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Archived Class Notes for TCOM Alumni
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Mark Baker, DO who serves as President of North Texas Radiology and a longtime member of the UNTHSC Foundation Board of Directors was re-elected to the American Osteopathic Association Board of Trustees during its annual business meeting in Chicago in July.
Jim W. Czewski, DO was one of this year's class leaders for TCOM Alumni Reunion. He has a long history of leadership with the TCOM Alumni Association Board of Directors. He also served at Past President (1998-1999). He and his wife, BJ founded the annual TCOM incoming student's Pool Party and hosted it for the first two years before passing the torch on. This annual event is now celebrating its 15th year. Dr. Czewski recently received the 2007 Dean's Award for Distinguished Service presented during this year's TCOM Alumni Reunion Weekend.
Barry W. Cornell, DO is providing medical support at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, in exchange for hyperbaric/dive medicine training. All this after going back to Texas A&M in Galveston in 2001 for coursework in marine biology. In August, 2007 he went to Honduras to set up a marine ecology education diving experience. "Osteopathy is going Caribbean!"
Rodney M. Wiseman, DO was elected to the Board of Governors of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians in April, 2008. Dr. Wiseman is a board-certified family physician, and he has been in practice for more than 20 years in Whitehouse, Texas.
Irvin Zeitler, Jr., DO was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Medical Board now takes the helm as President. He has served on one of the medical board's district review committees since 1988, having been appointed by three different governors. Dr. Zeitler is Vice President of medical affairs at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo.
Raymond Russell Thomas, Jr., DO, MPH e-mail address recently completed six years on the Federation of State Medical Boards BOD (2001-2007) and is currently (2008) Chair of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
Dale H. Brancel, DO was recognized and presented with an award by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery for "outstanding contributions and meritorious service to the board" for more than ten years. He also received a Presidential Citation from the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons for making a "significant contribution in the development and use of standards for the certification of surgeons."
Dane K. Johnson, DO a surgeon in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, was elected president of the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association in May 2006. Dr. Johnson is board certified in surgery and is affiliated with Ringgold County Hospital in Mt. Ayr.
Robert D. McCurry, DO was voted 2008 Colorado Academy of Family Physicians Family Physician of the year. According to approximately two dozen letters written in support of his nomination for the honor, the Canon City doctor is held in high esteem by the professionals with whom he works, the patients he serves through his private practice and community members, including his pastor.
Board certified since 1985, he worked in Texas before going to Canon City. In addition to being a family physician in solo practice, Dr. McCurry is also a hospitalist member of St. Thomas More Hospital. He has served as vice chief of staff and chief of staff of the hospital. He currently chairs the Ethics Committee and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. He is vice chairman of the Medicine Department and of the Community Board as well as serving on the hospital board. He also teaches Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Jim Walton, DO Board certified in Internal Medicine and is a 2009 candidate for an Executive MBA from the University of Michigan. He currently serves as Chief Health Equity Officer for Baylor Health Care System in Dallas where he is responsible for overseeing Baylor's health equity improvement efforts which earned him an invitation to take part in a year-long executive leadership program led by the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Dr. Walton and his wife Rhonda were recent recipients of the 2007 Hazel E. Brown Outstanding Community Partner Award.
Steven Bander, DO was inducted as a fellow in the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians this spring. Dr. Bander has a private practice in Wylie, Texas and is a member of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association Board of Trustees. Dr. Bander also received the 2007 Dean's Award for Philanthropy presented during this years TCOM Alumni Reunion Weekend in September.
Sharon Clark, DO is Field Medical Officer for BNSF Railway Company, Ft Worth, Texas and was granted Fellow status in the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Martin Thornton, DO is a founding member of the new American Board of Disaster Medicine, instituted by the American Board of Physician Specialties. The founding of the board marks the first time in the history of medicine that physicians may earn board certification in disaster medicine.
Larry J. Sharp, DO recently completed an Integrative Medicine Fellowship under Andrew Weil, founder and program director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Health Science Center in Tucson. Dr. Weil, a leading proponent of integrative medicine, has written several best-selling books and maintains the popular Web site, www. Drweil.com. Dr. Sharp practices family medicine in Fort Worth with a focus on chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome.
Joseph J. Provenzano, Jr., DO was appointed to a three-year term to the Osteopathic Medical Board of California by Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger.
The purpose of the Board is to protect consumers and promote the highest professional standards in the practice of osteopathic medicine, the Osteopathic Medical Board of California licenses osteopathic physicians and surgeons.
The Board investigates consumer complaints and uses its enforcement power to ensure that practitioners abide by the provisions of the state Business and Professions Code/Medical Practice Act.
Daniel W. Saylak, DO a family and emergency medicine physician in Bryan, was elected president of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association for 2006-2007. Among his goals during his presidency is to improve access to healthcare throughout rural Texas. Dr. Saylak was also recently re-elected to the TMF Health Quality Institute Board of Trustees. The institute, formerly the Texas Medical Foundation, is an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit consulting company that focuses on promoting quality health and health care through contracts with federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations.
Ava Stanczak, DO - Congratulations go out to Dr. Stanczak for winning the George Northrup Educator of the Year award for 2007.
Michael Hughes, DO was inducted Sunday night, November 1, 2009 as the 82nd President of the American College of Ostepathic Surgeons. Dr. Hughes is a trauma surgeon in York, PA
Elizabeth A. Palmarozzi, DO chair of the Department of Family Medicine was recently elected Vice President at the 2008-2009 TOMA convention.
Murray Francis is a colonel in the U.S. Army on duty at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Ray L. Morrison, DO, general surgeon in Crockett, Texas was recently elected to the House of Delegates at the 2008-2009 TOMA convention.
Paul S. Saenz, DO, who is Board Certified in both Family Practice and Sports Medicine. After completing his Family Practice training in Phoenix, AZ followed by a Sports Medicine fellowship in Seattle, WA, he returned to San Antonio in 1988 and established himself as the city's first Primary Care Sports Medicine specialist. He is entering his eighth season as a team physician for the NBA San Antonio Spurs. This past season, he also served as a team physician for the New Orleans Saints, who relocated to San Antonio after Hurricane Katrina. Over his career, he has had the privilege of caring for athletes of the NBA, NFL, NHL and major league baseball teams as well as USA Boxing. He was appointed to the medical staff for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and for the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York City. He will serve as team physician for the USA Pentathlon at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Dr. Saenz, his partners and other physician investors, will open the Texas Center for Athletes in November. The facility will include an ambulatory surgical center, diagnostic imaging center and physical therapy and rehibilitation services. Speciality care will include sports medicine, orthopedic surgery, cardiology, neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, sports dentistry, sports psychology and nutrition. Dr. Saenz proudly predicts that his center will be the "pre-eminent sports medicine facility in Texas."
Al Yurvati, DO professor and chair of Surgery was elected chair of the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery (AOBS). The AOBS was founded in 1940 to examine and grant board certification to osteopathic surgeons. The board is made up of 20 members representing surgical specialties including general, neurological, plastic and reconstructive, urological, general vascular, cardiothoracic and surgical critical care.
Also, congratulations to Dr. Yurvati who recently won the Lonestar State Natural Bodybuilding Championship in the grand masters division (50-60) for the second year in a row.
Duane Selman, DO, a Family and Emergency Medicine physician in Arlington, Texas was recently elected to the House of Delegates at the 2008-2009 TOMA convention.
Randel C. Davis, DO and the Ships of Discoveries' archaeological team have been funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and two grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to escavate the slave ship Trouvadore off the coast of East Caicos in the Turks and Caicos Islands. A documentary about their excavation is being filmed by PBS. You can read more about the Trouvadore at www.SlaveShipTrouvadore.com or http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06trouvadore/welcome.html.
Dr. Davis received a masters degree in underwater archaeology before attending TCOM. He is a full-time emergency medicine physician in Phoenix, Arizona. During the excavation season, he serves as the team's medical professional, a specialist in hyperbarics, and one of the lead archeologists.
Laura Hempstead, DO was elected President of the Missouri Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Dr. Hempstead practices in Lee's Summit, MO.
Bryan Bledsoe, DO is the lead author of a study published in the June 2006 issue of the Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care that found that the vast majority of trauma patients transported from the scene of their injury to a hospital have minor injuries as defined by trauma criteria. Dr. Bledsoe said that the research findings are important at a time when the accident rate of medical helicopters has been called into question. Dr. Bledsoe also had a commentary entitled "Thank You for Not Flying" in the June issue of the Smithsonian Institution's Air & Space magazine that detailed the problems with medical helicopter transports from a layman's perspective. Dr. Bledsoe is an emergency physician in Midlothian, Texas, and an adjunct associate professor of emergency medicine at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He has more than 800,000 textbooks in print, including the best-selling paramedic textbooks in the world.
Audrey R. Jones, DO, family physician in Alamo, Texas was recently elected to the Board of Trustees at the 2008-2009 TOMA convention.
David Garza, DO, FACOFP, FAAFP a family physician in Laredo, Texas, was recently elected to the TMF Health Quality Institute Board of Trustees. The institute, formerly the Texas Medical Foundation, is an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit consulting company that focuses on promoting quality health and health care through contracts with federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations.
Mary Ann Block, DO will be appear on a new show entitled The Doctors in Los Angeles. The episode that she'll appear in will be focused on ADHD. Check the website below to see when the show will air in your city: http://thedoctorstv.com/main/show_page/35. You can also visit Dr. Block's website at www.blockcenter.com for further information.
Bradley Schwartz, DO, is board certified in urology and is also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a diplomate of the American Board of Urology. He has received the first Concept Development Award from SIU for his research projecct, "A New Stone Retrieval Device and Laser Resistant Material." The project goal is to develop a new basket-like device designed to better remove kidney stones. The award was created to support the development and marketing of new medical technologies at SIU.
J. Ben Hengy, DO a specialist in otorhinolaryngology practicing in Michigan, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of West Shore Medical Center in Manistee. Dr. Hengy has been a member of West Shore’s medical staff since 1995. The founder of Western Michigan ENT, he also served as chief of staff at West Shore in 2003 and 2004.
Ellie Griffin, DO sends in her updates to let you know that her daughter, Mary is now 6 years old and can't wait to finish kindergarten. Her son, Henry is now 4 years old and likes to explain things. Milton just turned 48 and can't wait for spring quarter at Western Washington University to finish. Ellie says, "I am learning how to bill insurance myself and getting angry."
Anthony Gerard Hempel, DO, MA passed on August 14, 2006 and had a memorian written in a 2008 issue of the AAPL "American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law" Newsletter. Page 1 , Page 2.
Lisa Nash, director of the family medicine residency program at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, is chair of the Texas Medical Association's Subcommittee for Academic Physicians. The group is developing a patient safety and medical errors prevention curriculum targeting both medical students and practicing physicians. The curriculum will have six modules addressing communication issues, evaluation and decision-making, treatment and medication, procedures and supervision, fatigue and systems-based improvement.
Ray Page was one of two graduates of Southwestern University in Georgetown who were presented Citations of Merit at their 2006 Homecoming Alumni Awards Reception. He was recognized for his achievements in medicine and cancer. Dr. Page, who holds both D.O. and Ph.D. degrees from UNTHSC, is director of clinical research for The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, based in Fort Worth.
Anthony W. DeLorenzo, DO, FACOI was recently sworn in as President of the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society by AOA President Elect Carlo DeMarco, DO earlier this month at a Gala black tie affair in Oak Brook, Illinois.
Martha Dodson, DO, MPH is a ringside physician for USA Boxing and has been at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as a volunteer sports medicine physician in the Olympic Sports Medicine Clinic. She provided ringside medical coverage to the U.S. Boxing Olympic Trials in Houston in August. Earlier, Dr. Dodson was the USA team physician for the U.S. Cadet Team to the Hayder Aliyev Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, which is a 14 nation invitational boxing tournament.
Reid Culton, DO (Major Army Medical Corps.) is currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq with the 1-4 Cavalry, 4th Brigade Combat team, 1st Infantry Division.
Linda Odom, DO, PhD is Chief Psychiatrist at the Multiple Disabilities Program at North Texas State Hospital Vernon Campus.
Charles (Kevin) Roberts, DO passed away on June 8, 2008. He leaves a wife, Kim, two children, parents and one brother. Funeral services were held on June 11 at Fellowship Bible Church/Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, (501) 224-8300. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: UAMS Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, Attn: In Memory of Dr. Charles K. Roberts for the Diner Family Endowment Radiology Resident Education, 4301 W. Markham, Slot #716 Little Rock, AR 72205-7199.
Karen S. Birdy, DO - Congratulations to Dr. Birdy who is proud to present the grand opening of her new clinic, Trinity Holistic Family Medicine on Saturday, June 28, 2008 in Benbrook, Texas.
Mark Sanders, DO who is Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine received the Wyeth Emerging Leader Award. This award is given to osteopathic physicians in practice fewer than five years who have a strong commitment to the osteopathic profession and exhibit the exemplary characteristics of emerging leaders within the profession.
Jeffrey Hantes, DO - UNT Health Ob/Gyn was featured in the Harris Methodist magazine in an article about the importance of women's gynecological health after age 40. You can read more about it in the "In the News" section of Campus Connection in the mid January issue.
Toyya Kinsey-Goodrich, DO attended pediatric residency and intership at the University of Arkansas for the Medical Sciences, affiliated with Arkansas Children's Hospital. She has worked for UNTHSC department of pediatrics since 2002 and serves on the admissions committee for UNTHSC and mentors third-year medical students on core rotations and JAMP students. She is happily married to an attorney and had her first child, baby Helena.
Brooks M. Blake, DO received the New Physician of the Year award. Dr. Blake, an osteopathic manipulative medicine specialist in Marble Falls, was honored for outstanding community service. He was recognized for donating free tatoo removal services for youth turning away from gang-related activities.
Susan Conroy, DO has been appointed attending physician for UNT Health's newly acquired clinic, UNT Health at Hulen - Internal Medicine and Family Medicine. The clinic will continue to serve as a training clinic for internal medicine and family practice residents.
Emai Ho and Dr. Brad Kurtz have settled in Denver. Dr. Ho is a partner with Western Emergency Medicine. Dr. Kurtz has joined his father’s practice, Advanced Pediatrics, where they have about 60,000 patient visits per year. The doctors also have a home in Breckenridge, and “would love to entertain any friendly faces who may swing thru town.” Contact them at this link.
2001Captain Bascom Bradshaw, DO was named the 2007 U.S. Army Aerospace Medicine Specialist of the Year by the Society of U.S. Army Flight Surgeons. Dr. Bradshaw has been serving as a professor of aeronautical science for undergraduate and graduate courses in aerospace psychology and human factors at the U.S. Army's extension campus in Wiesbaden, Germany. Recently, he relocated to Doha, Quatar, in the Persian Golf and has been appointed Director of Health Services for the Army garrison.
He says he has seen classmate Dr. Chris Restad, who is serving with the U.S. Air Force, and Dr. Murray Francis, TCOM 1985, a colonel in the U.S. Army on duty at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Dr. Bradshaw along with his wife, Tracy, published a children's picture book about the importance of pet adoption from shelters. Dr. Bradshaw is a board-certified aerospace medicine phycian and is director of health services for the U.S. Army garrison at Doha, Qatar. Find out more about Where Do Dingoes Come From? on their Web site www.dingothedog.com.
Tayson DeLengocky, DO had an article published in the October 2008 Journal of the Americal Osteopathic Assoication (JAOA). You can read the full article: "Complete Ophthalmoplegia With Pupillary Involvement as an Initial Clinical Presentaiton of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus" on the JAOA Website.
2003
Arturo (Happy) Castro, DO, a captain in the US Air Force recently returned home from a three-month mission in Iraq. In the midst of his fellowship at Genesys, specializing in pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine, Dr. Castro was called to active duty for the second time. This time, he was sent to the combat zone.
While stationed in Iraq as a flight surgeon, he sat in the cockpit with fighter pilots where he would hang out with them around the clock. He says that "they would rather die than admit they are sick. It was my job to find out if they were fit to fly. If they are depressed, if they have something going on in their life that may make it unsafe for them to fly, I need to know what they go through..... what they are thinking and feeling. I'm there for them, always."
After completing his fellowship next year, he hopes to open a free clinic in Arizona for uninsured Hispanics. To read more about Dr. Happy Castro, please visit this link and read more.
Capt. Terry D. Hashey, DO, MC, USAR, A flight surgeon and recipient of both an Army Commendation and Army Achievement medal, returned in November, 2006 from a four-month tour to Forward Operation Base Salerno in Afghanistan, where he provided medical care and conducted flight physicals for helicopter pilots, aircrew and support staff. Be sure to log on to this link and read more.
Schanzmeyer (Cochran) Elizabeth, DO completed a year of Family Medicaine at JPS and then switched to Pathology at Texas Tech. She plans to complete her residency in June of 2009.
Angelo Vu (Khanh Anh), DO has joined Hughley Memorial Medical Center as a board-eligible internist where he treats diseases that affect adults including diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and arthritis. Before joining the staff of Hughley, Dr. Vu worked two years as a primary care provider at an urgent care center. Dr. Vu is a member of the American College of Osteopathic Internists and the American Medical Association. He served as Vice President of the Texas Medical Association Chapter at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, and he continues to be a member of the TMA.
Gina Fowler, DO after finishing residency through Scott and White in Temple, she is now a pediatrician at Cook Children's in Fort Worth working in their Neighborhood Clinic.
Friends and Colleagues We'll Miss
Dr. Charles (Kevin) Roberts, TCOM 1998, died on June 8, 2008 in Little Rock, AR.
Dr. William Jermyn III, TCOM 1980, died May 15, 2008 in Jefferson City, MO.
Dr. Bobby Joe Mayberry, Jr., TCOM 1990, died July 28, 2007 in Rockport, Texas.
Dr. Clifford Charles (Chuck) Ferrell, TCOM 1988, died April 30, 2007 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dr. John Priestley, TCOM 1987, died January 11, 2007 in Campbell, California.
Dr. Anthony Gerard Hempel, MA, TCOM 1991 died August 14, 2006 in Galveston, Texas
Dr. Stephen G. Alldredge, TCOM 1985 died October 2, 2008 at the hospital where he practiced, Genesis Medical Center, Iowa.
Your tribute gifts in memory of a beloved friend or colleague are always welcomed, and deeply appreciated by the University of North Texas Health Science Center/Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Foundation, c/o Office of Institutional Advancement, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76107 unless otherwise specified.
For more information, please contact Krista Gordon, Assistant Director of Alumni and Donor Relations at (817) 735-5493 / (800) 687-7580 or e-mail her at alumni@hsc.unt.edu.
