Professional Documents
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class notes4
class notes4
class notes4
C l a s s n o t e s
My Fellow Alumni,
T
Medical Alumni
Association
Governing Board wenty-five years have come and gone since I graduated from UB’s medical school. Graduation was fol-
2008–2009 lowed by a residency in ophthalmology at UB and a fellowship in glaucoma at the University of Toronto.
I went into private practice in Western New York, participated in resident training and headed
the glaucoma service for several years. Private practice has supplied its share of satisfying achievements and
President rewards, and I think often about my education and training at UB.
Charles R. Niles,
MD ’83 Now it’s a whole new world for the Department of Ophthalmology—it has a new home in the state-of-the
Classnotes
art Ross Eye Institute (REI). The REI provides the opportunity for great advances in resident
Vice President
Sanford H. Levy, training, as well as potential for both clinical and basic science research. Through the efforts,
MD ’86 vision and financial support of an alumna, Dr. Elizabeth Olmsted Ross, the REI made the
S u m m e r 2 0 0 8
transition from concept to reality.
Treasurer
Charles M. Severin This story is but a single example of the promising winds of change that currently are
MD ’97, PhD
swirling around our medical school while it follows a course that seems destined to take it into PICTURED ABOVE: CLASS OF ’58
Past President a bright future. Those of us who are close to the school are energized by what we see and hear
Helen M. Cappuccino, and have great hopes for the future of the school and the university.
MD ’88
One of the most exciting ways that the school can move forward is through the roles that alumni can play. 1940s you. Shirley and I still
have our full heads of hair
was sent to Brooks Hospi-
tal in San Antonio, Texas,
practiced in Portland,
Maine, since then. I still
Payson Jacobson, and fortunately our minds to be trained in anesthesi- have my medical license
Members Alumni have the opportunity to help fund scholarships to attract the best and brightest students, and endowed
MD ’43,writes: “We shall are still fairly sharp. This ology. Why, I don’t know but this may be the last
Margaret M. Eberl, chairs to help recruit world-class faculty. Dean Cain has, in fact, named endowed scholarships and chairs as
MD ’00, MPH ’05 be unable to attend the June we shall have been since I didn’t request this. year since I no longer
two of his top priorities, and I hope that the efforts, resources and generosity of our dedicated alumni can be reunion, but our happy married 60 years. A short When I finished, I was I drive and can’t attend the
Sylvia H. Regalla, thoughts shall be with resume: After Carlisle, I chair of anesthesiology at staff meetings at Maine
MD ’75
tapped for support of these key goals. We anticipate UB HOST, designed to assist current medical students in
the Yale Medical School Medical Center. Again,
their search for a residency program, to be a huge success. Alumni throughout the country are encouraged to
38 B u f f a l o P h y s i c i a n S u m m e r 2 0 0 8 S u m m e r 2 0 0 8 B u f f a l o P h y s i c i a n 39
C l a s s n o t e s
What’s Up
Doc?
Classnotes can be submitted either by
at a Center for Wound
Care and Hyperbaric
spinal surgery. Received
AAMC Humanism in 1980s e-mailing them to bp-notes@buffalo.edu or by visiting
Buffalo Physician ’s website at www.smbs.buffalo.edu/bp
of Medical
Examiners’
NBME and the Federation
of State Medical Boards.
Buffalo Medical Group in
1995, has been a member of
Medicine at Lakeland Medicine award in 2006. Wesley L. Hicks Jr, MD ’84, (NBME) Pamies is nationally the UB faculty for 19 years.
and clicking on Classnote Submissions.
Regional Medical Center, Am vice president of the Roswell Park Cancer Test Com- known for his work on At the time of his appoint-
in Lakeland. This allows International Society for Institute (RPCI), was hon- mittee. health disparities. He ment in 2003 as clinical
me to retain some of Prosthetics and Orthotics, ored as one of “America’s Pamies, joined former United professor of psychiatry, he
my skills and interests and serve on the board Leading Doctors” in recommendations from His research interests who also serves as dean States Surgeon Gen- was the youngest person, at
in clinical surgery. I am of directors of Health 2007–2008 by Black Enter- a number of professional focus on tissue engineering, for graduate studies at eral David Satcher, MD, age 42, in the department
happy to observe my eight Volunteers Overseas and prise (BE) magazine for medical organizations. wound healing and mecha- UNMC, has been involved to co-author the medical to hold that title.
grandchildren growing Post-Polio Health Inter- his leadership in the field Hicks is a professor nisms involved in wound in activities at the NBME textbook Multicultural Ashton is board-
and maturing. rslamm1@ national. I currently direct of otolaryngology. of otolaryngology and repair. His laboratory is since 1999. He currently Medicine and Health Dis- certified in geriatric
tampabay.rr.com a country wide program The criterion for selec- head and neck surgery at studying novel work in serves on the Interdisci- parities, published in 2005. and adult psychiatry by
in Tanzania for teaching tion was recognition as a RPCI, where he special- bioengineered devices for plinary Review Commit- A native of New York, the American Board of
John R. Fisk, MD ’69, writes: national leader in their par- izes in head and neck enhanced wound repair, the
the Ponseti Method for tee for the United States Pamies received his under- Psychiatry and Neurol-
“I retired July 1, 2007, ticular field and certifica- surgical oncology. He also cellular microenvironment
the care of club feet. My Medical Licensing Exami- graduate degree from St. ogy and teaches medical
as professor emeritus at tion by the American Board serves as director of the and tissue remodeling.
wife, Diane, and I recently nation (USMLE). USMLE John’s University and his students and residents. A
Southern Illinois Univer- of Medical Head and Neck Surgical
moved to Beaufort, South Rubens Pamies, MD ’86, vice is a joint program of the medical degree from UB. distinguished fellow of the
sity School of Medicine Specialties. Fellowship Program at
Carolina. We have six chil- chancellor for academic American Psychiatric Asso-
after 33 years of practice Adam Keller Ashton, MD ’87,
dren and eight grand chil- BE editors RPCI and is a professor ciation, he has published
as a pediatric orthopaedic affairs at the University of a Buffalo Medical Group
dren.” jfisk@siumed.edu also con- of neurosurgery at the more than 60 book chap-
surgeon, medical educator Nebraska Medical Center, psychiatrist, is the recipient
sulted and UB School of Medicine ters, abstracts, posters and
and fellowship director for has been named a mem- of the Department of Psy-
received and Biomedical Sciences. articles and has written
ber the National Board chiatry’s 2007 award for out-
for psychiatric journals on
standing contributions to
treatment-induced sexual
medical student education.
dysfunction. BP
Ashton, who joined
A T T H IS YE A R ’ S HONORS
C E REM ON Y, the first
Dr. Beth J. Wutz Memorial
Award was presented to Lauren
Dunford, MD ’08, by Michael Aronica,
MD ’93, program director of the UB com-
bined internal medicine and pediatrics
“Beth’s life was cut short after a trag-
ic illness, but her memory lives on in her
patients, her colleagues and her family.
“Beth’s career was a bright spot here
in Western New York. She was a local girl
who grew up and pursued her dream to
become a doctor, and she went to school
FROM LEFT: Michael Aronica, MD ’93; Lauren Dunford, MD
’08, who is training in medicine-pediatrics at UB; Joan
Herbert Newton, MD ’84, writes:
40 B u f f a l o P h y s i c i a n S u m m e r 2 0 0 8 S u m m e r 2 0 0 8 B u f f a l o P h y s i c i a n 41
C l a s s n o t e s
Brian French, MD ’04, is an educator at heart Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored n the intervening years, his “urban poor” (all qualify for free or which have resulted in low absenteeism
in Asian studies and at age 20 gained mother had remarried and moved to reduced lunches). and tardiness.
entrance to UB’s medical school through California. On a trip out to see her “We teach to the mind, body and spirit When French began as principal, none of
Between his second and third years of medical school, its early assurance program. after medical school, French again of each child, all of whom have the same these support services was in place; instead,
Brian French, MD ’04, decided to take a year off and join Ameri- He did well in medical school, but still visited King-Chavez Elementary struggles and who experience the same the former administration had hired a police
Corps, a federal agency whose mission is to improve lives, strengthen there was the calling to join AmeriCorps, School and met with McKeown, who not social ills as do many children in every officer to patrol the campus and had cut
communities and foster civic engagement through service and volun- which he acted upon. While participating only offered him a job teaching physical community, except that they are more physical education, art and recess in order to
in the program, one of his four assign- education and coaching sports, but also pronounced here,” says French. “You have allocate more time for test preparation. What
teering. While some of his friends and teachers were hesitant when he
ments involved his spending two months held out the possibility that he could be addiction, you have neglect, you have little sports equipment and art supplies the
told them what he was going to do, French decided to follow his heart working at King-Chavez Elementary principal of his own charter school. fathers and brothers and cousins who school had at that time were later discovered
because he knew better than most that life is short—and precious. School in a poor, inner-city neighborhood Under Proposition 39 in California, have been killed in gang shootings or who in storage behind the auditorium stage.
in San Diego, California. There he met anyone can start a school if they write a are in jail—any dysfunctional situation Today, after-school clubs and activities
W
hen French was five years old, his in college, he decided to concentrate on aca- principal Dennis McKeown, who, French charter and have it approved by the local you can imagine is here. So this is a place abound—“Yoga, tae kwon do, soccer (two
older brother, David, died of a brain demics with the goal of becoming a doctor. says, “changed my life.” school district board. McKeown and where love is needed the most.” teams), music, dance, art, theater, service
tumor at age 13; three years later, his He began his undergraduate studies “I loved the school, I loved what they French did this and were granted approval Love and discipline, he emphasizes, with learning, peace makers, family wellness,
father died of lung cancer at age 45. at Canisius College, and after two years were doing and I loved the mission,” he to take over operation of a neighborhood both grounded in mental and physical jump rope, gardening, fitness arcade,
French received no counseling at the transferred to the University of North explains. “This was about social justice and school that had been failing for more than health. In addition to having 40 minutes lacrosse, modeling, academic support,”
time, nor did his mother or older brother social reform and someone who was doing 30 years. In 2005, the administrative trans- of physical education and 40 minutes of recites French.
and sister. Instead, he says, “We all shut something about it, not just talking.” fer took place, at which time the school free play every day, the students begin their “It’s like a private-school atmosphere
down, not because we wanted it that way, After his 10-month commitment with was renamed King-Chavez Athletics Acad- day with warm-up exercises led by French. in a public-residential neighborhood,” he
but because we didn’t have the tools. We AmeriCorps ended, French returned to UB emy, and French was appointed principal. Staff pay special attention to nutrition and adds. “We’re showing the larger systems
didn’t know how to help each other.” and completed medical school. While serv- Today the academy has 150 students, to teaching healthy eating habits, with a that mountains can be moved with a more
A talented athlete, French focused his ing a hospice rotation in Ireland during his grades three through five, 95 percent focus on preventing obesity and diabetes. holistic, well-rounded program that makes
energy and unresolved anger on football fourth year, he says he “had an epiphany” of whom are Latino and considered Among other things, this has resulted in for happier students and an environment
at Williamsville East High School. Although that there was something else out there for adjustments to the traditional Mexican-diet where learning is positive, not punitive.”
“
he received several letters to play football him, although he didn’t know what it was. in school meals; for example, olive oil is As he looks to the future, French sees lim-
substituted for lard in beans. itless possibilities for his student body and
In the three years French has been eagerly anticipates focusing his energy on
principal of the school, test scores, as new projects that involve even more nutri-
I loved the school, I loved what
measured by the state, have improved tious student meals and medical advocacy.
150 points, reflecting the highest gain In working to improve the health and
they were doing and I loved
made by any elementary school in San well being of his students and their com-
Diego County. French is the first to say munity, he acknowledges that a healing
the mission,” he explains.
that because the scores “started at the process has begun to take place within
bottom of the barrel,” improvements still himself, as well.
“This was about social justice
need to be made. “When I first started teaching, I was
He is convinced this will happen more of a drill sergeant. Now I’m just like
and social reform and some-
“
one who was doing something
about it, not just talking.
with the extra tutoring, mentoring and
counseling available to the students, all of
this teddy bear of a guy,” he says. “But it’s
taken me a long time to get there.” BP