History of MedFriendly
MedFriendly.com was founded by Dr. Dominic Carone in October of 2001. While he was a graduate student, Carone noticed that there was a huge need for an online medical resource that would help the average person easily understand complex medical terminology. He was frustrated with medical dictionaries that defined complex medical terms with other complex medical terms.
Dr. Carone put his thinking cap on and had an idea - the creation of a website in which all complex medical terms used in a definition are explained within the definition. No longer would people need to flip through hundreds of pages to find out what all of the complicated terms in a definition meant. Although it would be a life's work, Carone dutifully began the task at once. He picked up some books on how to create websites and got to work.
In 2000, Dr. Carone experimented with web page publishing on sites that offered free web space. In October of 2001, he decided to create his own dotcom web site and MedFriendly was born. His wife, Pamela Carone (a Registered Nurse) created the name "MedFriendly," helped create the MedFriendly icon, provides valuable consultation, edits entries, and has helped shape the overall look of the website. By March of 2002, over 500 medical terms were listed on MedFriendly and other companies began to advertise on it. By May 1, 2002, there were 1000 medical terms on MedFriendly, and by July 26 of 2003 there were over 2000 medical terms listed. Since that time, the site has continued to grow and flourish although there were sometimes long periods of slowed growth as Dr. Carone focused on his career and his family. As on 2009, he has resumed a more active role in developing MedFriendly.
Dr. Carone personally creates every entry and places them on MedFriendly. He uses his knowledge of anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, chemistry, biology, pharmacology, pathology, and other sciences to create the entries. His love of knowledge, which began during his undergraduate studies at Le Moyne College (where he graduated summa cum laude), makes it easy and enjoyable for him to create the entries for MedFriendly. One of his main intellectual influences at Le Moyne College was Dr. Vincent Hevern.
Dr. Carone is currently employed as a board certified neuropsychologist and assistant professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University, where he is also a clinical assistant professor. He assesses adults and children (beginning at 5) with a wide variety of acquired and developmental brain disorders. He is the coordinator of the SUNY Upstate Neuropsychology Assessment Program.
Dr. Carone completed a 2 year post-doctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology from 2003-2005 in the Department of Neurology at SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on August 29, 2003. While there, he trained with Drs. Ralph Benedict (a board certified neuropsychologist) and Dr. Mark Gunther (a neuropsychologist). In addition to seeing patients, he conducted research at the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, where he works with Dr. Benedict and Dr. Robert Zivadinov in studying the effects of regional gray and white matter atrophy on cognition (i.e., thinking) and emotional functioning in patients with multiple sclerosis. This research involved the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain.
Dr. Carone completed his neuropsychology internship at
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center on June 30, 2003. There, he was trained by two board certified neuropsychologists, Dr. James Scott and Dr. Russell Adams.
Dr. Carone completed graduate training at Nova Southeastern University, where he earned his Ph.D. Specifically, he was a student in the Neuropsychology specialization program at Nova Southeastern University's Center for Psychological Studies. There, he trained under three board certified psychologists (Dr. William J. Burns, Dr. Wiley Mittenberg, and Dr. Charles Golden), two of whom are board certified in clinical neuropsychology.
Dr. Carone defended his dissertation, entitled "A Comparison of Three Cognitive Screening Measures in a Traumatic Brain Injured Population," on April 11, 2003. His dissertation was chaired by William J. Burns, Ph.D. The other committee members were Stuart Gold, Psy.D., Ph.D., and Wiley Mittenberg, Ph.D. Carone graduated Nova Southeastern University with a 4.0 grade point average.
Dr. Carone has authored numerous publications, including the following:
- Carone, D., (2008). Children with moderate/severe brain damage/dysfunction outperform adults with mild to no brain damage on the Medical Symptom Validity Test. Brain Injury, 22, 960-971.
- Tjoa, C.W, Benedict, R , Dwyer, M., Carone, D., and Zivadinov, R. (2008). Regional specificity of magnetization transfer imaging in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuroimaging, 18, 130-136.
- Carone, D. (2007). E. Strauss, E. M. S. Sherman, & O. Spreen, A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests: Administration, Norms, and Commentary (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 2006. Applied Neuropsychology, 14, 62-63. [Book review].
- Carone, D. A., Benedict, R. H. B., Zivadinov, R., Singh, B., and Ambrus, J.L. (2006). Progressive cerebral disease in lymphomatoid granulomatosis causes anterograde amnesia and neurogenic personality disorder. Journal of Neuroimaging,16, 163-166.
- Carone, D. A., Benedict, R. H. B., Dwyer, M. G., Cookfair, D., Srinivasaraghavan, B., Tjoa, C., and Zivadinov, R. (2006). Semiautomatic brain region extraction (SABRE) reveals superior cortical and deep gray matter atrophy in MS. Neuroimage,29, 505-514.
- Carone, D., Benedict, R., Munschauer, F., Fishman, I., Weinstock-Guttman, B. (2005) Interpreting patient/informant discrepancies of reported cognitive symptoms in MS. Journal of the International Neurological Society,11, 574-583.
- Benedict, R., Zivadinov, R., Carone, D. Weinstock-Guttman, B., Gaines, J., Maggiore, C., Sharma, J., Tomassi, M., and Bakshi, R. (2005). Regional lobar atrophy predicts memory impairment in multiple sclerosis. American Journal of Neuroradiology,26, 1824-1831.
- Benedict R.H., Carone D. (2004). Brain atrophy, cognitive dysfunction, and emotional disturbances
in multiple sclerosis (pp. 137-166). In R. Zivadinov and R. Bakshi (Eds), Brain and Spinal Cord Atrophy in
Multiple Sclerosis (in press). New York: Nova Science Publisher.
- Benedict RH, Carone D., Bakshi, R. (2004). Correlating brain atrophy with cognitive dysfunction, mood disturbances, and personality disorder in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuroimaging, 14(3), 36S-45S.
- Simpson, M., Carone, D., & Burns, W. J., Seidman, T., Montgomery, D., & Sellers, A. (2002). Assessing Giftedness with the WISC-III Versus and the SB-IV. Psychology in the Schools, 39, 515-524.
- Carone, D. (2002). Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s Disease): The Most Frequent form of Motor System Disease; Psychologist Can Help. National fact sheet published by the Association of VA Psychologist Leaders.
- Demsky, Y., Carone, D., & Burns, W. J. (2000). Assessment of visual-motor coordination in 6-to 11-year-olds. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 91, 311-332.
- Carone, D., & Barone, D. P. (2001). A social cognitive perspective on religious beliefs: Their functions and impact on coping and psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 21, 989-1003.
Dr. Carone has also presented the following research at conferences throughout the country.
- Carone, D., Maschino, A., Turk, M. (2008). Children with moderate to severe brain damage/dysfunction perform better on digit span than adults with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) who fail effort testing. Poster presentation at the National Academy of Neuropsychology’s 28th Annual Conference, New York, NY.
- Carone, D. Shah, A. A five factor personality profile analysis of patients with persisting symptoms after mild traumatic brain/head injury. Poster presentation at the National Academy of Neuropsychology’s 28th Annual Conference, New York, NY.
Maschino, A., Carone, D. Symptom complaints do not predict employment status in patients with symptom persistence after mild TBI/head injury. Poster presentation at the National Academy of Neuropsychology’s 28th Annual Conference, New York, NY.
Shah, A., Carone, D. Personality is associated with symptom complaints but not cognitive impairment in patients with persisting symptoms after mild TBI/head injury. Poster presentation at the National Academy of Neuropsychology’s 28th Annual Conference, New York, NY.
Carone, D., Turk, M. (2008). Children with moderate/severe brain damage/dysfunction outperform adults with mild to no brain damage on the Medical Symptom Validity Test. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology’s 6th Annual Conference, Boston, MA.
Carone, D., Rieger, P. (2007). Use of the Beck Depression Inventory - Fast Screen in postconcussional syndrome and the moderating influence of effort. Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 35th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
Carone, D., Rieger, P. (2007). Most patients with postconcussional syndrome in a clinical (versus forensic) setting exert optimal effort. Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 35th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
Tekok-Killic, A., Zivadinov, R., Srinivasaraghavan, B.Carone, D., Yella, V., Dwyer, M., Benedict, R. Frontal atrophy predicts memory and speed of processing in patients with multiple sclerosis. (2007). Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 35th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
Dwyer, M.G., Benedict, RHB, Srinivasaraghavan, B., Carone, D., Yella, V., Abdelrahman, N., Zivadinov, R (2006). Regional MRI measures and disability in multiple sclerosis. Poster presentation at the European Neurological Society's 16th Annual Meeting, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Zivadinov, R., Benedict, R., Srinivasaraghavan, B., Carone, D., Yella, V., Abdelrahman, N., Dwyer, M. (2006). Regional MRI Measures and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis. Poster presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine's 14th Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Carone, D., Bruce, J., Yella, V., Benedict, R.H., Dwyer, M. G., Tjoa, C.W., Zivadinov, R. (2006). Deep Gray Matter Atrophy Predicts Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's 58th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Carone, D., Benedict, R.H., Dwyer, M. G., Srinivasaraghavan, B., Yella, V., Abdelrahman, N., Weinstock-Guttman, B., Munschauer, F.E., Zivadinov, R. (2006). Regional Lesion Volume Predicts Total and then Regional Gray Matter Atrophy in MS. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's 58th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Tjoa, C., Srinivasraghavan, B., Carone, D., Dwyer, M., Benedict, R., Zivadinov, R. (2005). Regional Analysis of Automated Magnetization Transfer in Multiple Sclerosis. Poster presentation at the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine's 13th Annual Meeting, Miami, FL.
Carone, D., Benedict, R., Dwyer, M., Srinivasaraghavan, B., Tjoa, C., Watts, K., Zivadinov, R. (2005). Diffuse Regional Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis is Mostly Caused by Gray Matter Destruction. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's 57th Annual Meeting, Miami, FL.
Benedict, R., Tjoa, C., Srinivasaraghavan, B., Carone, D., Dwyer, M., Tavazzi, E., Munschauer, F.E., Weinstock-Guttman, B., Bakshi, R., Zivadinov, R. (2005). Correlation of Parcellated Brain Measures with Neuropsychological Testing in MS: Comparing Regional Brain Atrophy and Magnetization Transfer Ratio. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's 57th Annual Meeting, Miami, FL.
Carone, D., Zivadinov, R., Singh, B., Ambrus, J., Benedict, R. (2005). Severe bilateral temporal lobe atrophy and amnesia in a case of lymphomatoid granulomatosis confined to the brain. Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 33rd Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO.
Carone, D., Munschauer, F., Fishman, I., Weinstock-Guttman, B., Benedict, R. (2005). Interpreting patient/informant discrepancies on reported cognitive symptoms in multiple sclerosis: correlation with cognitive and emotional disorder. Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 33rd Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO.
Carone, D., Zivadinov, R., Weinstock-Guttman, B., Gaines, J., Maggiore, C., Sharma, J., Tomassi, M., Bakshi, R., Benedict, R. (2005). Learning inconsistency is associated with frontal lobe atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS). Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 33rd Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO.
Carone, D. Cognitive dysfunction and MRI measures in multiple sclerosis. Invited speaker to Biogen Inc., in Buffalo NY. Presented on December 21, 2004.
Carone, D., Zivadinov, R., Benedict, R., Weinstock-Guttman, B., Maggiore, C., Sharma, J., Tomassi, M.A., Bakshi, R. (2004). Temporal lobe atrophy predicts memory impairment in multiple sclerosis. Poster presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 56th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Carone, D., Burns, W.J., Gold, S., Mittenberg, W., & Condit, D. (2004). A comparison of three cognitive screening measures in a traumatic brain injured population. Poster presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society's 32nd Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
Carone, D. Graduate school, internship, and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical neuropsychology. Invited speaker at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. Presented on November 10, 2003.
Carone, D.,& Dorfman, W. I. (2001). The MMPI-A: Codetype prevalence and descriptors of adolescent psychiatric patients. Poster presentation at the American Psychological Association's 109th Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Carone,D., Patton, D., Burns, W.J., Starrat, C., Natale, M., Simpson, R., Bradshaw, A., Widmayer, S., Peterson, L., & Puranik, S. (2000). Pediatric closed head injury: Using Symbol Search as a substitute on the WISC-III. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 795. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL
Carone, D., Patton, D., Burns, W.J., Starrat, C., Natale, M., Simpson, R., Bradshaw, A., Widmayer, S., Peterson, L., & Puranik, S. (2000). Pediatric closed head injury: Differential impact on verbal and visual-spatial memory, and intelligence. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 796-797. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
Patton, D., Carone, D., Burns, W.J., Natale, M., Simpson, R., Bradshaw, A., Widmayer, S., Peterson, L., Starrat, C., & Puranik, S. (2000). Pediatric closed head injury affects the relationship between achievement and intelligence. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 793-794. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
Demsky, Y., Carone, D., Burns, W.J., & Sellers, A. (2000). Widespread nervous system impairment in a case of advanced neurosyphilis. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 832-833. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
Lunger, K. D., Burns, W. J., Dorfman, W. I., & Carone, D. (2000). The cumulative effects of adolescent neurologic complaints on MMPI-A scale elevations. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 772-773. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
Natale, M., Patton, D., Burns, W.J., Carone, D., Simpson, R., Bradshaw, A., Widmayer, S., Puranik, S., Peterson, L., & Starrat, C. (2000). Receptive language performance as an estimator of verbal intellectual performance in children with head injuries. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 809. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
Simpson, R., Burns, W.J., Patton, D., Widmayer, S., Carone, D., Natale, M., Bradshaw, A., Starrat, C., Peterson, L., & Puranik, S. (2000). How much does the WRAML Screening Index over-estimate general memory in clinical pediatric populations? Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 15, (8), 803-804. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 20th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
Carone, D., Thompson, M. D., Knee, K., Golden, C. J., Hanson, M. R., Salanga, V. D., Astor, F. C., Hanft, K. L., & Strickland, M. C. (1999). Odor identification in Alzheimer's Disease: Support for a degradation of olfactory knowledge hypothesis. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14, (8), 618-619. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 19th Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX.
Simpson, R. A., Patton, D. E., Widmayer, S., Burns, W. J., Starratt, C., Peterson, L., & Carone, D.,& Puranik, S. (1999). Assessment of language ability in pediatrics with mild to severe head injuries. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14, (8), 681. Poster presentation at National Academy of Neuropsychology's 19th Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX.
Chronopolous, A., Carone, D., Natale, M., Combs, M., Sanders, R., McCue, R., & Burns, W. J. (1999). Malingering detection in brain injury: Clinical and simulated sample groups. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 13, (2), 216. Poster presentation at the American Psychological Association's 107th Annual Convention, Boston, MA.
Patton, D., Simpson, R. A., Burns, W. J., Carone, D.,Widmayer, S., Starratt, C., Peterson, L., & Puranik, S. (1999). Brain injured children: CBCL compared to caretaker interview. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 13, (2), 227. Poster presentation at the American Psychological Association's 107th Annual Convention, Boston, MA.
TM
