| News and Events
Jon Rupright, DO, Scheduled to Speak at the 3rd Annual Brain Injury Association of Missouri Conference
The Conference will be held October 3-6, 2007, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in St. Charles, Missouri. The primary focus of the conference is to introduce attendees to cutting edge technologies, innovative strategies, and state of the art information related to traumatic brain injury. It will feature nationally recognized speakers covering topics from current trends in research and treatment, TBI statistical information, educational and therapeutic programming, advocacy, pediatric and geriatric issues, promoting positive changes in behavior and community access. This is the only conference in Missouri established to specifically address issues relating to brain injury.
ThinkFirst's Michelle Gibler Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
ThinkFirst Missouri Director, Michelle Gibler, PhD, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Columbia Safe Kids Coalition for her contributions to childhood injury prevention. Also pictured is Donna Otto, left, President of the Columbia Safe Kids Coalition Board of Directors.)
The Department of PM&R Proudly Announces the Arrival of Ebby Varghese, MD, Kate Downey, MD, and Kevin Komes, MD
Drs. Varghese and Downey joined the PM&R Department on July 1. Dr. Komes joined the department on August 1. Ebby Varghese, MD, received his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006. He went to Emory University, Atlanta, GA to complete a ACGME-accredited fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine in 2007.
Dr. Varghese returns to his alma mater, the University of Missouri-Columbia, to practice interventional pain medicine. He provides treatment for chronic and subacute low back and neck pain, myofascial pain syndromes, complex regional pain syndrome, osteoarthritis of the spine and joints, atypical facial pain, headaches, pelvic pain, etc. He practices comprehensive pain medicine that includes medication management, injection therapy, vertebroplasty, discograms, radiofrequency, neuromodulation, and rehabilitation services.
Dr. Varghese has presented regionally and nationally and is currently a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Katherine (Kate) Downey, MD, received her medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2004 and completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2007 where she served as Co-Chief Resident from 2006-2007.
Dr. Downey works with Traumatic Brain Injury and General Rehabilitation inpatients at the Rusk Rehabilitation Center. She has presented regionally and is currently a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Kevin Komes, MD received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1988 with honors from the Mu Delta Honorary Medical Society as MU Delta Senior Medical Student of the Year. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1992. He is board certified with the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians.
Dr. Komes works as Medical Director of the Missouri Occupational Injury Center (MOIC) with Worker Compensation patients. He has presented both regionally and nationally on management of controlling lost time in workers claims. He has worked with many nationally known insurance carriers. His clinical and research interests include surgical and non surgical outcomes in workers compensation claims and educational opportunities in disability medicine in post graduate medicine.
To set up an appointment with Dr. Downey, please call the PM&R Clinic at 573-884-0033. For an appointment with Dr. Varghese, please call the Interventional Pain Medicine Clinic at 573-884-7100. Appointments with Dr. Komes can be made by calling MOIC at 573-884-6642.
ThinkFirst Missouri Receives 2007 People Saving People Award
PMR’s ThinkFirst Missouri program recently earned the prestigious 2007 People Saving People Award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region VII office and the Missouri Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Advisory Council (LETSAC). Selection was based on ThinkFirst’s long history of creative and ambitious traffic safety programming statewide and its leadership role as a model training center for chapters worldwide. The award was presented at the Annual Missouri LETSAC Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks on July 12, 2007.
Shown here with award, L to R: Susan DeCourcy (NHTSA Senior Regional Program Manager), Leanna Depue, PhD (MoDOT, Director of Highway Safety Division), Penny Lorenz (ThinkFirst Missouri), Dennis Martin (Chair, LETSAC), and Michelle Gibler, PhD (ThinkFirst Missouri).
Jon Rupright, DO, Receives the 2006-07 Teacher of the Year Award
On Friday, June 15th at the Senior BBQ, Jon Rupright, DO, received the 2006-2007 PM&R Teacher of the Year award. The recipient of this award is selected by a vote of the PM&R residents and made public at the Senior BBQ. This is the third time Dr. Rupright has received this award; he was also Teacher of the Year in 1992, 1994 and 1997. Congratulations Dr. Rupright!
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