Summer 2008

Alumnus takes Association helm

Active Alumni Association is goal for newest President

Classes represented in this story: ’68, ’71, ’73, ’74, ’76, ’78, ’83, ’84, ’86, ’94, ’95, ’98

Paul S. Fox, MD ’68, GME ’73, (left) succeeds Donna D. Davidoff, MD ’78, GME ’81, Fel ’83, as Alumni Association President. They are pictured with College President and CEO T. Michael Bolger, JD.

If you can’t find Paul S. Fox, MD ’68, GME ’73, in the office or operating room, you may find him fly casting in the rivers of Montana or Mexico, looking to land an elusive fish.

“Of course, as a surgeon, I tie my own flies,” said Dr. Fox, who also has been known to construct his own fly fishing rods. He said he enjoys the act of crafting the rods, but the benefit lies in being able to design exactly what you need to catch a certain kind of fish. It is a skill that may translate to his new role as President of the Medical College of Wisconsin/Marquette Medical Alumni Association as he works to motivate more alumni to become active with their alma mater.

In particular, Dr. Fox believes the Medical College has an opportunity to generate a more active base of younger alumni, whose perspective and input the College and Alumni Association value.

“If there is any way I can have influence on it, I would like to get younger alumni more involved in the Alumni Association,” he said. “I think it strengthens the school to have an active Alumni Association and provides support for the school. I believe the more active alumni are, the more likely they are to contribute and become involved in different aspects of the school.”

Dr. Fox’s own example of involvement is enduring, especially in a teaching capacity. He has directly participated in the education of medical students for his entire career in practice.

After finishing his surgical residency in 1973, Dr. Fox became Assistant Director of the Transplant Program on the faculty of the Medical College. In 1974, he began a two-year service commitment to the U.S. Air Force at Andrews Air Force Base. After the military, he decided to join William B. Davies, MD, GME ’71, in practice at Waukesha General & Vascular Surgery. The two still work together in the group, which is now called Waukesha Surgical Specialists.

Since returning to the Milwaukee area, Dr. Fox has been on the volunteer clinical faculty of the Medical College, and he has also staffed for the surgical residents at the Zablocki VA Medical Center. Recently, his office has been a clinical rotation site for students and residents as well.

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching and always felt it was an obligation for all of us to give back to students and residents,” he said.

Dr. Fox’s primary clinical interests are in gastrointestinal surgery, endocrine surgery and vascular surgery. His early attraction to transplant surgery put him on the path to being a vascular surgeon since, as he describes, a major aspect of any transplant is connecting the blood vessels.

Now, Dr. Fox hopes his efforts will connect alumni to one another and to the Medical College through the Alumni Association, which he has served as a member since 2003. His family already represents an impressive network of alumni. Dr. Fox’s son Paul F. Fox, II, MD ’94, is in interventional radiologist in Waukesha. The latter’s wife, Mary C. Fox, MD ’95, GME ’00, is an otolaryngologist in Waukesha. Another son, Christopher J. Fox, MD ’98, GME ’04, recently joined his father’s surgical practice group. Dr. Fox and his wife, Susan, have one other son and three daughters.

“I really felt a great indebtedness to the medical school for allowing me to go to school there, and I have two sons who graduated from the Medical College, so I’ve had quite a bond with the school,” Dr. Fox said. “I have appreciated it all along while on the full-time faculty for a short time and the clinical faculty for a long time, and it was natural for me to go on to the alumni board. I was happy when I was asked if I would do it.”

For the future, Dr. Fox hopes to renew vigor in the Alumni Association’s clinical conference, which features CME classes, social events and recreational activities. He might also like to combine an academic conference with an activity that younger alumni are apt to enjoy, such as skiing. These are only ideas, but Dr. Fox has made it clear that ideas are welcome.

“I think the Alumni Association is open for trying new things and providing whatever the alumni need,” he said. “We don’t get much in the way of requests, so it would be nice if there is something alumni need or wish the Alumni Association would do, they would let people know.”