also certified in laparoscopy and hysteroscopy by the Accreditation Council for Gynecologic Endoscopy. His area of special expertise and interest is in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. This fall, he relocated to Tampa, to help establish a program in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at USF's Carol and Frank Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare<br><br>
Dr. Glazerman is a member of numerous professional societies, including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AAGL – Advancing Miminally Invasive Gynecology Worldwide, and the International Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy, where he serves on the board of directors.
Dr. Glazerman has been married to Joan Glazerman for 35 years,. They have three children, Richard, a software developer, Jonathan, a police officer, and Lauren, who recently moved to Tampa as well, and is employed by Prematics, Inc., providing e-prescribing solutions to physicians. He enjoys photography, gold, and skiing.
Elizabeth Grill, PsyD
Dr. Grill is experienced as a health psychologist and medical researcher. Dr. Grill sits on several professional boards and is an editorial reviewer for peer reviewed journals.
She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters, has lectured worldwide to patient and medical audiences and has participated in media interviews.
Amy B. Harris, MSN, RN, OCNS-C
Her commitment to the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) is evident in her participation as a national congress speaker. She is vice-chair of the test committee for the Orthopaedic Nursing Certification Board (ONCB) and has served as an item-writer for the ONCB’s certification exams. Amy served on NAON's education committee, and she was co-chair of NAON’s first full day APN conference. She is an active member of the Rheumatology Nursing Society (RNS).
Amy has earned distinction as a sought-after presenter on a variety of orthopaedic-related topics. She has shared her insights nationally at conferences co-sponsored by NAON and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
She has also presented orthopaedic certification exam review courses around the country. Amy is well known for her energized teaching style and ability to provide practical information and interesting case studies to health care providers from varied disciplines. Make plans today to attend this educational event in order to learn from Amy’s extensive knowledge and experiences!
George D. Harris, MD, MS
Dr. Harris has lectured at national, state, and local meetings since 1997 on various topics in sports medicine, exercise testing, diabetes, women's health topics and cardiovascular disease. He has been active at the state and national level for the specialty of family medicine. He served on multiple committees for the Florida Academy of Family Physicians (FAFP), before serving two terms on their Board of Directors and the officer level, becoming President of FAFP in 2000. He was the first recipient of the FAFP Young Leader Award. He also served on the Missouri Board of Family Physicians during his time in Missouri.
He was awarded an honorary member of the Mortar Board National Honor Society in 2012. He was named to "Kansas City Super Doctors" for 2007-2013 and was listed in the Consumers' Research Council of America "Guide to America's Top Family Doctors" for 2006.
Dr. Harris was appointed to the Society of Teachers for Family Medicine (STFM) National Clerkship Curriculum Editorial Board and served for four years. He was a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners Family Medicine Task Force and presently participates as an AMSSM Fellowship In-training Item Exam Writer.
He was a member of The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (ACTPCMD) appointed by Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services. Dr. Harris was also appointed by previous Florida governor, Jeb Bush, for the State of Florida Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutics Commission.
Stephen E. Helms, MD, FAAD
Dr. Helms earned his MD degree at the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio and completed residency training in dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Board-certified in dermatology in 1978 and recertified in 2006 and 2016, Doctor Helms was in private practice in Warren, Ohio for over 30 years in addition to teaching medical students and Dermatology residents part time at the Northeast Ohio Medical University and Case Western Reserve University College of Medicine. He now serves as a Professor of Dermatology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where his special interest is in Contact Dermatitis and Occupational Dermatology.
A fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, Helms is an active member of multiple professional organizations and has given more than 270 invited lectures at professional meetings nationwide. He has authored or coauthored more than 60 articles in peer-reviewed professional publications and coauthored 4 chapters in medical textbooks. He serves as a journal reviewer or commentator for Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatitis, Cutis, Practical Dermatology, and American Family Practice and has participated in several clinical research studies. He has served on committees for the American Academy of Dermatology as well as hospital committees in Warren and at UMMC.
He has served several years each as secretary and later as vice president of his medical staff in Warren. Other positions have included president of his county medical society, secretary of the Ohio State Dermatological Association, and Board Member of the Cleveland Dermatological Society.
He enjoys fishing, reading, watching classic movies, and especially, traveling with his wife, two children and their families.
C. William Hinnant, Jr. MD JD DABU FCLM
Bill Hinnant, Principal in the firm Medicolegal Consultants, LLC, is a Urologist and Health Care Attorney admitted to the South Carolina trial and appellate courts, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. His legal practice focuses on medical malpractice, qui tam litigation, administrative health law, white collar crime, drug matters, insurance law, healthcare business and transactions, workers compensation and social security disability. His medical interests include infertility, reproductive endocrinology, oncology, voiding dysfunction, renovascular disease and general urology. He is a long-term member of his state’s Federal Criminal Justice Act Attorney Panel with expertise in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Hinnant is Past President and Counsel of the American College of Legal Medicine. He has authored amicus briefs and regulatory comments for national medical organizations. He has advised or represented over 250 physicians in licensing, peer review and credentialing matters. He is active in assisting physicians and attorneys with substance abuse and addiction and is Membership Chair for the World Association for Medical Law. He is an Adjunct Assoc. Professor of Public Health Sciences at Clemson University, an Instructor in Health Law at Limestone College and has served as a Final Moot Court Judge twice at the National Health Law Moot Court Competition held at the Southern Indiana University College of Law.
Hinnant and his wife, Virginia, have four adult children and two grandchildren. They enjoy sports, travel, music, theater, travel and cooking. They attend Renaissance Weekend, an ideas think tank established by Bill and Hilary Clinton, on an annual basis.
Jose Luis Hinojosa, MD, MHA, CIME
Medical Director and Family Physician at Dodge City Medical Center, Dodge City, KS., Official Team
Doctor of US TaeKwonDo National and Olympic Teams, 1993-1998.
Dr. Hinojosa has NO financial arrangements with any corporate organization that might have an interest in the subject being presented.
Vera Hupertz, MD
Dr. Hupertz was a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY (1974-1978) and received her BS in Biology. She attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY and graduated in 1982 with MD. Internship and residency was completed at Rainbow Babies & Children's (RB&C) Hospital, Cleveland, OH by 1985 and Pediatric Gi and Hepatology fellowship by 1988. She maintains 3 board certifications which include: Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology, and Pediatric Transplant Hepatology.
Vera stayed on as Staff Physician at Rainbow Babies and Hospital and achieved the level of Associate Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. She was made Medical Director of the Pediatric Liver Transplant Team, and was co-director of the Residency Training Program at RB&C. In addition to the above, I developed a residency curriculum for Chronic Care to be used at Health Hill Hospital (now Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation).
She became a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in July of 2000 and currently has a joint appointment with the Department of Transplant Surgery. She is Medical Director of Pediatric Liver Transplantation. She is Vice Chair of Quality Improvement for the Children's Hospital and Pediatric Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Current interests are liver disease (especially neonatal disease) and liver transplantation, as well as inflammatory bowel diseases
Mark H. Hyman, MD, FIAIME, FACP
Dr. Hyman had served for 30 years as an Associate Professor on the clinical faculty at the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA). He pursued medical school, internship, residency and fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Hyman is a highly sought-after lecturer, including being the keynote speaker for annual State level meetings, He has authored various medical-legal and internal medicine topics. He has served as editor for the Internal Medicine section of the Medical Disability Advisor, Fifth and Seventh Editions. Much of his work can be found in prestigious peer-reviewed journals including the Annals of Internal Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Archives of Neurology, the American Family Physician, and the Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine. Dr. Hyman is a chapter author and editor for numerous American Medical Association (AMA) books including:
- A Physician's Guide to Return to Work
- Guides to Disease and Injury Causation
- Guides to Functional Capacity Evaluations
- Guides Transition Book
- Guides to Navigating Disability Benefit Systems
- Guides 6th edition and accompanying Internal Medicine Workbook
Dr. Hyman has received acclaim for his contributions to the medical world. In 2009, WebMD selected Dr. Hyman for its annual "Health Heroes" award. In addition, the City of Los Angeles recognized his involvement with the LA Police Department related to developing police arrest procedures.
Jerry G. Ninia, MD, RVT
He received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine and continued his post graduate training at Nassau County Medical Center. For over 20 years, he has maintained two separate private practices in both OB/GYN and Phlebology. He has lectured internationally on the topic of women's health and venous disease and has authored 3 text book chapters and over 25 articles in peer reviewed journals.
A Fellow of the American College of OB/GYN's, Surgeons and Phlebologists, he is board certified in OB/GYN as well as Phlebology and was instrumental in the creation of the nationally administered Phlebology board certification exam. He is certified by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography as a Registered Vascular Technologist. He has served as a member of the American College of Phlebology Board of Directors and the Phlebology Foundation Board. He has served on the Catholic Health Services of Long Island Board of Trustees and helped create initiatives to improve patient safety in Labor and Delivery. His efforts resulted in St. Charles hospital earning the Healthcare Association of New York State Pinnacle Award for quality and patient safety along with his earning the prestigious Theodore Roosevelt award given to those individuals who provide outstanding voluntary contributions and leadership at Long Island hospitals.
Warren F. Jesek, DDS, MAGD
Dr Jesek presents a fresh, common sense approach to the world of general dentistry. His passion will excite, motivate and inspire, as well as challenge dentists to be the best that they can become. The true strength of what Dr Jesek has to offer dentists is his message of comprehensive care for the entire family and a method to deliver excellence with consistency.
He graduated from Millikin University with a B.A. in biology and chemistry in 1974. He completed graduate studies in anatomy at the University of Nebraska before attending Loyola University Dental School where he received his dental degree in 1979. He has maintained a private general practice in Decatur, Illinois since 1979. Unique to the area, his practice houses a crown and bridge laboratory with three technicians focusing on using CAD/CAM milling technology to produce metal-free inlays, crowns and bridges Dr. Jesek continued his dental training at The Pankey Institute for Advanced Education beginning in 1986 and is a current member of the L.D. Pankey Dental Foundation. He became a teaching assistant in their TMJ dissection course in 1997.
Dr. Jesek is also the founder of Jesek Seminars: Promoting and Teaching Excellence in Dentistry. He has presented at national meetings for the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Equilibration Society, the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pain Management. His articles have been published in Dentistry Today, Dental Economics, the Pankeygram, and the American Equilibration Society's Contact.
Jeffrey M. Kagan, MD
Dr. Kagan has is frequently called upon by his peers regarding the Business Aspects and Practice Management of Medicine, and is a member of the Editorial Board of Medical Economics. He has done consulting for attorneys, insurance, as well as pharmaceutical and wealth management companies. In addition to his busy private primary care practice, Dr. Kagan is currently the medical director of a skilled nursing facility, a home health agency and previously a hospice agency. He is a Professional Director with HAVEN, an agency that advocates and monitors impaired health professionals. He has served as an Expert Witness for both plaintiff and defendant sides of malpractice cases.
His special interests include: Diving Medicine, Business Aspects of Practice, Medical Legal Cases, Risk Management, Medical Trivia and Impaired Health Professionals. His hobbies include: Bicycling, Boating, Scuba diving, Golf and Skiing.
Michael Alan Kahn, DDS
He maintained a university-based consultative oral medicine/oral pathology clinical practice and conducted intramural and extramural funded basic and clinical research. He is past-president and emeritus fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology as well as past-president and emeritus diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.
Ann M. Karty, MD, MBA, FAAFP
Dr. Karty joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (BlueKC) as Medical Director in 2016. Previously, Dr. Karty served as Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, both located in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Dr. Karty served as the Medical Director in the Continuing Medical Education Division at the American Academy of Family Physicians, having been a member of that organization throughout her medical career, joining in the late 1980's. In addition to creating innovative educational formats, planning CME meetings, and AAFP governance, she represented the Academy at national organizations including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the Brookings Institute, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), and just completed a multi-year term as Co-Chair of the Inter-Society Coordinating Committee (ISCC) of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a team highlighting integration of practitioner education and genomics around the world.
Dr. Karty has moderated meetings, both nationally and internationally throughout her career, and served as a member representative on a Gender Equity in Medical Testing Consensus Group meeting at Georgetown University for Hadassah, helping to craft legislative policy supporting the work of that team, while also serving as co-chair for the National Hadassah Physicians’ Council and helping to create continuing medical education meetings in Israel and serving the Greater Kansas City Hadassah as the Vice President of Membership. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for Congregation Beth Shalom and is the Vice President of Programming, as well as a leadership position with the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County Mental Health (in Johnson County, Kansas).
Joel M. Kaufman, MD, FAAN
Dr. Kaufman graduated from Boston University, majoring in mathematics, and from Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his medical internship at Presbyterian Hospital at Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco (now California Pacific Medical Center) and his Neurology residency at Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center). He then joined Fallon Clinic (now Reliant Medical Group) in Worcester, Massachusetts. From 1988 through 1996 he was Medical Director of Fallon Community Health Plan. From 1997 to early 2014 he was Executive Director of the Lifespan/Physicians Professional Services Organization.
Dr. Kaufman is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and active with the Academy, currently chairing the Payment Alternatives Team. He is also serving or has served on many other professional boards and committees.
Dr. Kaufman's interests include physician advocacy, quality improvement in medical practice, provide-payer interaction, and clinical teaching.
Michael B. Kays, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University. Dr. Kays has NO financial arrangements with any corporate organization that might have an interest in the subject being presented.
Richard J. Kelly, MD, JD, MPH, FASA, FCLM
Dr. Richard Kelly is a member of the medical faculty at the University of California in Irvine. As an undergraduate at Harvard University, Dr. Kelly studied theology and biochemistry. After graduation, he was awarded a full scholarship to study public health at the University of California in Berkeley. He then moved to Stanford University where he pursued dual professional degrees in Law and Medicine.
He completed his anesthesiology medical training (internship, residency, fellowship) at the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) and after several years in private practice Dr. Kelly returned to academics. He teaches cardiothoracic anesthesiology at the university medical center and teaches a course in public policy for graduate students at the Health Policy Research Institute. His clinical interests focus on the anesthetic management of surgical patients with complex cardiothoracic diseases and his public policy research interests include the societal consequences of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"); the ethical and legal implications of physician fatigue; medical professionalism; opioid tolerance and addiction; and national trends in medical malpractice awards. He actively participates in the American College of Legal Medicine, the American Board of Legal Medicine, and the World Association for Medical Law.
Daniel H. Kett, MD
Dr. Kett completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine followed by a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Kett has strong clinical and research interests in severe ICU related infections, including invasive candidiasis and healthcare associated pneumonia,and infection control practices in the ICU.
Dr. Kett is an investigator for the Mycoses Study Group, a large multidisciplinary group of researchers with a primary focus on studying serious infections, and is active in several projects related to fungal infections in critically ill patients.
Results of his research have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Lancet Infectious Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, Chest, and the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Kett has presented at numerous scientific meetings and has been an invited lecturer at national and international conferences.
Paris Kharbat, DO, ABFM, ABOIM, IFMCP
After 3 years at IHS, Dr. Kharbat started her solo practice bridging the gap between Eastern and Western medicine as the only Integrative physician in the region. During the 11 years of private practice, Dr. Kharbat took on extensive additional training in functional medicine, osteopathic manipulation - fascial distortion model, and frequency specific microcurrent.
In 2016 she joined Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine which enables her to see chronic complex conditions from around the world, contribute to the first functional medicine randomized clinical trials for diabetes and asthma, lead shared medical appointments and provide functional medicine training for colleagues, residents and medical students.
Daniel H. Kett, MD
Dr. Kett completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine followed by a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Kett has strong clinical and research interests in severe ICU related infections, including invasive candidiasis and healthcare associated pneumonia,and infection control practices in the ICU.
Dr. Kett is an investigator for the Mycoses Study Group, a large multidisciplinary group of researchers with a primary focus on studying serious infections, and is active in several projects related to fungal infections in critically ill patients.
Results of his research have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Lancet Infectious Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, Chest, and the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Kett has presented at numerous scientific meetings and has been an invited lecturer at national and international conferences.
Paris Kharbat, DO, ABFM, ABOIM, IFMCP
After 3 years at IHS, Dr. Kharbat started her solo practice bridging the gap between Eastern and Western medicine as the only Integrative physician in the region. During the 11 years of private practice, Dr. Kharbat took on extensive additional training in functional medicine, osteopathic manipulation - fascial distortion model, and frequency specific microcurrent.
In 2016 she joined Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine which enables her to see chronic complex conditions from around the world, contribute to the first functional medicine randomized clinical trials for diabetes and asthma, lead shared medical appointments and provide functional medicine training for colleagues, residents and medical students.
Dana E. King, MD, MS
Throughout his career he has been a clinical researcher and educator with several areas of emphasis including lung disease, cardiovascular risk reduction, and clinical epidemiology. He was co-founder of the WV Practice-Based Research Network and is a senior leader in the WV Clinical Translational Science Institute. He has been a leader of the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) since early in his career and currently is an officer on the Executive Board. He has been a national speaker for the American Academy of Family Physicians on lung disease and other topics.
Dr. King has published over 100 peer-reviewed research publications and his work has been recognized with a Distinguished Paper at NAPCRG and has been a finalist for paper of the year at the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He enjoys time with family and is an avid road bike cyclist. Dr. King is an experienced lecturer and maintains an active clinical practice.
David S. Kountz, MD, MBA, FACP
A board-certified internist, Dr. Kountz has had progressive responsibilities in academic medicine as Associate Professor of Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine and Professor of Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Dr. Kountz's research interests include hypertension treatment and guidelines in underserved populations, health literacy, pipeline programs and leadership development. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, editorials and abstracts, and is a frequent speaker within and outside of his health network on a variety of topics in primary care.
Merrill A. Krolick, DO, FACC, FACP
Merrill Krolick, DO, FACC, FACP, was born in New York City. He received his bacherlor's degree in biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. He then attended the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, N.Y. receiving his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree in 1985. Dr. Krolick completed a rotating internship at Sun Coast Osteopathic Hospital in Largo, Fla. In Tampa, Fla. he completed his internal medicine and cardiology training at the University of South Florida, including training in interventional cardiology and cardiac transplantation.
Dr. Krolick has been in clinical practice since 1992. Initially he practiced at Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. Currently he is practicing at The Heart Institute at Largo. He is an attending cardiologist at HCA Largo Medical Center, Morton Plant Hospital and HCA Indian Rocks Hospital.
Dr. Krolick has been a previous chairperson and director of the Pinellas chapter of the American Heart Association. He currently serves as co-director of the cardiology fellowship program at HCA Largo Medical Center and is director of the interventional cardiology fellowship. He directs the cardiac cath lab at HCA Largo Medical Center.
Dr. Krolick is triple board certified in Internal medicine, cardiology and interventional cardiology. He has written numerous articles including being published in The New England Journal of Medicine, and writing recent chapters in cardiovascular textbooks. He is an associate professor in cardiology at the University of South Florida, and at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Dr. Krolick has served as clinical investigator on numerous drug and clinical device trials including drug coated balloons for treatment of peripheral vascular disease and the original drug coated stent trials for coronary artery disease He practices noninvasive cardiology and interventional cardiology. His special interest is in peripheral vascular disease. He is recognized as both a national and local leader in endovascular interventions. He is currently on advisory panels for Bard Peripheral Vascular, CSI, Access Closure and St. Jude Medical. He has spoken at major vascular meetings including AMP and The Veins.
His peripheral interests included endovascular aortic aneurysm treatment and treatment of CLI (critical limb ischemia), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), venous treatment, and treatment of symptomatic claudication.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians and Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventionalists.
William E. Lawson, MD, FACCP, FACC, FSCAI
Dr. William Lawson graduated from Rutgers Medical School in 1977. Dr. Lawson has been at SUNY, Stony Brook since 1980, where he is currently Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology. At Stony Brook he has acted as Chief of Cardiology, Director of Echocardiography, Non-Invasive, Invasive, and Preventive Cardiology. He is currently Director of Cardiac Outomes Research and Preventive Cardiology. Dr. Lawson is a practicing interventional cardiologist and Director of the Interventional Cardiology fellowship program at Stony Brook.
Dr. Lawson is ABIM certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology and is a Fellow of the ACC, ACCP, SCAI, ACA. He has broad expertise and interest in the field of cardiovascular disease and is actively involved in the teaching and mentoring of physicians and allied health care professionals at SUNY, Stony Brook.
Oliver Lenz, MD MBA
Dr. Lenz is Medical Director of Inpatient Dialysis, UHealth Tower and Jackson Memorial Hospital and Medical Director of DaVita North Miami Outpatient Dialysis Center, he served as Interim Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension for three years and now is Vice Chair of Medicine. For more than a decade, Dr. Lenz has been the Director of the Nephrology Fellowship Training Program at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he trained some 60 fellows over the past 13 years.
DAVID A. LeVINE, MD, CMD
In addition to his private geriatric clinical practice, he is the Medical Director at Arden Courts of Seminole (ALF specializing in memory care), Dementia specialist for the IDEAS (The Imaging Dementia‐ Evidence for Amyloid Scanning) Study, Medical Director of the Geriatric Assessment Program at Menorah Manor, Medical Director of Menorah Manor's Marion and Bernard Samson Nursing Center and Chief Medical Officer of Menorah Manor. In 2016, he was awarded Medical Director of the Year by AMDA-The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine 2016.
Mark W. Lingen, DDS, PhD, FRCPath
Dr. Lingen is the Editor in Chief of the journal Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology Oral Radiology (TripleO). His research dealing with the molecular diagnostics and oral cancer prevention has resulted in more than 160 publications.
Dr. Lingen is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology and is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Royal College of Pathologists.
Karen J. MacKinnon, BS, RPh
Professor MacKinnon has practiced in institutional and community pharmacy practice settings throughout her career. Professor MacKinnon is currently engaged with local and state immunization grants to support pharmacists’ role in optimizing and expanding immunization access in Wisconsin.
George E. MacKinnon III, PhD, MS, RPh, FASHP
Dr. MacKinnon received both his BS (Pharmacy) and MS (Hospital Pharmacy) from University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy. He completed two-years of post-graduate clinical pharmacy residency training at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, earning his PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
Over the past 30 years he has held academic appointments in medicine and pharmacy engaging in clinical practice, research, teaching, and academic administration. His previous appointments include Founding Dean of Pharmacy & Vice Provost for Health Sciences at Roosevelt University Chicago, Vice President of Academic Affairs with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and Director of Global Health Economics & Outcomes Research of Abbott Laboratories, in Chicago.
Dr. MacKinnon has engaged in significant curricular pharmacy innovation (e.g., accelerated graduation and non- traditional pathways, integrated curricula, and interprofessional education) and post-graduate training development. He taught one of the first required courses in health economics and outcomes assessment and is Editor of the textbook, Understanding Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomic. His research interests align in expanding pharmacist care models (e.g., primary care, pharmacogenomics, immunizations).
Vincent F. Maher, JD, MA, MS, MA, PD, RN
He also teaches Nursing to undergraduate and graduate Nursing students. He is a licensed consulting attorney who practiced medicalnegligence law on behalf of plaintiffs for 20 years, an ethicist and poet, and a retired certified registered nurse anesthetist with specialization in shock, trauma and critical care.
He's written and lectured extensively in the US and abroad in the fields of law, medicine, healthcare and business ethics, health policy and decision making.
Vikas Majithia, MD, MPH, FACP, FACR
Dr. Majithia completed his medical school at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Science in India, residency at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit Michigan and a fellowship in rheumatology at University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is board certified in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
He is board certified in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is the principal investigator on a number of clinical trials, longitudinal studies and has published more than 30 peer-reviewed manuscripts and multiple book chapters.
He has received many honors and accolades for his teaching and service including induction into Norman C. Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence. He has current and previous service on a number of intra-mural committees. He currently serves on/ has served on multiple extra-mural committees which include those for American College of Rheumatology, American College of Physicians and American Board of Internal Medicine.
Brian Markoff, MD
He received his MD from the University of California, San Francisco and went on to residency and chief residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California, Davis. After his chief year, Dr. Markoff helped start the hospitalist group at the UC Davis Medical Center. He went to the Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2002 and served as the Associate Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine and the Associate Program Director for Quality, Internal Medicine Residency program until May 2016 when he took his current position.
Frank B. Marsalisi, MD, FACOG
After completing his Obstetrics and Gynecology residency as Chief resident at the University of South Florida, he went on to fulfill his four-year commitment with the National Health Service Corp as Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Ruskin Migrant and Community Health Center in Ruskin, Florida. While at Ruskin, he was made a Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of South Florida and received the U.S. Public Health Service Regional Health Administrator's Award.
Throughout his residency training and postgraduate career, Dr. Marsalisi has been the recipient of many prestigious university and national teaching awards, including the University of South Florida's Distinguished Professor Award and the John Turlich Medical Student Teaching Award, the Council on Resident Education in Ob/Gyn National Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, and many Bayfront Health Teaching Faculty of the Year awards.
He has been honored as being one of the "Top Obstetricians and Gynecologists in America" by the Consumer Research Council of America, and in 2017 he was recognized by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd to be among the"Leading Physicians of the World".
He is a medical community leader serving on the Board of his county medical association and is a delegate to the Florida Medical Association. He has been a speaker on women's health issues for the University at Sea since 2012.
Daniel R. Martin, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAAEM
Dr. Martin received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Indiana University School of Medicine and recently received an Executive MBA from Fisher School of Business. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and then completed an Emergency Medicine Residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin serving as Chief Resident during his final year.
His clinical interests include the treatment of infectious diseases in the emergency department, cognitive errors, leadership and patient education and satisfaction. His research interests are the ED treatment of infections, such as pneumonia and respiratory infections, medical education research and patient experience.
Dr. Martin is an active member of national organizations such as the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors, The American Academy of Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) where he is an Ohio ACEP Counselor and an Ohio ACEP Board member. He has lectured as a Visiting Professor both regionally and nationally on topics such as Respiratory Infections, Case Studies of Infectious Emergencies, Recognizing and Reducing Cognitive Errors in Medicine, Applying Leadership Literature to Emergency Medicine and Patient Experience.
Dale A. Matthews, MD, FACP
Dr. Matthews is a cum laude graduate of Princeton University (AB, 1976), at which he majored in Romance Languages and Literatures with a special concentration in European Civilization. He was graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in 1980, and completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Connecticut in Farmington in 1983. In the same year, he was named as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at Yale University School of Medicine. At Yale, he studied clinical epidemiology and began his research career by examining patients' perceptions of physician performance in the hospital and outpatient setting.
He joined the faculty of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, CT in 1985 as an Assistant Professor of Medicine. He was a co-founder of the Connecticut Chronic Fatigue Study, one of the first major longitudinal studies of this perplexing condition. In 1989, he was named the George Morris Piersol Teaching and Research Scholar of the American College of Physicians.
In 1991, he accepted a position as Chief of Internal Medicine at the Minirth-Meier and Byrd Clinic in Arlington, VA. This position offered him an opportunity to integrate his religious faith with his skills in internal medicine and psychiatry and to develop his research interest in the spiritual aspects of medicine.
In 1993, he joined the faculty of Georgetown University School of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, where he continued to expand his clinical, teaching, and research interests. In the same year, he was named as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. In 1997, he received an Exemplary Paper in Humility Theology Award from the John Templeton Foundation. From 1999 to 2012, he practiced general internal medicine in Washington, DC.
In 2012, he moved his medical practice to McLean, Virginia and joined the Primary Care division of the Virginia Hospital Center Physician Group. He has received the Vitals Patients’ Choice Awards yearly from 2008-14 and Most Compassionate Doctor.
recognition from 2012-4. He has been named a Washington, DC-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Super Doctor yearly from 2011-13.
Dr. Matthews is also the author of a four-volume research work (The Faith Factor: An Annotated Bibliography of Clinical Research on Spiritual Subjects), three documentaries (Body, Mind, and Spirit, Shall We Pray?, and Healing Hands), a annotated, videotaped lecture on religion and medicine (The Faith Factor: Is Religion Good for Your Health?), a teaching videotape on the doctor-patient relationship (Bedside Manners), and over 65 peer-reviewed scientific articles, book chapters, and other publications.
He has been a member of several national advisory boards and committees, including the National Board of Medical Examiners, the Humility Theology Information Center of the John Templeton Foundation, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-Primary Care Version of the American Psychiatric Association, and the Bayer Institute on Health Care Communication. He was the director of the Physical Health Panel for the Scientific Progress in Spiritual Research project of the National Institute for Healthcare Research.. He has served on review boards for over a dozen professional journals and was the founding editor of Faith and Medicine Connection. He is a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Society and the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Matthews has been featured in numerous national newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times Sunday Magazine, Washington Post Magazine, USA Today Weekend, Hartford Courant Sunday Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek, Reader's Digest, Prevention, Guideposts, Good Housekeeping, McCall’s, and Christianity Today. He has appeared on many national television and radio programs, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Fox Evening News, CNN Early Prime Time, 700 Club, One-on-One with John MacLaughlin, and National Public Radio (The Diane Rehm Show and All Things Considered).
He lives in McLean, Virginia with his wife, Demetra, a certified public accountant. He has two adult children: Karen Goodman (married to Robert Goodman), and Louis Matthews (married to Michelle Matthews) and two grandchildren (Sophia Goodman and James Matthews). He enjoys family and church activities, Bible study and teaching, golf, baseball, piano, songwriting, singing, ballroom dancing, travel, and photography.
Joseph P. McMenamin, MD, JD, FCLM
Dr. McMenamin is the Principal at McMenamin Law Offices, PLLC, in Richmond, Virginia. He is also Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, W Medical Strategy Group, and Principal Consultant, Venebio Group. He has 30 years of experience in representing health care providers, life sciences companies, telemedicine concerns, and food companies. Joe has defended these organizations against a variety of allegations in state and federal court. He currently assists clients on an array of regulatory and reimbursement issues, licensure, informed consent, contract matters, risk management, and privacy. For much of his career, Joe was a partner at McGuireWoods, a large international law firm, before launching his own law practice in 2013.
Previously, Dr. McMenamin practiced emergency medicine at hospitals in Pennsylvania and Georgia on a part-time and full-time basis over a seven-year period overlapping his specialty training and legal education. He presently serves as general counsel to the Virginia Telemedicine Network, and as a member of the Legal Resource Team for CTeL, the Center for Telemedicine and eHealth Law. Joe is an associate professor of Legal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia and a former member of the Boards of Directors of the Medical Society of Virginia Insurance Agency and of the Richmond Ambulance Authority. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of CW Optics, Inc., the Regulatory Harmonization Institute, and RemainHome Solutions, Inc.
Dr. McMenamin has authored or co-authored scores of articles and book chapters on a wide array of topics pertinent to the fields alluded to above as well as on other subjects. He has also given hundreds of presentations at local, state, national, and international meetings of lawyers, doctors, risk managers, business continuity experts, regulatory professionals, and other groups on topics pertinent to his areas of expertise.
Dr. McMenamin graduated summa cum laude from Washington and Lee with a BS in chemistry in 1974, with an MD from the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1978, and with a JD from the School of Law at the same institution in 1985. He trained in internal medicine at Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta from 1978 to 1981. He is board-certified in Legal Medicine and a Fellow of the College of Legal Medicine.
Raun David Melmed, MD, FAAP
Dr. Melmed earned his medical training at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and completed a fellowship at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston, where he was an Instructor at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics He is board certified in Pediatrics and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
Dr. Melmed has set up nationally recognized physician training programs for the early identification of infants and toddlers with developmental and behavioral concerns and authored a program geared toward the early screening for autism spectrum disorders. He is the author of Succeeding with Difficult Children, Autism: Early Intervention, Autism and the Extended Family and Marvin's Monster Diary-ADHD Attacks. His latest book for children, Timmy's Monster Diary: Screen Time Attacks!, will be published in the fall of 2017.
Dr. Melmed is an investigator of novel psychopharmacological agents in the treatment of autism, Fragile X and ADHD and collaborates on studies of tools used in the diagnosis of developmental disorders.
Edward M. Mendoza, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAN, FACPE
Dr. Edward M. Mendoza is an independent contractor and senior Physician Consultant of the Mendoza group. He has more than 29 years of experience in health care as a physician and consultant. He also has a Neurology private practice. Dr. Mendoza's consulting services include physician training, coder and case manager education, physician liaison training, clinical documentation quality reviews, clinical pathway development, and clinical cost management.
Other present consulting experience is as a part time Vice President of Medical Affairs (Medical Director) at a tertiary care facility. He also assists with DRG and CPT proper coding projects and educational programs for HIM, UM, and QA personnel.
Dr. Mendoza is board certified in Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Medical Management. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physician Executives and the American Academy of Neurology. He is a Certified Physician Executive. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science, received his Doctor of Medicine from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and his Masters of Business Administration from the Executive Program of Georgia State University in Atlanta.
The Road to 10: The Small Physician Practice's Route to ICD-10, is a resource provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help physicians prepare for the arrival of ID-10. Dr. Mendoza has recently been honored by being selected by CMS to be a member of the Physician Champion Community of Practice. This Community of Practice was established by CMS in order to bring together physicians from across the country to share ICD-10 best practices and lessons learned with their peers. The physician champions are well-respected leaders in their local physician communities and volunteer their time to service as an ICD-10 resource and a mentor to their colleagues.
Dr. Mendoza is widely published in the medical literature including several books: International Healthcare, A Framework for Comparing National Health Care Systems, 3rd edition and Mastering the Reimbursement Process, 2nd Edition. He has been recognized in Modern Healthcare for his international expertise. He has spoken at numerous seminars, both nationally and internationally on clinical, international health care, and managed care topics. He has prepared and taught "Financing International Health Care Systems, Comparative International Health Care Systems, and Managed Care for Public Health" for the school of Public Health, Morehouse School of Medicine.
Gary F. Merrill, PhD
Andrew D. Michaels, MD, MAS, FACC, FAHA
He stayed at UCSF for 6 years as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab. He was then recruited to the University of Utah as a tenured Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab. He then transitioned to a community-based interventional cardiology practice at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, CA for 8 years. Since 2018, he has worked in Boise and Nampa, Idaho for the Saint Alphonsus Medical Group.
He is the Co-Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab and Medical Director of Cardiology in Nampa. He has over 100 publications, and has had clinical research grants from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and the National Institutes of Health.
Karen Hughes Miller, PhD, MEd
Dr. Miller has more than 50 publications and presentations. She has taught adult education, curriculum design, and assessment courses and workshops to undergraduate and graduate students, medical residents and fellows, and faculty. She is also experienced in teaching task analysis to educators and physicians.
Dr. Miller's undergraduate degrees in journalism (with a minor in commercial art) and her master's degree in instructional technology are useful today in creating new teaching and learning materials and platforms. One of her several research agendas is teaching and assessment of very bright learners, and she is currently completing a book chapter on this topic for NOVA publishers.
Dr. Miller is Immediate Past Chair of the Association of American of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Southern Group on Education Affairs (SGEA), and the Immediate Past Chair of the AAMC Research in Medical Education (RIME) program selection committee.
Tobin Miller, DNP, MSN/Ed., RN, CEN, CCRN, CFRN
Tobin is a well-recognized and sought-after educator who frequently lectures at the local, state and national level where he is known for making even the most complex concepts seem easily understandable. Nursing education and patient safety are two of his passions: his doctoral work included the first of its kind research looking at high-risk, low-volume error reduction utilizing targeted education interventions for flight nurses.
Currently, Tobin is a nurse educator for a large critical care transport program and works part-time with cardiology patients in a hospital clinic.
Charles S. Mills, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, HMDBC
Dr Mills's extensive work in geriatrics in his clinical practice led to his growth in palliative and hospice medicine. Taking on a medical directorship at a local hospice, he gained practical knowledge of this field and went on to complete additional study in this area leading to his successful completion of board certification in 2008.
He is a zealous proponent of interactive learning processes and enjoys leading/mentoring invigorated medical education forums. He has lectured and taught broadly at both a community/ lay level, medical school level , residency/fellow level and at attending level of audience
Caroline M. Molins, MD MSMEd FACEP FAAEM
As for her residency, she stayed in Puerto Rico and attended University of Puerto Rico Emergency Medicine Residency, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Upon graduation in 2010, she moved to Orlando Florida, where she joined a group that serves AdventHealth East Orlando. Shortly after beginning at AdventHealth, she became the Curriculum Director at the AdventHealth Emergency Medicine Residency.
Recently in May 2019, she completed her master’s in medical education from Lake Erie College of Medicine. She is an enthusiastic tennis fan, as a local player and enjoys being a spectator at the Miami Open and US Open Championships.
Jose A. Montero MD, FACP
Dr. Montero has been involved in many activities mostly emphasizing his abilities both as a clinician and educator. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. In 2004, he was appointed to the President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA).
Dr. Montero's main interests include hospital acquired infections as well as HIV. He is an avid proponent of antimicrobial stewardship, and initiated the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Tampa General Hospital in 2010
P. Patrick Mularoni, MD, FAAP, FACEP, CAQ SM
Dr. Mularoni is a Pediatrician who splits his clinical time between Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Sports Medicine. He is a graduate of the Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University and the American University of the Caribbean.
Dr. Mularoni completed his Pediatric Residency at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. His first Fellowship was in Pediatric Emergency Medicine through Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Mularoni has been practicing Pediatric Emergency Medicine at All Childrens Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine since 2007. He completed his second fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine through Bayfront Health in 2014.
While at Emory University, Dr. Mularoni completed research on procedural pain reduction in the emergency setting and was awarded the American Academy of Pediatrics Willis Wingert award for best fellow research. He has continued conducting research at All Childrens looking at best practice for procedural sedation in reduction of Pediatric forearm fractures and his current research interests include concussion management, diagnosis and prognosis in patients with mild traumatic brain injuries and predictors of overuse injuries in youth athletics. He is the founder and medical director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine division at All Childrens Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine. He also serves as the chairman of the Medical Emergency Committee at All Children's Hospital. He has worked with Sarasota, Hillsborough and Pinellas County school systems to create a uniform return to learning protocol following concussion.
Dr. Mularoni authored the article on pediatric athlete concussion diagnosis and management for Family Practice Essentials. He has also written articles geared towards Physicians and the families of athletes highlighting the risks associated with early specialization and the overuse injuries this practice creates. Dr. Mularoni lectures locally and internationally on Pediatric Emergency and Sports related topics and is a regular contributor to Fox television's Good Day show.
Dr. Mularoni lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife Kim who is also a Pediatrician and their three young children. During free time he enjoys travel, watching Michigan State sports, skiing, and competing in triathlon, running and stand-up paddle board races.
Tim Munzing, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Munzing is a leading national expert on appropriate (legal vs. illegal) Opioid and Controlled Substance Prescribing, recently receiving a major national Medical Director’s Award by the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association. He has served as a medical expert reviewer for the DEA, FBI, and Medical Board of California for 15 years, having reviewed over 200 cases (100+ criminal) in over sixteen states across the United States.
Dr. Munzing published a peer reviewed article entitled “Guide to Appropriate Opioid Prescribing for Noncancer Pain" in May 2017 in the Permanente Journal, which is now being used nationally by physicians, law enforcement, and prosecutors. Dr. Munzing has lectured on the subject to thousands of physicians and healthcare providers, law enforcement (DEA, FBI, other state and federal law enforcement), and prosecutors across the United States.
Joseph G. Murphy, MD, MBA, FRCPI, FACC, FESC
Consultant Cardiologist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Chair, Section of Scientific Publication, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation
Director Mayo Clinic Scientific Press
Dr. Murphy is Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. He is Director of the Cardiology Invasive Specialist program at the Mayo School of Health Sciences. Dr Murphy is the Director of the Mayo Clinic Scientific Press and Chair of the Section of Scientific Publication at the Mayo Clinic. He is also Chair of the Mayo Foundation Publications Committee.
Dr. Murphy graduated from University College Cork in Ireland, where he also completed a Medical and Surgical Internship in the Professional Department at the University College Cork Hospital. He was Senior House Officer in Rotation in General Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland Medical School at St. Laurence's Hospital, Dublin Teaching Hospital. He was Tutor/Registrar in General Medicine at the Medical School, University of Dublin, Trinity College at the Dublin Teaching Hospital. Dr. Murphy was Senior House Officer and Registrar in Cardiology and General Medicine at Mater Misericordiae Hospital at Dublin Teaching Hospital. He completed a research fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School and fellowships in Clinical and Invasive Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Murphy completed a Doctorate in Medicine in Cardiology by Thesis at the National University of Ireland.
Kim Murphy, MS, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB, RNC-MNN, C-EFM
She currently fills the role of staff nurse and charge nurse at The Ohio State University, a large Level 3 academic medical center along with being a women's health NP in private practice. She also is the lead provider in public health for prenatal care and sexual health services in a Title X agency.
She has been a leader in education while making multiple speaking presentations on a variety of topics related to obstetrics and women's health. She recently spoke at the national AWHONN conference in 2019. She is a designated instructor for fetal monitoring through AWHONN. She also participates in legal review of malpractice cases.
Sharon A. Nachman, MD
Dr. Nachman received her MD from SUNY Stony Brook in 1983 and did her residency in Pediatrics at Schneider Children's Hospital at LIJ.
She did her clinical Pediatric Infectious Disease training at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx and her post doctoral fellowship in Microbiology at the Rockefeller University in NYC. Since 1992 she has been continually funded by NIH for her work in clinical research with a focus on Pediatric HIV.
She has been recognized both nationally and internationally for her expertise in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Her projects have included studies involving pediatric vaccinations, international medicine and vector borne pathogens and HIV, with over 150 peer reviewed publications to date.
She is currently Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Dean for Research at Stony Brook, while also serving as the Director of the Pediatric Infectious Disease division.
Mohanram Narayanan, MD, FACP, FNKF, FASN, FRCP(C)
Director, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension
Chief, Section of Clinical Transplantation
Dr. Narayanan received his medical degree at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India, and completed residencies in Internal Medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, India and at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. He completed clinical fellowships in Nephrology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Illinois, and at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Texas. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Geriatric Medicine and is a Certified Specialist in Hypertension by the American Society of Hypertension.
Dr. Narayanan is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Texas A&M Health Science Center-College of Medicine and Baylor Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, Texas, where he serves as Director, Division of Nephrology-Hypertension and Medical Director of the Abdominal Transplant Program.
A fellow of the National Kidney Foundation, the American Society of Nephrology, the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Dr. Narayanan&apos's clinical practice focuses on all aspects of Nephrology as well as kidney and pancreas transplantation.
A frequent lecturer, presenter, and author, Dr. Narayanan's work has been published in several peer reviewed journals including the American Journal of Kidney Disease, American Journal of Transplantation, Annals of Emergency Medicine, Hemodialysis International, Investigative Radiology, and Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , among many others. He is also the Principal Investigator for several industry sponsored clinical trials. Dr. Narayanan serves on the editorial board of the journal Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease and is a reviewer for the American Journal of Transplantation .
Barry Nathanson, BA, MD, MHCM, FRCPC, FACP
In 1995, he began practising internal medicine and critical care medicine at York County Hospital in Newmarket which, in 2000, became Southlake Regional Health Centre. Early on, Dr. Nathanson served as Medical Director of the inpatient Palliative Care Unit. He later founded the Southlake Heart Function Program. He was president of the Southlake Medical Staff Association for four years. He then helped develop Southlake’s Clinical Resource Utilization Management Program. From 2008 to 2017 he was Southlake’s Physician Leader (Medical Director), for Acute Medicine Programs. During that time Dr. Nathanson helped modernize Southlake inpatient services by founding and developing Southlake’s Hospital Medicine Program. In 2017 Dr. Nathanson completed a two-year term as co-chair of Southlake’s Quality, Utilization and Resource Management Committee. In 2018 Dr. Nathanson began an additional 5-year term as Medical Director of Critical Care Services at Southlake where he has helped introduce Southlake’s Physician-Led Critical Care Outreach Team.
In 2008, Dr. Nathanson founded Southlake’s Post Graduate Education Program for senior Internal Medicine residents. The principle focus of this month-long rotation is easing and facilitating residents’ transition into independent community practice, optimizing the likelihood of a long and rewarding career in the challenging environment of Ontario health services.
Dr. Nathanson has served as Chief of Staff at Stevenson Memorial Hospital since 2016 with a principle focus of modernizing physician culture and supporting the community goal of a long-overdue redevelopment of the physical hospital and its clinical service offerings.
Dr. Nathanson has served on 3 provincial task forces, the ER/ALC Advisory Committee and the ALC Action Team. More recently he served in an advisory capacity in support of the Ministry of Health and Long term Care working group aimed at reducing hallway medicine in Ontario.
Dr. Nathanson’s additional professional interests include Medical Bioethics and Health Law, Health Policy and Health Economics including the impact of different payor systems on clinical systems design and on clinical decision making, the role of Physician Leadership and Engagement in driving system change toward improved clinical safety, efficiency and effectiveness, and physician health and wellness. Dr. Nathanson lectures widely on these topics and on a variety of additional clinical and health services related topics.
Dr. Nathanson’s many personal interests include travelling. He second favorite hobby is lecturing to international medical audiences on cruise ships. Above all, he especially enjoys riding his 2014 Indian Chief Classic, together with his wife, Genny, all over Ontario, Canada, the US, and beyond.
Eddie Needham, MD, FAAFP
Eddie Needham, MD is the Program Director and Academic Chairman for the AdventHealth Winter Park Family Medicine Residency Program in Winter Park, Florida. Additionally, he is a Professor of Medicine at UCF-COM and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at FSU-COM. He practices full-service family medicine providing care from “conception to resurrection”. He has taught family medicine for 25 years and performs many outpatient and inpatient procedures.
He served as a physician in the US Army for seven years. In 2013, Dr. Needham received the Full-Time Florida Family Physician Educator award. He has previously received the AFMRD Gold Award as a Program Director in 2017, the GAFP Teacher of the Year in 2007 and the 1996 AAFP Parke-Davis Teacher awards. It is his joy and passion to teach students of medicine the wonders of the human body. He loves his wife of 31 years, his five adult children, the rigors of triathlons, the wonder and surprise of fishing, and mountain top experiences with friends.
Cassandra R. Nelson, MS, PhD
Dr. Nelson’s primary professional focus has been undergraduate teaching, as she has taught a wealth of courses ranging from non-majors biology to cellular neurobiology, vertebrate anatomy and development, and systems and experimental physiology. Publications include Cardiovascular Research, American Journal of Physiology, and Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. An accomplished division 1 track and field and cross country athlete at Marquette University, Dr. Nelson continues to enjoy running, having completed 18 half marathons and 5 marathons. She loves to bring the physiology of running and exercise into her teaching and research.
Joe Nemeth, MD, CCFP, EM FCFP
He was the department director at the Montreal General Hospital for 8 of those years. He also took part in a "quasi-sabbatical" one year stop in Toronto working at 5 different hospitals (academic/community) in the capacity of emergency medicine physician and trauma team leader. His extensive international lecturing dossier and numerous McGill University teaching awards attest to his passion for teaching.
Matthias I. Okoye, MD, JD, FRCP, FCLM
Dr. Matthias I. Okoye is a physician, lawyer, and a forensic expert. In 2005, he was nominated as one of the top 50 minority scientists in U.S.A. He has performed and supervised over 15,000 autopsies and investigated and certified over 20,000 deaths during his career. He has been consulted world-wide in over 5,000 cases by prosecutors, defense lawyers and law enforcement agencies in the U.S.A. and overseas. He has testified in the U.S. in several state and federal courts and foreign jurisdictions as an expert in the fields of forensic medicine and pathology, legal medicine, pharmaceutical science, and toxicology. He has assisted academic institutions in developing and setting up undergraduate and graduate forensic science programs in several U.S. and overseas universities.
Dr. Okoye is also the director of the Nebraska Institute of Forensic Sciences, Inc., and Associated Pathologists of Nebraska, P.C. In addition, he is a clinical professor of forensic pathology at Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska and clinical professor of forensic medicine and pathology at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Kansas City, Missouri. He is also an adjunct and visiting professor of forensic medicine and pathology at several universities abroad. He was the former Chief Medical Examiner for Washington, D.C. and a clinical professor of forensic pathology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Georgetown University School of Medicine and professorial lecturer in forensic pathology at Howard University College of Medicine from 1989-1991.
He is a consultant forensic pathologist with the State of Nebraska’s Office of the Attorney General, and serves as the coroner’s physician and forensic pathologist for several counties in Nebraska and Kansas. Dr. Okoye is also an attending pathologist at Lincoln’s Bryan Medical Center and CHI-St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center. In addition, he is the founding principal of the Law Firm of Okoye & Associates, Lincoln, Nebraska.
He received dual medical degrees (Summa Cum Laude) from both the Universities of Lagos College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria and the British Conjoint Board, U.K. in 1974 before serving as a senior house officer in surgery and pathology for the Nigerian Ministry of Health. He was a junior fellow in pathology at King’s College, University of Cambridge, U.K. in 1972. In 1976, he immigrated to the United States and undertook intensive residencies in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas and also graduate training in pharmaceutical science/toxicology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also took a residency in forensic pathology at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland.
Dr. Okoye also earned both a Master of Science degree in pharmaceutical science (toxicology) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Juris doctorate degree from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Legal Medicine.
He is a member of the State Bar of Pennsylvania and is also admitted to practice in several Federal District Courts, Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the American College of Legal Medicine for several years, and currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Board of Legal Medicine, member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Academy of Legal Medicine, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Dr. Okoye has been a member of the Academy of Forensic Sciences, National Association of Medical Examiners, and a Fellow of the College of American Pathologists. He has also lectured and published extensively in forensic medicine and pathology, forensic toxicology, and legal medicine. He has appeared on CNN, ABC News, and CBS News to discuss some high profile cases. He has been requested by several foreign governments to conduct thorough medico-legal death investigations in some controversial high profile deaths. He is a visiting professor in forensic sciences at various Universities in the U.S. and overseas.
Janet Osborne, MD
Prior to joining Carilion in 2011, Dr. Osborne was the Director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin for 11 years. She is also board certified in hospice and palliative care. In addition to patient care, Dr Osborne is very involved in training medical students and residents. She is the site principal investigator for many clinical trials and has multiple publications including several book chapters. She loves traveling, the Green Bay Packers, and relaxing at Smith Mountain Lake with her two dogs.
David Parrish, MS, MD, FAAFP
He has been faculty in the residency for 32 years and Residency Director 2002-2016. As Director he was responsible for 24 residents 3 fellows and 7 full time faculty. Leadership positions he has held in the organization include Chief of the Medical Staff for 4 years, Chair of IRB for 8 years as well as multiple committees and community endeavors. He has received the AJ Gorday award, which is the highest award given by the medical staff.
Before joining Bayfront residency as faculty he established Family Medicine at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and was faculty in a US Navy residency in Charleston, SC. On leaving the active duty Navy he continued in the US Navy Reserves, serving twice as Directorate of Health Services for two different multi state regions, and Reserve Commanding Officer for Navy Hospital Jacksonville, Fl and National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md near Washington, D.C. He assumed Command of NNMC a few weeks after the attacks of 9/11/2001. Following the 2 year tour at NNMC he was recalled to Active duty for one year. CAPT Parrish has received many awards and medals for his service.
Dr. Parrish teaches in the residency daily and lectures frequently. He has taught ACLS and ALSO for many years as National Faculty. He has lectured on many topics from wilderness medicine to women's health. He especially likes to mentor emerging leaders and those interested in a life of service and organizational command leadership.
Dr. David Parrish was born and raised in a small town in Alabama. Public high school and a BS degree in Secondary Education from Auburn University were earned before being drafted to serve the US Army. Using his GI Bill he completed a Master's Degree at UAB in Pathology followed by Medical School. Returning to the military he completed a Family Practice Residency at Naval Hospital Pensacola. Other than continuing education courses, he completed the NIPDD (National Institute for Program Director Development). Dr Parrish is a recognized speaker, author and Family Physician.
Magdalena Pasarica MD, PhD
Dr. Pasarica is actively seeing patients in primary care clinic and performs quality improvement projects for delivery of optimal evidence-based primary care. Through her 10+ years of translational and clinical research in nutrition and obesity, Dr Pasarica is translating her expertise in evidence based medicine and lifestyle medicine into medical education and education research.
Dr Pasarica has been invited by numerous organizations to give CME talks on Primary Care Topics and has published extensively in this field. Her work was recognized by awards from national organizations, including the American Association of Medical Colleges and Bipartisan Policy Center.
Deepak Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM
He has authored, mentored, and served as section editor for several publications and textbooks on sports medicine topics. Dr. Patel has been honored with multiple teaching awards and speaking invitations. He has presented on sports medicine topics at the annual AAFP Scientific Assembly (now FMX) and numerous other CME events at national and regional levels. With his passion for teaching and his combination of family and sports medicine experience, he's uniquely able to deliver effective presentations to a primary care audience.
Brian Pearlman, MD, FACP, FAASLD, AAHIVS
Brian Pearlman, MD is the Medical Director for Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center's Center for Hepatitis C in Atlanta, Georgia, and is Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia and Professor of Medicine at Emory School of Medicine. He completed his medical degree at the University of Miami and post-graduate training at both the University of Texas, Southwestern and Baylor University Medical Center.
Dr. Pearlman is Fellow for the American College of Physicians, and Fellow for the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease as well as certified by the American Academy of HIV Medicine. He is also a member of the American Gastroenterological Association. He had sat on the Board of Directors for The American Liver Foundation, Southeast Chapter.
Dr. Pearlman is widely published in leading journals such as The Lancet, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, The Lancet Infectious Disease, Clinical Infectious Diseases and the American Journal of Medicine. He is active in both patient care and in teaching physicians. He has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards and is an active investigator in multiple liver-related clinical trials, some of which are in collaboration with the CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis.
Wanda Phipatanakul, MD, MS
Originally from St. Louis, she earned her medical degree from Loma Linda University and completed her residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 1997. After a fellowship in immunology at Johns Hopkins University, she joined the faculty in the Division of Immunology and Allergy at Boston Children’s and Harvard Medical School, where she has remained for nearly 2 decades.
Dr. Phipatanakul has built a deep network of community relationships, and she conducts both school- and home-based asthma studies in children and has had continuous NIH funding for nearly 20 years. She leads the NIAID School Inner-City Asthma Intervention Study and the NHLBI Environment Assessment of Sleep in Youth, and overall PI for a NIAID funded, nationwide, multicenter asthma prevention study evaluating omalizumab (anti-IgE) in preventing the atopic march and asthma. Most recently she was awarded a NIAID U01 evaluating whether patients carrying a IL4RαR576gene variant, will have a greater response to dupilumab.
She leads her Center as Pediatric PI in multiple NHLBI asthma and prevention networks, including Precise and has authored over 220 publications in scientific journals, including JAMA and the New England Journal of Medicine. She is passionate about successfully mentoring the next generation of investigators, and has received multiple mentoring awards for her efforts. She also enjoys serving the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the American Board of Allergy and Immunology in support of her specialty and serving as a role model to others balancing work and family.
Jack Piermatti, DMD, FACP
Dr. Piermatti is a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics, and the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry for which he has served as President as well as Board Examiner. He is an Assistant Professor of Post-Graduate Prosthodontics at Rutgers University School of Dental Medicine where he is Director of the Dental Implant Maxicourse.
Dr. Piermatti has surgically placed more than 17,500 dental implants over his 37 year career, and is a nationally featured speaker on the subject of implant surgery and implant prosthodontics.
Veronica Piziak, MD, PhD, FACP
Dr. Piziak is presently the Emeritus Chief of Endocrinology, Director of the Diabetes section and Director of the Endocrinology Fellowship program at Baylor Scott and White in Temple Texas. She is a Professor of Medicine at Texas A&M University and a fellow of the American College of physicians.
M. Anthony Pogrel, DDS, MD, and Professor
He is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the International and American Associations of Dental Research and the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons. Dr. Pogrel has more than 200 publications in the literature on a variety of topics and is a frequent presenter at specialty meetings nationally and internationally.
Stephen W. Ponder MD, FAAP, CDE
Dr. Ponder focuses on all areas of pediatric endocrinology, including clinical research. The Diabetes Housecall program began in 2006 and is the future of diabetes healthcare delivery as rates of diabetes skyrocket and providers struggle to keep up with clinical demands on their time and expertise.
Jay M. Portnoy, MD
Dr. Jay Portnoy is an allergist in the Division of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and he is the Medical Director of Telemedicine at Children's Mercy-Kansas City and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He received his medical degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and he did his pediatric residency at the Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and his Allergy fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Following that he returned to Children's Mercy Hospital.
Dr. Portnoy has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals involving asthma disease management, environmental control and mold allergy. More recently he has been involved in use of Telemedicine to deliver patient care and in evidence-based medicine. He founded the UMKC School of Medicine allergy program and directed it from 1997-2006.
Dr. Portnoy served as President of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in 2008 and he currently serves on numerous committees both of the American College and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. He also is Chair of MOC for the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and he serves on the FDA advisory panel for allergenic extracts.
Dr. Portnoy lives in Overland Park Kansas with his wife and 2 cats. Fortunately, neither are cat-allergic.
Rahman Pourmand, MD
Rahman Pourmand, MD is a Professor of Neurology at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine. He is the Director of the Neuromuscular Disease Center and the ALS Comprehensive Care Clinic. He completed his neurology residency at the University of Tennessee and completed his neuromuscular disease fellowship at the University of Virginia.
He also received post residency fellowship in neurophysiology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He was a member of the faculty of the Neurology Department at Indiana University from 1983 until 2001 when he joined the Neurology Department at Stony Brook.
Dr. Pourmand has written many articles and book chapters in the neuromuscular field. He has edited five additional books in neuromuscular disease including ALS, he has also written a book in Neurology, and he is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease.
He maintains an active clinical practice that focuses on neuromuscular disorders and he directs the multidisciplinary ALS clinic which meets twice a month at Stony Brook Hospital. He is actively involved in teaching residents and students in neurology, and is a recipient of numerous teaching awards from both the medical students and the neurology residents.
The Neuromuscular Disease Center at Stony Brook involves a multidisciplinary approach to patients with ALS which is supported by the ALS Association Greater New York Chapter. The Center also sees patients for diagnosis and treatment of peripheral neuropathies, myopathies, myasthenia gravis and muscular dystrophy. EMG and Nerve Conduction testing is also done at the Center as well as Single Fiber EMG, Botox therapy, Autonomic Reflex testing. Dr. Pourmand also performs outpatient muscle, nerve and skin biopsies.
Gregory L. Psaltis, DDS
He is currently involved with two volunteer clinics in Mexico that he developed. Each provides comprehensive care for the indigent and medically compromised children of the Los Cabos and Zihuatanejo areas. He has published in several dental journals and was given the Gordon Christensen Speaker Award for excellence in professional presentations.
Mary Ellen Psaltis, Bachelor in Philosophy, BPh
Mary Ellen speaks nationally on creating optimal nutrition and making thoughtful life choices. Her local classes focus on supporting people along their healthful life journeys. She accompanies Greg on their Mexican mission trips as a dental assistant.
Cheryl Randolph, RN, MSN, CCRN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, FNP-BC, FAEN
Cheryl Randolph has been practicing critical care nursing for the past 29-years in ED, PICU, ICU & PACU, attaining national certifications in emergency nursing, pediatric emergency nursing, critical care, and as a family nurse practitioner. In addition, she is a Fellow of the Academy of Emergency Nursing: a select group of 150 ED nurses who have made lasting and significant contributions to ED Nursing. She has taught nursing at both the associate and baccalaureate degree levels, and is now acting as the owner of Paragon Education, committed to superior nursing continuing education.
Cheryl is dedicated to empowering critical care and emergency nurses in their practice and is a nationally-recognized seminar speaker. Her reputation is well deserved for her ability to make nursing education applicable and practical, as well as engaging and entertaining. Her interactive seminars offer diverse educational activities that aim to increase knowledge, expand understanding, refine skills, enhance practice performance and improve the health status of patients.
Cheryl is an innovative educator with the wonderful ability to make complex concepts understandable and clinically applicable. In her seminars, you'll find current, and clinically-relevant information that is presented with individual flair. And you'll laugh, a lot.
Stephen Raskin, MD, FACC
He has participated in many important clinical trials and served as principal investigator of many pivotal cardiology trials including the Beta Blocker Heart Attack Trial, Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) and many of the first acute myocardial infarction thrombolytic trials (GUSTO program).
He obtained his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin followed by internship and medical residency at the Boston City Hospital. Cardiology fellowship was completed at Mt. Zion-University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Raskin is a member of AOA and is board certified in cardiology, clinical lipidology and cardiovascular computed tomography. He is an avid photographer and ocean sailor completing two transpacific crossings and was cardiology consultant to the Swedish America’s Cup ARTEMIS Sailing Team.
He is the Chief Medical Officer of MedChefs, a company dedicated to improving health by providing a novel e-solution to foster a healthy lifestyle and nutrition pattern.
Shakaib (Shak) Rehman, MD, SCH, FACP, FAACH
He received his MD from University of Punjab, Pakistan with Gold Medals in Physiology, Forensic Medicine and Pathology. He did his Internal Medicine Residency at Nassau University Medical Center/SUNY @Stony Brook, New York and General Internal Medicine/Medical Education Fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. He then graduated from the Senior Executive Fellowship (SEF) Program from the Harvard University, Boston.A
He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hypertension
and Clinical Informatics. He is also a Fellow of American College of Physicians (ACP) and American Academy on Communication in Healthcare. American Society of Hypertension designated him a Clinical Specialist in Hypertension. He is a certified Mentor for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Dr. Rehman is a well-recognized expert in "Healthcare Communication", "Balancing Work and Life" and "Hypertension". He has taught courses/workshops around the country as well as in many countries outside the USA. He was invited to give the Commencement Address on the graduation ceremony of Medical University of South Carolina class of 2013.
He have received numerous awards including Department of Veterans Affair Excellence in Medical Education Award, Best Doctors in America ® award, David E. Rogers Teaching Award from Society of General Internal Medicine twice, Medical University of South Carolina Best Teacher Award, American College of Physicians (ACP) Young Physician Award, ACP James A. McFarland Award in Excellence in Teaching and Humanism, ACP Laureate Award, ACP Arizona Chapter Leader of the Year Award and Outstanding IMG award. He has been inducted in the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Medical Honor Society. He has been inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He has received the Department of Veterans Affairs Gerald Schmitz Award, ICARE Award and Certificate in Recognition for important contributions to VA's education mission.
He has served as the President of the Society of General Internal Medicine, Mountain West Region and Vice- President of the Academy on Communications in Healthcare (ACH). He was also the Conference Chair for the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare (ICCH) in 2007. He is currently the Chair of ACP
Arizona Chapter’s Public Policy committee. He was the founding member of ACP Council of Young Physicians (CYP) and was also the Chair of ACP-SC Chapter CYP, Chair of ACP-SC Chapter Health and Public Policy Committee (HPPC). He has been a member of the scientific committees for annual sessions of SGIM, AACH, SMA, ACP (South Carolina and Arizona chapters) as well as ACP national Public Policy Committee for the last many years.
Dr. Rehman has participated in many landmark research trials such as ACCORD, SPRINT, ACCOMPLISH, ONTARGET, PROMINENT etc. He has published hundreds of articles and book chapters. He is reviewer for many scientific journals such as Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and American Journal of Hypertension etc. He is the Associate Editor of Medical Encounter and was the editor of Journal Scan. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and five children, hiking and meditating.
Sandra W. Reifsteck, RN, MS Ed, FACMPE
Following this career, she joined the Institute for Healthcare Communication serving as Director of Office of Development and Quality Improvement whose missions is to improve health care through communication skills between clinicians and patients. She continues as a Master trainer with experience in conducting Train the Trainers across the US and Canada in addition serving as faculty for University at Sea.
Sandy also is a founding member of the American Academy of Ambulatory Nursing who will be celebrating their 40-year anniversary in April 2020. She has had a long career with the national Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) serving as President for Illinois, the Midwest Section of 10 states, and Chair of the National MGMA in Denver CO.
She attained her fellowship in the American College of Medical Group Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE). She has been active in MGMA serving as both Illinois and Midwest Section Presidents in addition to Chairman of the National MGMA Board. She is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives. Her healthcare and life experience have allowed her to follow her passion of "people" communicating with each other and the importance it has in today's health care environment.
George P. Rodgers, MD, FACC
Dr. Rodgers received his medical education and residency training in internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He completed his fellowship training in cardiology at Baylor College of medicine in Houston. He began his cardiology practice in Austin in 1989. Dr. Rodgers has been very active in the American College of Cardiology and has served as the chair of its board of governors and on many other committees, task force and writing groups
He received the Distinguished Fellow of the American College of Cardiology award in March 2017.
When Dr. Rodgers is not teaching or practicing cardiology, he is making music videos with his singer-actress wife Leslie www.lesliehylandrodgers.com George Rodgers is a practicing cardiologist and an Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Chief of Cardiology at University of Texas Dell Medical School. He led the development of the cardiovascular curriculum for the new medical school and teaches medical students and residents on a regular basis. Beyond medical education, he has particular interests in prevention and the early detection of heart disease, team-based care and innovative value-based care for the safety net population.
Dr. Rodgers received his medical education and residency training in internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He completed his fellowship training in cardiology at Baylor College of medicine in Houston. He began his cardiology practice in Austin in 1989. Dr. Rodgers has been very active in the American College of Cardiology and has served as the chair of its board of governors and on many other committees, task force and writing groups
He received the Distinguished Fellow of the American College of Cardiology award in March 2017.
When Dr. Rodgers is not teaching or practicing cardiology, he is making music videos with his singer-actress wife Leslie www.lesliehylandrodgers.com
Ramon L. Rodriguez, MD
Ramon L. Rodriguez, MD, is a Professor of Neurology at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Rodriguez graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus and completed his internship and residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.
After this, he completed a Fellowship in the Medical and Surgical Management of Movement Disorders and has been practicing academic medicine since then. Dr. Rodriguez has been involved in more than 40 research studies and more than 50 publications in both national and international journals. He is currently the director of the National VA PD consortia in Orlando, Florida.
Carlos R. Rodriguez, MD, FAAFP, CAQSM
Dr. Rodriguez completed his Family Medicine Residency Program at The Medical Center of Central Georgia/Mercer University School of Medicine in 2001 where he served as Chief Resident during his final year and received the Resident Teacher Award. He then proceeded to complete a fellowship in Sports Medicine at Bayfront Medical Center. After finishing the fellowship program Dr Rodriguez remained in the Tampa Bay area in private practice and later joined Community Health Centers of Pinellas where he served as Director of the Family Medicine Department.
He has served as a team physician and provided medical coverage for many of our local sports. These activities include the Tampa Bay Rays, Eckerd College and University of South Florida sports, St. Anthony’s Triathlon, Saint Petersburg Parrots (Hockey), Seminole High School, Indian Rocks Christian School, Saint Petersburg Pelicans (Rugby) and the Tampa Bay Storm. He also covers local club sports for the Chargers Soccer Club and the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning League. He is the medical director of the Sprint Tri-Athlon series in Saint Petersburg. He is also a licensed professional ringside physician and provides medical coverage for professional boxing and mixed martial arts in Florida.
Dr. Rodriguez has published sports medicine articles in FP Essentials, Florida Family Physician and ACSMs Health and Fitness Journals. He is an editorial member of the AAFPs FP Essentials. He is also in the faculty for University at Sea providing sports medicine CME courses.
Dr. Rodriguez is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a member of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine, the Pinellas County Medical Association, and the Association of Ringside Physicians.
Dr. Rodriguez is married and has three children. His oldest daughter attends Florida State University. He enjoys playing basketball and tennis but loves to spend his spare time watching his children participate in sports.
Roy S. Rogers, III, MD
Dr. Rogers has had a long-standing interest in oral dermatology, oral pathology and oral medicine. He has been recognized as an authority in that area having edited three volumes of the Dermatology Clinics and two more volumes for Clinics in Dermatology (2016, 2017). To date he has contributed more than 250 scholarly publications.
During his career, Dr. Rogers has received many awards and honors. These include: two Presidential Citations, the Gold Triangle Award, the Thomas G. Pearson Memorial Education Achievement Award, the Everett C. Fox, M.D. Memorial Lectureship and Honorary Membership, all from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Nick served on the Board of Directors and was Vice-President in 1999-2000. In 2015, the 18,000 member AAD recognized him with the Master Dermatologist Award, a prestigious award given to one dermatologist each year.
In 2010, Dr. Rogers was accorded Honorary Membership in the British Society of Oral Medicine and was recognized as a Lifetime Career Educator by the Dermatology Foundation. In 2012, Dr. Rogers was made an Honorary Member of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
Dr. Rogers has presented numerous named lectureships and served as Visiting Professor at many academic institutions in the United States, Canada, and around the world. In 1999, Dr. Rogers gave the first Ahmed Lecture at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. In 2000, Dr. Rogers was the keynote speaker at the first joint meeting of the British Society of Oral Medicine and the British Society of Oral Pathology in Edinburgh. In addition, he gave the keynote address at the International Association of Oral Pathology in Guatemala later that year. Dr. Rogers has been recognized by the International League of Dermatological Societies for his dedication to international dermatological education and for his teaching in 55 countries over the years.
Dr. Rogers received his BS degree from Denison University (Distinguished Alumnus, 1993), his medical education at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (Distinguished Alumnus, 1991) and his internship at the Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester. He was a research fellow and resident in Dermatology at Duke University Medical Center. He then became a NIH fellow and completed his training at Mayo Clinic where he earned his MS in Dermatology from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine before joining the Staff of the Mayo Clinic in 1973. Dr. Rogers is Board-certified in Dermatology, Dermatopathology and Dermatologic Immunopathology.
I. Leslie Rubin, MD
As a Developmental Pediatrician, he has provided care for children and adults with developmental disabilities for decades, and in 2016 published the 3rd edition of his text: Health Care for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Across the Lifespan, (Springer Switzerland).
As an Environmental Pediatrician, he started a program in 2004 called: Break the Cycle of Children’s Environmental Health Disparities, to raise awareness of children’s environmental health disparities and cultivate future leaders. This program, now in its 15th year, has resulted in the publication of more than 100 student papers in 10 international journal supplements and 10 Books with Nova, publishers in their Public Health Series.
He is actively involved in a number of local, national and international organization and has received a several awards for his work.
Dania Rumbak, MD
She is currently an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the New York University School of Medicine. She has previously worked at Columbia University Medical Center and the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, where she received all her medical training (residency and fellowship.) She has published multiple works in medical journals. She was also co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of a healthcare startup called Baby Doctor. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
Mark Rumbak, MD
Dr. Rumbak is from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he went to medical school and did his residency and Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical care medicine. He came to the US IN 1987, spent five years at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, and then came to the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr Rumbak's main interest is interventional pulmonary medicine, including pulmonary arterial hypertension. He is the Governor for Florida for the American College of Chest Physicians. He is a full professor and is on staff at four hospitals including the James A Haley Hospital, Tampa General Hospital and Florida Hospital, Tampa.
Camille Sabella, MD
Camille Sabella, MD, is the Director of the Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cleveland Clinic Children’s and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He serves as the Vice Chair for Education for the Pediatric Institute at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.
Dr. Sabella received his M.D. degree from the Northeast Ohio Medical University, served a pediatric residency at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, Ohio and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, CA. Dr. Sabella is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Sabella attends on the Pediatric Infectious Diseases consultation service at Cleveland Clinic Children’s where he sees pediatric patients with a wide variety of infections, including complicated community acquired infections, viral infections, infections in immunocompromised hosts, including those complicating malignancies and organ transplantation, infections following surgery, and infections in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units. Dr. Sabella’s research interests include viral infections, antimicrobial therapy and stewardship, immune responses of transplant recipients, infections in immunocompromised patients, hospital-acquired infections, and the use of telemedine in the practice of pediatric infectious diseases.
Dr. Sabella is the editor of the Cleveland Clinic Intensive Review of Pediatrics textbook, which is currently in its fifth edition, co-editor of The Color Atlas of Pediatrics, and associate editor of the 5-Minute Pediatric Consult (7th and 8th editions). He also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of AccessPediatrics. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles dealing with diverse aspects of pediatric infectious diseases.
Dr. Sabella has received numerous awards related to his educational commitment to fellows, residents and medical students. He directs the annual Pediatric Board Review Course at the Cleveland Clinic, which is currently in its 25th year. He is the past Chair of the Education Committee of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Dr. Sabella is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. He is also a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, American Society of Transplantation, American Society for Microbiology, and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Frances M. Sahebzamani (Rankin), PhD, ARNP, FAANP
Prior to joining the H. Lee Moffitt Team, Dr. Sahebzamani was an Assistant Professor in the USF Colleges of Nursing and Medicine, Division of Family Medicine.
From 2006-2013, she was the director of the Advanced Nursing Practice Doctorate (DNP) Program in the College of Nursing and in 2002 co-developed and co-directed the USF Prediabetes Treatment Center within the Department of Family Medicine.
During this time, she served as the Assistant Director of Research for the Department of Family Medicine.
Dr. Sahebzamani is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Her practice expertise is in primary care, metabolic dysregulation and preventive cardiology. She speaks nationally on the topics of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular risk factors.
In addition to her lectures, Dr. Sahebzamani has participated in developing national educational initiatives on the topics of obesity and diabetes to enhance knowledge and clinical outcomes for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
She recently served as the lead author on the American Association of Nurse Practitioners White Paper on the Management of Obesity. Her program of research includes the topics of obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic dysregulation, and cardiovascular risk reduction in primary care settings.
Tracy G. Sanson MD, FACEP, CEO
Dr. Sanson has served in several and varied leadership positions with the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM), the Council of Residency Directors (CORD), and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). She is a member of the ACEP Speaker's Bureau and the 911 network. She has been a member of the ACEP faculty for many years, including the ACEP Teaching Fellowship and the Emergency Department Directors Academy.
Dr. Sanson completed her medical degree and residency training at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has held director positions in the US Air Force, the University of South Florida and TeamHealth during the past 20 years. Dr. Sanson heads her own consulting firm, specializing in leadership training.
Linda Scaz, RN, PhD
Linda Scaz, RN, PhD, FCN served as a Senior Director of Clinical Care and Operations at Haven Hospice of Northeast Florida and as Director of Community Engagement. She has mentored student nurses and developed caregiver and end of life programs.
Dr. Scaz completed her undergraduate studies at Wilkes University and master’s program at Misericordia College, both in Pennsylvania. She graduated from Penn State University where she completed her doctoral studies in transcultural education of healthcare professionals. Dr. Scaz is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville.
Dr. Scaz has spent many years doing hands on patient care and has also acted in a professor capacity. She has worked extensively in the area of education/communication around end of life care for both professionals and caregivers.
She has served on the nurse advisory councils for Jacksonville University and St. John’s River State College. She has also been a member of First Coast Nurse Leader Coalition over the last ten years as well as president of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Health Council. She is also a “First Steps ACP” Certified Facilitator.
Dr. Scaz was selected as one of the “Top 100 Nurses in North Florida” and selected as one of Jacksonville’s Top 40 Healthcare Leaders. She has published on the topics of cultural competency, advanced directives, and health care mission work in a third world country.
She is a former Rotarian and a dedicated volunteer in her church and community.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, swimming, spending time with her family and traveling to Haiti to serve others. A “fun fact” is Dr. Scaz is also a certified mermaid.
Dr. Scaz currently resides in Jacksonville Florida with her husband Ken. She has two children, Kendra and Ken Jr. who she enjoys traveling with.
Nathaniel R Schlicher, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP
As Legislative Affairs Chairman of the Washington State Chapter of Emergency Physicians, Nathan spearheaded the "ER for Emergencies" program to replace the State's plan to deny ER services to Medicaid Patients. Nathan's leadership in this effort will lead the state to save $31 million per year by making better health care. He created and has edited four editions of a textbook on the importance of advocacy by physicians, "The Emergency Medicine Advocacy Handbook." He currently serves as the 1st Vice President of the Washington State Medical Association and is a Past President of the Washington Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He has previously served as the Legislative Advisor on the Board of Directors of the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association. He also spent a year in the Washington State Senate, representing the 26th District, where he continued his work on health care advocacy. He continues to work with interested parties on health policy topics including renewed focus on the opiate and mental health crises affecting the state.
Nathan and his wife are deeply involved in the community. They serve as foster parents and run a Free Clinic on the peninsula. Nathan is serving as the Capital Campaign Chair for the Olympic College's next campaign and is an active Rotarian. Currently serving as the 1st Vice President of the WSMA, he is currently leading the statewide Opiate Prescribing Feedback Report system that in its first year has seen compliance with acute prescribing guidelines improve by almost 70%. In his spare time, his wife and he are amateur triathletes, love skiing, coaching their kid's soccer teams, and relaxing in the mountains.
He has been recognized for his leadership multiple times including the South Sound Business Journal's 40 under 40 Award, Washington State Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians Guardian of Emergency Medicine Award, Pacific Lutheran University Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, the American Medical Associations Leadership in Excellence Award, the American College of Emergency Physicians' Collin C. Rorrie Jr Award for Excellence in Health Policy, and the WSMA's William O. Robertson Patient Safety Award.
R. Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
She is Senior Faculty w/ Advanced Practice Education Associates (APEA) Lafayette, LA In 2015, Dr. Secor earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah.
She is a Fellow in BOTH the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the prestigious American Academy of Nursing (AAN). She has also published extensively, including her NEW #1 International Best-Selling book, “Debut a New You: Transforming Your Life at Any Age”, NEW 2018 (4th edition) co-authored textbook, Advanced Health Assessment of Women; Skills and Procedures, and her NEW 2018 (2nd edition) co-authored textbook, Fast Facts About the Gynecologic Exam for Nurse Practitioners, PAs and Midwives- both by Springer Publishing.
She has rec’d several awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Coalition of NPs (MCNP) and the Student Service Award from Rocky Mountain University, BOTH for her contributions to the NP profession.
Dr. Mimi Secor is in business with her daughter (a Pro Body Builder, Trainer and Health Coach), as “Coach Kat and Dr Mimi” helping NPs become Healthy and Fit. They offer a variety of online programs including a 6-month intensive mentorship program.
Additional:
- She has years of media experience including as a national radio host on ReachMD.
- As a guest on Good Morning America, interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe and many others. She is a frequent guest on various podcasts nationally, internationally and is quoted in numerous articles.
- After losing weight and becoming healthy during her DNP, a year later in 2016, she was in her 1st body building competition, making her “Debut at Age 62” and in 2018 she placed 2nd in her fourth competition.
Khalid H. Sheikh, MD, MBA, FACC, FNLA
His clinical interests include preventative cardiology, cardiac imaging, and global cardiac health and wellness. He was voted by the Consumer council of America as one of America’s top cardiologists. Dr. Sheikh speaks at national and international forums about a variety of topics related to his clinical research, cardiovascular diseases and cardiac wellness. He has served as the principal investigator in over 100 national and international clinical trials. He has authored over 150 scientific abstracts, peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and reviews. He is the author of the critically acclaimed heart wellness book, “Don’t Let Your Heart Attack.”
Bruce D. Shephard, MD, FACOG
He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Berkeley, attended medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, and completed his Ob-Gyn residency at the University of Miami, Florida.
A former McCain Fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Shephard is principal author of "The Complete Guide to Women's Health." and a frequent speaker and writer on women's health issues. He previously served as president of the Hillsborough County Medical Association and is member of the HCMA Board of Trustees.
Dr. Shephard serves on HMO medical advisory boards for Wellcare and AVMed and is a medical reviewer for EQ Health Solutions, which contracts with the Agency for Health Care Administration, Florida. A 2009 selectee of the Marquis’ Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, he received the Albert N. Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Elizabeth Stefani BSN RN
In her career as a nurse Liza has worked in Hospice, Oncology, Telemetry and most recently as a Labor and Delivery nurse at one of the largest L&D units in California.
Her passion for teaching comes from watching two close family members die of medical mistakes. Because of these experiences Liza strongly believes that a nurse with an understanding of pathophysiology can save lives and anytime a nurse stops asking ‘why’, is when he or she stops being the nurse Liza wants to care for her family.
Kevin T. Stephan, MD, FACP
Prior to this, he served as Chief of Medical Specialties and Chief of Infectious Disease for St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, MN, where he was voted top doctor in Infectious Disease by Duluth Superior Magazine, and won top recognition for patient care ranking in the top 10% nationally with a 5-star rating of Infectious Disease physicians over multiple years as assessed by PRC research.
Dr. Stephan had a 23-year career in the United States military, serving in multiple roles as a physician, researcher, and educator, including running the HIV program for the United States Air Force in San Antonio, TX. He deployed after 9/11/2001 and also participated in humanitarian operations and relief in Africa and Central America.
G. Edward Stewart II, MD
G. Edward Stewart II, MD received his B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy in 1979 and his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in 1988. Dr. Stewart completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis in 1991.
He completed his fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the University of South Florida in 1993 and completed a fellowship in Clinical Laboratory Immunology at the University of South Florida in 1994.
He is Board Certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. He has an Allergy and Immunology practice in Ocala, FL and in The Villages, FL. He is a past-president of the Marion County Medical Society and a past-president of the Florida Allergy Asthma and Immunology Society.
Dr. Stewart recently retired as Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of South Florida where he had volunteered on a part-time basis for nineteen years.
Stephen P. Stone, MD, FAAD
Dr. Stone graduated from Tufts University, and received his medical training at New York University School of Medicine. After serving with the U.S. Navy, he completed a residency in dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Stone then moved to Springfield, Illinois where he maintained a private practice for more than two decades before moving to his current university position.
He has received numerous honors and citations throughout his distinguished career including Honorary Membership in the AAD, selection for" Best Doctors in America", "Who's Who in Medicine and Health Care" and "Who's Who in America'. He is past Editor-in-Chief of Dialogues in Dermatology, the AAD's monthly audio journal and served as the 67th president of the Academy from March 2006 through February 2007.
His interests in dermatology include psoriasis and other inflammatory skin diseases, acne, occupational dermatology, and skin cancer. He has been involved as an investigator or subinvestigator in more than 40 clinical studies, more than half involving treatment of psoriasis.
Dr. Stone has given more than 220 lectures and Grand Rounds presentations outside of his university, including such international venues as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Guangzhou, China, the Icelandic Dermatology Association, in Reykjavik, Iceland, the Congresso da Sociedade Brasileira Dermatologia, Curitiba and Salvador, Brazil, the Philippine Dermatological Society Annual Meeting in Manila, Republic of the Philippines, the Canadian Dermatological Association, Dermatrends III in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Hong Kong, the International Congress of Dermatology, in Prague, Czech Republic, and the World Congress of Dermatology in Vancouver BC, Canada, Kalambakas, Greece, and Taupo, New Zealand.
William B. Stroube, PhD
Dr. Stroube maintains an active research program and has authored and co-authored over 60 publications in peer reviewed journals and conference proceedings. His research and teaching interests include international health care issues, medical ethics, and health care marketing and strategy. He is past president of the Division of Biology and Medicine of the American Nuclear Society, and past president of the international Business and Health Administration Association.
He has extensive international experience leading student groups through several health care systems. He has taught over twenty-five summer classes in various formats in England, Hungary, Slovakia, and China. Dr. Stroube has served as Adjunct Professor at IMS Union University in Dehradun, India, and is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Nottingham, UK.
He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Murray State University, an MBA in finance from the University of Maryland, and a PhD in analytical and nuclear chemistry from the University of Kentucky.
Sherry K. Sussman, MD
Dr. Sherry Sussman is Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at the Reinassance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University where she obtained her medical degree as well as her subspecialty training. She is double-boarded in both Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism. She is the former Section Chief of the Division of Endocrinology at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital and St. Charles Hospital, both located in Port Jefferson, New York.
Dr. Sussman is a member of the American Diabetes Association and its Interest Group on Clinical Endocrinology, Health Care Delivery and Public Health. She is also an active member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
In 2004, the degree of Fellow, American College of Endocrinology (FACE) was conferred upon Dr. Sussman. In 2012, she received the Endocrine Certification in Neck Ultrasound (ECNU), which is a professional certification in the field of neck ultrasonography for physicians who perform consultations and diagnostic evaluations for thyroid and parathyroid disorders through both diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (UGFNA). Sherry maintains a busy private practice in Smithtown, New York.
Michael J. Tan, MD, FACP, FIDSA
Dr. Tan is board certified in infectious disease and internal medicine. He obtained his medical degree from the Northeastern Universities College of Medicine (now NEOMED) and completed his residency training at Summa Health System. He then completed a fellowship in Infectious Disease at the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Dr. Tan is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). He is Regent for the American College of Physicians and immediate past-Governor for the Ohio Chapter of the ACP.
Dr. Tan’s primary research interests include participation in multi-centered controlled trials of new and novel treatments for Clostridium difficile infection, skin and soft tissue infection, and pneumonia. He is co-editor of Tan JS, File TM Jr., Salata RA, Tan MJ (eds.) Expert Guide to Infectious Diseases, 2nd edition (2008, ACP Press) and Rosenthal KS and Tan MJ (eds.) Rapid Review Microbiology and Immunology 3rd edition (2010, Mosby). Dr. Tan is listed in Best Doctors in America (2010 to present).
Eric G. Tangalos, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD
He is a past president of the American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) and is a fellow and past governor of the American College of Physicians. He is a past director of the American Geriatrics Society and served on their Foundation for Health in Aging.
He was also on the national board of the Alzheimer’s Association for eight years and was a member of their executive committee. He continues with NCQA on their Geriatric Measurement Advisory Panel and reviews NIH STTR-SBIR grants on a regular basis.
Dr. Tangalos has been continuously funded with the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center since 1987. He was responsible for the recruitment of volunteers that first defined Mild Cognitive Impairment and was an author on those seminal publications. He is an Internist and Geriatrician, teaches on the Mayo campus and lectures both nationally and internationally.
Michelle Tarbox, MD
During her senior year in residency, Michelle successfully applied for a Women's Dermatologic Society Mentorship Grant and traveled to Sydney, Australia to study dermoscopy with Scott Menzies at the Sydney Melanoma Diagnostic Institute. She completed a dermatopathology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic following successful completion of her residency.
She then served as an assistant professor of dermatology and dermatopathology for three years at St. Louis University in Missouri where she was recognized as the Teacher of the Year for her department in 2012.
In 2013, she returned to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center where she currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the departments of Dermatology and Dermatopathology and as the Assistant Dean for Medical Student Affairs. She was awarded the Dean's Clinical Teaching Award in 2016 and has been recognized on the Healthgrades Honor Roll, as a Compassionate Doctor, On Time Physician, Patient's Choice, and as one of America's Top Honored Professionals, Top 5% by the American Registry.
Dr. Tarbox has lectured for the AAD, the Brazilian Dermatologic Society, The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, and the American Society of Dermatopathologists on topics ranging from dermoscopy to cosmetic dermatology, to infectious diseases, maintenance of certification, patient satisfaction, and dermatopathology.
William O. Tatum IV, DO, FAAN, FACNS
He completed his medical education at the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Des Moines, Iowa, neurology residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, and a two-year epilepsy fellowship at Graduate Hospital affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. After training, he relocated to Tampa, Florida pioneering Tampa General Hospital-University of South Florida Comprehensive Epilepsy Center before joining the Mayo Clinic in 2009 as a clinician-educator.
He is a past president of the board of the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology and the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, currently serving as the Chair for the clinical neurophysiology section of the American Academy of Neurology. He has served on the board of directors for the American Board of Registration of EEG Technologists and Evoked Potentials, and currently serves on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of America. He has been principal investigator in pharmacologic and device clinical trials with research interests in drug-resistant epilepsy, seizure semiology and EEG/clinical neurophysiology.
He has authored 160 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 35 book chapters and edited/co-edited 8 books in the field of epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. He serves on the current editorial board for the Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology as Associate Editor, and is the Editor-in-Chief for Epilepsy and Behavior Reports. He has presented lectures at national and international meetings as an invited lecturer.
Randolph Taylor II, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Taylor found his way into medicine through a combination of a strong interest in science and a love of sports. His diverse background includes providing inpatient, outpatient and battlefield medical care as a staff physician to soldiers, their families and veterans during his military service. While on active duty, Dr. Taylor completed a combat tour in Iraq supporting Operation New Dawn. He was also the medical director for the Warrior Transition Battalion at Ft. Campbell, KY. Dr. Taylor received an honorable discharge at the rank of Major from the United States Army in 2013.
Dr. Taylor was prior faculty for the Memorial Family Medicine Residency in Sugar Land, TX and clinical faculty at Texas A&M College of Medicine. He currently treats acute injuries and illness in Houston, TX. He is interested in concussion management and ultrasound guided therapy for treating musculoskeletal injuries, combative sports, and innovative nontraditional methods of advancing health care. In his spare time, Dr. Taylor enjoys spending time with family, flag football, softball, and bowling.
Grzegorz W. Telega, MD, MBA
Dr Telega developed standards liver/kidney transplant in polycystic liver kidney disease. He participated in the international project analyzing approaches of primary care providers to outpatient management of obesity, participated in the study evaluating utility of ultra-sonographic measurement of epicardial fat in management of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
He performed large scale epidemiological study on prevalence of type 2 diabetes. His projects stem from the questions facing physician scientist in clinical practice and help to provide more effective and more cost-efficient care.
Mary Vacala, PA-C, ATC, MSPAS
She has worked with the USA Olympic Committee since 1993. Mary was one of 3 medical coordinators and a Chief athletic trainer in the 1966 Atlanta Olympic games.She was selected to the USA medical Team in 2000, 2004, 2016 and 2020 where she covered the Paralympic games in Sydney Australia, Athens Greece Rio, Brazil and Tokyo,Japan.
She has been a part of several Paralympic Medal Teams most notably:
- Trainer for 3 Gold Medal Americas Cup teams
- Trainer for 2 silver medal world Championship teams
- Trainer for 2 Gold medal ParaPan American Championship teams
- Trainer for 2 Gold Medal Paralympic Teams
- Trainer for USA men’s Paralympic 2020 Team
Mary has co-authored a Chapter on the Care of the Physically Challenged Patient in the book “Physician Assistant: A Guide to Clinical Practice. She has numerous honors of which most recent include; The Hu. C Myers Award, distinguished alumni PA award at Alderson Broaddus University, The 2017 Distinguished Alumni award from Western Illinois University and the AAPA Distinguished Fellow.
Jessica Van Leuven, BSN RN
Jessica is currently an Assistant Nurse Manager working in a complex high risk labor and delivery department in Roseville, Ca. She has a broad background that includes almost 20 years of nursing practice at the bedside.
Her experience is gathered from Cardiac ICU, Home Health and Hospice, Forensic Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Mother Baby, and most recently Labor and Delivery in the critical care setting.
Jessica graduated from Brigham Young University with her Bachelors degree in Nursing. She is currently attending University of San Francisco in the graduate program for Clinical Nurse Leadership. Jessica is passionate about education that inspires all those who partake to be empowered to become better clinicians, promoters of the nursing profession, and influential members of our community.
Jessica has taught for over twenty years in many different settings and has found this to be one of her passions along with writing. Jessica is a published author and the founder of the Facebook group “Humans of Healthcare”. In her down time Jessica enjoys traveling, studying philosophy, learning languages, running, skiing, and waterskiing, but most of all spending quality time with her cherished family and friends.
Barry Verkauf, MD, MBA, CPE
USF Morsani College of Medicine; Tampa, FL
Dr. Verkauf trained at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and started the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at The University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida.
He initiated the IVF Program responsible for Florida's first IVF birth in 1985. He practiced for 40 years in Tampa founding The Reproductive Medicine Group, one of the state's most successful REI private practices while remaining on the USF part-time faculty rising to the rank of Professor.
He obtained an MBA from USF College of Business in 1997, represented The American Society of Reproductive Medicine as delegate to the AMA for the past 15 years and recently received Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievement Award as a leader in the healthcare industry.
Valerie R. Vestal, MSN, PMHNP-BC
She received both her undergraduate and graduate degree in Nursing from Winston-Salem State University. She also holds a Post Master in Psychiatric Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of South Alabama School of Nursing. She is also a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve and has deployed to both Kuwait and Germany.
She is passionate about uplifting patients who have a negative self-image and have defined themselves by their illness. She has most recently expressed this through her work as a contributing author in the book Goodness Abounds.
Krishnaswami Vijayaraghavan, MD, MS, FACP, FACC, FNLA, FCRS, FHFSA
Dr. Vijay is the Medical Director of the Institute of Congestive Heart Failure at Abrazo Arizona Heart Institute and Hospital in Phoenix. He is a Non-invasive Cardiologist, a clinical lipidologist, an ardent researcher and a Heart Failure specialist .He has been in clinical practice in Arizona for more than 27 years.
Dr. Vijay is a past Governor of the American College of Cardiology, Arizona Chapter, past President of the National Lipid Association, South West chapter, a founding member and past President of the Cardio Renal Society of America and current President of the TWINEPIDEMIC, Inc., a nonprofit organization addressing Diabetes and Heart disease among Ethnic Communities all over the world. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians, National Lipid association and Heart Failure Society of America. He is a member of the clinical cardiology council as well as council for Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology at American Heart Association, a member of Prevention and Cardio-metabolic committee at American College of Cardiology and an Executive Board member of the National Lipid Association.
Dr. Vijay is a founding member of the Arizona Managed Care Quality Enhancement Program (AMCQEP), 1992, and received the Governor's award from Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), October 2002, an innovation award through the Center for Health Innovation and Clinical Trial (CHI&CT) at Arizona State University from the President of Arizona State University in 2010 and the Jerome Markowitz award for a distinguished career from South Asian Society of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis in 2013. He was one of the three nominees of Healthcare Heroes award for Phoenix Business Journal towards Life time achievement in 2017.
Dr. Vijay has participated in more than 180 clinical trials and his research is focused on such disorders as congestive heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, coronary artery disease, plaque regression, Atrial Fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease and diabetes/metabolic syndrome. He has published more than 100 articles in peer reviewed journals. Dr. Vijay serves as a Clinical Professor of Medicine at University of Arizona, Phoenix and as an adjunct Professor of Medicine at Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM).
He has presented at numerous national and International meetings on diabetes and heart disease His professional activities also include serving on Editorial Boards of medical journals, reviewing landmark guidelines and policy statements and serving on many important advisory boards dealing with Quality initiatives of national organizations.
Steven P. Weinberg, BS, DMD
He has also been on the faculty of 5 other dental schools for their post-graduate esthetic programs. He received a Certificate of Proficiency in Esthetic Dentistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Dr. Weinberg opened his private practice in New Jersey in 1978 with an emphasis on esthetic restorative dentistry. He has been lecturing nationally and internationally on esthetic and restorative dentistry for over 35 years.
David Glenn Weismiller, MD, ScM, FAAFP
A Professor of Family Medicine at the new medical school of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he provides full-scope care that includes inpatient and maternity care. A proponent of "reflection in practice" and "learner-centered instruction," he is recognized nationally for his work in continuing medical education and faculty development.
Having taught board review programs for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for more than 20 years, he is the founding and current chair of the AAFP Family Medicine Board Review Express™, as well as the AAFP's annual Family Medicine Update live course.
He is a frequent presenter at AAFP Family Medicine Experience (FMX) and teaches American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Knowledge Self-Assessments throughout the country. Dr. Weismiller is the author of numerous publications on issues related to women's and children's health, and he is an advocate for empowering individuals to make sound health care choices.
He is the father of three amazing daughters. He and his partner Brian make their home in Las Vegas.
William Wertheim, MD, FACP
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education , Stony Brook University School of Medicine Professor of Clinical Medicine at Stony Brook University School of Medicine.
Dr. Wertheim has been on faculty of Stony Brook since 1996, and has served as Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine, and as Associate Dean for Clinical Outreach before becoming Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education.
Dr. Wertheim is a graduate of New York University School of Medicine and University of Michigan Hospitals (Residency), he has been a clinician-educator for 25 years, and has taught students, residents, fellows, and faculty in the areas of Internal Medicine, Medical Education, and Professionalism.
The Honorable Richard Wilbur, MD, JD, FCLM
Richard Wilbur is a physician and Attorney, and a Trustee of the American Board of Legal Medicine. He was the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Environment), June, 1971-Sept., 1973.
Presently, he is the Chairman of the American Medical Foundation for Peer Review and Education (1987–present). He is also the Chairman of the Judicial Council of the American College of Legal Medicine (2008-present); Editor of the News Bulletin of the World Association of Medical Law (2010-present); and Co-Editor of the Journal of Medicine and Law.
Wilbur is a Member of the Finance Committee of World Association of Medical Law, and a Delegate to American Medical Association House of Delegates.
Michael J. Wilsey, Jr., MD, FAAP
Dr. Wilsey is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and former Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Training Program at the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics in Tampa, Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed residency training in Pediatrics and fellowship training in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Texas Children's Hospital and the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He currently serves as the Vice Chief of the medical staff and the Vice-chairman of the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital (JHACH) in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Dr. Wilsey is the Past-President of the Hillsborough County Pediatric Society as well as the former Florida Region V Representative of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). He has served on the Endoscopy and Procedures Committee and the Clinical Practice Committee for the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN), and is a member of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). Dr. Wilsey has been recognized and has won teaching awards for outstanding medical education, and is the clerkship coordinator and core faculty member for pediatric residents at both USF and JHACH residency programs. His current clinical and research interests include advanced therapeutic endoscopy (including ERCP), clinical and nutritional outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostostomy (PEG) placement in children, as well as hepatobiliary and eosinophilic disorders. He has published on a wide variety of pediatric gastroenterology and endoscopy topics.
Dr. Wilsey lives in Tampa, Florida with his beautiful wife and three teenage children. He enjoys reading, running, swimming, watching college and professional sports, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Jason W. Wilson, MD, MA, FACEP
Affiliate Assistant Professor, Core Faculty Member, Research Director
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine
Medical Director, Office of Clinical Research, Tampa General Hospital
Dr. Wilson is a board certified emergency medicine physician. He serves as at the Associate Facility Medical Director at Tampa General Hospital, a TEAMhealth location and a level 1 trauma center with an academic teaching program associated with the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida where he is an affiliate assistant professor and core faculty member.
Dr. Wilson has presented at over 10 national conferences and has published numerous articles. He serves as the research director for the division of emergency medicine as well as the Medical Director for the Office of Clinical Research at Tampa General Hospital. His interests blood borne viruses and evolution of treatment strategies in HIV and HCV treatment in the ED, non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants as well as management of bleeding emergencies, atrial fibrillation and VTE as well as the operationalization of new research findings into hospital pathways and best practices.
In addition, Dr. Wilson is interested in primary care sports medicine and the treatment of common musculoskeletal complaints in the ED. He serves as a team emergency medicine physician with the NHL and NFL and covers NCAA events.
Jeannette Marie Wolfe, MD
Besides emergency medicine, her passion is understanding ways in which biological sex and gender influence wellness and disease as cutting edge research definitively shows that men and women often have different responses to the same illness, trauma, toxins and therapies.
Dr Wolfe's personal mission is to increase awareness of this information and to use it to improve medical care of both men and women. She is a national lecturer and writer and has recently started a podcast called- Sex and Why: : exploring how biological sex and gender influence our brain, body and behavior.
Ameigh Worley, MD, MMS, FACOG
Dr. Worley’s outstanding credentials include her medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa where she had a scholarly concentration in research. She then went on to complete an internship at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and residency training at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Prior to medical school, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with Honors and completed a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She then continued on to earn a Master’s of Medical Sciences degree at Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts.
Following her residency training in 2014, Dr. Worley joined Wake Forest University as an Assistant Professor for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2016, she returned to her Central Florida roots where she currently works as an OB/GYN Hospitalist at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach and in a small boutique-style private practice (Alliance Obstetrics & Gynecology) in Winter Park. In 2018, Dr. Worley received certification from the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as a Focused Practice Designation in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.
Dr. Worley’s commitment to helping women extends beyond the hospital and clinic. She has extensive experience in resident and medical student education, is involved in simulation training and quality improvement initiatives at various locations, and is a dedicated researcher. Additionally, as an experienced lecturer, Dr. Worley is frequently called to educate other medical professionals and the public. She is also an avid volunteer in her community, proving that her compassion and skills extend far beyond the exam room.
Dr. Worley is certified by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. She is licensed to practice in Florida and North Carolina.
George Yung-hsing Wu, MD, PhD
He has been a pioneer of targeted delivery of biological substances including genes, and mitochondria specifically to hepatocytes. He has received an American Gastroenterological Association/Industry Research Scholar Award, American Liver Foundation Research Prize, AGA-Gastroenterology Research Group Young Scientist Award, was elected a Fellow of the AGA, and the American Association for the Study of liver Diseases.
He was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, Association of American Physicians, the National Academy of Inventors, and was a Fulbright Specialist. He has published more than 160 articles, edited 13 books and is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, and senior associate editor of the Journal of Digestive Diseases.
Laura A. Young, MD, PhD
Laura A. Young, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences at Michigan State University, Dr. Young and her MD/PhD from the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Young completed her residency at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and her clinical fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of several professional organizations including American Diabetes Association and Endocrine Society. Dr. Young specializes in the care of patients with diabetes.
She enjoys working closely with patients to help them realize and achieve both their short and long-term health goals. Her research program focuses on a wide breadth of areas in diabetes, but Dr. Young has a special interest in the use of technology in diabetes. A common thread throughout much of Dr. Young's research is the use of novel behavioral approaches to improve the care of patients with diabetes.
The overarching goal of her clinical and research efforts is to help patients with diabetes live happier, healthier lives. In addition to her clinical work and research, Dr. Young spends a significant amount of her time at UNC working with trainees. In addition to mentoring medical students and residents, she is he Endocrinology Fellowship Program Director. In her free time, Dr. Young enjoys taking long walks, cooking, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.
Ramzi T. Younis, MD, FACS, FAAP
Laraine T. Zappert, PhD
Currently, she teaches a course on Sexual Violence and Recovery, and supervises the clinical work of residents in the Department of Psychiatry. In addition to her clinical, teaching and research responsibilities, Dr. Zappert has served as the Director of Stanford University's Sexual Harassment Policy Office since its inception in 1993. She also founded and led the Women’s Group Program at Stanford’s Graduate Schools of Business and Law for over 20 years. In 2001, Dr. Zappert initiated the (WISE) Women in Science and Engineering Program for women graduate and post-doctoral students in the Schools of Engineering, Science and Medicine at Stanford, and more recently, extended that program (WISSH) to graduate and post-doctoral women in Humanities and Social Sciences at Stanford.
Dr. Zappert's clinical work and research has focused on the areas of women's mental health, work and wellness. She is the senior author of the 1985 landmark study “In the Pipeline”, as well as the 2002 study, “Priming the Pipeline” both of which examined the stresses confronting women in science and engineering at Stanford. Her book, Getting It Right: How Working Mother’s Successfully Take Up the Challenge of Life, Work and Family has been nationally recognized as an authoritative resource for professional women and their families.
Most recently, Dr. Zappert was the senior author on an article (in press) on The Impact of a Support Group Intervention for Women in STEM. In 2017, she was awarded a Faculty Fellowship at the Clayman Institute for Gender Research.