Page 33 - COMP Magazine - Winter 2018
P. 33
Former WesternU COMP Dean
Donald Krpan, DO, left lasting impact
By Rodney Tanaka
Dat Q. Trinh, DO, Dean Paula M. Crone, DO, Donald Krpan, DO, David A. Connett, DO and student leaders
Donald J. Krpan, DO, FACOFP, served as dean and to the osteopathic profession,” Crone said. “After he Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri.
provost of Western University of Health Sciences’ left WesternU he didn’t lose his COMP roots. He always His involvement with the osteopathic profession was
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific kept an eye on us. He was always there to support our wide-ranging. He served as president of the Osteopathic
(COMP) and championed the osteopathic profession. students and our team.” Physicians and Surgeons of California and Chairman of
Krpan served multiple roles at COMP and WesternU The osteopathic philosophy embraces humanistic care the Ethics Committee of the California Board of
from 1988 to 2003, including professor of family and having concern for the total patient. Krpan Osteopathic Examiners. He also served on the American
medicine, director of post-graduate training, executive exemplified those principles in helping his students. Osteopathic Association (AOA) Board of Trustees and
vice president for academic affairs and provost. Krpan COMP-Northwest Assistant Professor Robyn Dreibelbis, was AOA president in 2000-01. He was most recently
was COMP dean when COMP’s current dean, Paula M. DO ’95, gave birth to her son, Kyle, three days into her executive director and consultant to the Osteopathic
Crone, DO ’92, was an osteopathic medical student. second year of medical school at COMP. Krpan and Medical Board of California, according to AOA.
“The dean you have when you’re a medical student is the WesternU President Philip Pumerantz arranged for the COMP Vice Dean David Connett, DO ’84, said Krpan
dean you hold on to for the rest of your career,” Crone creation of a nursery above the lecture hall in the Health was his mentor and a “second dad” who helped steer
said. “When I took over as dean he was one of the first Sciences Center, allowing Dreibelbis to nurse her baby him to COMP and osteopathic medicine. Krpan wrote
to call me and lend his ear and his support and let me and care for him while following lectures on a live feed. him a letter of recommendation to be admitted to
know he was there to back me up in any way he could.” “They were definitely ahead of their time,” Dreibelbis COMP. Krpan also served as the family physician to
Krpan, 81, died on January 4, 2018. The week before, he said. “I walked in on the first day to a changing table Connett’s father.
called Crone to wish her a happy new year and check in, crib and rocking chair. It was remarkable. I will be “He was really passionate about the osteopathic
she said. They talked regularly about COMP and the state forever grateful.” profession,” Connett said. “He was a giant. He was
of medical education and the profession. A practicing family and emergency medicine physician for selfless. He was looking out for the profession, not
“He was such a gentleman and such a strong contributor more than 20 years, Krpan was a 1967 graduate of the himself. His fingerprints are all over where the profession
University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic is at today.” n
Winter 2018 31
Donald Krpan, DO, left lasting impact
By Rodney Tanaka
Dat Q. Trinh, DO, Dean Paula M. Crone, DO, Donald Krpan, DO, David A. Connett, DO and student leaders
Donald J. Krpan, DO, FACOFP, served as dean and to the osteopathic profession,” Crone said. “After he Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri.
provost of Western University of Health Sciences’ left WesternU he didn’t lose his COMP roots. He always His involvement with the osteopathic profession was
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific kept an eye on us. He was always there to support our wide-ranging. He served as president of the Osteopathic
(COMP) and championed the osteopathic profession. students and our team.” Physicians and Surgeons of California and Chairman of
Krpan served multiple roles at COMP and WesternU The osteopathic philosophy embraces humanistic care the Ethics Committee of the California Board of
from 1988 to 2003, including professor of family and having concern for the total patient. Krpan Osteopathic Examiners. He also served on the American
medicine, director of post-graduate training, executive exemplified those principles in helping his students. Osteopathic Association (AOA) Board of Trustees and
vice president for academic affairs and provost. Krpan COMP-Northwest Assistant Professor Robyn Dreibelbis, was AOA president in 2000-01. He was most recently
was COMP dean when COMP’s current dean, Paula M. DO ’95, gave birth to her son, Kyle, three days into her executive director and consultant to the Osteopathic
Crone, DO ’92, was an osteopathic medical student. second year of medical school at COMP. Krpan and Medical Board of California, according to AOA.
“The dean you have when you’re a medical student is the WesternU President Philip Pumerantz arranged for the COMP Vice Dean David Connett, DO ’84, said Krpan
dean you hold on to for the rest of your career,” Crone creation of a nursery above the lecture hall in the Health was his mentor and a “second dad” who helped steer
said. “When I took over as dean he was one of the first Sciences Center, allowing Dreibelbis to nurse her baby him to COMP and osteopathic medicine. Krpan wrote
to call me and lend his ear and his support and let me and care for him while following lectures on a live feed. him a letter of recommendation to be admitted to
know he was there to back me up in any way he could.” “They were definitely ahead of their time,” Dreibelbis COMP. Krpan also served as the family physician to
Krpan, 81, died on January 4, 2018. The week before, he said. “I walked in on the first day to a changing table Connett’s father.
called Crone to wish her a happy new year and check in, crib and rocking chair. It was remarkable. I will be “He was really passionate about the osteopathic
she said. They talked regularly about COMP and the state forever grateful.” profession,” Connett said. “He was a giant. He was
of medical education and the profession. A practicing family and emergency medicine physician for selfless. He was looking out for the profession, not
“He was such a gentleman and such a strong contributor more than 20 years, Krpan was a 1967 graduate of the himself. His fingerprints are all over where the profession
University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic is at today.” n
Winter 2018 31
