About Me

 

I have always been fascinated by the mind and brain.  Originally from Beloit Wisconsin, I trained in medicine and research as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program, which is offered by the National Institutes of Health to only 500 scholars nationwide.  I earned my Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Center for Brain Research, and graduated first in my class in medical school at the University of Rochester in New York.   After completing an Ivy League residency, I left the fast-paced East-coast lifestyle for family-friendly Fond du Lac.  I worked for ten years as an anesthesiologist and pain treatment physician at St. Agnes Hospital, serving as Chief of Anesthesia during most of that time.

 

After a series of major life setbacks including my own struggle with illness, the death of my friend Commander Dan Shanower at the Pentagon in the attacks of 9/11, and the suicide of a local physician and friend, I decided to return to my earlier studies of the mind and brain.  I entered residency in Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and for three years commuted daily between Fond du Lac and Milwaukee.  I became Chief Resident in 2005, and I completed psychiatric training in June of 2006. 

 

As a result of my own struggles and the tragic deaths of my friends, I began to develop a new appreciation for life.  I reflected on my friendship with Dan as I worked as a medical consultant for the Transportation Security Administration.  I remembered his determination to serve God and country using all of his ability.  I worked to strengthen relationships with my wife and children.   No longer content to sit in the audience, I became involved in community theater.  I began teaching residents and medical students at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  My proudest accomplishment has been my success with writing, particularly for Psychiatric Times, where I write of the challenges and range of emotions faced by training psychiatrists.

 

Most importantly, my experiences increased my empathy for those with mental pain.  I now recognize that years of one’s life can slip away unappreciated, while he or she puts off finding appropriate help.  I know first-hand of the stigma and isolation that can result from minor or major psychiatric conditions.  I continue to find the stigma a bit baffling, given the fact that most people have similar issues at some point in their lives.  My sincere goal is to create an understanding and supportive environment while providing the most up-to-date psychiatric care available.

Fond du Lac Psychiatry