Alexander A. Clerk

Alexander Adu Clerk
Born (1947-05-13) 13 May 1947
Cape Coast, Gold Coast
Nationality
Education
Known for
Relatives
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions

Alexander Adu Clerk (born 13 May 1947) is a Ghanaian-American academic, psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist who was the Director of the world’s first sleep medical clinic, the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine from 1990 to 1998.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Clerk is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.[2]

Early life and family

Alexander Adu Clerk was born in Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana in 1947 to Charles Andrew Clerk (c. 1891 – 1977), a civil servant who had done administrative stints in the northern Nigerian cities of Kano and Zaria.[2] C. A. Clerk was also a colporteur of the Hansen Road Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Accra.[16] His paternal grandfather, Charles Emmanuel Clerk (died c. 1932) worked in the colonial Gold Coast Civil Service in the Office of the Governor. Alexander A. Clerk is a fourth generation descendant of the historically important Clerk family of Accra, Ghana.[17][18] He is a great-grandson of Alexander Worthy Clerk, a Jamaican Moravian missionary who arrived in the Danish Protectorate of Christiansborg (now the suburb of Osu) in Accra in the Gold Coast in 1843, as part of the original group of 24 West Indian missionaries who worked under the auspices of the Basel Evangelical Missionary Society of Basel, Switzerland.[19][20][21][18] A.W. Clerk was a pioneer of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and a leader in education in colonial Ghana, establishing a boarding middle school in Osu, the Salem School in 1843. His paternal great-grandmother, Pauline Hesse was from the Gold Coast, and was of Danish, German and Ga-Dangme heritage.[22] His great-grandaunt was Regina Hesse (1832 ─ 1898), a pioneer educator and school principal who worked with the Basel Mission on the Gold Coast.[22] His granduncle, Nicholas Timothy Clerk (1862 – 1961), a Basel-trained theologian and missionary was elected the first Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast from 1918 to 1932[23][19] and a founding father of the all boys’ boarding high school, the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School established in 1938.[24][17]

His uncle, Carl Henry Clerk (1895 – 1982), an editor, agricultural educator, school administrator, Presbyterian minister and journalist was elected the fourth Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast from 1950 to 1954[25][26] and served as the Editor of the Christian Messenger, the news bulletin of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana from 1960 to 1963.[26] Another uncle, Theodore S. Clerk (1909 – 1965) was the first Ghanaian architect of the Gold Coast who planned and developed the port city of Tema.[27][28][29] A. A. Clerk's aunts were Jane E. Clerk (1904 – 1999), a Gold Coast woman pioneer in education administration and Matilda J. Clerk (1916 – 1984), the second Ghanaian woman to become a physician.[30]

His cousin, Nicholas T. Clerk (1930 – 2012), served as the Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), the Vice-Chairman of the Public Services Commission of Ghana and the Chairman of the Public Services Commission of Uganda from 1989 to 1990.[24][24][31] Another cousin, George C. Clerk (born 1931) is a pioneering Ghanaian botanist.[32][33][34] Pauline M. Clerk (1935 - 2013), a diplomat and presidential advisor, was also his cousin.[35][36][37]

Education and training

A. A. Clerk had his early education at Presbyterian and Seventh Day Adventist mission schools in Osu and Bekwai in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions respectively.[2] After completing his secondary education at Achimota School, he studied medicine at the University of Ghana Medical School, graduating in 1975.[2] He completed a residency in psychiatry at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine.[2] For clinical and fellowship training in sleep medicine, he attended the Stanford University School of Medicine.[2]

Academic and medical career

Between 1975 and 1978, Clerk was a medical officer at the Effia-Nkwantah Hospital, Sekondi in the Western Region of Ghana.[2] Later, he became an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine.[2] He was also an attending physician and was appointed the Chief Director of the Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic and the Mental Hygiene Clinic at the Loma Linda Veteran Administration Hospital from 1984 to 1989.[2] A. A. Clerk was also a consulting psychiatrist with the Riverside County Mental Health Department.[14] Clerk was a clinical assistant professor and later, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine.[2] He was an attending physician and associate director of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic at Stanford University Medical Center, part of the Stanford Health Care system, rising to become the Director of the world’s first sleep medical clinic,[1] the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine from 1990 to 1998 where he was responsible for clinical operations, sleep research and supervised training of other medical specialists.[2][9][11][12][13] Over the course of his career, he has published numerous scientific articles, book chapters and abstracts pertaining to the science of sleep.[2]

Clerk has done medical outreach work in the United States, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire and his native Ghana.[2] Alexander Clerk is a founding member and Western Region Director of the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation based in New York City to promote specialist training, professional development in medicine and associated fields in Ghana.[2] He is a member of the Fellowship Training Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.[2] He has been board certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.[2] Clerk has also been affiliated to the Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center.[38] He is the current Director of Sleep Medicine Services at the O'Connor Health Center based in San Jose, California.[2]

Personal life

Alexander A. Clerk is married to Cynthia V. Clerk (née Oblitey) with three children. His siblings include the late Major (retired) A. Clerk, a military officer, Patrick A. Clerk, a dentist and James S. Clerk, an artist educator.[39][40] Alexander Clerk is the president of the Valley View University Foundation, established to promote academic excellence at the Valley View University in Ghana.[41] Clerk is also the president of the Pacific Ghanaian Adventist Fellowship (PaGAF).[42]

Selected works

Abstracts

  • Guilleminault, C.; Stoohs, R.; Maistros, P.; Clerk A. (1991) “Idiopathic hypersomnia revisited; the unknown upper airway resistance syndrome.” Sleep Research: 20:251
  • Valencia-Flores M.; Bliwise, D.; Guilleminault, C.; Rhodes, N.; Clerk A. (1992) “Gender differences in sleep architecture in apnea syndrome.” Sleep Research: 21:271
  • Dantz, B.; Edgar, E.M.; Clerk, A.; Keenan, S.; Seidel W.F.; Dement, W.C. (1992) “Narcoleptics on a 90 minute day: Circadian variations in sleep latencies and tympanic temperature.” Sleep Research: 21: 369
  • Clerk, A; Duncan, S.; Guilleminault, C. (1992), “Resistance perception during wakefulness in subjects with partial or complete upper airway obstruction during sleep.” Sleep Research: 21: 186

Book chapters

  • Christian Guilleminault, Riccardo Stoohs, Alex Clerk, Mindy Cetel, Paul Maistros (1993). “The Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, Sleep Apnea and Rhonchopathy.” Togawa K, Katayama S, Hisihikawa Y, Ohta Y, Horie T (eds.): Basel: Karger, , pp. 62–65
  • Alex Clerk, Vincent Zarcone. (1996) “Impotence: Sleep Clinic Assessment. Treating Sexual Disorders.” Randolph S. Charltoon (ed): Publisher Jossey Bass, San Francisco, CA, Chapter 4, pp. 123–125

Journal publications

  • Valencia-Flores, M.; Bliwise, D; Guilleminault, C.; Rhodes, N.; Clerk A. (1992): “Gender differences in sleep architecture in sleep apnea syndrome.” Journal of Sleep Research 1, 51-53
  • Guilleminault, C.; Stoohs, R.; Clerk, A.; Simmons, J.; Labanowski, M. (1992): “From obstructive sleep apnea syndrome to upper airway resistance syndrome: Consistency of daytime sleepiness.” Sleep 15:S13-S16
  • Guilleminault, C.; Clerk, A.; Stoohs, R. (1993): “Daytime somnolence: Therapeutic approaches.” Clinical Neurophysiology 23, 23-33
  • Guilleminault, C.; Clerk, A.; Labanowski, M.; Simmon, J.; Stoohs, R. (1993): “Cardiac Failure and Benzodiazepines.” Sleep 16 (6):524-528
  • Guilleminault, C.; Stoohs, R.; Labanowski, M.; Simmons, J.; Clerk, A. (1993): “Cardiac Failure, snoring, ventricular arrhythmias and nasal bilevel positive pressure ventilation.” Sleep 16: S139- S140
  • Guilleminault, C.; Stoohs R.; Clerk, A., Simmons J., Labanowski M. (1993): “Excessive daytime somnolence in women with abnormal respiratory efforts during sleep.” Sleep 16:S137-S138
  • Guilleminault, C.; Stoohs, R.; Clerk, A.; Cetel M., Maistros P. (1993): “A cause of excessive daytime sleepiness: The upper airway resistance syndrome.” Chest 104 (3): 781-787
  • Clerk, A.; Duncan, S.; Guilleminault, C. (1994): “Load detection in subjects with sleep-induced upper airway obstruction.” Am J. Respir. Crit. Care Med 149:727-730
  • Riley, R.W.; Powell, N.B., Guilleminault, C.; Clerk, A.: “Obstructive sleep apnea and the hyoid bone – a revised surgical procedure.” Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surgery
  • Riley, R.W.; Powell N.B.; Guilleminault, C.; Clerk A.; Troell, R. (1995): “Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Trends in Therapy of a Major Public Health Problem.” West I Med: 143-8
  • Kushida, C.; Clerk, A.; Kirsch, C.; Hotson, J.; Guilleminault, C. (1995): “Prolonged Confusion With Nocturnal Wandering Arising From NREM and REM Sleep: A Case Report.” Sleep: 757-64
  • Guilleminault, C.; Pelayo, R.; Clerk, A.; Leger, D.; Bocian, R. (1995): “Home Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Infants with Sleep-Disordered Breathing.” Journal of Pediatrics: 905-12.
  • Guilleminault, C.; Clerk, A.; Black, J. et al. (1995) "Nondrug Treatment Trials in Psychophysiologic Insomnia". Archives of Internal Medicine. 155 (8) 838-844[43]
  • Newman, J. P.; Clerk, A.; Moore, M.; Utley, D. S.; Terris, D. J. (1996). "Recognition and Surgical Management of the Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome". The Laryngoscope. 106 (9): 1089–1093[44][45]
  • Guilleminault, C; Stoohs, R; Kim, Y; Chervin, R; Black, J; Clerk, A. (1995) “Upper Airway sleep-disordered breathing in women.” Ann Int Med: 122 (7):493-501
  • Guilleminault, C.; Pelayo, R.; Leger, D.; Clerk, A. (1996), Bocian, R. C. “Recognition of sleep-disordered breathing in children.” Pediatrics: 871-82
  • Valencia-Flores, M.; Bliwise, D. L.; Guilleminault, C.; Cilveti, R.; Clerk, A. (1996) “Congnitive function in patients with sleep apnea after acute nocturnal nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment: sleepiness and hypoxemia effects.” J Clin. Exp. Neuropsychology: 197-210
  • Terris, D. J.; Clerk, A.; Norbash, A. M.; Troell, R. J. (1996). "Characterization of postoperative edema following laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty using MRI and polysomnography: implications for the outpatient treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome." The Laryngoscope. 106 (2 Pt 1): 124–128[46][47]
  • Utley, D. S.; Shin, E. J.; Clerk, A.; Terris, D. J. (1997). "A Cost-Effective and Rational Surgical Approach to Patients With Snoring, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, or Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome". The Laryngoscope. 107 (6): 726–734[48]

References

  1. 1 2 "Clinical Program - The Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine - Stanford University School of Medicine". sleep.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ":: Sleep Medicine Services ::". www.sleepmedicineservice.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-25. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  3. ↑ "Dr. Alexander Clerk, MD - San Jose, CA - Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine | Healthgrades.com". www.healthgrades.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  4. ↑ "Alexander A. Clerk, MD: Sleep Medicine, Psychiatry". doctor.webmd.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  5. ↑ "Alex A. Clerk, M.D. - Physicians Medical Group of San Jose". Physicians Medical Group of San Jose. Archived from the original on 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  6. ↑ "Dr. Alex Clerk, MD – San Jose, CA | Psychiatry on Doximity". Doximity. Archived from the original on 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  7. ↑ "Dr. Alex Clerk, MD | San Jose, CA | Psychiatrist". www.vitals.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  8. ↑ "Dr. Alex Clerk MD: Psychiatry, San Jose, CA". U.S. News. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  9. 1 2 Company, Johnson Publishing (1992-07-01). Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company.
  10. ↑ "SUMC Medical Staff Update". med.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  11. 1 2 Company, Johnson Publishing (July 1995). Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017.
  12. 1 2 Company, Johnson Publishing (9 June 1997). Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017.
  13. 1 2 Company, Johnson Publishing (2 March 1998). Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017.
  14. 1 2 "SUMC Medical Staff Update". med.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  15. ↑ Sleep Medicine Services. "Profile of Dr. Alex A. Clerk" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2018.
  16. ↑ Brocke, Eunice Miranda (2011). Adventism in Accra: History of the Hansen Road Seventh-Day Adventist Church. EMB Goodwill Foundation. ISBN 9789988806026. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  17. 1 2 "70 years of excellent secondary education" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2011.
  18. 1 2 Anquandah, James (November 2006). Ghana-Caribbean Relations - From Slavery Times to Present: Lecture to the Ghana-Caribbean Association (PDF). Accra: National Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 July 2016.
  19. 1 2 Debrunner, Hans W. (1965). Owura Nico, the Rev. Nicholas Timothy Clerk, 1862-1961: pioneer and church leader. Watervile Publishing House. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017.
  20. ↑ Debrunner, Hans W. (1965). Owura Nico, the Rev. Nicholas Timothy Clerk, 1862-1961: pioneer and church leader. Watervile Publishing House. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017.
  21. ↑ Debrunner, Hans W. (1967). A history of Christianity in Ghana,. Waterville Pub. House. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013.
  22. 1 2 Sill, Ulrike (2010). Encounters in Quest of Christian Womanhood: The Basel Mission in Pre- and Early Colonial Ghana. BRILL. ISBN 9004188886. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017.
  23. ↑ "Clerk, Nicholas Timothy, Ghana, Basel Mission". www.dacb.org. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  24. 1 2 3 "PRESEC | ALUMINI PORTAL". 2016-11-11. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  25. ↑ Company, Johnson Publishing (26 August 1954). Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017.
  26. 1 2 Clerk, Nicholas, T. (5 June 1982). Obituary: The Reverend Carl Henry Clerk. Accra: Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Funeral Bulletin.
  27. ↑ Goold, David. "Dictionary of Scottish Architects - DSA Architect Biography Report (June 11, 2017, 7:51 pm)". www.scottisharchitects.org.uk. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  28. ↑ Ofori-Mensah. "22 Successful Ghanaians Who Went To Achimota School". OMGVoice. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  29. ↑ "Profile of THEODORE SHEALTIEL CLERK". MyHeritage.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  30. ↑ Jr, Adell Patton (1996-04-13). Physicians, Colonial Racism, and Diaspora in West Africa (1st ed.). Gainesville: University Press of Florida. p. 29. ISBN 9780813014326. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017.
  31. ↑ "70 years of excellent secondary education" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2011.
  32. ↑ "Contact Us | Department of Botany". webcache.googleusercontent.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  33. ↑ "Membership". gaas-gh.org. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  34. ↑ "Fellowship". gaas-gh.org. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  35. ↑ Steinberg, S. (27 December 2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1962: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. Springer. ISBN 9780230270916. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018.
  36. ↑ Steinberg, S. (27 December 2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1963: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. Springer. ISBN 9780230270923. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018.
  37. ↑ Steinberg, S. (26 December 2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1964-65: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. Springer. ISBN 9780230270930. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018.
  38. ↑ "Dr. Alexander A Clerk Sleep Specialist Fremont, CA MedicineNet". MedicineNet. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  39. ↑ "Patrick A Clerk DDS, los angeles Dentist | Make an appointment at area los angeles, CA 90017". app.docmate.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  40. ↑ "Dr. Patrick Clerk, DDS - Los Angeles, CA - Dentistry | Healthgrades.com". www.healthgrades.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  41. ↑ Valley View University Foundation launched in USA to secure financial support Retrieved October 12, 2018
  42. ↑ Ghanaian SDA church in Riverside, CA recognized Retrieved October 12, 2018
  43. ↑ Guilleminault, Christian (1995-04-24). "Nondrug Treatment Trials in Psychophysiologic Insomnia". Archives of Internal Medicine. 155 (8). doi:10.1001/archinte.1995.00430080076010. ISSN 0003-9926.
  44. ↑ "Obstructive Sleep Dyspnea: Diagnosis and treatment". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  45. ↑ Newman, James P.; Clerk, Alex A.; Moore, Michelle; Utley, David S.; Terris, David J. (1996-09-01). "Recognition and Surgical Management of the Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome". The Laryngoscope. 106 (9): 1089–1093. doi:10.1097/00005537-199609000-00009. ISSN 1531-4995.
  46. ↑ Terris, D. J.; Clerk, A. A.; Norbash, A. M.; Troell, R. J. (February 1996). "Characterization of postoperative edema following laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty using MRI and polysomnography: implications for the outpatient treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome". The Laryngoscope. 106 (2 Pt 1): 124–128. ISSN 0023-852X. PMID 8583838.
  47. ↑ Fabiani, Mario (2003). Surgery for Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Diagnosis and Therapy of Sleep Respiratory Disorders for the Otorhinolaryngologist. Kugler Publications. ISBN 9789062991822. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017.
  48. ↑ Utley, David S.; Shin, Edward J.; Clerk, Alex A.; Terris, David J. (1997-06-01). "A Cost-Effective and Rational Surgical Approach to Patients With Snoring, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, or Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome". The Laryngoscope. 107 (6): 726–734. doi:10.1097/00005537-199706000-00005. ISSN 1531-4995. Archived from the original on 26 January 2012.
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