I was born in Henry, Illinois which is a small town on the Illinois River about 40 miles north of Peoria. My two sisters and I grew up together in central Illinois where my father was an attorney and mom was well, just mom. We were lucky enough to grow up in one of those protected environments not unlike the old ‘Donna Reed Show’ for those of you old enough to remember that show and black and white TV. Boy that was back when kids could be kids and parents didn’t have to worry about keeping an eye on you every minute. We had full and free run of the entire community. Great place to grow up. For a look into my past, here are a few photos you might enjoy.

But childhood had to end and all three of us ended up at the University of Illinois at Champaign- Urbana after we graduated from high school. I very quickly settled into biologic sciences and was fortunate enough to get into medical school after only three years of college. Now I look back and wonder why I was in such a hurry as this put me into very intense medical school environment at an early age. At the University of Illinois, I was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and was elected Phi Beta Kappa before I left for Chicago to start Medical School at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Those were four intense years of study, some of which I spent at the newest University of Illinois campus in Peoria where I had some very early hands on experiences that most medical students never get. One of my favorite examples was the first night I was on call doing an OB rotation I not only attended the delivery, but delivered the baby! My attending got stuck on the other side of the railroad tracks behind one of those infamous mile long freight trains which rumble (very slowly) through the Midwest. You learn fast that way! I graduated as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and with highest honors in Chicago in 1976. I still remember how proud my Dad was to see his son get that degree.

By graduation time I had decided I was most interested in Dermatology and began the search for residency programs. I ultimately selected to do my residency in Dermatology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. This was a great residency program and a great college town as well. During those three years I realized my true love was more in the surgical side of Dermatology and became interested in Mohs Surgery. Dr. William Taylor was doing all the Mohs surgery at Ann Arbor after he trained with Fred Mohs himself. I then did my training under Dr. Taylor before I left Michigan. So I guess you could say I am second generation trained by Dr. Mohs.