Barry University’s School of Podiatric Medicine and its Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center are the recipients of a new scholarship. The “Bruce Werber Scholarship for Research in Podiatric Sports Medicine/Biomechanics” is made possible thanks to a donation of $25,000 from Dr. Marybeth Crane, class of 1994.
Crane, FACFAS, CWS, established the scholarship in honor of her mentor, Dr. Bruce Werber, FACFAS, who is recognized among the nation’s foremost foot and ankle specialists. It will provide an annual $5,000 research award to one qualified podiatric medical student. Professors will choose students who submit worthy, publishable research in the area of podiatric sports medicine/biomechanics. In addition, students must demonstrate clinical excellence in podiatric sports medicine/biomechanics and demonstrate interest in pursuing a career specialty in this area.
She first met Werber as a patient early in her college cross country career. She suffered from severe shin splints, which had sidelined her in high school. She had seen several orthopedic surgeons who proclaimed her “too little to be a distance runner.” Werber fabricated her first pair of functional orthotics and she became interested in podiatric medicine as a career. She later served as an intern in athletic training in Werber’s office and after she completed her degree in exercise science and athletic training, he encouraged Crane to continue her education in podiatric medicine. Werber was so convinced that Crane would make an excellent podiatrist, that he drove her to Boston to an open house as well as to an interview with the Barry program. He kept in touch with Crane during her time at Barry and encouraged her to return to Rhode Island for her residency.
“Without the encouragement of Dr. Werber, I would probably be a physical therapist today,” said Crane. “My purpose of establishing a research scholarship in sports medicine is not only to honor Dr. Werber but to encourage evidence-based research in biomechanics that will justify the inclusion of podiatric medicine in the sports medicine arena of the future.”
The “Bruce Werber Scholarship for Research in Podiatric Sports Medicine/Biomechanics” is the second research scholarship established at the Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center, following the “Dr. James Stelnicki Scholarship for Research Excellence in Lower Extremity Vascular Medicine.”
Werber is the founder and owner of InMotion Foot and Ankle Specialists in Scottsdale, AZ. Previously in private practice in Cranston, RI for more than 20 years, Werber was an integral part of Brown University’s Roger Williams Medical Center Residency in Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgery in Providence, RI. He received his doctorate from the California College of Podiatric Medicine and is Board Certified by the American Board of Podiatric Foot & Ankle Surgery and the American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics. He is a Fellow of the American College of Foot Surgeons and the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. A past president of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, Werber continues to teach students and residents in Arizona as an associate professor. He also served for two years as director of clinical education at Midwestern University and as an adjunct professor of surgery at Tempe University.
Crane has an extensive background and interest in podiatric sports medicine. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science/Athletic Training from Rhode Island College, a master’s degree in Biomedical Science from Barry University and then finished with a doctorate in podiatric medicine from Barry’s School of Podiatric Medicine. This was followed by a surgical internship and residency in foot and ankle surgery at Brown University’s Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, RI. She is double board certified in foot surgery and wound care and is the managing partner of Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, LLP in Grapevine, Texas. She was named one of the most influential podiatrists in the country by Podiatry Management Magazine in September 2006 and recently again in 2011.
Not only does Crane frequently assist on educating runners and triathletes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, she is also a long-standing member of the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers and can be found most Saturday mornings running before dawn around Lake Grapevine or on her pink bike doing the Tour of the North Texas. As a young adult, she participated in cross country and track. Crane enjoyed running so much she moved up to the marathon after finishing her college running career. She has competed all over the country including Boston, New York and Chicago as well as White Rock Marathon in Dallas. She has participated in an Olympic and four half-Ironman distance triathlons and the Texas Ironman. She is currently training for Ironman Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, August 2012.
Crane is a member of the Barry University Order of the Flame which recognizes individuals who have donated more than $10,000 to the university. She has previously donated more than $35,000 to the Dr. Marvin and Ruth Steinberg Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will enable her to join the Society of Founders for donors giving over $50,000 to the university.
“Dr. Crane’s donation to the School of Podiatric Medicine is a most generous gift that will be the catalyst to encourage many of our alumni and podiatric friends to establish research scholarships for our podiatric medical students that will benefit the profession of podiatric medicine for years to come,” said Dr. Jeffrey Jensen, dean of the School of Podiatric Medicine at Barry.
The mission of the Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center is to create a world class research site utilizing the collaborative efforts of basic and clinical sciences. The research will result in publications in peer-reviewed journals, enhancing Barry University's academic and scholarly reputation as well as the resident and student experience at Barry.
Barry University is a private, Catholic institution with a history of academic excellence in the Adrian Dominican tradition. Founded in 1940 in Miami, Florida, the University enrolls nearly 9,000 students and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its nine academic schools and colleges, including Adult & Continuing Education, Business, Education, Human Performance & Leisure Science, Law, Podiatric Medicine, Social Work, Arts & Sciences, and Health Sciences.