Purpose
The Christian Academic Physicians and Scientists (CAPS) section of CMDA exists to
- Encourage Christian academic physicians and scientists
- Develop effective pathways of Christian ministry for academic physicians and scientists within their profession
- Provide resources to manage the difficulties of their profession victoriously in a Christ-like manner
- Offer guidance in making bioethical decisions in medicine and science based on Christian principles
Mission: Opportunities for Growth
- Cultivate communities of Christians in academic medicine at the local, regional, national and international levels
- Host interactive seminars and presentations by leading Christian academics
- Provide on-line resources to equip Christian academics to deal with bioethical and philosophical challenges that arise in teaching, patient care and research, using Biblically-based principles
- Promote intellectual and spiritual growth through discussions in a secure members-only on-line portal/forum
- Nurture new Christian leaders in academia through intentional mentorship and sponsorship.
Outlook: What Success Looks Like
- Formation of a network of Christian academic physicians and scientists who are actively engaged in scholarly work and who may serve as a Christian voice among policymakers and the larger community.
- Formation of communities that are actively engaged in mentoring and sponsorship of Christian academic physicians and scientists.
- Promotion of courageous conversations about the Christian academic mission within medicine and scientific enterprises.
Leadership Team
David L. Larson, MD, FACS
David L. Larson, MD, FACS
Co-Chair, Christian Academic Physicians & Scientists
Christian Medical & Dental Associations
Dr. Larson is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Medical College of Wisconsin. Since 2012, he has been employed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as an Accreditation Field Representative. Prior to that, he was Professor and Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, a position he held for 27 years. He was also Program Director of the training program for 20 years and served on the ACGME Residency Review Committee in Plastic Surgery for 6 years. Prior to moving to Milwaukee, he held the position of Surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, from 1979 to 1986, where he served in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery and was the only plastic surgeon at that institution during that period. He is Board certified in both Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery. Dr. Larson has authored over 140 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and books. Dr. Larson has a lifetime commitment to the education of medical students, residents, fellows, and peers in the areas of head and neck cancer, wound care and reconstruction of all areas of the body. Since retirement, Dr. Larson has been on over a dozen mission trips to China, Lebanon, Macedonia, Azerbaijan and Serbia, all related to education.
Walter Lee
Dr. Lee is Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Chief of Staff in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communications Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. His academic focus is related to cancer detection in low resource and global health settings as well as professional and leadership development. He is a certified professional coach (ACC) and serves as the faculty advisor for the Duke School of Medicine Student Chapter. He married to Julia and has 3 sons and 1 daughter.
Kim-Lien Nguyen, MD
Kim-Lien Nguyen, MD
Co-Chair, Christian Academic Physicians & Scientists
Christian Medical & Dental Associations
Dr. Nguyen is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Radiology, and Biomedical Physics at UCLA. As a practicing non-invasive cardiologist, she serves veterans and directs the cardiovascular MRI program at West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. As a physician-scientist, the focus of her research is on the development, translation, and application of cardiovascular imaging techniques, specifically magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography. She collaborates with data scientists and industry partners to advance precision medicine. Her funded research focuses on the use of iron-oxide nanoparticles in ischemic heart disease. Her work has been published in leading imaging journals and her lab receives grant support from the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the Veterans Health Administration. Dr. Nguyen also engages the public through her writing in the general media including USA Today, Forbes, Medical Economics, and STAT News. She attends Pacific Crossroads Church, has a cat, and enjoys afternoon tea.
Kalon Ho, MD, MSc
Kalon Ho, MD, MSc
Treasurer, Christian Academic Physicians & Scientists
Christian Medical & Dental Associations
Dr. Ho is a member of the Interventional Cardiology Section and the Director of Quality Assurance for the Cardiovascular Division at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to teaching students, residents and fellows on the inpatient cardiology service and in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, he has spent 2 decades on the faculty of clinical epidemiology and population health courses for dental and medical students at Harvard, currently as an assistant professor of medicine. He has served in leadership roles at the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). In 2017, he received the F. Mason Sones Distinguished Service Award from SCAI. Dr. Ho has also traveled repeatedly to the Republic of North Macedonia as part of Medical Education International (MEI) teaching projects since 2016.