Bio

Perpetual Student, Recovering Psychiatrist

After college I completed a PhD in Neuroscience from the Center for Brain Research at the University of Rochester.  I found myself getting tired of working with rats all day, and so I attended medical school, then completed a residency in Anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania.

I was an anesthesiologist and pain doc for about 8 years, and Chief of the anesthesia department at the local hospital of my Wisconsin town for most of that time.  I made the mistake of prescribing myself codeine cough medicine, and after a series of worse decisions became addicted to the 'tools of the trade' of anesthesiology.  If you google 'men's health' and 'the junkie in the OR' you will find my story.

I eventually realized that it would be folly to return to anesthesiology, even though I loved the profession.  I completed another residency, this time in Psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

I am now a Board Certified Psychiatrist in independent, solo practice in Wisconsin.  I teach at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where I am Asst Clinical Professor of Psychiatry.  I recently left a position as psychiatrist for the Wisconsin Dept of Corrections, after some incredible experiences at the state's only maximum security women's prison, TCI.  In addition to my practice I am Medical Director of a large AODA residential treatment center.  I also have a weekly radio show where I discuss psychiatry and addiction.

I am certified to treat opiate dependence with Suboxone, and I also use that medication and others to treat chronic pain, combining my past experience in anesthesiology and pain medicine with psychiatry.

I am a Treatment Advocate and PCSS Mentor for other doctors who use Suboxone.  I am an associate with Medworm, an up-and-coming RSS directory for medical information.  I am also a Health Maven for Wellsphere.

I live in Wisconsin with my family, including one wife, three children, two dogs, and one cat.  I have a number of web sites, mostly related to mental health issues or my practice.