Classnotes - 1980s

Robert A. Herman, MD portrait.

Robert Herman, MD '83 writes,

"After Med School I did a residency in psychiatry at NYU (Bellevue) then psychoanalytic training at Columbia.

I now have a busy outpatient practice near Annapolis Maryland,  treating folks with bipolar disoder, depression, ptsd, and other psychiatric disorders.

I am the chair of the Maryland Psychiatric Political Action Committee, and recently testified before the Maryland Legislature in favor of a bill limiting pharmacy benefit managers. 

I am the bass section leader of the Baltimore Bach Choir; in April we are performing Bach's St John Passion.

I have a lovely wife, three grown daughers and eleven grandchildren. 

Life is grand!"

John Avanzato.

John Avanzato, MD ’85, writes: I have been practicing gastroenterology in the Finger Lakes region since 1991. Several years ago I started writing medical thrillers, which have been well received by the public. My fourth novel, “Claim Denied,” has just been released through KCM publishing. I have been invited by the Clarence Barnes and Noble to participate in a book signing Sunday, October 16, from 1-4pm. I invite the medical school faculty and student body to attend. Here is the Amazon link to my author page.

Sabino Torre, MD ’85, hosted a Class of 1985 mini-reunion at Yankee Stadium on June 1, 2019—Yankees vs. Red Sox. Gathering for dinner and the game were Sabino Torre, Michael Lahood, Raymond Meeks, John Leddy, Victor Marino and Donald Tingley.

Andrew Friedman, MD ’85, writes: "I remain remain on active duty with the Army. I was transferred to Yongsan, Korea, as the surgeon for the 8th Army. Kay and I are enjoying our tour here with children Marina and Alona. Our older kids are still in the US."

Camile Hemlock, MD ’86, senior medical counsultant at Timaru Public Hospital in Timaru, New Zealand, writes: "I have been living and working on the South Island of New Zealand for over five years now. I have even managed to become a Fellow in The Royal Australasian College of Physicians. I welcome any classmates visiting New Zealand." Address: 4635 Ocean Blvd, Sarasota, Florida 34242. Favorite memory: The Follies.

Helen Cappuccino, MD '88 and Andy Cappuccino, MD '88.

Helen Cappuccino, MD '88 and Andy Cappuccino, MD '88, write: "Raised 6 kids, have our first grandchild. Andy is the second longest serving NFL physician, with a prolific career of caring for spine patients, including scores of professional athletes from across the country and different professional sports; he developed several spine implants, including two of the first artificial discs. Helen was in private practice in Lockport for several years, but went to work at Roswell in 1999, and has enjoyed caring for breast cancer patients there, while also pursuing meaningful work on several non-profit boards and volunteer work at the medical school. suffering through it all, surrounded by the best friends and classmates imaginable. We especially remember long nights in the anatomy lab, the Bridge Abutments Football team, the Dermatones, The Med School Follies..."

Carlos Roberto Jaén, PhD ’88, MD ’89.

Carlos Roberto Jaén, PhD ’88, MD ’89, has been named a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which is made up of 16 volunteer members who are nationally recognized experts in prevention, evidence-based medicine, and primary care.

Jaén is professor and the Dr. and Mrs. James L. Holly distinguished chair in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

He was co-director of the American Academy of Family Physicians Center for Research in Family Medicine and Primary Care. For more than 15 years, the center studied almost 500 community-based primary care practices and completed the evaluation of the American Academy of Family Physician’s national demonstration project of the patient-centered medical home.

In 2013, Jaén was elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine. He is the immediate past chair of the Board of Regents of the National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine and former chair of the American Board of Family Medicine.

Jaén earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Niagara University and his PhD (’88) and MD (’89) in epidemiology and community health from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo. He completed a residency in family medicine and a fellowship in primary care research at Case Western Reserve University.