TCOM retired faculty member Dr. Frank Papa named emeritus professor by UNT Board of Regents
With more than 40 years of experience, expertise and dedication to the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the UNT System Board of Regents has awarded Frank Papa, DO, Ph.D., with the designation of emeritus professor. Dr. Papa retired from TCOM in 2024 after serving as a faculty member since 1979.
“It is a great honor and truly deserved for Dr. Papa to receive this recognition from the Board of Regents,” said Dr. Lisa Nash, Dean of TCOM. “His impact at TCOM and UNTHSC spanned decades, and we are grateful for all that he did for osteopathic medicine and the countless students that he mentored.”
Papa in fact, had a great influence on Nash. As an undergrad, Nash worked in the emergency department at the Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital in admitting, and when Papa was working, he often let her observe in the back. He mentored her about pre-med classes at TCU and even wrote a letter of recommendation for her application to TCOM.
Papa earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1975 and his PhD in Higher Education from the University of North Texas in 1991. He arrived at TCOM in 1979 with an eye towards education and research. Papa earned tenure from UNTHSC in 1985 at the rank of associate professor. He was promoted to full professor in 1993.
One day, a student’s question prompted him to develop a revolutionary way of diagnosing patients with acute chest pain. He was asked to explain how he was using a piece of patient data, one sign and one symptom at a time, to arrive at a diagnosis.
Papa used his programming and math skills to create a crude, computer-based model that could explicitly represent how a physician might process each sign/symptom while diagnosing patients with acute chest pain.
This computer-based representation of diagnostic reasoning eventually led to the construction of an artificial intelligence tool called KBIT. Papa has since redesigned KBIT as an intelligent, web-based tutor that allows students to acquire the declarative and procedural knowledge that serves as antecedents to the development of diagnostic competence.
During his time at UNTHSC, Papa served in many roles, including but not limited to associate dean of Curricular Design and Educational Technologies; director of Academy of Medical Educators; director of Division of Emergency Medicine and chairman of the Department of Medical Education.
A recipient of numerous awards for his published educational research activities from groups such as the Association of American Medical Colleges, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Decision Sciences Institute and American College of Emergency Physicians, Papa received funding from organizations including the United States Department of Education and National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.
Papa’s research and academic pursuits are ongoing. His career contributions have crossed all mission areas, including clinical, research, teaching and academic service within and beyond the institution.
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