ETSU Health 2023 Annual Report

Go Beyond

FROM THE PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Across all five of our health sciences colleges, East Tennessee State University students, faculty, and staff are making an incredible mark on the lives of those throughout our region – and well beyond.

From helping to craft state plans to care for an aging population, pursuing academic excellence propelling us to new heights nationally, and developing new programs to train critical health professionals, ETSU Health continues to make an outsized impact in our communities.

Throughout the pages of this annual report, you will read about those incredible accomplishments, and more of the ways ETSU Health continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to improve the health of those in our region, including initiatives to help communities recover from the opioid epidemic and build resilience in its aftermath.

Rural communities remain at the heart of our mission at ETSU, and I am incredibly proud of the efforts of our students, faculty, and staff who continue to go beyond the classroom to enhance the well-being of others in this region and around the globe.

It is because of these efforts that ETSU continues to be a national leader in this space, a distinction recognized by U.S. News and World Report rankings highlighting the number of medical school graduates we have working in rural and underserved areas, as well as primary care. These are two sectors of health care in which providers are acutely needed.

Over the last year, this commitment to service and academic excellence has been recognized and rewarded through state funding for ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy for the first time in its history, our College of Public Health earning a prestigious national award, and our colleges of Nursing and Public Health receiving re-accreditation.

This year we also recognized two outstanding faculty members in our colleges of Pharmacy and Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences with Distinguished Faculty awards in Teaching and Service. These awards are the highest honors bestowed upon professors by the university and demonstrate the positive impact that these faculty make on their students and the region.

We also marked a new chapter in the important history of Lamb Hall, which houses the College of Public Health and parts of the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences. This included cutting the ribbon on the state-of-the-art building with new classrooms, student collaboration areas, and renovated and modernized laboratory and clinical spaces, including the Joan Dearden Radiologic Science Lab, the Sturgill Family Dental Hygiene Clinic, and the A. Lynn Williams Concussion Management Clinic. This beautiful, updated building will continue to serve a generation of ETSU students pursuing health degrees.

I hope you enjoy this snapshot of the amazing work being done at ETSU Health and share my excitement for the stories we will tell for 2024.

Sincerely,

Kimberly D. McCorkle Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

ETSU HEALTH

Contributors

Kristen Early

O.J. Early

Principal Photography

Ron Campbell

Matthew Carroll

Jeremy Gouge

Melissa Nipper

Stephen Woodward

Jonathan Roberts

Larry Smith

Charlie Warden

Cover image by Charlie Warden

ETSU Health Facts

ETSU has a storied history of academic and clinical excellence in its health sciences programs. With five health sciences colleges and more than 40 health sciences programs, ETSU offers a robust combination of academic programs and patient-care facilities that elevate interprofessional experience in health care education. ETSU Health also employs over 300 providers across more than 25 specialties who provide care at ETSU Health’s 30 regional clinics.

ETSU Health is one of fewer than 130 academic health centers in the world. There are nearly 4,000 health sciences students at ETSU.

ETSU Health facilities provided over $7.95 million in uncompensated health care in 2022-23.

ETSU is training more nurses than any school in Tennessee.

ETSU Health had approximately 400,000 PATIENT encounters in 2022-23.

ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy’s first attempt NAPLEX licensure exam pass rate is 2ND IN THE NATION among accredited colleges.

ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy students accumulated more than 1,100 SERVICE HOURS in 2022-23, an average of 8 HOURS PER STUDENT .

The ETSU College of Nursing’s first attempt NCLEX-RN pass rate for 2023 was 90% — HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE .

ETSU is home to the #1 RN-TO-BSN PROGRAM in Tennessee (nursingprocess.org).

ETSU’s Radiologic Science Program is 3RD IN THE NATION among “Best Online Radiology Tech Programs for 2023” (EduMed.org).

ETSU is home to 1 OF 14 ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS PROGRAMS in the nation.

Since 2017, graduates of the ETSU College of Public Health’s Department of Health Sciences who apply for medical school have a remarkable 72% ACCEPTANCE RATE.

In 2024, the ETSU College of Public Health was awarded the HARRISON C. SPENCER AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE

100% of the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine’s Class of 2023 MATCHED WITH THEIR RESIDENCY PLACEMENT , and 98% MATCHED THEIR SPECIALTY OF CHOICE .

The ETSU Quillen College of Medicine is NO. 9 IN THE NATION AMONG MEDICAL SCHOOLS with the most graduates practicing in medically underserved areas.

College Updates

CCRHS IN GROWTH MODE

The College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences is in growth mode, launching several new programs and expanding others. These efforts will enhance the student experience at ETSU.

In addition to adding a number of new faculty and staff across a variety of programs, the college is celebrating the launch of several new certificate and degree programs, including online programs for Rehabilitative Health Sciences and Social Work.

Uniquely, the college also launched a new Interprofessional Pediatric Feeding Disorder graduate certificate, with a focus on interprofessional education. The fully online program, one of just three in the nation, is designed to develop clinical expertise in teams from multiple disciplines to provide evaluation and intervention to young children with disorders related to feeding.

Growth hasn’t been limited to academic programs, either, as they’ve hired three full-time physical therapists at BucSports Medicine, an ETSU Health clinic located on campus.

And because of patient demand, the college’s Gary E. Shealy Memorial ALS Clinic was moved to the Nave Center in Elizabethton, allowing them to better accommodate more patients. The clinic also recently received a $75,000 grant from the ALS Foundation to help support the growth and expansion of services.

ETSU HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY LAUNCHED

In April 2023, ETSU Health launched the ETSU Health Professional Leadership Academy to further develop the leadership skills of those working to improve health outcomes in the Appalachian Highlands.

And last year, the program was a rousing success.

Founded by ETSU’s Dr. Bill Block, Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and Vice President for Clinical Affairs, the program was led by Dr. Larry Calhoun, Dean Emeritus of Gatton College of Pharmacy and Dr. Amy Johnson, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the Quillen College of Medicine.

The six-week program had 30 participants in its first year, representing the clinical and academic components of ETSU Health, all five of the university’s health sciences colleges, and Ballad Health.

STUDENT PHARMACISTS GET HANDS-ON LESSON IN CANCER RESEARCH

A top natural products research scientist from Colombia visited Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy last year to meet with student pharmacists and help demonstrate the drug discovery process.

Dr. Ruben Torrenegra, recognized in 2018 by the government of Colombia as one of its top scientists, has helped progress the college’s drug discovery program

since 2008 when he partnered with Dr. Victoria Palau, Professor Emerita of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Torrenegra has partnered with Palau to test the impact of plant-derived compounds on different types of cancer, showing students how to use chromatographic techniques to separate and purify the different novel compounds.

After the material is purified and identified, Palau and her student researchers study changes in cell signaling, or communication pathways, in the cancer cells to explain the mechanism of action of these compounds. Torrenegra showed the students how to turn that plant material into potential new drugs for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

College Updates

NURSING STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL TASK FORCE

John Jacob Whicker, a student in the College of Nursing’s Ph.D. nursing program, was selected in November 2023 to serve on a national task force with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Whicker will be part of the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force, a group working to revise Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum. He is part of a workgroup focusing on health systems and health policy.

NOVEL PILOT PROGRAM TRAINING NURSING STUDENTS AT VA MEDICAL CENTER

The College of Nursing and the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center have partnered to launch a pilot program that will see select nursing students receive all their clinical training (except for pediatrics and obstetrics) at the VA.

Dubbed Operation SILVER (Students Immersive Learning with Veterans), the program is a cohort-based clinical education model that allows students to immerse themselves in a health care organization while following their degree plan.

A unique aspect of the model is that students will progress through their curriculum with the same faculty member. By doing this, the college hopes to better evaluate student achievement of learning outcomes and competencies, foster a deeper relationship between students and faculty, and strengthen collaboration with the VA Medical Center.

The inaugural cohort began in the spring semester and consists of 10 first-semester students.

ETSU PLAYING CRITICAL ROLE IN SMOKING PREVENTION

ETSU’s Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research hosted a quarterly meeting of the Smokefree Tennessee Coalition in November as part of their work to help guide and develop a statewide strategic plan for tobacco control.

In 2022, the Tennessee Department of Health enlisted the College of Public Health to provide strategic planning services and expert guidance to create a five-year comprehensive tobacco control plan. The plan will be sweeping, serving as a roadmap to prevent tobacco use and create new tobacco control initiatives.

ETSU, UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH ANNOUNCE NEW ADMISSIONS PATHWAY

Reflective of a major commitment to give elite students the chance to study medicine, ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine has established a new admissions pathway program that will give two qualified seniors from the University of the South in Sewanee guaranteed acceptance to the college.

As part of the program, each year two graduating seniors from Sewanee who meet certain criteria will be guaranteed acceptance to the college. If more than two students meet the criteria, the college will select two students to accept, while the others will be guaranteed an interview and be considered for acceptance.

This pathway will help attract highly qualified applicants to the college, which has invested significantly in increased opportunities for students through new programs and admissions pathways. In addition, students at Quillen are provided with hands-on learning experiences and are able to work in interprofessional teams with other health sciences students through ETSU’s Center for Interprofessional Collaboration.

“Our college is rooted in training physicians to serve in rural and primary care settings, and this pathway between Quillen and Sewanee will create more opportunity for our graduates to practice in areas served by our institutions,” said Dr. Bill Block, Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and ETSU’s Vice President for Clinical Affairs.

“As an alumnus of the University of the South,” he continued, “I am excited about the potential for enhanced

collaboration between our institutions to the betterment of health care in our region and beyond.”

The Quillen College of Medicine currently has four students who are Sewanee graduates and has seen nine others graduate from Quillen in the last five years.

The program will begin with applicants for the Class of 2028.

“Our top pre-medical students who have the passion to make change and become leaders in health care are selected for Sewanee's Hippocrates Fellows program,” said Dr. Alyssa Summers, Director of Sewanee’s Office of Medical and Health Programs. “I cannot imagine a better place for them to be training than at Quillen College of Medicine. I am excited to begin this partnership that aligns our mission to serve others so perfectly.”

College Updates

MAKING AN IMPACT ACROSS STATE LINES

ETSU’s Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE) in Women’s Health, part of the College of Public Health, was awarded two separate grants to research child and maternal health outcomes, as well as the intersection of postpartum contraception and infant feeding throughout Western North Carolina.

Both projects are funded by the Dogwood Health Trust, a private foundation that works to improve the health and well-being of those living in the 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina.

One study will examine the impact that a lack of access to services such as broadband and transportation, as well as income limitations, has on maternal and child health outcomes. Dr. Kate Beatty, an Associate Professor in Department of Health Services Management and Policy, will be the lead researcher.

A second project exploring ways to influence the region’s high preterm birth rate by addressing short-interval pregnancies will be led by Liane Ventura, a Research Associate with CARE Women’s Health. Both grants total more than $120,000.

Additional investigators working on this project include Dr. Qian Huang with ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research and College of Public Health alumna Dr. Melissa White-Archer. A student researcher, Rebecca Strasser, will be working as a graduate assistant on the project.

Though this work will take place across state lines, it fits squarely into ETSU’s mission to better the lives of the people of this region – a community that extends far beyond the city limits of Johnson City.

RESEARCHER SECURES GRANT TO STUDY HYPERTENSION AND KIDNEY DISEASE

Dr. Aaron Polichnowski, a Professor in the Quillen College of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, was awarded a $601,092 grant from the National Institutes of Health to research a possible link between blood vessel function and hypertension –particularly salt-sensitive hypertension.

Polichnowski, an expert in renal hemodynamics (dynamics of blood flow in the kidneys), is conducting the study in partnership with Augusta University’s Dr. David Mattson. Mattson is a Professor and Chair of Physiology at Augusta University and an expert in inflammation, kidney disease, and hypertension.

Together they will look at what role Tcells, an immune cell, may play in contributing to the dysfunction of blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to hypertension and kidney damage.

QUILLEN LAUNCHES ACCELERATED

The Quillen College of Medicine has developed a new program for students to complete their medical degree in less time and for less cost called Tri-TRAILS – a threeyear directed pathway that provides

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE

students an opportunity to match into one of five residency programs.

Students participating in Tri-TRAILS will complete the first three years of the TRAILS (Team-Based Rural

PROGRAM

Applied Integrated Learning System) curriculum with students who are in the four-year program. It includes the integration of basic and clinical sciences with opportunities for early clinical experiences, state-ofthe-art interprofessional training and simulation, and multiple service learning and community outreach opportunities.

The pathway includes an additional eight weeks of clinical experience between the first and second year and the opportunity to complete the pre-clerkship preceptor experience with faculty within a chosen residency program. Students will be matched into one of five residency programs: internal medicine, pediatrics, or family medicine in Bristol, Johnson City, or Kingsport.

Lamb Hall Transformed

In September 2023, ETSU celebrated the grand re-opening of Lamb Hall – the culmination of a $26 million project that wholly transformed many areas of the building, which opened in 1960.

Lamb Hall serves as a hub for many health sciences programs, including the College of Public Health and the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences. Family medicine, addiction medicine, diabetes management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work, and more services will eventually be available.

“With the college in a period of tremendous growth, Lamb Hall’s renovation is a testament to the progress we’ve made since it was originally constructed in 1960,” said Dr. Lynn Williams, Interim Dean for the College

of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences. “The transformation of our educational and research spaces creates a vibrant learning environment focused on students, enhancing our faculty’s ability to educate future generations and contribute to our mission of transforming lives.”

“ETSU has a long history of preparing health professionals to meet the needs of the region, state, nation and world,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health. “From its initial construction to present day, Lamb Hall has been a key player in that mission, housing at one time or another nearly all of the university’s health science programs. Now, as a fully renovated facility, the building provides a remarkable 21st century platform to continue that mission for new generations of health sciences students.”

Leading the Way in Interprofessional Training

ETSU is committed to interprofessional education. That commitment is reflected in the planned construction of the $43.9 million Integrated Health Services Building.

The new facility, set to be completed by summer 2026, is designed with collaboration in mind. Family medicine, addiction medicine, diabetes management, dental hygiene, social work, and more services will eventually be offered in the new space.

Interprofessional education fits perfectly with the institution’s mission to improve the quality of life for the people of the region and beyond.

ETSU students trained across a range of disciplines will learn to work closely with other health care experts with different areas of expertise, a reality that will enhance patient care.

These soon-to-be professionals will profit, too, from learning to work as a team and better their own communication skills – all benefits for potential patients.

The addition of this new building is in line with some of the institution’s largest and most transformative capital projects over the last dozen years, including the complete renovations of the D.P. Culp Student Center, Brown Hall, Lamb Hall, and the Interprofessional Education and Research Center as well as the construction of William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium, and the state-of-the-art Martin Center for the Arts.

Health Sciences Students Learn Value of Teamwork Through IPE

Through its Center for Interprofessional Collaboration, ETSU has committed itself to nurturing collaboration and compassion by training outstanding health care professionals who can bridge the gap between disciplines, ensuring quality care for patients.

And though the center was only recently established in 2022, ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education stretches back a decade.

Dr. Brian Cross, who has been a champion for interprofessional care since he arrived at ETSU in 2010, leads this work across campus – ensuring the university’s health sciences students leave prepared to put patients at the center of their care, ultimately improving health outcomes.

“When we began this work, we started by asking ourselves, ‘Why?’ There are a lot of places that are not doing this kind of work at all, or not investing in it as much as we have,” said Cross, Associate Vice Provost and Director of the Center for Interprofessional Collaboration. “Our why is decreasing potential negative patient outcomes in our health care systems, and creating a new group of graduates that want to be part of the solution.”

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

“When our students leave our program, we don’t just graduate them – we empower them,” said Cross. “After they read their oath and receive their cords, we empower them to be change agents, and we mean that sincerely because they have the ability to make influential changes when they see something that needs to be fixed.”

In March 2023, the Center for Interprofessional Collaboration celebrated their largest ever graduating class with 161 students, a fitting milestone as the university celebrates the 10th anniversary of its commitment to interprofessional education.

“I think with these types of endeavors, you have to believe that this is work that must be done, as it is still not the standard in clinical education or practice,” Cross said earlier this year. “And so, when you look out at a room like that, it’s validation that, at an institutional level, we seem to be making a difference.”

At the end of the day, making a difference – making a fundamental change – is at the heart of ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education.

Listen to Dr. Brian Cross on the podcast Why I Teach

Bishop Inducted Into Tennessee Health

Care Hall of Fame

Dr. Wilsie Bishop, a pioneer in the field of critical care neonatal nursing who enjoyed a 43-year career at ETSU, was one of five honorees to be inducted into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame last summer.

Bishop retired from ETSU in 2021 as Senior Vice President for Academics and Interim Provost and had

IPE Grads Inducted into Tennessee Collaborative Practice Society

When Dr. Taylor Coston began her studies at ETSU, she didn’t know much about interprofessional education.

But as she spent time in the university’s interprofessional education program, the value became apparent. In 2023, Coston (pharmacy/public health) was one of two ETSU graduates to be inducted into the Tennessee Collaborative Practice Society, which recognizes students in Tennessee who have excelled in interprofessional education, practice, and research.

“Now that I’ve graduated and have started the transition from student to professional, I use the principles I learned in IPE daily to strengthen relationships and provide better patient care,” Coston said. “Interprofessional education has given me a lens through which I appreciate the roles, responsibilities, and unique skills of each member of the health care team.

“As someone with a background in public health as well as pharmacy, IPE has also given me the ability to view the care of a single patient on a more systemic level where each member of the team, including the patient, contributes to the overall health outcome.”

Coston and Dr. William Miller (medicine) both received the prestigious honor, an accolade that reflects ETSU’s mission of improving the quality of life for people in

the region and beyond, with the university's extensive combination of academic programs and patientcare facilities providing students with an elevated interprofessional experience in health care education.

“I was honored to be inducted into TCPS,” said Miller. “I think ETSU has one of the more robust Interprofessional Education (IPE) programs in the country, and I received excellent education, including specific instruction in communication skills and teamwork, that I know helped me become a better physician.”

“The real winners, though, are the patients who get the benefit of a clinical team that is more cohesive, more in sync, and more focused on providing comprehensive health care,” Miller added.

Dr. Brian Cross, Assistant Vice Provost and Director of ETSU’s Center for Interprofessional Collaboration, said it’s rewarding to see students commit to being champions for collaborative care practices in health care.

“I’m really proud of both Drs. Coston and Miller. They’re exemplary examples of graduates from IPE training at ETSU, and I’m sure they’ll be amazing representatives for patient-centered, team-based care throughout their careers,” said Cross.

served in a variety of roles in the College of Nursing, including as dean of the college. While working in various administrative roles, she continued to be a classroom teacher and a mentor for doctoral and graduate students.

Bishop – for whom Bishop Hall, home of ETSU’s Center for Interprofessional Collaboration, is named – has received numerous national, statewide, and university awards recognizing her work in higher education. In 2013, she was inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame. More recently, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges awarded its highest honor to Bishop – the 2019 James T. Rogers Distinguished Leadership Award.

Bishop also oversaw the launch of the ETSU Health brand in 2019, which unified the educational, clinical, and research pursuits of ETSU’s five health sciences colleges, providers, and clinical sites.

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 by Belmont University, the McWhorter Society, and the Nashville Health Care Council, a founding partner. Since its inception in 2015, the Hall of Fame has inducted nearly 50 health care leaders.

Dr. William Miller

Dr. Taylor Coston

AClosing the Books on a Storied Career

s he steps to the front of his classroom, a multipurpose room flanked by rows of hospital beds inside Bishop Hall, Dr. Joe Florence starts his final advanced cardiac life support class (ACLS) like any other.

If he’s feeling any emotions about it being the last time, he doesn’t show it.

“I retired as a clinician a couple of years ago due to health reasons, but I still love teaching,” Florence said after teaching his final class in October. “I enjoy teaching a lot, but ACLS – that’s the kind of thing that’s best taught by somebody who is actually practicing.”

Florence enjoyed a nearly 40-year career as an educator, including almost 20 at the Quillen College of Medicine, working closely with rural-focused programs.

He’s also credited with bringing ACLS classes to the Quillen College of Medicine and helped build a training center site at the college. Since 2017, Florence has taught 386 students.

His passion for education stems from his residency in rural Kentucky, where he received a grant to train doctors and nurses in Eastern Kentucky in ACLS, purchasing training mannequins and driving them around the state in his minivan.

“It was a great experience for me,” said Florence. “I loved doing it, and it increased the ability to provide those services in Eastern Kentucky.”

It’s during this time in his career that he developed a passion for practicing health care in rural and underserved areas, falling in love, as he says, with the relationships he built as a doctor in a smaller, rural community.

“I just fell in love with it,” Florence said. “As a physician, everything you did with your patients was appreciated, and that always made you feel good, you know, doing what you could do for your patients. And you didn’t have to do anything special, you just had to be a good doctor.”

Inside Bishop Hall, Florence and his class move to a simulation lab, where the students are given a situation and work together to determine the best course of treatment and save their patient – a high fidelity mannequin named “Hal.”

As the students work together to treat Hal, who in this case is simulating a potential drug overdose, Florence is a silent observer, allowing the students the opportunity to come to their own conclusions.

“When they’re alone in their practice, they need to be able to think on their own and approach things by themselves,” said Florence. “Most of my training here at Quillen has been hands-on, experiential learning and, to me, that sticks with you longer than the lecture-type of training.”

Now, having taught hundreds of ACLS courses during his career, Florence is enjoying seeing familiar faces in those who treat him.

“It’s very rewarding seeing all these students out in the community as instructors, running into them socially, and it’s nice seeing people I have trained before taking care of me,” Florence said.

ETSU Grad Honored for Public Health Work

Dr. Taylor Coston realized she could make a difference during her time at ETSU, so she did.

As a student in ETSU’s PharmD/Master of Public Health dual degree program, Coston organized vaccination clinics for the region’s unhoused population, developed a well-being plan for Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, and did public outreach to educate people about mental illness and resources in the area, among other achievements.

“I FEEL SO BLESSED TO ATTEND AN INSTITUTION WHERE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE SCHOOL'S CULTURE AND IDENTITY.”

Dr. Taylor Coston

For her efforts, Coston was awarded the prestigious U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award – and was one of 10 students nationwide selected by the Pharmacist Professional Advisory Committee (PharmPAC) Student Awards Program as a “Top Award

Recipient” for their public health work that positively impacted their local communities and beyond.

This honor recognizes student pharmacists who have made significant contributions to public health by promoting wellness and healthy communities. Students are evaluated on their contributions toward voluntary health-related services or an emerging public health issue or contributions that advance the goals of Healthy People 2030 or the National Prevention Strategy.

Coston, who graduated in May 2023 and plans to pursue a career in pharmacy, will spend the next chapter of her career as a pharmacy resident at Prisma Health Richland Hospital in South Carolina, specializing in pharmacy administration and leadership.

In total, just 88 pharmacy students from across the country received Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Awards.

“I feel so blessed to attend an institution where community engagement is such a significant part of the school's culture and identity,” said Coston.

“This honor has encouraged me in that I actually can make a significant difference in my community by integrating pharmacy and public health,” said Coston. “Having such a strong background in public health gives me a greater systemic or global perspective of health care operations and allows me to identify small upstream procedural changes that lead to big downstream effects that impact patient care.”

“I am so proud of Taylor and the impact she has made on our college,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy and Interim Dean of the College of Nursing. “This is an incredible honor that proves how far ETSU students go beyond the classroom to impact the lives of the underserved in our rural communities. Taylor’s accomplishment not only elevates our college but also the profession of pharmacy.”

“We are very proud of this recognition of Dr. Coston’s contributions,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health. “It is an important reminder of the value of interprofessional education – one of the areas in which ETSU is a national leader. It is also a reminder of the impact that individual students can have on their communities. I join the entire faculty in congratulating Dr. Coston and in wishing her the very best for her career.”

BUCS GO BEYOND: Opal Frye-Clark

Opal Frye-Clark faced a crossroads after being furloughed from her job in health care during the pandemic.

In many ways, it was an opportunity – a chance to re-evaluate what she wanted in a career.

“It allowed me to transition into public health, and I chose public health because I felt it encompassed most of the things I really wanted to look at,” said Frye-Clark.

Now, Frye-Clark is pursuing her doctorate in health services management and policy at the College of Public Health. But it wasn’t until her second semester, however, that Frye-Clark found exactly what she was looking for in a career path.

“I took a systems class where you look at problems from a 50,000-foot view, not looking at them from a clinician’s standpoint,” she said, “and when we started talking about what these systems are and how they affect us, I thought, ‘Oh man, this is it. This is what I have been waiting for.’”

As part of her doctoral program, Frye-Clark was required to complete an applied practice experience, a project that enables students to apply their knowledge and practical skills in a professional public health setting.

As part of her research, Frye-Clark worked with the City of Johnson City and conducted more than two dozen interviews with service providers at all levels of intervention to examine ways to address homelessness in the region through collaboration.

Since presenting the findings of her initial study to city officials in 2022, Frye-Clark has continued working with Johnson City as a consultant, allowing her to continue her research while working with service providers to develop a strategic plan for reducing homelessness.

“I genuinely want to make a real impact in our community, and that was something I felt when I first entered my doctoral program and one of the reasons

I chose public health,” Frye-Clark said. “I never wanted to be a researcher where my work was just a steppingstone to another community – if I was going to go back to school in my 30s, it needed to impact somebody. It needed to help somebody.”

And though Frye-Clark isn’t originally from this region, she’s committed herself to making an impact in this community – her community.

“I met my spouse here, and we have really beautiful scenery, but ETSU has been pivotal in our decision to stay here,” Frye-Clark said. “We could choose to relocate, but we’ve chosen to invest in ETSU and Johnson City because I have faith in this community, and I want it to be a better place for all of us.”

Opal Frye-Clark speaks as part of a panel discussion on The Art of Civil Discourse for the ETSU Festival of Ideas.

Building for the Future

Dr. Kyle Leister is one of the few people in the world with a Ph.D. and clinical training in orthotics and prosthetics, and now he’s leading the development of ETSU’s Orthotics and Prosthetics Program – one of just 14 nationwide and the first of its kind in Tennessee.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Leister’s journey to East Tennessee was not exactly a linear one, but after a few campus visits, it was hard for him to picture being anywhere else.

“There are all these resources here at ETSU that made coming here a no-brainer decision,” said Leister, an Assistant Professor in the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences and the Program Director for Orthotics and Prosthetics.

Leister received his undergraduate training at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, studying sports medicine and athletic training – a degree he parlayed into a job with the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins upon graduation. From there, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked on the medical team at Paramount Pictures before electing to pursue a master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics at Northwestern University in Chicago.

His journey did not stop there.

After moving to Texas to the University of Houston, Leister completed his residency in orthotics and prosthetics and began practicing as a certified orthotist and prosthetist, in addition to earning a second master’s degree. He then transferred his practice to Syracuse University, where he obtained his Ph.D.

Leister (left) and Dr. Jeff Snodgrass, CCRHS Interim Associate Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs, pose for a photo with an oven recently delivered to the O&P program. A gift from Filauer LLC, the oven is a critical piece to make custom orthotics and prosthetics.

"THERE ARE ALL THESE RESOURCES HERE AT ETSU THAT MADE COMING HERE A NO-BRAINER DECISION."

Dr. Kyle Leister

Though he is a highly trained clinician, Leister is also a dedicated educator driven by a desire to give students the tools they need to be successful, compassionate clinicians.

“I came to a realization that, if I can do this, anyone can do it — you just need the right people surrounding you to support you through it,” Leister said. “I feel like I can be that person for others. Teaching students how to do science well — that’s going to set them up for success no matter what they end up doing, especially in a field like O&P.”

Housed in Allen Hall in Building 2 on the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center campus, Leister was excited about the prospect of being on the ground floor of a program just getting started.

“After my first interview, when I came back to campus, I went into our laboratory space and saw this big, beautiful blank canvas,” said Leister. “I don’t have to build it myself, but I have a say in how things shake out. Having been in many different O&P labs, I have an opportunity to improve things I wish I could have improved in other places.”

And as he prepares to admit the program’s first cohort of students in May 2024, Leister has his eyes set on the ultimate goal of ensuring the entering students leave as excellent clinicians focused on improving patient outcomes.

“This program has got to be successful and perform at a high level, and I came here to do just that,” said Leister. “There’s no way we are going to settle for anything less than excellence.”

A New Chapter for Gatton

It was a historic year for Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, and its students will enjoy the benefits for years to come.

After years of efforts by local legislators to secure backing for the college, the Tennessee General Assembly last year approved $2.5 million in annual funding for the college – the first state assistance for the college since its founding in 2005.

And that funding has translated directly into savings for students.

Over the course of the four-year PharmD program, in-state students have seen their tuition cost decrease over $46,000, while outof-state students saw a $22,600 reduction. In addition, the state funding went toward bolstering the college’s scholarships by $720,000, helping lower costs even more for prospective students.

“State funding is a new and exciting chapter in our college’s history and vital for the legacy we leave behind,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy and Interim Dean of the College of Nursing. “This annual appropriation provided by the Tennessee General Assembly will sustain our mission to serve the rural and underserved by lowering tuition and attracting more students to ETSU and the profession of pharmacy.

“In addition, this investment in our future will help prevent the ‘brain drain’ of rural Tennessee residents who leave East Tennessee in search of cheaper tuition in metropolitan areas as well as meet the workforce demand in the region.”

State Rep. Gary Hicks, whose efforts in this journey earned him the honor of having a classroom named after him at the college, expressed his excitement about the funding, saying it will go a long way to ensure students receive an affordable, quality education.

“THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE WILL HELP ... MEET THE WORKFORCE DEMAND IN THE REGION.”

Dr. Debbie Byrd

“Students who could not even consider Gatton College of Pharmacy in the past can now come study in our region, fall in love with its people, and, hopefully, make their careers here,” said Hicks. “I am very excited to see this come to fruition.”

ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland said the funding will have a major, positive impact on Northeast Tennessee and thanked the region’s legislative delegation for its work in making this dream become a reality.

“Through this historic appropriation, students in our region will have greater access to affordable pharmacy education that is close to home,” said Noland. “I would like to thank state officials and particularly Representatives Gary Hicks, Tim Hicks, and Rebecca Alexander, as well as Senators Rusty Crowe and Jon Lundberg, for serving as champions for the college, our students, and the overall health and well-being of our region.”

After years of tireless work to secure state funding for Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, the university celebrated success at a luncheon in August recognizing and thanking local legislators for their efforts.

ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland, joined by members of the ETSU Board of Trustees, presented a proclamation of appreciation to State Rep. Gary Hicks for his leadership and advocacy in securing the state appropriation for Gatton College of Pharmacy. Noland also announced that a lecture hall used by first-year student pharmacists was named in honor of Hicks.

An alumnus of ETSU’s computer program, Hicks has been a tireless advocate for ETSU and the region, championing health care, advocating for increased funding and establishment of research centers, and helping to secure support for ETSU buildings and programs.

“Representative Hicks’ contributions have immensely strengthened ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy, ETSU, and the region he represents,” the proclamation states.

ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland (left) and State Representative Gary Hicks (middle) met with House Speaker Cameron Sexton.

Elite in Pharmacy Training

ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy ranked among the top accredited pharmacy schools in the country with the latest results from the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), which graduating pharmacists must pass to receive their license to practice.

The Gatton College of Pharmacy’s Class of 2023 achieved an incredible 95.4% first attempt pass rate on their NAPLEX exam, placing the college at No. 2 in the country for accredited pharmacy schools.

Nationally, the Class of 2023 averaged a 78.6% pass rate.

ETSU ranked No. 1 in Tennessee, the Appalachian Highlands, and was the top-performing school in the Southeast. The Gatton College of Pharmacy’s NAPLEX pass rate was also higher than each of the 27 schools

named in U.S. News and World Report’s pharmacy school rankings.

“These scores are phenomenal and a testament to the quality of education that our student pharmacists are receiving at the Gatton College of Pharmacy,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of the College and Interim Dean of College of Nursing. “I am so proud of our Class of 2023, as well as our faculty and staff, who all worked so hard for these results.”

The Gatton College of Pharmacy has made significant changes to its curriculum and to the support services that it offers students, including a revamped NAPLEX exam preparation process; faculty mentorship; new student success coordinators; and a director of student success.

College of Nursing Celebrates Milestone Pass Rate

College of Nursing students celebrated a first-time pass-rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) higher than the national average for last year with a 90% pass rate, their highest mark in five years.

As the largest college of nursing in Tennessee, ETSU is sending more nurses into the workforce than any other institution in the state, with more than 500 graduates taking the NCLEX in 2023. That total is more than double that of the next largest school in Tennessee, which had 239 first-time test-takers.

ETSU also houses the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement which is dedicated to increasing the pipeline of opportunity and augment the supply of nurses and nursing support in the Appalachian Highlands – further underscoring ETSU’s key role in addressing the nursing shortage.

Tennessee as a whole ranked in the top 15% for NCLEX pass rates across all types of nursing, and in the top 8% for BSN programs, speaking directly to the high quality of nurse education taking place across the state and at ETSU.

Nationally, the pass rate for first-time test-takers was 88.56%.

And despite significant changes made to the NCLEX in April, the college’s faculty and staff handled it in stride and continued to equip students with the knowledge and skills they needed to pass their examination and enter a workforce in severe need of more nurses.

“We are the biggest school in the state, we know that pipeline is so important,” said Dr. Katherine C. Hall, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the College of Nursing and Interim Chief Nursing Administrator.

Hall said there’s been a lot of effort put in behind the scenes by faculty and staff to enhance the student experience and improve learning outcomes, and she credited the college’s culture of focusing on student-centered learning.

“I have no doubt we have the skill set and the capability to be the best school in Tennessee and even the best school in the nation,” said Hall.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for our students, faculty, and staff in College of Nursing, and I could not be prouder of their efforts,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Interim Dean of the College of Nursing and Dean of Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. “Because we are the largest college of nursing in Tennessee, it is critically important that we are training our students to be practiceready to meet the demand for more nurses nationwide.”

ETSU Champions Rural Fight Against Substance Misuse

Recognizing the unique societal and health challenges faced by rural communities, ETSU has stepped up as a leader in the region’s fight against substance use disorder, bringing together cutting-edge research, community outreach efforts, and innovative strategies for combating addiction.

At the heart of ETSU's commitment is the understanding that rural communities often face distinct hurdles when combating substance misuse, an issue highlighted in a report released last year by the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center.

The ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center is a partnership between the ETSU Addiction Science Center and the ETSU Center for Rural

Health Research in the College of Public Health.

The study shows that rural residents are four-and-a-half times more likely than urban residents to be admitted to inpatient treatment through a court order or by law enforcement and nine times less likely to have access to buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder that suppresses withdrawal and relieves opioid-related cravings in a safe and controlled way.

“THIS STUDY FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENTION TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS AND THE URGENCY TO BRING EQUITABLE HEALTH RESOURCES TO THEM.”

Dr. Robert Pack

According to some estimates, more than 20 million people in rural counties struggle with Substance Use Disorder and face greater challenges accessing SUD prevention and treatment services compared to urban residents, resulting in more inpatient hospital stays. The study authors note that opioid-related inpatient hospital stays nearly doubled over the last decade.

The study also looked at the financial costs of the crisis, finding that Medicare and Medicaid are the primary payers of SUD inpatient hospital stays in rural areas, while private insurance covers more urban inpatient hospital stays. In total, Medicare and Medicaid pay for more than 68% of SUD inpatient hospital stays in rural areas compared to 60% in urban areas.

Gatton College of Pharmacy students regularly participate in Drug Take Back Days, helping the community dispose of unused or expired medications.

RECOVERY ECOSYSTEM ASSETS IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE

This map from the ETSU Addiction Science Center lists recovery assets in Northeast Tennessee, including advocacy organizations, peer recovery services, re-entry service organizations, and treatment services, among many other resources available to those in the region.

MAP KEY

o Advocacy Organizations

o Collegiate Recovery Programs

o Harm Reduction Organizations

o Mutual Aid Organizations

o Peer Recovery Services

o Prevention Organizations

o Recovery Community Centers

o Recovery Community Organizations

“Most people with substance use disorder are able to resolve it over time,” said Dr. Robert Pack, Director of the ETSU Addiction Science Center and Executive Vice Provost. “Their chances are greatly improved with access to high-quality treatment.

“This study further highlights the importance of attention to those

o Recovery High Schools

o Recovery Informed Institutional Services

o Recovery Residences

o Recovery Drug Courts

o Re-Entry Services Organizations

o Treatment Services

who live in rural areas and the urgency to bring equitable health resources to them.”

Faculty and staff at ETSU’s research centers have dedicated countless hours examining novel ways to treat addiction, exploring ideas to prevent overdoses, and establishing and bolstering recovery ecosystems.

In December 2023, the ETSU Addiction Science Center and the Tennessee Department of Health’s Overdose Response Coordination Office issued a report on overdose prevention, which led to the identification of several universal themes among those in recovery.

Those included high levels of naloxone use, a need for postoverdose service connection, experiences of stigma from EMS/ law enforcement/health care providers, and numerous identified barriers to substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, and social services. These results are being disseminated among stakeholders across the state, with plans for a more in-depth thematic analysis of the data for publication in the coming months.

TRAINING SUBSTANCE USE RESEARCHERS

In March 2023, ETSU launched its second cohort of the ETSU Mentored Substance Use Research (EMSUR) training program, designed to train substance use researchers across multiple disciplines in order to improve health outcomes in Central Appalachia.

A total of 14 ETSU graduate and undergraduate students were selected for the second cohort and paired with a faculty mentor to train them in substance use research. Students participating represent the Quillen College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the College of Public Health.

The program is led by Dr. Manik Ahuja, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy in the College of Public Health.

Ahuja, a trained substance use researcher, spearheaded the EMSUR program at ETSU after he was selected as one of five faculty members from across the country to attend New York University’s Substance Abuse Research Education and Training (SARET) Visiting Mentor Development Program.

“EMSUR presents a unique opportunity to train the next generation of substance use researchers, particularly in the Central Appalachia region,” said Ahuja. “As the region continues to be

disproportionately burdened with both substance use and mental health disorders, there is an urgent need to reduce these health disparities. ETSU is well positioned to continue to lead in this area, given its strong interdisciplinary/interprofessional focus, its infrastructure, and track record of successful collaborations across campus.”

MAKING AN IMPACT AT ALL LEVELS

There is also critical work happening at the college level.

The College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, for example, is preparing students to become clinical practitioners, advocates, and leaders in the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and addiction in the Appalachian region with its Clinical Addiction Counseling Studies Certificate.

The Quillen College of Medicine and ETSU Health Family Medicine also offer an Addiction Medicine Fellowship, which prepares physicians to become leaders in the

ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy students participate in a Drug Take Back Day.

care of persons with substance use and behavioral disorders in the rural communities of Appalachia.

And in Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, student pharmacists and faculty are at the forefront of efforts to combat substance use disorder, underscoring the critical role pharmacists play in stopping it.

In addition to participating in Drug Take Back Days each year, the college’s American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists Operation SUD committee was awarded the top honor for Patient Care Projects in March 2023 for the fifth time.

As part of their work, student pharmacists educated the community about prescription drug use and illicit drug misuse. They also provided overdose education and naloxone training across the region.

In 2021, the most recent year for which data are available from the Tennessee Department of Health, there were 248 FATAL OVERDOSES in the eight-county region of Northeast Tennessee. There were 968 ADDITIONAL NONFATAL OVERDOSES in Northeast Tennessee.

“To see the impact we’ve had over the years on community members, and particularly the youth in our community, has been an absolute joy and reward to me,” said Madison Smith, who chaired the committee during the 2021-22 academic year for which the group won their most recent honor. “When I joined Operation SUD my first year, I thought that if we could just help one person, that would be enough of an accomplishment for me.”

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Community partnerships have also been key in the regional response to substance use disorder.

In 2022, Ballad Health and Gatton College of Pharmacy partnered to establish the Center for Pharmacy Education, Outreach and Advocacy,

which held its inaugural conference in May 2023.

The conference focused primarily on the topics of substance use disorder and the opioid epidemic. The purpose of the annual conference is to address the latest in research and solutions to health care challenges and collaborate on professional development and continuing education offerings.

Michael Meit, Director of the ETSU Center for Rural Health Research, and Dr. Nick Hagemeier, ETSU’s Vice Provost for Research, Chief Research Officer, and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, were among the speakers for the event.

Dr. Sarah Thomason, Professor and Interim Chair of Pharmacy Practice at Gatton College of Pharmacy, and her student pharmacists offered education and training on naloxone.

Gatton College of Pharmacy students sort through discarded medications during a Drug Take Back Day.

What’s In Your Blood?

From the outside, the building doesn’t stand out much amid the dozens of others that share its architectural style on the campus of the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home.

Inside, however, Building 6 houses state-of-the-art labs and researchers collaborating with partner scientists who are seeking to unravel the intricate threads of our DNA and decode the secrets within — secrets that could better explain the impact our genes play in our overall health and how people respond to treatment for various diseases.

It’s called the Biorepository and Integrative Genomics (BIG) Initiative, and it’s more than a research project. It’s a groundbreaking effort to address some of the most critical health care needs across the state.

The initiative is led by the University of Tennessee’s Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis and supported by East Tennessee State University’s Center for Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Immunity (CIIDI).

Researchers at both institutions have been collecting de-identified blood samples donated by patients. Scientists at UTHSC then sequence all participants’ genomes and link it to their known disease states.

ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland said the initiative is a testament to the cutting-edge research happening at the university.

“Through this effort, our researchers seek to address the most-pressing health care needs in Tennessee, provide enhanced care for vulnerable populations, eliminate health disparities, and engage participating communities through innovative programs,” said Noland.

Part of the Quillen College of Medicine, CIIDI’s research moves past the confines of a laboratory

and extends into the realm of patient care to advance education, research, and clinical applications in inflammation, immunity, and infectious disease.

“At the heart of everything we do, we aim to improve the lives of the people in this region and beyond,” said Dr. Bill Block, Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and ETSU Vice President for Clinical Affairs. “This research is perfectly aligned with that mission, and we are excited to partner with the UT Health Sciences Center on this critically important work.”

Dr. Robert Davis, founder of the UTHSC Center for Biomedical Informatics and statewide BIG Initiative Director, said their goal is to greatly expand the program.

“Our goal is to continue to expand the BIG Initiative statewide to eventually include 100,000 Tennesseans, and to represent East Tennessee in addition to the Delta region in West Tennessee,” said Davis, who presented a lecture on the BIG Initiative, and other research projects, at the VA campus in September.

At CIIDI, efforts to improve the quality of life for the people in this region and beyond don’t stop with the BIG Initiative. Numerous other studies are underway at CIIDI, including studies related to cancer, hepatitis, HIV, sepsis, and COVID-19.

“CIIDI is well-positioned to coordinate a broad array of scientific projects impacting human health,” said Dr. Jonathan Moorman, Co-Director of CIIDI. “Other ongoing projects range from studies on sepsis, HIV, and hepatitis B, to new approaches and collaborations to understand and treat cancers.”

At ETSU, a robust combination of its five health sciences colleges with more than 40 health sciences-related programs offers students a unique opportunity to translate the skills they’ve learned in a classroom to laboratory and clinical settings – opportunities that elevate the interprofessional experience in health care education for our students.

Social Work Launches New Child Advocacy Studies Certificate

When the State of Tennessee called upon its institutions to offer an undergraduate and graduate certificate program to train more child welfare advocates, ETSU answered.

Across the state, there is a critical need for more people trained at all levels of intervention – including police, teachers, and the court system, among others – to recognize when children are being maltreated or abused.

“This program is designed so people can learn to work together for the best interests of the child and their family, and also to train people how to appropriately intervene,” said Dr. Mary Mullins, Chair of the Department of Social Work in ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS). “There’s such a shortage of people, and I felt like it was really important for us to get involved in trying to support and help build the workforce across the state.”

The Child Advocacy Studies certificate is designed to complement a bachelor’s degree in fields that would benefit from knowledge of child maltreatment and advocacy strategies from across disciplines including social work, nursing, criminal justice, and education. Students will gain knowledge of working in an interprofessional environment to better meet the needs of survivors of child abuse and their families. The certificate is also nationally recognized by Zero Abuse Project, which helped develop the curriculum.

“We are proud to offer this program and eager to begin training a new generation of child welfare advocates,” said Dr. Lynn Williams, CCRHS Interim Dean. “The College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences strives to graduate our students practice-ready, and this is one more way we can train our students to be exactly that.”

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, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, adult and pediatric care, preventive 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, hematology, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy

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

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

Fertility & Urogynecology

1319 Sunset Drive, Suite 103

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

Pediatric Subspecialties

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

Psychiatry

2 Professional Park Drive, Suite 21 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

Support Clinic

2 Professional Park Drive, Suite 11 substance use disorder and behavioral addiction care, behavioral health, case management, certified peer recovery specialist, Hep-C treatment

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, addiction medicine, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, newborn & pediatric care, preventive care, women’s health, including OB, physical therapy, sports medicine

Internal Medicine Kingsport

Four Sheridan Square, Suite 200 behavioral health, endocrinology, internal medicine, rheumatology, psychotherapy

BRISTOL

Family Medicine Bristol

208 Medical Park Boulevard acute & chronic care, adult care, addiction medicine, behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, newborn & pediatric care, preventive 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, cochlear implant clinic, tinnitus clinic, vestibular assessment/treatment, hearing aids, pediatric audiology (including newborns), adult speech and traumatic brain injury clinic

Gary E. Shealy Memorial ALS Clinic

1000 Jason Witten Way

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

Continuing Their Service to Others

When U.S. Army veteran Jason Ramos began looking into medical schools, he was struck by Quillen College of Medicine’s high percentage of military-affiliated students.

“When I applied to and interviewed at Quillen, it became my No. 1 choice,” said Ramos, one of two Purple

Heart recipients who are members of Quillen’s Class of 2027. “I did not know a lot about Quillen before I applied but I started researching the school and it quickly moved itself into my No. 1 choice.

“It became the only medical school I wanted to go to,” Ramos continued.

Ramos is one of five veterans who are among the 78 members of the Class of 2027.

“Quillen is proud, and honored, to have one of the highest percentages of military-affiliated students among all medical schools nationwide,” said Dr. Bill Block, Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and Vice President for Clinical Affairs. “Being a Military Friendly© school isn’t just a tagline for us, it’s been embedded in the very fiber of our institution since our founding in 1974 on the campus of the Mountain Home VA.”

The university has an established history of helping veterans and has secured the respected Military Friendly© designation for more than a decade.

Ramos spent more than 10 years in the Army as a member of an airborne infantry unit but was drawn to medicine after serving multiple combat deployments in Afghanistan, including the deployment where he was wounded.

“What I want to continue to do is help people in a more direct way,” said Ramos.

Ramos said he and his fellow veterans have already forged a bond thanks to a get-together organized by former U.S. Navy SEAL P.J. Pelaez, another incoming member of the new class.

Pelaez, who served as a medic for a time in the military, had just a twoweek break between the end of his military service and starting medical school. Pelaez zeroed in on Quillen as a top choice due to its emphasis on serving rural and underserved communities.

all just really lined up in a pretty serendipitous way that choosing Quillen and Johnson City was a nobrainer for my wife and me.”

Pelaez said his passion for providing care stems from helping others during his time in the military.

“It’s something you want to keep doing; you want to keep providing for people,” Pelaez said. “There’s something addicting about wanting to give people another chance and provide care for them.”

“BEING A MILITARY FRIENDLY © SCHOOL ISN’T JUST A TAGLINE FOR US."

Dr. Bill Block

“I grew up in a similar rural community and spent a lot of time in the military treating people from underserved communities, and it just absolutely pulled at my heartstrings,” said Pelaez. “It

Last summer, Pelaez and Ramos joined the other 76 members of the Class of 2027 in receiving their white coats, one of the first major milestones in their journey toward becoming physicians.

“The white coat shows that you are where you’re supposed to be,” Ramos said. “You have answered your calling, and you are laying the first brick in the road and following this path. We all heard this call, and we all answered. It is a monumental accomplishment.”

From Left: Veterans Shawn Janario, Jason Ramos, George Lear, P.J. Pelaez, and Ajay Mclaughlin – all members of the college’s Class of 2027 – pose for a photo following the college’s White Coat Ceremony in 2023.

Quillen College of Medicine Ranked for Primary Care

The Quillen College of Medicine made a significant jump in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 ranking of “Medical Schools Primary Care,” moving from 65 in 2022 to 38 in 2023.

Quillen College of Medicine also ranked among the top-10 “Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas,” and was ranked 39th for “Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care.”

Among schools ranked in the “Medical Schools Primary Care” category, ETSU ranked second in Tennessee and seventh in the Southeast. Schools are ranked based on faculty resources, academic achievements of students entering, and qualitative assessments by schools and residency directors, as well as the percentage of students entering primary care residencies and specialties.

“The Quillen College of Medicine is a premier school for those students seeking to enter primary care and meet the health care needs of the underserved,” said

Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “These rankings further underscore our commitment to this mission, and speak to the success Quillen has had in meeting the important need for rural and primary care physicians.”

Quillen has made a substantial effort to increase opportunity for those interested in medical careers serving rural and underserved communities, highlighted by the college launching its EQUIP (Expanding Quillen to the Underserved through an Integrated Program) last year. This program is designed to identify and mentor students from rural and underserved areas who are interested in attending Quillen.

“At the heart of our mission is educating physicians, especially those with an interest in primary care, to practice in underserved communities,” said Dr. Bill Block, Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. “These rankings are reflective of our commitment to that mission and our hard-working faculty and staff who are training the next generation of health care providers.”

Public Health Earns Prestigious Award for Community Service Efforts

The College of Public Health, a recipient of numerous national awards and accolades, added another feather to its cap when it was named the recipient of the 2024 Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH).

This prestigious, nationwide award recognizes a school or program of public health that demonstrates a serious institutional commitment to addressing community needs through a range of activities, including education, practice, and research.

“This award builds on ETSU’s long-standing commitment to the region, and reflects the incredible dedication of our students, faculty, and staff who are committed to enhancing the health and well-being of the people of our region,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health. "It is incredibly rewarding to be recognized by our peers for our community service, especially since it is something that is an essential part of the ethos of ETSU.”

Earlier this year, representatives from ASPPH came to Johnson City to learn more about the university’s signature public health programs. Some of those include:

• Project EARTH: A program that teaches skills needed to protect and promote health and well-being in areas limited by resources.

• Addiction Science Center: A unit that partners with many communities in Appalachia with a vision of freeing the region from the burden and consequences of drug misuse.

• Weekly Public Health Updates: An initiative started during the COVID-19 pandemic by Dean Randy Wykoff that touches on leading health topics affecting the area.

• Correctional Career Pathways: Established in Greene County, Tennessee, this project of the college’s Tennessee Institute of Public Health awards grant funding to counties to help criminal offenders break the cycle of arrest and transition into the workforce.

ASPPH is the leading organization representing schools and public health programs worldwide.

The Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service began in 2018, and only the most elite schools and programs, known worldwide for their work and investment into communities, are nominated.

“I am extremely proud of this recognition and the world-class public health education at ETSU,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Cutting the Ribbon on a New Era

As part of a $26 million renovation to Lamb Hall, the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences celebrated the opening of several new educational and clinical spaces in 2023.

In September, the college cut the ribbon on the Joan Dearden Radiologic Science Suite and the A. Lynn Williams Concussion Management Clinic and celebrated the naming and unveiling of the Sturgill Family Dental Hygiene Clinic in October.

Located inside Lamb Hall, the Joan Dearden Radiologic Science Suite is named in honor of Dearden’s pioneering work in the field of radiology. Her gifts to the institution have funded scholarships, equipment, and other resources to help students pursue careers in radiologic sciences.

The A. Lynn Williams Concussion Management Clinic is named for Dr. Lynn Williams, Interim Dean of the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences. The clinic provides baseline and post-concussion testing for all student-athletes at ETSU. It also provides education on concussions, the importance of reporting them, and information regarding postconcussion cognitive rest and return-to-learn.

The Sturgill Family Dental Hygiene Clinic is named for Drs. Jeremiah and Riley Sturgill, who own Sturgill Orthodontics and Sturgill Endodontics. As part of their education, ETSU students receive many opportunities for clinical experience, with the dental hygiene clinic serving more than 1,600 patients each year.

These newly renovated and upgraded spaces provide students with state-of-the-art learning and practice facilities, underscoring ETSU’s commitment to education both inside and outside clinical settings.

College of Nursing Finds Its Stride

Though they won’t have their final report until May 2024, the faculty and staff in the College of Nursing were encouraged after accreditation visits from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in September.

The CCNE accreditation teams evaluated the college’s baccalaureate program (BSN), master's program (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program, Post-Graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) Certificate Program, and the ETSU-Tennessee Tech University Joint DNP Program.

Preliminarily, the feelings were positive.

Dr. Katherine C. Hall, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the College of Nursing and Interim Chief Nursing Administrator, credited the college’s faculty and staff for coming together to ensure the best possible outcome of their re-accreditation visits.

“There are smart and capable people in this college, and we have hundreds of students relying on us,” said Hall. “We are digging in and doing the work. We know what to do, and how to do it – and I think that’s what we are seeing happen.”

Coming back from the winter break in January 2024, Hall said she and her colleagues have hit the ground running, building momentum through a collective ownership of their goals for the college and enhancing the student experience.

That includes revamping their curricula, steady and strategic enrollment growth, and reinforcing the college’s standing as a leader in Tennessee and across the nation.

“We are expecting a good report from the site visit, but we’re not going to stop with that momentum, and that’s really what I am excited about — the forward momentum after the site visit,” said Hall. “It’s a really good time to be in the College of Nursing.”

DR. DEBBIE BYRD NAMED INTERIM DEAN OF NURSING

Dr. Debbie Byrd was appointed Interim Dean of the College of Nursing following the departure of Dr. Leann Horsley last summer. Byrd maintains her role as Dean of Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy while a permanent search for a new dean is conducted.

Byrd, who joined ETSU in 2016, assumed the role in July 2023, bringing with her an unwavering commitment to teaching and leadership that has earned her and Gatton College of Pharmacy numerous prestigious awards.

Previous administrative leadership experience includes roles as Associate Dean for Professional Affairs, Assistant Dean for a new distance education campus, Director

of Experiential Learning, and Director for Primary Care and Rural Primary Care Residency Programs. She has also represented the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Teachers of Pharmacy Practice as Chair of the section.

A professor of pharmacy practice, Dr. Byrd’s practice experience includes creating novel patient care services for underserved populations across different health care facilities.

College of Public Health Sets High Bar for Excellence

The College of Public Health is raising the bar for academic excellence, earning a completely clean report on its application for re-accreditation.

Every seven years, all schools of public health in the country are required to submit a self-study and then host a site visit from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in order to maintain accreditation. There are 284 criteria, organized into 45 categories, that are then determined to be “met,” “met with commentary,” “partially met,” or “not met.”

The college submitted its self-study in March 2023, and a site visit team came to ETSU in April. During their two-and-a-half-day visit, the site visitors reviewed hundreds of data

points in the self-study and met with ETSU leadership, as well as with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members.

Their finding that all categories were “met” was confirmed by the CEPH board at its meeting in December 2023.

“I am exceptionally proud of our faculty and staff who provide our

students an exceptional education in a world-class environment,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the College of Public Health. “Earning our re-accreditation without any findings is something that none of us have seen before, and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at the college and an accomplishment we can all be proud of.”

"EARNING OUR RE-ACCREDITATION WITHOUT ANY FINDINGS... IS A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF EVERYONE AT THE COLLEGE."

Dr. Randy Wykoff

Envisioning the Future of Nursing

The Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement hosted a two-day summit last year that brought together key state and regional stakeholders to discuss and plan ways to strengthen the nursing pipeline.

The Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement was created in October 2021 thanks to a generous 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.

The center serves the region and the state of Tennessee by collecting and disseminating data and developing a strategic statewide plan to address nursing workforce needs.

“We are really proud of the work of this center,” said ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle. “We are honored to have this partnership with Ballad Health to house the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement, and to host this gathering of nursing professionals.

“As part of the mission of this center, we are absolutely dedicated and focused on working with our partners across the region and state to address the challenges in the nursing workforce,” McCorkle said.

Attendees represented a wide variety of organizations and interests, including ETSU, Ballad Health, the Tennessee Nurses Association, the Tennessee Board of Nursing, the Tennessee Hospital Association and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.

“We were so pleased to collaborate with our colleagues and examine opportunities and possibilities for the Center for Nursing Advancement in the future,” said Dr. Lisa Smithgall, Ballad Health’s Chief Nursing Executive.

“Coming together and sharing our expertise, ideas, and goals gives us more momentum to enhance nursing in Tennessee and, with it, the future of health care in our region.”

Staff from the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement presented an update on the center’s efforts over the last year and worked with attendees to identify priorities, plans for further data collection and future meetings.

"WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DEDICATED AND FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION AND STATE TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES IN THE NURSING WORKFORCE."

Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle

“The Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement is poised to play a significant role in determining ways we can better strengthen the nursing pipeline in this region and beyond,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Interim Dean for the College of Nursing and Dean of Bill Gatton College Pharmacy. “By bringing together key stakeholders over these two days, we were able to explore new ideas and refine plans for the future – plans we can use to not only attract new nurses to the field, but ones we can also use to better support our current nursing workforce.”

Dr. Caroline Harmon, a Nurse Scientist with the AHCNA, speaks during the conference.

Johnson City Community Health Center Making an Impact

The ETSU Health Johnson City Community Health Center provides a wide variety of services to the community, and last year that list of services expanded to include produce.

Thanks to generous community support, the Johnson City Community Health Center was able to bring back its community garden last year.

“The garden provides an avenue for some patients to have access to fresh, healthy, and free produce,” said Vanessa Smith, Practice Administrator at the Johnson City Community Health Center. “This is just one more way we can serve our community and try to meet their needs as best as possible.”

Beyond that, the health center also hosted its annual Community Health Fair in August, a free event open to

the public that offers food, health screenings, and door prizes, among other activities.

“Our mission is to serve our community with quality healthcare,” said Smith. “General health is provided not only by way of medicine and diagnostic testing, but also by providing resources to other needs that may be creating barriers in being able to sustain good health.”

Laying the Groundwork for the Future of SANE Training

When Dr. Judy McCook earned her certification as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in July 2019, she was the only SANE-certified nurse in the eight-county region of Northeast Tennessee.

McCook, a Professor in the College of Nursing, said at the time she didn’t plan on being the only one for long, adding that “ETSU is committed to training more nurses to become SANEs and to fill a need in our health care facilities and communities.”

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) are registered nurses who have completed specialized education and clinical preparation in the medical forensic care of a patient who has experienced sexual assault or abuse, according to the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN).

In the nearly five years since, ETSU has trained dozens of SANEs. Currently, there are 11 certified SANEs in the region, providing every county in Northeast Tennessee with access to SANE services, as well as several counties in Southwest Virginia. Another 56 nurses have received SANE training.

That work is possible through a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which allowed the university to launch the Health Education Learning Program for Sexual Assault in Rural Appalachia (HELPSARA) in 2018.

“I am so proud of this work,” said McCook, whose work on the grant concluded several years ago. “I couldn’t imagine back then

having this many trained SANEs across the region.”

Ashleigh McMahan, the HELP-SARA Project Coordinator, said the education and training being provided to not just nurses but the community at-large have been critical for expanding these services. That includes establishing a forensic nurse clinical skills lab site at ETSU in 2023, the first of its kind in Tennessee and Virginia.

“I’m so excited that our program has been able to grow this much and provide these opportunities,” said McMahan.

McMahan, a certified SANE, is an ETSU alumna who returned to manage the HELP-SARA project because of her passion for serving the underserved. And as the grant enters its final year, McMahan has been focused on laying the groundwork to sustain the momentum that's been built –ensuring the region isn’t left in the same position it was in 2019.

“My goal is to create sustainable momentum going forward, and that’s really where our projects over the last year have been focused,” said McMahan.

McMahan's major projects have been establishing the clinical skills lab and developing training and education programs with community partners.

“I am so, so proud of our community for not only embracing this work but also embracing the idea that this education is needed and these services are needed,” said McMahan. “I am immensely proud of where we’ve come in such a short amount of time.”

ETSU, Ballad Working to Improve Health Outcomes Throughout the Region

When Dr. J. Bracken Burns joined ETSU Health, he was just one of three trauma surgeons at Johnson City Medical Center.

Now, that team has tripled in size to nine trauma surgeons – all of whom are ETSU Health faculty.

Burns, JCMC’s Trauma Medical Director and Professor with the Quillen College of Medicine, was brought in to revitalize the surgical trauma program at JCMC and was eventually tasked with helping build a robust system of trauma care for the region – dubbed the Ballad Health Trauma Network.

Though it certainly has not been easy, Burns said it has been a rewarding experience, and he credited the “essential” partnership among Ballad Health, the Quillen College of Medicine, and ETSU Health for recent success.

“We have seen growth from ETSU Health in many disciplines that impact trauma care,” said Burns. “This, in addition to the support from non-ETSU Health providers, has allowed us to advance trauma care and scholarly activity.”

Burns said collaboration between an academic entity and a health care system can often bridge gaps in the availability of specialty care

such as trauma surgery, and that the partnership between ETSU Health and Ballad Health is evidence of it.

“As one of the first of its kind in Tennessee, the Ballad Health Trauma Network was built following evidence-based best practices, and it integrates all our hospitals with EMS and our Level 3 and Level 1 trauma centers and has led to reduced mortality and better quality of care,” said Ballad Health Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alan Levine. “Being recognized recently by Quantros CareChex® as the No. 1 trauma center in Tennessee for patient safety is no accident.

“It is the result of a close collaboration with ETSU Health, which has led to better quality, enhanced research and a better learning environment for our medical students, residents and allied health professionals. It was the formation of Ballad Health that provided the opportunity to create this integrated system of care, and which has led to saved lives.”

Dr. Bill Block, Dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and Vice President for Clinical Affairs, said the partnership between ETSU Health and Ballad Health is one that greatly benefits the region.

“In many parts of the country, there’s a dire lack of access to important services such as trauma care,” said Block. “We are fortunate to have this partnership to expand access to this critically important care here in the Appalachian Highlands. Establishing a trauma care network is about having the right resources in the right places to save lives, and that’s exactly what ETSU Health and Ballad Health have set out to do.”

And since both institutions have a shared goal to improve the lives of those in this region, opportunities for collaboration are plentiful.

Other major initiatives born out of this partnership include the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement, the Strong BRAIN Institute, and the Center for Pharmacy Education, Advocacy and Outreach, in addition to numerous other academic, clinical, and research partnerships.

ETSU, TennCare Host Symposium on Aging

As part of their efforts developing the state’s Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA), ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research and TennCare hosted a symposium on aging in September 2023.

Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Ralph Alvarado delivered remarks at the event, and attendees also had an opportunity to hear from representatives from TennCare, AARP Tennessee, and faculty from the Center for Rural Health Research.

An aging population is part of a national conversation, and ETSU –a national leader in health care –will play an important role in that dialogue.

“This is vitally important work that will help shape the future of elder care not just in our region, but across the state,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “This speaks to the heart of the ETSU Center for Rural Health Research’s mission to improve health and well-being and will ensure our rural populations remain at the forefront of these conversations.”

Tennessee is one of 10 states selected to participate in a National Learning Collaborative sponsored by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) to lay the groundwork for creating an MPA. According to the CHCS, MPAs act as roadmaps to help states transform infrastructure and coordination of services for rapidly aging populations and people with disabilities.

Census figures show that 1.7 million Tennesseans are currently 60 or older. The population of Tennesseans 60 and older is the fastest-growing age demographic

in the state and will soon constitute one-fifth of the Tennessee population. By 2034, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that those aged 65 and older will outnumber those under the age of 18 for the first time in United States history.

ETSU’s Center for Rural Health Research, part of the College of Public Health, worked with TennCare to develop the Tennessee Multi-Sector Plan for Aging data dashboard, which provides

comprehensive data and statistics related to various aspects of aging, such as demographics, health and well-being, economic security, social engagement, and community support.

“I am excited to be part of developing a plan for folks in Tennessee to age through older adulthood with dignity and vibrance,” said Dr. Laura Hunt Trull, with the Center for Rural Health Research.

Alvarado speaks during the event

Distinguished Faculty

Both the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences and Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy had something extra to celebrate in the past year, as professors in each college were honored with ETSU’s Distinguished Faculty Awards – the university’s highest award given to professors.

Dr. Jessica Burchette, an Associate Professor in Gatton College of Pharmacy, received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching. Dr. Dorothy “Dottie” Greene, an Associate Professor in the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, received the Distinguished Faculty Award in Service.

Burchette was a member of the Gatton College of Pharmacy’s inaugural Class of 2010. She completed her pharmacy practice residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, and afterward returned to Gatton College of Pharmacy for her internal medicine residency.

She joined the college as an Assistant Professor in 2012, specializing in pulmonary disorders and basic critical care concepts.

“Every student comes to us with a different background, and each class has a different personality and really a way that they look for things to go,” said Burchette, who also served as commencement speaker in December 2023. “My job is to really get to know them as people and to try to use that interpersonal relationship to be able to bring them along in their pharmacy education.”

Greene, meanwhile, has dedicated her life to serving those battling addiction-related challenges.

Greene, who teaches in the Department of Social Work, led the effort to establish the Johnson City Recovery Center (JCRC), the first recovery community center in Northeast Tennessee.

“Helping people in recovery is no doubt my purpose for being on the planet at this point in time,” Greene said. “It provides me a deep sense of purpose and meaning. The best way to describe recovery is like watching a miracle happen in real time. We see people come in here with nothing but the shirt on their back who develop into happy, healthy, productive, caring members of society.”

Greene, who holds a Ph.D. in social work from the University of Utah, also developed and implemented ETSU’s graduate certificate program in clinical addiction studies and recently completed a three-year term on the board of directors of the National Association of Social Workers.

Dr. Dawn Rowe, a Professor in the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development, received the Distinguished Faculty Award in Research.

Learn more about the Distinguished Faculty award winners

NOTABLE WOMEN AWARD

Dr. Fereshteh Gerayli, Professor and Chair of Family Medicine in the Quillen College of Medicine, was a recipient of the ETSU Women’s, Gender, Sexuality Studies Program’s 2023 Notable Women of ETSU Award.

For almost 20 years she has educated medical students and newly minted medical residents on caring for the underserved and the LGBTQ+ community and on women’s health. Along with her teaching and practice as a physician, Gerayli’s numerous grants and publications focus on everything from cancer to cardiorenal adverse effects.

From left: Drs. Dawn Rowe, Dottie Greene, and Jessica Burchette

Dr. Jessica Burchette

Dr. Dorothy “Dottie” Greene

Dr. Dawn Rowe

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 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, Climate Studies (new in fall '24), Epidemiology, Gerontology, Global Health, Health Care Management, Health Data Analytics, One Health, 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 Respiratory Therapy

› 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

› Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Programs in Dental Hygiene, Radiologic Science, & Respiratory Therapy

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

› Undergraduate career certificates in Child Advocacy Studies, 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 Child Advocacy Studies, Clinical Addiction Counseling Studies, Child Advocacy Studies, Social Work/Psychology Dual Degree Program, and Sport Nutrition, Interprofessional Pediatric Feeding Disorders

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