News
&
Notes
September 2013
News & Notes
September 2013
a publication of the College of Allied Health Sciences Georgia Regents University Augusta
in this issue... Dean’s Note Activities Appointments Welcome Achievements & Awards Publications Outreach & Service Alumni Calendar 2
Dean’s Note Dear colleagues, students, and friends of the College of Allied Health Sciences, As we begin another academic year, our first as Georgia Regents University, it is my great pleasure to welcome you and share with you news of our college. First, welcome to our new and returning students! This will prove to be a formative year in your education, one that we hope will create proud bonds to the university long after you have established your professional careers. Your success is the reason for everything we do. We have indeed been busy. In this newsletter you will learn about many of our activities over the summer, initiatives we have begun, and new members of our college community. Please read on. I’d like to particularly highlight one initiative just getting under way – our CAHS Global Health Committee. Under the leadership of Chairwoman Janet Tankersley, this committee will lead efforts to consolidate our current global reach activities and expand international collaborative opportunities. Our plans include the development of high-quality international programs, student and faculty exchanges, training agreements leading to educational partnerships, clinical care and services, and collaborative research projects. Stay tuned! Best,
Andrew Balas Dean and Professor
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Dean Andrew Balas
Activities Across the pond and to the beach In June, Michael Iwama (OT) gave the keynote address at the 2013 Annual Conference of the British Association of Occupational Therapists in Glasgow, Scotland. The next month he delivered the Inaugural Maralynne D. Mitcham Lecture at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
We’re gonna make you a star! Mimi Owen (MLIRS) and Bill Andrews (MI) were among GRU faculty members spotlighted in a recent episode of Fast Forward, a Georgia Public Broadcasting series used in K-12 classrooms across the state to encourage students to pursue careers in STEM disciplines. Watch it here: Fast Forward Georgia Regents University
Only the few – HMI students selected for national presentation As part of their Administrative Practicum course requirements, senior Health Information Administration students must create an ePortolio. This year, five students from HIA programs across the country – only five – were chosen to present their portfolios at the American Health Information Management Association’s Assembly on Education conference in Baltimore in July. Two of the five were GRU students – Alan Soskel and Lou Baker, both from the class of 2013. We couldn’t be more proud! Congratulations to both Alan and Lou, and hats off as well to Amanda Barefield (HMI), who teaches the course.
PA students clean up at annual GAPA conference Physician Assistant students at Georgia Regents University were victorious at the annual Student Medical Challenge Bowl during the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants’ Summer CME Conference and Exhibition in July. Class of 2014 students Abby Alvarez and Margaret Summers competed against fellow PA students from Emory, Mercer, and South universities for the coveted crystal trophy (our sixth in eight years). Abby also received the organization’s 2013 Student Scholarship Award, while Pretesh Parmar (’14) received the 2013 GAPA GRU Student of the Year Award. 4
The competition tests two-person teams from each university on their medical knowledge. While most teams are comprised of one senior and one junior, GRU’s winning team members are both juniors. Fellow students Flynn Clack, Erica Haber, Preethy Kuriakos, Caitlin Moyer, Amanda Ness, and Gabby Potts helped prepare Abby and Margaret during practice sessions. In all, 18 GRU physician assistant students and four faculty members attended the conference, which attracts more than 700 PAs, nurse practitioners, and athletic trainers from all 50 states. And if their intellectual prowess wasn’t enough, our students also placed second in the volleyball tournament!
Margaret Summers (left) and Abby Alvarez with the coveted crystal trophy
Packing the house – Symposium keeps practitioners up-to-date Our Department of Dental Hygiene has sponsored a Dental Hygiene Symposium in Savannah for more than three decades. This year’s event in July attracted nearly 400 participants from across the country and was packed with evidence-based, innovative presentations and interactive workshops to help dental professionals manage their diverse patient populations. Department Chairwoman Ana Thompson served as course co-chair with Keith Volkmann from the GRU College of Dental Medicine, and CAHS faculty participants included Kathryn Bennett, Erin Boyleston, Ashley Christman, Charlene Czuszak, Cindy Hughes, Kandyce Mack, Shawn Neal, Veerinder Pannu, and Sue Ward.
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Appointments National roles Scott Hasson (PT) has been appointed to the American College of Rheumatology, Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Membership and Nominations Committee; the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research - Health and Function Grant Review Panel; and the Arthritis State of the Science Conference Steering Committee for the NIDRR National Arthritis Center at Boston University. Beth Hunter (OT) is an invited reviewer for the NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award, which supports small-scale higher education biomedical and behavioral sciences research projects at institutions that have not been major recipients of NIH research grant funds. Michael Iwama (OT) has been appointed to the Commission on Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association and to the Editorial Board of the journal Occupational Therapy International.
Faculty promotions We are happy to announce promotions for three well-deserving faculty members. Congratulations to newly appointed Associate Professors Kitty Hernlen (RT), Pavani Rangachari (HMI), and Judith Stallings (PA)!
Kitty Hernlen
Pavani Rangachari
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Judith Stallings
Faculty take on college leadership roles Kathy Dexter (PA) has been appointed Director of Network Development to support the operation and growth of the Allied Health Sciences Practice Group. She will facilitate the implementation of the Practice Group’s goals, objectives, priorities, and strategies. Kathy is a practicing physician assistant and has extensive experience in contract development. Robert Gibson (OT) has been appointed Director of Research Development for the college. An experienced collaborator, Robert has participated in many extramurally funded studies including important NIH-funded research. He will play a major role in guiding and mentoring new and current research faculty for success in project development and collaborations. He also has been appointed to the GRU Institute for Public and Preventive Health Leadership Council. In addition, after serving as a reviewer for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute this past year, Robert has been named to the organization’s standing merit review panel for Improving Methods for Conducting Patient-Centered Outcomes Research. He was also accepted for an intensive, two-week Translational Health Disparities Course in August through the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities in Bethesda, Md. Sara Haddow-Liebel (PA) is the 2013-14 President of the CAHS Faculty Council. Miriam Cortez-Cooper (PT) is President-Elect and Mariana D’Amico (OT) becomes Past President.
Robert Gibson
Kathy Dexter
Sara Haddow-Liebel
Employee Advisory Board adds Ambassadors Sharron Walls (Dean’s Office) has been named the college’s Administrative Ambassador on the Employee Advisory Council. Ambassadors serve as an extension of the Council for communications purposes. 7
Welcome CAHS welcomes our many new faculty members Department of Medical Laboratory, Imaging, and Radiologic Sciences Nasrul Hoda joins MLIRS as Assistant Professor in the Clinical Laboratory Science program. He comes to us from the MCG Department of Neurology, where he holds an adjunct appointment. He also is an adjunct Assistant Professor for the Program in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy and a research biologist at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. His research interest focuses on the identification of new therapeutic targets and strategies to improve cerebral blood flow and subsequent neurovascular protection after embolic stroke. He is a life member of the Indian Academy of Neurosciences and a member of the American Heart Association. He has published dozens of articles, abstracts, and presentations in refereed journals, serves as a reviewer on several national and international journals, and has received research funding from the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health. Nasrul Hoda
Hoda received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in chemistry from the Aligarh Muslim University in India, and held post-doctoral fellowships at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in New Delhi, the Medical University of South Carolina, and GRU. Mary Jane (MJ) Weintraub has joined the Clinical Laboratory Science Program as Associate Professor, and will also provide web design services for the GRU Educational Innovation Institute. Previously, she taught biology and microbiology courses at the University of Cincinnati where she developed non-major biology courses in infectious disease.
MJ Weintraub
Before entering academia, MJ practiced small animal medicine. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, in Indiana, as well as bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois.
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Department of Occupational Therapy Assistant Professor Jason Hughes’ clinical focus is adult intervention and orthopedics. In his previous position with the Department of Defense at Fort Benning, Ga., he assisted in developing a return to duty program for service members diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury. His research interests include orthopedics, kinesiology, and adaptive recreation, particularly the effectiveness of lap swimming on decreasing TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in military personnel. Jason received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Morehead State University in Kentucky and a master’s degree in occupational therapy from Milligan Jason Hughes College in Tennessee. Elizabeth (Beth) Hunter is an Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the College of Graduate Studies. Her clinical focus is community-based work, primarily on rehabilitation for cancer survivors and chronic care management among people living with HIV/AIDS. Beth’s research interest is in chronic health management and health disparities, with a focus on health literacy and underserved populations. Previous research funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities explored supports and barriers for people in rural Appalachian Kentucky with stroke, spinal cord and traumatic brain Beth Hunter injuries, and the impact of health literacy levels on cancer survivors after inpatient physical rehabilitation. Beth previously was Director of Research at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington, Ky., is co-founder and Assistant Director of the Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network, and is affiliated with the University of Kentucky AgrAbility program. She received a Ph.D. in gerontology and completed postdoctoral training in cancer prevention and control at the University of Kentucky. Pamalyn (Pam) Kearney, an Associate Professor, is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist with the National Association of Home Builders. Her clinical experience includes acute care, acute rehabilitation, home health care, and non-medical model home-based care for older adults. Pam’s research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning, particularly cultural competency education of occupational therapy students, as well as the caregiving experience for family caregivers of those with dementia and other aging topics. Pam Kearney
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Pam was previously Interim Chair and Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Widener University in Chester, Pa. Department of Physical Therapy Hannes Devos is Assistant Professor and serves as Associate Director of the GRU Driving Simulation Lab. His research interests center on the evaluation and training of visual, motor, and cognitive deficits following neurological disease. He investigates the use of virtual reality and adaptive aids in improving driving in individuals with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Hannes is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the Older Driver Committee of the Transportation Research Board, and the Special Interest Group on Driving of the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation. Hannes Devos
He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Leuven in Belgium and was previously a visiting scholar at the University of Iowa.
Department of Respiratory Therapy Assistant Professor Dale S. Hardy joins us from southeastern Texas where she worked in hospital, clinic, and home health settings as a registered and licensed dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and certified health education specialist. Dale’s research interests include chronic disease, clinical epidemiology and health outcomes, health disparities, and gene-environment interactions. She trained in cardiovascular genetics epidemiology as a Fellow in PRIDE (Programs to Increase Diversity among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research), an initiative sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and was a research associate on several projects, including the NASA Study of Cataract in Astronauts. Dale Hardy She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Credentialing Board for Diabetes Educators. At CAHS, she will continue and expand her epidemiological research in nutrition and metabolism as well as coordinate the development and launch of a clinical nutrition track. Dale earned a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition and dietetics from Andrews University in Michigan, a master’s degree in health education and promotion from The University of Texas Medical 10
Branch in Galveston, and a doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston, where she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in health disparities and health services research. She followed that with a fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, where she conducted research on gene-nutrient effects on weight gain.
New staff members Tran Nguyen is an Educational Program Specialist with the Department of Health Management and Informatics. While working as a medical technologist at Georgia Regents Medical Center, Tran developed an interest in public health education and recently earned a master’s degree in public health from GRU. She has two bachelor’s degrees, one in chemistry from the University of Georgia and one in medical technology from GRU. Tran Nguyen As the college continues to expand our research footprint, we welcome several new staff members in that area: La Verne Proctor-Streeter has joined CAHS as a Grants Development Specialist, collaborating with the Division of Sponsored Programs Administration to help faculty identify funding opportunities; prepare and route proposals and applications; and manage administrative, budget, and regulatory issues pertaining to research administration. She has extensive experience in research administration, proposal development, and grant management in higher education and community organizations. Prior to joining GRU, she served as the Grants Administrator/Writer at South Carolina State University. She is also co-founder and CEO of JLJ Resources, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation providing community services to the CSRA. La Verne earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and secondary education from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., a master’s degree in health policy and management from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a master’s degree in management leadership and organizational effectiveness from Troy University. L. Monique Hillman, Joel Joseph, and Erin Neal have joined the college as research coordinators. Monique has had a long career in nursing, with special interests in chronic disease prevention, public health safety, and health program quality and access for older Americans. She previously worked with the Georgia Public Health system. 11
She has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from then-Augusta State University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health science and public health, respectively, from Georgia Southern University. She is a public health doctoral candidate at Walden University, an adjunct instructor at Virginia College, and a certified instructor in basic cardiac pulmonary resuscitation, nursing assistant, and group exercise. Joel is a recent graduate of Emory University in Atlanta with bachelor’s degrees in neuroscience and behavioral biology and financial economics. He spent two years as a research assistant in Emory’s Corbett Cell Biology Lab and also worked as a teaching assistant in the departments of economics and biology. Erin graduated from then-Augusta State University in 2012 with a bachelor`s degree in biology and plans to pursue a graduate degree in a health sciences discipline.
Monique Hillman
Joel Joseph
Erin Neal
With the closing of our Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program, two faculty members have new positions: Vivian Dicks has been named Environmental Health Coordinator for the MPH Program. She has a master’s degree in public health, environmental health sciences concentration, and a doctorate in health services policy and management from the Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, and is a member of the Delta Omega Society Mu chapter of Public Health. Rebecca Etheridge has joined the Department of Academic Affairs at the Medical College of Georgia as Instructor and Director of Ultrasound Education. She will plan and implement the ultrasound curriculum for all four phases of the medical school, develop ultrasound teaching materials, and collaborate with Emergency Medicine faculty on ultrasound research grants. 12
Achievements & Awards Newest MPH concentration accepted for accreditation Our latest track in the Master of Public Health program, Environmental Health, has been accepted for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health. Congratulations to Program Director Pavani Rangachari and the entire MPH faculty and staff!
Houston, we have a winner! (or two, or three…) CLS faculty, recent graduates, and students attended the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Annual Meeting in July in Houston. As mentioned in our last new newsletter, five student poster presentations had been accepted for competition at this conference, and we are delighted to report that one took away the top prize. Congratulations to Rebecca Russell (’14), Vimalkumar Patel (’13), and Brett Rice (’13), who were awarded Best Poster Presentation for “Serial Troponin I and AMI Misdiagnosis.” Department Chair Lester Pretlow was the project advisor. In other conference news, Lacey Campbell (’13) wrapped up her successful year as ASCLS national student forum chair while yet another of our students stepped into the position – Crystal Mino (’13) will represent GRU well in this national arena. Thank you to both Lacey and Crystal for taking on these important leadership roles. Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Strategic Initiatives Barbara Russell was nominated for the prestigious ASCLS Member of the Year Award, and Program Director Barbara Kraj received the Gloria F. “Mike” Gilbert Memorial Award from her peers for sustained leadership and accomplishment in CLS practice and professional excellence.
Lacey Campbell (from left), Barbara Kraj, Rebecca Russell, Barbara Russell with their awards at the ASCLS Annual Meeting 13
Local support organization invests in CAHS research Chandramohan Wakade (PT) has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the CSRA Parkinson Support Group for his study “GPR 109a up-regulation in PD brain.” Mary Ann Navarro, the organization’s Grant Committee Chair, remarked on Mohan’s enthusiasm for his work and how it could impact Parkinson’s research.
Making a difference – former faculty member pays it forward Six of our CAHS students recently learned they were among this year’s beneficiaries of one faculty member’s remarkable foresight: Brittany Clark, Sydni McClintock, and Mallorie Shaw from Radiation Therapy, Rachel Renard and Kaitlin Westfall from Occupational Therapy, and Michelle O’Brien from Physical Therapy, have each received scholarships from the Kamla Shah Foundation. Dr. Kamla Shah was Professor and Chief of Radiation Oncology at MCG and Director of the Georgia Radiation Oncology Center until her retirement in 1998. During her employment, she created the Kamla Shah Foundation to provide scholarship support for students at the Medical College of Georgia and the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences and Nursing. Since 2007, multiple annual awards up to $1,000 have been given primarily to students in need. Dr. Shah’s philanthropy is a wonderful example of what one individual can do!
An artful assembly of awards and recognition Amanda Behr (MI) was inducted as a Fellow of the Association of Medical Illustrators in July at the organization’s 68th annual conference in Salt Lake City in recognition of her extensive service and leadership in the profession. Many of our medical illustration students, faculty and alumni received awards and honors: • Nucleus Medical Media, Inc., owned by Ron Brandon (‘71) and Keith Pavlik (‘91): Award of Merit, Animation Didactic/Instructional—Non-commercial category, for “Anatomy of the Heart” • Jennifer Darcy (‘04): Award of Merit, Medical Legal category, for “Severe Leg Trauma and Resulting Surgeries.” Jennifer’s piece was created for AMICUS Visual Solutions, a medical legal exhibits company owned in part by alumna Asha Kays (‘01). • Jennifer Darcy, Paul Kim (‘11), Emily Ullo Steigler (‘06), and Sarah Taylor (‘12), with faculty member Amanda Behr: Award of Merit, Illustrated Text (Book) category, for “Reconstructive Surgery of the Lower Extremity” • iSO-Form, LLC, owned in part by Nick Klein (‘09) and Andrew Swift (‘99): Award of Excellence, Interactive Media Didactic/Instructional—Non-commercial category, for “BoneBox™ – Spine” and Members’ Choice Award, New Media for “Interactive Head & Neck Anatomy” 14
• Thomas Direct Studios, managed and staffed by Bradon Pletsch (‘03), Michelle Peterson (‘08), Tristan Cummings (‘08), Paul Kim, and Sarah Brooks (‘11): two Awards of Merit, Animation Didactic/Instructional—Non-commercial category, for “Prostate Cancer Awareness” and “Cellex® Procedure Overview.” • Will McAbee (’13): Award of Merit, Editorial category, for “The World’s Smallest Heart Pump,” a journal cover illustration • Tasha Obrin (’14): Award of Merit, Didactic/Instructional Anatomical/Pathological category, for “Shaken Baby Syndrome,” a didactic illustration • Jamie Rippke (’13): Student Best of Show, New Media Award and Award of Excellence, Interactive category, for “The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldoseterone System,” a multimedia-infused iBook
Publications Physical Therapy faculty & students garner multiple publication placements Abiodun Akinwuntan (PT) and students in the DPT program have had a manuscript accepted for publication in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the most highly cited journal in the rehabilitation field. “Improvement of Driving Skills in Persons with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study” was co-authored by Hannes Devos (PT), Kelly Baker (‘13), Michelle Manley (‘13), Kendra Phillips (‘13), Vibha Kumar (HMI), Suzanne Smith (Neurology), and former GRU Assistant Professor Mitzi Joi Williams (Neurology). Scott Hasson (PT) is co-author of two recently published articles: “Gait Speed Improves During Physical Therapy in General Acute Care, Skilled Nursing, and Inpatient Rehabilitation – a Pilot Study,” in the Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy; and “Clinical Assessment of Ankle Plantarflexor Spasticity in Adult Patients After Stroke: Inter- and Intrarater Reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale,” in Brain Injury. Malorie Novak’s (PT) manuscript “Measuring Health Professions Students’ Orientation Toward Lifelong Learning,” co-authored by Christie Palladino (MCG), Brittany Ange (MCG), and Deborah Richardson (Faculty Development), will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Allied Health. Malorie’s submission “DREAM: Critical Synthesis Package of Jefferson Scale of Physician Lifelong Learning” has been accepted by MedEdPortal Publications (http://go.gru.edu/1awxpKN), and she will also make a platform presentation, “Physical Therapist Students’ Orientation Toward Lifelong Learning,” at the American Physical Therapy Association’s 2014 Combined Sections Meeting in Las Vegas in February.
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Outreach & Service It rained - no, it poured - but spirits were not dampened The second annual Augusta Area Asthma Camp, organized by Kitty Hernlen (RT), was held on what might have been the wettest week of a very wet summer, but that did not deter our volunteer respiratory therapy students from providing a wonderful, safe camp experience for area children with asthma. The free camp was again held at Camp Tanglewood in Columbia County and offered swimming (in the pool, not in the lake that overflowed!), hiking, games, sports, arts and crafts, and asthma education to nearly 60 children age 6-13. Truly a community effort, additional volunteers RT student Pam Usher and camper included Richmond County school nurses, private David Wright share a moment physicians, Georgia Regents Medical Center respiratory therapists, members of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Asthma Management Program and the CSRA Asthma Awareness Coalition.
Respiratory Therapy students Kelley Flynn (from left), Rachel Goodwin, Jancy Neville, Jennifer Whitman, and Melanie O’Connor during a dry moment at this year’s Augusta Area Asthma Camp 16
Growing our own – future scientists explore research at sickle cell camp For a third year, CAHS hosted an overnight science and leadership camp in July for teenagers with sickle cell disease. The free, week-long GRU Future Scientists Camp, based in the Department of Occupational Therapy under the guidance of Robert Gibson, let the teens get hands-on as they learned to suture, do ultrasounds, perform research, and conduct a stress reduction experiment. The experience included visits to research labs, the simulation lab, and several hospital locations such as Gamma Knife and Angiography. They learned about health sciences careers and transitioning to adult health care, and even created a public service announcement featuring freestyle rap and beatbox aimed at fellow teens.
CAHS faculty and students help screen migrant workers at health fair Allied Health Sciences students and faculty joined colleagues from the Colleges of Nursing, Dental Medicine, and Medical College of Georgia at the 8th Annual Costa Layman Health Fair July 19 in Trenton, S.C., where approximately 350 nursery employees received free health assessments in less
Just a few of the many CAHS faculty and students who took part in the 89th annual Costa Layman Health Fair than five hours. CAHS stations included hand/grip strength, body mechanics and proper lifting and bending, and pulmonary function testing. The event has become engrained in the culture of Costa Layman, one of the largest perennial farms in the United States. It serves as an excellent example of intercollegiate collaboration for the good of our community. 17
Our thanks to Andrew Mazzoli (RT), who has worked with the health fair for many years, and his colleagues: fellow RT faculty members Art Taft and Hannah Beriault; RT students Ashleigh Bellamy, Antuan Harris, Luna Kahsay, Ashley Miller, Musi Nde, Christopher Partridge, Stephanie Rountree, Grace Shin, Jonathan Stanford, Steven Wilson, Talicia Wilson, and Chimere Woodall; and faculty members Mariana D’Amico (OT), Lori Bolgla (PT), Miriam Cortez-Cooper (PT), and Craig Cooper (Kinesiology).
PT volunteers make a difference close to home – right next door Faculty and students from the Department of Physical Therapy now volunteer weekly at the LaneyWalker community clinic operated by Christ Community Health Services. PT students gain valuable experience while helping patients, many of whom would not otherwise have access to therapy. Faculty member Janet Tankersley and second-year students Leah Finney and Katie Hodges were featured in the organization’s May newsletter. Read more here: http://go.gru.edu/1cYGGZn. PT students also have been participating in the on-going Laney-Walker revitalization project. Under the guidance of Miriam Cortez-Cooper, students measured the physical activity of residents in Ervin Towers and found they had little opportunity for recreation. As a result, a group of Boy Scouts led by Miriam’s son Josh installed a shuffleboard court, full and practice horseshoe pits, benches, and landscaping for residents of the senior public housing project. A win all around!
Fulbright Scholar returns to his roots … As this newsletter was being finalized, Abiodun Akinwuntan departed for his homeland of Nigeria where, as a Fulbright Foreign Scholar, he will introduce the latest methods in physical therapy education and research to students and faculty in the College of Medicine at the University of Lagos. Safe travels, ‘Biodun!
What’s new with YOU? Alumni, please send news of your actvities and accomplishments to alumni@gru.edu and/or shwalls@gru.edu for publication in News & Notes and in the GRU alumni magazine, Gravity.
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Alumni Medical Ilustration alumnus wins international competition Paul Kim (’11) has won the first-ever 2013 Netter Illustration Contest, which challenged medical illustrators around the world to create an original illustration for the next edition of “Atlas of Human Anatomy,” a textbook used in GRU’s gross anatomy courses. Thirty-seven entries from nine countries vied for the $5,000 prize. Paul’s winning entry can be seen at http://go.gru.edu/17kGEZI.
Alumnus knows there’s always something new to learn Anne Wise Fulcher (‘79 Radiologic Technologies) received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of South Carolina Aiken in May and was inducted to the Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honors Society. During her 30-plus-year career as an ultrasound technician, Alice taught OB/GYN ultrasound to MCG students and served as a clinical instructor.
Recent OT alumnus featured in AJC newspaper Shannon Morin (‘11 Occupational Therapy) was featured in an Atlanta Journal Constitution story in August for her volunteer work in Jamaica with Therapy Missions, an organization that helps impoverished adults and children with disabilities improve their quality of life. Read more at http://http://go.gru.edu/15JdkJj. Shannon and Lindsey Merrick (‘14) are the driving force behind the department’s upcoming Study Abroad trip.
Obituary Mary Lynn Jordan (‘84 Respiratory Therapy), of Stockbridge, Ga., died June 25 at age 51. Mary Lynn, a cum laude graduate, worked as an RRT for 18 years at Children’s Health Care of Atlanta.
Make a note! Submission deadline for the November issue is October 18. 19
Calendar September 9 GRU Faculty Senate Meeting 12 GRU Diversity and Inclusion Summit www.gru.edu/diversity/summit/ 14 GRU Day of Service gru.edu/about/dayofservice.php 17-18 GRU Innovation Summit gru.edu/oic/is13/ 26-27 Southern Translational Education and Research Conference www.rxugace.com/star 28 GRU Family Day
October 2 GRU EII Health Sciences Education Grand Rounds co-sponsored by CAHS go.gru.edu/1cYFVzK 9 Georgia Life Sciences Summit go.gru.edu/17Q60vo 17 CAHS Dean’s Seminar Series with Dr. David Satcher gru.edu/alliedhealth/seminars/ 23-25 ASAHP Fall Conference www.asahp.org/annual_conf.htm
November 15 GRU EII Health Sciences Education Grand Rounds featuring Lynn Jaffe (OT) go.gru.edu/14FAj81
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Just one more
Barbara Russell mans the CAHS booth at the first annual GRU Connections Expo in August at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
Please send information about student, faculty, staff, and alumni news, including community and outreach events; appointments; program and membership updates; grants, awards and publications; alumni activities; and your newsletter comments, suggestions and ideas to the editor: Sharron Walls EC-3408 706-721-7955 shwalls@gru.edu
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