ALUMNI REUNION 2019
For complete details and registration, visit siumed.edu/reunion19.
Email alumniaffairs@siumed.edu or call 217.545.7800 with questions.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
50th Anniversary
In 2020, SIU School of Medicine is turning 50! Celebrate a half century of patient care, research, education and community service by nominating an outstanding alumna or alumnus. Medical student, resident, fellow, physician assistant, graduate student and MEDPREP alumni are eligible. Select nominees will be featured in digital campaigns and print publications throughout 2020.
Submit your nominations by July 31, 2019.
Distinguished Alumni
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the MD alumni who have made an outstanding commitment to the health and welfare of their patients and community, as well as humanitarian activities (community setting), or who have made outstanding contributions to medicine and distinguished service to mankind (academic/research medicine).
Submit your nominations for this annual award by Sept. 1, 2019.
Alumni in Springfield and Carbondale invited medical students to dinner and conversation in March. These dinners provide rich opportunities for the students to learn more about life in medicine and outside the clinical arena.
Pictured: Max Hammer, MD, ‘76, with students David Forgas, Tom Pumo and Warren Skoza
Larry Jones, MD, ‘76, with students Elizabeth Wieland, Matt Mannion, Logan Grubb and Cody Bailey
Sierra Higginson, Treshawn Anthony, Amanda Mulch, MD, ’03, Barra Madden, and Yvette Igbokwe
Michael Pick, MD, ‘76, with students Ryan Bowman, Kristen Cecil, Brett Nelson and Kyle Whittington
CLASS NOTES
1980s
John Benitez, MD, MPH, ’81, completed the military tropical medicine course at Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, as well as six years of service on the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology Board of Trustees.
Thomas Diller, MD, ’83, is the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Vice President of Population Health and Quality Transformation.
David Dahl, MD, ’85, (pictured) summited Granite Peak, Montana, his 49th state highpoint.
Wesley McNeese, MD, ’86, director of diversity initiatives for the SIU System, received the 2019 Equity Award at the Third Annual Alonzo Homer Kenniebrew, MD, Presentation on Health Inequities and Disparities at the Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation in February.
Brian Dossett, MD, ’87, maintains his solo medical practice in Vandalia, providing both outpatient and hospital care. Three nurse practitioners keep his sanity and his work week short.
1990s
Patrick O’Donnell, MD, ’92, opened a satellite branch of his private clinic, BALANCED CARE Mental Health Services, in Belleville.
Susan Schaberg, MD, ’97, and her husband, T. Michael Ward, adopted a daughter, Caroline Grace Ward, in May 2017. Susan is president of Schaberg Dermatology in Glen Carbon, named the EdGlen Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month in February 2018.
2000s
Ronald Gotanco, MD, ’00, relocated to Carmel, Indiana, to be near family, including Ray Gotanco, MD, Class of 1999, and joined Riverview Anesthesia in Noblesville, Indiana.
Quinn Bensi, MD, ’05, a pediatrician in Zionsville, Indiana, manages the blog “Opening Up with Dr. Quinn Bensi” to discuss parenting and health care issues from a pediatrician mama’s perspective. She wrote an article published on KevinMD offering an intimate look into life’s transitions and how we can find enlightenment in our struggles. https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2019/02/a-physician-leaves-her-practice-and-finds-beauty-in-the-struggle.html
Amanda (Wemlinger) Hahn, MD, ’08, joined University of Maryland Community Medical Group and practices general surgery and wound care. Amanda and her family live in Stevensville, Maryland.
Brandon and Jennifer Snyder, MDs, ’09, welcomed Connor Michael Snyder in September 2018. Connor joins his brother and sister who are “over the moon” with their little brother. Brandon is a radiologist with Clinical Radiologists, Springfield Clinic, and Jennifer is a pediatrician with Memorial Health System. The family lives in Springfield.
Holly Steiner, MD, ’09, married John C. Wright on November 11 in Red Bud. Holly practices OB-GYN at Washington University School of Medicine.
Tabatha Wells, MD, ’09, was selected to the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission on Education, a four-year position. Tabatha is faculty in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at SIU Medicine.
2010s
Bethany Burge, MD, ’11, and her husband, Nick, welcomed twin girls, Evelyn and Blair, in May 2018. Bethany is an attending physician for Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.
Marshall Holland, MD, ’13, and his wife, Farrell, welcomed a son, Taeden Gideon Holland, in September. Marshall is halfway through the chief year (6 of 7) of a neurological surgery residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.
Kevin Simon, MD, ’15, received the NIDA-AACAP Resident Training Award in Substance Use Disorders (SUD) to support the development of SUD expertise through mentored experience and a project that utilizes existing evidence-based treatment science. He’ll be recognized at AACAP’s annual meeting in Chicago, October 14-19.
Dax Volle, MD, ’16, (pictured with family) is a third-year resident in geriatric psychology at UCLA-Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Next year, he will serve as chief resident. Dax and his wife, Laila Abdo, welcomed a daughter, Amira Nassima Volle, in October.
Evyn Neumeister, MD, MPH, ’17, received the SIU Department of Surgery Teaching Award.
Sean and Jacque Murray, MDs, ’17, were featured in the February 12 AAMC News regarding how romance can soar amid the intense demands of medical school. In 2019-2020, Sean and Jacque will serve as chief residents in their respective departments, emergency medicine and family medicine, at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. https://news.aamc.org/medical-education/article/match-made-medical-school/
T. L. Newsome, MD, ’17, published “Rapid complete atrioventricular heart block reversal due to Lyme carditis” in the Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives.