From Chronic to Closure: An Innovative Approach to Manage Challenging Wounds

Dr. Arturo Gonzalez is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Graduate Nursing Department at the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Florida International University. In addition to being employed as a full-time professor at FIU, Dr. Gonzalez also maintains an independent wound care practice, providing direct patient care while overseeing wound care provided by registered nurses working in home health agencies. Dr. Gonzalez is dual board certified as an Adult Nurse Practitioner and an Advanced Practice Wound Care Nurse. Dr. Gonzalez received his Associate Degree in Nursing from Miami Dade College, his Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science of Nursing from Florida International University and his Doctor of Nursing Practice from Chatham University.

Dr. Gonzalez became interested in wounds while working with a wound care company in South Florida in 2009. Since this time, Dr. Gonzalez has worked to not only expand his personal knowledge of wound care to ensure that his patients receive the best possible care, but also Dr. Gonzalez has taken an active role in developing standards of care for patients with wounds. Specifically, Dr. Gonzalez has been an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Wound Ostomy and Continence Nursing (JWOCN) and WOUNDS. In 2021, Dr. Gonzalez was asked by the Editor-in-Chief of JWCON to serve as a Section Editor for reviewing new manuscripts written on the topic of wounds. In addition, Dr. Gonzalez served as a member of the committee responsible for updating the Guideline for Management of Wounds in Patients With Lower-Extremity Arterial Disease (LEAD) which was published in 2021. Presently, Dr. Gonzalez is working with the same team to help revise practice Guidelines for the Management of Wounds in Patients with Lower-Extremity Neuropathic Disease (LEND). Dr. Gonzalez is also a chapter author in Wound Care Made Incredibly Easy! and has most recently completed a poster presentation on educating wound care nurses for the Southeast Region of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society.

Alton R. Johnson Jr., DPM, DABPM, FACPM, FASPS, CWSPis currently a Clinical Assistant Professor and Attending Physician at The University of MichiganSchool of Medicine in the Division of Metabolism,Endocrinology and Diabetes-Podiatry.Dr. Johnson is the Director of Social Media Communications & Digital Content Creation for theLimb Preservation, Wound Care and Diabetes Related Lower Extremity ComplicationsFellowship at Michigan Medicine.In addition, he is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of AJ EducationalEmpowerment, LLCa company developed to empower individuals of all backgrounds through educational services to be tomorrow’s leaders.He attended the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Johnson went on to complete a three-year Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Residency atHCA Florida Aventura Hospital in Miami, FL.While at Aventura Hospital, Dr. Johnson served as chief resident in his third and final year of residency. During his chief year,

Dr. Johnson was able to publish several peer-reviewed journal articles and participate in an international medical mission in Haiti.In 2020, Dr. Johnson was bestowed the American Board of Wound Management Foundation Scholarship and selected as the only podiatric clinical investigator in the nation for the 2020 National Institutes of Health/National Medical Association Academic Medicine Fellows Program. In2021, Dr. Johnson completed a two-year ACFAS Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Clinical Research Fellowship at the University Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA.While in fellowship Dr.Johnson became the first podiatrist to complete the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Post-Doctoral Certificate in Clinical Research directed by the Center for Clinical Epidemiology andBiostatistics.Dr.Johnson’s most recent accomplishment was receiving the2022American Podiatric MedicalAssociationPresident’sAward for his advancements and advocacy in the podiatric medical profession.He was also the recipient of theAssociation for the Advancement of Wound Care 2022 Emerging Leader Awardee.When not seeing patients Dr .Johnson enjoys medical writing and spending time with his family and friends.