Winter/Spring 2006

An Air of DefianceDr. Harbut fights to stop

asbestos exposure

Greetings from your alma mater, AUC School of Medicine! The Office ofAlumni Relations is the primary link between the University and our alumni. Ourgoal is to encourage and foster lifelong alumni participation, involvement and com-mitment.

Over the next year, our aim is to provide access and support that will enableyou to stay connected to AUC so you can be a part of,and benefit from, the success of the School. From creat-ing programs that match the interest and needs of thealumni; to maintaining and building upon the positive rela-tionships we have with our committed alumni volunteers;to increasing communication with our recent graduates,we strive to be a strong bridge between alumni and theiralma mater. In order to achieve these goals, we will requirethe participation of our AUC staff, friends, and each andevery one of you!

We recognize, acknowledge and embrace our alumni asvital members in the future. We encourage all our gradu-ates to participate in our volunteer programs, services,campus reunion and regional events. Please continue to

keep in touch and support the AUC Alumni Association through your participationand Annual Fund.

We also encourage each alumnus to become a regional ambassador in theircommunities by assisting in recruitment efforts at local school fairs, callingprospective students and serving on reunion committees to extend a personaltouch and inspire the next generation of physicians.

To existing alumni and those soon to be, I welcome you and look forward tomeeting you at future events.

Sincerely,

Maria Gracia Mazzotti

Director of Alumni Relations

Message from the Alumni Relation DirectorWhen the idea of an alumni magazine

first bounced around, I wasn’t even here.When I arrived in our offices in CoralGables, most of the articles were written,most of the photos collected and most ofeverything else already done. The maga-zine was in its final production stage and Iwasn’t even allowed to get my feet wet.Instead, I was pushed right into the pool.

But happily (and fully dry), we presentAUC Connections. The University, nowwith about 4,000 alumni, opened its doors27 years ago with hardly any notion of analumni magazine for the future. The maga-zine is a celebration of being an AUCalum and a practicing medical doctorthanks to the University. No matter if yougraduated from the Montserrat or St.Maarten campus, we hope the magazinebrings pride in being an AUC alumnus(a).

Being our first issue, we welcome allquestions and comments. We want themagazine to continue improving and can-not do it without your guidance. It is ateam effort, and we believe our team isnot confined to those who work in ouroffice. As evidenced in this issue, themagazine would have never launchedwithout the help of alumni, their spousesand office staff.

With AUC on the rise as a medicalschool, we hope to present the magazinein some way that will do the school justice.

Nila DoEditor

Editor’s Note

submissions wantedOOur magazine is only as good as the content you, the alumni, provide to us. Weare always looking for:� story ideas � research developments� personal accounts � honors/recognitions� letters to the editor � publications� alumni notes � columns� photos

Please submit ideas, by contacting us at:tel. 305 446 0600, ext. 51fax 786 433 0974e-mail aucconnections@aucmed.eduAll article submissions are to be provided in Microsoft Word document format. The text should be in Times New Roman, 12-point font, doubled-spaced.

1AUC connections

Features

A Day in the Life 6

A year after the December 2004 tsunami struck Southeast Asia, the numbers still remain difficult to grasp — 300,000 lives taken and more than five million people affected. Dr. Packia Raj strives to make a difference and diaries her storyof tsunami relief work in civil war-plagued Sri Lanka.

Battle to Breathe 16

With the U.S. government and big business oppositions looming, asbestosis expert Dr. Michael Harbut seeks to aid those exposed to toxic materials.

Departments

Campus Connection 2

Alumni Connection

Honors 4

Robinowitz-Elins Earns Prestigious Galloway Fellowship

Dillard Focuses on Relief Efforts

Publications 5

Healthy Reading

The Far East Meets the Wild West

Profiles

Living Life to the FullestMaurice Yankow, M.D.

10

A Doctor’s DreamPaul Flora, M.D.

11

Never a Dull MomentStephen J. Nelson, M.A., M.D., F.C.A.P.

12

From the St. Maarten Classroom to the Iraqi DesertBy Capt. Bill Walker, M.D.

14

Notes & Spotlights 20

Island Connection 24

Winter/Spring 2006, Volume 1

Director of Alumni RelationsMaria Gracia Mazzotti

Graphic DesignerAna Irizarry

EditorsNila DoSarah Reginelli

Copy EditorJ. Daniel Duran

Contributing WritersLinda Packia Raj, M.D.Capt. Bill Walker, M.D. Timothy Holcomb, M.D.

Contributing PhotographerCybelle Codish

Editorial OfficeAUC ConnectionsDepartment of Alumni Relations901 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Ste. 401Coral Gables, FL 33134Phone 305.446.0600Fax 786.133.0071Email aucconnections@aucmed.eduWeb www.aucmed.edu/aucconnections

Please send all questions, comments and suggestionsto the address or email listed above. AUCConnections editors reserve the right to edit all printsubmissions for length and clarity, and assume noresponsibility for unsolicited submissions.Reproduction for publication without written per-mission is prohibited.

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial staffor contributing writers and do not necessarily rep-resent the official positions of American Universityof the Caribbean School of Medicine or the AUCAlumni Association.

AUC Connections is printed biannually by ColorExpress Printing at 7990 West 25th Court, Hialeah,FL 33016.

If your address or other contact information haschanged since you last updated it with AUC, pleasesubmit your new information to the address aboveor online at:

http://www.aucmed.edu/alumni/alum_eform.htm

Cover photo by Cybelle Codish

Magazine logo designed by Debbie Gichlik

CONTENTS

Winter/Spring 20062

I f you visit the St. Maarten campus, you will notice theabsence of some familiar faces that have shaped AUC’s

brand of professionalism. The end of the summer 2005semester marked the retirement of five AUC faculty members— J. Sue Austin, Ph.D.; Mario Loukas, M.D., Ph.D; MargritTrotz, Ph.D; S. Jerome Putnam, Ph.D; and Maya Menon,Ph.D.

Dr. Austin, a professor of psychology, provided dedicat-ed and valued counseling services to students and their fami-lies. Dr. Loukas, an avid researcher, was an assistant profes-sor of anatomy and advisor to the on-campus ClinicalResearch Society. Both professors started teaching at AUC inJanuary 2003.

Dr. Trotz taught biochemistry and molecular genetics atAUC for 13 years. Her extensive tenure included teaching onboth the Montserrat and St. Maarten campuses and serving

as assistant dean, associate dean and chief proctor for theSHELF exams.

Drs. Putnam and Menon, husband and wife, taught atAUC for 13 and 14 years, respectively. Putnam was professorof the neuroscience courses. Menon was responsible fororganizing the lectures and laboratory sessions for cell biolo-gy and histology, which she also taught in conjunction. Shealso managed the lab manual and the design of the histologylab on the St. Maarten campus. She taught molecular genet-ics and served as the chairperson of several committees anddepartments. The couple plans to retire to Costa Rica.

These professors left an indelible mark on AUC and willbe missed by faculty, students and alumni alike.

Five

A fter the Soufrière Hills volcanobegan erupting on Montserrat in

July 1995, American University of theCaribbean found a new home about 100miles southeast on the island of St.Maarten. Today AUC students findthemselves on a beautiful, contemporarycampus specifically designed to meet amedical student’s needs.

The academic facilities offer futuredoctors the tools for earning a high-quality medical education including fullyequipped laboratories and clinicalpatient examination rooms. The fourlecture halls on campus feature the lat-est audio/visual technology, and theextensive library subscribes to morethan 100 medical journals and currentmedical and scientific texts.

Life on campus can be describedwith one word — picturesque. TheAcademic Center, overlooking SimpsonBay Lagoon, is architecturally stunningwith a dramatic three-story atrium,courtyard and beautiful landscaping. In2002, AUC added another amenityoverlooking Cupecoy Bay near theFrench St. Martin border — fully fur-

nished one- and two-bedroom apartments inthe 80,000 square footon-campus apartmentbuilding. The buildinghas a lounge for groupstudy and is only a shortwalk to Cupecoy’sunspoiled beach forrelaxation.

The new surround-ings seem to suit theschool well. The averageGPA of incoming stu-dents is now 3.1, withan average MCAT scoreof 22. In 2003 and2004, the American Association ofClinical Anatomists honored AUC stu-dents for papers they presented at theAnnual National Conference. AUCgraduates have consistently placed high-er compared to the national averageplacement for all foreign medical stu-dents entering the National ResidencyMatch Program.

On average 500 students attend theschool, and enrollment continues to

rise. For the last two years, and the onlytime in AUC history, there has been awaitlist to enroll. This past fall, theclass was filled to the maximum numberallowed by accreditation. The AUCname is gaining more recognition withthe help of every doctor it graduates.

Welcome

campus Connection

Faculty Members Retire

to the St. Maarten Campus

3AUC connections

New Dean of Basic SciencesMeet Bernard “Buz” Salafsky

n July 1, 2005 Bernard “Buz”Salafsky became dean of BasicSciences at AUC. He retired as dean ofthe University of Illinois College ofMedicine at Rockford in June 2004after serving nearly 22 years. He held anumber of concurrent appointmentsand currently holds professionalappointments in the College ofMedicine at both Rockford andChicago campuses. Dr. Salafsky alsoheads the WHO Collaborating Centerand directs the international programsfor rural medicine in Rockford.

Salafsky received a Ph.D. in phar-macology at the University ofWashington, Seattle and has held aca-demic appointments at the Universityof Washington, University ofPennsylvania, and University ofBristol (UK), in addition to severalyears of service with the WHO, pri-marily in Asia. He served as an exter-nal examiner at the University ofMalaya and was involved in numerouscurricular workshops. He is the recipi-ent of several awards, including theCertificate of Special CongressionalRecognition, Letters of Recognitionby the U.S. Congress and FulbrightLecturer.

Salafsky has maintained two pri-mary academic interests — medicaleducation and the study of parasiticdisease. He feels the need to shapeeducation in ways that make it morerelevant to societal needs, both in theUnited States and overseas. He hascontinued to serve the WHO and itsregional offices in Washington, D.C.and New Delhi through a number ofshort-term consultancies to medicalschools in Latin America and Asia,and provided leadership in the organi-zation for several international confer-ences.

Salafsky’s interest in tropical para-sitic disease has been largely due to his

10-year experience working in severaldeveloping countries. He has main-tained an active research laboratorywith K. Ramaswamy, associate profes-sor of immunology and interim headof biomedical sciences, funded by theNational Institutes of Health and pri-marily dedicated to schistosomiasisand other skin penetrating parasites.

Salafsky authored more than 60peer-reviewedpublications deal-ing with both edu-cational and scien-tific issues, andholds two patents.Together with col-leagues inRockford, he hasconceptualized theRural MedicalEducationProgram forIllinois. Morerecently, heextended this pro-gram to otherhealth professions.His other accolades include stimulat-ing the establishment of graduate pro-grams in nursing and public health,working with the three Rockfordhealth systems to enhance Rockford asa tertiary referral center, helping reor-ganize the Rockford Health Council,and forging alliances with other com-munity-based medical schools and inthe industry, particularly with PierceBiotechnology.

Please welcome Dr. Buz Salafskyto our wonderful university!

O

CURRENT POSITIONS:Dean of Basic Science

AUC School of Medicine

Professor of Pharmacology

University of Illinois College of Medicine atRockford

Head of WHO Collaborating Center

Assistant Director in InternationalPrograms

University of Illinois College of Medicine atRockford

SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE:Tropical Parasitic Disease(immunology & molecular biology)

Pharmacology and Toxicology

Environmental and Public Health

Health Systems Research

AWARDS & HONORS:Certificate of Special Congressional

Recognition, 2004

Letters of Recognition, U.S.Congress,

President George Bush, 2004

Special Senior Fellow, MDAA, l973

Nominated: Outstanding YoungMen of America, l970

Fulbright Lecturer, Malaysia, l968

COMPANY BOARDS:Dermaegis, CEO

Biovector, CEO

Atometric

STATS

Winter/Spring 20064

alumni Connection

he Laerdal Foundation forAcute Medicine awarded FaithDillard, M.D. (’99) with a grantof more than $4,800 for herwork with a project to aidmedical care in Montserrat.The island, ravaged by a vol-cano eruption in 1997, remainsin need of medical training,equipment and supplies.

Dillard has set aside thefunding to purchase medicaland personal protective equip-ment for the first respondersand nurses staffing the island’sambulances.

“We want to give the capa-ble hands there the supportthey need to have an emer-gency medical response that isequal to the disaster capabili-ties that have been establishedon the island,” Dillard said.“When the medical system has

the training and equipmentthey need to respond to masscasualty, stabilize and transportcritical patients, and do sosafely, then we will haveaccomplished our goal.”

Dillard, currently finishingher residency at the GeorgeWashington University MedicalCenter, is no stranger to reliefaid. During the 2005 disastersof Hurricanes Katrina andWilma, she and her FEMANew Jersey DMAT, or DisasterMedical Assistance Team, werecalled on to provide neededmedical assistance for hurri-cane victims. Dillard helpedhundreds of victims duringboth catastrophes.

Dillard, named a 2003-04Yale/Johnson & JohnsonScholar in InternationalHealth, and her husband, PJ,

founded the MontserratEmergency MedicineProject in 2003. The cou-ple dedicated the projectto the improvement ofmedical treatment on theisland. It obtains dona-tions for emergency res-cue, acquires and trans-ports donated medicalequipment and trainsmedical personnel in theiruse.

Another arm of theorganization trains nurses,aides, ambulance drivers,firefighters and policemenin CPR. The projectintroduced its first recer-tification course inJanuary 2005.

Between training med-ical staff, maintaining andrefurbishing equipment and

RReecceeiivveess GGrraanntt ffoorr MMeeddiiccaa ll AAiidd iinn MMoonnttsseerrrraattDillard

T

HONORS

securing donations, Dillard,her husband and theMontserrat EmergencyMedicine Project have theirhands full.

“You have to consider thedifficulty of maintaining ahealth system in an isolatedenvironment, the problemswith volunteer medical careand on-site medical staff, andexpectations of a governmentthat wants to stay within thebudget,” Dillard said. “It willmost likely be a lifelong proj-ect for myself and my hus-band.”

Dillard admits the oppor-tunities to help others outsidea hospital are part of thenecessities she sees for her-self.

“If I couldn’t go out to dothis, I think my career wouldbe shorter, just because of thestress [of working inside hos-pitals],” she said. “Then again,it’s really gratifying. It makesmy job better when I come onhome.”

r. Hillary Robinowitz-Elins (’01) received aGalloway Fellowship in gyne-cology at the prominentSloan-Kettering CancerCenter in New York City.Robinowitz-Elins, currentlycompleting her fourth year asa resident at the MethodistHospital at Dallas, is the firstCaribbean medical graduatehonored with this prestigious award.

Though hundreds apply, the Josey K. Gallowayfamily provides no more than three fellowshippositions each year for an OB/GYN resident inhis or her third year. Robinowitz-Elins receivedtravel arrangements to and from New York, a fur-nished apartment, access to academic facilities, abasic stipend and health insurance.

Supervised by gynecology services faculty,Robinowitz-Elins cared for gynecology service

inpatients and outpatients, par-ticipated in faculty meetingsand assisted in surgical proce-dures. The fellowship providesup to three months of intensiveclinical and academic experi-ence in gynecology and oncolo-gy, the most competitive fellow-ship.

The fellowship is “basicallythe golden ticket for applying

for a gynecology and oncology fellowship,” shesaid. “It is the equivalent to the Rhode Scholar forOB/GYN.”

Robinowitz-Elins, who paved the way for oth-ers as the first Caribbean graduate awarded withthe fellowship, offers advice for other island stu-dents vying for competitive fellowships.

“The best way for a Caribbean student [toachieve a fellowship] is to prove their work effort,”she said.

Robinowitz-Elins Earns PPrreesstt ii gg iioouuss GGaall lloowwaayy FFee ll lloowwsshhiipp

D

5AUC connections

The American Heart Associationprojects that nearly 180 million

Americans are obese. It seems dietershave tried everything to rid them-selves of the extra pounds, but oneAUC graduate may have come upwith the answer.

In 2004, Dr. Fred Pescatore (’86)published The Hamptons Diet, aresponse to Dr. Atkins’ famous diet,which combines the best of theMediterranean diet with the latest sci-ence on carbohydrates. Pescatore,once associate medical director ofthe Atkins Center, devoted his careerto nutrition, weight-health and inte-grative medicine.

After completing residencies at St.Vincent’s, Mt. Sinai Medical Center,and St. Luke’s/Roosevelt HospitalCenter in New York, Pescatore trav-eled across Southeast Asia, India,Japan, Africa and Europe. During histravels he trained with practitionersspecializing in alternative healingtechniques.

When he returned, Pescatorework with Dr. Robert C. Atkins andthe Atkins Center, the world’s preem-inent center for complementary med-icine. After Atkins passed away inApril 2003, Pescatore opened his ownprivate practice calledPartners in IntegrativeMedicine with offices inNew York City, Dallas andPalm Beach, Fla.

Pescatore makes frequentappearances in print mediaincluding Women’sHealth and Fitnessand The New YorkTimes, and onradio and televi-sion broadcastssuch as “GoodDay LA,” “The

Today Show” and “The O’ReillyFactor” as an expert on health andnutrition.

The Hamptons Diet – 2004 Pescatore presents The Hamptons Diet,complete with 30-day meal plans featur-ing more than 100 recipes that intro-duce a secret ingredient – Australianmacadamia nut oil, the most monoun-saturated oil on the planet.

The Allergy and Asthma Cure –2003In this hands-on guide, Pescatore showshow allergies, asthma, eczema, hives,sinus difficulties and other allergic con-ditions relate to our unbalanced eatinghabits and can create increased levels ofinflammation in our bodies.

Thin for Good – 2000This program combines a balanced,appetizing and responsible diet programincluding more complex carbs andhealthier fats than other diets with amind-body plan eliminating dieters’cravings by permanently altering theirattitudes and emotional attachments tofood.

Feed Your Kids Well – 1999Pescatore brings an empathetic and

hopeful tone to this ground-breaking guide, which appearedas a best-selling children’shealth book.

Reading

Jeri Mills, M.D. (’87), grew upknowing she would devote her life tocaring for others. She started hercareer as a veterinary doctor and laterearned her M.D. When she beganmedical practice in Tucson, Ariz., shefound Reiki, and her outlook on med-icine was transformed.

Mills found combining Reiki, theholistic healing system involving tech-niques for stress reduction and relax-ation, with traditional Western medi-cine in her everyday practice helped tocalm her patients and relieve much oftheir need for postoperative painmedication.

She began to share her mix ofReiki and Western medicine with thestaff at the University of ArizonaCollege of Nursing. They found hertechnique so effective that they askedMills to provide a course on the sub-ject.

Since Mills became a Reiki masterand teacher in 1995, she has lecturedinternationally on bridging the gapbetween Eastern and Western medi-cine. Her articles on women’s healthand integrative medicine haveappeared in American, British andCanadian publications. She also prac-tices obstetrics and gynecology usingReiki in everyday patient care.

In 2001, Mills published theacclaimed Tapestry of Healing: WhereReiki and Medicine Intertwine. The firsthalf of the book recounts Mills’ expe-rience as a physician adding Reiki toher practice. The second half pro-vides readers with an introduction toEastern medicine, a guide to severalenergy therapies and the ethical issuesand responsibilities that go along withusing them.

The Far EastMeets the Wild WestHealthy

PUBLICATIONS

ÔÔÔ

Packia Raj participated in a program spon-

sored by the Permanente Medical Group of

Kaiser Permanente of Northern California,

where physicians rotated to Sri Lanka and

Indonesia. She worked mostly in the city of

Batticaloa at relief camps, schoolrooms,

mosques, tents and the Batticaloa General

Hospital.

She tells her story, a personal account of

working in a nation that needed more than

just tender love and care — it needed a doc-

tor’s love and care.

Dr. Linda Packia Raj (’96)

ttrraavveelleedd ttoo SSrrii LLaannkkaa eeaarrlliieerr tthhiissyyeeaarr ttoo aatttteenndd ttoo aa nnaattiioonn nnoottoonnllyy ddeevvaassttaatteedd bbyy tthhee DDeecceemmbbeerr2266 ttssuunnaammii,, bbuutt aallssoo ccrriipppplleedd bbyycciivviill wwaarr..

in the

Editor’s Note: The following are edited excerpts of the entries Dr. Packia Raj wroteto her family, friends and colleagues during her time in Sri Lanka.

Pack

ia R

aj (

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xam

ines

an

infa

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oy w

ith

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7AUC connections

February 19 - March 16, 2005

As soon as I saw thepictures of the tsunamiand heard people speakingin my native language,Tamil, I wanted to go tohelp. I was born inChennai, formerlyMadras, in South India soI felt really connected tothe people and places.

My team consistedof four members fromdifferent KaiserHospitals in northernCalifornia: ShirleyTamoria, M.D.; CathyBaker, M.D.; JoshuaWeil, M.D.; and myself.We flew into Colombo,the capital of Sri Lanka,and then drove toBatticaloa on the EastCoast. We worked withUNICEF, International RedCross and HandicapsInternational, as well as the Ministry ofHealth of Sri Lanka.

I found there was a great need for my spe-cialty because PM&R does not exist in SriLanka, and physical therapy and muscu-loskeletal medicine are usually supervised byrheumatology or orthopedics.

Our work was further complicated by thepolitical turmoil in Sri Lanka. There has beena 30-year civil war between the majoritySinhalese and the minority Tamil Tigers.Unfortunately Batticaloa was a flashpoint for

the escalating violence. Sadly, it isalways the innocent people, Tamil andSinhalese alike, caught in the middle.

The tsunami affected the poorest andmost vulnerable people, already victims

of civil war. Everyone we met had lostsomeone in the tsunami. And the

unknowns of the civil tensions —part of the team missed a grenade

by moments while driving to thehospital — was, at times, fright-

ening.

My husband, Geoff,stayed at home with our 2-

year-old daughter,Skylar. When I was leav-ing to Sri Lanka, mydaughter said, “Mommygo to Sri Lanka and makeeveryone all better.” A lot

to live up to! But I hopethat one day she will also be

inspired to help others.

I was in Sri Lanka from

Batticaloa

SRI LANKA

A group of children wave from one ofthe Batticaloa camps Packia Raj visited.

COLOMBO

Hambantota

Galle

Tissamaharama

X

Today is Wednesday, and we

have been in Batticaloa for ten days. I

feel like I have been here a long time

and will be here for a long time. It may

be because I have a little cold and am

a little under the weather. I took a

long nap this afternoon and feel a bit

better now. One thing I like about here

is the general lack of mirrors, which is

good because my hair seems to con-

stantly stand straight up. I remind

myself this is stylish in some circles.

Today was good. One of the tsunami

victims I saw was a woman in her 40s

who was caught in her house and had

a big open wound treated with a skin

graft. She was wearing a blue house-

coat and as she lifted it to expose her

knee, she told me about how the waves

33//22//0055

This has been a busy week.

On Sunday, we went to an orphan-

age that was devastated by the

tsunami. We met 35 little boys from

the ages of 7-15 who were first

orphaned by the civil war and then

their home was destroyed by the

tsunami. Their headmaster, a wiry

man with a big mustache, lived

across the street from the orphanage.

One 9-year-old boy studying in his

house was lifted by the water to the

ceiling where he pulled himself

through a hole into the attic and

waited until the army rescued him.

The headmaster wasn’t quite as

lucky. He was pulling out the three

smallest boys and was about to run

himself when the first wave caught

LLPPRR 33//33//0055him. It lifted him 15 feet into a tele-

phone pole that cut his arms and legs.

The second wave threw him into a con-

crete pole. Finally he was carried like

a sack over someone’s shoulder, where

he was able to cough out some water.

He was airlifted to a hospital and was

in a coma for four days.

Fortunately, all the boys except one

disabled boy made it out, although

three teachers also died saving them.

Looking at their solemn faces and big

brown eyes, I found listening to the

stories difficult. We gave them some

toys and candy, and they were trans-

formed: all toothy grins and laughter,

sharing with each other.

If you look at the beach, it is para-

dise — stretches of empty pure white

and a calm, blue ocean,

gentle rhythm of white-

caps, coconut trees gen-

tly swaying. Then you

turn around and it’s dev-

astation: twisted wrought

iron gates standing with

the concrete fence knocked out;

pink and turquoise stucco houses

with gaping jagged holes cored

through; saris, shirts, papers

and books wrapped high into

trees. I swear you can almost

hear the echo of groaning metal

and the roar of rushing water

crushing everything in its path.

We visited a friend’s house

and watched a video, the type

that would never be shown in the

United States. It showed the

chaos of people running and the

bodies of people and animals and

debris everywhere. Most disturb-

ing were the hospital scene —

rows and rows of bodies with

their heads tied to keep the

mouths closed, and worst yet,

the rows and rows and rows of

children and babies. I thought I

was the only one crying but

when I looked up, everyone was

wiping their eyes.

As bad as what we see is, it is

still the cleaned-up version,

eight weeks later. Be well and be

safe. I am.

Love, Lin

swept her in her house and she

had to cling onto the open ceiling.

Then as she came down, another

wave swept her and she held onto

an electricity pole until the water

receded and someone helped her

down. Her leg was cut by glass,

she thinks, while in her house.

The ortho clinic was incredibly

busy, with every kind of patient

imaginable — middle-aged women,

young men, babies with casts on

both legs…

A woman was screaming and

moaning, rolling on the ground in

front of the ICU, crying “Amma,

amma” (“mother, mother”) for her

65-year-old mother who died of

encephalitis. The ICU consultant

said this was not uncommon. He

smiled, a little sadly. Shirley is doing

medicine rounds and we were talking

about how amazing the doctors are

here. Everything is much more clini-

cally based. You just can’t really com-

pare, it’s like apples to oranges, but I

guess it’s all still fruit and it’s all good

for you.

I love the evenings here. The tem-

perature just drops and the ocean

breeze picks up. It’s perfect to sit out

on the veranda and talk. The night

stars are really pretty, so many more

as the moon waxes. I can only identify

Orion, and as it gets later, I think I’ve

seen the Southern Cross low on the

horizon, but it’s been debated...

9AUC connections

We went to the camps on Saturdayas an independent team for the firsttime with the nursing students and ourown supply of meds. Shirley and Joshreally went through and organized ourmeds, counting all the pills down to1336 paracetamol tablets.

Josh had a 5-month-old boy with alarge scalp abscess. Because of the dif-ficulty in getting to the hospital, themother didn’t want to go. We offeredher money or a ride, but she wasadamant about waiting for her hus-band. One problem here is the familiesoften go to faith healers to remove badspirits and delay obtaining medicalcare. But after seeing this mother inthe camp, I can see how physicianshere could be frustrated. It’s heart-breaking. We’re not here to change cul-ture, just do the little things we can.

On our way home, we saw moresecurity from the Sri Lankan Army(SLA). They are just boys, really,dressed up in camouflage and carryingrifles. There’s been some escalation ofviolence, but it’s hard for us to gauge. Idon’t feel like we are in danger, butgiven the complicated history and thedeep-rooted feelings — so hard for us tounderstand as Americans — it’s some-thing to keep in mind. Be well and staysafe, I am.

Linda

Today Dr. Packia Raj works andlives in California.

Upon returning to the United States, PackiaRaj wrote:

I would do the trip again. The ways I feel enriched per-

sonally and professionally are so many, and I would rec-

ommend volunteer work of this sort, or any other, to all

physicians. There really is no “good time” to volunteer,

the stresses of time and schedules will take care of them-

selves when you are driven. The work is deeply satisfying

and rich in meaning. It’s why we go into medicine at the

most fundamental level: to help people.

It has been a few intense days.

Although it rained, it’s been a lit-

tle hotter. The veranda, which we

used to sit on and look for the

Southern Cross, has been too

muggy and buggy.

I went to a hospital south of

Batticaloa called Kalmunai with

the Danish PT students and the

chief PT from Batti General.

Kalmunai Hospital was washed out

by the tsunami, but is now up and

running. It has wide, open corri-

dors and central gardens, which

are shady and cool in the dry heat.

There are dogs and the occasional

chicken wandering freely outside

among the tropical bushes. Some

people are sitting on their cots,

watching what’s going on. Others

are lying curled up, and others are

somewhere in between.

We saw a stroke patient with

right-sided hemiparesis lying on

his bed. He was aphasic, a fine line

of drool running down his mouth,

and though he couldn’t talk, he

could follow simple commands.

The PT students got him up, and

after I asked, the nurses procured

a wheelchair and we positioned

MMaarrcchh 88,, 22000055

MMaarrcchh 55--88,, 22000055

him, propping him up withhis pillow. He was cough-ing, probably already start-ing to get aspiration pneu-monia.

In the evening we metwith one of the Greekphysicians. He said he’dbeen here since three daysafter the tsunami, and if hedidn’t get home soon, hisgirlfriend would leave him.And I’m complainingbecause I miss my husbandand baby after 2 weeks?Perspective helps.

Today, March 8, is a hol-iday. The PT offices areclosed and I am home bymyself.

The silence is restora-tive. Be well and stay safe.I am.

Linda

Packia Raj (left) checks over three children

at a Batticaloa refugee camp.

Winter/Spring 200610

alumni Connection

One doctordefies age-oldtradition andbegins hismedical schooleducation atage 63.

Life

Liv

ing

theto

Fullest

The average American retiressomewhere in his or her 60s.Most retirees picture them-selves settled in a condo inFlorida, or in the middle of across-country R.V. trip orrelaxed, fishing with thegrandkids.

Not Dr. Maurice Yankow(’81). At the age of 63,Yankow left his job of nearly30 years and enrolled atAUC. Today at age 89,Yankow is still a practicingpsychiatrist.

Yankow was born in NewRochelle, N.Y., to Latvianparents. When he finishedhigh school, he enrolled incollege with thoughts ofbecoming a doctor. Thefinancial hardship brought bythe Depression made hisdecision in choosing schoolseasy. He went to the tuition-free City College andmajored in science.

In his 30s, Yankowbecame a teacher in hishometown while earning aMaster’s and Ph.D. in experi-mental embryology fromFordham. With his accelerat-ed degrees, Yankow beganteaching part time at localcolleges, even though theypaid less than public schools.To compensate for the needof additional funds, he con-tinued teaching and counsel-ing at New Rochelle HighSchool as well.

When Yankow was in his60s, he saw an opportunityto teach at AUC advertisedin the paper. He applied forthe job, and AUC offeredhim the position. While

deciding whether or not totake the job and move to theisland, Yankow’s wife chal-lenged him to turn down thejob offer and enroll as a stu-dent. He had always wantedto delve into medicine, andhis wife presented him withthe perfect challenge. Hetook it, and at age 63 beganstudying to earn his M.D.

By the age of 70, Yankowwas a licensed physician. Hecompleted his residency inpsychiatry, a specialty hehardly considered before-hand. He started in the psy-chiatric emergency room, butquickly moved into addictiontherapy because of theopportunity to form betterrelationships with thepatients. On a practical level,Yankow knew that at 70years old the stress of work-ing in an emergency roomenvironment would be toomuch to handle long term.

He now works at theNew Focus Clinic at St.John’s Riverside Hospital inYonkers, N.Y., three days aweek and rotates between thegeneral offices andmethadone clinic. Hispatients include heroineaddicts, marijuana smokersand tobacco users, withwhom he spends a large por-tion of his time working.

His approach to treat-ment is multi-tiered to pro-duce better results, to whichhe brings his childhood pas-sion for cartoons into play.Yankow, whose brother andsister-in-law died of lungcancer, decorates his office

overlooking the HudsonRiver with his own hand-drawn posters featuring anti-addiction slogans. One car-toon shows a fish ready tobite a lit cigarette danglingfrom a fishing hook. Thecaption reads, “Are you asucker fish? Cigarettes takeyour money. Cigarettes takeyour health.” Another showsa $1 and $5 bill half-burntwith captions of “What youburn up, every time yousmoke a pack.”

The cartoons help him toconnect to his patients, whoat times are decades younger.This kind of challenge,though, drives him. Yankowovercame adversity to earnfour college degrees, pursuethree full careers and care fora happy family. The effortkeeps him youthful, and hewill continue to work andchallenge himself as long ashe can.

- Sarah Reginelli

PROFILES

11AUC connections

Dr. C.J. “Paul”Flora (’92)came a longway to see hismedical dreams

come true. Born in thePhilippines, Flora and hisfamily left their home andmoved across the Pacificwith hopes that Flora would

practice as a doctor. After receiving his medical degree,the hope went one step further when Flora opened AlohaMedical Center in late 2003.

Flora owns and operates the private practice he builton Kauai, Hawaii. The center houses doctors and nurses,a diagnostic laboratory and an on-site pharmacy. Thefacility is equipped with $350,000 worth of medicalequipment, including a bone density scanner. Soon therewill be an on-site treadmill stress test and stress echocar-diograph so patients can receive all medical care in onelocation.

“The patients are the very essence of my existenceand success,” Flora said. “[The center] gives me freedomto innovate and match patient care needs.”

Flora wanted to provide the optimum level of care inhis center, something he did not see at other centers.Before founding Aloha Medical Center, he worked withan HMSA-run medical center on Kauai. Strict policieswould not allow doctors to treat patients before or afterhours. Even when patients were waiting in the rain, doc-tors could not open the doors until official hours began.

When he opened his new location, about 3,000 of hispatients followed. Nearly 2,500 of the patients attendedthe center’s grand opening luau, an impressive numberconsidering Lihue, the city where Aloha Medical Center islocated, is home to less than 6,000 people.

Flora maintained his goal to put patients first. Thecenter sees about 300 patients a week, stays open onSaturdays and has after-hours appointments. He alsomakes house calls for elderly and disabled patients. Heoften goes without lunch and does his dictation in theevenings at his home to fit more appointments.

As a child in the Philippines, Flora worked on his fam-ily’s rice farm and sugar plantation. Later, he became anurse and saw firsthand how to treat patients.

When his family moved to Honolulu, he worked as anintensive care unit nurse and continued to after he movedto San Francisco. Then at age 34, with 19 years of ICUexperience and an MBA in Hospital BusinessAdministration, he enrolled in medical school.

“I was a registered nurse and still proud of havingbeen one,” Flora said. “Becoming a doctor was anotherstep to prove to myself that the mind has no limits. Ifyou work hard, you get rewarded.”

After graduating from AUC and finishing his residen-cy in California, Flora moved back to Lihue to be near hisfamily. Seven years of serving in a private practice andtreating loyal patients prepared him for opening his ownmedical center.

Flora’s commitment to his patients paid off, literally.

Planning and constructing the one-story, 4,875 square-foot Aloha Medical Center cost $1.3 million. Flora’s bankloaned him the funds using his reputation and trackrecord of loyal patients as collateral.

“It was hard work, hard work, hard work and an out-standing name in the community” that allowed him tobuild his practice, Flora said.

Aloha Medical Center is now a thriving practice opensix days a week with plans to open small satellite clinicsaround the island.

“Aloha Medical Center is the legacy of my dedicationand love for my patients,” Flora said. “With thesethoughts I sleep well at night.”

- Sarah Reginelli

Restricted by the rules most medical centersenforce, Dr. Paul Flora’s open-door policy

keeps patients healthy and him fulfilled.

A Doctor’s Dream

Winter/Spring 200612

alumni Connection

“My wife says that she caneasily tell if I had any childrencome through my office, as Iam ‘more quiet’ when I gethome,” said Chief MedicalExaminer Stephen J. Nelson,M.A., M.D., F.C.A.P. (’85).

While death is not uncommon amongmedical physicians, for Nelson it is why hegoes to work. As an expert in forensic andanatomic pathology and neuropathology,Nelson realized early his trade had a prereq-uisite not written on his job description — athick skin. Having autopsied thousands ofbodies during his career, the father of twostill finds the sight of children lying lifeless-ly on his fiberglass gurneys absolutely debili-tating.

“The deaths of children, accidental andabusive, become withering [on an individ-ual],” Nelson said.

As chief medical examiner for the 10thJudicial Circuit office, Nelson manages theoffice and performs his fair share of autop-sies. His office in Winter Haven is the sev-enth busiest in Florida and serves Polk,Hardee and Highlands County. In 2004, the10-member office conducted about 700autopsies.

He also works closely with police andinvestigators. On occasions, Nelson is calledby law enforcement agencies to examine thebodies at homicide and non-homicidescenes. He also allows law enforcementinside his office to stay for hours to collect,photograph and process all necessary data inan investigation. Nelson always makes apoint to be readily available.

“Pathology, whether it is hospital-basedpathology or forensic pathology, is truly a‘service’ profession,” he explained.

Appointed to the Medical ExaminersCommission by Gov. Lawton Chiles in 1998,Nelson has served as chairman since 2000.The Medical Examiners Commission is simi-lar to the Florida Board of Medicine,Nelson said, though the commission’s issuesare narrower and deal only with physician-medical examiners.

One of the more high-profiled issuesNelson examined occurred early in 2005. In1990, Theresa “Terri” Marie Schiavo fellinto a coma after suffering an anoxic braininjury. Nelson first began hearing her casenearly a decade later as legal battle beganaccruing between family members over thestill comatose Schiavo. After her death onMarch 31, Dr. Jon Thogmartin, a chief med-

aa

dull moment

13AUC connections

As a patho log is t he has seen

some of the most un imaginable

horrors poss ib le on a body. But

Dr. Nelson’s exper ience and

exper t ise put h im among the e l i te

forces that so lve invest igat ions,

inc lud ing Terr i Schiavo’s famous

case in ear ly 2005.

ical examiner of the Medical ExaminersCommission from Pinellas County, wascalled on to investigate the causes of the St.Petersburg woman’s death. Nelson, whoworked closely with Thogmartin in the past,was asked to provide neuropathologic con-sultations.

“Both Dr. Thogmartin and I have had akeen interest in deaths that prompt suchintense media attention,” Nelson said, care-fully noting he never wanted to forever bepinned by the media to this case.

“We certainly didn’t want to be giggedby the media, the pundits and the public asthose involved in the case…as what resultedwith the autopsy examination of PresidentJohn F. Kennedy and others,” Nelson said.“History has a tendency to repeat itself andwe didn’t want to be part of that. We triedto set the bar higher, and I think we weresuccessful in doing that.”

While Nelson has worked on severalcases that have gained media attention, noother case compares to Schiavo’s.

“Without a doubt [I was involved in my]first press conference… that was televisedlive throughout the world on CNN, andwhich had about eight still photographersand six or seven television cameras pres-ent,” he said.

Not only was Nelson forced to be con-cerned with on-camera appearances, he alsowas concerned about his neuropathologyreport made available for the masses. Hisnine-page report complete with 14 refer-ences was posted on the Internet, talkedabout among the public and scrutinized fur-ther than any report he had written before.

“It’s probably natural to make certainthat the report is readable and understand-able to a lay audience more so than as aneuropathologist-consultant simply to Dr.Thogmartin,” Nelson clarified.

Forensic pathology came by accident toNelson, who already accumulated experi-ence in anatomic pathology and neu-ropathology after graduating from AUC.While completing his fellowship training inneuropathology at Albert Einstein Collegeof Medicine, Nelson realized he neededexperience in forensic pathology in order tosit for the certification exam in anatomicpathology given by the American Board ofPathology. After a couple of months in therotation, Nelson found himself extremelytaken by the forensic pathology “bug” andlater completed another fellowship in foren-sic pathology at the University of Miami.After certification from the ABP, Nelsonlearned he was only one of 14 other doc-tors with the same unique trio of certified

specialties.

Born in Bradford, Penn., Nelson is theyoungest child of Jack and Mary Nelson.He has older twin sisters, Barbara, whoworks in his Winter Haven office, andBeverly, who still lives in Bradford. TodayNelson lives in central Florida with his wife,Sue, and children, Katie, 4, and Matt, 3.With the stress that continues to be associ-ated in a doctor’s life, Nelson finds comfortin being part of a strong family circle.

“When I first took this position as ChiefMedical Examiner,” he said, “the electedstate attorney told [me] that my familyshould always come first. I’ve always triedto keep that in mind.”

As far as what he sees for the future inhis line of work, Nelson remains light andjovial about the subject.

“I often joke with law enforcement offi-cials that decomposed bodies are ‘job secu-rity’ for all of us,” Nelson kidded, “as noone is beating down my office door toreplace me in performing autopsies onthose bodies.”

“My job is never dull,” he added, “evenwhen appearing in court and testifying.”

- Nila Do

Winter/Spring 200614

alumni Connection

My love for travel andadventure inspired me tojoin the U.S. Air Force asa flight surgeon. I hadbeen working on thewards as a general sur-gery intern when I read

about the flight surgeon position. I knewimmediately that this was something I wantedto experience.

I first went to the recruiter in August2001 and submitted my application. Weagreed to meet the next month to discusswhether my application would be approved,but the Sept. 11 attacks postponed our meet-ing. When we finally met, the recruiter askedif I still wanted to join in light of the newdanger. I told her that after the attacks, Ibecame even more committed.

On Dec. 4, 2004 I got my chance todeploy. I was assigned to an air base inKuwait close to the Iraqi border for four tofive months. It was my first visit to theMiddle East and, as always when you get to

Recounting my days as a flight surgeon

in war-torn Iraq — and the chances of

finding two other AUC grads in the desert.

ST. MAARTEN CLASSROOM

IRAQI DESERT

by Capt. Bill Walker (’00)

From the

to the

Walker rides in a C-130 Hercules transport plane on his way to Baghdad.

15AUC connections

see a new place, it was exciting. A convoy of armedsoldiers escorted my team and me to the base. Seeingthe escorts was my first indication we were in seriousbusiness.

On arrival, we saw the base had been carved out ofthe mostly featureless desert. This was not the roman-tic Arabian oasis from the movies with exotic gypsiesdancing and magic carpets flying. Around the basewere the tents of nomadic Bedouins and their camels,goats and sheep. On certain days they were allowed onbase to sell local items such as carpets and jewelry.They even sold camel rides for $5.

After a few days ofgetting to know thebase and the other per-sonnel, another doctornamed Maj. RobertPorchia introduced him-self. He said he hadseen my medical schoolcredentials and told mehe was also an AUC graduate. Though he graduated in1998, two years before me, we could still compare sto-ries of the many common professors we had duringbasic sciences.

A couple of weeks later I was eating in the dininghall with another doctor, Lt. Col. James Lynch (’84).Our conversation drifted to each other’s medicalschool, and it turned out he was an AUC graduate aswell! When I told him there were three AUC graduateson the base, we could not contain our amazement.

We spent most days at the clinic on base where wepracticed primary care. At the nearby staging facilitywe arranged for soldiers and airmen with traumaticinjuries to be airlifted out for treatment at another basein Germany. The volume of patients depended onwhat activity was happening in Iraq. Some days werevery quiet. Others sent patients nonstop.

Two to three times per week we would fly intoBaghdad and other bases around Iraq for evacuationmissions. These missions were the best part of thedeployment, but also the most dangerous. It was whereI felt I was contributing most to the medical missionand where I had the most satisfaction that everything I

learned was going to help someone make it out alive.

On several occasions we received ground fire whilelanding or taking off. A British plane was shot downonly one day after we had taken off from the same air-field. The incident was a sobering reminder of the dan-gers involved in the mission, but it wasn’t going tostop us from doing our job.

The biggest challenge was to stay focused on themission during the many times when boredom andmental fatigue from being stuck in one place started toget to me. It was tough keeping a good attitude some-

times when I had todeal with the day-to-daymundane tasks that arepart of every deployedlocation. To help com-bat this, we had a lot ofoutside activities to par-ticipate in, everythingfrom softball to bingo.Bingo may not sound

like a lot of fun, but when half the base got togetherfor a game, the laughs started and the camaraderie wasevident. It was a great morale builder that led to lastingfriendships as we all battled the hardships and over-came the difficulties of accomplishing our mission.

I don’t think you can ever prepare fully for themental and physical challenges experienced in adeployed combat situation. Training helps, but therewill always be much more you will encounter. Despitethe challenges, the rewards are phenomenal, and Icame back home in April 2005 knowing I had done mybest to help my fellow airmen and soldiers do their job.

I would definitely recommend the experience toother physicians who like a challenge and a bit ofadventure. My advice would be to look into the posi-tive and negative aspects of military life for a physicianand decide if you would enjoy the lifestyle it offers. Mytime overseas has been the highlight of my career sofar, and I am looking forward to going back.

“A BRITISH PLANE WAS SHOT DOWNAT THE SAME AIRFIELD ONLY ONEDAY AFTER WE HAD TAKEN OFF…BUT IT WASN’T GOING TO STOP USFROM GOING BACK TO DO OUR JOB.”

Dr. Bill Walker is a captain and flight surgeon in the U.S.Air Force.

by J. Daniel Duran and Nila Do

BATTLE

17AUC connections

There is something in the air all over the

United States, and Dr. Michael Harbut (’84)

wants to put a stop to it. For years Harbut,

co-founder of the National Center for

Vermiculite and Asbestos-Related Cancers

in Detroit, has advocated for improved

diagnosis of asbestos-related illnesses to

avoid lung-damage from exposure to air-

borne, naturally occurring fibers. He has

even gone up against the lions of Congress

to rebut its policy on curbing the amount

of asbestos lawsuits. But perhaps most

notably, Harbut has looked big business in

the eye and provided crucial evidence that

proved it killed average Americans by

knowingly exposing them to asbestos.

by J. Daniel Duran and Nila Do

Photo

grap

hed b

y C

ybelle

Codis

h

BATTLE

From his center in Michigan

to the halls of Capitol Hill,

Dr. Michael Harbut fights to

breathe life into much needed

treatment for asbestos exposure.

His own soldier: Harbut, an authority on asbestosis, wagesmost of his crusades from his center in Royal Oak, Mich.

An expert in occupation and environmentalmedicine, Harbut speaks passionately about hiswork – not for self-recognition, but on behalf ofthose who seek his help. Harbut, whose patientsvary from those affected by the electronics com-pany Hitachi to the chemicals and materials com-pany W.R. Grace, seeks justice for the 3,200

patients he sees yearly who havebeen exposed to toxic materials.

“My patients have been poi-soned on purpose,” Harbutexclaims. “In order to preventanother generation of Americans from having thesame done to them, my ethics require me to act.”

Asbestos, a common mineral used for manu-facturing and construction before the 1970s, waseither banned or restricted in most products bythe early 1990s. However, because its latencyperiod is 25-40 years, asbestos-related illnesses

are now on the rise.

In the past, patients with asbestos-relat-ed illnesses were told there was nothingmedicine could do for them. However,Harbut and a group of doctors took decisiveaction and pushed an aggressive medicaltreatment for those now suffering fromasbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.Though millions have been spent onasbestos litigation, few dollars have beenused toward investigating treatments forasbestos.

Harbut and the team of doctors testedthe treatment on patients, who Harbutinsists had much to lose if things wentawry, despite being in an already less thanfavorable situation. With the aggressivetreatment and constant medical supervi-sion, hope is in store.

Michael Wolfe, the longest-living lungtransplant survivor and longtime patient ofHarbut’s, was diagnosed with hard metaldisease from exposure to asbestos andother toxic substances while working forHitachi. After consulting with Harbut, Wolfereceived his transplant on March 28, 1991.

Wolfe, 52, says Harbut’s continuing per-severance in researching new treatmentsand studies has allowed him to live longerthan the five-year norm of most lung trans-plant survivors.

“Mike stayed right on top of everything,”Wolfe says of Harbut, from requiring month-ly breathing tests to making personal callsto monitor Wolfe’s health.

Wolfe, who became victim to the expo-sures after working for Hitachi for 10 years,started to cough black mucus and noticedshortness of breath during his last sixmonths with the company. Now after 14

years as a lung transplant survivor,the Vestaburg, Mich., resident sayshe has no one else to thank exceptHarbut.

“He keeps digging and lookingfor more new treatment,” he adds.

“I don’t think you could find a more caringperson than Mike.”

Some of Harbut’s other patients includethe same people that the U.S. governmentsays W.R. Grace knowingly put at risk. Thecompany produced the insulator Zolonite,allegedly knowing it was distributing a prod-

“ M y p a t i e n t s h a v e b e e n

poisonedo n p u r p o s e . ”

A keen eye: Harbutexamines a test tubefilled with serum.

19AUC connections

uct that included one of the deadliest formsof asbestos, known as tremolite. Peoplewere exposed to it from working for W.R.Grace, purchasing the insulator or beingexposed to it by air.

At this point, it is still hard to tell howmany people have been affected by W.R.Grace’s oversight. According to Harbut’s twoaffiliations, the Karmanos Cancer Instituteand the Center for Occupation andEnvironmental Medicine, 800,000 Michiganhomes used the Zonolite-brand insulation,including virtually all single-family homes inthe city of Flint and nearly 280,000 homesthroughout southeast Michigan.

In its online media kit, the companyexpresses: “We have never wavered fromour belief that one serious illness or lost lifeis one too many.”

“It’s admitting to little responsibility toavoid taking full responsibility,” Harbutrefutes. “It’s what you’d expect them tosay.”

Harbut asserts big businesses, like W.R.Grace, are willing to put its workers and allAmericans at risk to being exposed to dan-gerous substances such as asbestosbecause of one thing – money.

“The people working in corporationsbehave differently than they would withtheir own families,” Harbut insists. Heclaims they have the “it’s-only-business”mentality when it comes to putting peoplein harm’s way.

Harbut says he uses his ethics to propelhim to be strong-willed and assertive abouthis work, even when challenging the U.S.government. In early 2005, PresidentGeorge W. Bush asked Congress to givecompanies like W.R. Grace a break by limit-ing the amount of asbestos-related lawsuitsallowed due to the huge mountain of law-suits currently pending. Instead, Bushpushed to have lawsuits limited to thosewho showed symptoms of asbestos expo-sure, excluding those who may have beenexposed but show no symptoms.

Harbut voiced his concerns in a January2005 CBS News interview saying he was“wary of congressional intervention” andthat Congress “has failed to consider theopinions of doctors and asbestos patients inthe past.”

“I couldn’t agree more that the systemneeds to be reformed, but they’re basicallyreforming it in a way to keep the lawyers

happy,” he said in the interview.

In 2001, Harbut stood before Congress toback legislation that would entirely banasbestos in the United States. In his state-ment to Congress, Harbut mentions the obvi-ous dangers of asbestos, but also points out“it has caused an increase in cynicism toward[the] American Judicial system.”

Aside from his research and legisla-tive chase, Harbut maintains hisclinical practice in Royal Oak,Mich., and is assistant professor at

Wayne State University School of Medicine.

“I’m a fellow from Detroit that finds himselfin extraordinary situations,” Harbut says light-ly.

Insisting he’s nothing special, he argues itis his ethics that motivate him.

“Becoming a doctor was part of my expres-sion of my ethical beliefs.”

While the world describes him as an expertin several toxicological areas, University alum-nus and close friend Dr. Ardalan Babaknia(’84) describes Harbut as “serious in his work,professional, and caring for his patients andsociety.”

For Harbut, the choice to become a physi-cian has influenced him immensely.

“I don’t know why, butI always felt I was sup-posed to be a physician,”Harbut explains. “Thelonger I’ve been a physi-cian the more human I’vebecome.”

He describes hisethics and willingness tohelp as some of the toolsin his armatarium that aidhim in healing people. Hesees many people withdifferent kinds of illnessdue to workplace environ-ments. Harbuts’ only indi-cation that his patientslike him:

“Well, they keep com-ing back.”

Man and machine: Harbut stands before a “breathingmachine” used for early detection of mesothelioma.

Winter/Spring 200620

O ne busy day before Thanksgiving, when I wasan intern in family medicine at an inner-city hos-pital, a dressed-too-nice-to-be-in-my-clinic cou-

ple came in. Our clinic nurse took the couple into theexam room, but was not able to obtain any medical histo-ry. My medical student and I entered the exam room andintroduced ourselves; we encountered the patient, a well-kept middle-aged woman, sitting on the exam table. Sheappeared very anxious and nervous, wringing her hands,her patient husband standing at her side. I noticed shehad a brown paper department store bag at her feet.

Trying to impress my medical student with my abilityto obtain information from paranoid patients, I askedsome brief questions. Her vague complaint was that shehad discovered the FBI and CIA, along with the localpolice department and even hospital security, had a planto take over the United States. Biting my bottom lip tokeep from smiling and looking smugly at my student, Iasked the patient to detail this plot.

After some assurance that she could trust me, sheconfided the FBI and CIA were inoculating all family dogswith rabies in order to deteriorate our nation’s healthcaresystem. This action would devastate the U.S. populationand enable them to take over the country. As I was doingmy best not to start laughing, the patient reached downto pick up her shopping bag and said, “Check this andyou will see that I am telling the truth.” When I lookedinto the bag, it contained the head of her pet dog. Sherequested I check the dog’s brains to see the rabies.

I decided at this point that I would notify hospitalsecurity and arrange for an emergency commitment forthe patient. Leaving the medical student alone in theexam room with the patient and her dog’s head, I askedher husband to step into the hall with me to advise him ofour plans for admission. After walking a few steps, Ilooked at the patient’s husband and asked bluntly, “Howlong has your wife had this problem?”

Without hesitation, he answered, “What problem?”

Originally published in the Placebo Journal

Unusual Patients in Medicine1980sKenneth C. Redlin (’83) In early 2005, Kenneth became the seniormedical director for APS Healthcare. For thepast eight years, he served as chief of familypractice at his primary hospital. Kenneth alsoserves as an assistant clinical professor ofmedicine at the Medical College ofWisconsin. He resides in Brookfield, Wis.

Bill E. Greening (’87) Post-graduation, Bill completed two residen-cies at Emory in Atlanta in pediatrics andfamily practice, respectively and was seniorphysician for Carnival Cruise Lines. TodayBill is a family practitioner in Osseo, Wis.

John DeSio (’87) John is the president of The DeSio PainInstitute in New Jersey, a private practiceemploying both invasive and noninvasivemethods of treating patients with chronicpain.

James J. Joyce (’85) James currently resides in Jacksonville, Fla.,and practices pediatric cardiology with a sub-specialty in echocardiography. After servingas a clinical assistant professor at UCLAbetween 1998 and 2002, he was appointed asan associate professor at Tulane University inNew Orleans for two years. Since 2004,James has served as a clinical associate pro-fessor at the University of Florida.

Timothy VanDeusen (’86) After 11 years of private practice in LosAngeles, Tim moved to San Francisco in2004 and became assistant director of theChild Psychiatry Outpatient Department atthe Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute. He isa consultant to several community mentalhealth clinics and has started a private prac-tice seeing adults and children for psy-chotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Timothyalso holds a teaching faculty position at theUniversity of California, San Francisco inchild and adolescent psychiatry.

Alumni Notes

by Dr. Timothy Holcomb (’89)

notes & spotlights

One of My Most

21AUC connections

sCesar Labitan (’87) For seven years Cesar managed an independ-ent family practice clinic and managed patientcare as medical director for the LifecareCenter of Valparaiso before graduating fromPurdue University, Calumet with an MBA in2003. After winning a stock picking contesttwo years in a row, he started a private equityinvestment firm called Labitan Partners, LLC.Cesar now lives in Schererville, Ind., with hiswife, Janie, and daughter, Victoria.

Theodore Them (’87) After graduating from AUC, Theodore com-pleted a Master of Public Health/AcademicProgram in Occupational Medicine at theMedical College of Wisconsin in 1994. He ischief of the Section of Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine at the 19th largestoutpatient clinic system in the United States.Theodore is also medical director of theEmployee Health and Wellness Office in thissystem of over 5,000 employees. He serves asmedical director for several large, local corpo-rations. Theodore and his wife, Julie Ann, havetwo children, Alexis and Teddy.

Ricardo Garcia-Rivera (’81) Licensed in 12 states, Ricardo has been in pri-vate practice in neurology in the Kendall areaof Miami since 1987.

Joseph Sciammarella (’85) Joseph was recently sworn in as a major in theMedical Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve as anemergency medicine physician. Joseph prac-tices at Mercy Medical Center in RockvilleCentre, N.Y. He has been an emergency medi-cine physician since 1988.

Richard McBride (’89) Richard is the director of electrophysiology atthe St. Mary’s office of the East TennesseeHeart Consultants. After graduation, he com-pleted a residency specializing in internal med-icine and then followed with fellowships incardiology at Marshall University and clinicalcardiac electrophysiology at GeorgetownUniversity. Richard and his wife, Sherri, live inKnoxville, Tenn., with their three children,Tyler, Jace and Chandler.

1990sVijay Pallekonda & Angelina Bhandari(’95 & ’94)

The couple met while studying at AUC. Theyare happily married with two sons, 6-year-oldAnand and infant Viraj. Vijay is currently aninternist at VA Hospital in Chicago, andAngelina is an associate professor and anesthe-siologist at Rush University Medical Center.

Randy Lentz (’98) Since 2001, Randy has operated a successfulprivate practice in Jesup, Ga. In 2004, heopened World Gym, a health club employinglicensed physical therapists running physicaltherapy, cardiac rehabilitation and corporatewellness programs. Randy and his wife,Rebecca, have four children, Connor, Jared,Joey and Maggie.

Rhazi Khodadad (’98) Currently enjoying a primary care practice,Rhazi participates in inpatient, outpatient andlong-term care. He lives in Cincinnati with hiswife, Anissa Moore-Khodadad, R.N.

Sanjay Khatti (’97) Sanjay met his wife, Sonali, in New York Cityin 2000. They have two boys, 2-year-old Rohanand 4-month-old Arjun. After finishing hisradiology residency in Philadelphia in 2002and fellowship in Houston in 2004, Sanjay set-tled in Dallas. He works in a group radiologyprivate practice.

Gilbert Simoni (’99) Gilbert is a gastroenterology fellow at SetonHall University and St. Joseph’s Hospital andMedical Center. He maintains membership inmany societies and pursues active research inthe field of endoscopic treatment of GERD(gastroesophageal reflux disease). Gilbert pub-lished multiple articles at Seton Hall and wasthe first prize winner in 1999, 2001 and 2003for clinical presentations. Gilbert resides inPaterson, N.J., with his wife Martha, and threechildren, Rochelle, Aaron and Rebecca.

Anne Conyesrs-Hom (’99) The demands of her residency call schedule,

family life and health have been tough in her50s, but Anne is determined to complete herresidency and become licensed. On a personalnote, she is eager to hear from other membersof the “Hurricane (Luis) Class,” those whospent their two years in the Defiance Haven!

Mark Cirella (’99) Mark is an anesthesiologist and interventionalpain management specialist at RockfordAnesthesia Associates in Rockford, Ill. He andhis wife, Lori, have two daughters, Abby, 15,and Courtney, 10. Mark notes that during hisanesthesia residency at Rush Medical Center inChicago, AUC graduates Angelina Bhandari(’01) and Arcangelo Lusco (’02) were chiefresidents for two consecutive years.

Howard Kornfield (’95) Howard is an attending pediatrician atOverlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., a clinicalassistant professor of pediatrics at UMDNJand practices at Hilltop Pediatrics. He is therecipient of several awards including theGloria O. Schrager, M.D. Award for PediatricResident with Excellence in Teaching. He haspublished an article in the Pediatrics Review anda chapter in Challenges in Pediatric Diagnosis andwas a guest on “CNN Talkback Live.” He andhis wife, Jodie, reside in Berkeley Heights, N.J.

Apurva Parmar (’99) Apurva is team lead physician and director ofphysician scheduling at Kaiser Permanente inModesto, Calif. Apurva was an assistant pro-fessor at Oregon Health Science University,while living in Portland. Today he lives inModesto with his wife, Aarti, and their child,Avni.

Michael Montileone (’97) Michael is currently a radiologist at TDI, LCCin Williamsburg, Va. He has authored and co-authored several book chapters. Michael andhis wife, Janet, have a daughter, Erica.

Paul Grindstaff (’99) In July 2005, Paul joined a private practice inCrystal Lake, Ill., performing general neurolo-gy and neurophysiology. Prior to this, Paulserved as neurophysiology fellow at LoyolaUniversity Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. He

Winter/Spring 200622

was chief resident for neurology at Loyola in2004-05, and served as the assistant secretaryto the Chicago Neurological Society in 2004.Paul and his wife, Catherine, have a daughternamed Emma.

Vanessa Davis (’96) After passing Steps 1 and 2, Vanessaswitched fields and went into pharmacy. Sheis a licensed pharmacy technician and worksfor Caremark. She and her husband, WilliamG. Davis, D.D.S., have a son, Paul, and residein Des Plaines, Ill.

Charles Gaillard (’97) Charles has owned his private practice calledGaillard/Hinnant Family Practice inAnderson, S.C., since 2001.

Kenneth D. Calhoun (’91) Kenneth works in a hospital-owned, single-specialty family practice office in a Louisville,Ky., suburb.

Jason & Amy Foland (’98 & ’98) After completing his residency in pediatricsat Case Western Reserve University in 2001and a fellowship in pediatric critical care in2004 at Emory University School ofMedicine, Jason went on to work at FloridaState University and Nemours Children’sClinic in Pensacola, Fla.

Amy finished a fellowship in pediatrics atEmory where she was a pediatric urgent carephysician and an assistant professor of pedi-atrics. Prior to her fellowship she completedher residency in pediatrics at the MetroHealthMedical Center in Cleveland. The couple hasa son named Zachary and resides inPensacola.

Ali R. Malek (’95) Since finishing his fellowship at the Universityof Alabama at Birmingham in 2002, Ali hasbeen a vascular critical care neurologist at theUniversity of South Florida College ofMedicine with joint appointments in thedepartments of neurology and neurosurgery.

Vivian Lindfield (’98)

Vivian is a general surgeon with a specialty inoncology. She has been in a private practice inBuffalo, N.Y., with the Buffalo Medical Groupsince 2003. Vivian is also faculty in theDepartment of Surgery at the State Universityof New York at Buffalo. She and her hus-band, Christopher Ritter, have a daughternamed Samantha.

2000sVincent Miller (’02) Upon graduation, Vincent entered an internalmedicine/pediatrics residency and then ananesthesia residency at the University of

Pittsburgh Medical Center. Vincent and hiswife, Michelle, have a son, Mekel Aliace, and anewborn daughter, Cleo Nicole Miller-Young.

R. Scott Frankenfield (’01) Dr. Frankenfield was selected by the IndianaAcademy of Family Physicians (IAFP) to beIndiana Outstanding Resident in FamilyMedicine for 2004. He was elected as directorfor the resident district to serve on the boardof directors for the IAFP. Dr. Frankenfieldwas also honored as chief resident of familymedicine for the Community Health NetworkFamily Medicine Residency Program. He iscurrently involved in a successful first year ofprivate practice with the American HealthNetwork in Brownsburg, Ind. He and hiswife, Rayma, celebrated the birth of their first

notes & spotlights

Mohamed Iqbal Ally, M.D. (’98)

Mohamed Ayube Iqbal Ally,M.D., a physician, personaltrainer and 1998graduate of AUC,died of brain cancerJune 10, 2005 inWashington, D.C.Ally was 34.

While waiting tobegin a formal resi-dency program, Allywas a highly suc-cessful personaltrainer and fitnesscoach with Gold’sGym in Greenbelt, Md. Hisclientele included NFL players,competitive body builders andprofessional writers. Ally waswell liked and is rememberedfor his kind demeanor and pro-fessionalism.

Ally graduated from AUCwith his wife, Jessica Myong

Song-Ally (‘98),and completed hisclinical rotations atEpsom GeneralHospital in Surrey,England andHarvard MedicalSchool. He immi-grated with hisfamily to theUnited States in1981 fromGeorgetown,Guyana.

He is survived by Jessica,his wife of more than fouryears; his parents, Mohamedand Bebe Ally; and four broth-ers, Abdul, Fazal, Sayyid andShaheed Ally.

In Memoriam

Alumni Notes

23AUC connections

child, Gabriel (Gabe), in 2004.

Randall Royal (’02) Randall is coming into the final year of hisresidency in obstetrics and gynecology at EastCarolina University School of Medicine. Afterfinishing the residency, he plans to obtain afellowship in maternal fetal medicine wherehe will specialize in in-utero surgery and ther-apeutics. Randall and his wife, Katherine, livein Winterville, N.C.

Karol (Karl) Palczynski (’02) Currently in a family medicine residencythrough the University of Arkansas forMedical Sciences (UAMS) in Texarkana, Ark.,Karl will enter his third and final year. He issoon to be licensed in Arkansas and Texas.Derrick Tobias (‘02) Derrick finished his residency in theDepartment of Medicine at AlleghenyGeneral Hospital in Pittsburgh where hereceived Resident of the Month and Chief

Resident Award recognitions. Derrick hasstarted in a hospitalist position with theHospital Internal Medicine Associates, LLC inLouisville, Ky. He and his wife, Liezl, have adaughter named Danielle.

Jon Cremin (’01) In June, Jon completed his residency in anes-thesiology at the University of Kansas –Wichita. He now works at Wesley MedicalCenter in Mid Continent Anesthesiology inDerby, Kan.

Deepa Grewal (’00) After completing a residency in pediatrics atthe University of Connecticut, Deepa serveda year as chief resident of the program. She iscurrently a clinical fellow in pediatric infec-tious disease at the Hospital for Sick Childrenin Toronto. Deepa is a diplomate of theAmerican Board of Pediatrics and a fellow ofthe Royal College of Physicians and Surgeonsof Canada.

Daniel Umoh (’00) Daniel is an emergency physician with theSchumaker Group in Lafayette, La. Prior tothis appointment, he completed a post-doc-toral research fellowship at the Louisiana StateUniversity Medical Center’s Feist-WeillerCancer Center. He has been published inpeer-reviewed journals and has additionalresearch experience in spinal cord injuries.Daniel speaks four languages and has lived inNigeria.

Iram Ahmed (Khoja) (’01)After winning first prize in two research com-petitions, Iram was hired by the hospital inwhich she did her residency, St. ElizabethHealth Center in Youngstown, Ohio. She isnow medical director of the hospital’sOutreach Mobile Clinic Program. Iram ismarried to Ghazanfar Ahmed (’02), whomshe met at AUC.

In Memoriam

Last year the AUC community lost a colleague,professor and friend. Dr. Dale Van Wormer, a pro-fessor of pathology at AUC since1983, died of a myocardial infarc-tion on September 24, 2004. Hewas 72 years old.

As word of their mentor’s deathwent out, calls from dozens ofgrieving students flooded the cam-pus expressing their love for theman who, in the words of onealumnus, instilled “a little fear, alittle levity and a lot of ‘be honestand get down to it!’”

Van Wormer is survived by hiswife, Alice Van Wormer, his chil-dren, Gregory, Mary, Timothy, Janet and sevengrandchildren.

Van Wormer joined the faculty of the AUC as aprofessor of pathology in July 1983. He quicklybecame dean of Basic Sciences, a position he held

until 1986. A stint stateside followed, but VanWormer returned to Montserrat in 1987 and stayed

until Hurricane Hugo sentthem back to the States in1989. He returned to themedical school again in 2002on St. Maarten.

Hundreds of colleaguesand students attended VanWormer’s memorial serviceheld on St. Maarten on Sept.29, 2004. His colleagues paidtribute to him as their guruwho dispensed sage advicewith wisdom that was “alwayssound, ultimately reasonableand totally realistic.”

Van Wormer demonstrated a passion for hisprofession and the medical field that was infectiousand instilled values of compassion and profession-alism in his students. Dr. Van Wormer is and willcontinue to be dearly missed.

Dr. Van Wormer

Winter/Spring 200624

S t. Maarten is a little island withbig claims to fame. As the small-est island occupied by two sover-

eign governments, the Dutch in theSouth and the French in the North,St. Maarten boasts eclectic mixes ofculture. More impressive is the factthat the two nations have shared the37 square miles without conflict formore than 350 years.

The island has traditionally been acrossroads of European, African andCaribbean cultures, creating a vibrantblend of sights, sounds and flavors.St. Maarten boasts 140 differentnationalities from all over the world.

Despite its obvious charms, St.Maarten did not become a touristdestination until the 1950s when thegovernments invited American travel

writers to stay on the island. Withyearlong sunny weather, tradewinds keeping the summer at anaverage temperature of 80degrees Fahrenheit and beautifulwhite beaches encircling theisland, St. Maarten was not diffi-cult to sell.

Today tourism is by far thelargest contributor to the econo-my. The island now sees 1.2 mil-lion visitors each year. Eighty-fivepercent of jobs on the island aredirectly or indirectly related totourism.

St. Maarten is becoming morepopular internationally while improv-ing its conditions and maintaining itsrich culture and beauty. It providesthe solitude needed to perform well

at AUC while enabling students toenjoy a unique culture and relieve thestress of earning an M.D.

A Little Something Special

I t may be strange to celebrate the anniversary of an event thatcaused millions of dollars in damage when it destroyed two-thirds of an island and forced thousands of people to relo-

cate. But for the 5,000 people who remain on Montserrat, the10th anniversary of the Soufrière Hills volcano eruption is anopportunity to look back on the past and celebrate what theyhave achieved since the crisis.

Though the volcano began erupting in 1995, the full erup-tion in 1997 destroyed the island’s airport, hospitals and civicbuildings, and forced AUC to abandon its original location onthe “emerald isle.” Since the volcano became active, more thanhalf of the island’s population has left, and tourism, the island’smain source of revenue, has slowed.

This year, the tourism board announced its Montserrat onthe Move (MOM) campaign to honor the island’s resilience. Thecampaign includes new facilities, economic plans, tourism pro-grams and a new airport to draw foreign investors, former resi-dents and tourists back.

The same lava and ash that caused terrible destruction 10years ago now aids Montserrat’s tourism program. Scuba divingand snorkeling have never been better along the coast because

the eruption provided the conditions needed for the naturalreplenishment of coral reefs and aquatic life. High above thereefs tourists can visit the new Montserrat Volcano Observatorylocated on Jack Boy Hill. The vantage point offers spectacularviews of the damaged eastern villages and the volcano’s incan-descent lava dome.

The northern third of the island left untouched by the vol-cano, the “safe zone,” is the site of new construction, includingthe $2.3 million Montserrat Cultural Centre on Little Bay. Thecentre will provide seating for 375 and house performing arts,music, exhibitions and conferences. The public buildings, busi-nesses and shops devastated by the lava flow have been rebuiltnearby forming the New Towne Centre business district.

By air, the trip to Montserrat now takes less than 20 minutesfrom surrounding islands. Gerald’s Airport’s brightly lit asphaltrunway has full air traffic control and serves LIAT, WINAIRand Caribbean Aviation airlines as well as private charters up toDHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft.

With all of its natural and man-made improvements, therehas never been a better time to visit and enjoy the hospitality,relaxation and natural beauty offered by AUC’s first home.

Ashes to Assets

Island Connection

Office of Alumni RelationsMedical Education Administration Services901 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Suite 401Coral Gables, FL 33134tel. 305 446 0600, ext. 35fax 786 433 0974

did you know you can order class rings forevery class year at the AUC AlumniAssociation Web site?

you can do that and much more by visitingwww.aucalumni.net

AUC Alumni WeekendApril 29, 2006

Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach ResortBal Harbour, Florida

Reconnect with other alumni while enjoyingcomplimentary poolside cocktails and dinner. Getsome work taken care of in the morning while tak-ing part of the Continuing Medical EducationProgram, all while enjoying the world-class luxuryonly Bal Harbour can provide.

remember . reconnect . celebrate

To register by phone, please contact:Tel. 305 243 6716 or 1 800 U OF M CME

CME Program co-sponsored by the University ofMiami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine$100 AUC Alumni registering prior to April 7, 2006$150 AUC Alumni registering after April 7, 2006* Physicians registering for the CME who are not AUC alumni willbe charged an additional $25 processing fee.

Cocktail & DinnerComplimentary for AUC alumni$100 for guest (one per alumnus)

For more information and to registeronline, please visit:

www.aucmed.edu/alumni/alum_calendar.htm

Medical Education Administrative Services901 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Suite 401 Coral Gables, FL 33134

PRSRT FIRST CLASS U.S. POSTAGE

PAID MIAMI, FL

PERMIT # 7804