Born in Boston, Dr. Yens grew up as an Army brat. Two years in the Army Corps of Engineers with service in Vietnam as an information officer. Dr. Yens completed graduate school with an interest in technology and computer-based learning. His first academic appointment was with the College of Education at the University of Delaware. Dr. Yens started his medical education career at the Medical College of Georgia in the Division of Systems and Computer Services and subsequently the Department of Family Practice. In 1980, Dr. Yens returned north to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine as Assistant and then Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. In 1987, Dr. Yens moved to the New York Institute of Technology and became director of the Educational Development Resource Unit and Associate Professor of Medical Education at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (now NYITCOM). At NYCOM, Dr. Yens secured several training grants and helped start several departments in a new school of health professions. Dr. Yens joined TouroCOM in October, 2014. Dr. Yens is also the Research Director for the New York Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Educational Consortium.

Office Hours:

Mon-Wed weekly, 9-6

Courses Taught:

Research Methods

Biostatistics
Education/Training:

PhD Educational Psychology

MA Educational Research

BA Psychology

Advanced courses in statistics

Academic Appointments

Associate Professor, Medical Education, Touro

Hospital Appointments

Work closely with residency programs and staff at the Orange Regional Medical Center.

Professional Affiliations

American Psychological Association

American Educational Research Association

International Society for Performance and Instruction

Phi Delta Kappa (National Education Fraternity)

Society of Teachers of Family Medicine

American Osteopathic Association

American Academy of Osteopathy

Fellowships/Honors

Listed in Marquis' Who's Who in the East, 1983, 1985, 1987

New York State Osteopathic Medical Society President’s Citation

New York Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Educational Consortium (NYCOMEC)             President’s Service Award, June, 2004

Areas of Research/Interest

Medical education and research methodology

Educational technology research and development

Systems approach to curriculum development

Computer based education and testing

Selected Publications

Click here‌‌ to see Dr. Yens' Selected Publications

Invited Presentations

IAMSE Webinar, How to do Educational Research, January 21, 2016

Grants/Funding

Evaluation of the Scanalyzer in Elementary and Secondary School Classrooms, submitted to IRC Inc.  One year award of $3,500, 1967.

Interaction Between Reward Preference and Task Difficulty in a Computer Assisted Instruction Setting, submitted to the U.S. Office of Education, small Grants Program.  One year award of $10,000, 1970.  This award funded my dissertation.

Predoctoral Training in Family Medicine, prepared by D. Yens, principal investigator: J.C. Calvert: submitted to the Public Health Service.  Three year award of $270,000, June, 1978.

Faculty Development in Family Practice, submitted to the Public Health Service.  Co Authored by M.D. Miller.  Two years, $180,198, June, 1978.

Beyond Cost Containment: Teaching Medical Students to Consider Psycho Socio Economic Factors Using Computer based Simulations (with B.  Dana). Submitted to the National Fund for Medical Education. Two year award of $69,051, 1985.

Predoctoral Training in Family Medicine, Prepared by D. Yens;  Principal Investigator: S.Schiowitz.  Submitted to the Public Health Service.  Three year award of $309,679, July 1991.  Purpose:  to develop and replicate model clinical clerkships in Family Practice, Community Medicine, Occupational Medicine, and Geriatrics.

Faculty Development in Family Medicine: Rural Clerkship Program Management and Teaching Skills.  Prepared by D. Yens; Principal Investigator: S.Schiowitz.  Submitted to the Public Health Service.  Three year award of $381,141, July 1992. 

Grant for Establishment of Departments of Family Medicine, prepared by D. Yens,  Principle Investigator: E. Sheflin, D.O.  Submitted to  Public Health Service Bureau of Health Professions.  Three year award of $340,912, Sept 1994.  Purpose: Provide training for Family Physicians in research and administrative skills.

Family Medicine Graduate Training Grant, prepared by D. Yens,  Principle Investigator: E. Sheflin, D.O.  Submitted to  Public Health Service Bureau of Health Professions.   Three year award of $330,000, July 1996.   Purpose: Develop graduate training programs (Osteopathic Internships and Family Practice residency programs) at rural locations in upstate New York.

Grant for Establishment of Departments of Family Medicine, prepared by D. Yens and S. Ettinger.  Principle Investigator: E. Sheflin, D.O.  Submitted to  Public Health Service Bureau of Health Professions.  Three year award of $284,981,  Sept 1998.  Purpose: Develop model program in nutrition.

Faculty Development in Family Medicine: Faculty Development in Computer and Video Technology.  Prepared by D. Yens; Principal Investigator: T. Scandalis.  Submitted to the Public Health Service Bureau of Health Professions.  Three year award of $411,299, July 1999.  Purpose: Develop and implement training materials in use of computer and video technologies.

Predoctoral Training in Primary Care: Student Clinical Mentoring Program Augmented by Computer.  D. Yens, Principal Investigator.  Submitted to the Public Health Service Bureau of Health Professions.  Three year award of $482,760, July 2002.  Purpose: Create a clinician-based mentoring program for 1st year medical students.

Family Physician Faculty Training in Geriatrics.   Prepared by D. Yens; Principal Investigator: R.Portanova.  Submitted to the Public Health Service Bureau of Health Professions.  Five year award of $1,075,987, Sept. 2011.   Purpose: Enhance knowledge and skills of Family Physicians in geriatrics, team training, and informal caregiver training.

Community Service/Outreach

Member of the Louisa Burns Osteopathic Research Committee of the AAO

Grant and research proposal reviewer for:

• American Osteopathic Association Department of Research
• New York State Department of Health
• American Academy of Osteopathy

Student Clubs & Organizations

Chairman, TouroCOM Middletown Research Committee