WICHITA, Kansas — The proposed Kansas Health Science Center – Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (KHSC-KansasCOM), currently under construction in downtown Wichita, recently appointed three additions to its faculty: Duane Brandau, DO, Ph.D., as faculty, physiology/mechanism for health & disease; Jeremy Bigham, DO, as assistant professor of family medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine; and Robin Durrett, DO, as associate professor, western Kansas regional director.
Duane Brandau, DO, Ph.D., faculty, physiology/mechanism for health & disease, comes to the proposed KHSC-KansasCOM with almost 40 years of experience in biomedical research, clinical practice, and medical education. Early in his career, he worked two years in the National Health Service Corps in Plainville, Texas, where he served as the town’s pediatrician. Since then, Dr. Brandau has held various faculty positions at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, the University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, and the University of Kansas. He was also a research scientist at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Most recently, he was the director of research at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colorado.
Jeremy Bigham, DO, assistant clinical professor of family medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine, joins the faculty with experience as a flight surgeon, and an osteopathic family physician, and as an active reservist in the United States Air Force at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. He was active duty for 4 years, where he served on the aerospace medicine staff providing care to active duty, reserve, guard members, and their families. He joins the proposed KHSC-KansasCOM from St. Luke Medical Clinic in Marion, Kansas, where he practiced rural family medicine. He continues his service to our country in the Air Force Reserve as the chief of medical staff at McConnell Air Force Base where he is focused on high quality care for service members.
Robin Durrett, DO, associate professor, western Kansas regional director, has been in general surgery practice in Barton County, Kansas, since 1994. He has performed all types of general surgery throughout his career and served the community in private practice until 2012 when he sold his practice to a local hospital. He was most recently employed as a general surgeon at Ellinwood District Hospital. He has served as a board member of the Kansas Board of Healing Arts for more than 27 years, which has given him a wealth of expertise on the standard of care ethics in Kansas health care law.
With the goal of opening for the 2022 academic year, the proposed KHSC-KansasCOM is working through the accreditation process. The campus is currently under construction to transform 116,000 square feet of the iconic building at 217 N. Douglas Ave. in the heart of downtown Wichita. Nearing completion, the campus features clean inspirational design, innovative state-of-the-art technology and learning spaces, an osteopathic skills training center, standardized patient teaching rooms, large lecture halls, small group study rooms, a virtual anatomy lab, and much more.
###
About Kansas Health Science Center
Kansas Health Science Center is a nonprofit organization committed to training well-prepared physicians and health care leaders who will positively contribute to the overall well-being of our communities. With the goal of opening the proposed Kansas Health Science Center – Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2022, KHSC strives to positively impact the health landscape in Wichita and the state of Kansas through directly addressing the disparity in access to health care. Learn more.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Carrie Lindeman
316-393-1076