When you first meet Fritz Raiser, DO, you could be forgiven for thinking he was on holiday. There’s a quiet ease about him, a calm confidence that feels almost out of place for someone who spends half his week in a busy emergency room and his days leading clinical trials.
Warm and approachable, Dr. Raiser is a physician who easily builds a rapport with patients. Throughout our conversation, his focus always returns to people. The patients who volunteer for trials, those he meets in the ER, his colleagues, his wife, and his mentors. He clearly cares very deeply about the people in his life. Something reflected in his work.
“Seeing the impact of the work we do in research feed into tangible benefits in the ER is incredibly motivating,” He explains, sharing about his experience with COVID vaccines during the pandemic, “We enrolled patients into Phase 3 vaccine trials and, just months later, I was seeing those same vaccines being administered in the hospital. Watching something you helped test become available to your own patients really reinforces the benefits of clinical trials.”
That experience is one he gets to relive yearly, with vaccine trials a core focus at Omaha. Today, Dr. Raiser and the team at Velocity’s Omaha site are working on vaccines to help prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), norovirus, as well as emerging threats. “It’s rewarding to imagine the eventual impact of that work,” he explains. “Fewer ER admissions, fewer seasonal surges, and better protection for the elderly and young.”
But it is obesity care that has really captured his interest. Dr. Raiser is preparing for his Board Certification in Obesity Medicine and will attend ObesityWeek later this year. For him, it is the progress patients make in obesity trials that is particularly rewarding. “You see the change happening in front of you,” he explains. “Patients are motivated, and you get to witness lives changing over the course of a study.”
Research vs. ER
While not common, Dr. Raiser is firmly of the opinion that practicing emergency medicine and research are complementary. “I enjoy how positive the patients are in trials,” he notes, “And I get to follow their journey from start to finish, it’s very motivating.”
While investigators have a lot to juggle in the trial environment, it’s nothing compared to the pace of the ER. “You just have to be organized,” says Dr. Raiser. “I’m used to the busyness of the ER, so clinical trials are comparatively easy to manage. Plus, the hours are complementary, I can work an ER shift in the evening and still be available to the clinic during the day.”
It’s a path he’d encourage other ER physicians to consider. “We have very broad areas of expertise, which means we can work on a wide spectrum of indications,” He explains. “Our flexible schedules are compatible with research. It’s also a great change of pace to complement the high-stress environment in the ER.”
Team and Community
At the heart of his enthusiasm for clinical research is the Omaha clinic itself. “There’s real camaraderie,” he says. “It’s a great group to be part of. The team is experienced, supportive, and positive. Everyone looks out for each other.”
Established more than 25 years ago, the clinic has become a trusted part of the local community, with a sizeable database and outreach through schools, free clinics, and local festivals. “It was the Omaha clinic that recruited me into research in the first place,” remembers Dr. Raiser.
That journey began far from the hospital, at a Las Vegas ice hockey tournament. A long-time recreational player, Dr. Raiser met someone connected to the clinic during a game. Discovering they were both from Omaha, he accepted an open invitation to visit. That casual encounter eventually led him to join the site as a Principal Investigator (PI). Since then, he has overseen more than 50 clinical trials.
So, it was hockey that led him to clinical research, but Dr. Raiser is quick to point out he’s hardly skating in stadiums… although his team did win their league championship. When they did, he marked the moment with a quick photo outside the clinic, trophy in hand — a small reminder of how the clinic and its community continue to shape his story.
Mentorship and Motivation
When asked about his experience transitioning into clinical research, Dr. Raiser echoes Dr. Daniel Williams’ thoughts on the value of mentorship, crediting colleagues and regional leaders like Christine Wilson with helping him grow into the PI role. “Having experienced people you can call on makes all the difference,” he notes.
What drives him now is the chance to see clinical research translate into real-world care. “There’s excitement in every new trial,” he says. “But the best part is when you see the results come back to your patients. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
