Faculty

I have apparently been given a short leash and have only lived in Indiana, graduating from Purdue University in Biology and Indiana University School of Medicine. I continued my educational endeavors at the Family Medicine Residency at Fort Wayne Medical Education Program (FWMEP), and for some reason they liked me well enough to eventually ask me to be their Program Director… but not right away… Between residency graduation and returning to the residency, I picked up my CAQ in Geriatrics, practiced full spectrum family medicine in a small town in solo practice with great call partners, served two stints as Chief of Staff at our local hospital and then 14 years as the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, while continuing a small clinical practice. During these years the residency was never far from my heart, as I have taught our residents for the past 22 years and served on the FWMEP Board for the last 12. Feels great to be back full time at my alma mater. Professionally I still serve on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Hospital Association and additionally on their Council for Quality and Patient Safety. Our goal is to improve healthcare throughout the state of Indiana. Additionally, I remain a Clinical Assistant Professor at Indiana University School of Medicine. IU is increasing their medical school to all four years at our Fort Wayne campus. We are excited to see this further enhance our medical community.

I have a wonderful supportive wife, Diane, who is a pharmacist….so yes, some of our at home conversation is medical speak. I have three daughters. Janel my oldest is attending IU School of Medicine, Vanessa is a teacher for Teach for America, and Rachel is a pharmacy student at Purdue. You can imagine the Thanksgiving meals as one daughter tries to outdo the other on jabs about her respective university. (IU and Purdue are arch rivals). I’m not sure at times which way I stand, since I attended both and am presently chipping in tuition to both via my daughters.

In my spare time I live on, and have developed, an 80 acre wildlife conservation tract. My hobby is tree planting. I tend some 200 different varieties of antique (heirloom) apples and collectively about the same number of antique pears, plums, persimmons, cherries, peaches, mulberries, quinces, various nut trees and potpourri of various deciduous trees from other countries. It is relaxing to walk these fields while taste testing their fruits.

If you are hunting for a family medicine residency, Indiana hosts many good FM residency programs. Hope we migrate to the top of your list. Come pay us a visit!

Zachry L. Waterson, D.O., Osteopathic Director of Medical Education
After completing my undergraduate work at Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana, I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1999 from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine. I then moved to Fort Wayne for my residency training here at the Fort Wayne Medical Education Program. I completed my training in 2002, serving as Co-Chief Resident in my 3rd year. Finding Fort Wayne a great place to practice medicine and raise a family, I joined a private practice here. I then joined the faculty of FWMEP in 2003 as the Director of Osteopathic Medical Education, moving to full time faculty in January of 2010. My clinical interests are in internal medicine, obstetrics, and pediatrics. I have two beautiful daughters, Sydney and Riley. My interests outside of medicine include waterfowl hunting, fishing, and golf.

Gregory G. Eigner, M.D., Associate Director
I received my B.Sc. (Honors) Degree in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo and my M.D. Degree from the University of Western Ontario. Following residency in Family Medicine at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario, Canada, I entered private practice and provided the full spectrum of patient care there for seven years. This was followed by practice with a large multi-specialty group in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for another six years, where I served as a lead physician and site medical director. In addition to patient care, I was involved with organizing and opening a new clinic, implementing an electronic medical record system, redesigning office workflows, and facilitating clinical care improvement initiatives.

I joined the Fort Wayne Medical Education Program in 2003. My interests include health care quality, process improvement, and optimizing the integration of our customized electronic medical record into medical practice. My wife Marianne and I have found Fort Wayne to be a great place to live and raise our two sons. I enjoy many sports, including golf and biking with my family as well as competitive curling, when possible.

Steven C. Schwieterman, M.D., Associate Director
I was born and raised in Ohio and received my B.Sc. Degree in Biology from Wright State University. I then continued on at Wright State University School of Medicine, receiving my medical degree in 1996. Upon graduation, I moved to Fort Wayne to complete my Family Medicine Residency training. I found the Fort Wayne area to be a great place to live and practice medicine and after graduation, I joined a Family Medicine group in Roanoke, a small suburb south of Fort Wayne.

After being in private practice for 11 years, I returned to the Fort Wayne Medical Education Program in 2010 as a full time faculty member. My clinical interests are obstetrics and preventative medicine. I very much enjoy teaching and interacting with the residents.

I like spending my leisure time with my family partaking in a variety of outdoor activities.

Aaron Coray, D.O., Junior Faculty
I was born and raised in the small town of Mona, Utah.  At the age of 19, I went on a two year service mission to Brazil.  After receiving a B.S. degree in Biology at Utah Valley University, I attended Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia.  There I had an opportunity to do a medical mission to the Dominican Republic.  During residency at FWMEP I received the Patient Care Award.  After I completed residency in June of 2010, I stayed on as one of the faculty.  I was originally attracted to Family Medicine because of the wide variety of patients and pathology.  My clinical interests include: osteopathic manipulation, pediatrics, obstetrics, and emergency medicine.

I love to spend my free time with my wife, Kristina, and four beautiful, red-headed kids, Eli, Nathan, Paige, and Miles.  I also enjoy basketball, hiking, reading, exploring, and running half-marathons.

Donald J. Giant, M.D., Assistant Director
I was born and raised on a farm in the Fort Wayne area and now practice Family Medicine in a rural setting near our family farm. I received a BS degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1972 and then resumed my education with a Master’s in Biology from Purdue University in 1981 and a Medical Degree from Indiana University in 1985. I graduated from the Fort Wayne Family Medicine Residency in 1988 and have been a faculty member at Fort Wayne Medical Education Program since that time.

I am a past president of the Fort Wayne Medical Society and former Chief of Staff at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. In my private practice I particularly enjoy mother’s and children’s medicine. I’m married and have one son and one daughter.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy hunting, fishing, music, and most all sporting activities. I am the team physician for the Fort Wayne Fusion (Arena League Football) and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (NBA Developmental League) professional teams.

I have three wonderful daughters. Rachel is a coach and teacher in Charleston, South Carolina. Michelle, who was recently married, is an athletic trainer for Fort Wayne Orthopaedics. Megan is studying pre-med at the College of Charleston while on a full-ride basketball scholarship.

W. David Pepple, M.D., Assistant Director
I was born and raised in Auburn, IN, 20 miles north of Fort Wayne, and have lived in Indiana my entire life. I have a BA in chemistry from Manchester College, North Manchester, IN, and received my MD from Indiana University SOM in 1970. Upon completing my post graduate training in the 2nd class of Fort Wayne Medical Education Program, I entered private practice, which for me still encompasses adult and pediatric medicine, major surgery, obstetrics, and anesthesia. In 1999, while continuing private practice, I became Assistant Director and Instructor of Obstetrics at FWMEP. In my responsibilities, I teach across the breadth of Family Medicine, but am charged primarily with teaching advanced OB, including instrumental and operative delivery.

I maintain membership in American Academy of Family Physicians, American Society of Abdominal Surgeons, and American Society of Anesthesiologists. 

I met my wife, Sharon, during post grad training. She was a surgical RN and today works as my nurse and office manager. We have 3 sons. Our middle son, Mike, had a chronic genetic illness and died at age 26 in November 2005. Our other sons followed me into medicine. Steve is a Neonatologist and Phil, our youngest, is a General Surgery resident. My hobbies include fishing, boating, and tinkering with my antique cars, as well as being a hobby chef and baker.

Joel C. Valcarcel, M.D., Assistant Director
I was born in the Philippines and grew up in San Francisco, California. I obtained my medical degree from the University of the East in the Philippines then completed my family medicine residency here in the Fort Wayne Medical Education Program. I was fortunate enough to be invited to join the faculty right after graduation, and I have been involved in the residency ever since. I currently have teaching responsibilities at the residency clinic and at Parkview Hospital.

I am also in private practice and my areas of clinical interest are sports medicine, office procedures, and cardiometabolic disorders such as hypertension and diabetes. Outside of medicine, I enjoy basketball, cycling (both road and mountain bikes), music, and movies. My favorite activity by far however is spending time with my lovely wife and our two wonderful children, Lucas and Julia.

Paul V. Blusys, M.D., Director, Undergraduate Education
My first love in the medical profession was teaching and that continues to this day. I have been teaching at Fort Wayne Medical Education Program since arriving in Indiana in 1979. In tandem with that, I have been Course Director for the Freshman course “Introduction to Clinical Medicine” since 1980 at Fort Wayne’s regional center of Indiana University School of Medicine as a Clinical Professor. I am boarded in Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine. I was course director for the first ACLS course in Fort Wayne in 1979 and the first ATLS course in Indiana in 1982. I currently am responsible for Family Medicine Junior Clerkship and Senior Elective programs at FWMEP.

I was born in England and spent my formative educational years in Toronto. I am an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan and was fortunate to have attended all their playoff games of their back-to-back World Series Championships in 1992 and 1993. My faithful companions are Mookie, an 18 year old Siamese cat (named for Blue Jays #3 Mookie Wilson 1989-1991), and Boggs, a Golden Retriever (named in memory of my father’s favorite beverage). I enjoy my schedule that allows spending time at my beach house in Florida, playing golf, working in my flower gardens, and running 4 miles daily.