1970

Dana S. Devine, DO (COM ’70), and Dr. William H. Devine, DO, AOBFP, AOBNMM, (COM’ 70), were presented the 2018 Shooting Star Award by Midwestern University.

Dr. Dana Devine has spent 45 years educating physicians, residents, interns, and student doctors and has taught Pathology at Midwestern University for over 20 years. Dr. Devine worked for over 40 years as a pathologist at various hospitals in the Phoenix metropolitan area. She is past president of the Arizona Osteopathic Board of Examiners.

Dr. William Devine is the director of Postgraduate Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) at Midwestern University’s Osteopathic Postgraduate Training Institute (OPTI) and the program director of the Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (NMM) Residency Program at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine where he serves as clinical professor. He is also the OMM specialty clinic coordinator at the Midwestern University Multispecialty Clinic. He is the recipient of numerous educational and service awards, including the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association’s “Excellence in Osteopathic Medical Education Award” and Midwestern University’s highest honor, the Littlejohn Award.

1973

Ray E. Stowers, DO, FACOFP, (COM ’73), has been named provost and vice president of academic affairs for Arkansas Colleges of Health Education in Fort Smith, Ark.. He most recently served as dean of the school.  His prior roles include founding dean of Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine and associate dean for Rural Health at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Stowers was honored with the American Osteopathic Foundation’s (AOF) 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2018 AOF Honors Gala. The AOF Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has made significant fundamental contributions to the osteopathic profession and has demonstrated a lifetime of commitment to osteopathic medicine.

1975

John P. (JP) Smith, Jr. DO, FACOS (COM ’75), received the 2018 Humanitarian Award from the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (ACOS) during their fall conference.  Smith is an active member of ACOS including having served as president. The Humanitarian Award recognizes ACOS members who unselfishly participate in humanitarian activities. These activities may include voluntary service in the community, state, nationally or internationally. Smith began participating in medical missions in 1997 when he and his oldest daughter traveled to the Dominican Republic. Since that experience, he has organized and led 26 short-term medical mission trips with Medical Ministry International. Smith currently serves as chair of the Kansas City University Board of Trustees. 

1983

Sharon Rooney-Gandy, DO, FACS (COM ’83), recently joined the Spectrum Health Lakeland medical staff located in Grand Rapids, Mich. Prior to joining Lakeland, she worked as a general surgeon and wound care physician at Sturgis Medical Group.

1990

William Sullivan, III, DO (COM ’90), has joined Freeman Midwest Internal Medicine in Frontenac, Kan. After earning his medical degree, he completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Louis University School of Medicine. Sullivan is board-certified with the American Board of Internal Medicine.

1996

Rance L. McClain, DO, FACOFP, FAOASM, (COM ’96), has been named the dean of Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Ft. Smith, Ark. McClain previously served as associate dean of clinical sciences at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  He is dually board-certified in the specialties of family medicine and neuromusculoskeletal medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine. 

He is fellowship-trained and holds a certification of additional qualifications in sports medicine. McClain serves the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners on test review committees and as an osteopathic manipulative treatment rater for the COMLEX – Physical Exam section of Level II. McClain is on the Board of Directors for the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine and the Mississippi Osteopathic Medical Association. He is an associate editor of the Journal of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. 

2007

Molly E. Harp, DO (COM ’07), has joined the Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group in Trenton, Mo. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians. 

2012

Christopher A. Paynter, DO, MS (COB ’08) (COM ’12), was recently elected president of the Missouri Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.  Paynter practices family medicine in central Missouri.

2013

Ransom A. Ellis, DO, MS (COB ’09) (COM ’13), was recently appointed to serve as Shawnee County Coroner.  He completed his residency in Anatomic and Clinical pathology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Ellis completed his Forensic Pathology fellowship in 2018 at the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office in Kansas City, Mo. He is board-certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Ellis was employed with Frontier Forensics Midwest, LLC.

Eric W. McQueary, DO (COM ’13), joined Lake Regional Health System - Lake Regional Urology Deparment in Osage Beach, Mo. McQueary provides specialized medical and surgical care focusing on Urology. After graduating from KCU, he completed his residency in the Division of Urological Surgery at Michigan State University and St. John Providence Health System in Detroit, Mich. Before entering medical school, McQueary served six years in the Alaskan Air National Guard, with deployments to Qatar and Kosovo. He has taken medical mission trips to the Philippines and Haiti and in 2006, he paddled 2,312 miles in 57 days in a Mississippi River Expedition.

In memory of the alumni and friends we have recently lost.

William Edelman, DO (COM’49) 11/10/2018

Henry F. Olen, DO (COM’49) 11/29/2018

Ronald G. Gadway, DO (COM’60) 9/9/2018

George W. Anderson, DO (COM’62) 10/8/2018

Robert D. Lutz, DO (COM’63) 9/24/2018

J. Michael Behrens, DO (COM’ 66) 1/12/2019

Joel L. Savitz, DO (COM’70) 2/20/2019

Ronald L. Heim, DO (COM’75) 11/20/2018

Bradley E. Waite, DO (COM’79) 9/5/2018

Thaddeus R. Salmon, DO (COM’83) 12/31/2018

William Edelman, DO (COM '49), age 97 of Leawood, Kan., passed away on Saturday, November 10, 2018. Edelman received his medical degree from Kansas City University in 1949.  He opened a private practice in the East Bottoms, treating the area's blue-collar workers and truck farmers, some of whom would trade poultry or vegetables for his services. He built the Midwest Clinic at 3315 Prospect in the 1950s; subsequent moves took his medical practice to the Brookside area in Kansas City, where his dedicated patients followed him for his kind words and sensitive diagnoses. He retired in 2001, having served the Kansas City community as a general practitioner/family physician for more than 50 years.

Henry F. Olen, DO (COM '49), age 95 of Grand Rapids, Mich., passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 29, 2018. He was born on June 20, 1923 in Grand Rapids. He received his medical degree from Kansas City University in 1949 and interned at Grand Rapids Osteopathic Hospital. Olen was among the founding fathers of Grand Rapids Osteopathic Hospital, where he served as chief of staff and was active in the transition into what is now Metro Health. He served as the deputy director of the Kent County Health Department and as the director of medical education at Saginaw Osteopathic Hospital. He was past president of the Kent County Osteopathic Association and the Michigan Osteopathic Association and a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Osteopathic Association.