Essential Evidence Editorial Board Biographies
Editor in Chief: Mark H. Ebell, MD, MS; Associate Professor, University of Georgia
Dr. Mark Ebell is an internationally known expert on evidence-based medicine,
primary care research, and medical informatics. The author of over 200 peer reviewed
publications and author or co-editor of 7 books, Dr. Ebell serves as editor-in-chief
of Essential Evidence. He is also deputy editor of the American Family Physician journal
and co-editor of the Essentials of Family Medicine medical school textbook. Prior to
joining the faculty at UGA he was on the faculty at Michigan State University, where
he was a Robert Wood Johnson Generalist Physician Faculty Scholar. His current
research interests are in point of care decision support, development of health
information technology for the primary care setting, and systematic reviews of
the accuracy of screening and diagnostic tests. A graduate of the University of
Michigan’s medical school and family medicine residency, Dr. Ebell also holds an
M.S. in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from that institution’s
School of Public Health.
Deputy Editor: Mindy Smith, MD, MS; Professor of Family Medicine, Michigan State University
Dr. Smith is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine.
She received her medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, served
her family medicine residency at Southern Illinois University, Memorial Hospital of
Carbondale, and completed a masters degree in research design and statistical analysis
at the University of Michigan, School of Public Health. She is the author of over 50
peer-review publications, over 75 book chapters, and an editor of three books and 8
monographs. Dr. Smith is Associate Editor of Family Medicine and Medical Associate
Editor of the AAFP FP Essentials. Her interests include women’s health, post-graduate
education, and developing writing and research techniques and programs for faculty and
new investigators.
Senior Associate Editor: Gary Ferenchick, MD; Chief, Division of General Medicine Internal Medicine Clerkship Director, Michigan State University
Dr. Ferenchick specializes in General Internal Medicine. Dr. Ferenchick is chief of
the division of general internal medicine, and professor of medicine, at Michigan
State University. He earned his undergraduate, a master's degree in human nutrition
and MD from Michigan State University. He completed his residency training in internal
medicine at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Dr. Ferenchick is a
Past-President of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine. Dr. Ferenchick is
certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. His research interests lay in
the interface between medical education and information technology along with assess.
Associate Editor: Henry C. Barry, MD, MS; Associate Professor, Michigan State University
Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Dr. Barry specializes in Family
Medicine. He earned his degrees from the following universities: University of
Maryland (B.S.), University of Michigan (M.S.), University of Maryland (MD).
He did his residency at St. Lawrence Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. He is the
co-author of a Web-based course that introduces the basic concepts of evidence-based
medicine, information mastery, and critical appraisal of the medical literature.
He teaches all levels of learners, including serving as the director of the EBM
curriculum for the MSU Primary Care Faculty Development Fellowship Program, a nine
month training program for primary care physicians. He has also received federal
funding to develop an innovative medication safety curriculum to medical students.
Fond of travel, Dr. Barry is fluent in German and can get by in French!
Associate Editor: Linda French, MD; Professor and Chair, Department of Family Medicine, University of Toledo
Dr. Linda French is professor and chair of the Family Medicine Department at the
University of Toledo (UT) College of Medicine. She earned her medical degree from
Austral University Medical School in Valdivia, Chile and completed her family medicine
residency at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. Dr. French is board certified
in family medicine. She is an alumnus in the AAMC-sponsored Executive Leadership in
Academic Medicine (ELAM) program for the development of women leaders in academic
medicine. Dr. French is nationally recognized for her expertise in women’s health
and evidence-based medicine. Her research interests include medical decision-making
regarding menopausal hormone use and breast cancer risk assessment in primary care
practice. She has published extensively on varied topics related to women’s health
and is a member of the editorial boards of the journals Family Medicine and The
Journal of Family Practice.
Associate Editor: Allen F. Shaughnessy, PharmD; Professor of Family Medicine, Tufts University
Dr. Shaughnessy is Professor of Family Medicine at Tufts University. He received
his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. He
has completed a faculty development fellowship and the federal government's Department
of Health and Human Services Primary Care Health Policy Fellowship. He is a Board
Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and is a Fellow of the American College of
Clinical Pharmacy. Dr. Shaughnessy has been active in research and evidence-based
medicine. He has written over 120 papers in the areas of pharmacology, family
practice education, prescription writing, and medical information management that
have been published in journals such as the Journal of Family Practice, JAMA,
British Medical Journal, and American Family Physician. He is the series editor
for the American Family Physician's STEPS series of new drug reviews of the Clinical
Pharmacology series.
Associate Editor: David Slawson, MD; Vice Chair, Department of Family Medicine, University Virginia
David C. Slawson, M.D. is the B. Lewis Barnett, Jr. Professor of Family Medicine and
Vice Chair for Academic Affairs for the Department of Family Medicine at the
University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is the Director
of the Faculty Development Fellowship Program for the Department of Family Medicine
and holds a joint appointment as Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences.
Dr. Slawson and Dr. Allen Shaughnessy were awarded the 2002 Society of Teachers of
Family Medicine Innovative Program Award for their work together in developing the
Information Mastery curriculum. Dr. Slawson is a graduate of the University of
Michigan School of Medicine and completed his postdoctoral training in Family
Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Assistant Editor: Randall Forsch, MD, MPH; Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Randall T. Forsch, MD, MPH U of Michigan Certified by the American Board of
Family Medicine, Dr. Forsch specializes in Family Medicine with an emphasis
on procedures, adult inpatient medicine and professional skills. He earned
his medical degree at Wayne State University School of Medicine and completed
both his Family Medicine residency and Masters in Public Health at the University
of Michigan. Dr. Forsch is faculty at University of Michigan where he serves as
Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine. Additional title includes
Family Medicine Service Chief, Chelsea Community Hospital.
Assistant Editor: Su-Ting Li, MD, MPH; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Residency Program Director, and Vice Chair of Education, University of California, Davis
Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Dr. Li specializes in Pediatrics.
She earned her M.D. degree at the University of California Los Angeles, David
Geffen School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at the University
of Washington's Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Additionally,
Dr. Li completed a fellowship in general academic pediatrics and obtained an M.P.H.
degree at the University of Washington. Currently, Dr. Li serves as an Assistant
Professor at UC Davis Children’s Hospital and Pediatric Residency Program Director
and Vice Chair of Education. Dr. Li’s research activities have concentrated on the
application of evidence-based medicine for the care of children, helping to minimize
pediatric hospitalizations, and medical education.
Assistant Editor: Richard Usatine, MD; Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Dr. Richard Usatine is the Medical Director of a Skin Clinic for the underserved
at the University Health System and the Fellowship Director of the first family
medicine dermatology fellowship in the country. He has been recognized throughout
his career for bringing quality health care to underserved communities and teaching
and mentoring student physicians to provide compassionate care to the underprivileged.
Dr. Usatine received his MD from Columbia University before completing his Residency
and Faculty Fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Usatine remained at UCLA for 20 years in a variety
of positions, the last as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Professor of Family
Medicine. He is the editor-in-chief of the new Family Medicine Digital Resource Library
found at fmdrl.org. Dr. Usatine is the lead author of the books “Skin Surgery: A
Practical Guide.” and “The Color Atlas of Family Medicine.” He is the founder of the
Interactive Dermatology Atlas at dermatlas.net and the editor of Photo Rounds in the
Journal of Family Practice. Dr. Usatine is the year 2000 recipient of a National Humanism
in Medicine Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Assistant Editor: Michael Wilkes, MD; Professor of Medicine, University of California, Davis
Dr. Wilkes is widely known for his efforts to introduce medical students to the
humanistic side of being a physician, and for working to include the social sciences
and clinical reasoning as part of training physicians. He has extensive experience
in the development, management, and evaluation of longitudinal, case-based curricula.
introduced UCLA’s and UC Davis' Doctoring curriculum, a series of classes and seminars
for all four years of medical school. Topics within the curriculum include doctor-patient
communication, clinical reasoning and end-of-life care. He served as editor of the
Western Journal of Medicine, and as a reviewer for many medical publications. Wilkes
is also an award winning journalist having worked for the NY Times, ABC News, CBS News,
and currently works for National Public Radio and McClatchy Newspapers. Wilkes' clinical
interests are in adolescent medicine.
