Maury M. Breecher, PhD, MPH Biography of a Ghost

Résumé
MAURY M. BREECHER, Ph.D., M.P.H.
E-Mail: bookwriter@nasw.org
1719 Third St., Suite One, Corpus Christi, TX 78404
Mailing address: PO Box 331235, Corpus Christi, TX 78463
Phone: 361-299-5648, Cell: 858-357-4329
Fax: 206-984-2763

Objective
To use my unique mix of abilities, knowledge, and experience in journalism and public health to help write clear, accurate and interesting works of interest

Introduction
Breecher has had extensive experience as an Editor, CME Project Manager/Creator, Public Relations Director, and as a medical journalist, ghostwriter, and author. He is co-author of Dr. Anderson’s Antioxidant AntiAging Health Program and Live Longer Better: Dr. Anderson’s Complete AntiAging Health Program published by Carroll & Graf; and also is first author of Healthy Homes in a Toxic World, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and was one of the co-authors of BioHazard: The Hot Zone and Beyond by Peter Brookesmith, published by Barnes and Noble. Breecher is also ghost author of six other books.

Books that he has co-authored can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/2rzyox. Selected articles by him, such as “The Biology of Dreaming,” can be viewed online at: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-3.4/breecher.html; medical articles for consumers at: http://www.maurybreecher.com/work7.htm; and articles directed at physicians at http://tinyurl.com/engs4/.

Education
1987—Mid-life Bachelor of Science in Journalism, University of the State of New York, Albany, NY. (incorporates earlier academic work at Wichita State University and the University of Kansas from 1963-1967).

1990—Master of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL. Master’s Thesis, Why Diets and Diet Programs Don’t Work.

1996—Doctorate, Mass Communications (Health Communication Emphasis), University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, Dissertation: A Content Analysis of Healthcare Communications in Newspapers and Magazines.


Professional Experience Overview

-- Reporter/Editor/Manager/Author and CME Content Producer for technical audiences via targeted print, Internet, or conference publications. Examples:; Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society published by Lumina Publications and Clinical Guidelines for the Thoratec HeartMate™ Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). (Target Audience for that particular project: Cardiologists who could refer patients for this life-prolonging procedure).

-- Content Producer -- Extensive medical journalism produced for doctor audiences of WebMD, Docguide.com and others.

-- Founding Executive Editor of the UCLA Diabetes Perspective Newsletter consumer health newsletter.

-- Director of Scientific Communications, DevicePharm, Irvine, CA.

-- Writer for University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) publications including UAB Arts & Science Magazine and The Handle, the UAB School Public Health magazine. (My MPH was earned in from UAB in 1991 and my PhD is from UA, Tuscaloosa, 1996).

-- Ghost Author of six books for physicians and other professionals on topics such as antioxidants, autism, glaucoma, facial surgery, and weight-loss as well as of personal memoirs of various individuals. Example: www.charlestonprogram.com, originally a ghostwritten, well received print publication published by Green Tree Press of Erie, PA., now a co-authored e-book entitled The Charleston Program: The Permanent Weight-Control Solution by Robert Johnson M.D. and Maury M. Breecher, PhD, MPH

-- Computer expertise: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and some Quark layout experience as well as website design and extensive website writing experience. For examples, see www.diabetesreviews.com, www.diabetesmanager.com and www.Charlestonprogram.com.

-- Longtime member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), the Author’s Guild, and the National Association of Science Writers (NASW).

-- Continuing Medical Education preparation experience including monographs, PowerPoint slide presentations, refereed articles, and marketing and collateral such as news releases, pamphlets, booklets, and ad copy. Bylined monograph examples: Diagnosis and Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes. Audience: Family practitioners, internists, and endocrinologists, published by CME Inc., Irvine, CA; also Considerations in Contraceptive Options for Managed Care Plans and Considerations in Contraceptive Options for Employers, monographs for Emron Communications of New Jersey.


SKILL SET SUMMARY

Breecher has the ability to read, analyze, and interpret medical, scientific and technical journals, and legal documents. In addition, he has the ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business or medical communities. Additionally, he can write articles for consumers as well as speeches and articles for physicians that conform to prescribed styles and formats including the AMA Stylebook and Editorial Manual. Among his skills is the ability to work with Editorial Advisory Committees as demonstrated by his work with UCLA’s Gonda Diabetes Medical Center’s newsletter editorial board. He also is a teacher. He taught Mexican journalists during a two-day seminar sponsored by Hoffman La Roche, Inc, was a guest lecturer at the University of Tennessee, and was an instructor at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

Chronological Listing of Publications and Projects

2007 – Self –Employed Ghostwriter and Medical Journalist

• Medical Reporter --Conference coverage for Elsevier: Headache ’07, the annual 5-day symposium co-sponsored by the Diamond Headache Clinic Research and Education Foundation, Orlando, FL.

• Ghostwriter, Molina Health Care, Long Beach, CA (6-week rush, confidential project).

• Co-Author – Successfully prepared a book proposal on Glaucoma with a Florida physician (a 3-month project) now being represented by my literary agent.

• Journalist – Reported on four articles for UAB Arts & Sciences Magazine and International Medical News Group/Elsevier


2006 – Self-Employed Medical Journalist, Reporter, Contributing Writer, and Monograph and Book Ghostwriter

• Writer -- Numerous articles for UAB Arts & Sciences Magazine and Lumina Publications as well as others

• Contributing Writer – Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, Volume 3, e-book edition published 2006: “Toxoplasmosis” -- Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the one-celled protozoan parasite that can be very serious, and even fatal” at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2601/is_0013/ai_2601001377

• Monograph Author, Diagnosis and Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes, published by CME, Inc.

• Medical Reporter -- “The Artefill Advantage: Longevity.” Dermatology Times, Dec. 1 about the newly FDA approved permanent facial filler Artefill, created by Artes Medical of San Diego, CA. http://www.dermatologytimes.com/dermatologytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=390555

• Ghostwriter – Researched and wrote a book-length manuscript for the Medical Director of a NY Stock exchange listed medical nutrition company.

• Medical Writer – Two 10,000 word monographs on the new “no menstrual period” oral contraceptive for Emron Medical Communications of New Jersey.

• Medical Convention Coverage – American Society for Pain Management, San Antonio.

• Ghostwriting – helped an Arizona millionaire complete his memoirs.

• Contributing Writer---The Handle, Award-winning UAB School of Public Health Newsletter/Magazine, (University of Alabama, Birmingham).


2005 – Website Creator, Contract CME Writer, Ghostwriter, Contract Project Manager, and Contributing Writer

• Creator of www.diabetesreviews.com and www.Maurybreecher.com

• Contract CME Writer covering medical and scientific meetings in San Diego for Lumina Publications, Tampa.

• Ghostwriter for physicians and project manager for DevicePharm, of Irvine, CA, a medical marketing/communication firm.


2004 – Founding Executive Editor of the UCLA Diabetes Perspective newsletter

-- Developed story ideas, then consulted with UCLA Medical Advisory Committee and the Medical Editor for approval and then made assignments to freelance writers, supervised, and edited their copy.

-- Wrote own copy and ghostwrote Q & A column for the medical doctor Editor-in-Chief.

-- Found or commissioned artwork and other illustrations, and laid out the eight-page newsletter in Quark.

-- Was liaison between UCLA and Belvoir Publishing, Sarasota, FL., the company with the contract to produce the newsletter. Unfortunately, UCLA’s Diabetes Perspective was discontinued because of a lack of commitment to marketing the brand.

-- CME Contributor/Editor of Clinical Guidelines for the HeartMate™ Left Ventricular Assist Device, and contributor to the Assist III newsletter, published for cardiologists by Thoratec Inc., manufacturer of the HeartMate™ Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).


2003-2004 — Ghostwriter and Contract CME Writer:

• The Right Medicine: a Medical Doctor’s Prescription to Improve the Health Care System by Larry Francis, M.D., of Temecula, CA. An excerpt from that ghostwritten book was published by the Heartland Institute at http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=11799

• Docguide.com. Covered various medical conventions/annual meetings of medical societies meeting in San Diego, CA. Articles on neurospinal injuries and other topics are at: http://tinyurl.com/engs4


2002 — Co-Author and Contract Writer/Researcher:

• The New Charleston Program: The Permanent Weight-Control Solution with first author Robert Johnson, M.D., and Shirley Linde, Ph.D. This is an e-book available at www.Charlestonprogram.com.

• Gale Encyclopedia -- Articles on amphetamines, the planet Pluto, and on the International Space Station


2001 — Ghostwriter, Contributing Writer, and CME Content Provider:

• Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder, by Jacquelyn
McCandless, M.D., Bramble Publishing, Los Angeles, CA.

• Articles for The Handle, Award-winning UAB School of Public Health Newsletter/Magazine, (University of Alabama, Birmingham).

• The monograph, Diagnosis and Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes, a peer-reviewed monograph published by CME, Inc., Irvine, CA.


2000 — Contract Writer and CME Provider:

• Contract Medical Journalist for WebMD which would fax medical journal articles to Breecher once-a-day, five-days-per-week. Breecher would assimilate each article, interview the authors, and find and interview independent authorities for backup or critical comment. The CME articles for physicians are unavailable but articles for consumers on subjects such as Alzheimer’s Disease and others are at http://tinyurl.com/hbbug

• Paid Guest Lecturer — on medical science writing, public health, and journalism topics at the University of Tennessee and other professional venues including an October, 2000 two-day seminar for health journalists in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico sponsored by Hoffman La Roche Inc.

• Freelance Writer – Article on women and heart attacks in Working Mother.


1999 – Contributing Writer:

• WebMD

• NCRR Reporter. Article on activities of UCLA’s Laboratory of Neuro Imaging at: http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/newspub/jan00rpt/Brainmap.asp

• The Handle,Newsletter/Magazine, (University of Alabama, Birmingham).


1998 --Took a six months off. Traveled to Italy, Estonia, Finland and Holland

Contract Writer—Published by many health-oriented websites including:

• PraxisMD: Practical Answers for Physicians and Patients

• Geriatric Times

• Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News

• Family Practice News

• 21st Century: The World of Research at Columbia University http://tinyurl.com/yg8bnd

1997 -- Co-Author of Live Longer Better: Dr. Anderson’s Complete Anti-Aging Health Program, Carroll & Graf, Inc., New York City. First author: James W. Anderson, M.D., University of Kentucky, Lexington. http://tinyurl.com/ye7q4k

Co-Author of Biohazard: The Hot Zone and Beyond by Peter Brookesmith et al., Barnes and Noble http://tinyurl.com/yfoxww

1996 -- Co-Author, University Instructor, Doctoral Student

Dr. Anderson’s Antioxidant, Anti-Aging Health Program, Carroll & Graf, Inc., New York City. A Prevention Book Club Selection. http://tinyurl.com/yaotqe

• 1992-96—Earned doctorate, Mass Communication (health communication and marketing emphasis), from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

• University Instructor—Taught News Reporting and Writing at the university level. Emphasized importance of accuracy, honesty, and teamwork

1991-1992 -- First author of Healthy Homes in a Toxic World, with Shirley Linde, Ph.D., published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. http://tinyurl.com/yz8u96

1990 -- Earned Masters of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

1980’s – Freelance Writer – Credits in Kiwanis Magazine, Ladies’ Home Journal, Mademoiselle, Reader’s Digest and Woman’s World to name a few. Newspaper articles syndicate throughout the world via LATS, News America/Times of London, Creator’s Syndicate and my own Feature Enterprises syndicate

Ghost Author – The Charleston Program: The Revolutionary New Way to Lose Weight Permanently, published 1988-1996, Greentree Press, Erie, PA.
Earlier Work

• Public Relations Director, West Suburban Hospital, Oak Park, IL.

 Created monthly newsletter, quarterly in-house magazine, and hospital annual report

 Planned, implemented, and publicized PR and community relations programs

 Wrote news releases helping establish recognition of hospital corporate identity

Writer and PR Executive, Illinois State Medical Society, Chicago.

 Wrote news releases, speeches, and reports
 Created annual meeting promotional newspaper and press kit

 Authored four-part newspaper series on alcoholism under byline of the ISMS president (Series received play in over 50 Illinois newspapers)

Reporter/Aviation Editor, The Salina Journal, Salina, KS. Won AP monthly Short Feature award three times in one year.

Courthouse Reporter, the Wichita Beacon, Wichita, KS, investigative reports results in ouster of crooked county commissioner.