CMDA Today - Winter 2024

CMDA TODAY

Volume 54 • Number 4 • Winter 2023

PSYCHIATRIC INSIGHTS for Treating Detransitioners

Paid Advertisement

From the CMDA President George C. Gonzalez, MD

Commit and Engage

I

came to know Christ my first week in college at University of California, Davis (UC Davis). I wasn’t in a bad place or even seeking out spiritual fulfillment, but I was intrigued by my next-door dorm neighbor who was definitely high on something. It happened to be Jesus. After hearing him out in a gospel presentation, it sounded almost too good to be true. However, I also figured if it was true, I had everything to gain by checking it out and everything to lose by rejecting Jesus as my Savior. So, I committed to Christ and began engaging with other Christians in church and parachurch activities. I grew quickly in Christ as I learned how to worship God, seek Him in prayer and serve others in the name of Jesus.

In medical school at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), I was introduced to Christian Medical Society (CMS, as CMDA was known then). What a great organization that included my two passions: God and medicine. Why wouldn’t every Christian in healthcare want to join? I soon found out that the answer is busyness. Sometimes we just get too busy for good things, even too busy for God. Unfortunately, the most common answer I get from healthcare professionals when asked to come to a CMDA event is that they have no time, even for church much less a parachurch group.

Without commitment to Christ, we will never engage with Him enough to follow through with obedience. Without obeying Christ’s marching orders as given in the Scriptures and personally through the Holy Spirit’s leading in prayer, we will bear no lasting fruit. That’s what it means to abide and remain in Christ, as spoken to us in John 15.

When I met Angelica, my wife now of 41 years, I was impressed by her spiritual fervor, maturity and commitment to Christ. I could tell she was engaged with Christ, because she wanted nothing to do with relationships that would distract her from her devotion and service to God. She was happy to live a life of celibacy, wholly committed to Christ, and she was not interested in a romantic relationship. That set the ground rules of our relationship quickly as friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. For three years we interacted at church or on campus, and we would also go out together to minister and evangelize on occasion.

My vision for a wife was someone who would share my passion to see people come to Christ, but Angelica’s passion was to love and serve the needy and the brokenhearted. She had her undergraduate degree in psychology and was completing her master’s in social work at the time. Suddenly, something clicked, and the Lord released Angelica to have a romantic relationship with me. I promptly took advantage of the change of heart and brought her a single rose. We dated for two months before I asked her to marry me. How could I go wrong by asking the godliest woman I knew to be my wife? Within two more months we were married, so it

wasn’t a long engagement. Just as in my commitment to Christ, I knew we needed to develop a relationship of oneness. We needed to engage with one another on a deeper level through love and communication. We decided early on that we would not just coexist but enjoy each other and celebrate our union with God. Why do I say all of this? Well, God asks us to continually commit and engage in His plans for our lives, as it says in Ephesians 2:10. People often do not like to commit for fear they cannot keep the commitment. Well, if it is God who led you to commit, He will strengthen you and sustain you in that commitment (Philippians 2:13). Honestly, I feel that way in ministry with CMDA. It has been said that you get out of it what you put into it. That has certainly been true in our marriage and our walk with Christ, as He blesses us so much more than what we could ever give Him. Unless you put in some effort, the rewards are few.

As I became more committed and involved with CMDA through the years, I personally have grown tremendously while being encouraged by countless committed Christians in healthcare.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with our local CMDA Fresno, California chapter and the CMDA Board of Trustees. Angelica and I have served internationally on trips with Global Health Outreach (GHO) and Medical Education International (MEI), we’ve participated in providing continuing education in Thailand and Africa and much more. CMDA has so much to offer through its 40+ ministries.

CMDA exists to educate, encourage and equip us to stay strong in Christ while we practice healthcare. Countless distractions in life, both good and not so good, lead us away from closeness to Christ and His prepared work for us. We all have a call in our lives to live in obedience to Christ, but our earbuds are playing too loud to hear it.

The world is hurting and heading toward destruction by Satan, the enemy of our souls. Individually, we must decide to stay committed to Christ; however, together we can win the battle.

Let’s be part of the solution by being united in Christ, carrying His banner together. Let’s commit and engage together. David Livingstone said, “If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?”

George Gonzalez, MD, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and has practiced for over 30 years in Fresno and Clovis, California. Dr. Gonzalez has served as the medical director of Pregnancy Care Center of Fresno for 20 years. He has been the acting president of the local CMDA Fresno/Clovis Chapter for more than 27 years. He is a founding member of Medical Ministries International (MMI), serving 17 years on the MMI Board. Dr. Gonzalez has been the team leader for over 30 international mission trips and 55 local mission outreaches in the Central Valley of California.

www.cmda.org | 3

VOLUME 54 | NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2023

EDITOR Rebeka Honeycutt

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Gregg Albers, MD John Crouch, MD Autumn Dawn Galbreath, MD Curtis E. Harris, MD, JD Van Haywood, DMD Rebecca Klint-Townsend, MD Debby Read, RN

CMDA TODAY

The Journal of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations

AD SALES

423-844-1000

In This Issue

DESIGN

Ahaa! Design + Production

PRINTING Pulp

CMDA is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

CMDA Today™, registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Winter 2023, Volume LIV, No. 4. Printed in the United States of America. Published four times each year by the Christian Medical & Dental Associations® at 2604 Highway 421, Bristol, TN 37620. Copyright© 2023, Christian Medical & Dental Associations®. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed free to CMDA members.

Non-doctors (US) are welcome to subscribe at a rate of $35 per year ($40 per year, international). Standard presort postage paid at Bristol, Tennessee.

Undesignated Scripture references are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011

by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.

All rights reserved worldwide. Other versions are noted in the text.

CHRISTIAN MEDICAL & DENTAL ASSOCIATIONS P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621 888-230-2637 main@cmda.org • www.cmda.org If you are interested in submitting articles to be considered for publication, visit www.cmda.org/publications for submission guidelines and details. Articles and letters published represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. Acceptance of paid advertising from any source does not necessarily imply the endorsement of a particular program, product or service by CMDA. Any technical information, advice or instruction provided in this publication is for the benefit of our readers, without any guarantee with respect to results they may experience with regard to the same. Implementation of the same is the decision of the reader and at his or her own risk. CMDA cannot be responsible for any untoward results experienced as a result of following or attempting to follow said information, advice or instruction.

10 ON THE COVER

Psychiatric Insights for Treating Detransitioners:

28

Equipping Healthcare Professionals

Volunteering: It’s a Lifestyle Robert W. Dettmer, MD, with Susan L. Dettmer, RN, LCSW

Karl Benzio, MD

How to help patients navigate the

extremely complex route to detransition

Organized Medicine and the Response to Dobbs

20

John D. Mellinger, MD, FACS

Winsomely advocating for the sanctity of life within professional organizations

Doctors as gods (and What to Do About It)

24

William T. Griffin, DDS

Following God’s calling to use your skills to serve others

32

The Dr. John Patrick Bioethics Column 21st Century Savagery and Hamas: How Do We Understand Evil?

John Patrick, MD

The search for moral truth in the midst of conflict

See PAGE 34 for CLASSIFIED LISTINGS

Using Faith Prescriptions to develop realistic patient expectations for healthcare professionals

®

REGIONAL MINISTRIES

Connecting you with other Christ-followers to help better motivate, equip, disciple and serve within your community Western Region: Wes Ehrhart, MA • 6204 Green Top Way • Orangevale, CA 95662 • 916-716-7826 • wes.ehrhart@cmda.org Midwest Region: Connor Ham, MA • 2435 Lincoln Avenue • Cincinnati, OH 45231 • 419-789-3933 • connor.ham@cmda.org Northeast Region: Tom Grosh, DMin • 1844 Cloverleaf Road • Mount Joy, PA 17552 • 609-502-2078 • northeast@cmda.org Southern Region: Grant Hewitt, MDiv • P.O. Box 7500 • Bristol, TN 37621 • 402-677-3252 • south@cmda.org

THE CHRISTIAN MEDICAL & DENTAL ASSOCIATIONS ® Changing Hearts in Healthcare . . . since 1931.

4 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

Ministry News MEMBER NEWS

Introducing CMDA’s New Logo

®

After a more than 20-year journey with our esteemed logo, CMDA is excited to release our new logo, as we update our brand identity with a contemporary look for the future while paying homage to our remarkable history. The new look was unveiled in October 2023, and it is designed to represent the two distinct elements of our vision, which is to bring the HOPE and HEALING of Christ to the world through healthcare professionals.

Over the coming months, we will be transitioning to this new brand across all communication channels, including both print and electronic resources. This revitalized visual identity encapsulates the spirit of CMDA and its unwavering commitment to educate, encourage and equip healthcare professionals to glorify God. “Our new logo is a symbol of our dedication to forward momentum, reflecting the vibrant energy of our dynamic member community,” said CMDA Chief Operating Officer Scott Ledford. “It’s an exciting step forward, one that embraces our legacy while propelling us into a future of a greater mission for Christ as we continue to boldly support Christian healthcare professionals around the globe.”

New Membership Dues Structure In tandem with the reveal of our new logo, CMDA is also proud to introduce a streamlined membership dues structure. This enhancement aims to provide simplicity in the available membership options and improve the onboarding experience for new members. The new membership options can be found at cmda.org/dues.

This change in our membership dues structure is designed with our members in mind, removing some of the complexities of membership categories. If you have questions about your membership dues, please contact CMDA Member Services at memberservices@cmda.org.

In Memoriam Our hearts are with the family members of the following CMDA members who have passed in recent months. We thank them for their support of CMDA and their service to Christ.

• David Baridon, MD – Ankeny, Iowa Member since 1962 • Richard F. Bedell, MD – Louisville, Colorado Member since 1995 • Mary Jeanne Buttrey, MD – Torrance, California Member since 1973 • Jennifer Clamme, MD – Hartford City, Indiana Member since 1997 • John D. Hines, DO – Urbandale, Iowa Lifetime member since 1985 • Kenley R. Lee, DDS – Grand Rapids, Michigan Lifetime member since 1976 • Paul J. Rogers, MD – Simpsonville, Kentucky Member since 1997 • Keith Thompson, MD – Thomasville, North Carolina Member since 1997

CMDA Member Wins Award John Chang, DO, a CMDA member from Massachusetts, was selected as the Middlesex District Medical Society’s 2023 Community Clinician of the Year, an award recognizing professionalism and contributions as a physician. Dr. Chang is a clinic physician at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and former medical director at the Middlesex House of Correction. He worked for more than 20 years as an emergency medicine physician at Lawrence General Hospital. In addition to his work with the Middlesex District Medical Society, Chang serves as member of the House of Delegates for the Massachusetts Medical Society. He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of New England.

Dr. Chang came to the United States as an immigrant, poor and speaking no English, thus for years he dedicated his life helping the poor and disadvantaged.

His father was a disadvantaged peasant farmer, who inspired him to persevere in achieving his mission to serve humanity. With that vision, he worked diligently, even as he struggled with dyslexia to achieve his dream.

His faith in God inspired him to serve and for years dedicated his resources to assist the disadvantaged. www.cmda.org | 5

Ministry News RESOURCES

Standing Strong in Training

As the latest addition to CMDA’s long list of resources for our members, Standing Strong in Training is a new on-demand video series that helps healthcare students and residents stand up against the cultural pressures facing Christians within healthcare today.

The curriculum’s seven modules are designed for group settings, allowing attendees to solidify their foundational worldview beliefs regarding important issues, such as the beginning of life, end of life and biblical sexuality. Each module also offers ideas of how to winsomely defend biblical values and positively interact with others in developing their worldview beliefs.

For more information and to access this new study, visit cmda.org/standingstrong.

New Legal Assistance for CMDA Members As a result of a partnership between CMDA and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), we are now offering free legal consultations for CMDA members who may be experiencing conscience freedom issues in the workplace. Exclusively available to CMDA members, this program is designed to serve members who feel they are being discriminated against in the workplace due to their firmly held moral and religious beliefs.

We believe conscience freedoms have profound ethical and religious importance within the healthcare profession, and we encourage colleagues, institutions and governments to respect these freedoms.

If you feel your conscience freedoms are at risk, please visit cmda.org/legal.

CMDA Learning Center The CMDA Learning Center offers complimentary continuing education courses for CMDA members. This online resource is continuing to grow with new courses to help you in your practice as a Christian healthcare professional. Plus, we are making improvements to the user interface to make it easier for you to download courses. All continuing education courses are available at NO COST to CMDA members.

For more information and to access the CMDA Learning Center, visit cmda.org/learning.

Ebenezer Stone

MINISTRY

Coming in 2024:

A unique destination retreat for Christian physicians in Branson, MO. called Ebenezer Stone Ministry. Our goal is to enhance the faith of Christian physicians and their spouses by using Biblical principles and the example of the Great Physician, Christ Jesus our Lord.

For more information, please go to our website at ebenezerstoneministry.org

Our hope is that every physician at the conclusion of His/Her career will be able to say “Thus far the Lord has helped us” 1. Samuel 7:12 Paid Advertisement

6 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

Ministry News RESOURCES

Upcoming Events Dates and locations are subject to change. For a full list of upcoming CMDA events, visit cmda.org/events.

Egypt Tour January 12-20, 2024 • Egypt West Coast Winter Conference January 18-21, 2024 • Cannon Beach, Oregon Israel Tour February 14-26, 2024 • Israel Marriage Enrichment Weekend February 23-25, 2024 • Seaside, California for female healthcare professionals only Remedy East March 1-2, 2024 • Lynchburg, Virginia Spiritual Refreshment and Fellowship in the Colorado Mountains March 2-9, 2024 • Breckenridge, Colorado 2024 CMDA National Convention May 2-5, 2024 • Black Mountain, North Carolina Marriage Enrichment Weekend May 10-12, 2024 • New Orleans, Louisiana Voice of CMDA Media Training August 9-10, 2024 • Bristol, Tennessee

VIE Poster Session Please encourage students, residents and fellows to submit an abstract for CMDA’s seventh annual VIE Poster Session, which will take place during the 2024 CMDA National Convention. Presentations in areas of spirituality, ethics, education, computational biology, mathematical modeling, biophysics, biotechnology, biomedical science, medicine, surgery, dentistry, nursing and medical humanities are all welcome! Visit cmda.org/vie to submit an abstract by January 31, 2024. Cash prizes are awarded!

CMDA Go App Have you downloaded CMDA Go yet? Our mobile app, CMDA Go, is now available to download on Apple and Android mobile devices. Visit your device’s app store to download it today.

In the CMDA Go app, you can set up your personal CMDA profile, check out the latest news from CMDA, listen to CMDA Matters and other podcasts, renew your membership and make your dues payments, access a variety of downloadable resources, interact with other members through the discussion forms and join group chats.

For more information, visit cmda.org/app.

CMDA Matters Are you listening to CMDA’s podcast with CEO Dr. Mike Chupp?

CMDA Matters is our popular weekly podcast with the latest news from CMDA and healthcare. A new episode is released each Thursday, and interview topics include bioethics, healthcare missions, financial stewardship, marriage, family, advocacy updates and much more. Plus, you’ll get recommendations for new books, conferences and other resources designed to help you as a Christian in healthcare.

Listen to CMDA Matters on your smartphone, your computer, your tablet…wherever you are and whenever you want.

For more information, visit cmda.org/cmdamatters.

www.cmda.org | 7

Ministry News

Faith Prescriptions

Bridging the Gap

Now available exclusively for CMDA members, Faith Prescriptions is a 25-part video series that provides training on everything from LGBTQ issues in the healthcare arena, to praying with your patients and sharing your faith in ethical and appropriate ways with colleagues and patients.

Faith Prescriptions is a revision of the program Grace Prescriptions, which has been in circulation for several years on DVD, but this updated and improved series is available videoon-demand. It is free to CMDA members and simply requires your member login and password to access all sessions with the CMDA Learning Center.

For more information, visit cmda.org/learning.

As Christians, we are called to speak truth into ethical issues and courageously stand up for what’s morally right according to our beliefs. However, in order to engage others in these discussions with grace and kindness, first we need to arm ourselves with knowledge and understanding of each of these topics.

Bridging the Gap: Where Medical Science and Church Meet is a small group study developed by expert healthcare professionals. The curriculum is designed to ask difficult, thoughtprovoking questions as we seek the truth found in God’s Word about the ethical issues facing Christians today. Topics include addictions, beginning of life, end of life, gender identity, right of conscience and sexuality.

For more information, visit cmda.org/bridgingthegap.

What if all the skills you developed were about something

bigger?

Scan to watch video

USA Paid Advertisement

Short-term and Long-term Opportunities + Electives for Med Students www.interserveusa.org/MD

MODELING THE

GREAT PHYSICIAN The Luke Society is a Christian, nonprofit medical mission, which empowers indigenous doctors and nurses to bring health care to underserved areas in Jesus’ name.

40 MINISTRY SITES 30 COUNTRIES

Financial support Mentoring Prayer Encouragement Guidance

CONTACT US Online

www.lukesociety.org

Phone

605-373-9686 Scan for our website

Paid Advertisement

3409 S. Gateway Boulevard Sioux Falls, SD 57106

TOUCHING LIVES IN JESUS’ NAME

PSYCHIATRIC INSIGHTS for Treating Detransitioners E Q U I P P I N G H E A LT H C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L S

Karl Benzio, MD 10 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

“THOSE WHO CAN MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN ABSURDITIES, CAN MAKE YOU COMMIT ATROCITIES.”

T

—Voltaire

he Second Law of Thermodynamics states that systems tend toward maximum entropy, disorganization or chaos. Since 1950, society’s transition into postmodernism—where relativism replaces an agreed upon series of absolutes and truth— marked a pivot point accelerating chaos. When God’s truth is ignored, Satan and the world’s small lies gain traction and, if not corrected, accelerate to absurdity level. Over the last 30 years, growing absurdities about how sex/gender are determined led to an exponential increase of atrocities in the form of “voluntary and willful” chemical upheaval, surgical castration, sterilization and mutilation, destroying not just young healthy bodies, but also severely damaging the associated minds and spirits.

After believing the only problem leading to their identity confusion, anxiety, dysphoria, anger or insecurity was that God made a colossal mistake and assigned them the wrong sex at birth, and then being sold on the idea that “gender-affirming treatments” would actually fix their problem, these children of God were left realizing these atrocities didn’t solve or fix anything. In fact, they now realize the appalling “treatment” interventions made their intrapersonal confusion and interpersonal isolation even worse, plus they added on a myriad of psychospiritual struggles and permanent physiological mutilations.

A growing number of these patients want to reverse these procedures and try to live life as the physical and psychological identity God designed for them.

Coming to this revelation is just the first of many steps on the extremely complex route a “detransitioner” has to navigate to live in their true identity and achieve their God-given potential. www.cmda.org | 11

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS

AND THE TERMINOLOGY Before I equip you, I want to encourage you that God has a divine appointment specifically for you as a healthcare professional, and especially for specialists in this arena, to be an incredible lighthouse shining God’s glory, love and truth. Our patients suffering from gender identity struggles are lost and searching for answers, and you have the privilege of guiding detransitioners through their storm to sanctuary and His design for them. First, let’s clarify some terms you will hear as you help those with gender identity struggles, and then I’ll share some psychiatric insights to help you understand and manage this special population.

• Natal or birth sex: biological sex genetically assigned at birth, with only two options: male or female.

• Gender (a conservative definition): same as your natal/birth sex.

• Gender (progressive definition): socially constructed roles, behaviors or activities that society assigns, or which an individual can pick and choose.

• Cisgender: someone who feels they are the gender God assigned them at birth.

• Transgender: someone who feels they are not the gender God assigned them at birth.

• Gender identity: a person’s internal sense of what gender they believe they are.

• Gender dysphoria: the official DSM5 diagnosis for patients who are distressed or emotionally compromised because they believe their gender identity is different than sex/gender assigned at birth.

• Gender expression: the way a person expresses their gender to others.

• Transitioning: when a transgender person makes outward efforts to express a different gender that is not their birth gender.

• Social transitioning: changes clothes, makeup, hair, name, pronouns, voice, language, etc.

“PEOPLE A R E DY I N G BECAUSE T H E T RU T H I S DY I N G ! ” —Benzio

• Chemical transitioning: puberty-blocking hormones and/or crosssex hormones, depending on age.

• Surgical transitioning: surgical interventions to undo birth sex anatomy to try to align with perceived sex anatomy.

• Gender-affirming therapy (GAT): term given to the gamut of transitioning efforts deemed as “therapeutic interventions” to help alleviate gender dysphoria, which starts with social, then chemical and finally surgical. I call this gender avoiding/denying therapy.

• Desistance: general term for stopping of any transitioning, and it is commonly applied specifically to the cessation of transgender identity, thus the individual accepts their birth sex assignment.

• Desister: someone who previously identified as transgender but who now re-identifies with their biological sex before receiving any medical interventions.

• Detransitioner: someone who previously identified as transgender but who now re-identifies with their biological sex, but after having received medical interventions.

• Gender dissonance/incongruence: more “neutral” terms used by the trans community to describe the mismatch between birth sex and perceived sex that do not define it as pathological, a mistake or distressing. Just a mismatch.

• Gender confusion/dysphoria/avoidance/evasion/denial: my terms to describe any discomfort with or inkling to change birth sex.

12 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

Supervised intensive residential care significantly initiates and accelerates the detransitioner’s inner psychospiritual healing process. This level of care is medically necessary if they are struggling with a life-interfering addiction, self-harm or symptoms causing significant distress or dysfunction. When the patient is ready to transition from residential to outpatient, or if the patient is unable to afford or their insurance won’t cover residential care, engaging an experienced psychotherapist and psychiatrist is the next and ongoing course of action. Ideally, this psychiatric treatment team will be in the patient’s life for several years, establishing trusted continuity to work on a long list of complex issues. Also, as patients unpack and process their inner world, they often uncover significant hurts, losses and traumas, which might periodically require inpatient or residential care for safety, supervision and treatment intensity to navigate these episodic storms or disrupting insights.

MEETING THE NEED IN THE EXAM ROOM LEVELS OF CARE

I’ve been blessed to treat gender-confused patients as an outpatient psychiatrist, therapist and medical director at a Christian residential treatment facility. Over these 34 years, I’ve discovered that significant in-depth and long-term psychotherapy is key to addressing a plethora of significant psychological issues, struggles and traumas. The path to a fully psychospiritual healed, accepting, forgiven and God-centered mindset is accessed when several of the 15 prominent struggles listed on the next page are tackled, processed and navigated. During treatment, symptoms occasionally escalate, causing distress or dysfunction. Oftentimes, psychotherapy is thus complemented by psychopharmacological or other somatic therapies (think light therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, neurofeedback, supplements, electroconvulsive therapy, etc.) as neurocircuit patches or band aids. This patch lowers the intensity of symptoms and the probability of harm, allowing the patient to more safely, efficiently and deeply engage in talk therapies to navigate their difficult psychospiritual healing journey. Another therapy lever to pull is increasing the treatment level of care, as outlined below.

Opportunity knocks! You walk into the exam room to see an ongoing patient, or maybe even a new patient. Your patient tells you they’re ready to acknowledge their God-given sex/gender at birth is the sex/gender they want to live life as.

Being a detransitioner, they want to stop any further medical interventions that undermine or deny their birth sex. Depending on the chemical and surgical interventions, extended and, in some cases, life-long medical monitoring and care is • Outpatient is one to two hours per week, while living at home. The most common required. More importantly, psychiatric/ modality. psychological treatment is also an absolute must, so let’s dig in.

• Intensive outpatient is three to nine hours per week, while living at home.

Suicide is a frequent outcome for those with gender struggles, so if the detransitioning patient in your practice is actively suicidal with plan, intent, means and no impulse control to stop it, then locked inpatient care for supervision and safety is important. However, if the patient can contract for safety (or after the short inpatient stabilization), an intensive Christian residential treatment center for 40 to 60 days would be highly recommended.

• Partial hospital program, otherwise known as day treatment program, is 15 to 30 hours per week, while living at home.

• Residential treatment center is for 24/7 clinical supervision and six to seven hours per day of treatment, while living at the facility. Usually 30 to 90 days.

• Inpatient care is locked unit with safety, 24/7 supervision and acute stabilization usually taking over three to seven days. Not much in-depth therapy is accomplished, but safety and acute medication management are prioritized. Usually three to seven days.

• Detox is when either opioids, tranquilizers, alcohol or some intense stimulants, chronic and intense cannabis use or other intense hallucinogens need to be stopped and the patient needs medically supervised or managed services to avoid medically dangerous outcomes and ensure compliance when withdrawal symptoms are experienced.

www.cmda.org | 13

NAVIGATING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS

OF THE HEALING JOURNEY Now let’s talk about what the detransitioner needs to work on in the previously listed treatment levels of care. The following are 15 common and significant issues I’ve helped detransitioners process and overcome as they navigate their complicated healing journey. This is certainly not a complete list, nor does every detransitioner experience each one, but they all have most, if not all of these, pop up at some time that need to be processed. The issues are written from the patient’s perspective using clinical verbiage.

1. My initial underlying psychological struggle(s), which precipitated or accelerated my gender confusion (more on these later in the article).

2. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from all the iatrogenic chemical mismanagement and mutilating traumatic surgical interventions.

3. Grieving my losses of fertility, body parts, sexual pleasure and physical health.

4. Realizing I wasted so much time in my misguided healing pursuit. I can never get it back and will always feel behind my peers.

5. My feelings of anger and betrayal toward those with power or influence over me who neglected informed consent while they supported, endorsed or perpetrated malpractice by pushing “gender-affirming therapy.” This includes my behavioral health specialist, physicians, surgeons, healthcare system, parents and more. And if I decided as an adult to transition, then my spouse, siblings and mentors are added to the list.

6. My emotional dysregulation and cognitive impairment from exposing my brain to cross-sex hormones in doses my brain wasn’t intended to be exposed to or process.

7. Further ostracization from peers, family and loved ones while I was lost in my gender confusion struggle and pursuing significant unhealthy social and medical interventions, which negatively spiraled me. These interventions were, at best, confusing to my loved ones, and, at worst, antagonistic to my loved one’s advice or beliefs.

8. Backlash and animosity from the LGBTQ+ community for me being a walking example that their gender-affirming agenda doesn’t work, while also contradicting their theory that sex/ gender is fluid and not fixed. I feel like a commodity they used to further their agenda, and that love is conditional, as either side only loves me when I live the way they think is right.

9. I don’t fit in anywhere, as I am not trans anymore, but I’m not whole and normal either.

14 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

10. I have body dysmorphia issues prior to the medical interventions, as I believed multiple parts of my body were wrong.

And I have body dysmorphia issues after the medical interventions, as several parts of my body are definitely wrong and chronically disrupted and are the source of ongoing physical issues and psychological disruption.

11. I feel intense, episodic or low-grade chronic feelings of anger, shame or self-condemnation directed at myself for ultimately being the one who made the decision to pursue a gender different than my birth gender.

12. Being a lifelong medical patient, I now have ongoing worry about my physical health and longevity, as well as its ripples on my education, occupation, finances, insurance coverage, medical costs and long-term financial stability.

13.

Given my mutilation and psychological instability, could someone ever really love and commit to me as a lifelong love interest or marital relationship that most crave, expect to enjoy and dream of as a teenager?

14. Will I ever find a church that, once they find out the depth of my sinful thoughts and action, will accept me? Or will I always have to hide that part of my back story from any spiritual community I become part of?

Numbers two through 15 evolved after they started questioning their gender and pursued options to change. Number one, on the other hand, predates their confusion, which laid the faulty foundation for the rest of the issues on the list. I really want to take some time to unpack number one a bit more, but before I do, I want to explain an important concept about the mind.

15. Will God ever fully accept and forgive me for rejecting and mutilating His design and plan for me? And if He does, will I be able to shut off the tapes in my head and truly walk and live in that forgiveness, peace and freedom?

www.cmda.org | 15

ORIGIN OF GENDER CONFUSION EXPLAINING THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND

The foundational principle you need to appreciate to understand and help anyone, but especially detransitioners, is how potent the unconscious mind is.

Our unconscious activity is the primary influence on all our decisions, usually without us even knowing we are making a decision. All our experiences, information we’ve learned and especially the interpretations of those experiences and information are stored in a huge database in our memory banks.

As we interact with present situations, think about past experiences or anticipate future possibilities, we want to achieve the “best” outcome.

Usually that means minimize pain, maximize pleasure. Our powerful mind starts sorting through our database for any files that relate, even just a little, to the task at hand to achieve that optimal outcome. Some of that data bubbles up to our conscious thinking level, and those are thoughts you are fully aware of and can verbalize without effort. However, because of limited RAM to process thoughts consciously, the overwhelming majority of our processing is unconscious, meaning just below the surface of being able to immediately identify or verbalize the thoughts. This is why many with same-sex attraction or gender confusion have trouble seeing their position as a decision; instead, they believe they were born that way.

Unconscious thinking explains why adult children of alcoholics often marry alcoholics. Or why people become conflict avoiders or people pleasers. Or why some crave power and others avoid it. Or why girls are attracted to bad boys. Or why we do things we know are unhealthy. Paul writes about his ineffectiveness to control his unconscious thinking in Romans 7:15-25 (written in my paraphrase): “I’m so confused. The good things I want to do, I don’t. And the bad things I don’t want to do, I do. Woe be me, who will win this war within me between the flesh and the spirit? In my mind (conscious space) I know what’s right, but my flesh (unconscious mind and the distortions/lies stored deep in the database) keeps on driving my decisions to do what is wrong. Wretched man that I am, who will win this battle? Thank you, Jesus, for your grace and the power to one day overcome.”

16 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

Now let’s apply this to the person struggling with gender confusion. The etiology of gender confusion is psychospiritual, and it is primarily driven by unconscious thoughts and processing. (Note: I use the term psychospiritual because all our psychological activities and functioning are tethered to and guided by our spiritual belief system). Just like the adage, “Garbage in, garbage out,” the gender-confused individual accumulates some misinformed, illogical or incorrect data somewhere along the way and stores this data in their database. This incorrect data unconsciously interferes with their decisions about who they are, how God designed them and how to live out their God-given identity and impact. This illogical data tricks them to believe in the illogical prideful option of thinking they know more than God and that chemical and surgical interventions are the logical solution. Illogical data also makes the logical option of humbly accepting and living out God’s beautiful design for them look illogical.

For the gender-confused person, most of their illogical/incorrect data comes from stored interpretations of their interactions with and observations of their siblings (usually older and same sex), peers (same sex again are more influential) or parents. It could also be a result of premature sexualization (abuse, molestation, pornography, etc.) or interactions with other close loved ones and extended family.

Let me share several common examples: • The sexual abuse victim believes the perpetrator pursued them because of their biological sex. Unconsciously, they reason the abuse wouldn’t have happened if they were a different sex, and they will have less chance of being abused in the future.

• A boy has two older brothers who excel at typical male sports, but he himself doesn’t like or isn’t good at sports. To avoid the expectations and comparisons to his older brothers or rationalize why he isn’t good at sports, he unconsciously believes he must be female.

• A female who doesn’t mesh with other female peers, gets bullied or is socially marginalized unconsciously thinks she must be a male, or being a male would escape the lifetime of suffering she anticipates and fears.

• The person who is uncomfortable with their feelings of samesex attraction unconsciously comes up with a way out. Instead of admitting they are homosexual, it is easier to accept they were mistakenly assigned the wrong sex at birth. So, by changing their own sex/gender, they now are attracted to someone “opposite” their new sex/gender and consider themselves now heterosexual.

• Some children have difficulty attaining healthy resolution of the Oedipal stages of child development (ages three to six).

This is the stage when kids are really connected to their opposite sex parent. Girls want to marry daddy, and boys want to marry mommy. Simultaneously, they see the same sex parent as a competitor and are somewhat defiant, combative toward or even reject that parent. When both parents unite as a loving couple then healthily, securely and lovingly manage the child’s thoughts and actions, healthy resolution is achieved.

The child realizes their mommy and daddy are together in a safe and awesome relationship. Even though they can’t marry their opposite sex parent, they unconsciously realize if they identify with and obtain the positive attributes of their same sex parent, they will get a great spouse like their opposite parent whose traits they desire. When various disruptions occur in these formative years, instead of having healthy, loving relationships with both parents and identifying in a healthy way with their same sex parent, they interpret their gender must not be correct as one of the main contributing factors to the disruption and unhealthy “resolution” of this phase.

• Persons on the autistic spectrum struggle with social skills, are more concrete and have difficulty abstracting. These complicate their search for identity and hinder healthy interactions with parents, siblings and peers. These spectrum characteristics also corrupt their ability to accurately interpret the real world and the interactions they experience and/or observe.

Both of these lead to a higher probability of experiencing the precipitation issues listed and more.

• The individual who has characteristics or interests that do not fit classical gender stereotype, such as the girl who is a tomboy, athletic, more direct, less relational and not interested in domestic activities or motherhood. Or perhaps the boy is interested in theatre, music, cooking, crocheting, knitting, etc.

Many of these resolve when puberty sets in, or soon into adolescence, but if not, and if no one helps them understand that those nontraditional gender interests are fine, no matter what physical body God designed them as, they might start to believe they were born with the wrong sex assignment.

As you can see, these experiences and their associated unconscious interpretations are ground zero then early accelerants of identity confusion, insecurity, anxiety, depression, anger, loss and trauma. If not addressed and corrected closely after the events, they escalate to mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, body and eating issues, self-harm (which chemical and surgical procedures are part of ), addictions, intra- and interpersonal struggles, moral injury and significant spiritual distance or antagonism. In my experience, the leading reason why most who struggle with gender confusion come back and decide to identify with their genetic sex is because all their “gender-affirming therapy” efforts never cured any of these underlying psychospiritual struggles as promised. In fact, after a short honeymoon period of some superficial psychological improvement that some attain, they have not only their initial problems, but they also now have the myriad of physical issues and the long list of psychospiritual issues listed above to contend with as well.

GET INVOLVED in a Detransitioner Network

This article serves to introduce healthcare professionals to the psychiatric issues and needs of a detransitioner. However, we understand that detransitioners will also need significant assistance for their non-psychiatric medical needs. As a result of detransitioners taking significant doses of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, as well as undergoing mutilating surgeries, they will need significant care from numerous nonpsychiatric medical professionals.

This includes endocrinology, oncology, surgery, OB/Gyn for females, urology for males and females, plastic surgery, dermatology and primary care physicians to be overall watchdogs and care coordinators. This list could grow as we learn more about detransitioners and the effects of the medical interventions they were exposed to.

CMDA is looking to develop a network of healthcare professionals who are interested in providing care to these individuals. If you are interested in learning more and getting involved, contact communications@cmda.org.

www.cmda.org | 17

REBUILDING IDENTITY IN CHRIST You probably realized the detransitioner is going through a great deal of turmoil internally, but hopefully this article shared more tangible internal etiology and pathways for why they pursued the odd changes you see on their outside. Also, I pray I am clear about the essential need for professionals to provide intensive Christian psychological expertise to treat, mentor and disciple this hurting person from pain to peace, bondage to freedom and rejection from to belonging to God. This psychospiritual work is difficult and painful, just like getting rid of cancer takes effort and incurs pain. Nevertheless, don’t allow Satan to deceive you or the patient into thinking the old gender-confused way was less painful or less costly. Your encouragement, prayers, empathy, compassion, love and wisdom can be the blessed professional voice they need to continue their path to wholeness and their God-given potential when their resolve wanes and they want to quit their restoration journey. You are like Nehemiah, helping them transform the rubble, debris and chaos of their identity and rebuilding their identity and life on the rock of Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, psychological services are primary in helping detransitioners accept and live in their God-given potential psychospiritually, while also accepting the physiological limi-

tations and losses brought on by their misguided decisions.

You will be a significant support, encourager, case manager and discipler as they try to pick up the broken pieces and stop trying to write their own instruction manual of how to get the most out of their lives. Instead, you can guide them to allow our Designer and Author of Great Comebacks show them the amazing comeback story He’s written specifically for them.

Karl Benzio, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist.

He received his BS in biomedical engineering from Duke University and his MD from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, and then he completed a psychiatric residency at University of California-Irvine. Dr. Karl is Christian residential facility Honey Lake Clinic’s co-founder and Medical Director and the American Association of Christian Counselors’ Medical Director. Fueled by God’s healing of his own struggles, Karl hates when Satan wins anything. His specialty is deconstructing decision-making mechanics/sciences to show how Satan steals, kills and destroys, but, more importantly, also revealing powerful healing available through practical spirit, mind and body integration, which he calls practical neurotheology. Karl’s passion is integrating the Bible with psychiatric sciences helping people of all ages and backgrounds operationalize biblical truths into biblical living, regardless of their psychospiritual struggle. Karl’s calling is to reignite Jesus’ behavioral health revolution, and, while being a Nehemiah, collaborating with Nehemiah-likes to rebuild the battered city of healing Jesus initially built. He loves Jesus, his wife Martine, their three incredible daughters/son-in-laws/granddaughter, the Jersey Shore, ice cream and pickleball!

18 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

Thank you for being a member of CMDA. Membership is the link that connects you to missions, community and advocacy.

It is a privilege to be part of your journey.

Start or Renew Your Membership Today

“CMDA reminds me to keep first things first and wake up every day and live out Christ’s powerful words, ‘Follow me.’ CMDA has been an incredible blessing in my life and I am committed to serving with and through CMDA for the rest of my life.”

—Jacob R. Morris, MD

Let us know how we can support you so that you continue to make a difference.

CMDA Member Services 888-230-2637 cmda.org/join • memberservices@cmda.org Paid Advertisement

organized medicine and the response to Dobbs seeking crucial and constructive conversations John D. Mellinger, MD, FACS

O

n June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a landmark decision in which the court held that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.1 A number of medical professional organizations responded to the decision with public statements. These responses were framed around themes including affirmation of patient autonomy, protection of the doctor-patient relationship, preservation of abortion

20 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

experience in the training environment and protection of disparately affected populations. On July 7, 2022, more than 75 organizations across the spectrum of medical specialties and their certifying boards issued a further joint statement reiterating similar concerns and positions.2 The nearly universal voice of organized medicine as reflected in these statements was condemnatory of the court’s decision and its anticipated impact on abortion access, which was seen as a cornerstone of reproductive health service.

GET INVOLVED As one of the core aspects of CMDA’s ministry efforts, CMDA is dedicated to serving as a Christian healthcare voice on issues like abortion, assisted suicide, conscience freedoms and more. We do that through our advocacy efforts on both state and federal levels. As a healthcare professional, your voice carries weight—and we need that weight and expertise as we stand together to bring the hope and healing of Christ to the world through advocacy. To learn more and get involved with CMDA’s advocacy efforts, visit cmda.org/advocacy..

Several elements are absent from these statements. These include reference to the sanctity of life as a historically foundational value for the medical profession. Similarly absent is acknowledgment that a sizeable segment of the American population is, in fact, “pro-life” in its perspective. There is no related evidence of awareness of the non-inclusivity of these statements endeavoring to represent the voice of the profession on behalf of both patients and healthcare professionals. Finally, there is no reference to the possibility or potential merit of solutions other than abortion in the prevention and mitigation of unwanted pregnancy.

This viewpoint is offered in respect for our professional organizations and the significance of their collective voice, with whom, as reflected in these statements, I disagree. It is understood that our organizational leaders are acting in alignment with their own consciences and worldviews, and they care deeply about issues that are worthy of care. These include the impact of an unwanted pregnancy on the life of the mother and the related and all too typically disparate burden of care borne by the woman following the pregnancy. Issues of maternal and neonatal mortality are also high on their list of concerns, and these are indeed critical healthcare outcomes to be weighed. It was obviously such concerns, along with those highlighted in the statements themselves, that have prompted the collective house of organized medicine to speak as it has in near unison.

My intent in sharing this viewpoint is accordingly not to critique or judge the motives of my colleagues, nor to dismiss the gravitas of the concerns they highlight. Rather, it is to ask for a deeper and more nuanced dialogue than we have, as reflected in these public statements, achieved.

This conversation is important for several reasons. The first pertains to the philosophic framing of the relationship between the healthcare professional and the stewardship of life. While there has been debate over the elements of the Hippocratic tradition

that pertain to abortion and their application in both ancient and modern times, there can be little argument that a commitment to preserving rather than ending life was, until the last 75 years, a foundational value of the medical profession as enfranchised in its oaths and professional commitments. While the implications of the abandonment of that commitment (as reflected on themes including abortion and euthanasia) to the profession’s character and reputation may not yet be fully apparent, it does not seem out of order to recognize that it represents a significant shift.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This article was first composed and submitted to one of the leading medical journals in summer 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. It was at that time titled “Nothing to Nuance: Organized Medicine’s Response to Dobbs.” It was prompted by the essentially uniform response of organized medicine, as reflected in our academic and professional societies as well as boards, in condemning the Dobbs decision and its consequences.

The piece itself was an attempt to speak winsomely and humbly into that then evolving conversation from a sanctity of life perspective, hoping an editorial of this nature might open the door to a broadened and respectful dialogue with colleagues who did not share a biblical worldview. It was greeted by a rejection notice that came within 24 hours from the editorial staff of that journal.

The themes raised came up in a recent discussion I had with CMDA CEO Dr. Mike Chupp. After reviewing, Dr. Chupp suggested we share it with the CMDA audience as one example of how we might seek to be winsome in appealing to our colleagues, as well as in promoting constructive dialogue in such areas of conscience and ethics in healthcare. I am sure many of our readers will have used similar or no doubt better “talking points” in their own work on these themes. I offer what follows to this audience not as a comprehensive or even adequate thesis, but hopefully as a stimulus to dialogue and thought around the theme of being prepared to “…give the reason for the hope that you have… with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15), something this writer is still very much learning to do. I pray it might serve our members in their own conversations on issues of like importance.

www.cmda.org | 21

A utilitarian and contractual, rather than sacred and covenantal, relationship between the healthcare professional and all life may seem a subtle nuance under the protection of a morally grounded society; however, in an era where moral knowledge is increasingly seen as uncertain if not unknowable, there may be more opportunistic and dangerous relativisms at hand. One doesn’t have to retreat to ancient times to see examples of what medicine can be not only complicit to, but participatory in, when some lives are deemed of lower status and value than others. Tuskegee, Nazi Germany and other examples come readily to mind. The present disparities in our system both nationally and globally make this a present and practical, rather than merely historical and theoretical, point of discussion. If all life is not to be valued and protected, the door is opened to deciding which lives in fact deserve the prioritized protection of the profession, and that seems a slippery slope for both patients and future healthcare professionals to walk upon. While colleagues may debate the reality of this threat, surely it can be agreed that it should not be ignored. Our own history as a profession entails that obligation, plus the recent and ongoing memory of its failures.

A second concern relates to the fact that we are rightly beginning to recognize the importance of having advocates within the profession who represent our patients’ diverse demographic and cultural backgrounds, while also understanding that the lack of this representation has relevance to patient outcomes. Current estimates by Gallup polls suggest that 39 percent of Americans self-identify as pro-life.3 Is there any other demographic of that proportion that organized medicine would choose to uniformly ignore in its advocacy and policy-guiding statements? Surely there should not be, nor should it be ignored that that is precisely what seems to have occurred in our recent statements.

The point here is not that professional norms are up for popular vote as a proxy for principle; rather, the concern is that our professional house has found no room in which to acknowledge a substantial minority (and in some locales, a majority) of the populace we serve.

Additional concerns we will not have the space to herein develop include the fact that our appropriate and necessary spirit of non-judgment has seemingly devolved from the ethic of compassion and commitment to service for all into agnostic silence on issues of health relevance. The profession seems to increasingly be content to abrogate its opportunity to advocate for truly health protective and promoting options that could limit the need for abortion as a solution. Absent from the canon of statements offered are elements detailing the health, psychological and sexual implications of “hook up” culture and other contemporary expressions of liberated sexuality, consideration of adoption as a life-honoring vehicle for unwanted pregnancy and more. These are complex issues, but they are apparently non-issues as reflected in our professional statements, and that seems woefully inadequate if our goal is to truly promote health and thriving for future generations.

22 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

A final concern, and one that was expressed far more powerfully than this voice can muster, came from Mother Teresa in her address to the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994.4 In that appeal, she outlines what can happen to the soul of a society that endorses violence as a preferred way to deal with the intrusions that life brings against our wishes, if not outside what our behaviors allow. She describes the violence of abortion and what it teaches society to allow in other contexts. In an era in which our society begs for healing from the ravages of violence on multiple fronts, not least including our political and policy discourse, it is hoped our profession can demonstrate an openness to nuanced conversation on complex themes and be of healing, rather than polarizing influence, going forward.

Endnotes 1 https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf 2 https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2022/07/more-than-75health-care-organizations-release-joint-statement-in-oppositionto-legislative-interference#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAbortion%20 care%20is%20safe%20and,of%20our%20health%20care%20 infrastructure 3 h ttps://news.gallup.com/poll/393104/pro-choice-identificationrises-near-record-high.aspx 4 https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ motherteresanationalprayerbreakfast.htm#:~:text=I%20must%20 be%20willing%20to,hurt%20Jesus%20to%20love%20us

John D. Mellinger, MD, FACS, is the current Vice President of the American Board of Surgery and Professor Emeritus of Surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Dr. Mellinger practiced gastrointestinal and minimally invasive surgery for more than 30 years prior to his current duties. He has served as former president of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, as well as a member of several national boards, including the American Board of Surgery (Chair, 2020 to 2021), the American Board of Family Medicine and CMDA’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Mellinger has also served as Academic Dean for CMDA’s Commission on Medical and Dental Education. He has received more than 30 teaching awards, including the CMDA Educator of the Year Award and two other national level educator awards. Dr. Mellinger and his wife Elaine have four children and 12 grandchildren.

Exceptional Training for Serving God through Medicine The mission of In His Image is to improve health and bring hope by training physicians in our Family Medicine Residency Program, giving excellent holistic healthcare to our patients and providing medical education and healthcare overseas.

We train our residents to practice compassionate medicine in a wide variety of settings, focusing on medically underserved populations in the United States (both urban and rural) and overseas.

FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY DOMESTIC OUTREACH GLOBAL HEALTH

www.inhisimage.org Paid Advertisement

{and What to Do About It} William T. Griffin, DDS

24 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

group of colleagues and myself met recently to discuss episode 16 of CMDA’s Faith Prescriptions video series at a Christian clinic in Yorktown, Virginia. Episode leader Dr. Farr Curlin states regarding the practice of medicine, “We should make use of it, it’s a gift of God, but don’t put our hope in it, as if it is the physician who saves.” A physician member of our group, who works at a local military base, mentioned how discouraging it can be when our patients have unreasonable expectations of us. “They expect results from us that only God can provide,” he bemoaned.

When patients give us more credit than we deserve, we tend to take it in stride.

However, when we fall short of our patients’ expectations, we recognize the truth of Benjamin Franklin’s words, “God heals, and doctors take the fees.”

of empirical knowledge can tend to create a sort of intellectual arrogance that almost encourages worship from our patients.

A second reason for our patients’ exaggerated expectations of us relates to the increased secularization of our society. The more our society rejects the true God, the greater will be the tendency to seek some other entity to take the place where only God rightfully belongs. St. Augustine referred to the “God-shaped hole” ( John 4:13-14) which every human will seek to fill. There are no all-knowing healthcare professionals on planet earth, but for the person who has rejected the only omniscient One, they could be tempted to settle for a greatly inferior human who happens to know a lot about the human body.

A third explanation for the deification of healthcare professionals stems from the what the apostle Paul calls the “last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26), the inevitability of physical death for all of us mere mortals. All of us hold onto at least a bit of fear regarding death, even those whose eternal future has been secured by Jesus Christ. Those who do not belong to Christ will usually be inclined toward a greater fear of what might come next. Because of this fear, some patients desperately view their healthcare professionals as their final hope.

Gospel Opportunities

Why is it our patients so often expect us to come up with the instant diagnosis and the perfect solution to whatever ails them? Might there even be a way to turn this awkward situation into a gospel opportunity?

The lively discussion that occurred on this topic at our Faith Prescriptions group meeting created a great opportunity to learn from one another’s thoughts. This is your opportunity to eavesdrop on portions of our group’s discussion.

Unrealistic Expectations

Why do so many in our society develop unrealistic expectations of our capacity to heal them? Part of the answer might lie in our tendency to portray ourselves as those who can meet our patients’ every physical need. We stand on the shoulders of all of those in healthcare who came before us, and this platform

The most amazing aspect of our meeting that Saturday morning was the realization that, when a patient looks to us as though we are super-human, a beautiful gospel opportunity is staring us in the face. We see a similar situation in Acts 14, in which Paul heals a man crippled from birth. The response of the people is, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men” (Acts 14:11, ESV).

Paul and Barnabas are quick to refute this notion, responding, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (Acts 14:15, ESV).

So, how can we in healthcare best minister to those patients who address us, either in praise or with unrealistic expectations, as though we possess herculean healing abilities? Specifically, how might we point them to the only One who can provide ultimate healing?

As our Faith Prescriptions study group pondered this question, it was suggested that we should each take a few moments to come up with possible responses we might share with patients.

The following are a few mentioned:

www.cmda.org | 25

“I do my best to keep up with all the advances in my field as a dermatologist. This is a commitment I have made to God, to my patients and to myself. I want what is best for you and will work to that end with all my strength. But remember that, ultimately, it is God who truly does the healing of the body and, more importantly, the soul. So today let’s work together and determine what the best course of action will be to keep you healthy—physically, mentally and spiritually.”

“The more I learn about the human body and how it works, the more convinced I become that we were designed by a loving Creator. As David says in Psalm 139, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and it’s a privilege to learn through healthcare the truth of these words.”

“I want you to know that I am committed to you and to promoting your wellness in every sense of the word. Also, it’s important to know that in order to achieve true wellness, no doctor (myself included) has any ability to heal, left to our own devices. The good news is that God is fully adequate to the task. He provides healing, hope and life-changing encouragement, even in the most trying of circumstances, and moving forward to help you in the best way, I will be drawing on that wisdom.”

What does it look like each day in your practice to

COMMUNICATE THE LOVE OF CHRIST TO YOUR PATIENTS? How can you encourage your patients to

CONFIDE IN YOU REGARDING SPIRITUAL NEEDS?

How does the love of Christ motivate you to

DO YOUR VERY BEST FOR YOUR PATIENTS?

“Like you, I am often frustrated at the limitations of our ability to combat disease—in the lives of my patients and in my own life. It helps me to remember that, ultimately, only the Lord can bring about healing, so I look to Him to help me help you. Would it be good for you if I prayed for you now?”

Regardless of the specific words we might use to redirect our patients’ ultimate dependence from us to their Creator, the most important principle to keep in mind is captured in the words of Father Cavanaugh in the movie Rudy, “There is a God, and I’m not him.”

The mission of Faith Prescriptions is to equip Christian healthcare professionals to communicate the love of Christ, in word and in deed, to our patients, students and colleagues. To learn more about CMDA’s Faith Prescriptions series, visit cmda.org/learning.

William T. Griffin, DDS, has been a CMDA member for almost four decades, and he currently serves as CMDA’s Vice President for Dental Ministries. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and he received his DDS degree at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. His career in healthcare has led him to discover the strong ties between physical health and spiritual health, and over the years he has been greatly inspired by CMDA’s medical outreach teaching programs, The Saline Solution and Grace Prescriptions.

26 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

The mission of FAITH PRESCRIPTIONS video training series, designed for small groups, is to equip Christian healthcare professionals to communicate the love of Christ, in word and in deed, to our patients, students and colleagues.

RAISINGHis BANNER

Isaiah 11:10

MAY 2-5, 2024

Ridgecrest Conference Center Black Mountain, North Carolina

Register now at natcon.cmda.org Paid Advertisement

VOLUNTEERING I T ’ S

A

L I F E S T Y L E

Robert W. Dettmer, MD, with Susan L. Dettmer, RN, LCSW

W

hen you first begin considering the idea of volunteering, the simple thought might be overwhelming for a busy healthcare professional who’s trying to balance obligations at work, at home, at church, in the clinic, on campus and across a host of other areas. It’s no surprise that many of us in healthcare would steer far away from volunteering because there are just not enough hours in the day, not to mention enough margin in our schedules.

28 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

However, I’ve come to understand that volunteering for us is a lifestyle—and it’s a lifestyle the Scriptures challenge us to pursue throughout our lives. It’s reflected in verses like Acts 20:35, which says, “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (ESV). Or in Hebrews 13:1-2, “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (ESV).

These verses only scratch the surface of how serving others was a constant theme throughout Jesus’ ministry. So, if we strive to obey God’s call on our lives, using the skills God gave us to serve others is an important aspect of our walk with Christ.

In our experience, the most important step in developing a lifestyle of volunteering was actually taking the first step and getting involved. To offer examples of how you can get involved volunteering in your community wherever God has you planted, I’ve outlined below the volunteering both my wife and I have been involved in throughout our careers, which allowed us to make a positive impact on our community. Looking back, it’s incredible to see how God directed our steps over the years, as well as how He continued to lead and guide our work even as we moved into our retirement.

During my medicine residency and nephrology fellowship, I was employed part-time at Summerford Nursing Home by the owner, Bobby Summerford. I witnessed and was able to participate in his goal of treating his patients like family. He hosted special events, such as ice cream socials and watermelon parties, primarily from produce grown on their own farm. He created wheelchair-friendly paths around beautiful flower gardens for the residents to enjoy. It was my first foray into volunteering, as I witnessed a type of patient care and was shown the value of an often-forgotten population.

The lessons I learned there stayed with me as I began my practice as a nephrologist serving our growing patient population.

My journey into local community activities began when a physician friend asked me to let my name stand for secretary of the Fort Wayne Medical Society (FWMS). In the years that followed, I served as board member, leading to serving as president of the FWMS. I led the renovation and fundraising for a downtown building that would serve both as the home of the Fort Wayne Medical Society and Three Rivers Neighborhood Health Services (TRC). The TRC was started by a pediatrician to provide low-income well baby visits (later supported by the FWMS), and it was then expanded to add prenatal care and other services for low-income clientele. As we undertook fundraising, I discovered how little I knew— and it was apparent to those around me! Fortunately for me,

www.cmda.org | 29

a seasoned volunteer with the Fort Wayne Community Foundation came alongside me. She recognized a young man who was in over his head and offered to mentor me. Her assistance mattered, because the TRC ultimately became a Federally Qualified Health Center, a major provider of low-income healthcare in our community.

Some years later, a surgeon friend invited me to join him in volunteering at Matthew 25 Health and Care, a privately supported, free clinic for low-income clientele in Allen County, Indiana that provides both medical and dental care. I volunteered by staffing a monthly hypertension clinic. This ultimately led to a board position within the organization, and I continue to serve on the Board of Directors many years later. A great mentor and surgeon friend was my encourager over numerous years at this clinic. Having been the recipient of mentorship and provider of volunteer care, I realized how much our community had given us, leading to a broader interest in other community foundations and board positions.

For my wife Sue, volunteering began as it does for countless other young moms, both at school and church. When two of our four children left for college, Sue began volunteering at TRC, using her nurse training that had been dormant for 10 years. Her time volunteering at the TRC was eye opening and rewarding, considering there was much to learn about effectively serving and working with low-income clientele with incredibly limited resources. A TRC social worker coached Sue and helped her gain insight into the lives and thinking of patients living in generational poverty, which helped Sue uncover an interest previously unrealized. Her skill sets grew quickly, along with her love of the clientele. The time at TRC led to Sue earning a master’s degree in social work (MSW), and one of her internships was spent at TRC. After graduation, Sue spent some years in the private sector, where she carved out one-third of her time for Medicaid clients. During this time, several of the therapists mentored her as she offered individual and group therapy with adolescents under house arrest. Once again Sue saw the importance of learning from mentors to understand the complicated lives of chronically stressful households. As strange as it sounds, parenting classes for parents who had lost their children due to abuse or neglect was a highlight of the classes she offered. For Sue, it became a joy to work with the people in these difficult situations. When she no longer wanted to counsel early mornings or evenings, she retired from private practice and found that opportunities to serve were plentiful in the community. She committed to volunteer in our church’s counseling ministry three to four days a week depending on the need. Over time she scaled back to two days a week, and that arrangement continued for nine years.

When I retired from medical practice, I worked in an administrative position with a dialysis company that I found to be a wonderful change of pace, without night call and weekends. In addition, I could engage in my aviation hobby and met numer30 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

GET INVOLVED CMDA offers a variety of volunteering opportunities across our various ministries, such as through mission trips, advocacy efforts, local council leadership and more. To learn more about volunteer opportunities through CMDA, or how you can get involved in your local area, contact CMDA at communications@cmda.org.

ous new medical personnel as the company acquired dialysis facilities in several southern states.

Following this time, a close friend from church contacted me because she was alarmed at some of the things her 12-yearold grandson listened to on the radio. She had worked many years with WBCL, a Christian FM radio station affiliated with Taylor University, which previously had initiated a chat center where teens could share their internal struggles. Her vision was to establish a non-profit organization to host a web-based radio station 24 hours a day that chatted by text with teens in the area and, as time passed, all over the country. I love startups, so we jumped in financially, with Sue and I both serving on the board. Four years later, Remedy FM became Remedy Live, using trained “Soul Medics” to text with teens across multiple time zones, having meaningful conversations, giving hope, offering encouragement and sharing the Good News! Today, it plays a major role in addressing the mental health epidemic afflicting our society, especially the teen population.

Our son Tom, a psychologist, served on the board of a woman’s residential facility known as A Friend’s House. Women whose psychological issues compromised their independent living chose to participate in a nine- to 12-month program including weekly counseling. Tom thought Sue would be perfect to work with the women in this program. She initially declined as the facility was 30 miles away; however, God had other plans! The director of A Friend’s House asked Sue to meet for coffee to guide her in addressing some difficult issues with clients. After several conversations, it seemed best for her to meet the staff and see how the program was run. Sue left the facility that day committing to one

Another opportunity to serve presented itself when I was asked to serve on the Ivy Tech Regional Community College Board serving northeast Indiana. I thoroughly enjoyed helping to develop and expand services in our region, meeting countless people involved in the vocations that make our nation work efficiently. After 14 years and the retirement of our Regional Chancellor, I retired and left the position to a younger individual. Although I believe that volunteering is applicable to all ages, some board positions are better served by younger people.

Sue would say that somewhere along the way in the last 40 years the purpose of volunteering shifted from diversion (from raising children) to satisfaction of using our professional skills to volunteering as God’s calling and a way of living.

to two days a week until they found a full-time counselor. Sue eventually ended up volunteering there for eight years!

At another point, I was asked to serve on a foundation board resulting from the sale of our downtown Catholic hospital, which was a great fit with my other community experiences.

Because of my service on multiple boards, there were occasional conflicts of interest, like when a grant request was submitted from an organization on whose board I was a member. Recusal was always granted when voting. A highlight of this board was frequent site visits to its grantees, especially when leadership or services changed. I found this to be valuable in understanding our community and its services.

Meanwhile, after she finished her volunteering at our church, Sue received texts and emails from friends seeking a counselor for themselves or a friend. And as God does, He tugged at her heart to stay active in counseling, and He even provided an office. One of Sue’s clients knew she was no longer counseling at the church, so she offered space at her office gratis and Sue volunteered her counseling. It was a wonderful arrangement. Sue would text her that she had scheduled appointments, and her client would make it work at her office. It was yet another way to volunteer!

She loved the mix of seeing believers and non-believers. Sue has always understood that God had given her a heart for the unbeliever. All the years at TRC and in private practice cemented the love of people with difficult situations, with a hole in their heart, needing someone to mentor them in how they see the world. When Sue’s client who generously offered her office changed locations, Sue began to meet at coffee shops, at our home or via Zoom.

I certainly agree with that statement. I would add that, as Sue and I have grown in our faith, stepping up, getting involved and serving seems natural to both of us. Living in the same community for nearly 50 years gives us a sense of pride in where we live and a desire to see its most vulnerable protected and cared for. It is a wonderful way to express gratitude, while strengthening our faith. I have a desire to give back, since we have been given so very much and it provides a sense of purpose and joy after retirement.

Reflecting on the idea of volunteering, God calls each of us in a variety of different ways, frequently through friendships, changing and growing our hearts as we follow Him, occasionally into roles for which we don’t initially feel prepared.

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

—1 Timothy 6:17-19, ESV Robert W. Dettmer, MD, is a retired nephrologist also certified in internal medicine. Dr. Dettmer studied at Indiana University School of Medicine, and he completed his internship at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana and his residency in internal medicine and nephrology fellowship at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. He has served as past president of the Fort Wayne Medical Society (1984 to 1985). He is a member of the Indiana State Medical Association, American Medical Association and other medical societies. Dr. Dettmer is also a licensed pilot.

Susan L. Dettmer, RN, LCSW, is a retired nurse and licensed social worker. Mrs. Dettmer completed her nursing degree at the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing and earned her MSW from Indiana University School of Social Work. She has served in various nursing positions and also as a counselor, and she earned her credentialing in marriage and family therapists. She continues to offer private counseling.

www.cmda.org | 31

Bioethics The Dr. John Patrick Bioethics Column

21st CENTURY SAVAGERY

and

T

Hamas

How Do We Understand Evil?

John Patrick, MD

he savagery of Hamas in Israel has been on everyone’s mind in recent weeks.

Most political leaders, including Saudi leaders, have expressed their horror at what was done. The killing of civilians, including women and children, plus the mutilation and degradation of dead bodies, is impossible to defend. The depravity of Hamas fighters is undeniable.

As John Robson wrote in a commentary article for The Epoch Times, “In the West, including Israel, we kill when we must. But going back to ancient Greece, we do not desecrate except when we lose our minds. Desecrate is the key word. Such conduct willfully denies that we are all made in the image of God. Instead we give a dignified, if frosty, burial even to an executed mass killer because we regard their body as a sad, disquieting object, a reminder of how far they fell and a warning as to how far we might. Not these people. They frankly deny the humanity of Jews, and their goal is not a ‘two-state solution’ or even the peaceful expulsion of Jews from their ancient homeland. It is their extermination…It is a stark warning that those who hate God’s chosen people hate God.”1

TWO WAYS OF SEEING

In his book A Conflict of Visions, Robert Sowell shows that different visions of human nature cause divisions among us. In the West, it is indeed rare to see agreement among the political classes that usually contort morality to their anointed narrative. Israel is often attacked, despite being the only functional democracy in the Middle East. The Arab world understands this; not one regime is willing to let the Palestinians leave Gaza and the West Bank and take them in.

Yet, worldwide demonstrations support the Palestinian cause; the rhetoric is full of passion and anger, as some deny the savagery, while others see the Hamas genocide of the Jews as the will of Allah, a necessary step to freedom for Palestine. For an understanding of the extent of the infiltration of our schools, universities and media, listen to Mark Levin2 or read Quatar’s War for Young American Minds. In reality, anyone who joins demonstrations to support Palestine both tacitly and implicitly supports what happened in the kibbutzim in southern Israel. They are celebrating the rape of teenage girls at a music festival in the name of resistance.

32 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

There is immediate condemnation of Israel for denying humanitarian aid into Gaza. This issue is best dealt with by Natasha Hausdorff, an English lawyer. With calm politeness, she schooled the BBC’s Katya Adler in what the law requires in these circumstances, how Israel is observing this law to the letter and the singular perversity of Adler’s BBC mindset.3 It is a master class in telling truth to moral ignorance and idiocy.

ANGER AND PASSION DO NOT EXCUSE ATROCITIES

Long ago in 1777, Edmund Burke said that passion does not excuse ignorance. I am writing this column in Idaho, where I am lecturing this week. Most of the sessions here have ended in a discussion of how the Christian mind has withered and how we need to rediscover our intellectual roots by paying attention to history.

Christians have played significant roles in political, legal and fiscal reform, as well as in the abolition of slavery. When Christians and others stand up against evil, bad situations are made better, people are changed and what God created is restored.

The tone of current discussions about slavery changes dramatically when one points out that Paul wrote the death certificate for slavery when he wrote that there is neither bond nor free, but all are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). An incredulous silence usually follows when the audience sees Anselm’s decree issued by the Council of Lon-

don in 1102: “Let no one dare hereafter to engage in the infamous business, prevalent in England, of selling men like animals.”4 And in 1537, Pope Paul III said, “Indian and other people should not be deprived of their liberty and their possessions, and are not to be reduced to slavery.”5 By the 1700s, Christians led to the abolition of slavery, first in the British Empire and later in America.

JUDAIC ETHIC OF JUSTICE AND A CHRISTIAN ETHIC OF LOVE: A LEGACY FOR THE WEST

For today’s purpose, it is wise to quote comments from thoughtful liberal minds. Here is Jurgen Habermas, who is a left-liberal professor and not by any means evangelical.

• “For the normative self-understanding of modernity, Christianity has served as more than just a precursor or a catalyst.

Egalitarianism, from which spring the ideals of freedom and a collective life in solidarity, the autonomous conduct of life and emancipation, the individual morality of conscience, human rights and democracy, is all the direct legacy of a Judaic ethic of justice and a Christian ethic of love.”

• “From a moral point of view, there is no excuse for terrorist acts, regardless of the motive or the situation under which they are carried out. Nothing justifies our making allowance for the murder or suffering of others for one’s own purposes.”6 Those words would surprise a good many of the modern, young, left-of-center on our campuses today. Within today’s context, the Christian understanding of the world is unique, so also the current expression of the behavior of Hamas. Christians were there long before most people recognize; our responsibility is to expound and apply our legacy of good and evil in this situation.

ENMITY AND VIOLENCE: A LEGACY FOR RADICAL HAMAS

Here is what Osama Bin Laden wrote, “We renounce you. Enmity and hate shall forever reign between us—till you believe in Allah alone.” Allah’s word to his Prophet was, “O Prophet! Wage war against the infidels and hypocrites and be ruthless. There abode is hell—an evil fate!” Author Raymond Ibrahim wrote, “Such, then, is the basis and foundation of the relationship between the infidel and the Muslim. Battle, animosity, and hatred—directed from the Muslim to the infidel—is the foundation of our religion. And we consider this a justice and kindness to them.”7 The 1998 Hamas Covenant says, • “Israel...will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”

• “ The day that enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. In the face of the Jews’ usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised.”

• “The Islamic Resistance Movement consider itself to be the spearhead of the circle of struggle with world Zionism…Islamic groupings all over the Arab world should also do the same, since all of these are the best-equipped for the future role in the fight with the warmongering Jews.”8

A QUESTION OF AUTHORITY

What I hope you see emerging here is that our attempt to exclude religion from politics leads to extreme difficulties. Without real authority behind a belief system, there are serious problems. We have to acknowledge that current politics is concerned with power and sectarian interests and has no interest in truth. In the West, we are living on

the legacy of a Judeo-Christian history, while trying to avoid how little authority we have left in the system. We are often misguided.

When we talk about evidence-based medicine, we do not mean evidence-based medicine, because unless you can read the methodology of a scientific paper, you cannot understand the conclusion. What you actually do, and what we should tell the students to do, is read a good journal like the New England Journal of Medicine and verify if the paper is written by someone with a good reputation who has published before. This has nothing to do with evidence-based medicine; this is authority-based medicine. The problem is that we have pretended that literature is infallible, and now we are in deep trouble when we must acknowledge that a good percentage of it is not based on science at all.

SO WHERE DOES THIS TAKE US?

I think the fact, so desperately needed today, can be illustrated easily by something I have done two or three times in the last couple of weeks.

At a men’s reading group in my home church, I asked them to imagine a bubble over their head displaying their thoughts for everyone to see. What would you do? We all have thoughts that we cherish for a moment and then dismiss, as they should be dismissed. Husband and wife could hardly live together for long if they saw an immediate response to some behavior; within the workplace, it would be even worse. The interesting thing is that it implies we know and feel shame; we may claim that all these things are social constructs, but we do not blame society in this illustration. It is too personal, and it gets to the truth. We are fallen creatures. The fact that we feel shame makes it clear there is moral truth deep down in the wells of our souls, and that is hopeful, especially, perhaps, for Hamas murderers who were captured alive and who are now being interrogated. They can know moral truth deep in their souls. We need to pray for them.

Endnotes 1 https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/john-robson-there-is-onlyone-fitting-response-to-the-terrorist-attacks-on-israel-5506208 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWtf33czGUs 3h ttps://m.youtube.com/watch?utm_source=substack&utm_medium =email&v=LdW6ISElci4&feature=youtu.be 4 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Historical_Review 5 https://www.papalencyclicals.net/paul03/p3subli.htm 6h ttps://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Time-Terror-DialoguesHabermas/dp/0226066665#:~:text=The%20idea%20for%20 Philosophy%20in,destructive%20terrorist%20act%20ever%20 perpetrated.

7 h ttps://www.chronicle.com/article/the-two-faces-of-al-qaeda2594/?emailConfirmed=true&supportSignUp=true&supportForg otPassword=true&email=mandi.morrin%40cmda.org&success= true&code=success&bc_nonce=q8hgngxuuwcleas9q85go&cid=g en_sign_in 8 https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp

John Patrick, MD, studied medicine at Kings College, London and St. George’s Hospital, London in the United Kingdom. He has held appointments in Britain, the West Indies and Canada. At the University of Ottawa, Dr. Patrick was Associate Professor in Clinical Nutrition in the Department of Biochemistry and Pediatrics for 20 years. Today he is President and Professor at Augustine College and speaks to Christian and secular groups around the world, communicating effectively on medical ethics, culture, public policy and the integration of faith and science. Connect with Dr. Patrick at johnpatrick.ca. You can also learn more about his work with Augustine College at augustinecollege.org.

www.cmda.org | 33

Classifieds To place a classified advertisement, contact communications@cmda.org.

Dental Practice for Sale — Dental practice for sale in rural community in the beautiful Rio Grande Valley of Central New Mexico (the Land of Enchantment). Six fully equipped operatories, PlanMeca Cone Beam and CADCAM technology, Medic7 high speed digital Scanner, Inta-oral cameras in all rooms. Office space is 4,000 feet. 2022 production was 1.16 million working only 174 days. Owner has been in practice in this location for 43 years, is a fellow in the AGD, accredited member of AACD and lifetime member of the ADA. Ascribing to the Saline Solution mindset for work and ministry, the doctor has been involved with mission dentistry for 22 years and seeks to devote his remaining career to missions. Inquires can be made at 505250-7400 or debbie@drbeers.com.

Disciple-making Physicians — Do you long to see God work through your medical practice? We are the largest vasectomy

reversal practice in the U.S. We plant God’s field for new birth in body and spirit. We train physicians spiritually and medically. If you proficiently enjoy simple skin suturing; if you want to make disciple-making disciples of Jesus among your patients; and if God is calling you to this work, we can train you in this medical ministry to fulfill the Great Commission. Come join us at our Warwick, Rhode Island location. We are also eager to talk with medical students about future clinic locations. Contact drdavid@thereversalclinic.com.

Family Medicine — Seeking family medicine with obstetrics in Maryland.

Christ-centered family medicine with obstetrics practice three hours west of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland seeks BE/BC physician to join thriving primary and acute care clinic.

Therese.karsten@priviahealth.com.

Family Practice/Functional Medicine — Share your faith in Christ while offering high quality, personalized care with an attention to alternative options. Extremely fast growing four provider practice needing one to two full-time MD or DO physicians. Southeast Texas suburban Port Neches, Texas is very homeschool friendly yet offers high quality public education options for your family. Plenty of water sports, fishing, hunting and close proximity to the third largest city in the U.S., Houston. Production based salary $275,000 to $500,000 with a sign on.

Email Paul@gerstenbergclinic.com.

OB/Gyn — Opportunities in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in West Texas’ family friendly community! To learn more and apply, visit www.ttuhsc.edu/jobs or contact Julie.

Barclay@ttuhsc.edu.

Paid Advertisement

34 | CMDA TODAY | WINTER 2023

Pathologists — International Pathology Services is a 501c3 non-profit, established in 2007, which provides cost-effective, timely and accurate anatomic pathology services to mission hospitals around the world. Since 2007 we have examined over 30,000 cases from 42 countries around

the world. Biopsy/excision specimens are brought back to the states by travelers, processed at our hospital lab, and slides are then reviewed and reported through our website (www.ipathservices.org).

We are seeking additional pathologists willing to examine/report cases which are periodically sent to you at home or at your office. Please contact Dr. Bill Walker with any questions at billwalkerbw@gmail. com or 269-271-0127.

Pediatrics — Seeking a pediatrician for a group practice in Montgomery, Alabama.

A busy general pediatrics group of four doctors is seeking a BC/BE pediatrician for a full-time position to replace a retiring physician in Montgomery, Alabama.

Pediatric Healthcare (PHC) is a thriving, physician-owned practice established 41 years ago and well respected in the tricounty area. All pediatricians are believers and are seeking a like-minded partner. This position uniquely allows the new physician to assume the care of a mature practice of patients, with the opportunity for partnership in two years. Excellent compensation package and future income potential. There is a $20,000 signing bonus and moving expenses are covered. The PHC office is a stand-alone, up-to-date facility that provides four exam rooms per doctor and a private office for each doctor.

Other office features include a laboratory, hearing/vision room, minor surgery room, spacious patient waiting areas (divided sick and well) and comfortable clerical area for patient reception and business operation. The practice website is PedHealthcare.com. The doctors work a four-day week and every fourth weekend on call. The call rotation allows for a Friday off every fourth weekend. A call center staffed by nurses at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham handles all nighttime calls.

The doctors provide inpatient care only for well newborns. There is excellent neonatal coverage at the hospitals, including attendance at deliveries as needed, allowing the PHC doctors to focus on outpatient care. Interested candidates should send their CV to Stephanie at SMcClelland@ PedHealthcare.com or TrumbullD3@gmail. com. If you have questions, call the office at 334-273-9700.

CMDA PLACEMENT SERVICES Bringing together healthcare professionals to further God’s kingdom

“It’s a valuable source

for colleagues who recognize that their calling to medicine is a calling to ministry.”

— The Jackson Clinic

“Absolutely amazing!

I would not have found my job without CMDA Placement Services.”

— Rachel VanderWall, NP

We exist to glorify God by placing healthcare professionals and assisting them in finding God’s will for their careers. Our goal is to place healthcare professionals in an environment that will encourage ministry and also be pleasing to God. We make connections across the U.S. for healthcare professionals and practices. We have an established network consisting of hundreds of opportunities in various specialties.

You will benefit from our experience and guidance. Every single placement carries its own set of challenges. We help find the perfect fit for you and your practice.

P.O. Box 7500 • Bristol, TN 37621 • 888-690-9054 www.cmda.org/placement • placement@cmda.org

Paid Advertisement

NON-PROFIT ORG

U.S. Postage

™

PAID

Bristol, TN Permit #1000

P.O. Box 7500 • Bristol, TN 37621 www.cmda.org • 888-230-2637

Paid Advertisement