Paul M. Gahlinger

Paul M. Gahlinger

Paul M. Gahlinger, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., FACOEM, (born in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is an American scientist, physician, and author.[1] His books include Computer Programs for Epidemiologic Analysis (see Winpepi), Northern Manitoba from Forest to Tundra, The Cockpit, Illegal Drugs, Health for Pilots, Drugs and Justice, and The Medical Tourism Travel Guide.

Biography

Paul Gahlinger is the son of Anton Josef Gahlinger (1918–1959) and Margrit Rosa (1917–2007), both of whom were citizens of Switzerland. His father was a career military man who commanded the Swiss cavalry during World War II and later served as the Captain of the Swiss Guards under Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII.[2] The family subsequently emigrated to Canada, where his father bought a produce farm. The father’s early death plunged the family into poverty. Paul Gahlinger left school at age 14 to become a farm worker, and later worked underground at Giant Mine gold mine near Yellowknife in the Canadian Northwest Territories and was a logger for MacMillan Bloedel Limited on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. At age 20, he gained entry to college despite lacking a high school education or diploma. He eventually achieved a B.A. in Philosophy, M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology, M.P.H. in Epidemiology, and M.D. degrees. He studied at numerous universities, with degrees from the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis. (This information is from The Cockpit.)

Gahlinger is a citizen of Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. In 1992, he attained notoriety by his record-breaking flight in a small airplane from California to Egypt (described in The Cockpit).

In 1996, Gahlinger became Chief Medical Officer of Johnston Atoll, a chemical weapons demilitarization site in the mid-Pacific. Under his stewardship, the island obtained JCAHO (Joint Commission) and ISO-9000 accreditation and certification by the Chemical Weapons Convention for health care.

In 2008, Gahlinger started MediCruiser Family Practice & House Calls. This company has a traditional clinic, telemedicine operations, and a Doctor's house call service. It is located in West Jordan, UT.

Awards

In 1984, he was awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science prize in Philosophy of Science for his paper, “The Assignation of Cause” arguing that causality is an operational construct that cannot be determined empirically.

In 1997, he was awarded a medal of distinguished service by the United States Army, Defense Special Weapons, for his development of chemical weapons safety programs.

In 2001, he was elected to Fellow and Master of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Academic research

Gahlinger is best known for his research and publications on substance abuse and illegal drugs. In particular, his popular textbook Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse 2004, New York: Penguin Group, Plume is regarded as the most comprehensive reference on illegal drugs. It is used at hundreds of universities and colleges in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. His commentary on illegal drugs has been presented in numerous television and radio programs on topics ranging from Opium production in Afghanistan to the influence of cocaine on Robert Louis Stevenson Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

He is currently Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah and serves as a Biomedical Space Research evaluator for NASA.

Works

Non-fiction books

Book chapters

Academic journal articles

Popular magazine articles

References

  1. "Fascinating and frightening facts and legends. (Drugs).". USA Today. 1 April 2002. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  2. Gahlinger, Anton Josef . I Served the Pope. Out of Print, 1954
  3. Gahlinger, Paul M. Computer Programs for Epidemiologic Analysis. Makapuu Medical Press, 1993
  4. Gahlinger, Paul M. Northern Manitoba from Forest to Tundra. G.B. Communications, 1995
  5. Gahlinger, Paul M. Computer Programs for Epidemiologic Analysis. Stone Mountain, 1995
  6. Gahlinger, Paul M. Computer Programs for Epidemiologists. Brixton Books, 1999
  7. Gahlinger, Paul M. The Cockpit: A Flight of Escape and Discovery. Sagebrush Press, 2000
  8. Gahlinger, Paul M. Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse. Sagebrush Press, 2001
  9. Abramson, JH. Gahlinger, Paul M. Computer Programs for Epidemiologists. Sagebrush Press, 2001
  10. Gahlinger, Paul M. Health for Pilots: A Complete Guide to FAA Medical Certification and Self-Care. Sagebrush Press, 2002
  11. Gahlinger, Paul M. Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse. New York: Penguin (Plume), 2004
  12. Gahlinger, Paul M. Drugs and Justice: Seeking a Consistent, Coherent, Comprehensive View. , 2007
  13. Gahlinger, Paul M. The Medical Tourism Travel Guide: Your Complete Reference to Top-Quality, Low-Cost Dental, Cosmetic, Medical Care & Surgery Overseas. , 2008
  14. Gahlinger, Paul M. Cows: A Rumination. Emmis Books, 2004