Alumnus follows his family into osteopathic medicine

By Nicholas Wood

When The Ohio D.O. profiled the Wagner family in its Summer 1983 issue, Thomas Wagner—the youngest of 10 siblings—was early in his junior high career, witnessing his older brother Mark graduate from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

As preteens many of us were preoccupied with such frivolities as middle school crushes and the general woes of puberty’s miserable early stages. But when he was 12, Wagner already expressed his “pre-osteo interest,” seeing in his brother’s achievement the “completion of a dream that might someday be [his] too.” 

After all, in addition to Mark, his father served Amherst, Ohio, as a D.O., and five more of his older siblings followed the same path. As they each worked their way through medical school, Wagner even served as their Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment dummy, for a modest five-dollar fee. 

“It was everything I'd always known growing up,” Wagner said. “In a household like that, with a family like that, you're around it all the time…you know, you go to med school. That's just what you do.”

It may seem that his graduation from OHIO’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998 was a foregone conclusion, but for Wagner it was a decision made on his own terms. Walter, his father, never pressured any of his children to follow in his footsteps. Still, witnessing the passion he carried with him to work each day left an indelible mark. Wagner was inspired to lead a life equally as fulfilling as his father’s seemed to be. 

Just outside of Cleveland, in North Ridgeville, Ohio, he’s achieved just that. At University Hospital—where he’s spent the past 23 years specializing in family medicine—Wagner has forged long lasting relationships with his patients, some beginning as early as the day they were born.

“Recently I was doing a newborn exam with one of my patients, and she said to me, ‘you know, you did the same exam on me 22 years ago,’” Wagner said. “There’s another family that I see five generations of—the great grandparents, the grandparents, the parents, the kids and now the great grandkids.”

His philosophy is to take care of people, not problems. Creating a welcoming atmosphere for patients to feel comfortable communicating their needs is Wagner’s number one priority. This commitment to his patient’s humanity is undoubtedly what affords him such fulfilling, long-lasting connections.

Beyond the clinic, as well, Wagner makes sure to prioritize the important relationships in his own life. When the whole family gets together, conversations about medicine are left at the door as they focus on simply being around one another. He also prides himself on never missing any of his three kids’ events throughout their lives, even remaining involved as his daughter—who has her sights set on attending Heritage College in the fall—works through her undergraduate studies at OHIO. Last fall, Wagner spoke to her and her fellow pre-Student Osteopathic Medicine Association (SOMA) club members about his profession, though, he admits, she did have her pick of the family tree.

“She also had one of my siblings and my nephew come talk to the group as well,” Wagner said. “It’s funny—I mean, she's asked me about my career, but I think she's talked more to her cousins who are nurses or doctors about it. She’s definitely been inspired by them.”

Though humble as he reflects on the role he’s played in his family’s and patients’ lives, Wagner’s passion and enthusiasm for his profession is palpable. He’s undoubtedly made a lasting, positive impact on those around him—just as his father’s (and uncles’ and sisters’ and brothers’ and cousins’) zeal impacted him as a young man. After all, to steal a pun from the article written about the Wagner family back in 1983: 

“The Wagners: They know how to D.O. it.”