September 2017

9/15: Suicide Prevention

Blair Davison, MD
Providence Psychiatry

Blair Davison attended and graduated from University Washington School of Medicine as Montana WWAMI student.  She completed "triple board" residency training in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry at Brown University Providence, Rhode Island. She’s been in Missoula since 2008 with Providence St Patrick Hospital, Providence Psychiatry. Currently, Blair is the physician director of WWAMI Missoula Track, and current president of MT psychiatric association.

9/22: Treating Women’s Health Issues with Naturopathic Medicine

Jamison Starbuck, JD, ND
One Doc Naturopathic Medicine
www.drjamisonstarbuck.com

Jamison Starbuck is a naturopathic family physician.  She attended and graduated cum laude from Middlebury College, then attended Portland’s National University of Naturopathic Medicine.  She’s been in private practice in Missoula for 23 years.  

Jamison writes and produces a weekly radio program on Montana Public Radio, called ‘Dr. Starbuck’s Health Tips for Kids”.  She also writes a monthly medical column for Bottom Line Health, a national newsletter/magazine.  Additionally, Dr. Starbuck was a past president of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.  Jamison is also an attorney; she attended Willamette University College of Law.  Her law practice consists of pro bono and educational work in the areas of family, criminal and contract law.

9/29: Hemangiomas and Vascular Malformations of Infancy: A Dermatologist’s Perspective

Markus Boos, MD, PhD
Seattle Children's Hosptial

Markus Boos, MD, PhD is an attending pediatric dermatologist at Seattle Children's Hospital and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine.  Dr. Boos was raised in the suburbs of Detroit and received a BA in Biology and Economics from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI. He subsequently joined the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Chicago, where he obtained his MD and a PhD degree in Immunology. He completed an internship in Pediatrics at the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital before joining the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as a Dermatology resident. There he served as chief resident during his final year before completing a fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 

October

10/6: Screening for Dementia

Robert Velin, PhD
Community Medical Center

Dr. Velin is a post-doctoral, fellowship trained neuropsychologist. He trained under Nelson Butters, Ph.D., Robert Heaton, Ph.D., and Igor Grant M.D. with extensive training in the assessment and diagnosis of cortical and subcortical dementias. His work has included evaluation of the effects of cognitive impairment on everyday functioning as well as differential diagnosis and the development of sensitive measures to detect cognitive change. He continues to practice within an interdisciplinary clinic with a primary emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of dementing conditions. He is a member of both the National Academy of Neuropsychology as well as the International Neuropsychological Society. He remains active in research and teaching as well as clinical practice.

Dr. Velin will present tools available for dementia screening in primary care settings.  He will also discuss sharing a dementia diagnosis with patients, care planning, and community resources.

10/13: Transdiagnostic Factors in Psychological and Psychosomatic Disturbance

Patrick Davis, PhD
Davis Consultants, PC
www.dcpcmt.com

Patrick Davis, a Montana native born in Butte, did his undergraduate work at MSU where he also earned a Master's degree in Experimental Psychology before earning a PhD in Professional Psychology with specialization in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.  He has held adjunct teaching positions at several colleges and universities, and is currently an affiliate faculty member at the University of Montana.  Before returning to independent practice in early 2016, Dr. Davis had been the Director of the Pain School program at the Providence Medical Group Montana Spine & Pain Center for several years.  He is the author of How to Relax: Enhancing your Mental and Physical Health through the Art of Inner Self-Regulation and is also the primary author of the Montana Spine & Pain School Pain School Book.

Dr. Davis will present information about a relatively recently developed psychotherapeutic model, the Transdiagnostic Model of psychopathology and psychotherapeutic intervention, which proposes that many different forms of psychological and psychosomatic disturbance are actually differing manifestations of a discrete set of underlying genetic, biological, psychological, and contextual factors.  The Transdiagnostic Model helps to explain why it is often so difficult to make an unambiguous mental health diagnosis, why there is such a high level of comorbidity among mental health conditions, and how the application of a "Universal" or "Transdiagnostic Protocol" which addresses common underlying transdiagnostic factors rather than diagnostic labels may often be a more effective approach to treatment than treatments which target specific disorders.

10/20: Metacognition in Medicine

Brian Lopez, MD
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Brian is a 3rd year family medicine resident at the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana.  He was born and raised in New Mexico.  He obtained his BA in Health, Medicine, and Human Values while attending a combined degree BA/MD program at The University of New Mexico.  During residency he has cultivated a strong interest in Emergency Medicine. After graduation, he will be joining the community of Lewistown, MT while working at Central Montana Medical Center.

10/27: Percutaneous Interventions for Cardioembolic Stroke

James Maddux, MD, FACC
Simone Musco, MD, FACC, FHRS
International Heart Institute of Montana, Providence St. Patrick Hospital

November

*11/3: Immuno-Oncology  (Please note: This presentation is at St Patrick Hospital)

Michael Snyder, MD, FACP
Montana Cancer Specialists

Dr. Michael Snyder attended Ohio State University School of Medicine and completed his fellowship in hematology and oncology in Texas.  In 1995, he moved to Missoula in to join Montana Cancer Specialists.  He is a past medical staff president and served on St.Patrick Hospital's governing board for nine years.  Dr. Snyder has an ongoing interest in drug development and cutting edge therapies. 

11/10: NO FMC

11/17: Neuroinflammation, Psychiatric Disorders and Pain

Diana Lurie, PhD
University of Montana

Diana I. Lurie, PhD., is a Professor of Neuropharmacology in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at The University of Montana. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania, and directs a research laboratory focusing on CNS injury, and the response of the nervous system to natural products, including Ayurvedic herbs.  The Lurie laboratory is currently evaluating a variety of natural products for their ability to inhibit the release of proinflammatory cytokines from activated microglia in vitro, and is now focusing on Bacopa Monnieri, Gotu Kola, and  Ashwagandha,.  In collaboration with Dr. Doug Coffin (The University of Montana), the lab group is also examining the ability of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, to limit the neurodegenerative processes that occur during Alzheimer’s disease.  Dr. Lurie maintains active collaborations with other research groups at the University of Washington and Laila Pharma, Vijayawada India. Dr. Lurie is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner (Kerala Ayurveda) and teaches neuroscience, Anatomy and Physiology, and courses in Ayurveda. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Ayurveda Journal of Health.

Degenerative diseases of the nervous system including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as psychiatric disorders including memory loss, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia have recently been linked to inflammation within the central nervous system (CNS).  Many of these syndromes are comorbid with pain, including depression and opioid addiction.  Recent studies suggest that neuroinflammation plays a key role in chronic and neuropathic pain and may be the shared link between psychiatric dysfunction and pain.  The link between neuroinflammation, psychiatric disorders and pain syndromes such as chronic pain and fibromyalgia will be discussed.

11/24: NO FMC

December

12/1:   Advanced Wound Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

William Huval, MD
Community Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Center

Community Medical’s Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center offers Western Montana a new kind of wound healing called hyperbaric oxygen therapy.  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) pumps 100% pure oxygen into a total body chamber and optimizes the body’s own ability to heal wounds.  The wound center is led by Dr. William Huval, M.D. and Medical Director of the center.   Dr. Huval completed both his bachelor of science degree and medical school from Louisiana State University.  He completed a surgical internship from Boston University Medical Center and is a fellowship trained in colorectal surgery from The University of Texas.  Dr. Huval is certified in hyperbaric medicine and he currently serves as the Medical Director of the Community Wound and Hyperbaric Center.  This presentation will outline the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to treat a variety of wounds including diabetic wounds and how HBOT can significantly lower amputation rates.   

12/8: “Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccinations: Recommendations and Provider Challenges.” 

Noor Bass, DO
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Noor is a third year family medicine resident at the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana in Missoula, MT. She grew up in Dallas, Texas and obtained her BS in Human Biology from the University of Texas at Austin in  Austin, Texas, her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in Dallas, Texas (UT Southwestern campus), and her medical degree from A. T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. Noor has an interest in women’s health, preventive medicine, and identifying barriers to health. After graduation, she will be practicing outpatient family medicine with a focus on women’s health in Missoula.

12/15: Disruption of Mental Health as Disruption of Neural Circuits

Nathan Insel, PhD
University of Montana

Nathan Insel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience at University of Montana. He earned his PhD in 2010 from the University of Arizona studying neural systems of memory, decisions, and aging. His postdoctoral training in Toronto included research on deep brain stimulation treatments for depression, use of neural network models to understand schizophrenia symptoms, and investigations into the mechanisms of memory dysfunction and recovery in Alzheimer’s Disease. Nathan’s research program at the University of Montana aims to understand how the brain forms and updates expectations about other individuals. This work takes into consideration a wide spectrum of mental health disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, that either specifically or incidentally impair social cognition and motivation.  

12/22: No FMC

12/29: No FMC

January 2018

1/5: A Selection of Zoonotic and Vector-borne Infections Treated at St Patrick Hospital; Acquired Locally and Abroad  (presentation at Community Medical Center)

Joshua Christensen, MD
Providence Medical Group, Infectious Disease

Dr. Christensen received his BS in microbiology and BS in medical technology from the University of Montana.  He attended medical school and completed his residency in internal medicine, followed by an Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of Colorado.  He's employed as ID/Hosptialist at St. Patrick, since 2010. 

1/12: Social Determinants of Health 

Mariah Bonner, DO
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Mariah Bonner is a 3rd year resident with the FMRWM.  She hails Seattle and San Diego, did her undergrad at San Francisco State University and completed osteopathic medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Lebanon, Oregon.  She has a strong interest in social medicine with an emphasis on public health and social determinants of health.  Mariah plans to stay in Western Montana and practice family medicine with obstetrics and osteopathic manipulation.

1/19: Building a Case for Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder 

Marc Mentel, DO
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

1/26: Viral and Autoimmune Encephalitis

Steve Johnson, MD

Stephen Johnson has worked as a neurologist in Missoula since 1977.  He received his medical degree from the University of Michigan, and he continued with post-graduate training at the University of New Mexico and McGill University in Montreal.  He is board certified in neurology, clinical neurophysiology, internal medicine, and sleep medicine.   He is the author or co-author of 25 publications in medical journals.  Currently he is a special volunteer at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in Hamilton, Montana, where his primary research interest  is Jamestown Canyon virus encephalitis.

February

2/2: Bronchiolitis in Kids: Safely Doing Less

Lauren Wilson, MD
Community Medical Center

Lauren Wilson, MD FAAP, is a pediatric hospitalist with Missoula Pediatric Associates.  She grew up in Missoula, but received her B.A. in Mathematics and German from Rice University, and her MD from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, before heading to the University of Vermont for her pediatric residency and chief resident year.  She worked for 5 years as a pediatric hospitalist at Seattle Children's, where she was also Associate Program Director for the pediatric residency program, before returning to Missoula in late 2015.  Her research interests include bronchiolitis, skin and soft tissue infections, family centered rounding, and high value care, as well as medical education.  

2/9: Addiction Medicine and Primary Care: The “Highs” and "Lows”

Cassie Lopez, MD
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Cassie was born and raised in Woodstock, NY and completed my undergraduate there. Afterwards she moved to New Mexico where she went to medical school. The culture and patient population quickly instilled an interest in public health and addiction medicine, and she has continued to pursue further training here in residency.  With her husband, she will be moving to Lewistown, MT after graduation where she hopes to continue to provide comprehensive primary care and addiction services to the patients of central Montana. 

2/16: 2 Case Conferences: 1) V tach and 2) Sore Throat Complication

Tara Rothwell, PA
Aaron Derry, PA
Providence St Patrick Hospital

Tara received her undergraduate from University of California Davis B.S. in Animal Physiology; followed by her master's in exercise science from University of Montana, where her claim to fame was the co-developer of the “Pack Test”.  Her postgraduate Molecular Mechanisms of breast cancer research was at University of New Mexico Department of Toxicology.  She completed her Physician Assistant degree at University of Iowa School of Medicine 1997.  Tara has been a practicing PA since, with 10 years spent at a rural critical care access hospital in Northern CA, then the last 10 years in hospital medicine with excursions in outpatient internal medicine at the Boise VA, Urgent care and Emergency medicine.

Aaron completed his Physician Assistant degree from Pacific University (OR) in 2004.  Since 2007, he's worked with the hospitalists at SPH, more specifically with infectious disease since 2017.  His previous work included ENT, geriatrics/primary care, and orthopedics. 

2/23: Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness - New Form of Dizziness with a Very Old History

Neil Shepard, PhD
Mayo Clinic, Rochester

Dr. Shepard is former Chair of the division of Audiology and Director of the Dizziness and Balance Disorders Program at Mayo Clinic – Rochester. As Professor of Audiology, Mayo Clinical School of Medicine - emeritus Dr. Shepard continues with a clinical private practice in Missoula, MT for the assessment and recommendations for treatment of patients reporting dizziness and balance disorder symptoms. He is also involved with research through the Mayo Clinic and teaching at the U of MT.

He received his undergraduate and masters training in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering from University of Kentucky and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He completed his PhD in auditory electrophysiology and clinical audiology from the University of Iowa in 1979.  He has specialized in clinical electrophysiology for both the auditory and vestibular systems.  Activity over the last 38 years has concentrated on the clinical assessment and rehabilitation of balance disorder patients and clinical research endeavors related to both assessment and rehabilitation.

March

3/2: Identifying the health concerns of wildland firefighters and Ultra Athletes: From the Firelines to the Front Lines of Epic Ultras

Brent Ruby, PhD
University of MT

Brent Ruby serves as the Director of the Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism and has been working with wildland firefighters for the last 20 years to learn more about the environmental and nutritional concerns that can compromise work output and safety on the fire line.  However, we have also collected unique data at Ironman, Badwater and at the Western States ultra marathons.  The goal will be to discuss these results relative to the potential need for medical care in these unique tactical and ultra athletes.

3/9: Violence in Healthcare/De-escalating Confrontations

Shawn Paul
Providence Regional Director of Safety, Security & Environment of Care

Shawn graduated from the University of MT with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.  His background includes United States Army Military Police Officer, Missoula Police Department, and SWAT Team Leader.  He's been at his current position as Western MT Service Area Director of Safety, Security & Environment of Care at  Providence St. Patrick Hospital since 2012. Shawn's also a Management of Aggressive Behavior Instructor, an Armed Intruder Instructor, and Critical Incident Stress Management Facilitator, plus a Member of the International Association Healthcare Safety & Security.          

3/16:  Accessible Integrative Medicine for Primary Care

Elizabeth Erikson, DO
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Currently a third year resident at the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana (FMRWM), Elizabeth is happy to be back in her home state. She grew up in Billings, MT and the nearby Beartooth Mountains. Elizabeth received a BA in Art History from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR prior to her circuitous path leading through Bozeman, MT for post baccalaureate classes and then to A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). After finishing residency, she plans to continue working at a Federally Qualified Health Center – a focus started through her medical school program and continued through residency

3/23: A Mysterious Episode of Hematuria

Drew Stritzke, MD
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Drew Stritzke is a 3rd year resident at the Family Medicine Residency in Missoula. He is a native of the northwest, having been born in small-town Central Washington and growing up outside of Boise, Idaho. Medical school took him to Loma Linda University in Southern California for 4 years but he has been thrilled to be back in the Pacific Northwest for residency these past 3 years. He has enjoyed his time in Missoula so much that he will be sticking around for at least another 3 years having recently signed on in agreement to become the newest Family Medicine physician in the Community Physician Group on the Community Medical Center campus. After residency is completed he is looking forward to spending time with his new wife and further exploring the wonderful outdoors of Western Montana. 

3/30: Cases in Eosinophilia

Julia Gruetzmacher, MD 
Tim Caramore, MD
Family Medical Residency of Western MT

Tim Caramore is a clinical assistant professor of medicine with the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana and a hospitalist with St. Patrick Hospital.  He is a graduate of the University of Richmond in Virginia, the famed Albany Medical College in upstate New York, and the University of Wisconsin Madison Family Medicine Residency Program.  He will one day complete a master’s degree in bioethics through the Alden March Bioethics Institute.  He runs and Nordic skis to excess, and enjoys such things as pizza, decaf coffee, hip hop music, and contemporary short fiction.

Julia grew up in Milwaukee Wisconsin, where she also attended undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She attended medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she fell in love with family medicine. After an epic cross country road trip to visit several national parks, Julia and her husband, Troy, found and fell in love with Montana. Needless to say, it’s been a love affair since then. In her free time, Julia enjoys all things outdoors- hiking, biking, camping, not to mention landscaping and gardening. She also has a great love of reading, crafting, and thoroughly enjoys a good snuggle with her three cats.

 

 

April

4/6: Health Equity & Hospital-Community-Academy Collaboration: Successes and Challenges

John Stone, MD, PhD
Creighton University School of Medicine

John R. Stone is a physician (cardiologist) and philosopher/bioethicist; Professor, Creighton University School of Medicine, Center for Health Policy and Ethics, Omaha, Nebraska. He is Graduate Faculty for the Master of Science Program in Health Care Ethics of Creighton’s Center for Health Policy and Ethics. He also serves as Co-Director of Creighton’s Center for Promoting Health and Health Equality. John targets health justice, stressing health inequalities, through scholarship, programs, and teaching. See his profile at: http://www.creighton.edu/chpe/people/facultystaff/johnstone/

4/13: Screening: Principles and Pitfalls

Ethan Richards, MD
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Ethan Richards, MD, is a 3rd-year resident in family medicine at the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana. He studied economics at Dartmouth College and after graduation, spent a few years working in applied economics, including positions at a small market research consulting firm and as a research assistant working on projects in health economics. He subsequently completed coursework in cell and molecular biology at the University of Minnesota’s Duluth campus, where he also assisted with bench research related to pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. He attended medical school at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. He and his wife Christi (also a 3rd-year resident) will be working as hospitalists at St Patrick Hospital beginning in July.

4/20: Advances in Pancreatic Surgery

Juan C. Mejia, MD
Providence Liver and Pancreas 
Spokane, WA

Juan Mejia, MD is a board certified surgeon with Providence Liver and Pancreas Surgery Clinic.  Dr. Mejia completed his general surgery residency at University of Texas Health Science Center, and completed his fellowships in Transplant and Hepatobiliary (HPB) Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh.  Dr. Mejia provides a variety of treatment options for patients with disorders of the liver, pancreas, and biliary system.

 4/27: Case Studies in Endocrinology

Michele Danicich, MD
Christopher Corsi, MD
PMG Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition 

Dr. Danicich is a Missoula native who graduated from the University of Washington Medical School in 1992.  She completed an internal medicine residency at Good Samaritan and Emmanuel Hospitals in Portland, OR before pursuing an endocrinology fellowship at the University of California, San Diego.  She married another Montana native, and after a short stint back in Seattle has been enjoying her general  endocrinology practice in Missoula since 1999. 

Christopher Corsi, MD completed his medical school training at University of Rochester in Rochester, NY, followed by internship and residency in internal medicine at Columbia's Bassett program in Cooperstown, NY.  His endocrine training was at the University of Virginia.  "I had a private practice in Coeur d'Alene, ID in the late 90s, and then moved to Missoula to join the Western Montana Clinic in 2000. I began working with Providence in 2015 so that I could work alongside a great team of other diabetes and endocrine professionals.  Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities, including skiing, backpacking, rafting, mountain biking, hunting and fishing.  My wife, Dr Ann Corsi, and I have enjoyed our medical practices and also raising our two girls in this fantastic community."

 

May

5/4: The Beauty in Pain: Storytelling & The Chronic Pain Experience 

Amy Thompson, PT, DPT
University of Montana

Amy is a physical therapist, but a human being first. After receiving her bachelor’s in Biology, and Doctorate in Physical Therapy at St. Catherine University in Minneapolis, MN  - she went on a tour of our healthcare system, practicing all over the country in many settings as a PT. Her passions have always been story, storytelling, and the innate power we all have to heal. It has been her great honor to collaborate with people in healing, and she believes our entire health care system would transform if we prioritized true listening to the stories of our patients. Amy finds incredible hope in pain science and the nervous system, and hopes to share with you why story is just as vital as any other vital sign we take. She’s also a current graduate student, pursuing a Masters in Community Health & Prevention Sciences here at the University of Montana, graduating in May. 

5/11: Health Impacts of Wildfires 

Christina Richards, MD
Family Medical Residency of Western Montana

Christina grew in Minnesota, attended the College of St. Benedict for her undergraduate then the University of Minnesota Medical School. After completing residency this summer, she'll work as a hospitalist at St. Patrick.

5/18: MobileSim: Bringing Emergency Care Education to Montana

Benjamin King
Best Practices Medicine
http://www.mobilesimmontana.org/

Log on to this special live presentation by clicking the linkstream.vision.net/BPM

This special 90-minute presentation will introduce MobileSim, medical simulation training labs that improve healthcare training and patient safety.  SIM Labs have fully mobile advanced physiology and functionality patient simulators for unlimited training possibilities.  

The MobileSim Lab will be parked in the St Patrick Hospital parking lot and available for tours after the Friday Medical Conference presentation.