DavidBWheelerMDPhD

Summary

• As the son of educators I grew up with a love of learning and passion for making a difference. I became distracted as a teenager and dropped out of high school at 16. I spent the next four years working in a restaurant and learning how to take care of myself. I met JoAnne when we were 18 and a year later decided to get my GED and follow her to college. I did well in school and discovered a strong interest in cellular physiology which led me to contemplate a career in medical research. I also became active in a number of political and social movements during my undergraduate years reaffirming my drive to make the world better through my actions. With a Rhodes scholarship, I then spent two importantly formative years at Oxford University completing a Masters in Physiology studying neurotransmitter systems in the basal ganglia. JoAnne and I married then moved to Stanford where we lived 9 years as I worked on the MD and PhD in Neurosciences. I studied the role of calcium channels in controlling synaptic function in the hippocampus; processes critical in both mechanisms of learning and epilepsy thereby forming the basis of what would become my major neurologic interests. During my final years of medical school I found that I greatly enjoyed patient interactions and made a decision to start moving away from bench research toward a career in clinical medicine. I received clinical training in general medicine, neurology and epilepsy in Boston. Since coming to Casper I have built a successful NeuroHealth practice, worked on stroke systems of care tailored to our rural environment. I am an active participant in several local, state and national programs devoted to system improvement and delivery of excellent care. I have also been very active in hospital leadership positions currently serving on the hospital’s board of directors.