Domenic W. Casablanca, MD, FAAFP, DABFMβο»Ώβο»Ώββββββο»Ώο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώβββββββββββββββο»Ώβββββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώο»Ώβββββββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώββββββββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώο»Ώββββββο»Ώββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώββββο»Ώο»Ώβββββββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώβββο»Ώο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββο»Ώββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββββββββββββο»Ώβββββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώο»Ώο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώο»Ώββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββββββββο»Ώβββββββββββββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώββββββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββββββββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββο»Ώββββο»Ώβββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββββββββββββο»Ώβββββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββο»Ώββββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββββο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββο»Ώβο»Ώβββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώββββββββο»Ώββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώβββο»Ώβββββββο»Ώο»Ώβ
Candidate for director
Personal statement
Leadership is about service, not power. Vulnerability and authenticity are profound strengths, not weaknesses. Curiosity rooted in gratitude is the strongest source of innovation and connection. These concepts originate from Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the Spanish mystic who once was a soldier, but became inspired while recovering from a serious battle injury to dedicate his life to faith and service. He became the founder of the Jesuits, a group of missionaries and educators who established, among many other institutions of higher learning, my high school, Fairfield (Connecticut) College Preparatory School, and my undergraduate college, The University of Scranton (Pennsylvania). The core concepts of Jesuit education include cura personalis (care of the individual), magis (the deeper call to strive for excellence grounded in gratitude), and ite inflammate omnia (going forth to βset the world on fireβ by service to others). These ideals are taught simultaneously with the training necessary to succeed in oneβs chosen field. This combination is intended to teach how to excel at living with purpose and strength, and for me, is the foundation of my gratitude and sense of duty, and dedication to family, patients and community.
Throughout my personal and professional life, including the hard work in training, the successes and setbacks inherent to serving patients, the sometimes nonsensical challenges of our unique health care system and the never-ending quest to achieve work-life balance, the calling to be a leader in our field has allowed me to lend my time and voice to effect positive change for us and our patients. I savor the opportunity not only to be a family physician leader, but also to have learned over time the necessity to cultivate the non-medical parts of my life. Giving back with thanks to my family and community, empathizing with others and seeking to understand the situations in life I am privileged to participate in, every day I realize the joy and rewards that come with putting the needs of others ahead of my own, all while having the best career anyone can have.
I now seek to engage a wider audience to advance our specialty, which itself challenges us to provide comprehensive, quality care with unparalleled patient satisfaction, while containing costs and achieving balance. As you review my credentials and as we meet during the year, I trust you to evaluate me as having the skill, experience and passion to lead at the highest level. I have worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings, in solo, group and residency models, and in rural, suburban and urban environments. Consequently, I understand the challenges faced by most family physicians. I have been involved in our Congress as a delegate for years, and have served on two AAFP commissions, chairing the Commission on Federal and State Policy. I have chaired the FMX subcommittee and the FamMedPAC Advisory Board. Reconciling opposing viewpoints and recognizing the importance of bipartisan advocacy to our mission, I am a careful listener and creative at finding common ground and workable solutions. I humbly ask for your vote for AAFP director.
Domenic W. Casablanca, MD, FAAFP, is a candidate for the AAFP Board of Directors.
Dr. Casablanca was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and raised in nearby Shelton, Connecticut. He graduated from The University of Scranton with a B.S. in biochemistry and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He completed his family practice residency in 1996 at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, New Jersey. His career started in rural Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, practicing full-scope family medicine with obstetrics for three years. He then spent 17 years in Shelton, the first 10 as sole proprietor in a practice he established in 1999, the next five as a site leader in a private group and the last two employed by a university-owned system, practicing full-scope except obstetrics. He was previously the chair of the Division of Family Medicine at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut, where he practiced inpatient, outpatient, nursery, nursing home and home-based care in his hometown community.
In 2016, Dr. Casablanca transitioned to core faculty at the Middlesex Health Family Medicine Residency Program, a four-year family medicine residency where he continues to practice full-scope. He is the clinical director of their East Hampton, Connecticut, practice site and teaches the practice management curriculum. He is a well-respected resident advisor and holds teaching appointments at UConn, Yale and the Frank H. Netter/Quinnipiac School of Medicine. Dr. Casablanca remains deeply devoted to his patients, many of whom he has been serving for over 25 years. He has successfully led several community outreach initiatives, including an expansion of the residencyβs home-based primary care program, and the establishment of home-based practice sites at a local assisted living facility and a residential care home for patients with serious psychiatric illnesses. He is secretary of the Department of Family Medicine at Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, Connecticut.
Dr. Casablanca has served in multiple roles in both his state and national academies. He joined the Connecticut Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) Board of Directors in 2002 and served as CAFP president in 2008-09. He is a delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates and presently serves as chair of the FamMedPAC Advisory Board. He is a former chair of both the FMX subcommittee of the Commission on Continuing Professional Development and the AAFP Commission on Federal and State Policy. He was twice convener of the AAFP Working Group on Rural Health.
Dr. Casablanca lives in Oxford, Connecticut, with his wife, Donna. They have four adult children. His interests include outdoor cycling, reading, traveling, fantasy sports, and attending live theater and sporting events. He has served his community as a school and sideline physician, youth sports coach, board member of his local health district, officer of the Medical Alumni Council of The University of Scranton and board member of the Queen of Clergy Residence of the Diocese of Bridgeport. He is an active musician and reader at his parish. He lives and serves with a spirit of passion and gratitude, and aspires to be a role model and mentor to students, residents and junior faculty.