Dr. Thomas completed his undergraduate education at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and medical school education at Mayo Medical School and residency training at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He held a subspecialty interest in head and neck tumors. He received his MBA in Medical Group Management from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Thomas spent 28 years in private practice, leading a group of 21 otolaryngologists as President and CEO for 7 of those years.
During that time Dr. Thomas was active in the administration of United Hospital, St. Paul’s largest hospital. He held a variety of leadership positions, including Chief of Staff. He recently retired from clinical practice to become an ENT Medical Director for UnitedHealthcare. Dr. Thomas served on the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice for 16 years and held many leadership roles including President. Dr. Thomas was active in the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), serving on numerous committees and holding a variety of leadership roles including Chair.
As Chair of the FSMB, Dr. Thomas shepherded the development of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact statute, which ultimately led to the formation of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC), to which he was elected Chair. He is the recipient of the FSMB’s Distinguished Service Award and Mayo Clinic’s Professional Achievement Award. Currently Dr. Thomas is acting Chair of the Committee for Individualized Review of the United States Medical Licensing Exam. In addition, he serves on the Editorial Committee for the American Association for Physician Leadership.
