We are a community of Christian academic physicians and scientists who are committed to helping one another discern and live up to our faith-based calling. We endeavor to transform our academic communities through faith, fellowship, and scholarship.

News & Events

*Breaking Bread: Faith, Fellowship, Medicine, and Science. We are seeking faculty members to serve as ambassadors at medical or scientific conferences that they attend each year. They will serve as a lead to host a fellowship coffee or lunch event to further the reach of CAPS and facilitate scholarly collaborations. CAPS will reimburse for the cost of the event. Please send an email to [email protected] and we will forward your interest to Ryan  Kwok, MD and Kalon Ho, MD, MSc.

*Request for Application – 2nd CAPS Faith & Medicine Research Fellowship Award. CAPS will provide financial support for one faculty member to attend the Annual Course on Religion, Spirituality and Health, a 5-day research workshop at Duke’s Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health in August 2024. The funded faculty member will be expected to (1) present their research results in a 2025 CAPS webinar, and (2) submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal. Please email [email protected] for additional information. Applications are due May 30, 2024 (11:59pm local time). Funding decisions will be available June 30, 2024.

*Scholarship and Innovation Writing Lab. Led by Benjamin Doolittle, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Yale. The group meets every 4-6 weeks to share projects and receive feedback on scholarly work. One major outcome is an upcoming book project sponsored by CMDA entitled "Real Physicians, Real Faith". Drs. Doolittle and Larson will be Co-Editors.

*Dr. Francis Collins, Former Director of NIH, will be speaking to CAPS in October 2024. Please register early

 

WEBINAR SERIES 2024

** A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine will not be available as a recording. All webinars will be on Wednesdays at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET

January 23, 2024

“Controversies in Medical Education Research: Assessment of Physician Competence & Mastery”

Abstract Coming Soon.

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Burton W. Lee, MD completed his B.A. at UCLA and his M.D. at Harvard Medical School, and trained in internal medicine and pulmonary critical care, both at Massachusetts General Hospital.  He also trained in Clinical Effectiveness and Evidence Based Health Care at the Harvard School of Public Health and Oxford University, respectively.  Throughout his career, Burt has enjoyed educating and training of medical students, residents, and fellows, both in the U.S. and in Sub Saharan Africa.  In 2010, he and his family moved to Kenya to serve at Kijabe Hospital where he cofounded the Emergency Critical Care Clinical Officer (ECCCO) program to help bridge the high burden of illness in Sub Saharan Africa with the shortage of well-trained clinicians.  He returned to the US in 2016 to serve as a Professor of Medicine at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine before being recruited to the National Institutes of Health in 2020, where he is currently the Head of Medical Education and the Head of Global Critical Care in the Critical Care Medicine Department.  His research focus has been how physicians develop (and potentially lose) mastery of medical knowledge and skills, especially for complex topics. 

Speaker Bio: Burton W. Lee, MD

David Larson, MD retired from his position of 27 years as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  He is Board certified in both Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery and is the current Chairman of the MEI Advisory Council.

Moderator: David Larson, MD
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February 21, 2024

“Spiritual Warfare and the Mind: The Unseen Battle that Affects Your Walk and Service for the Lord”

2 Cor. 10:4,5. Spiritual warfare is a reality that all Christians will encounter. However, not all spiritual battles involve open power encounters with forces of darkness. Though these may receive more attention, the more pervasive conflict takes place in our minds. What is the example Paul uses? To gain spiritual victory in this one area would be worth learning the lesson he teaches. But it is just one example of the war we are in and if we recognize and win this battle, we will find greater freedom in our walk and work with God.

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Dr. Chris Jenkins received his MD degree from the University of Oklahoma and completed residency requirements at In His Image Family Medicine Residency Training Program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a faculty member at In His Image residency and active in clinical practice. He has a special interest in helping and encouraging patients suffering psychologically and physically. Before going into medicine Dr. Jenkins completed M.Div. and Th.M. degrees at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has a special interest in the subtler aspects of the spiritual warfare Christians are engaged in and how it shapes our worldview and belief systems and consequently how it affects our choices and what we think and feel about ourselves, life and God. Dr. Jenkins is Conference Director for FMEI (Family Medicine Education International) and has taught in more than 25 countries, mainly in the 10-40 Window. He is on CMDA's MEI advisory committee and other mission boards.

Speaker Bio: Chris Jenkins, MD

Kalon Ho, MD, MSc, is currently the Treasurer of the Christian Academic Physicians and Scientists (CAPS) Section of CMDA. A graduate of the University of California at San Diego, Harvard Medical School (HMS), and the Harvard School of Public Health, he is a member of the Interventional Cardiology Section at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston and the Medical Director for Quality for the Cardiovascular Division at the BIDMC. He has taught clinical epidemiology at HMS for nearly 25 years and specializes in complex hemodynamic studies in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. He has published on the epidemiology of heart failure, overseen clinical trials in interventional cardiology, evaluated the effects of public reporting of outcomes of coronary revascularization, and received awards from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions for designing clinical decision support tools. Kalon has participated in 10 MEI-sponsored medical education mission trips to North Macedonia since 2016.

Moderator: Dr. Kalon Ho
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March 20, 2024

“A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine”

James D. Smith, MD, FACS

Dr. Smith is Professor Emeritus from Oregon Health & Science University of Portland Oregon, USA.  He graduated from the University of Iowa Medical School in 1965 and completed his Otolaryngology residency at the same institution in 1973.  He was part of the Otolaryngology faculty at OHSU from 1973-1996.  He has been a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) full and part time from 1997-2018.  He has had extensive teaching experience at several institutions in Africa and Asia with several different organizations.  His special interests are in medical education and post graduate training programs.

Dr. Smith first became a member of CMDA when he was invited to be part of the teaching faculty for the CMDE conference in Kenya in 1984. From 1993-1999 and 2001-2004 he served on the CMDE Commission.   In 1999 Dr. Bob Schindler invited him to be a member of the COIMEA Commission.  In 2003 he was asked to be chair of the COIMEA Commission.  Shortly after this the name was changed to Medical Education International (MEI) and the Commission changed to an Advisory Council.  Dr. Smith continued in this position until 2013 and now continues to be active in seeking new opportunities for MEI teams to serve overseas as well as leading teaching teams.  His passion is to use medical education as a mission field to serve the Lord.  He also serves with the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons which trains African surgeons in mission hospitals.

Ryan Kwok, MD, FACP

Ryan Kwok, M.D., FACP is a board certified hepatologist and gastroenterologist working at the VA Medical Center, Puget Sound in Seattle WA. He has faculty appointments as an associate professor of medicine at the Uniformed Services University (USU) where he serves as the deputy division director for Digestive Health and as a clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington. 

Dr. Kwok earned his M.D. at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD.  He completed his residency in internal medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC as well as fellowships in gastroenterology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and transplant hepatology at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital.  He most recently served as Chief of GI & Hepatology at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Ft. Belvoir VA and Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma WA.

Dr. Kwok joined CMDA as a medical student in 2003 and worked with the USU CMDA student chapter until he moved to the greater Seattle, WA area in 2021. He is currently a member of the Medical Education International (MEI) advisory counsel and recently joined the executive committee of the Christian Academic Physicians and Scientists (CAPS). He has served on the board of the Albanian Health Fund since 2016 and continues to serve Albanian students and faculty through annual medical education and discipleship trips. He has previous overseas experience in missions in East Asia and Central America.

Speaker Bios: James Smith, MD
Ryan Kwok, MD

TBD

Moderator: TBD
Moderator: Kim-Lien Nguyen, MD
Registration Closed

April 24, 2024

“A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine”

Dr. Patrick E. Young is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is currently a Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Digestive Health Division at the Uniformed Services University. In addition, he serves as a Trustee for the American College of Gastroenterology. His clinical and research interests include cancer prevention and detection, the ergonomics of endoscopy, leadership development, and emotional intelligence - specifically self-awareness and resilience. He has served on numerous short term mission trips, primarily to the Balkans and Latin America, and as the Missions Committee chair for his local church.   He is CMDA campus advisor for the Uniformed Services University where he hopes to help people believe in, be with, and become like Jesus. His less scholarly pursuits include trail running, mountain biking, fly-fishing, and basically anything that gets him out of the hospital and into God’s creation.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Patrick E. Young

Ryan Kwok, M.D., FACP is a board certified hepatologist and gastroenterologist working at the VA Medical Center, Puget Sound in Seattle WA. He has faculty appointments as an associate professor of medicine at the Uniformed Services University (USU) where he serves as the deputy division director for Digestive Health and as a clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington.

Moderator: Ryan Kwok, M.D., FACP
Registration Closed

May 22, 2024

“A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine”

Dr. Patrick E. Young is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is currently a Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Digestive Health Division at the Uniformed Services University. In addition, he serves as a Trustee for the American College of Gastroenterology. His clinical and research interests include cancer prevention and detection, the ergonomics of endoscopy, leadership development, and emotional intelligence - specifically self-awareness and resilience. He has served on numerous short term mission trips, primarily to the Balkans and Latin America, and as the Missions Committee chair for his local church.   He is CMDA campus advisor for the Uniformed Services University where he hopes to help people believe in, be with, and become like Jesus. His less scholarly pursuits include trail running, mountain biking, fly-fishing, and basically anything that gets him out of the hospital and into God’s creation.

Rachel Lee, MD, MBA, FACP, FAAAAI, is a Navy Allergist/Immunologist/Internist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Lee is originally from Seoul, Korea; she grew u

p in San Diego, CA and went on to earn her undergraduate degree from University of California at Berkeley. She first joined CMDA during medical school at New York Medical College, then completed her residency and fellowship training at the Naval Medical Center San Diego and the Scripps Clinic. She has served as Service Chief, Residency and Fellowship faculty, and Staff at a variety of military treatment facilities; she is currently stationed at the Naval Medical Center San Diego. Her research interests are in host immunity, immunizations and adverse drug/vaccine reactions.  She is married to a wonderful and supportive engineer husband, Matt, and has 3 daughters who share her love of music, reading, and exploring new places.

Speaker Bio: Rachel Lee, MD
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August 21, 2024

“A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine”

 

Dr. Jeannette E. South-Paul joined Meharry Medical College as the Executive Vice President and Provost in December 2021. Prior to this appointment, she was the Andrew W. Mathieson UPMC Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine from 2001 – 2020 retiring from Pitt in 2020. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC, she served as a Medical Corps officer in the U.S. Army, retiring in 2001 while serving as Chair of Family Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and previously as Vice President for Minority Affairs at the same institution.

Dr. South-Paul has served in leadership positions in the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM) to include serving as President of the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians (USAFP) and the STFM.

After more than 10 years of service as a member of the Meharry Medical College Board of Trustees, Dr. South-Paul stepped off the Board to begin her new leadership role. She is excited to collaborate with the academic leaders of the five schools (Medicine, Dentistry, Graduate Studies, Applied Computational Sciences, and Global Health) of this historic institution as she continues to serve in academe. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the Gold Humanism Society, and the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honorary Society

Dr. South-Paul is a sought-after speaker by academic, clinical and community organizations as well as health industry groups who are seeking perspectives on health disparities, workforce diversity, leadership and racial and social justice.

Speaker Bio: Jeanette South-Paul, MD

Bio coming soon...

Moderator: Rod Schlosser, MD
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September 18, 2024

“Virtue-based Leadership Development”

Dr. Walter Lee serves as Chief for the Division of Head and Neck Surgery at Duke Medical Center. His research interests are development of devices for low-resource settings as well as leadership and professional development. Specifically, Dr. Lee has had more than a decade of research collaborations in Vietnam and Duke - National University of Singapore. As Chief of Staff, he works closely with others to foster a culture of support, respect, and fulfillment among the faculty, staff, and trainees. He spearheads the professional and leadership development and also chairs the Departmental Appointment Promotions, and Tenure Committee (APT). As Division Chief, he oversees a world class multidisciplinary team that cares for head and neck cancer patients and their loved ones across Duke University and Duke Raleigh Hospitals.

Speaker Bio: Walter T Lee, MD, MHS

Kim-Lien Nguyen, MD, is the Assistant Professor of Medicine & Radiology and Physics & Biology in Medicine Graduate Program at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.  She is the Co-Chair Christian Academic Physicians & Scientists (CAPS) in Christian Medical and Dental Associations.

Moderator: Kim-Lien Nguyen, MD
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November 6, 2024

“A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine”

Francis Collins is a physician-scientist.  Under his direction, the Human Genome Project produced the first finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book.  His contributions to science, medicine, and society have been recognized by the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Templeton Prize.  A former atheist, Collins became a Christian during his medical training, and wrote about that in a best-selling book, The Language of God.  Subsequently he founded the BioLogos Foundation, to provide a meeting place for individuals interested in serious and civil discourse on the potential harmony between science and Christian faith.  From 2009 to 2021, Collins served under three Presidents as the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world.  Following a year in the White House as the President’s Acting Science Advisor, he oversees a research laboratory as a Distinguished Investigator in the intramural program of the National Human Genome Research Institute.  He also leads a bold administration initiative to eliminate hepatitis C in the United States.  His most recent book is The Road To Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust (Little Brown and Worthy, 2024).

Speaker Bio: Francis Collins, MD, PhD

David Larson, MD retired from his position of 27 years as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  He is Board certified in both Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery and is the current Chairman of the MEI Advisory Council.

Moderator: David Larson, MD
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November 20, 2024

“A Christian’s Walk in Academic Medicine”

Dr. Scott Armistead was educated at the College of William and Mary, the Medical College of Virginia and completed a residency in Family Medicine in Kansas City.   He lived with his family in northern Pakistan from 1999-2015, where he served at a mission hospital.  Since returning from Pakistan in 2015, Dr. Armistead worked as faculty in Family Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for six years.  He presently serves as the Dean of Faculty for the Institute for International Medicine (INMED), a graduate school which prepares health care professionals to serve in the developing world.    Since 2015, he has also served as Area Director for the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) VCU chapter.  He received teaching awards at VCU and from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He annually takes senior medical students for month-long electives in mission hospitals in the developing world.   He is very keen on the professional, moral and spiritual formation of students. He is fluent in Urdu and active with the S. Asian refugee and immigrant population in Richmond, Virginia. His wife, JoAnn, is a teacher and they have three grown sons.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Scott Armistead

Dr. Johnson is Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology; the CMDA Racism, Reconciliation, Equality and Diversity Committee; and the Christian Academic Physicians and Scientists section of CMDA. Dr. Johnson obtained her undergraduate education from University of Texas, Dallas, received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern University School of Medicine, and earned her M.S. in Medical Education from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Johnson is involved in medical education at both the undergraduate and graduate level and is passionate about training the next generation of physicians. Dr. Johnson has been an active member of the CAPS section, serving on its Discipleship Task Force. As a new member of the Executive Committee, she hopes to use her experience and resources to assist Christian faculty members in their individual journeys of faith. She will be working to increase networking opportunities and provide mechanisms of support for Christian faculty members facing challenging issues within academic medicine.

Moderator: Andrea Johnson
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