By David John, M.D. ’77
I recently enjoyed a very pleasant evening with Dr. David Glover. I had asked him if I could drive to Warrensburg to hear about his career in medicine after graduating from our school in 1978. On July 14, I arrived at the Glover home about 5:30. I was able to spend about 15 minutes with his wife, Jan, before David and I headed out for a socially distanced dinner at his golf club.
I know this is about David but, first, Jan Glover is amazing. She was warm and welcoming and obviously enjoyed telling me about her satisfaction in putting her career on hold to support David and raise four boys in that very house. When she was free to do so, she resumed teaching theater and the arts at the University of Central Missouri until her recent retirement.
In one of our few serious moments, David was later to tell me that without Jan he could not have had the successful career and rich home life he is so grateful for these past 45 years. But now, back to Dave Glover.
Dave and I spent maybe three hours over dinner. He told me that, after finishing his family practice residency at Baptist Medical Center in Kansas City, he and Jan settled down in Warrensburg. They were looking for a small town in which to raise a family, not too far from what a big city offers, and one that was a college town, where Jan could teach. All these years later, Dave still feels they made a fortunate choice.
Their four boys were all very athletic, and Dave became their high school’s team physician. Later, he was asked to be the team physician for the University of Central Missouri Jennys and Mules. Dave found a lot of satisfaction in this role and, realizing he needed more in-depth training, became a charter member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM).
In that role, Dave became increasingly dissatisfied with the athletic physical exam requirements for the high school. They fit on a 3×5 card; not only was the exam superficial, but it didn’t even require that it be performed by a physician. Dave communicated with the appropriate department within the Missouri State High School Athletic Association, leading to a spot on its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. This led to AMSSM involvement with Dave becoming the liaison between that organization and the National Federation of State High School Associations. His position on the committee also led to a connection with Dr. Barry Maron, a renowned expert on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Eventually, Dave flew to Minnesota to meet Dr. Maron, a template for a thorough athletic physical in hand. David Glover, M.D., became first author of the 1998 JAMA article addressing the need for improved standards in the medical evaluation of high school athletes (JAMA, 279(22): 1817-1819, 1998).
Dave’s article made headlines. Over time, he spoke to virtually every major U.S. newspaper. A follow-up study was published in the American Journal of Cardiology (American Journal of Cardiology 2007; 100: 1709-1712).
More recently, Dave found an economical way to incorporate a screening EKG into his athletic physical. He found that, after they had been cleared to play pre-season, five of his athletes had cardiac conditions that put them at risk for sudden cardiac death, identified only by EKG. That led to two diagnoses of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and three diagnoses of aberrant cardiac conduction. The pre-participation physical is now a common setting to initially identify persons with HCM, and an EKG has become a permanent part of Dave’s athlete evaluation. Dave plans on finding the time to publish this data soon.
All the while Dave was making a significant contribution to the health and safety of young American athletes, he also was delivering babies, keeping long office hours and spending his free time with Jan and their sons. In the mix, he found time for a yearly week with a medical mission Jamaica. Often his sons or students would accompany him.
Board certified in family practice, later with the addition of certification in sports medicine, Dave also has been very involved in the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians, including serving as its 1992-1993 president, as well as in the AMA, MMA and multiple sports medicine organizations. His C.V. lists multiple lectures and 10 publications, five as first author.
During our last hour together, Dave’s son Drew joined us. He was the one son who also went into medicine and also graduated from our school. He, too, trained in family practice with a fellowship in sports medicine. It was Drew who told me his father was inducted into the University of Central Missouri Hall of Fame after receiving two Distinguished Service awards. And, like his Mom and Dad, Drew made a decision to settle down in Warrensburg and to practice with his father. Father and son supervise the Student Health Center at Central Missouri, as well.
Dave told me that evening that after Drew joined him, practicing medicine became more enjoyable again. He now plans to delay his retirement as long as feasible. He, long ago, stopped delivering babies and, more recently, cut to four days a week in the office. For Dave, life is good.
As I sat there, listening, I deeply appreciated Dave’s story, one that described a very rich, very rewarding life. A career that started in 1972, as a Year 1 student at our School of Medicine. I know that you, as an alum reading this, also have an important story to share, one that your fellow alumni will read about and smile.
I’m an alum. Class of ’77. And I am, right now, smiling.
David John, M.D. ’77
Assistant Professor, Gold 1 Docent
Associate Dean of Alumni and Community Engagement
