Gary: Wheaton tutor

Certified Tutor

As far back as I can remember, I have had an intense interest in nature. I have been fascinated
by unique ecosystems, how living things work, and how they work together to produce life on
earth. Born during the first space race, that fascination extended to how our planet exists in the
perfect chaos of the universe. Though I had to work hard and get tutoring with math, I could sit
in biology and ace the test, as if my brain already had a "fill in the blank" narrative that the
lecture and book filled in.
I chose to major in Biology at Samford University as part of the pre-medicine curriculum. I had
the pleasure of being the Biology Honor Society President my senior year. At the time, I wasn't
sure I could make the cut to get into medical school, as other areas of study did not come so
easily to me. I figured I'd enjoy teaching biology if med school didn't work out. Fortunately, with
enormous effort (not knowing I carried the gene for ADHD), I did get into medical school at Nova
Southeastern in Miami, Florida. After college, and prior to medical school, I obtained my
Masters in Epidemiology (how to prevent bad outcomes before they occur) at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham.
For the last 21 years, it has been my privilege to work for my patients as a Family Medicine
Physician. Though I love being a physician more than any profession under the sun, the passion
to serve those I care about has culminated in something better, and very unexpected: ADHD
Coaching. Of all aspects of being a physician, the most singular worthwhile experiences were
those of seeing the "moment of understanding" in the patient when teaching them. Getting the
science out of my head, and translating it into the framework and language of the patient
(usually with metaphors and diagrams) gave the patient power over the diagnosis.
I want to see that moment of ownership of knowledge happen for the students I tutor. While I
am transitioning my career (from clinical medicine to teaching and coaching people with ADHD),
tutoring students in Biology will provide an opportunity to hone those teaching skills to precision.
I enjoy teaching anyone, with or without inattention. The same skills of building a "bridge of
knowledge" from what the student knows over to the full knowledge they must own to ace that
subject, will work for anyone.