ETSU Health 2022 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report

ETSU HEALTH LEADERSHIP

President

Brian Noland, PhD

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics

Kimberly D. McCorkle, JD

Executive Vice Provost

Robert P. Pack, PhD, MPH

Vice President for Clinical Affairs, Dean of Quillen College of Medicine

William Block, MD, MBA

Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy

Debbie C. Byrd, PharmD, MBA

Dean of College of Nursing

Leann Horsley, PhD, RN, CHSE, CNE

Interim Dean of College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences

A. Lynn Williams, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, FASHA, FNAP

Dean of College of Public Health

Randy Wykoff, MD, MPH & TM

2 Leader in Rural Health

6 Interprofessional Collaboration

12 Spotlight: Pharmacy

22 Spotlight: Nursing

32 Spotlight: Medicine

35 ETSU Health Clinical Locations

40 Spotlight: Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences

46 Spotlight: Public Health

Managing Editors

Melissa Nipper

Lorraine Vestal

Graphic Designer

Jeanette Jewell

Contributors

Kristen Early

Jennifer Hill

Stephen Woodward

Briar Worley

Principal Photography

Ron Campbell

Matthew Carroll

Tanner Clements

Larry Smith

Charlie Warden

East Tennessee State University is a public institution governed by its Board of Trustees. East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of East Tennessee State University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC's website (www.sacscoc.org).

East Tennessee State University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by ETSU. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Compliance Coordinator, PO Box 70271, Johnson City, TN 37614, 423-439-8544. ETSU’s policy on non-discrimination can be found at: etsu.edu/universitycounsel/ compliance. ETSU is an AA/EEO employer. ETSU-HEA-3552-23

LETTER FROM THE PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMICS

From exemplary teaching in our classrooms and cutting-edge research in our laboratories to patient-centered care in our clinics, ETSU Health has made a positive difference in the health and well-being of countless individuals and communities over the past year.

The stories contained in the pages of this annual report are reminders of the many ways that our five health sciences colleges are committed to East Tennessee State University’s mission to improve the quality of life in the region and beyond.

Nowhere is that impact felt more noticeably than in rural communities.

ETSU’s footprint as a leader in rural and Appalachian health continues to expand with new programs, grant funding, and a strong and consistent focus on health issues affecting these areas.

Housed in the College of Public Health, the ETSU Center for Rural Health Research and the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center have earned several competitive grants over the past year, allowing them to work on national policy briefs, new assessment tools, and research spanning from substance misuse to mental health stigma in rural areas.

In addition to research, our ETSU Health colleges are committed to the education and training necessary to prepare health care professionals.

Last year, we welcomed the inaugural class of Doctor of Occupational Therapy students in the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences. We also launched the Center for Pharmacy Education, Advocacy, and Outreach, created at Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy thanks to a generous gift from Ballad Health.

In August 2022, we announced EQUIP, a new pathway program at Quillen College of Medicine, aimed at creating more opportunities for high school and college students who are interested in a medical career in rural or underserved communities.

Of course, our work also extends beyond the classroom and into our clinics where ETSU Health providers, students, and faculty are working on the front lines of health care. Last year, we received multiple grant awards that will allow us to enhance our clinics, including funding that is being used to expand services in two ETSU Health College of Nursing primary care clinics in rural Hancock County and a grant that will allow us to develop a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

These are just a few snapshots of the vibrant research, teaching, and service taking place at ETSU. I hope you enjoy the stories of how ETSU Health is going beyond the status quo and innovating to create healthier communities and greater opportunities for students who are interested in health care professions.

Sincerely,

Kimberly D. McCorkle Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics

A Leader in Rural Health

East Tennessee State University continues to expand its long-standing presence as a leader in rural health research, earning millions of dollars in competitive grant awards and conducting research that impacts national, state, and Appalachian rural health issues.

“The past year has certainly been a busy and productive year for rural health research at ETSU,” said Michael Meit, Director of ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research, part of the College of Public Health. “We have hired new faculty and staff to address all the needs, and we are working on 10 to 12 projects at any given time.”

The ETSU Center for Rural Health Research was created in 2019

with funding from the state of Tennessee and a generous gift from Ballad Health.

The center was instrumental in helping ETSU earn grant funding in 2020 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to create the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center. This center is one of only eight federally funded rural health research centers in the country and is a collaboration among ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research, ETSU’s Addiction Science Center, and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis.

“Key partnerships have been essential,” said Dr. Robert Pack, Director of the ETSU/NORC Rural

Health Equity Research Center. “Our relationship with Ballad Health allowed the College of Public Health to strengthen our rural health research team. Our partnership with NORC brings national-level data analytic expertise and a successful track record in rural health policy research. This is all very consistent with ETSU’s long-standing tradition of forging partnerships to improve our region.”

STATE AND REGIONAL INITIATIVES

Continuing to establish its leadership in addressing the health challenges facing the people of Appalachia, ETSU and NORC recently completed their third Diseases of Despair report for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), analyzing the impact of diseases of despair

(overdose, suicide, and alcoholic liver disease) on mortality within the Appalachian region.

ETSU is also working closely with ARC on its Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) initiative, which addresses the substance use disorder crisis across Appalachia by creating or expanding a recovery ecosystem that will lead to workforce entry or re-entry.

“We won a competitive award to evaluate their region-wide INSPIRE initiative,” Meit said. “ARC is funding communities in every one of the 13 Appalachian states to build recovery ecosystems, and we were selected as the region-wide evaluator for that work.”

In Tennessee, ETSU is supporting regional implementation and statewide evaluation for the Tennessee Department of Health’s (TDH) COVID-19 Health Disparities grant. As part of this work, the center has been able to distribute more than $2 million throughout East Tennessee to community-based organizations while assisting TDH in data collection to understand the impact of this initiative in Tennessee.

“Most importantly, we have been focused in our own region,” Meit said. “We conduct a lot of work with Ballad Health and its regional partners to document strategies to improve health here in the Appalachian Highlands, which creates lessons learned to improve health in rural communities across

the nation. We’re working with Ballad Health on a longitudinal study of mothers and children, studying their PEERhelp substance use disorder recovery initiative, and have helped them document the impact of the STRONG Accountable Care Communities initiative, among many other projects.”

NATIONAL IMPACT

The work of these centers has also provided resources and data used on a national scale.

For example, the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center is producing briefs and reports affecting high-level policy work. In October 2022, the center released a policy brief examining the burden of public stigma associated with mental illness in the rural United States, and policy briefs will soon be released that examine the impact of block grant funding in rural communities, substance use disorder screening among rural residents, and many other topics.

In September 2022, ETSU, along with NORC at the University of Chicago and the Fletcher Group, Inc., released a mapping tool that enables users to measure the strength of substance use recovery ecosystems for every county in the United States and explore associations with overdose deaths and other sociodemographic and economic factors (rei.norc.org). The term “recovery ecosystem” is used to describe the factors in a community that support individuals in recovery from substance use disorder.

ETSU also joined with five other universities for a collaboration called the Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health, supported by a first-of-its-kind joint $4.7 million cooperative agreement from HRSA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Through this collaboration, led by the Center for Public Health Systems at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, researchers are conducting robust public health workforce research, evaluation, and analysis. Among the consortium members, ETSU is leading studies focused on the needs of public health workers serving in rural jurisdictions.

FUTURE OF RURAL HEALTH RESEARCH

ETSU leaders identify many possibilities as they look to the next year of rural health research.

“Moving into the future, I see several broad interest areas where ETSU can leverage its expertise,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the ETSU College of Public Health. “One is rural aging, and the other is health care delivery analysis. These are two areas where there are tremendous challenges facing Appalachia and all rural areas in the United States.”

Wykoff also foresees a continued focus on Appalachian health, as ETSU is the oldest school of public health in Central Appalachia and has

2022 Rural Health Conference

East Tennessee State University Health Sciences faculty, staff, and students were well-represented at the nation’s largest gathering of rural health professionals in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The 45th annual Rural Health Conference sponsored by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) took place May 10-13, 2022, with more than 80 sessions designed to help raise the standard of rural health.

ETSU faculty and students presented on topics ranging from rural opioid misuse to health equity grants.

Recent Quillen College of Medicine graduate

Dr. Rebekka Delgado received the NRHA/John Snow Inc. Student Leadership Award, and NORC Senior Scientist Dr. Craig Mueller, also a member of the ETSU/ NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center, won the NRHA Rural Health Researcher of the Year Award.

rooted its mission in improving the lives of the people in the region.

“In addition to the Center for Rural Health Research, we have several other centers working on rural health issues, including ETSU’s Addiction Science Center, CARE Women’s Health, and the Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research,” Wykoff said. “Working together and with other colleges and programs across the university, ETSU will continue to be a leader in rural health research for the foreseeable future.”

Left: Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, is pictured with Dr. Rebekka Delgado, Quillen alumna and recipient of the Student Leadership Award, sponsored by John Snow Inc. and the NRHA.

Above: Dr. Casey Balio of the College of Public Health is photographed with a poster presentation titled “Do Block Grant Resources Equitably Reach Rural Communities?” Additional authors were Michael Meit, Dr. Stephanie Mathis, Dr. Kate Beatty, and Margaret Francisco.

Left: Some of the Quillen College of Medicine students and research presenters attending the National Rural Health Association Conference included Ryan King, Nneka Nwosisi, Dr. Rebekka Delgado, Alex Crockett, and Jennifer Davis.

ETSU Health At A Glance

37% of the college's graduate students participated in the

2-year ETSU Interprofessional Education ( IP E ) Program

and 50% of the college's faculty participate as IPE faculty facilitators.

$40+ million

ANNUAL STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT

In the last four years, the college has had applications from 54 countries and 47 states.

College of Public Health

In the last four years, the college has had applications from 54 countries and 47 states.

100% of the class of 2022 matched with a residency placement, and 98% Matched into their Specialty of Choice.

Quillen College of Medicine

100% OF THE CLASS OF 2022 matched with a residency placement, and 98% MATCHED INTO THEIR SPECIALTY OF CHOICE

30,000 primary care and outreach visits

A network of 7 nurse-managed practice sites provides OVER EACH YEAR TO UNDERSERVED CLIENTS IN THE REGION.

Commitment strengthened

ETSU ESTABLISHES CENTER FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION

East Tennessee State University’s commitment to interprofessional education (IPE) has strengthened and expanded with the creation of the ETSU Center for Interprofessional Collaboration

Eleven years ago, ETSU began its formal approach to IPE by establishing programming and laying the groundwork for the renovation of a building on ETSU’s VA campus to be dedicated to IPE. Bishop Hall (also known as Building 60) opened in 2018 and has served as a hub for collaboration among ETSU’s health sciences colleges: Quillen College of Medicine, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, and the colleges of Nursing, Public Health, and Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences

“ETSU has a long history of engagement in interprofessional education and practice,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics. “The Center for Interprofessional Collaboration is the next step in elevating ETSU’s national reputation as a leader in interprofessional education.”

The center provides infrastructure support for interprofessional education and research and fosters collaborative relationships on and off campus

to address leading questions of regional and national importance.

“The center is a validation of what we have already been doing and adds an additional layer of structure and organization to these efforts,” said Dr. Brian Cross, Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the Center for Interprofessional Collaboration. “With its creation came a new organizational structure as well as vision, mission, and values statements and a strategic plan that speak to our commitment to using team-based principles to improve the culture of education, health, and community.”

ETSU has two models of IPE engagement for students: a two-year longitudinal program completed together in-person in interprofessional teams and a oneyear program completed fully online.

Cross is looking forward to new developments in ETSU’s IPE program, including the introduction of a third curriculum model and increased emphasis on community engagement.

“We hope that our next steps are taking these foundational learners who have been through this one- or two-year process and formalize them into teams that will take what they have learned and serve the community,” Cross said.

Cross is also excited about the eventual construction of a 60,000-square-foot Integrated Health Services Building, approved in Governor Bill Lee’s budget last year.

“We have so much to look forward to,” Cross said. “I want to thank all the people who have come on the journey and who have contributed to this effort. The Center for Interprofessional

FROM CLASSROOM TO CLINIC

Further reinforcing ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education (IPE) among its health sciences colleges, plans are underway for an Integrated Health Services Building, which will take the IPE model from the classroom into the clinical setting. This $43.9 million facility will deliver best-in-class health care to the community while offering students an authentic training environment.

The building will be uniquely designed to support the teambased care model. The facility will have spaces allowing for collaboration and discussion while maintaining patient

Collaboration is a validation of the value that our university places on interprofessional education and the hard work that our faculty have put in to get to this point.”

privacy. Services will include family medicine, addiction medicine, diabetes management, physical and sports medicine, dental hygiene, and social work.

“Creation of this new clinical building will allow for alignment of our practice with our teaching by delivering top-quality, team-based care in a state-of-the-art facility. Previously delivering similar care within legacy clinics has prepared us to take the next step in care integration and remain the leader in the region,” said Dr. William Block, Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine.

ETSU Health named an ETSU Hero

ETSU Health was recognized as one of the inaugural heroes because of the system’s efforts to provide care throughout the pandemic.

The ETSU Health team also delivered some of the region's first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines and has continued to offer vaccine clinics.

East Tennessee State University celebrated the extraordinary and impactful stories of the inaugural recipients of the ETSU Heroes award during a ceremony held March 30, 2022. The ETSU Heroes recognition program honors the exemplary service of those who “embody excellence and contribute significant and innovative accomplishments” to the university.

ETSU Health is made up of students, faculty, clinicians, and staff from the five health sciences colleges: Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Pharmacy, and Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences. The ETSU Health team stood on the front lines from the moment the pandemic began by establishing the region’s first drive-thru COVID-19 testing site and later opening the first COVID-19 community collection site that delivered molecular PCR test results within 24 hours. Students, faculty, and staff provided education and made items such as hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, and other products available.

‘Filling the gaps’ in health care

ETSU has been awarded $400,000 in federal funding to expand services in two ETSU Health College of Nursing primary care clinics in Hancock County.

The Rural Expansion Program for At-risk Communities to Promote Health Outcomes through the Integration of Mental Health and Enabling Services (REACH ME) project is led by Dr. Kim Ferguson, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing. It will address the critical need for the integration of mental health and enabling services in the provision of comprehensive care to children, youth, families, and the community.

The two-year project, funded at $200,000 per year, is part of nearly $25 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to improve and strengthen access to school-based health services across the country. The Health Center Program Service Expansion: School-Based Service Sites Awards support local partnerships between schools and health centers to provide comprehensive care to the community.

According to the HHS, health centers will use this funding to reduce disparities and improve access to care by increasing essential health care, including mental health services, and for such activities as community and patient outreach, health education, and translation support.

The other inaugural heroes were Patti Marlow, Zachary Olsen, Derek Patton, and Kelvin Tarukwasha.

In addition, Ballad Health received special recognition for the health care heroes risking personal health and providing steadfast leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ETSU Heroes celebration will become an annual event on campus, recognizing the work that often takes place behind the scenes to make ETSU and the community a better place to live, work, and study.

“Our program seeks to add these much-needed services to ‘fill the gaps’ in health care that many communities across the nation are encountering,” Ferguson said. “The ability to offer these services to the community will deliver a unique access to care and provide a patientcentered approach.

“These clinics have a long-standing relationship in Hancock County and are some of the most distinctive in the nation, holding designations as federally funded qualified health centers and providing primary care services in a geographically isolated, rural, and medically underserved area.”

The Hancock County Middle/High School-Based Health Center opened in 1995 to meet the need for pediatric physical examinations, developmental screening, health promotion and disease prevention programs, mental health counseling, laboratory testing, and referrals and follow-up. The Elementary School-Based Health Center opened about five years later. ETSU’s family nurse practitioners and other health care professionals at both clinics see patients of all ages.

On the scent

ETSU RESEARCHERS EXPLORE TREATMENTS FOR SMELL LOSS

The smell of rain or the scent of a fresh pie baking are luxuries that not all people can experience.

The loss of the sense of smell has drawn attention in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this problem can occur as a result of injury, certain disorders, or aging, affecting the quality of life for millions of people.

A pair of researchers at East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine has received a grant totaling more than $1.8 million to study how the sense of smell is maintained and how it is repaired after injury.

Dr. Cuihong Jia and Dr. Diego Javier Rodriguez-Gil were awarded the R01 grant from the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health. Their goal is to develop new treatment drugs that can help individuals regain their sense of smell.

“Olfactory deficits often do not recover in a substantial number of patients after several disorders, including chronic sinus inflammation, head trauma, and viral

infection of the nose, including SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19,” said Jia, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. “Unfortunately, no treatment is available. Further, the sense of smell declines in 50-75 percent of people age 65 to 80.”

The pair hopes their research will provide some relief to patients who experience a decline or lost sense of smell.

“Loss of the sense of smell compromises human health and life quality and is a major safety issue, such as detecting gas leaking and spoiled food,” said RodriguezGil, Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. “The restoration of smell function following injury or in the elderly is a major challenge that is inadequately addressed.”

Jia and Rodriguez-Gil’s research will explore how the regenerative capacity of the olfactory stem cells, tissue that lines the nasal cavity, can be improved by regulating cell adhesion and trophic factor signaling to reconstitute the olfactory system and regain smell function following acute or chronic inflammation.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

Making history INAUGURAL OTD CLASS BEGINS JOURNEY

In 2022, 19 graduate students made East Tennessee State University history as they completed their first round of classes in their quest to become occupational therapists.

The inaugural class of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program arrived in May 2022.

“Over the summer, we really came together as a group to navigate the program,” said Savannah Yankee, a member of the first cohort of OTD students. “The faculty has been amazing, guiding the way for us in this new program. Through it all, our class has grown really close, and we spend a lot of time together inside and outside of class. We try to plan social activities like trivia nights and Fridays after 5.”

Yankee also completed her undergraduate degree at ETSU, where she started the Rehabilitative Health Sciences Student Organization for students interested in rehabilitative science fields.

“The club offers an opportunity for students interested in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and other rehab science programs to explore opportunities and get to know each other,” Yankee said.

Yankee said the organization was a good way to prepare her for the OTD program.

Located on the completely renovated first floor of Charles Ed Allen Hall (Building 2) on the VA campus, the OTD program is in the same building as ETSU’s Physical Therapy program. ETSU’s Interprofessional Education and Research Center in Bishop Hall is located nearby, as are Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and Quillen College of Medicine.

After their summer classes, the OTD students officially began ETSU’s Interprofessional Education (IPE) curriculum, engaging in interprofessional learning, simulation experiences, and experiential learning with students from other health sciences programs.

“Last fall, the students also were immersed in experiential learning in the community, working with organizations like Little Bucs, Rise Up, and the Jeremiah School,” said Dr. Rachel Ellis, Assistant Professor and OTD Program Director.

Several new faculty members came onboard over the summer. In July, Dr. Lindsay Williams, Assistant Professor and Doctoral Capstone Coordinator, began her new role. Dr. Christy Isbell, Associate Professor, joined the faculty in August.

“We are excited about our strong start and the future of the program,” Ellis said.

Paper paves path for tobacco bill

Faculty in East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health and College of Business and Technology helped inform discussions leading to the passage of SB 2219/HB 2705 in the Tennessee legislature.

This bill, which took effect in July 2022, removes preemption of tobacco regulation in the state and exemption of age-restricted venues, such as bars, from smoke-free policy. Removal of preemption allows local governments to regulate the use of smoking and vapor products in agerestricted venues that are not retail tobacco stores. Previous law allowed local governments to regulate the use of tobacco and vapor products in buildings owned or leased by the local

government but preempted them from regulating these products in agerestricted venues.

Dr. Hadii Mamudu, a Professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy in the College of Public Health, has long advocated for an end to preemption. He says this bill essentially adopts policies outlined in a white paper titled “An Economic Assessment of Smokefree Policies in Tennessee.”

This paper, on which Mamudu was the lead author, was a collaborative effort by various ETSU entities. Coauthors Dr. Jon Smith, a Professor of Economics and Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic and Research, and Dr. Prasun Bhattacharjee, an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Finance in Business and Technology, said, “It is a major

achievement when economic theory can pave the path for policy changes that have important implications for community health.”

The assessment made the case that such policy would be cost-effective and provide economic and health benefits for the population, achieve equal and equitable protection from dangerous health effects of secondhand smoke exposure, meet higher demand for smokefree spaces, and more. Smith and Bhattacharjee executed the extensive economic data analysis that made the case for the policy change.

“This is a major policy change in tobacco control because until this law, Tennessee was one of the few remaining states with explicit preemption of tobacco regulation under a law enacted in 1994-95,” Mamudu said.

Research explores pharmacist role in fall risk

Fall risk is a major cause of injury and death for older patients, and because pharmacists play a major role in managing patients’ drug interactions, faculty and staff from East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS) teamed up to explore how pharmacists can help decrease fall risk for older patients by assessing medications and patient characteristics such as height, weight, and gender.

This research aim was part of a larger, multi-focused interprofessional research grant of over $45,000, sponsored by the ETSU Research Development Committee and awarded to Dr. Courtney Hall, Professor in the CCRHS Physical Therapy program.

The research focus and publication are the results of efforts of the late Dr. Brian Odle, an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Gatton College of Pharmacy.

“Dr. Odle presented the idea that pharmacists are unique in assessing drug-associated fall risk in the clinical setting due to their professional education and location within the current health care system,” said Dr. Peter Panus, Professor Emeritus of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who served as a co-author on the research.

“Fall risk is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in all health care and community settings,” said Panus. “Pharmacists, in assessing fall risk, will only increase the discussion and collaboration by health care professionals.”

Because Odle came up with the idea for the research, his name was given to the measurement the researchers used: the Odle Drug-Associated Fall Risk (ODAFR) scale, a 5-point Likert scale developed by Drs. Sam Karpen and Panus to assist pharmacists in assessing each drug’s fall risk. The ODAFR scale will require additional research prior to consideration as a clinical tool.

Panus served as the primary and corresponding author on the publication resulting from the research effort. Co-authors included Dr. Kelly Covert, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Odle; Karpen, who served as Director of Assessment at Gatton College of Pharmacy; and Dr. Zachary Walls, who served as Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In addition to being the grant awardee, Hall was the senior author.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

Ethel Ngene

“I’m very invested in rural health, in underserved populations, because I, for one, came from that background,” said Ethel Akuabata Ngene, who found what she was looking for at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. “They are very invested in rural education and making sure that we are prepared to take up the challenges involved as pharmacists in rural environments or underserved populations.”

Ngene grew up in the small village of Akwuke, Nigeria, and was inspired by the dedication and sacrifice of her widowed mother, who went back to school to earn a bachelor’s degree and became a teacher to provide for her six children. Ngene came to the United States when her uncle adopted her and her brothers. As she approached graduation at Georgia Gwinnett College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, Ngene was torn between medical and pharmacy school. She made her decision following a visit to her home in Nigeria.

“I realized we don’t actually have a hospital very close,” she said. “Most people utilize pharmacy as their main point of care. I thought, ‘You know, I would really like to be involved in pharmacy.’ If I end up going back to Nigeria, I know I’ll be offering a lot to the community.”

During her interview process, Ngene was impressed by the care shown by the staff and faculty at Gatton College of Pharmacy. Subsequently, the caring relationships she’s built during her time at the college have helped her through trying times – from managing finances at the beginning of her first year to struggling through periods of illness and homesickness.

Now completing her fourth year, Ngene appreciates not only the interest the Gatton College of Pharmacy faculty and staff take in students, but also their focus on rural medicine.

She points to the Remote Area Medical clinics, vaccine clinics, and other volunteer opportunities students have to learn their trade and interact with patients. She also gained a lot from her selection to participate in the Tennessee Area Health Education Centers, which

help enhance access to quality health care through partnerships with academic programs, communities, and professional organizations.

Ngene was selected by the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) to participate in its Senior Commissioned Officer Training and Externship Program (SRCOSTEP). Through this program, students entering their final year of graduate school or professional training receive the basic pay and allowances of an ensign while in school in exchange for committing to enroll in the USPHS Commissioned Corps for two years upon graduation. When she graduates from Gatton College of Pharmacy in May 2023, Ngene will work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons under the USPHS.

While she initially thought she would eventually go back to Nigeria to live and work, Ngene finds herself drawn to stay in the U.S. by the family she has found in the college's tight-knit community and the need for health care workers in underserved communities. She may decide to remain with the USPHS long term, and perhaps start a consulting firm for long-term care facilities or even become Surgeon General.

“I have already gone beyond as a person, coming from the community that I came from and being the first in my family to have a doctoral degree and work for the U.S. Public Health Service,” she said. “The underserved population is very important to me, as well as the geriatric population. So I would like to go beyond my role as a pharmacist to help out in the community –whichever community I find myself in – by assisting in other things like meal services and donation services for clothing.”

Making a difference

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE INSPIRES NURSING STUDENT TO HELP TEEN MOMS

Brittney Daniels holds a special place in her heart for teen moms.

The certified lactation counselor enjoys working with breastfeeding clients, especially teen moms, through the East Tennessee State University College of Nursing’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program (NFP), which provides free, inhome nursing care for first-time, low-income mothers. NFP staff educate participating mothers about pregnancy and follow the family until the child is 2 years old.

The reason for her passion to help these young women is deeply personal.

“I myself was a teen mom and became pregnant with my oldest daughter at 17,” said Daniels, who is pursuing both an MSN in nursing education and a Ph.D. in nursing. “By the time I was 23, I had three children ages 5 and under, so I understand how vital support, encouragement, and education can be for these mothers.”

With three young children, Daniels found it difficult to balance school with work and home life, so she worked in administrative and secretarial jobs to be able to spend more time with her children. She soon married, and the family moved from her home in Benton, Kentucky, to her husband’s

hometown of Newport. She took some classes at Walters State Community College and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in the RN-to-BSN program at the University of TennesseeKnoxville while working at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville.

Realizing she preferred the prevention and health promotion of community health over acutecare hospital nursing, she joined the staff of the NFP, which would allow her to work near her home in Cocke County.

Daniels draws inspiration from her own experience as she counsels young mothers.

“I will never forget being told that because I was a teen mom, my children would be teen moms or drug addicts, because that’s what the statistics show. That was heartbreaking for me, because I did not want that for my kids,” she recalled. “But throughout my pregnancies and my time taking my children to doctors in Kentucky, I had some incredible nurses who were so nice and told me I could do anything I would like to do. They were very influential in letting me know that just because I had children early didn’t mean that I couldn’t be successful and that my children couldn’t be successful.

“It’s important to me to give back, because there is a lot of stigma around teen pregnancy. It’s hard if somebody is telling you constantly from the beginning that you are never going to amount to anything. Those moms really need our support to be able to grow up and be productive citizens. I want them to know they can do and be what they want to be.”

In keeping with her love of teaching and helping young mothers through the NFP, she applied to ETSU’s College of Nursing to further her education.

Daniels hopes to eventually obtain a collegiate teaching position and also conduct research. For her dissertation, she is researching barriers to breastfeeding among teen mothers in rural Appalachia and the implications of these barriers for nursing practice.

“I’m very interested in pediatric maternal health – breastfeeding especially, and how that looks in a community setting,” she said. “There are a lot of opportunities to improve maternal health and pediatric outcomes, especially in rural areas where fewer resources are available.”

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

Book examines regional issues, solutions

East Tennessee State University experts contributed to a recent book that explores the health issues and challenges facing the people of Appalachia.

Appalachian Health: Culture, Challenges, and Capacity was co-edited by Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the ETSU College of Public Health, and the late Dr. F. Douglas Scutchfield of the University of Kentucky. The University Press of Kentucky published the book.

Using a balance of comprehensive data and storytelling, contributors examined issues such as affordable and accessible medical care, the opioid crisis, and other forces that impact health and well-being in Appalachia. The book focuses both on health challenges and strengths and tools to address those challenges.

“I was honored to be asked to co-edit this important book,” said Wykoff. “And I was especially pleased that so many colleagues from ETSU were able to contribute to it.

“The book is important, both in what it adds to our understanding of the health challenges of the Appalachian region, and to the extent that it documents the important role that ETSU plays in the region.”

In addition to faculty and staff from the College of Public Health, researchers from the college’s Addiction Science Center, Center for Rural Health Research, and Center for Applied Research and Evaluation in Women’s Health (CARE Women’s Health) joined faculty from ETSU’s College of Arts and Sciences in contributing to six of the book’s 11 chapters.

Last September, the College of Public Health hosted a Leading Voices in Public Health lecture featuring some of the ETSU authors. Following an introduction and book overview by Wykoff, presentations were made by Dr. Ron R. Roach, Dr. Melissa White, Michael Meit, and Dr. Angela Hagaman.

The book is available online at ETSU’s Sherrod Library.

Project EARTH featured in national journal

For more than a decade, the ETSU-Eastman Valleybrook campus has been home to pioneering public health programs that were featured in a national journal, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, in 2022.

The ETSU-Eastman Valleybrook campus, located in northern Washington County, houses the ETSU College of Public Health’s nationally award-winning Project EARTH (Employing Available Resources to Transform Health). Along with the Niswonger VILLAGE, Project EARTH is the only public health simulation lab of its kind in the country that replicates how people live and work in resourcelimited settings.

Project EARTH gives students the tools to save lives in remote, resource-limited areas around the world and to respond and assist when natural or human-caused disasters strike. In 2017, the Niswonger VILLAGE and Project EARTH earned the prestigious Delta Omega Award for the most innovative public health curriculum in the country.

“Even graduates working in major metropolitan centers may find themselves suddenly working in a resourcelimited setting after a tornado, a wildfire, a hurricane, or a

flood,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health. “Some graduates, of course, will choose to work in very rural areas, both in the United States and abroad. In all of those settings, the ability to provide water, sanitation, and shelter can be the difference between life and death. We want to give our students the tools, the skills, and the confidence to know that they can save lives even in the most remote or devastated communities.”

Project EARTH includes both credit-bearing courses and programs designed to address community needs, including AdaptoPlay and RE:CYCLING.

AdaptoPlay is a nonprofit organization supported by Project EARTH that is dedicated to improving the quality of life of children with differing abilities by providing low-tech solutions to improve their ability to participate in play and mobility activities so they are better equipped to interact and participate with their peers.

The RE:CYCLING program highlights efforts to solve public health issues using locally available technology. The program consists of two parts – refurbishing bicycles for local children and using bicycles to design “machines” that can improve the quality of life in low-resource areas.

Wykoff named to Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame

Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health, was inducted into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame on October 18, 2022, at Belmont University.

With a mission to honor those who have made significant and lasting contributions to the health and health care industries, the Hall of Fame was created in 2015 by Belmont University, the McWhorter Society, and the Nashville Health Care Council, a founding partner. Wykoff was one of five inductees.

“Dr. Wykoff is a visionary leader whose contributions to public health education and research have made an impact across our state and beyond,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian

Noland. “Under his leadership, the ETSU College of Public Health houses research centers that are moving the needle in areas such as rural health, women’s health, and addiction science. This is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Wykoff, and I am pleased to see his significant contributions recognized and celebrated.”

Wykoff is the founding dean of the ETSU College of Public Health and the co-director of the Center for Rural Health Research at ETSU.

He is a board-certified physician in pediatrics and preventive medicine, with additional certification in tropical medicine. He is a former senior vice president for International Operations at Project HOPE; former Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and former Associate Commissioner for Operations for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

He also co-edited Appalachian Health: Culture, Challenges, and Capacity, which explores health challenges and solutions in Appalachia.

“Dr. Wykoff’s contributions to his field are far-reaching,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics. “We celebrate his achievement and the many ways that he and the colleagues and students he inspires are making a difference in the health and well-being of communities.”

MPH in public health leadership and policy to launch

The first class of students in East Tennessee State University’s new Master of Public Health (MPH) concentration in public health leadership and policy will enter the university in fall 2023.

The program is designed to meet the needs of working professionals and diverse students both online and onground. This is the fifth concentration in the MPH Program in the College of Public Health, joining biostatistics, community health, environmental health, and epidemiology.

Offered through the Department of Health Services Management and Policy, this concentration will prepare graduates for leadership roles through an applied curriculum focused on practice and interprofessional experiences. Graduates will be ready to lead public

health organizations using budgeting, finance, strategic planning, human resources, and population health management skills. Graduates will also be prepared for leadership roles in policy design, implementation, and analysis.

Dr. Kate Beatty led the development of the concentration. Drs. Hadii Mamudu, Manik Ahuja, and Ginger Bastian also served on the planning workgroup.

Students can tailor their program of study with a focus on leadership and management or with a focus on policy development and evaluation.

“We developed this MPH concentration after meeting with public health leaders across Tennessee to identify what was needed for the field of public health as we move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said

Beatty, Associate Professor, Health Services Management and Policy.

“As the Central Appalachian region is burdened with health and social inequities, this program will train and develop the next generation of graduates who will solve many of the health problems we face and ultimately reduce health disparities in the region, state, and nation.”

“This new addition to our MPH offerings will produce well-trained public health professionals with the ability to lead effectively through tactical and analytical skills,” added Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health. “Our faculty will prepare students to become collaborative, influential public health leaders with relevant, practical toolsets to conduct health disparities research and lead, motivate, and serve multidisciplinary teams in today’s workforce.”

Pathways into rural medicine

PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS FROM DESIGNATED COUNTIES

Launched in 2022 by East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine, EQUIP (Extending Quillen to the Underserved through an Integrated Program) is designed to create more pathways for high school and college students who are interested in careers in medicine to serve rural and underserved communities.

“Quillen College of Medicine has an exceptional history of increasing access to health care, specialty care, and medical knowledge for our region,” said Dr. Tom Kincer, Associate Dean for Rural and Community Programs. “EQUIP is an exciting continuation of that mission, allowing Quillen to attract a more diverse student body and create a pathway that brings broader medical care coverage to all.”

Students in their junior or senior year of high school have an opportunity to participate in the Rural High School Medical Camp, and college students prior to the second semester of their sophomore year who are from one of 29 designated counties

of Tennessee, Virginia, or North Carolina are eligible to apply.

EQUIP, which is sponsored by the Tennessee Center for Health Workforce Development, enhances the student’s ability to successfully navigate the process for medical school admission. An integral portion of the program is the opportunity to develop relationships with Quillen’s faculty, staff, and medical students.

“EQUIP harnesses two of Quillen College of Medicine’s greatest strengths — its faculty and its long commitment to serving rural and underserved communities — to literally equip future physicians to serve where they are needed most,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics.

The program also includes the Appalachian Preceptorship fourweek summer experience for rising junior and senior college students, which includes one week on Quillen’s campus. During that week, students are in Quillen’s classrooms,

simulation labs, and the state-of-theart anatomy lab. The remaining three weeks take place in the community, working alongside a physician and developing a community engagement project.

Students who complete EQUIP are granted a guaranteed interview when they apply to Quillen.

“In 2021, we had more than 3,800 applicants to Quillen College of Medicine, so a guaranteed interview is a strong start for students who participate in this program and dream of a career in medicine,” said Dr. Bill Block, ETSU Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of the College of Medicine. “EQUIP is yet another way for Quillen to fulfill its mission and give prospective students the tools they need to reach their goals.”

There is no cost to be a part of EQUIP, nor to attend any EQUIPsponsored activities. Space is limited to 20 high school students and 15 college students at each year level.

Speaking at the EQUIP launch were Emma Hynson, Joshua Loveday, John Smith, Dr. Tom Kincer, Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, and Dr. Bill Block.

Three decades of service

CCRHS DEAN DR. DON SAMPLES RETIRES

Dr. Don Samples, Dean of the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS), retired from his role in 2022 after serving at East Tennessee State University for more than 30 years.

In addition to his years of service on faculty and in administration, Samples is a four-time alumnus of ETSU, earning degrees in business administration, respiratory therapy, adult education, and educational leadership and policy analysis.

The ETSU community gathered to celebrate his retirement on August 15, 2022.

Samples spent 23 years of his tenure serving in administrative roles. He was Chair of the Department of Allied Health for nine years and spent five years as the college’s Associate Dean of Academics before becoming Dean in 2013. Within the college, he oversaw the transition of the social work program into the college, and he led the recent development of several new academic programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitative Health Sciences and the Doctor of Occupational Therapy.

He helped convert the Respiratory Therapy and Radiography programs from associate degree programs to baccalaureate programs and developed B.S. completion programs for both offerings. Also during that time, he developed the proposal and the curriculum for the Allied Health Leadership Program. Later, he did the same for the Master of Science in Allied Health, which is the only M.S. in Allied Health in the state and is also offered completely online.

In addition to leading the college through several successful reaccreditation site visits, he served on several outside boards, including acting as a committee member of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and President of the Committee on Accreditation for Polysomnography Education. He was also a site visitor for Respiratory Therapy and Sleep programs accreditation.

Dr. Samples’ legacy also includes the implementation of nearly $7 million in facility improvement projects. These include renovation of the Physical Therapy program space, Nave Center renovations, Dental Hygiene Clinic facility improvements, and renovations to the first floor of Building 2 on the VA campus for the occupational therapy program.

Williams appointed Interim Dean

Dr. A. Lynn Williams was appointed Interim Dean of the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS) upon the retirement of Dr. Don Samples.

Williams had served as CCRHS Associate Dean for Academic Affairs since 2014 and has been a Professor in the ETSU Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology since 1995. During her time at ETSU, she has been a strong leader and advocate, not only for CCRHS programs, but also for ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education.

In addition to her administrative work, Williams is a clinical scientist with interests in models of assessment and intervention of communication disorders in children, as well in translational research and implementation science. She also served as the 2021 President of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which is one of the 10 largest professional or trade associations in the U.S. with over 223,000 members.

Pictured at Dr. Don Samples’ retirement celebration are members of the Dean’s office: Dr. James Batchelder, Samples, Dr. A. Lynn Williams, Dianne Pittarese, and Dr. Andrew Clark.

Radiologic science program among best in nation

According to EduMed.org’s rankings, East Tennessee State University’s online Bachelor of Science degree in radiologic science ranks third in the country of the “Best Online Radiology Tech Programs for 2023.”

“ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences is a hub for some of the nation’s fastest-growing health care professions, including radiography,” said Dr. A. Lynn Williams, Interim Dean of the college. “In order to meet workforce needs, it is imperative that our programs provide high-quality and convenient options for students who want to pursue these in-demand fields. Our 100-percent online radiography program does just that.”

The ETSU online radiologic science degree completion program is

designed for working radiologic professionals with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in radiography science. This online Bachelor of Science offers the opportunity for radiographers to obtain their B.S. degree by using more of their AAS hours than would normally transfer to a fouryear institution.

In addition to the online degree completion program, ETSU offers the radiologic science program to students in an on-ground format.

For the past six years, ETSU’s program has boasted a 100-percent job placement rate.

Various career opportunities are available with this degree. Many graduates further their education

and specialize to obtain positions working in CT, MRI, radiation therapy, mammography, nuclear medicine, sonography, and interventional radiography.

To compile its rankings, EduMed uses government data provided by The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and assigns weights and ranks schools based on a mix of affordability, support services, and online program availability metrics.

ALS clinic offers free coordinated care

For many, East Tennessee State University’s Gary E. Shealy Memorial ALS Clinic has been a lifeline after a diagnosis of ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Since 2017, the free clinic that is housed in ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS) has offered a multidisciplinary approach for patients to receive coordinated care from a variety of clinicians — all volunteers — in one visit, relieving them from the burden of making multiple trips to different specialists.

Dr. Faith Akin, audiologist at James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home campus and former member of the CCRHS Philanthropy Board, donated funds to create the clinic following the death of her husband, Gary E. Shealy, in 2016. She recalled how they, along with other patients and their families from this region, would have to drive hours to other universities to an ALS clinic.

“People are learning that we are here and what we do,” said clinic coordinator Courtney Andrews. “It’s so needed in this area. Every time we work with a new family, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do.”

ETSU students also benefit. Approximately 50 students from multiple health programs within CCRHS have volunteered under the clinical supervision of instructors.

“This was the first time I have been part of an interprofessional team, so it was amazing to see the interactions among the different medical professionals and just how beneficial that relationship can be,” said Tiffany Mikkola, a physical therapy student who under the supervision of her professor, Dr. Allie Bourassa, performs multiple tests with patients.

The faculty is looking forward to the clinic’s continued growth. Since the clinic opened, ETSU Health Internal Medicine in Johnson City has donated space for the clinic on the third Friday of each month, but plans call for relocation to the Nave Center in Elizabethton in the spring to expand its space and offerings. Additionally, the clinic, which is funded solely by community donations, has applied to be recognized as an ALS Center through the ALS Association.

“It’s something that we’re all passionate about,” said Dr. Michelle Lee, a registered dietitian and ETSU professor. “We care about each other, and that makes a big difference in caring for our patients.”

Connecting to community

JCCHC HOSTS FREE HEALTH FAIR

ETSU Health Johnson City Community Health Center (JCCHC) hosted a Community Health Fair on August 13, 2022, that coincided with the culmination of National Health Center Week, designated August 7-13.

The health fair, held on the JCCHC grounds at 2151 Century Lane in Johnson City, gave attendees the opportunity to meet providers and schedule appointments at the JCCHC, which is managed by the East Tennessee State University College of Nursing. The event was free and open to the public and featured free food, health screenings, door prizes, and activities such as face painting and a bounce castle for children.

“This event included fun, food, and learning,” said Vanessa Smith, Practice Administrator. “We hosted the health fair to help educate the community about ways to live a healthier lifestyle, on safety issues, and about community services offered. The individuals participating in this event included several community members, our employees, and their family members.”

The JCCHC provides evidence-based care for patients seeking primary care, prenatal care, and/or socialization needs for various population groups in the community. It is one of the few nursemanaged community health centers in the nation to be designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center, a prestigious marker that means the facility meets a range of nationally accepted standards.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: COLLEGE OF NURSING ZACH DICKENSON

The decision to attend East Tennessee State University came down to one overarching realization for Knoxville native Zach Dickenson: ETSU was just right.

“When I first toured ETSU, it was snowing, and it was absolutely beautiful, and I remember my family was with me,” said Dickenson, a December 2022 nursing graduate. “It was just us on the tour, and it just felt like home. I could just see myself going to school here for the next four years.

“It wasn’t too big; it wasn’t small. There was so much to do on campus.”

As a student, Dickenson quickly discovered that a university the size of ETSU offered many opportunities to get involved but was not so large that he got lost in a crowd.

He was elected to the College of Nursing’s Student Advisory Council and served as its president. Through this organization, Dickenson took student feedback to the faculty to shape and impact the curriculum. The group also participates in community outreach; Dickenson helped the council plan a fundraiser to purchase toys for patients at Niswonger Children’s Hospital.

Dickenson made the most of the academic offerings at ETSU. He was accepted into the Honors-in-Discipline Program in the Honors College, which afforded him research experience as an undergraduate. His thesis aimed to improve diabetic health literacy.

“My faculty mentors really made an impact on me,” Dickenson said. “One thing that really stands out to me is the clinical experience that each faculty member has, and those years of experience really reflect on the curriculum and make the College of Nursing stand out from other programs.”

The location of ETSU was another big draw for Dickenson.

“I chose ETSU because it was far enough away that I felt like I gained independence, but close enough to where if I wanted to return home, it wouldn’t be an issue,” he said.

Last summer, Dickenson remained in Johnson City and lived on campus to pursue a nursing internship through the VALOR (Veterans Affairs Learning Opportunities Residency) Program at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home.

“Through this program, you get 400 hours of precepted experience, which is amazing,” Dickenson said. “You’re able to solidify all the coursework that you’ve learned in class in person, and you actually get to see what you’ve been learning. And it really does make a difference.”

As a nursing student, Dickenson worked in the ICU at the VA, which was a particularly meaningful assignment for him because he was visiting an ICU when he decided to become a nurse.

“The spark for me was when my dad was admitted to the ICU, and he was there for about two weeks,” Dickenson said. “Just seeing that compassionate, patient-centered care and the hard work that those nurses put into him and the trust he put back into them – it was something spectacular. And seeing him get better mentally and physically throughout his stay and the role his nurses played throughout his recovery, I knew from that point on that was what I wanted to do.

“Hopefully I can make that same impact that those nurses made on my dad,” he said.

Dickenson hopes to work a few years before pursuing an advanced nursing degree to become a nurse practitioner.

Olive named to accreditation committee

Dr. Kenneth E. Olive has been selected to serve on the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the American Medical Association and Association of American Medical Colleges.

Olive, who will serve a three-year term, is a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Associate Dean for Accreditation Compliance in the Quillen College of Medicine.

The LCME is the accrediting body for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in the United States and Canada. According to the organization’s website (lcme.org), the LCME is made up of 21 voting members: 17 professional members who are medical educators and/ or practicing physicians and are knowledgeable about U.S. medical

education programs, two public members, and two medical students.

“We are very proud of Dr. Olive for this appointment to the LCME,” said Dr. William Block, Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. “His extensive experience both as a practicing physician and as an educator and administrator in medical education make him an excellent choice for this role, through which he will make important contributions in ensuring the highest quality of medical education at institutions throughout our country and Canada.”

Olive earned his M.D. degree at East Carolina University School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine internship and residency

at the U.S. Air Force Medical Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. He has received numerous honors for teaching excellence and is board-certified in both internal and geriatric medicine. He is a Master of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and served a term as Governor of the Tennessee Chapter of the ACP.

Fulbright Scholar Paulus working in Poland

Dr. Trena Paulus, a Professor in the Research Division in the Quillen College of Medicine

Department of Family Medicine, is a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in Humanities and Social Sciences for 2022-23.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Paulus is at Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Poznan, Poland, for an appointment that continues through June. She is working with the Faculty of English to identify qualitative research methods relevant to that community and what methodological and technology innovations may still be needed. She is working with faculty and students to design, develop, and co-teach a baccalaureate-level course in qualitative research methods for students in language and linguistics. In addition, she is providing mentoring and workshops on using qualitative data analysis software and offering a seminar for a new AMU program in medical humanities on how to apply

qualitative interviewing skills to patient-centered communication in health care settings to improve patient outcomes.

Paulus sought this collaboration after giving a guest lecture at AMU as part of a series, “Challenges and affordances of qualitative methodologies,” an initiative of the newly founded Institute for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities, and discovering mutual areas of interest with AMU officials.

Paulus specializes in methodological innovation, specifically in the use of new technologies and adaptation of language-based analysis methods.

She has over 15 years of experience teaching research methods at the graduate and undergraduate levels, as well as six years teaching English to international students. Since 2014, she has co-authored three books on the intersection of methodological and technological innovation. She is also a certified professional trainer for ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software.

In addition to her Fulbright Scholarship, Paulus was a 2022 Provost’s Academy Scholar at ETSU.

Mobile clinic

ETSU BRINGS VACCINES TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

With just under half of Tennesseans not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, East Tennessee State University is providing new opportunities for the vaccine to be available at clinics in rural communities as well as a mobile vaccination unit.

The initiative is made possible through a $1.3 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Health awarded to ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and College of Nursing. The goal of the grant is to reach patients in socially vulnerable areas of Northeast Tennessee.

“The majority of individuals served by our ETSU Health College of Nursing practice sites are uninsured and underserved,” said Dr. Kayla Norman, Clinical Director of the ETSU Health Nursing Practice Network. “Specifically, our patients often struggle with transportation and the financial resources needed to participate in preventative care. The grant provides our patients with a greater opportunity to receive the much-needed vaccine at no cost to them.”

Norman said the vaccine will be available at all of the college’s practice sites, including the ETSU Health Johnson City Community Health Center, University Health Center, and Johnson City Downtown Day Center, all in Johnson City; the Hancock County School-Based Health Centers in Sneedville; and the Mountain City Extended Hours Health Center.

Dr. Michelle Rapier, a Pharmacy Practice research fellow at Gatton College of Pharmacy, anticipates that the grant will improve opportunities to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by removing certain barriers.

“We will bring the vaccine closer to people,” Rapier said. “Our mobile team will not ask for insurance, and clients do not need to have a primary care provider to receive the vaccine at a mobile clinic. We will also provide education and marketing about the COVID vaccines in order to help people reduce their risk of becoming very sick or hospitalized with COVID-19.”

The initiative also provides important training opportunities for pharmacy students.

“The program will enhance the educational opportunities for ETSU pharmacy students by allowing them to not only practice skills related to vaccination, but also to get to know patients and each community and to foster preventative health,” Rapier said. “Our students will be involved in all aspects of the mobile clinics and will provide them with the opportunity to provide care in settings outside of the traditional pharmacy rotations in order to expand care and to ensure equitable care to patients in Northeast Tennessee.”

A mobile site will target clinics in the counties of Hamblen, Unicoi, Hancock, Hawkins, Carter, Johnson, Greene, Sullivan, and Washington.

Dr. Kayla Norman

Dr. Michelle Rapier

High ratings

COLLEGE OF NURSING RACKS UP RANKINGS FOR ONLINE LEARNING

The East Tennessee State University College of Nursing’s online programs garnered an impressive array of high rankings in 2022-23.

EduMed.org named the College of Nursing second in the state for online undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral-level nursing programs in its rankings for 2023.

The College of Nursing offers a blended Ph.D. program and blended Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program focused on rural clinical practice in primary care settings, with concentrations including family nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner, and executive leadership/nursing and health care leadership. Its fully online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) offers four concentrations: family nurse practitioner, nursing administration, nursing education, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. In addition, the undergraduate RN to BSN program for current registered nurses is fully online.

The online nurse practitioner program also received a ranking of second in the state of Tennessee by

NursePractitionerOnline.com for its DNP and MSN offerings.

Finally, ETSU was ranked ninth in the nation among Fortune Education’s Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs.

“We are proud and delighted that our fully online and blended programs have been recognized by these prestigious publications and ranking organizations,” said College of Nursing Dean Dr. Leann Horsley. “Our College of Nursing seeks to fulfill ETSU’s mission of improving the quality of life for people in our region and beyond, and we

do this by producing practitioners and leaders who provide holistic care to rural, indigent, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and high-risk communities.”

“Not only is the ETSU College of Nursing the largest nursing school in the state, we also are consistently among the top ranked,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics. “I am proud of the work that our faculty, students, alumni, and staff are doing to make an impact on the health and wellbeing of patients across the state and beyond.”

New pharmacy center

ETSU, BALLAD HEALTH PARTNER AGAIN TO BENEFIT REGION

To improve lives, East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and Ballad Health are establishing the Center for Pharmacy Education, Advocacy, and Outreach.

Ballad Health committed a $470,000 annual gift to the college (for five years, with plans to renew) for the center, which will broaden efforts to better equip pharmacists.

“ETSU and Ballad Health share a long-standing commitment to improving the quality of life for the people of the Appalachian Highlands, and this is the focus of the center,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland. “We are grateful for Ballad’s support and for the opportunities to enhance the educational experience for our clinical students whose impact to the region will be profound.”

“Ballad Health is committed to the multitude of partnerships we have developed with ETSU in pursuit of the best clinical experience for training tomorrow’s health care workforce,” said Ballad Health Chairman and

Chief Executive Officer Alan Levine. “We remain grateful to all those who have worked so hard to develop and sustain the Gatton College of Pharmacy. This partnership is critical to ensuring our region leads in the development and use of the most effective treatments for our patients.”

Through the center, ETSU and Ballad Health will work to develop simulation and laboratory education offerings, collaborate on curricula, and focus on preceptor development and developing training experiences. Additionally, the center will aim to develop policy recommendations and an annual conference and collaborate on professional development and continuing education.

Said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Dean, “The center will help us to continue to strengthen pharmacists’ important role in the delivery of health care within the hospitals, during transition of care, and in the communities. Our faculty will dedicate time to serve as integrated clinical specialists within Ballad facilities, and Ballad

will provide preceptor availability and targeted experiential instruction for our student pharmacists. It is a winwin for these future pharmacists and for the patients they will serve.”

ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education and team-based care, as well as the college’s award-winning programs focusing on naloxone training and community outreach, provide a foundation for the center’s efforts on preparing pharmacists to help care for patients with chronic pain, opioid use disorder, and mental health disorders.

“ETSU is proud to partner with Ballad Health to take this innovative approach to training future pharmacists,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics. “Our emphasis on interprofessional education and our history of developing progressive, teamoriented pharmacists create a strong framework for the center to build upon in order to meet its goals of education, advocacy, and outreach.”

Bright outlook

When students looking toward future careers think of health care, physicians and nurses probably come to mind first. But beyond those are many other rewarding professions offering growing job markets, competitive salaries, job satisfaction, and more.

If students look closely at hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and other health facilities, they will see many other professionals hard at work. They will see physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, radiographers, respiratory therapists, speechlanguage pathologists, nutritionists, audiologists, dental hygienists, and others playing important roles in patient care.

ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS) provides baccalaureate and graduate degree pathways to many of those professions that comprise the largest portion of the overall health care team, as well as certificate programs in computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and sport nutrition.

ETSU COLLEGE A HUB FOR FAST-GROWING HEALTH PROFESSIONS

“Our 13 clinical and rehabilitation programs are among the fastestgrowing and highest-demand health-related programs,” according to Dr. Lynn Williams, Interim Dean of CCRHS. “High job satisfaction, competitive salaries, flexibility in work settings, and the ability to help patients live better lives all contribute to reasons students choose a health care profession.”

Williams does not find it surprising that six of the college’s offerings are listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2022 “Best Health Care Jobs.” These are speech-language pathology, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition, and audiology.

Professionals in all of these fields are in high demand, Williams said, as they account for up to 60% of all health professionals according to the National Society of Allied Health. She added that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects all of the fields of study offered by the college to grow between 13 and 32%.

“These health care professionals make a significant contribution to health systems and the communities in which they work,” Williams said. “Graduates of our programs have a 100% job placement rate. They graduate and become a distinct group of health professionals who work in a variety of clinical and educational settings to deliver direct patient care, rehabilitation, diagnostics, and interventions to restore and maintain optimal physical, sensory, psychological, cognitive, and social functions.”

Students readily recognize some of those, like Physical Therapy or Speech-Language Pathology, but other programs like Respiratory Therapy and Nutrition are in high demand, as well.

“The biggest thing we do is everything breathing. We keep people breathing,” said Donna Lilly, Assistant Professor and Director of the Respiratory Therapy Program. “Most people think doctors and nurses run the ventilators that make sure the patients ventilate. They don’t. Respiratory therapists turn the buttons to determine how deep the patient breathes, how fast they breathe, how much oxygen they get.”

Respiratory therapy is projected to grow 23% by 2030, and the median pay is $61,830, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook And while the typical entry level of education is an associate degree, Lilly says a bachelor’s degree like that offered by ETSU qualifies graduates to run blood gas labs, teach, and move into supervisory roles.

Nutrition majors may become registered dietitians and find clinical work in health care settings, school nutrition, sports nutrition or corporate health, while some go into medical school, physical therapy or other fields, according to Mary Andreae, Assistant Professor of Nutrition.

“There’s a variety,” said Andreae. “There are a lot of areas where people can fine-tune their love for nutrition and working with people.”

The job market for dietitians and nutritionists is expected to grow by 11% by 2030, and the median pay is $61,650 annually, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

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National recognition

GATTON

EARNS TOP PHARMACY AWARD FOR SERVICE

East Tennessee State University

Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy earned a top national award for service to the community, part of its continuing mission to serve the rural and underserved communities in the Appalachian Highlands.

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) presented ETSU with the Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community Service Award at the annual AACP meeting in Grapevine, Texas, in July 2022.

The award is presented annually to one college or school of pharmacy across the United States demonstrating a major institutional commitment to addressing unmet community needs through education, practice, and research. AACP is the national organization representing the interests of pharmacy education. The award consists of a commemorative sculpture honoring the institution’s extraordinary social commitment and a $5,000 honorarium.

“This is a tremendous honor to join the ranks of elite pharmacy schools across the country that have earned this award for service,” said Dean Debbie Byrd. “Our student pharmacists and faculty serve our community and make a positive impact year-round on

patients in some of the most rural and underserved areas of the Appalachian Highlands. I’m proud that our service-oriented college — having been founded only since 2005 — has become a nationally recognized presence. I am excited to see where we grow from here.”

Highlights of Gatton College of Pharmacy’s service impact:

• 50% of the college’s practice sites serve rural and/or underserved populations.

• 97% of fourth-year students in 2019-2020 completed at least one rural and/or underserved experience.

• Helped administer more than 30,000 COVID-19 doses since December 2020.

• Worked with local law enforcement since 2008, helping set up medication Take Back operations in counties across the region, collecting nearly 30,000 pounds of unused, expired, or unwanted medications.

• Served nearly 3,000 patients at Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic in Gray, Tennessee, since 2017.

• Distributed over 10,000 naloxone kits through RAM clinics and reached more than 15,000 youth in the past decade through education regarding naloxone, stimulant misuse, and prescription drug misuse.

• Connected more than 550 student pharmacists with 150 older adult residents over 4,600 service hours at Abundant Christian Living Community.

• Administered the only multi-state, multi-network Flip the Pharmacy team since 2019, designed to transform community pharmacies from traditional point-in-time, prescription-level care processes to outcomes-based, patient-level care models.

• Partnered with local clinics and organizations where student pharmacists serve, providing needed care and services for people in the region.

“I’d like to thank all of our community partners for their support and for the opportunity to work with them to serve the community,” said Byrd. “Together we have made a huge impact on the Appalachian Highlands.”

Strengthening the pipeline ETSU HOSTS EVENT TO ADDRESS NURSING SHORTAGE

Noland. “As educational institutions that train the workforce, we have the shared responsibility to address that challenge. This is not just an ETSU initiative or a Ballad initiative – this is a regional initiative.”

To brainstorm ways to increase the pipeline of students into the field of nursing, East Tennessee State University brought together leaders from Ballad Health and from 12 colleges and universities from Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

The May 2022 meeting was the first regional gathering of the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement, which was created in October 2021 thanks to a $10 million investment from Ballad Health to create a center dedicated

to bringing the region’s academic nursing, clinical nursing, and school systems together to increase the pipeline of opportunity and augment the supply of nurses and nursing support in the Appalachian Highlands. Plans are to start the pipeline with students as young as sixth graders and to address increasing the number of nurses at all levels.

“Strengthening the nursing pipeline is a task of monumental importance to the future of health care in our region,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian

Alan

Levine, Ballad Health Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, spoke about the regional opportunities associated within the center to expand the depth, breadth, and scope of nursing education, and he challenged the leaders to think creatively to address the nursing shortage.

“Ultimately, this is not a workforce issue; it’s a quality of life issue,” Levine said. “Everybody’s contributing to the success of our region’s health care, and I think everybody benefits from its success.

“People all over the state are watching and hoping we find a pathway forward. We have to challenge ourselves – if there were no limitations or boundaries, what solutions could we put forth?”

The Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement will also create a data system that provides visibility around gaps in the nursing pipeline, as well as provide opportunities for nurses to continue lifelong learning opportunities.

Noland and Levine also went to Nashville to meet with policymakers and make a case for a statewide focus. Through those meetings, they secured additional state funding so that the center will become a source of labor, workforce, and policy information in the field of nursing for Tennessee.

Alan Levine

Brian Noland

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: QUILLEN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

JENNIFER DAVIS

“The idea of rural medicine has really just been my lifestyle since I was a child,” said Jennifer Davis. “Looking back, it was a mentor I found in high school through the health science program in Rogersville who exposed me to the depth and breadth of rural medicine.”

This fourth-year medical student is in the dual M.D./ MPH degree program through the East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine and College of Public Health. At Quillen, she is on the Rural Primary Care Track (RPCT), which allows students to take their casebased learning component out of the classroom and into the rural communities of Rogersville or Mountain City. There, they work with community physicians and upperlevel students, precept, and apply classroom knowledge in real-life situations. RPCT students also develop and conduct a community-based research project during their second year, as well as complete both a 12-week primary care rotation and a collaborative community project addressing local health problems during their third year.

Davis grew up in a rural, blue-collar environment. Her mother is a retired elementary school teacher, and her father, a truck driver, has been a farmer and factory worker. When she was in the eighth grade, she had to make a life-changing decision and pick a career track for high school. Health science stood out to her.

Soon, Davis attended Quillen’s Rural High School Medical Camp, which is designed for students and recent graduates of high schools in rural or underserved areas interested in becoming primary care physicians. And, she had the opportunity to work with Quillen RPCT students in a free clinic in Rogersville.

In addition, she earned the Tennessee Rural Partnership STAR Award. This scholarship from the Tennessee Center for Health Workforce Development allowed her to shadow with her local family physician, Dr. Mark Dalle-Ave, a Rural and Community Programs Preceptor and retired Quillen faculty member, who became her preceptor.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Davis was drawn to Quillen because of its strong focus on rural medicine.

“The connections I established early on showed me that this is a place that was going to be supportive,” she said, “and they’re very committed to their mission to serve the rural communities here in Appalachia.

“There are a lot of social determinants of health in Appalachia that pull at my heartstrings a little bit,” she continued. “I was fortunate to get a higher education. Now I have an opportunity to go back and to serve rural communities. And all of those things that I’ve seen – those struggles, those challenges, those hardships – now I have a platform to do something about them.”

Davis believes the dual MPH track will expand her ability to meet those challenges by helping her go outside the walls of a clinical setting. And a residency in family medicine will give her even more tools that will allow her to achieve her goal of being a “one-stop-shop” that eliminates some of the barriers to health care in rural communities.

“I chose to do community health, and with what I’ve learned about the social determinants of health, need-based assessments, and communities – and how to mobilize and connect with resources that can better serve my patients – that’s something that’s going to be an extra tool in my toolbelt that I’ll use throughout my career.

“A big thing for me is not having my patients drive 45 minutes for care, but they can come to a family practitioner and get everything they need and have someone who’s going to get out in the community and be there at events, who’s going to advocate for their needs and just be present.”

Grant provides for expanded HIV services

East Tennessee State University can expand clinical services to provide support for individuals with HIV in the region due to a grant awarded in 2022.

Dr. Jonathan Moorman, codirector of the ETSU Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Diseases, and Immunity and Vice Chair for Research and Scholarship in the Department of Internal Medicine, received a notice of award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The Ryan White HIV Center of Excellence (COE) has received Ryan White Part B funding from the Tennessee Department of Health for more than 20 years. The COE provides an interdisciplinary, team-based approach focusing on HIV testing and treatment, primary care, mental health services, case management, and assistance with food, transportation, and medication. In addition, services such as prevention and education,

harm reduction, and the opportunity to participate in research are provided in partnership with community and university organizations.

The COE can expand its services thanks to the award of Ryan White Part C funds. The Ryan White (Part C) Early Intervention Services grant awards $975,159 over the course of three years and allows the COE to establish a new clinical site in Sullivan County in conjunction with the division of Infectious Diseases at Quillen College of Medicine.

“This funding supports new providers and space for our patients in Sullivan County and adjacent rural areas, making it easier for these patients to get stateof-the-art HIV care, primary care, and mental health services,” Moorman said. “We are excited about a new site in Kingsport.”

The Johnson City Ryan White HIV Center of Excellence and ETSU Health Infectious Disease clinic is located at 615 North State of Franklin Road in Johnson City, Tennessee. Updates will follow when the Kingsport site opens to receive patients.

For more information, visit etsu.edu/com/coe-hiv/.

Moorhouse named JCDDC Director

Amanda S. Moorhouse is Director of the ETSU Health, College of Nursing, Johnson City Downtown Day Center (JCDDC) after serving as interim director.

The JCDDC, 202 W. Fairview Avenue, Johnson City, provides accessible, high-quality, and compassionate primary care and behavioral health services to members of the community from various levels of income.

Moorhouse is a family nurse practitioner (FNP) who joined ETSU’s University Health Center in 2017, where she served for two years before transitioning to the JCDDC in 2019.

Before coming to ETSU, she was an FNP with Medical Care in Johnson City and previously worked as a registered nurse with hospitals in Knoxville and Greeneville.

“JCDDC is so important to our community because we are able to provide multiple services at one location for people who are experiencing homelessness, as well as other members of our community,” Moorhouse said. “Our clients are able to come to the Day Center to get basic needs met, such as showering and laundry. We are so lucky to have our primary care and behavioral health services here at JCDDC. All of these services allow us to be able to work in an interdisciplinary manner to treat and manage our patients.”

As Director of the JCDDC, Moorhouse plans for the clinic to be out in the community more and to continue to foster relationships with other community agencies to best serve the people of Johnson City and the region.

“I would like for the JCDDC to be at the forefront of people’s minds when someone is seeking help, whether that be individuals needing homeless services, primary care, case management, or behavioral health services,” she said.

ETSU Health Clinical Locations

JOHNSON CITY

BucSports Medicine

1043 Jack Vest Drive

orthopedic sports medicine, physical therapy

Concussion Management Program

Lamb Hall

156. S. Dossett Drive

Dental Hygiene Clinic

156 S. Dossett Drive

Lamb Hall Breezeway

Family Medicine Johnson City

917 W. Walnut Street

acute and chronic care, addiction medicine, acupuncture, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, adult and pediatric care, preventative care, sports medicine, women’s health

Cardiology & Rheumatology

329 N. State of Franklin Road

electrotherapy, general cardiology, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac prevention, pediatric cardiology

ETSU Health

325 N. State of Franklin Road

Internal Medicine: internal medicine, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, behavioral health

OB/GYN: general OB/GYN, high risk obstetrics, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, behavioral health

Surgery & Ophthalmology: general surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, general and pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric surgery, plastic and reconstructive, trauma & critical care, vascular

Pediatrics: general pediatrics, adolescent medicine, critical care, genetics, hospital medicine, infectious diseases, nephrology, pulmonology, neonatalogy, behavioral health

Fertility, FPMRS & Urogynecology

1319 Sunset Drive, Suite 103

Gary E. Shealy Memorial

ALS Clinic*

325 N. State of Franklin Road

Infectious Diseases

615 N. State of Franklin Road

Johnson City Community Health Center

2151 Century Lane

behavioral health, preventive and restorative dental, family medicine,

newborn and pediatric care, Nurse Family Partnership, psychiatric and neurologic pharmacy and onsite pharmacy, pre-natal care, radiography, mammography and sonography, substance abuse services, women’s health

Johnson City Downtown Day Center

202 W. Fairview Avenue

behavioral health, family medicine, substance abuse services, case management, homeless social services

Oncology

1 Professional Park Drive, Suite 21

Osteoporosis Center

2109 W. Market Street

DXA scans

Pediatric Subspecialties

408 N. State of Franklin Road, Suite 31B endocrinology, gastroenterology, hospital medicine, neurology, rheumatology and pulmonology

Psychiatry Building 52 Lake Drive

VA Medical Center Campus

adult psychiatry, child & adolescent psychiatry, general psychiatry, individual & family therapy

St. Jude Tri-Cities Affiliate Clinic

(Niswonger Children’s Hospital)

400 N. State of Franklin Road neonatology, pediatric hematology, pediatric oncology, pediatric critical care

University Health Center

365 Stout Drive, Roy Nicks Hall, Suite 160 behavioral health, immunizations, medication management, physicals, primary care, women’s health

University School Clinic

68 Martha Culp Drive

KINGSPORT Family Medicine Kingsport

102 E. Ravine Road

acute & chronic care, adult care, acupuncture, addiction medicine, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, newborn & pediatric care, preventative care, women’s health, including OB, physical therapy, sports medicine

*moving to the Nave Center, 1000 Jason Witten Way, Elizabethton, in spring 2023

Internal Medicine Kingsport

Four Sheridan Square, Suite 200

behavioral health, endocrinology, infectious disease, internal medicine, rheumatology, psychotherapy

BRISTOL

Family Medicine Bristol

208 Medical Park Boulevard

acute & chronic care, adult care, acupuncture, addiction medicine, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, newborn & pediatric care, preventative care, women’s health, including OB, sports medicine

ELIZABETHTON

Center for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

1000 Jason Witten Way

audiology, comprehensive language and eating therapies, Autism spectrum disorder program, social work

OB/GYN Elizabethton

1505 W. Elk Avenue, Suite 1

high-risk obstetrics, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, behavioral health

Pediatrics Elizabethton

1505 W. Elk Avenue, Suite 2b

general pediatrics, behavioral health

Cardiology Elizabethton

1505 W. Elk Avenue, Suite 1

general cardiology, cardiac prevention

SNEEDVILLE

Hancock County Elementary School

Based Health Center

391 Court Street

behavioral health, family medicine, pediatrics

Hancock County Middle/High School

Based Health Center

2700 Main Street

behavioral health, family medicine, pediatrics

MOUNTAIN CITY

Mountain City Extended Hours Health Center

1901 S. Shady Street

behavioral health, family medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, women’s health

Cardiology Mountain City

1901 S. Shady Street

general cardiology, cardiac prevention

Securing a spot early

EARLY ADMISSION PATHWAY GIVES STUDENTS CAREER BOOST

Olivia Long knew when she was in eighth grade that she wanted to be a pharmacist. Through the Early Admission Pathway at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, she found a way to get a jump on that career.

The Mount Juliet native is concurrently working toward her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy studies and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The idea of pharmacy was first suggested by her mother, a nurse, and Long investigated the career in high school classes and attended a summer camp at Gatton College of Pharmacy.

“Since I knew I wanted to do pharmacy for such a long time, it was nice to be able to go into the career earlier. It saved me time and money in the long run, and I’ll start doing what I really am passionate about earlier,” she said.

The Early Admission Pathway was implemented to provide a direct route to pharmacy school for individuals just like Long. It allows students who want to become pharmacists to apply as high school students for admission to Gatton College of Pharmacy. The Early Admission Pathway is also open to ETSU first-year students.

“The ultimate benefit for students is that it allows them to go ahead and secure a spot with Gatton College of Pharmacy, so they don’t have that anxiety of ‘Can I make the cut?’ ‘Will I be good enough?’ It removes that so they can actually focus on school,” said Steve Ellis, the college's Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. “It also provides an opportunity to work with us while they’re freshmen and sophomores to prepare and develop more experience for when they actually enter the pharmacy school.”

Gatton College of Pharmacy is one of only a few pharmacy schools that offer early admission programs.

Learn more at etsu.edu/RxEarlyAdmit.

‘White Coat Radio’

Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy launched a new podcast, “White Coat Radio.”

The podcast, which debuted August 1, 2022, provides listeners with helpful advice, stories, and insights from the faculty, staff, and student pharmacists at the college.

Hosts Dr. Michele Williams and Dan VanZant lead this informative and entertaining podcast, with new episodes appearing monthly. Williams is Academic Success Specialist and VanZant is Instructional Design and Technology Manager in the Office of Academic Affairs at the college.

“White Coat Radio” may be heard on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, and Spotify.

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Steve Ellis

Hub of research and education

NEW CIIDI SPACE PROVIDES INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT MISSION

East Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Immunity (CIIDI) now has a physical presence to call its own, on the second floor of Building 6 on the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home.

“This 10,000-square-foot facility provides vital infrastructure to support cutting-edge research,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland at the ribbon cutting for the space on September 14, 2022.

The area features state-of-the-art instrumentation, a human tissues biorepository, and specialized core facilities and laboratories, along with administrative and meeting spaces to host nationally and internationally known speakers.

“Our dedicated space facilitates communication, collegiality, and exchange of ideas and provides opportunities to establish interprofessional and intraprofessional collaborations,” said Dr. David Williams, CIIDI Co-Director and Carroll H. Long Chair of Excellence at Quillen College of Medicine.

CIIDI members who were spread across labs on the VA campus have come together to expand their infrastructure through the development of the CIIDI Human Tissue Biorepository to collect specimens and associated clinical data that can be utilized for human subject research.

“The biorepository significantly enhances our translational and clinical research, including COVID-19 and long COVID studies in proteomics and neurology,” said Dr. Jonathan Moorman, CIIDI Co-Director and Professor and Division Chief of Infectious, Inflammatory, and Immunologic Disease. “Our members also have active programs in cardiovascular disease, HIV, and sepsis and a number

of other studies in one of the ‘three I’s’: inflammation, infectious disease, and immunity.”

The center has added other new elements to its infrastructure, including research instrumentation and the Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery core, which focuses on developing innovative immune therapies as well as the discovery of new and novel adjuvants for increasing vaccine effectiveness, and a dedicated Clinical Research Office.

Throughout the changes, the focus continues to be CIIDI member research, which has gained attention in areas such as COVID-19 and post-acute sequelae of SARSCoV-2, or “long COVID.”

Some members are investigating how COVID infection impacts their scientific areas of emphasis, such as cardiovascular illness. Members have been awarded multiple COVID-related grants and authored a number of publications. Several have conducted research on adjuvant and vaccine technology and on the novel role of lactate in infectious disease and heart-attack-induced cardiovascular dysfunction.

As they look ahead, CIIDI leaders are excited about the opportunities presented by their state-of-the-art space.

“The new CIIDI home makes it possible for us to better serve our members, the university community, and the research enterprise at ETSU,” said Moorman. “In addition, the new facility makes it possible for us to better serve our core missions of research and education.”

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Above: Celebrating the ribbon cutting are Dr. Jonathan Moorman, Dr. Brian Noland, Dr. Bill Block, Dr. Virginia Foley, Allen Archer, Dr. Linda Latimer, and Dr. David Williams.

Student pharmacists place nationally

A student organization at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy finished among the top service organizations in the country for educating the community about prescription drug misuse.

The college’s American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists Operation Substance Use Disorders (SUD) committee (formerly Generation Rx) was national first runner-up for the APhA-ASP Operation Substance Use Disorders Chapter Achievement Award in 2020-21. It is the most nationally recognized SUD committee in the country.

APhA-ASP Generation Rx transitioned to its new name, Operation SUD, in 2021 through a collaboration with Walmart Inc. to expand the breadth and depth of this important initiative.

“Creating virtual trainings and outreach to organizations was crucial during the pandemic because the number of overdoses increased, and the need for overdose education, training of proper naloxone administration, and steps for how to respond to an overdose remained essential,” said Madison Smith (’23), chair of the committee.

Said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy, “We are so proud of these students for their dedication to serving the rural and underserved, the mission of our college. When students enroll at Gatton, they become part of something bigger than themselves, and many are honored to earn awards on the state and national stage for their service to the community.”

Last November, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy’s Operation Substance Use Disorders instructed Virginia First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin on best practices for recognizing and responding to opioid overdose emergencies using naloxone at the Washington County Health Department.

“Fentanyl poisoning has become devastatingly prevalent in many areas of Virginia and this nation, and each of us must learn to recognize the signs and learn the tactics to potentially save a life,” said First Lady Youngkin. “It’s time to bond together and support one another, and one way to do that is to be prepared for any situation, including an opioid overdose.”

Region’s first recovery community center

East Tennessee State University has taken the lead in establishing the first recovery community center in the Northeast Tennessee region.

The Johnson City Recovery Center (JCRC) was proposed by Dr. Dorothy “Dottie” Greene, Associate Professor of Social Work in the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences and Executive Director, and is guided by an advisory board with membership from throughout the region.

Located at 513 E. Unaka Avenue, the JCRC hosts several recovery support groups, and once it is fully operational, it will host up to three different mutual aid groups daily, recovery coaching services, linkages to community resources, and recovery information and education groups. JCRC offers a safe, recoveryoriented environment to help bridge the gap between professional treatment services and mutual aid recovery organizations. It addresses the psychosocial barriers to addiction recovery and increases sustained recovery among its participants. All JCRC services are free of charge.

“We want folks to come in and feel welcome, safe, relaxed, and supported,” Greene said. “We also want to be easily accessible to the community and to those who will need us the most, and this location is right on the bus (Johnson City Transit) line, and a few short blocks from Turning Point, an addiction recovery organization operated by Frontier Health. There are a couple of recovery homes in our area, too, and we are less than a mile from ETSU Health’s Johnson City Downtown Day Center.”

Staff peer support specialists, volunteers from the recovery community, and ETSU social work student interns will coordinate volunteers, provide education and recovery information, develop and facilitate social activities, link participants to community-based resources, provide technological and employment assistance, and more. In addition, ETSU nursing, pharmacy, nutrition, and public health students will be involved in providing educational sessions on addiction recovery and healthrelated topics. The ETSU Addiction Science Center has also offered full support for this project.

The JCRC received $1.2 million in funding from Washington County, and ongoing fundraising also helps it provide services and cover expenses.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: COLLEGE OF CLINICAL AND REHABILITATIVE HEALTH SCIENCES

Tracy Laughlin

When Tracy Laughlin of Greeneville walked across the stage to receive his diploma at East Tennessee State University in May 2022, he shared the moment with his wife and four children, ages 16, 13, 7, and 5.

“Having my wife and children come to my graduation was a real joy for me because I have preached to them that even though life has its setbacks, as long as you’re willing to put in the work, you can accomplish anything,” Laughlin said.

Just a few years ago, Laughlin was at a professional crossroads, feeling unfulfilled in his manufacturing position and trying to decide how he could change his life.

“The setback I have overcome is feeling stuck in life,” he said. “At my previous job, I felt like there was no way out and that was the only thing for me moving forward, until one day I got the courage to go out and pursue something better.”

The change came with the realization that he needed to complete a college degree to pursue the career he desired in health care. After earning an associate degree at Walters State Community College, Laughlin decided to complete his Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory therapy at ETSU because he wanted a job that allowed him to provide hands-on care to patients.

“I chose to come into respiratory therapy not because of COVID-19,” he said. “I chose it slightly before COVID hit the U.S. But seeing the effort, hard work, and hours that the therapists put in with the patients suffering from COVID really inspired me to move forward and give everything that I can for the field.”

At first, Laughlin was apprehensive about returning to school.

“The fact that I was older than everybody, that kind of made me nervous about going back,” he said. “But we all became really close, and I was accepted into the group. It was a real eyeopener to someone who thought they were lost in the world.”

The two years that it took him to complete the program flew by for Laughlin, and he already had a full-time respiratory therapy job lined up at a local hospital after he graduated.

“It was very rewarding to know that after going through the program, I already had the security of a job,” Laughlin said. “I didn’t have to go out and hunt for one, and I feel like it’s because of the education I received.

“I feel very confident in my ability to do the job. We spent many hours in clinical, and our instructors were always there to push us. Going back to school, and especially ETSU, was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Laughlin shared his story to encourage others who might feel stuck and are looking for a way to improve their lives. “The best thing that I could tell them is that you just have to put one foot in front of the other when you start school or pursue another career. Just make the choice to do it.”

Celebrating 40 years

QUILLEN CLASS OF 2022 MARKS MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY

Though East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine has undergone many changes since its inaugural class of medical students received their degrees in 1982, some hallmarks of the college that were true 40 years ago remain the same.

Just ask Dr. Greg Swabe, a Knoxville pediatrician and member of the inaugural class, and Dr. Abbi Laszacs, a 2022 graduate. Their Quillen stories share several similarities – even though their experiences were four decades apart.

“I came to Quillen because East Tennessee was my home, and this

is really where my heart was,” Swabe said. “I also wanted to be part of a new medical school. My favorite memory of Quillen is the fact that it was a small class and you got so much personal attention, and I don’t think that would exist anywhere else.”

Although her class of 66 was larger than the inaugural class of 24, Laszacs also was attracted to Quillen’s smaller class size compared to other medical schools she considered.

“At a larger or a different school, I could’ve gotten lost – a fish within a big ocean. But at Quillen, I was really able to thrive and have

opportunities readily available to me,” said Laszacs, who was also inducted into the ETSU 1911 Society, which honors the university’s most distinguished graduates who embody ETSU’s original mission of improving the quality of life for the people of this region as exemplified through academic excellence, service, and leadership.

Both graduates also appreciate Quillen’s unwavering commitment to training primary care physicians. The medical school moved from the main campus to ETSU’s campus at the James H. Quillen VA at Mountain Home, where it has had room to grow and add state-of-the-art simulation

laboratories and an interprofessional education and research program to enhance student training.

Swabe recalled that some of his most rewarding career memories are of relationships that he has formed with patients and their families –including treating the grandchildren of two of his Quillen classmates.

Laszacs, who completed Quillen’s Rural Primary Care Track, began an obstetrics and gynecology residency at UCSF Fresno last summer.

“At the end of my four years, I look back with nothing but pride having chosen Quillen, and I am honored that Quillen chose me. Quillen

really prepared me for my future,” said Laszacs.

Dr. William Block, a 1992 alumnus who now serves as ETSU Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of Quillen College of Medicine, presided at the May Commencement ceremony for the historic class.

“I am extremely proud of the Class of 2022,” Block said. “I have watched them persevere through a pandemic with determination and resilience. They will take these lessons, as well as what they learned in our classrooms, clinics, and labs, with them as they leave us for their residencies. They will make us proud.”

The class selected Dr. Blair Reece and Dr. Bryan Helsel to present their doctoral hoods. In addition, 22 students were hooded by a physician relative. Dr. Jason Moore was given the highest honor by students to administer the Hippocratic Oath during the ceremony.

Dr. Reid B. Blackwelder, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Education for Health Professionals, was the speaker.

ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland presented the diplomas, and Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics, provided closing remarks.

Dr. Abbi Laszacs, a member of Quillen College of Medicine's Class of 2022, and Dr. Greg Swabe, a member of the inaugural class, discussed some of the changes that have taken place at Quillen.

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Mullins named a ‘Notable Woman’

Dr. Mary Mullins, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work in the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, was named a recipient of the Notable Women of ETSU award in 2022 by the university’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program.

She and Dr. Cerrone Foster of the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences were honored during the annual Notable Women of ETSU Colloquium in November. This event highlights the expertise and accomplishments of women at ETSU; provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, research, and projects generated by faculty; and identifies faculty whose work advances understanding of lived experiences.

Mullins’ research focuses on work quality and integrity in social workers serving the LGBTQ+ community and support for those workers. She is the founder and editorin-chief of the Journal of Interprofessional Practice with Social Work. She is an ETSU faculty facilitator for Interprofessional Education and part of the Department of Social Work Self-Care Initiative and serves on the Home for Youth Advisory Board with the Johnson City Housing Authority. In addition, Mullins has served on ETSU’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Reaffirmation Report Committee.

In 2021, Mullins received the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award. Her nominator wrote, “Dr. Mullins’ focus on a culture of collaboration, respect, communication, teamwork, and feedback has been transformative. … She is a shining example of what leadership should look like.”

Beatty earns ETSU's highest research honor

Dr. Kate Beatty, a public health researcher whose work focuses on rural and Appalachian health and advancing health care for rural and low-income women, received East Tennessee State University’s Distinguished Faculty Award in Research last August.

It is the highest research honor that ETSU presents to a faculty member.

A faculty member who wrote a letter in support of her nomination noted that Beatty’s work “is both practical and policy relevant — critical attributes for meaningful research in the public health arena.”

Beatty has been a member of the ETSU College of Public Health since 2014, where she is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a Master of Public Health and Ph.D. in Public Health Studies from St. Louis University.

During her time at ETSU, she has played a role in three major research centers: the Center for Applied Research

and Evaluation in Women’s Health (CARE Women’s Health), the Center for Rural Health Research, and the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center

Beatty has developed and led a collaborative, externally funded research program with the goal of expanding access to care and improving the quality of care for rural and underserved populations. She has been deeply involved with a wide range of research projects aimed at improving the lives of people through practices and engagement with policymakers and funders.

Her work has focused often on rural communities, including Appalachia and the U.S. Southeast around issues related to maternal and child health, substance use disorder, and the social determinants of health. It has led to multiple important outcomes, including the development of a novel approach for measuring access to contraceptive care at the clinic, two studies related to telehealth use at rural clinics in the Southeast, and three policy briefs that highlight the bright spots in the Appalachian region to address substance use disorder.

“To say that Dr. Beatty’s work is impactful and lifechanging is an understatement,” wrote a colleague. “She has worked tirelessly to make a difference for people so they can achieve their health goals and their full potential.”

ETSU hosts ASM regional conference for first time

East Tennessee State University’s student chapter of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Department of Health Sciences in the College of Public Health hosted the ASM Fall Regional InPerson Conference in October 2022.

“We were so thrilled to host the Regional ASM Conference,” said Courtney Henley, a senior microbiology major from Jonesborough and president of the ETSU ASM chapter. “This was the first time for ETSU to host this conference, which allowed sharing of research, collaboration with other microbiology programs, and learning about future career opportunities.

“The conference included 15 universities from Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and North

Carolina. It was quite an honor for ETSU to unite the leading science and research programs in our region.”

Funding was provided by the national and Kentucky/Tennessee regional ASM organizations, as well as a grant from Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) that promotes science and research among universities in the areas of scientific research and education. Additional sponsorship was provided by the College of Public Health and its Department of Environmental Health, the Department of Biomedical Sciences in Quillen College of Medicine, and the ETSU Center for Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Immunity.

The two-day event featured poster and oral presentations and a career

expo. A Microbiology Career Panel included representatives from careers in industry, academia, and government.

Two ASM Distinguished Speakers addressed the conference: Dr. Steve Diggle of Georgia Tech and Dr. Kim Orth of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

The ETSU Department of Health Sciences, which sponsors the university’s ASM student chapter, has high rates of student placement into a variety of professional and graduate schools.

Hutchins heeds calling of service

For Mylan Hutchins, a human services major with a double minor in special education and American Sign Language (ASL), service is a calling. Originally from Chattanooga, Hutchins came to East Tennessee State University as one of her first steps into what has evolved into a fulfilling journey of self-discovery.

It wasn’t long until Hutchins realized she was heading directly toward what would become her life’s passion.

“When I first came here, I really didn’t know very much about ASL,” said Hutchins. “It was something I grew up with. My mom would sign the alphabet in our home, and I’d taken some ASL courses while being homeschooled. When I discovered that ASL was something ETSU offered, I was immediately drawn in. I fell in love with it. It’s such an incredibly beautiful language, and I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to learn it.”

Hutchins says her experiences with Clemmer College and the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, which houses the ASL minor, have changed her forever.

“I used to be incredibly shy,” said Hutchins. “Since working with the students and professors here, I’ve really grown as a person. My communication skills have flourished, and the connections I’ve made with other people have really impacted me for the better.”

Hutchins says her future and succeeding in her desire to be someone who has the ability to assist those in need may not have been possible if not for those who took the initiative to help her first. Coming from a singleparent household, Hutchins says scholarships are what enabled her to come to ETSU. While attending, she has been awarded the Nelle Jessee Scholarship, the ETSU Students of Distinction Award, the TSAA Award, and the Geosciences Scholarship.

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AMANI PATEL

Amani Patel has always been hard at work — in her studies and in her community. A graduate student working on a Master of Health Administration in the College of Public Health, Patel said she was not originally on this path.

“When I started my higher education journey, it was in pre-pharmacy,” said Patel. “I had started in an accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program.”

It took only a single year before Patel would find the route that was right for her, and she credits ETSU’s strong emphasis on public health.

“I always thought that I would go into medicine or the medical field. When I discovered public health, I was drawn into it, instantly. Then, I was accepted into the Honors Program. That is something that transformed my life as a student in ways that I could have never imagined.”

Patel said the Honors Program gifted her with experiences that led her to develop and nurture service and leadership, which built the foundation for her involvement in the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement (LCE)

“As an undergraduate student, I tried to be as active as possible in the programs that this office offers to students,” said Patel. “I immediately worked to become a Diversity Educator, a group of people that is dedicated to creating a campus culture that is inclusive of everyone. Because of this, I was already in contact with staff in the LCE, so when I saw a graduate assistant (GA) position get posted, I seized the opportunity.”

Patel said that her experience working with the LCE has been amazing. Last fall was one of the largest draws for first-year students for the university in the past couple of years, and the sheer number of activities, resources, and work that LCE generates is incredible to Patel.

“I love this feeling of making sure people are actively involved in their communities in positive ways,” said Patel. “While I was a freshman, ETSU held a naturalization ceremony for some of the faculty, staff, and students on campus. Not only was it an amazing opportunity for community-building, it was a very proud

moment for everyone there. You could feel the happiness radiating off of everyone.”

Patel mentioned that a naturalization ceremony is an event she would be interested in bringing back to campus, but at the moment, she is concerned with voter registration outreach and making sure students, faculty, and staff know that ETSU is dedicated to making voting as easy as possible for the campus community through the studentled initiative ETSU Votes.

“We’ve been working a lot with voter registration outreach, and we now have an early voting site on campus,” said Patel. “Civic engagement has always been really important to me. My family and I are actually going through the naturalization process to become United States citizens. We passed our exams on September 16.”

Added Patel, “Voting is something that should not be taken lightly, and if you have the opportunity to engage in your community in this way, I highly encourage you to do so. Voting in state, local, and municipal elections is important because that’s where you create those grassroots movements where you can have your voice heard. You can give input on the issues that affect those closest to you, and you can create change with the casting of a ballot.”

Patel invites people who feel their votes do not matter to consider the vast differences in laws between states as proof that being engaged citizens – who make their voices heard – does have a tangible impact on everyone’s day-to-day lives.

“So, yes, if you have the opportunity to vote, vote.”

Improving vaccine effectiveness

Five East Tennessee State University scientists recently participated in an international study focused on developing new approaches to improve the effectiveness of vaccines.

Data from this multi-institutional study, “An adjuvant strategy enabled by modulation of the physical properties of microbial ligands expands antigen immunogenicity,” was published in the journal Cell

The research focused on modulating the physical properties of fungal sugars, called mannans, to improve their adjuvant properties when combined with vaccine formulations. Adjuvants are compounds that enhance the immune response to vaccines.

The results demonstrate that fungal mannan adjuvants boost vaccine effectiveness against respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and influenza. The authors concluded that the physical properties of fungal mannans “determine the outcome of the immune response and can be harnessed for vaccine development.”

The ETSU research team was led by Dr. David L. Williams, Carroll H. Long Professor of Surgery in the Quillen College of Medicine and Co-director of the ETSU Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity (CIIDI), and included Drs. Michael Kruppa, Douglas Lowman, Zuchao Ma, and Harry Ensley from the Quillen Departments of Surgery and Biomedical Sciences and CIIDI.

The study was led by Dr. Ivan Zanoni at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Francesco Borriello, also of BCH and Harvard, was the lead author. In addition to these and other BCH/Harvard scientists, participants in this study included researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, University of Maryland, University of Milan, Tokyo University of Science, Oregon Health & Science University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

This study was funded by the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

Student pharmacist earns powerlifting titles

Earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree is a heavy lift for most student pharmacists, but East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy secondyear student Brie Levy’s strength goes well beyond the classroom.

Levy, from Chattanooga, was named a World Powerlifting Champion in three categories for her weight class – bench press, deadlift, and squat –while competing with Team USA in the International Powerlifting League Drug Tested Worlds in Surfers Paradise, Australia. In addition, she broke eight world records, six national records, and eight Tennessee records.

“It is really cool knowing that I have world records and am the best in the world for those lifts,” Levy said. “I

think the best part of it is being able to hold some of the non-drug-tested records being a drug-tested lifter. I think this is a huge accomplishment and a testament to my hard work and dedication to the sport.”

But how does she do it all?

“It is definitely tough managing both the rigorous pharmacy school curriculum and a rigorous training regimen, but it is doable,” Levy said. “I train five days a week, for anywhere from around an hour to two and a half hours or more. I always work my training into my schedule because I have goal numbers I want to hit for powerlifting, and working out is a mental break that helps me not stress out as much in pharmacy school.”

After she graduates, Levy hopes to use her pharmacy training to help the powerlifting world “educate lifters on safe medicinal and supplement use when it comes to training and performance.”

Celebrating excellence CCRHS SALUTES DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA, HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The East Tennessee State University College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences recognized its 2021 Distinguished Alumna and Hall of Fame inductees on Thursday, May 19, 2022.

Dr. Tiffany A. Love, who earned her bachelor’s degree in education and Master of Social Work degree from ETSU, is the college’s Distinguished Alumna. Love is an internationally known prison reform and social justice activist and inspirational speaker. Among the several ministries she has founded is Beauty Behind Bars, which helps women and girls break away from the “mental incarceration and selfimprisonment” resulting from life choices and decisions.

The five alumni inducted into the College’s Hall of Fame were:

• Danielle Garland – This pediatric speech-language pathologist works at Niswonger Children’s Hospital in acute care with medically fragile infants and children and is Vice President of the Tennessee Association for Audiologists and SpeechLanguage Pathologists. In addition, she works in editing, marketing, and design for The Informed SLP, which reviews and summarizes the field’s newest research every month to help clinicians stay informed to achieve better outcomes with their clients.

• Karen A. Gibbs – Gibbs graduated from ETSU with a degree in health education and administration before the university established its physical therapy program. She became a physical therapist and is known for establishing wound care as an area of practice in the

field of physical therapy. Today she is a professor of physical therapy at Texas State University and president of the national specialty group in electrotherapy and wound care physical therapy.

• Judith A. Johnson – Johnson is recognized as an ardent, longtime supporter of early intervention and of the ETSU Speech and Language Clinic. She is a dedicated community worker and organizer for services for children with developmental delays, especially those in low-income communities. She is retired from the Tennessee Early Intervention System, which provides services to children from birth to age 3 who have disabilities or other developmental delays.

• Kimberly Ann Osucha – The late Osucha was a 2014 graduate of ETSU’s Doctor of Audiology program. Her own single-sided deafness was her motivation for going into audiology. As a

student, she was recognized for outstanding academic achievement, attaining a 3.93 GPA in a rigorous and demanding clinical doctoral program. In her short career, Osucha worked at VAMCs in New York and North Carolina before she passed away in May 2020.

• Lisa Vaughn Tipton – Tipton has 25 years of social work and leadership experience, working with various community partners to better the lives of women, children, and families throughout East Tennessee. She is executive director of Families Free, a nonprofit, faithoriented, and community-based organization that works to build better communities in Northeast Tennessee. This organization provides treatment, education, and intervention services to women and families affected by substance abuse, incarceration, and domestic instability.

Pictured from left are Joseph and Coreen Osucha, who accepted the ETSU College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences Hall of Fame award presented posthumously to their daughter, Kimberly Ann Osucha; Hall of Fame honorees Danielle Garland, Karen A. Gibbs, and Lisa Vaughn Tipton; and Distinguished Alumna Dr. Tiffany A. Love. Not pictured: Judith A. Johnson.

College of Public Health

etsu.edu/cph

423-439-4243

› Bachelor of Science in Public Health–Community Health

› Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences–Biomedical Sciences

› Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences – No concentration

› Bachelor of Science in Health Administration

› Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences–Human Health

› Bachelor of Science in Microbiology

› Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health

› Minors in Emergency/Disaster Response Management, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Global Health and Development (includes Peace Corps Prep program), Health Administration, Health Sciences, Microbiology, Public Health, and Safety

› Master of Public Health–Biostatistics, Community Health, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Public Health Leadership and Policy

› Master of Health Administration

› MD/MPH dual degree programs

› PharmD/MPH dual degree programs

› Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)–Community Health, Epidemiology, Health Management and Policy

› Graduate certificates in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Gerontology, Global Health, Health Care Management, Health Data Analytics, Public Health, Recovery Research, and Rural Health

College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences

etsu.edu/crhs

423-439-7454

› Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Leadership

› Bachelor of Science in Cardiopulmonary Science

› Bachelor of Science in Nutrition

› Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene

› Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science

› Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitative Health Sciences

› Bachelor of Social Work

› Minors in Allied Health, American Sign Language, Communicative Disorders, Nutrition, and Social Work

› Undergraduate career certificates in Computed Tomography (CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

› Master of Science in Allied Health

› Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition

› Master of Science in SpeechLanguage Pathology

› Master of Social Work

› Doctor of Audiology

› Doctor of Occupational Therapy

› Doctor of Physical Therapy

› Graduate certificates in Clinical Addiction Counseling Studies and Sport Nutrition

Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy

etsu.edu/pharmacy

423-439-6300

› Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies

› PharmD

› PharmD/MPH dual degree program

› PharmD/MBA dual degree program

Quillen College of Medicine

etsu.edu/com

423-439-2033

› MD Program

› Accelerated MD Program

› PhD Program

› MD/MPH dual degree program

› MD/MBA dual degree program

College of Nursing

etsu.edu/nursing

423-439-4578

› Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) (Johnson City, Kingsport, Sevierville campuses)

› LPN to BSN (for licensed practical nurses)

› RN to BSN (for diploma or associate degree nurses)

› AAS/BSN Dual Degree

› Post-Bachelor of Science in Nursing Certificate in Health Care Genetics and Genomics

› Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing

› Post-Master’s Certificate Program in Nursing Administration and Nursing Education

› RN-MSN (bachelor’s degree in another field and RN license)

› Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)–Adult Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Executive Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

› Post-DNP Certificate in Executive Leadership

› Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Program in Adult Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

› ETSU-Tennessee Technological University (TTU) Joint DNP Program –Adult Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Executive Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner

› BSN-DNP

› BSN-PhD

› DNP-PhD

› PhD

ETSU Health is the outward-facing brand that includes the pursuits of ETSU’s thriving Academic Health Science Center and the clinical components of ETSU Physicians and Associates, and Northeast Tennessee Community Health Centers, Inc. For more, please visit ETSU.edu and ETSUhealth.org