Dr. Schenarts is a professor of surgery at Creighton University, School of Medicine and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. A native of Connecticut, he graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University and received his medical degree from the University of Connecticut, where he also completed a post sophomore fellowship in anatomic pathology, and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his general surgery residency at Maine Medical Center, during which he also completed a two-year NIH trauma research fellowship in the investigational intensive care unit at the University of Texas Medical Branch. After residency, he completed a trauma and surgical critical care fellowship at Vanderbilt University and then served as co-medical director of Vanderbilt Life Flight. He was then recruited to East Carolina University School of Medicine, where he spent the next 12 years. While at East Carolina, Dr. Schenarts served as director of the general surgery residency, assistant dean for clinical academic affairs, and director of the surgery clerkship. He then served as the Chief of Acute Care Surgery and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs at the University of Nebraska.
Dr. Schenarts is a nationally known surgical educator and has won numerous teaching awards including the University Board of Governors Award as one of the best teachers within the entire University of North Carolina system consisting of 17 colleges and universities. He was also the recipient of the Master Educator Award, the Jones Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Best Clinical Educator Award, and has also received the National Outstanding Teacher Award from the Association for Surgical Education. Similarly, his research interests are focused on surgical education and leadership. In addition to his academic and clinical pursuits, Dr. Schenarts was a Colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and has served four deployments in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. He has served as commander of forward surgical teams and chief of surgery at combat support hospitals. He has received the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal for his actions in Afghanistan.. He also serves as the physician medical director for the City of Omaha Police Department and the Epply Airport Fire Department.
