• 2016 – present: Director of Predoctoral Anatomy Fellowship Program
  Rocky Vista University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
• 2016 – present: Assistant Professor of Structural Medicine
  Rocky Vista University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
• 2013 – 2016: Lecturer of Anatomy
  University of Missouri School of Medicine
• 2010 – 2013: PhD Candidate and Graduate Teaching Assistant
  Ohio University

Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Research and Scholarly Activity Committee, RVUCOM (2016-present)

Miscellaneous

• CALEB Science Club, Anatomy Lectures and Lab (2014-present)
• Gross Anatomy Laboratory Tours for High School Groups (2013-present)

• American Association of Anatomists
• Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology

• Student Enhancement Award
  Ohio University
  2011
• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award in Biology
  Ohio University
  2011
• Fellowship
  Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies
  2010
• Sigma Xi
  2010

Publications

• Simpkin CT, Davis KE, Davis BS, Vosko AM, Jorgensen ME (2017). Bow Hunter’s syndrome in a patient with vertebral artery atresia, an arcuate foramen, and unilateral deafness: a case report. Radiology Case Reports.
• Reilly S, Montuelle SJ, Schmidt A, Krause C, Naylor E, Jorgensen ME, Essner Jr RL (2016). Pelvic function in anuran jumping: interspecific differences in the kinematics and motor control of the iliosacral articulation during take-off and landing. Journal of Morphology. 277(12): 1539–1558.
• Reilly S, Montuelle SJ, Schmidt A, Naylor E, Jorgensen ME, Halsey L, Essner Jr RL (2015). Conquering the world in leaps and bounds: hopping locomotion in toads is actually bounding. Functional Ecology. 29(10): 1308–1316.
• Sheil CA, Jorgensen ME, Tulenko F, Harrington S (2014). Variation in timing of ossification affects inferred heterochrony of cranial bones in Lissamphibia. Evolution and Development. 16(5): 292–305.
• Essner RL, Jorgensen ME, Ringer BW, Wright SJ, Reilly SM (2014). An improved husbandry setup for cold-water amphibians. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society. 49(2): 24–27.
• Jorgensen, ME and Reilly SM (2013). Phylogenetic patterns of skeletal morphometrics and pelvic traits in relation to locomotor mode in frogs. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 26:929–943.
• Essner RL, Jorgensen ME, Corbin CE, Robins JH, Suffian DJ, and Todt NA (2012). A technique for field maintenance and transport of cold-water amphibians. Herpetological Review. 43(2): 247–249.
• Reilly SM and Jorgensen ME (2011). The evolution of jumping in frogs: morphological evidence for the basal anuran locomotor condition and the radiation of locomotor systems in crown group anurans. Journal of Morphology. 272(1):149–168.
• Venesky M, Wassersug MJ, Jorgensen ME, Riddle M, Parris MJ (2011). Comparative feeding kinematics of temperate pond-dwelling tadpoles (Anura, Amphibia). Zoomorphology130:31–38.
• Jorgensen ME and Sheil CA (2008). Effects of temperature regime through premetamorphic ontogeny on shape of the chondrocranium in the American Toad, Anaxyrus americanus. The Anatomical Record. 291(7): 818–826.
• Greenbaum E, Galeva N, and Jorgensen M (2003). Venom variation and chemoreception of the viperid Agkistrodon contortrix: evidence for adaptation? Journal of Chemical Ecology. 29(8):1741–1755.
• Greenbaum E and Jorgensen M (2003). Envenomated-invertebrate prey preference of the viperid Agkistrodon contortrix during strike-induced chemosensory searching. Amphibia-Reptilia. 25(2):165–172.

Presentations

• “Evolution of anuran axial and pelvic musculoskeletal traits associated with locomotor modes”
  University of Missouri School of Medicine
  2013

Dr. Jorgensen is from Olathe, Kansas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of Kansas, where he studied amphibian anatomy. He then took a year off to study the reproductive behavior of glass frogs in Central America. Then he moved to Cleveland, where he completed a Master of Science degree in Biology (studying the effects of temperature on cartilage development in frog skulls) at John Carroll University. He continued his work, studying the evolutionary morphology of frog locomotion, obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biology from Ohio University.

During this time, Dr. Jorgensen was introduced to graduate medical education as a teaching assistant (for which he earned an Outstanding Graduate Teaching award) in the gross anatomy lab. Upon graduating, he worked at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, where he was a gross anatomy instructor for first-year medical students and course director for the Human Anatomy and Summer Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy courses.

The choice to work at RVU was an easy one for Dr. Jorgensen as it combines two of his favorite things: teaching anatomy and enjoying the beauty of the Colorado wilderness: “I am so excited to work with students, faculty, and staff at RVU. It is such a privilege to be able to do what I love in a place that I love!”

Dr. Jorgensen enjoys hiking through the Colorado wilderness and tromping through streams in search of slimy creepy-crawlies. He has a cat and looks forward to adopting another in the near future.