Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences
Office: 3939 Woodward Avenue, 313-577-1421
Chairperson: Tsveti Markova, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.
The Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences has a strong community and public health focus with an emphasis on research and applications of socio-behavioral and medical sciences to health problems in the community. Public health is the academic discipline that deals with the identification and solution of health problems of communities and human populations. Public health is a population-based approach that addresses health promotion, disease prevention, restoration and maintenance of health. The range and scope of the sciences and skills required in public health include epidemiology, biostatistics, research methodology, health services research, and behavioral sciences. Central to the approach of public health is a focus on community-level influences on health including social, economic, cultural, ethnic, and environmental factors. Public health research methods involve defining selected community problems, proposing studies and solutions, surveillance, evaluating progress, and monitoring the use of resources.
The MPH Program at WSU is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit public health educational programs. The interdisciplinary nature of public health is reinforced in required and elective courses.
M.D. Medical Education
The Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences is well integrated into the didactic and clinical education of students throughout all levels of medical school. Family Medicine faculty actively participate in the curriculum development of the “Population, Patient, Physician, Professionalism (P4)” Course; which emphasizes clinical skill development and runs concurrently with first and second year basic science training. Family Medicine faculty, including adjunct/clinical faculty, serve as instructors, and small group leaders for case-based activities and clinical skills assessments. In addition, faculty also supervise some of the service learning projects throughout the first 2 years.
The newly developed Clinical Experiential Clerkship course introduces pre-clerkship students to primary ambulatory care. It is administered by the Family Medicine department and runs concurrently with P4 during the second year of medical school. This innovative course is designed to equip students for clinical success by introducing best practices from a primary care patient centered focus and extending to all areas of healthcare.
Third year medical students matriculate through the required Family Medicine Clerkship, in which they are actively engaged in ambulatory patient care with family medicine community physicians. The curriculum is designed to emphasize evidence-based medicine, primary care excellence, and continuity of care. Faculty members and community physicians throughout the region host students for this course.
A number of electives are offered in the fourth year, including additional preceptorship experiences with practicing family physicians, specially-designed experiences with family practice residency programs, geriatrics, occupational health, community medicine, and public health.
Students can fulfill a required four-week sub-internship in Family Medicine. During the sub-internship, students are given progressive levels of responsibility, similar to first year residents, taking night calls and assisting in the care of hospitalized patients while under the supervision of attending physicians.
Graduate Medical Education
Graduate medical education within our department consists of 3 residency programs, each distinctly different in scope and educational mission.
Our WSU Categorical Family Medicine Residency Program has a very rich history with initial roots in Detroit from 1974 until 2007. For the past 13 years the program has been located in Rochester Hills on the campus of Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital, where we continue to benefit from institutional innovation and strong academic support. It consists of a 6/6/6/ resident compliment who graduate prepared to practice the specialty independently. In the last 5 years our residents have a 100% Board pass rate.
Within the Family Medicine program, a new Urban-Track was established in 2019 as part of a state funded GME program to grow and retain primary care physicians in the state of Michigan. It continues to flourish with both first and second year residents currently matriculating in the program. This program continues to build on the WSU School of Medicine’s commitment to Urban Clinical Excellence. Our current residents are based at Community Health and Social Services (CHASS), a Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Detroit, which provides high quality comprehensive continuity care to an underserved urban population during their 3 years of training. This program is supported by the MIDOCS program, an initiative designed to address healthcare disparities throughout Michigan in both rural and urban settings. We continue to partner with Henry Ford Health Systems to provide a variety of high quality inpatient educational experiences in Detroit. Our complement was increased from 2 to 4 residents for the current PGY-1 class. We are currently recruiting for the 2021 entering class which will consist of 3 new incoming residents, with plans to increase future entering classes back to 4 residents each year. Graduates of this program will be eligible for financial assistance up to $75,000 for student loan repayment with a commitment to practice for 2 years in a designated underserved community in Michigan.
Our new 3-year WSU Preventive Medicine Residency Program accepted its first class of 2 residents this July 2020. This residency is supported by the MIDOCS program to provide high quality comprehensive care to residents of Detroit and the surrounding area. Resident training focuses on clinical preventive medicine and public health sciences for urban populations, underserved populations, and in local correctional facilities. Residents will complete their first year of training in our Transitional Year Residency program on the Rochester Hills campus, and will additionally attend didactic lectures designed to provide the educational foundation upon which their second and third years of training are built. Training during these 2 latter years of residency will consist of educational experiences in the State of Michigan Department of Corrections hospitals, a Federally-Qualified Health Center for continuity care, and various other community health centers in Detroit. Residents are required to earn a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Wayne State University. All graduates of this program will be eligible for up to $75,000 in financial assistance for student loan repayment following a 2-year commitment to practice in a designated underserved community in Michigan.
Our WSU Transitional Year Residency Program has now enjoyed 13 years at our Rochester Hills campus at Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital. The program is designed to provide the educational structure and foundation for first year residents to gain experience in a variety of inpatient and outpatient clinical settings in preparation for their terminal categorical programs. These categorical programs include Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, Radiation Oncology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Since its inception, our Transitional Year residents have been selected from the most competitive resident applicant pool in the nation. These residents are very accomplished, many are widely published, and highly driven to enter very selective categorical residency programs. Four residents per year are selected to matriculate into our 1-year Transitional Year Program.
All Categorical Family Medicine residents and Urban Track Family Medicine residents are eligible to complete the 15 credit WSU Certificate in Public Health beginning in their second year of residency training.
COMMUNITY SERVICE: In order to carry out clinical and public health education, faculty and residents of the Department offer services to the community through the Family Medicine Centers and related institutions. Patient care functions are performed in collaboration with other health professionals, such as clinical nurse specialists, clinical pharmacists, and social workers and their students. Public health students are required to complete a public health practicum, which is often service oriented and involves working with underserved populations through organizations such as the public health department or other public service agencies.
RESEARCH: The Department has achieved national recognition on its high level of external NIH funding, being ranked 7th in the Blue Ridge Report amongst more than 500 Family Medicine Departments in the US. Departmental research interests include population health sciences, environmental and occupational health, behavioral health, and health equity. Work in these areas encompass a number of disciplines, including psychology, epidemiology, primary care clinical science, and health policy. Primary care clinical research in the department includes studies designed to improve delivery of primary care health services at the individual, family, and community levels and to provide health promotion services which recognize the important role of the family and community in maintaining health and coping with illness. Health care workers’ occupational health is also an area of focus. Examples of specific research projects include prostate cancer decision making processes of patients and providers, identifying predictors of adverse events after discharge from the hospital in adults and children and use of respiratory protection in healthcare organizations. Our faculty also have substantial research interests in public health, including studies of factors affecting health equity and disparities across the life course and studies developing behavioral interventions to improve the health of persons with chronic health conditions. Examples of specific research projects include improving asthma and diabetes management in adolescents and emerging adults, increasing rates of HIV counseling and testing, identifying risk factors for preterm birth, and prevention of obesity in preschool children. Most of these projects focus on communities of color. National funding sources include the American Cancer Society, the National Institutes of Health, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Department also has strong research ties with the WSU Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors, the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, the Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Institute of Gerontology, and the Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute.
AGUIRRE, ANTONIO A.: M.D., University of Santo Tomas; B.A., Letran College; Clinical Assistant Professor
ANAN, THOMAS: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Associate Professor
ARABBO, ADIL: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
BALON, DENISE: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Associate Professor
BARTON-HICKS, LAUREN: M.D., Meharry Medical College; M.P.H., University of Michigan; B.A., Fisk University; Clinical Assistant Professor
BERRY, ANDREW: D.O., Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
BEYENE, YEMISRACH: M.D., St. Petersburg State Pediatrics Medical Academy; Clinical Assistant Professor
BIELECKI, TERENCE: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
BIGNOTTI, DONALD O.: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
BINIENDA, JULIANN: Ph.D., M.A., B.A., Wayne State University; Professor
BLESSMAN, JAMES E.: M.D., Michigan State University; M.P.H., University of Washington; B.S., University of Michigan; Assistant Professor
BOHRER, RAYMOND: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Hope College; Clinical Assistant Professor
BOLLIN, KENNETH: M.D., B.A., Harvard University; Clinical Assistant Professor
BOOZA, JASON: Ph.D., M.A., Wayne State University; B.S., University of Detroit; Assistant Professor
BOWMAN, WILLIAM: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Associate Professor
BREITENBACH, RAY A.: M.D., San Juan Bautista School of Medicine; M.S., Michigan State University; B.A., Temple University; Clinical Associate Professor
BRUNO, JOSEPH: M.D., University of Guadalajara; B.S., Farleigh Dickinson University; Clinical Assistant Professor
CARCONE, APRIL: Ph.D., Wayne State University; M.S.W., University of Michigan; Associate Professor
CARPENTER, DEAN: M.S.N, Michigan State University; B.S.N., Eastern Michigan University; Clinical Instructor
CARROLL, MICHAEL: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., University of Notre Dame; Clinical Assistant Professor
CHADWELL, MARGIT C.: M.D., B.A., Wayne State University; Associate Professor
CHAHBAZI, JOHN: M.D., B.A., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
COLLINS, VICKI: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
COLMAN, RUBEN: M.D., Facultad de Medicina; Clinical Assistant Professor
CONNORS, JOHN: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
COOLEY, DAVID: D.O., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; B.S., Youngstown State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
COUMARBATCH, JIRA: M.D., B.A., Wayne State University; Assistant Professor
CULBERT, KRISTEN: Ph.D., Michigan State University ; Assistant Professor
DAILEY, RHONDA: M.D., Carver College of Medicine; Assistant Professor
DEFEVER, KEITH S.: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
DUROCHER, PHILLIP S.: M.D., Universidad Tecnologica de Santiago; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
ELLIOTT, LUKE: M.D., M.S., Wayne State University; B.S., Wheaton College; Clinical Assistant Professor
ELLIS, AARON: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
ELLIS, DEBORAH : Ph.D., M.A., Michigan State University; B.A., University of Michigan; Professor
ENCINAS, DWIGHT: M.D., Manila Central University; B.S., Ateneo de Manila University; Clinical Assistant Professor
FALKENBERG, GARY: D.O., University of Massachusetts; Clinical Assistant Professor
FALLAT, LAWRENCE: D.P.M., Illinois College of Pediatric Medicine; B.A., Eastern Michigan University; Clinical Assistant Professor
FINK, DANIEL: M.D., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
FITCH, DONALD: M.D., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
GHOSH, SAMIRAN: Ph.D., University of Connecticut; M.S., University of Maryland; B.S., University of Calcutta; Associate Professor
GIORDANO, ERIKA: D.O., Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center; B.S., Western Michigan University; Clinical Assistant Professor
GLEASON-COMSTOCK, JULIE: Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Assistant Professor
GORA, GINA: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
HAFEEZ, IMRAN: M.D., University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences; B.A., Concordia College; Clinical Assistant Professor
HALL, JAMIE: M.D., B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
HALONEN, MARK: D.O., B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
HASSO, FAWAZ: M.B.B.S., Baghdad University School of Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor
HECKMAN, WILLIAM: M.D., B.A., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
HENEIN, NAIRA: M.D., University of Cairo Medical School; Clinical Assistant Professor
HEWITT, FRANCES: M.D., Ohio State University; B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne; Clinical Assistant Professor
HILL, GEORGE C.: M.D., Meharry Medical College; M.S., B.S., University of Pittsburgh; Clinical Assistant Professor
HOLOWINSKI, MARK: M.D., Albany Medical College; B.S., University of Rochester; Clinical Associate Professor
HUBBARD, JAMES: M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine; B.S., Western Washington University; Clinical Assistant Professor
ILECHUKWU, IFEYINWA: M.D., University of Lagos; Clinical Assistant Professor
JACOB, SARAH: M.B.B.S, J.N.Medical College; Clinical Assistant Professor
JAMESDANIEL, SAMSON: M.D., B.S.M.S., Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University; Ph.D. University of Madras; Assistant Professor (Research Educator)
JANISSE, JAMES: Ph.D., Wayne State University; Assistant Professor (Research)
JOHN, REYNOLD: M.D., CETEC University; Ph.D., M.S., Howard University; B.S., Sir George Williams Concordia University; Clinical Assistant Professor
JOY, DENNIS M.: M.D., B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
JULIAO, TRACY: Ph.D., MPhil, M.Ed., M.A., Columbia University; B.A., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
JUOCYS, ALGIRDAS: D.O., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
KERGES, DANA: M.D., University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Clinical Assistant Professor
KORZENIEWSKI, STEVEN: Ph.D., M.S., Michigan State University; Associate Professor Clinical
LAZAR, PAUL: M.D., B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
LECHY, ROBERT M.: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Aquinas College; Clinical Assistant Professor
LEIDER, MARK: M.D., Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor
LESSENS, STEVEN: M.D., B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
LIU, YOUCHENG: M.D., Nanjing Medical University; M.P.H., Beijing Medical University ; Associate Professor
MACDONELL, KAREN: Ph.D., Loyola University; M.S., DePaul University; B.A., Kalamazoo College; Associate Professor Research Educator
MACKIE, ROBERT: M.D., Wayne State University; B.A., Albion College; Clinical Assistant Professor
MADDEN, ERIN: Ph.D., University of Wisconsin; M.P.H., University of New Mexico; Assistant Professor
MAHAS, RACHEL: Ph.D., University of Toledo; M.P.H., Georgia Southern University; M.P.H. Program Director and Assistant Professor Clinical
MARKOVA, TSVETI: M.D., Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria; Professor (Clinician-Educator)
MCLEOD, MICHAEL: J.D., University of Michigan; M.P.H., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Assistant Professor Clinical Educator
MEZA, JAMES: Ph.D., Wayne State University; M.D., University of Michigan; Assistant Professor Clinical
MIHAILOFF, NEVENA M.: M.D., Institute of Medicine and Pharmacy; Clinical Assistant Professor
MILBACK, CHRISTOPHER: M.D., Upstate Medical University; M.B.A., Oakland University; B.S., Siena College; Clinical Assistant Professor
MITCHELL, KAREN: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Professor
MOHAMMADI, DARIOUCHE: M.D., University of Tehran; Clinical Assistant Professor
MURPHY, MARY: M.D., B.A., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
NAAMAN, SAAD CYRIL: M.D., Baghdad Medical School; M.S., University of Alberta; Clinical Assistant Professor
NACIF, ALBERTO: M.D., B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
NALLAPA, SAVITA: M.B.B.S., Sri Venkateswara University; Clinical Assistant Professor
NAMBIAR, SUNITHA: M.B.B.S., Calicut Medical College; M.P.H., Rutgers University; Clinical Assistant Professor
NAMEI, FARZIN: M.D., National University of Iran School of Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor
NEALE, ANN V.: Ph.D., M.A., B.A., Wayne State University; M.P.H., University of Texas; Professor
NUGENT, MARK: M.D., Wayne State University; M.P.H., B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
O'BYRNE, RACHEL: M.D., McGill University; Clinical Assistant Professor
OKERSON, NATALIE: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Oakland University; Clinical Assistant Professor
OUTLAW, ANGULIQUE: Ph.D., M.A., B.A., Wayne State University; Associate Professor (Research)
PABIAN, CHRISTOPHER J.: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
PALETTA, MICHAEL: M.D., Wayne State University; B.A., Albion College; Clinical Assistant Professor
PALMER, THOMAS: M.D., University of Michigan; Clinical Associate Professor
PANTHAGI, VEENA: M.D., Dr.B.R. Ambedkar Medical College; Clinical Assistant Professor
PAONESSA, PAUL: M.D., St. Maarten; M.S., Wayne State University; B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
PARNICKY, KRIS: M.D., Rutgers University; B.A., Antioch College; Clinical Assistant Professor
PATEL, SUMANCHANDRA: M.B.B.S., M.P. Shah Medical College; M.S., University of Baroda; Clinical Assistant Professor
PINSON, THOMAS: D.O., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
PITHADIA, JATIN: M.D., University of Santiago; Clinical Assistant Professor
PTASZKIEWICZ, MATTHEW: M.D., Michigan State University; B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
RANDEL, JACLYN: M.D., B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
RAUE, WILLIAM T.: D.O., Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor
RIZK, NABIL: M.B., B.Ch., Cairo University; Clinical Assistant Professor
RODGERS, DAVID: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Bob Jones University; Clinical Associate Professor
RODIN, PETER: D.O., M.A., B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
ROLLINGER, KATHLEEN: D.O., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
ROMERO, AL: M.D., B.S., University of Philippines; Clinical Assistant Professor
ROSBOLT, JAMES: D.O., Michigan State University; M.S.PH., University of South Florida; B.S., University of Great Falls; Clinical Assistant Professor
ROSIN, FREDERICK: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., University of Michigan; Assistant Professor (Clinician-Educator)
RUDOLF, KRISTINE: M.D., Albert-Ludwig University; Clinical Assistant Professor
RUDOLF, RAINER: M.D., Albert-Ludwig University; Clinical Assistant Professor
RUMSCHLAG, MARTHA: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
RUPP, MARY: M.D., Wayne State University; M.S., B.S., Long Island University; Clinical Assistant Professor
SAHA, JAGNESWAR: D.O., Michigan State University; Ph.D., Northwestern University; M.S. Calcutta University; B.S., India College; Clinical Assistant Professor
SARTI, GERALYN: M.D., University of Michigan; B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
SCHINDLER, DAVID: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Michigan State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
SCHULTZ, PAUL: M.D., Wayne State University; M.S., B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
SHIVELY, THEODORE: M.D., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; M.S., Central Michigan University; B.S., Lehigh University; Clinical Assistant Professor
SILVER, DIANA FERRANS: M.D., School of Medicine, Juan N. Corpas; Clinical Assistant Professor
SINGH, SHALINI: M.D., Wayne State University; Clinical Associate Professor
SINKOFF, JEAN: M.D., B.A., Wayne State University; Clinical Associate Professor
STEWART, F. JAMES: M.D., M.S., B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
TALAMONTI, WALTER J.: M.D., Wayne State University; M.P.H., B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Associate Professor
THOMPSON, LARRY G.: M.D., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
TIURA, ANGELA: Ph.D., M.A., B.A., Wayne State University; Associate Professor
TOLEDO-NEELY, IMELDA: M.D., University of Chihuahua; Clinical Assistant Professor
TOWNER, ELIZABETH: Ph.D., Eastern Michigan University; M.S., Eastern Michigan University; B.A., George Washington University; Assistant Professor
TREMBATH, CHEROLEE: M.D., St. Louis University - Missouri; Clinical Associate Professor
TSILIMINGRAS, DENNIS: M.D., Wayne State University; M.P.H., Boston University; B.A., Wayne State University ; Associate Professor (Research Educator)
TUCCIARONE, JENNIFER: M.D., Ross University; B.S., University of Nevada at Reno; Clinical Assistant Professor
TUCKER, PETER: M.D. University of California at San Francisco; B.A., Occidental College; Clinical Assistant Professor
UNCHESELU, DONA: M.D., University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova; Clinical Assistant Professor
URBAN, ROBERT J.: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Central Michigan University; Clinical Assistant Professor
URBANCZYK, NICHOLAS: D.O., Michigan State University; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
VETTRAINO, ANTHONY N.: M.D., Michigan State University; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Associate Professor
VILLA, DOUGLAS: M.D., University of Minnesota; B.S., Northern Michigan University; Clinical Assistant Professor
WALSWORTH, DAVID T.: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., University of Toronto; Clinical Assistant Professor
WANG, KEVIN: M.D., B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
WASH, DAVID: M.D., B.S., Wayne State University; Clinical Assistant Professor
WECKSTEIN, SANDER: M.D., B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
WELTMAN, GARY R.: M.D., Boston University; Clinical Assistant Professor
WILLIAMS, RALPH E. II: M.D., Wayne State University; B.S., Oakland University; Clinical Assistant Professor
WORZNIAK, MICHAEL J.: M.D., University of Virginia; B.S., Eastern Michigan University; Clinical Assistant Professor
XU, JINPING: M.D.,M.S., Shandong Medical University; Professor
ZAHDEH, LOUINDA: M.D., Utesa School of Medicine; B.S., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor
ZELTZER, SUSAN: M.D., University of Michigan; Clinical Assistant Professor