Class of 2007

Ali A. Al Sanousi, MD   Dr. Al Sanousi is a medical informatics specialist and assistant research scientist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has more than seven years of work experience in healthcare informatics. After completing his medical degree from King Saud University, he obtained a diploma in International Health from the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. His interest in informatics, guided him to complete his certificate in medical informatics from Stanford University. Dr. Al Sanousi is a member of the board of trustees and the chairman of the education committee for the Internet Society, Saudi Arabian Chapter. He is also a member of the advisory board and program manager of the National Genetic and Birth Defects Registry. His diverse background and experience encompass biomedicine, information technology and business administration. As a guest speaker, Dr. Al Sanousi presented papers at a variety of national and professional conferences. He has published articles in different journals and conducted several workshops in research methodology. He has consulted for various companies both nationally and internationally, including MeduNet and Wired.MD. Professionally, he is a member in numerous organizations, including the American College of Physician Executives. He has been the recipient of several appreciative plaques and awards. Dr. Al Sanousi is currently finalizing his masters’ degree in BioMedical Informatics at Oregon Health and Science University. His research efforts are focused on clinical informatics and translational research. Dr. Al Sanousi enrolled in the Physician Executive MBA to sharpen his leadership skills and fortify his knowledge in healthcare economics and corporate finance. He is planning to use the gained knowledge to establish a biomedical informatics entrepreneurial venture.

Ernest F.J. Block, MD  Dr. Block is Medical Director of the Level I Trauma Center at the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, FL. Dr. Block was raised in Montreal, Canada. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University with a dual major in History of Art and Biochemistry. After receiving his MD degree at the University of Miami, Dr. Block completed a General Surgery residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and then additional training in Trauma and Critical Care at Jackson Memorial in Miami. Dr. Block is an active clinician as well as medical director. He holds office in a number of academic surgical associations including the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the American College of Surgeons, the Florida Committee on Trauma, and the Florida Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. In 2002, after practicing for ten years as surgeon, Dr. Block attended night school to become an EMT so as to better relate to the prehospital team that brings the trauma center its patients; he regularly participates in “ride along” time with EMS and Fire-Rescue. He lives in Winter Park, FL with his wife Susan and three children. Dr. Block is attending the UTK PEMBA to improve leadership skills, quality improvement tools and financial abilities. He plans to use the new knowledge to assist with the complexities of medical direction, improve the business dealings of his professional groups and prepare him for future directions in academic leadership.

Maceo Braxton, MD  Dr. Braxton serves as Medical Director of Salina Regional Health Center in Salina, KS.  Dr. Braxton obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Westpoint Military Academy.  After Westpoint, Dr. Braxton Attended the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences where he graduated with a MD degree.

Joseph R. Brown, MD   Dr. Brown practices Anesthesiology in Johnson City, TN with Anesthesia and Pain Consultants PC. and holds an appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor with East Tennessee State University School of Medicine. Board certified in both Pediatrics and Anesthesiology, he practiced Pediatrics six years prior to training in Anesthesiology. Dr. Brown graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, followed by Pediatrics residency at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and Anesthesiology residency at the University of South Carolina. He is chairman of Anesthesiology for Washington County, Mountain States Health Alliance and has held multiple managerial roles with Anesthesia and Pain Consultants PC. Dr. Brown is active in process improvement and quality initiatives at his institution, and anticipates a transition to a full-time physician leadership position where he can continue these interests.

Joaquin Cantillo, MD  Dr. Cantillo has been practicing Anesthesiology for the last eighteen years. He is currently the President of Trenton Anesthesiology Associates, PA and Chairperson of Anesthesiology at Capital Health System. Trenton Anesthesiology is the sole provider of Anesthesia services at Capital Health System’s two campuses in Trenton, New Jersey and the Surgery Center at Hamilton. The Health System will be going through a very rapid expansion in the next five years as they are trying to build a new hospital to increase their market share. New technologies and lines of service are being introduced together with the new facility. In an environment like this, new challenges will be presented to Dr. Cantillo’s current anesthesia practice. In order to benefit from this expansion the right business decisions need to be made in his practice. Pursuing this MBA program will give Dr. Cantillo the right skills to become a better physician leader. It will give him the right tools to make the right business decision for his group and also for the Health System.

Ashen R. Chaudhry, MD  Dr. Chaudhry serves as Director of Urogynecology at Mehary Medical College in Nashville, TN.  A native of Pakistan, Dr. Chaudhry is a member of a number of professional organizations including the American College of Obsetrics and Gynecology where he is recognized as a junior fellow.  He received his undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry from Government College Lahore, Pakistan.  Dr. Chaudhry went on to earn his MBBS from Allama Iqbal Medical College at the University of Punjab, Pakistan.  Dr. Chaudhry hopes the skills he acquires in the PEMBA program will prepare him to become a proactive leader in the modern Healthcare industry.

Michael C. Choo, MD  Dr. Choo currently lives in Wilmington, OH where he is President of Professional Emergency Specialists of Southern Ohio, Inc.  He received his MD from Boston University.  In addition to being a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians he also serves as volunteer faculty at the University of Kentucky, Wright State University, and a number of other teaching hospitals.  Dr. Choo says his PEMBA education will assist him in conjoining his academic/clinical credibility with a business degree to ensure the highest level of effectiveness within the organizations he is involved with.

Umar I. Chouhdry, MD Dr. Chouhdry is a native New Yorker. After attending the Bronx High School of Science, Dr. Chouhdry attended Marymount Manhattan College before going on to get his MD from St. George’s University School of Medicine. During the course of his residency training from Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Chouhdry served as House Staff President, and won accolades for teaching excellence, patient care, and cultural competence initiatives. Dr. Chouhdry went on to practice hospitalist medicine after graduation.  Dr. Chouhdry is currently a member of the Medical Affairs department at Sanofi-Aventis, pharmaceuticals. As part of his role as a Senior Manager in the Field Medical Managed Markets division, Dr. Chouhdry primarily specializes in EBM knowledge transfer to elements of the US Managed Care Markets. His role involves the integration of current evidence-based medicine with an understanding of health care economics (with focus on pharmacoeconomics) towards the promotion of positive health outcomes.   In the clinical arena Dr. Chouhdry is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and his clinical specialty lies in the field of Hospitalist Medicine. His interests are in the development of hospitalist programs and physician practice management organizations. On a larger level he has an interest in hospital administration with focus on Integrated Delivery System approaches. PEMBA will play a key role in helping to integrate the clinical and corporate aspects of Dr. Chouhdry’s training. Dr. Chouhdry hopes that his Master’s training will allow him to successfully utilize his different skill sets and blend them to create a hybrid capable of functioning in multiple positions across the healthcare industry.

Adrian Dancea, MD   Dr. Dancea is a pediatric cardiologist and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics who practices at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Canada. After graduating in 1992 with a medical degree from the University of Ottawa, Canada he completed a residency in Pediatrics at McGill University, Canada. He pursued then training in pediatric cardiology at the same institution followed by a fellowship in percutaneous congenital interventions at the University of California in San Francisco. He currently heads the Heart Catherization Laboratory at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Center. Dr Dancea has a strong commitment to academic medicine and has been in charge of the Pediatric Cardiology Training Program at the same institution for the last six years in addition to pursuing various didactic activities at McGill University at both undergraduate and graduate level. He believes that the socialized Canadian medical care, despite its virtues, is in dire need of fresh initiatives that will ensure it’s survival over the next decades. He looks towards this masters program to help him acquire the specific set of managerial and leadership skills that will help him contribute at rejuvenating health care delivery in his milieu.

Luis A. De La Cruz, MD  Dr. De La Cruz graduated from the Universidad Central de Venezuela with a MD. He followed his MD with a fellowship in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA.  Dr. De La Cruz currently practices Anesthesiology at Baptist Hospital of Miami in Miami, FL..  He believes the negotiations and quantitative skills, leadership, and strategy are basic tools that a business degree can provide to enhance the physician's ability to provide the highest level of care for their patients.

Persharon M. Dixon, MD Dr. Persharon Dixon began her professional journey after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Berry College in Rome, Georgia in 1986.  She was accepted in Emory University School of Medicine's Allied Health Program where she obtained a second Bachelor of Arts degree and certification as a Physician Assistant.  She worked for three years primarily in Obstetrics and Gynecology in a private practice and at a local hospital.  She also worked in sickle cell and surgery, but her motivation to enter medical school would come from her employer in Obstetrics and Gynecology.  She entered Morehouse School of Medicine in 1991 and received her degree in 1995.  her decision to practice primary care pediatrics was nourished through a three year residency at Emory University School of Medicine.  She was able to train in the top pediatric facilities in Georgia where rotations were completed in general pediatrics and specialty care areas.  Dr. Dixon worked at Southside Medical Center in Atlanta from 1998 to 2003, after which she established Helping Hand Pediatric Services, LLC., which offers locum tenens services for pediatricians in the Atlanta Area.  In 2005  Dr. Dixon was asked to become Medical Director of an up-start urgent care center where her primary duties were hiring staff and setting up the operations.  After Hurricane Katrina, she volunteered in the Gulf Coast for a short time.  Her interest in the recovery of the area prompted a colleague to recommend her for yet another unique program.  She was selected as Medical Director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Children's Health Project.  In July of 2006 she began her new responsibility of overseeing the development of programs and provision of pediatric care via two state-of-the-art mobile medical and mental health units for children of the gulf coast.  This position has allowed her to integrate her skills as a provider and administrator on a grander scale.  Now she wishes to expand her knowledge of the business requirements of healthcare so that she is most effective in her current position and prepared for advancement within the organization.  She is certain the PEMBA program at the University of Tennessee will more than equip her with the necessary qualifications.

Mark Epstein, MD   Dr. Mark Epstein is an Emergency Physician and presently the Medical Director for Urgent Care at Presbyterian Health Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dr. Epstein completed his undergraduate degree in Human Biology at Stanford University, followed by his medical degree at Yale University School of Medicine. He then completed a Residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of New Mexico in 1995. Dr. Epstein served as the Chairman of the Emergency Department at Lovelace Health Systems from 2000 to 2004 and served as Medical Director of the newly-merged Lovelace Sandia Health Systems’ group of four urban and suburban Emergency Departments from 2003 to 2004. He served on the local county EMS Medical Control Board and on the Board of Trustees of Albuquerque’s largest ambulance service. After a seismic shift in the organizational structure at Lovelace, Mark pursued a year-long Emergency Medicine opportunity at a 210-bed hospital situated in a lovely farming community in New Zealand, where he and his family enjoyed the very sensible Kiwi lifestyle. His immersion in a substantially different healthcare delivery system there proved to be an invaluable experience. Dr. Epstein returned to Albuquerque to resume work as an Emergency Physician at Presbyterian Health Services and recently assumed the role of Medical Director of the five Urgent Care Clinics at Presbyterian. He continues to work clinical shifts in the ER in addition to the Urgent Care Clinics. By participating in the PEMBA program, Mark intends to understand more critically the elements of financial analysis in healthcare and to acquire acumen in financial decision-making. He also hopes to explore venture capital strategies in healthcare, having enjoyed his work with an EMS software start-up firm from New Zealand.

Richard Fleming, MD  Dr. Fleming is native of Chicago and has lived in Phoenix Arizona for the past 5 years. He received his Bachelors in Biology for The University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Prior to entering medical school he worked in several fields and additionally owned nightclubs in Chicago. Dr. Fleming attended medical school and a Family Practice residency at the University of Illinois in Chicago. After completing residency he worked in Indian Health Services in Washington, New Mexico and Arizona. Currently he works at NextCare a national urgent care corporation with 27 clinics. He serves as Site Medical director at one of their clinic. Additionally he also is a Medical director with VibrantCare Rehabilitation which provides physical therapy services. He is planning on using his experience at PEMBA to develop an entrepreneurial venture.

Jasen W. Gundersen, MD  Dr. Gunderson lives in Massachusetts and is employed as Chief of Hospital medicine at UMASS Memorial Healthcare.  He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in 2000.  His residency was completed at UMASS-Family practice where he was appointed chief resident in his final year.  Dr. Gundersen believes an MBA will give him the leadership skills to better effect change within the business of medicine.

Bill Higgs, MD. Dr. Higgs graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in 1969 and completed a mixed medicine/surgery internship in 1970 at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals in Memphis, Tennessee. He completed his Vascular and General Surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliate Hospitals in 1974. Following his residency, Dr. Higgs attended Emory University School of Medicine for Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery Training. He currently teaches at the University of South Alabama School of Medicine along with his work in private practice.  Dr. Higgs hopes earning his MBA will aid in communication and management in a hospital environment with the intent of improving patient care delivery.

Inga Himelright, MD, MPH Dr. Himelright serves as a Regional Medical Director of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and is board certified in Internal Medicine as well as Infectious Diseases. Dr. Himelright received her MPH in Hospital Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee. She has served in multiple leadership roles at the University of Tennessee Medical Center over the last 15 years, joining the administrative team in 2000. She served as vice president and medical director over patient safety, performance improvement, infection control, medical staff office, hospitalist program, case management, and patient placement. Concurrently, she served as medical director for the UPA, the physician owned IPA at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Dr. Himelright is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Medical Center having been a full-time faculty member from 1991-1999. Dr. Himelright’s tenure in hospital administration and current role at BCBST have served to highlight the complexity of the healthcare industry. She would like to focus her efforts in gaining greater understanding of the fields of economics, leadership, and communication. Dr. Himelright believes that improvements in American healthcare will depend on greater diversity of knowledge in healthcare leadership.

William Huffner, MD   Dr. Huffner attended medical school at Syracuse Upstate Medical Center where he specialized in emergency medicine. After residency, Dr. Huffner became involved with the refinement of the regional Emergency Medical Servis (EMS) system and participated in local, state and national EMS organizations. In 1990 Dr. Huffner had many accomplishments that included medical directorship of his emergency department, chairmanship of the state EMS council, and gaining approval for renovation and expansion of his emergency department. In 2005 Dr. Huffner was hired as the Chief Medical Officer and VP of Medical Affairs at Arnot Ogden Medical Center. Dr. Huffner believes that education is the key to becoming a successful manager and his needs could be best met by obtaining an MBA from the PEMBA program.

Shkelzen Hoxhaj, MD  Dr. Hoxhaj received his Doctor of Medicine degree from New York Medical College. He completed his residency training in both Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine, then served as Chief Resident and completed a fellowship in Administration at the Medical Center of Delaware (Christiana Care Health System). He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine and currently works as the Assistant Medical Director and Director of Quality of the Emergency Department at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Hoxhaj is an Assistant Professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and lectures nationally on the topics of quality/ patient safety, customer service and labor-management collaboration. He is actively involved in and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Medicine. By enrolling in the UT PEMBA program, Dr. Hoxhaj wishes to gain a greater understanding of the business concepts in today's healthcare system and to become a more effective physician leader.

Armin Alexander Klesius MD, Ph.D. Dr. Klesius is the Head of Clinical Coordination for a clinical outsourcing company in Germany. He coordinates cardio clinical care for a 16 hospital system. After finishing medical school and his Ph.D. at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt (Germany), he completed a residency in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. He has worked as a consultant at the Heartcenter Coswig and the Heinrich Heine University in Duesseldorf. Seeing firsthand the immense problems within the German healthcare system, he realized the importance of gaining a profound understanding of economics and business management. Dr. Klesius enrolled in the Physician Executive MBA so that he will be well prepared for the future.

Christopher Landess, MD  Dr. Landess attended Medical School at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN.  He completed residency at ETSU/ Kingsport Family Practice and is Board Certified in Family Practice.  He has been employed by Emergency Coverage Corporation of Knoxville, an affiliate of Team Health, as an ER Physician since 2000.  Team Health is one of the largest Providers of Emergency Medical Care in the country.  Dr. Landess is currently Medical Director of the Emergency Room at Hawkins County Memorial Hospital in Rogersville, TN, part of the Wellmont Health System.  Chris wants to acquire the business knowledge and leadership skills necessary for future opportunities to be a physician leader.

Anthony J. Mauriello, Jr. MD, FAAOS  Dr. Mauriello graduated from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) with an undergraduate degree in Psychology, he then graduated form Creighton University (Omaha, NE) with his medical degree. Following orthopaedic surgery residency, Dr. Mauriello completed a fellowship in Surgical Arthritis and Total Joint Replacement Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital (New York City, NY). After working in solo, group and multi-specialty orthopaedic practices, Dr. Mauriello, a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon, is a physician-partner at Penn Orthopedics of Lancaster, Ltd., located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. By entering the PEMBA Program, Dr. Mauriello is looking to expand his knowledge of medical practice models and multi-specialty practice dynamics.

Marlon Michel, MD  Dr. Michel is a native of Canada from a small farming town of 300. For his undergraduate, he studied at Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah majoring in Zoology. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree, Dr. Michel attended the MD program at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta where he received a full tuition scholarship. For his residency in Anesthesiology he went onto Portland, Oregon at Oregon Health & Sciences University. He is now board certified and has been in private practice for over three years. Dr. Michel currently works as a staff anesthesiologist in Provo, Utah, for Mountain West Anesthesia, one of the biggest MD only anesthesia groups in the nation. Dr. Michel has a small real estate investing business and would like the skills this PEMBA program can give him to further his investing goals in this area. He also hopes to acquire better leadership skills along with a better understanding of the balance between medicine and business. Dr. Michel hopes at some future time to participate in administration in a hospital or surgical center setting.

Paul R. Morris, MD  Dr. Morris lives in Coral Springs, FL where he is employed as Medical Director at Community Blood Centers of South Florida.  He earned his MD from Boston University.  After his MD, Dr. Morris completed a fellowship in blood banking/transfusion medicine in 1992.  He is a member of a number of professional organizations and serves on the board of directors for the Florida Association of Blood Banks.  Dr. Morris believes that increased competition, demand, and regulatory issues require the strategic and analytical skills of a MBA-trained physician executive.

Frank E. Mozdy, MD  Dr. Mozdy arrives at the University of Tennessee’s Physician Executive MBA program after 21 years in the practice of medicine. Dr. Mozdy started his professional journey in 1978 at Hahnemann Medical College with a desire to provide holistic patient care while ensuring his own personal intellectual and emotional growth. For 19 years that wish was fulfilled by practicing medicine as a family physician in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. Anticipating several dramatic changes in the practice of medicine, Dr. Mozdy left office-based family medicine to become a hospitalist physician in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Dr. Mozdy hopes that completing the PEMBA program at the University of Tennessee will allow him first to assume leadership roles in hospitalist organizations then to advance to a leadership position of a nationally known organization.

Sridhar Rajamani, MD  Dr. Rajamani attended medical school at the Vinnitsa Medical Institute in Vinnitsa, Ukraine.  After some post graduate work in India, Dr. Rajamani Immigrated to the United States where he served as resident at New York Flushing Hospital Medical Center where he was later promoted to chief resident.  A member of several professional organizations, Dr. Rajamani is currently employed at Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in Yuma, Arizona. 

Hector D. Reyes, MD  Dr. Hector D. Reyes is Director of the Latin American Initiative for St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital in New York. After graduating from the University of Santo Domingo School of Medicine.  Dr. Reyes has extensive experience in the field of health management, concentrating on the delivery of quality health care.  Dr. Reyes realizes, however, that his empirical skills in business are not sufficient to handle the increasingly challenging complexity of medical services administration which is why he decided to pursue an MBA.

Yisrael Safeek, MD  Dr. Yisrael M. Safeek is a physician executive with superior performance at the national level. He is a current JCAHO surveyor where he is involved with the formulation of national patient safety standards. Dr. Safeek has demonstrated commitment to excellence in patient care offering solid national leadership from significant experience in the healthcare management role. He was a prior physician shareholder of Cleveland Community Hospital, and has been CEO of two successful medical practices in Tennessee and Kentucky. He is a Vanderbilt-trained anesthesiologist with sixteen years of unblemished clinical experience, including close to a dozen years as chairman of anesthesiology. He is member of the American College of Physician Executives, American College of Healthcare Executives, and Association of Clinical Directors. He has been a prior member of medical advisory panels and medical executive committees. He is certified by the Royal College of Preceptors, the American Board of Anesthesiology, and the National Board of Medical Examiners.

Schuyler Steelberg, MD  Dr. Schuyler Steelberg is a native of Wichita, Kansas. He currently serves as the Clinic Medical Director at the Muskogee Health Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He also serves as the Medical Director for Contract Health Services and is on the board of Cherokee Nation Home Health. He has been with Cherokee Nation Health Services Group since 1999.  As a Clinic Medical Director for the Cherokee Nation, Dr. Steelberg oversees physician and mid-level providers and ensures that the day-to-day tasks of managing a medical clinic run smoothly. As Medical Director for Contract Health, he assists with the prioritization of health care for patient needs which cannot be met within the clinic or IHS hospital system.  Dr. Steelberg graduated from the University of Kansas in 1990 and the University Of Kansas School Of Medicine in 1996. He completed his Family Practice Residency with University of Kansas Medical Center in 1999 and was a Chief Resident in his third year. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.  At present, the Muskogee facility is the smallest of the six Cherokee Nation clinics with the ability to see only women and children. A new 100,000 square foot facility is currently under construction in Muskogee to open in September of 2007. My role is to prepare the smallest Cherokee Nation clinic for the changes and challenges that will occur as it transforms into the flagship Cherokee Nation clinic. This clinic will employ more than 200 individuals, including at least 14 physicians and mid-levels. . The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA program will help me better prepare for managing a large group of physicians and mid-level practitioners in a clinical setting.

Amol Soin, MD  Dr. Soin is currently a fellow in Pain Management at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He began his medical career after high school when he entered a combined BS/MD program through the University of Akron.  Throughout his career, Dr. Soin has been active in health care economics and public policy. He authored the book, Curing America: A Look Inside America's Failing Health Care System when he was 19 years old. Since then, Dr. Soin has served as Chairman of the Illinois State Medical Society for the resident and fellows section and is  now Chairman of Region 6 for his section of the American Medical Association representing 6 states. After finishing fellowship, Dr. Soin is planning to open a multidisciplinary Pain Management Clinic in central Ohio.

David W. Talbot, MD  Dr. Talbott works as an emergency medicine physician Oklahoma.  He attended medical school at the American University of the Caribbean where he graduated in the top of his class.  Dr. Talbott completed his residency at Louisiana State University School of Medicine.  Dr. Talbott believes obtaining an MBA will help him develop the managerial skills to run a successful business and to positively impact the practice of medicine here in America.

MacDara Tynan, MD  Dr. Tynan is the Director of the Pediatric Hospitalist Program at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Tynan obtained his Medical Degree at University College Dublin, Ireland in 1986. He subsequently trained in Pediatrics in the UK at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital. Moving to Philadelphia in 1992, he completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Hospital Medicine in 1996 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Tynan was a member of the Faculty at Temple University’s School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He also contributed to the post-graduate medical education programs at DeSales University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  Dr. Tynan is a member of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Physicians London; he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the American College of Research Physicians. Dr. Tynan is listed in the register of specialty trained physicians maintained by the Medical Council in the UK.  Dr. Tynan selected the PEMBA program at UT Knoxville to improve his understanding and skills with regard to the financial, operational and business aspects of HealthCare.

Thomas Upshaw, MD  Dr. Upshaw graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in 1994. In 1998 he completed his internship and residency in Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Upshaw has spent his time since then in private practice in South Carolina. He hopes that  the skills provided by the PEMBA program will allow him to expand or merge his private practice into a long term treatment and rehabilitation center to provide care for patients with co - occurring substance abuse and mental disorders.

Muthukumar Vaidyaraman, MD  Dr. Vaidyaraman is currently the Medical Director of the Pain Rehabilitation Clinic within the Department of Psychology at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. He completed basic medical training at Stanley Medical College, Chennai India. He had the opportunity to work in different healthcare systems of the world. Dr. Vaidyaraman spent 2 years in the NHS of UK and then proceeded to US. He completed an anesthesiology residency at the Cleveland Clinic and a post-doctoral clinical fellowship in Pain Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Apart from board certification in anesthesiology, Dr Vaidyaraman is also board certified in Pain Medicine and Interventional Pain medicine. He is also acknowledged by the World Institute of Pain as a Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice. He has had the opportunity to practice in various settings throughout the U.S. including private practice and managed care (HMO). To complement this rich experience, Dr. Vaidyaraman decided to develop his business skills dimension with the objective to be a healthcare policymaker. Currently he, along with other physicians, is working on a joint venture project involving the U.S. Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration. They will submit a grant proposal to establish an Integrative Medicine Education and Research Center affiliated with the Harvard Medical School.

Keenan Wanamaker, DO Dr. Wanamaker is a general surgeon in private practice in Winfield, Alabama.  He graduated from Michigan State University and completed a surgical residency in 2000. He has practiced clinical medicine in both urban and rural settings and currently enjoys a rural private practice. Dr. Wanamaker would like to someday transition his career into the administrative and corporate aspect of healthcare and hopes that a University of Tennessee MBA will help him achieve his goals.

Frederick Watson, DO  Dr. Watson attended the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (Kirksville, Missouri) and graduated in 1997. He was a student ambassador for the KCOM Admissions Office and still acts as an Alumni Diplomate for the school. His senior year he was inducted into, and acted as chapter treasurer, of Sigma Sigma Phi, the National Osteopathic Honorary Fraternity. Dr. Watson Completed his Internship and Residency in Family Practice at Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, Michigan.  He was Chief Resident in 1999-2000.  Also during that time he completed a fellowship in Medical Education and Teaching through the Statewide Campus System (SCS) and Michigan State University.  Dr. Watson lectures on proper coding and billing for physicians at the annual SCS Medical Business lecture series. He currently works in The Urgent Care at Baxter Village in Fort Mill, South Carolina.  Over the past few years Dr. Watson has uncovered in himself an interest in the business and administration side of medicine. “I see myself in Hospital Administration or leading a multi-specialty physician group.  The Physician Executive M.B.A. Program is the next step toward realization of that goal.” states Dr. Watson.

Virginia Yip, MD  Dr. Yip graduated from University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1993. She is a practicing radiologist since 1999, following her radiology residency, and fellowship in the University of Iowa. She devotes her time and energy to advance her education in new imaging technologies and to practice in the ever-changing field of radiology. Providing high quality of care to patients require the understanding of management and other business skills, including negotiation, human relationship, and financial planning. The enrollment in Physician Executive MBA program will enhance her understanding of the business side of medicine and help her improve the level of care to the patients.