"The afternoon knows what the morning only suspects."
I grew up as the third of seven children in Dublin, Ireland, in a medical family, my father, assorted aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins all members of the white-coat profession. Success in the classroom and on the sports field was very important to my medical school professor father, whose name and competitive drive I inherited. My mother, a non-competitive person, instilled a love of words, of art, and of nature. In my own sibship, six of seven are self-employed, reflecting a family theme of independence and entrepreneurship.
I live and work in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can find more information about my services at Individual Physicians or Healthcare Organizations. Contact information is below, and on its own page.
I was an honors graduate of University College Dublin Medical School in 1977, then completed residencies in both internal medicine (Dublin) and adult neurology (Mayo Clinic), and two years of fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology and epilepsy (Mayo, and U. of Virginia).
From 1985-1998 I was a faculty member in the Department of Neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School, working in the Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, which I served as division head between 1993-1998. I was twice voted teacher of the year by the neurology house staff. My academic interest was in the clinical electrophysiology of epilepsy, where I was NIH funded and published extensively.
I had a particular interest in education and teaching, developing new training programs in clinical neurophysiology, and frequently lecturing at national forums like the American Academy of Neurology. I was also regarded as a mentor who advocated a broad view of what constitutes success.
During the years 1998-2003, I was the Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. In one of the most challenging health care environments in the United States, I expanded my expertise in the administrative and economic aspects of health care, while continuing to practice, teach and conduct research. While Department Chair, I completed an MBA degree with an emphasis on management.
During my tenure at Henry Ford Health System, the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery national ranking rose each year in the US News and World Report lists to reach #12 overall in 2002.
You can read my full CV in PDF format.
In 2003, nearing the half-century old mark, and continuing my personal commitment to career evolution, I resigned as a department head and began involvement in healthcare business ventures. I have founded a medical device startup and served as a scientific consultant to pharmaceutical and medical device companies from startup size to giant global corporations. I established Career Consulting for Physicians in 2004 to respond to frequent requests to mentor physicians who were seeking advice on enhancing their satisfaction with clinical practice or contemplating career transitions.