LECOM Connection Fall 2018

THE

LECOM

ONNECTION

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine FALL 2018

AMERICA HOOKED ON OPIOIDS: HOW LECOM IS JOINING THE FIGHT

rise

Let us not be tamed and subdued by unfortunate events, rather let us research, rally, and

In reflecting upon the many, varied, and profoundly purposed accomplishments that LECOM has achieved in only a quarter century, it is clear that the institution is an undeniable protagonist in shaping and in advancing the pivotal essence of medical education and healthcare. As the challenges of a new era and of a rapidly transforming health arena present themselves, LECOM steps forward, time and again, with innovative and with well-conceived stratagems to respond to the ever-changing

needs of our time. That foundation of resultsdriven service rooted in superlative education has formed the core of all that is LECOM. Great leaders recognize that it takes a great team to be successful. Thus, the prudent visionary leads from a place of influence rather than from a place of authority. From this vantage point comes the positive impact upon the community and upon the world. Proving that one's deeds are one’s monuments, LECOM has demonstrated consistently that

greatness lies not in being strong or large, but in the right use of that strength and power.

In the pages that follow come the forward thinking measures undertaken by the only osteopathic academic health center in the nation as it seeks to confront one of the weightiest problems of a generation – The Opioid Epidemic. Read about the genesis of a crisis that has gripped the nation and about the way in which osteopathic medicine is best equipped to combat this scourge.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine 1858 West Grandview Blvd.

Erie, PA 16509 (814) 866-6641 • www.lecom.edu

above them – Washington Irving

Learn also about a new Medical Arts Building that will house the Corry Rural Health Clinic to offer to the community exceptional primary care and specialty physician services. Join in the journey to read about such new LECOM projects that will further enhance and transform healthcare in the region and beyond.

From the many achievements of our scholars with their innovative projects and undertakings, to the import of scholarly aptitude that LECOM is advancing across

the nation, from the ground breaking treatments being used by our alumni, to the new LECOM alliances created in the community and beyond, we invite you to share with us our prodigious purpose.

In each LECOM Connection, we welcome you, the reader, to explore the way in which LECOM has remained ever true to its glorious mission.

John M. Ferretti, DO President/CEO Marlene D. Mosco Chair of the Board of Trustees Silvia M. Ferretti, DO Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs Hershey Bell, MD, MS (MedEd) Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the School of Pharmacy Mathew J. Bateman, PhD, DHEd Dean of the School of Dental Medicine Mark Kauffman, DO, MS (MedEd), PA Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Bradenton Pierre Bellicini Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Eric Nicastro Assistant Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Stephanie Bruce Communications and Marketing Specialist Joel Welin Communications and Marketing Specialist, Bradenton Rebecca A. DeSimone, Esquire Chief Writer, Editor-in-Chief

The LECOM Connection invites you to contribute to our publication. If you have news of alumni achievements, research or student activities, please contact the Communications & Marketing Department, at (814) 866-6641, or email communications@lecom.edu.

John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO 04 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

A Call to Action, A Call to Service – LECOM Confronts the Opioid Crisis It can be said that every generation faces a call to action. That assertion is true perhaps most evidently to those of us who serve in the arena of medicine. Consider the infamous bubonic plague pandemic that swept through Europe during the late Middle Ages killing a third of the human population; the battlefield injuries and disproportionate deaths that resulted from the War to End all Wars in the early 1900s, or the ensuing devastation of a Second World War less than two decades later that would transform generations to come.

Through all of these vicissitudes, physicians have labored tirelessly to lessen pain, to heal, and to restore health.

events are best combated by a clear and methodical application of our most powerful resources – our superlative educational prowess and our adroitly honed medical expertise. For a quarter century, LECOM has stood at the forefront of cutting-edge and innovative education, focused always upon exceptionalism.

As medical professionals, we face now at this moment in history another call to action as the American health system faces considerable challenges in delivering chronic pain relief and behavioral health care to populations besieged by an opioid crisis. Millions of Americans have a diagnosable mental health condition, and rates of severe depression are worsening among youth. Drug overdose deaths fueled by opioid misuse are skyrocketing, having more than tripled during the last two decades.

In 2017, the federal government declared the opioid abuse epidemic “a public health emergency.”

LECOM encourages an interprofessional approach to combat the crisis by implementing programs and campaigns that broaden awareness of that which constitutes addiction. By educating students and citizenry to become familiar with the systems in place to combat opioid abuse and misuse, LECOM is moving forward with resolve to better our communities, our region, and our nation as a whole.

The Founders at LECOM recognize that the moments that underpin such tumultuous

By developing an inner resilience, a dynamic will, and a determination to persevere through all trials and travails with an attitude of optimism and of affirmation, LECOM is committed to assisting in the battle to tackle this epidemic of modernity.

From supporting crisis task forces, conducting meetings for research, and educating LECOM students about the agencies with which they will interface, LECOM has placed itself in the vanguard of this vital cause.

The state-of-the-art LECOM Behavioral Health Center works in concert with the vast LECOM Health nexus to comprehensively address community crisis needs, bringing to bear the full measure of integrated medicine and osteopathic treatment protocols.

LECOM educators know that a thorough medical understanding and awareness extends beyond a mastery of the training programs to the sincere devotion to the service of others and to the assiduous endurance in the attainment of those ends.

The pages that follow will highlight many LECOM programs and educators who inspire, encourage, and lead in this profound purpose.

The opioid battle of this new age is a complex one. The true milestones in this struggle are not prepossessing, for they are the silent voices that strike within each person a chord of truth, of worth, and of Providence.

Each life is measured by these. As medical professionals, each life will be filled with moments – times when a patient looks to his physician with thankful eyes or when a crucial medical judgment proves decidedly fruitful for another.

LECOM is creating healing opportunities for each community in which our cornerstone is found.

LECOM educators understand that there are no shortcuts to any place that is worth going. On this journey of osteopathic medical training, purpose and trepidation cannot be friends, for where one begins, the other one ends. The leadership at LECOM has oft advised its scholars never to allow challenging circumstances in life to serve as an excuse for not moving forward.

Throughout all aspects of the medical training programs at LECOM, scholars are called to recognize that the cause of service to others is central to finding that core-felt voice, for a genuine care for others must become as a habit, so ingrained within the human state, that it is stronger than the desire to rest. Truly, in this battle of this twenty-first century, we are called to such action. For excellence is not a singular act, rather it is a habit through which those who seek to help others find an everincreasing confidence and peace.

Once one discovers those core principles and holds fast to them, there are few calamities that cannot be conquered.

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IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE

05

Message from the President

08 The American

Opioid Epidemic Four Pillars of LECOM

07

Credos of Our Calling - Prudence

13

LECOM Earns Accreditation to Expand at Elmira College

14

LECOM Health Partners in New Venture

15

New Corry Medical Arts Building

16

White Coat Ceremony

18

LECOM Pharmacy Student Plants Seeds of Wisdom in Washington, D.C.

20

LECOM and Goodwill Partner to Assist Defenders of American Freedom

21

Sportsmanship and Skill Highlight Third Year of LECOM Health Challenge

22

LECOM Alumnus Performs Critical Surgery Using Breakthrough Treatment

24

Classical Cellists Rock Audiences

26

LECOM Hearts Pour Out in Remembrance of Scholar-Athlete

DEPARTMENTS 28

Community is Our Campus

31 Student, Faculty, and Alumni Notes

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is to prepare students to become osteopathic physicians, pharmacy practitioners, and dentists through programs of excellence in education, research, clinical care, and community service to enhance the quality of life through improved health for all humanity. The professional programs are dedicated to serve all students through innovative curriculum and the development of postdoctoral education and interprofessional experiences.

06 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

CREDOS OF OUR CALLING

Prudence•

For many people, the goals accompanying the New Year are focused upon diets, exercise, and weight loss. Some individuals choose to take up a hobby or to focus anew upon personal improvement projects.

Whatever the specific resolution, most of these endeavors are centered upon self-improvement.

Attendant to the whole-body philosophy as championed by LECOM and with a view toward actively implementing the Credos of Our Calling, resolution makers of 2019 may wish to gaze less into the mirror and more into the spirit and soul in determining the goals for the year ahead.

As important as it is that one cares for one’s body and learns new skills in the months that follow, it is similarly important that one cultivates one’s character.

Current society finds virtues that have been shorn or dismissed utterly, leaving many to search for meaning in a culture that increasingly encourages individuals toward hedonistic ends. LECOM encourages

its medical professionals to eschew such trends. Prudence is, perhaps, one of the most unrecognized and misunderstood of all virtues. The full meaning of the word is rarely contemplated.

Prudence is derived from the Greek word phronesis and it describes the most central and vital of the virtues. According to Aristotle, virtues are attended by two corresponding vices: one of excess and one of deficiency. The virtue of courage, for example, avoids the vice of cowardice on the one hand, and the vice of brazenness or recklessness on the other. It lies within two extremes.

According to Aristotle, a habit must be learned to sculpt the soul and the mind. Prudence comes only through practice and repetition. Just as one cannot successfully run a marathon unless one trains daily, one cannot become virtuous in exercising prudence absent intended striving.

A prudent person must be able to navigate and to avoid the vices of the extreme. Thus, prudence is essential to forming a balanced character.

One must know the way in which to exercise balanced judgment. An intellectual virtue, prudence exists as the fulcrum upon which the other virtues are balanced. It is essential to one who is tasked with the noble mission of caring for others and wholly indispensable to the medical professional.

In this sense, too, LECOM demonstrates the important particularity of this virtue as it encourages the exercise of prudence within practice and community, for the betterment of the patient and the citizenry.

In any given New Year, a virtue such as prudence is the missing puzzle piece in one’s quest for self-improvement. A focus upon the outer trappings of success may lead one to ignore a deeper, more fulfilling result.

Thus, whether the goal is that of maintaining a healthful weight, cultivating a stimulating hobby, or honing self-improvement, one also must turn one’s eyes toward developing the sorts of virtues that will carry a fuller meaning in 2019 and beyond. For this reason, Prudence is the Credo of Our Calling.

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The American Opioid Epidemic – it is a loathsome moniker that causes the hearts of most countrymen to sink in despair. The pervasive scourge now is considered to be the deadliest drug addiction crisis in the history of this nation with drug overdoses being listed as the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50.

The Genesis The first stirrings, the seeds that once planted propagated into a seemingly unstoppable and ubiquitous forest of darkness, began in the 1990s, when doctors and healthcare providers began to face pressure to treat chronic pain in a much more active and aggressive manner.

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In 1995, the President of the American Pain Society, James Campbell, M.D., commented that pain is “the fifth vital sign.” During his Annual Presidential Address, he insisted that healthcare providers take a more aggressive approach to minimizing pain by prescribing Opioid Pain Relievers (OPR). Also in 1995, the release of the OPR, OxyContin, produced by Purdue Pharma, led to a major increase in opioid use and furthered the aggressive pain treatment methodology.

The Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999 (PRPA) brought the federal government into the pain management field. Backed by the American Medical Association, the PRPA amended the Controlled Substance Act to promote pain management and palliative care. It accepted controlled substances as a means of alleviating pain and discomfort. Further, the PRPA endorsed these measures as having a legitimate medical purpose

FEATURE

The American Opioid Epidemic How LECOM is Joining the Fight even in cases where the use of these drugs may have the effect of increasing the risk of death.

Advocates of this paradigm began to vigorously urge physicians to treat chronic pain with the long-term use of opioids, such as OxyContin. Not surprisingly, subsequent years found an increase in the use of opioids to treat acute pain in hospitalized patients. A United States Centers for Disease Control study found that from 2009 to 2010, physicians prescribed opioids in more than 50 percent of 1.14 million nonsurgical hospital admissions.

Concurrently, pharmaceutical companies found a new niche in marketing – eagerly offering such medications to medical providers, assuring the physician that they would not cause harm and that they were non-addictive.

A Justice Department report suggests that executives of Purdue Pharma were aware of the rampant abuse of OxyContin years before they admitted that fact, but that they continued to market the drug as less addictive than drugs offered by their competitors.

Following this external push, physicians began prescribing opioids at increasing rates. The United States Centers for Disease Control noted that by 2015, enough pills were being prescribed to medicate every American around-the-clock for three weeks.

Despite the assurances to the contrary by pharmaceutical companies, opioids are extremely addictive. Indeed, studies show that patients who were issued longer-lasting prescriptions were most likely to become addicted. Increasingly, opioids began to be misused by the people to whom they were prescribed. According to the National Survey on Drug @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 09

Use and Health, nearly half of those who misused prescription opioids obtained the medications from family or friends without a prescription.

The Reaction

During the ensuing years, physicians have faced public outcry for overprescribing. Many would write prescriptions when they were otherwise unnecessary; some would write prescriptions that covered weeks-long supplies when merely a few pills would have sufficed.

Opioid companies aggressively marketed their products to physicians with some organizations hosting lavish informational dining events with the drug sales representative and the physician’s support staff and friends, but with no licensed prescriber in attendance who could properly probe the workings of the drug.

The reaction to the rampant opioid dilemma resulted in an overt push for access to addiction treatment, including medication-assisted treatment such as methadone. The federal government responded by enacting the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), the most expensive federal legislation to date for addiction support services. The Act designated $80 million toward advancing and improving access to treatment and recovery support services across the nation.

The crisis burgeoned as prescription opioids became increasingly difficult to obtain legally. Restrictions upon excessive prescribing and enhanced law enforcement efforts stemmed the tide of unrestrained prescription writing. Those in the grasp of addiction sought alternatives and cheaper options; some turned to the black market for fentanyl or heroin.

Fentanyl, used by patients to relieve severe chronic pain, is a strong anesthetic and it is more potent than heroin or morphine. During the last several years, it has come to be manufactured and sold illicitly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, from 2010 to 2015, annual overdose deaths involving opioids increased nearly 57 percent, largely due to the spike in use of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Nearly 80 percent of Americans now using heroin noted that they first misused prescription opioids.

On the House side, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman, Greg Walden (R-Ore.) sought to pass multiple enforcement and patient safety bills aimed at battling the epidemic, including one bill that would give the Drug Enforcement Administration power to stem the tide of fentanyl crossing the southern border of the United States.

The two-year budget that recently passed through Congress included $6 billion in funding to deal with the crisis.

President Donald Trump declared the crisis a Public Health Emergency and his 2019 budget includes $17 billion to address the epidemic.

The FDA Commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, noted that "The number of prescriptions being written is still too high."

While all of the chaos of causation looms, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed by governments and by others against opioid companies. A move to consolidate the cases is underway in an attempt to reach a massive settlement agreement. The hope is that an agreement would not only restrict marketing from opioid companies, but also would engender a financial settlement that would pay for addiction treatment across the nation in an attempt to assist in reversing the opioid crisis.

The Role of Leaders in Osteopathic Medicine Ever in the vanguard and prepared to address one of the most pressing and pivotal issues in a generation, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is aggressively challenging the epidemic of opioid misuse.

As the only osteopathic academic health center in the nation and the largest medical school in America, LECOM is uniquely positioned to address vigorously this serious issue.

The philosophy and underpinnings of osteopathic medical treatment eschew the rampant or unbridled use of medication, indeed seeking the controlled adherence to any prescriptive offerings. Integrative treatments and whole-body assessment and comprehensive care form the hallmark of the osteopathic paradigm.

It is wholly understandable and fitting that one would turn to the field of osteopathic medicine to address issues of chronic pain and to avoid the pitfalls of overprescribing.

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FEATURE LECOM is supporting new research and treatment options for patients and healthcare providers across the region and beyond.

LECOM researchers are steeped in a profoundly scientific approach to advancing applicable investigations into the genesis of opioid abuse and practical solutions to combat it. LECOM faculty are committed to education and to clinical care, thus ensuring a sound and deeply honed knowledge base. Moreover, the influence of the vast LECOM Health nexus upon health care extends well beyond the region and state, into each corner of the nation where LECOM campuses and alumni are located. Mobilizing these resources in an effort to stem the advancement of this deadly epidemic, LECOM stands committed to the betterment of humanity.

Prescription opioids often are used to treat chronic and acute pain and, when used appropriately, such medications can be an important component of treatment. However, serious risks are associated with their use, including opioid addiction, overdoses, and death.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania and Florida, where LECOM has campuses, are among the states most affected by the opioid epidemic; a nationwide dilemma that continues to burgeon.

From 1999 to 2016, more than 200,000 people died in the United States from overdoses related to prescription opioids. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids were five times higher in 2016 than in 1999; and Pennsylvania consistently is listed near the top of that loathsome category with Florida following closely.

Research to improve understanding of opioid addiction and its treatment is ongoing in departments across the LECOM campuses, and some of this research and brand new programs are resulting in a broader impact.

LECOM is addressing the crisis with a multiple-pronged approach.

Phase One – Planning for an Opioid Response More than a year ago, Silvia Ferretti DO, LECOM Provost, Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, identified a need that could be readily addressed by LECOM and she put into motion a LECOM Opioid Response Task Force. The goal of the Task Force was to develop an interprofessional curriculum delivered to LECOM students across all programs – osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and dental. The Task Force also sought to develop the same type of program for healthcare professionals through Continuing Medical Education (CME).

The program also was developed for lay persons – those individuals who are interested in Substance Use Disorder (SUD), commonly known as the “opioid crisis.” The curriculum addresses a host of key elements, including that which constitutes SUD, the way in which it is treated, and most important, the way in which it can be prevented.

The original Task Force completed its mission in November of 2017, offering pertinent recommendations as to the structure of the curriculum. A second LECOM Opioid Response Task Force, under the leadership of Jonathon Coffman, PhD, was organized to design and to implement the curriculum.

Recognizing that the old standard was not sufficient to address properly the current crisis; and further contemplating the fact that the very protocols in place may have contributed to the increase in SUD, LECOM set out to implement an innovative and restrained approach.

Eschewing the teachings found in medical articles from decades past – those that called for physicians to prescribe more pain medications LECOM embraced the true osteopathic philosophy as it has broken new ground.

The Task Force devised an interprofessional membership that includes staff and faculty from osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, dental, law, law enforcement security, and behavioral health. LECOM intends that the curriculum be fully in place by the 2019-20 Academic Year.

Phase Two – Infusing the Opioid Response into the Curriculum With federal funding in place to assist opioid-related programs, Dr. Coffman further developed the new curriculum, using resources to train physicians to better understand SUD and to treat patients with pain medication, while concurrently preventing severe withdrawal as patients are removed from treatment.

The Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) expands the clinical context of medication-assisted opioid dependency treatment.

Qualified physicians are permitted to dispense or to prescribe specifically approved Schedule III, IV, and V narcotic medications (medications that have a lower risk for abuse, like Buprenorphine) in settings other than an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) such as a methadone clinic. OTPs provide Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for people diagnosed with an opioid-use disorder.

In order to prescribe or to dispense Buprenorphine, physicians must qualify for a physician waiver, which includes completing eight hours of required training and applying for a physician waiver. Dr. Coffman recognized this program as a fundamental training platform that can be included in the LECOM student’s course of pre-clinical training. Thus, each LECOM graduate will be pre-qualified for the waiver and better prepared to properly battle the opioid dilemma.

Dr. Coffman applied to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for a grant to offset the cost of developing the curriculum and for managing the LECOM MedicationAssisted Opioid Dependency Treatment Training.

SAMHSA is the agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. The SAMHSA mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness upon American communities. After reviewing the LECOM grant proposal, SAMHSA approved nearly $450,000 to develop and to operate the LECOM training program over the next three years.

Through the diligent effort and dedication of Dr. Coffman, the first objective – that of establishing a LECOM training program for physicians

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FEATURE

crisis. This group seeks to carry the opioid training and its comprehensive understanding beyond the first two years of student medical education. A new Task Force is underway to seek further resources and grant funding that will support educational programs during student clinical training that occurs outside of the classroom – in hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, and in dental practices.

This mission includes implementing courses into Continuing Medical Education (CME) for practicing healthcare professionals, and also introducing attendant programs into the public education system from preschool through secondary school.

Further potential exists for a LECOM/AHN partnership to advance research into the functional effects of opioids, addressing risk factors and population trends. With the legalization of medical marijuana in the state of Pennsylvania, LECOM became one of the Pennsylvania medical colleges approved to conduct research into the effectiveness of cannabis treatment. Similar viability research and probative explorations exist with regard to opioid studies. to obtain a DATA waiver – has been achieved. This triumph will serve to increase the number of physicians prescribing Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Beginning in 2019, the program will train LECOM Health physicians in this critical arena with a goal of reaching 90% of those physicians through Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses.

The second objective in the implementation of the curriculum is to increase the number of Buprenorphine prescribers in Pennsylvania and in Florida by requiring all medical and dental students enrolled at the LECOM College of Medicine (COM) to complete the training requirements for the DATA waiver, including at least eight (8) hours of training, as integrated into the medical curriculum.

The final objective of the curriculum success is to develop and to implement a LECOM community-based educational program designed for a variety of audiences and populations. Behavioral healthcare providers, social services professionals, legal and law enforcement professionals, first responders, and educators ultimately will reap the benefit of the purposeful curriculum.

Phase Three – Reaching Beyond the First Two Years of LECOM Student Clinical Training As part of the process of developing and expanding the SUD curriculum, LECOM is working with individuals from Highmark and from Allegheny Health Network (AHN) to develop the response to the opioid

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As these educational programs develop further, the planners will focus upon the most effective practices, and they will identify gaps in current education, diagnosis, and treatment. For example, is there a need for a behavioral risk assessment tool? Should LECOM create a simple and standardized tool for physicians to help them identify people with risks of developing SUD? How does the medical community address those who never have experienced SUD, but after undergoing surgery and after receiving narcotic pain killers, they now become addicted? With a growing older population, a new risk is developing – that is increasing the trend toward SUD. The LECOM Institute for Successful Aging recently received federal funding as part of the LIGHT Grant to study SUD among the elder population.

The osteopathic philosophy is poised to best address this opioid crisis as LECOM advances the benefit of integrative medicine and the value of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatments to relieve pain post-operatively.

Throughout American history men and women have toiled together to build the greatest nation on earth. Indeed, the American Opioid Crisis, rampant and widespread, presents a daunting challenge. Yet, LECOM understands that in times of such challenge our people have stood together proudly proclaiming strength, tenacity, and an unyielding and dogged determination to better the future. Great leaders recognize that it takes a great team to be successful. LECOM continues to lead from a place of influence, a place of integrity, of insight and of innovation.

With such profound leadership – America will succeed in overcoming its obstacles.

LECOM Earns Accreditation to Expand at Elmira College Since its convocation in 1993, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has played a definitive role in the educational excellence, purposeful service, and economic growth in each community in which it has come to lay a cornerstone. The same can be said in 2018, as a quarter century hence, LECOM has received approval to increase class size and to offer courses at Elmira College in Elmira, New York. LECOM President and CEO, John M. Ferretti, DO and Elmira College President, Charles W. Lindsay, PhD made the announcement jointly on September 17, 2018.

The Council on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of the American Osteopathic Association approved the opening of an additional LECOM location at Elmira College. The Elmira campus joins LECOM campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and in Bradenton, Florida.

Pending final approval by the New York Department of Education Board of Regents, LECOM expects to welcome the first Elmira medical students in July of 2020.

Dr. Ferretti explained that, “LECOM is extending medical education to the Elmira College campus to attract students who will fill the need for physicians in the Southern Tier and Western New York.” Upstate New York has a large, rural underserved population with a

critical shortage of physicians. Medical school graduates often continue their post-graduate training and establish residency in the same area in which they attend medical school.

LECOM has seen many of its graduates stay and practice near its campuses in northwest and southwest Pennsylvania and in southwest Florida.

In 1993, LECOM opened in Erie to train Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, adding the Florida campus in 2004 and the Greensburg campus in 2009. In addition to the College of Osteopathic Medicine, LECOM operates a School of Pharmacy, a School of Dental Medicine, and a School of Health Services Administration. LECOM has more than 4,100 students, and in just a few years, the Elmira College location will increase LECOM enrollment by more than 400 students.

Since 2012, LECOM has embraced the Southern Tier region, sending third-year and fourth-year medical students to the Arnot Health System and to surrounding hospitals for clinical education. “Our relationship with the Elmira medical community and with other affiliated hospitals throughout the region exposed LECOM students to quality training” said Richard Terry, DO, MBA, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for LECOM at Elmira.

“The affiliation demonstrated that LECOM could better serve the region by bringing all

four years of medical education to Elmira,” he noted.

Elmira College is a private, coeducational, Phi Beta Kappa college offering 30-plus majors, an honors program, 17 academic societies, and 20 Division III varsity teams. Founded in 1855, it was the first college for women with a course of studies equal in vigor to the best men’s colleges of the time. Elmira College became a co-educational institution in 1969.

Elmira College is affiliated with LECOM through the Early Acceptance Program (EAP). The Program allows select Elmira undergraduate students provisional acceptance to LECOM when they matriculate at Elmira College. Successful EAP students will be admitted to LECOM upon being graduated from Elmira College.

“We were pleased to learn of COCA approval for LECOM to build a medical school on the Elmira College campus,” said Dr. Lindsay, President of Elmira College. “We have worked closely with the LECOM team over the past couple of years to help bring this project to fruition. The LECOM presence in Elmira has great benefits for the city, and for Elmira College and for our students. A certain number of spots each year will be reserved for EC

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Officials from LECOM Health, Warren General Hospital (WGH), Highmark Health, and Allegheny Health Network (AHN) joined community leaders and hospital employees in late September of 2018, to celebrate the signing of an Affiliation Agreement that will strengthen and expand the services provided

by WGH. The multi-member affiliation will further enhance access to high-quality, high-value health services in the communities across Northwestern Pennsylvania.

As part of the Affiliation Agreement, the joint venture between AHN and LECOM Health will have a membership interest in WGH. WGH will receive support for capital investments and for community health reinvestment projects from LECOM Health, AHN, and from Highmark.

“After much due diligence, we selected partners who share the longstanding values of Warren General and of our commitment, both to high-quality medical care and to the promotion of overall community health,” stated WGH Board President, Carmen Ferranto, MPS. Rick Allen, President and CEO of Warren General Hospital noted, “We are thrilled to be moving forward in partnership with organizations that share our values and

commitment to excellence in patient care and in community focused service.”

Warren General Hospital will join AHN – Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie and Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, Pennsylvania as one of the LECOM Health-affiliated clinical campuses.

“In AHN, Highmark Health, and Warren General, we have found ideal partners who are committed to the highest standards of clinical care and medical education,” averred John Ferretti, DO, President and CEO of LECOM Health. “With this affiliation, our medical students will find yet another outstanding clinical environment in which to learn and to contribute to the overall health and well-being of our region,” noted Dr. Ferretti.

With an eye on the future health needs of the community, LECOM, AHN, and Highmark Health, will work with WGH to develop a medical education program that supports community care and one that is linked to a long term physician recruitment and retention strategy for the region.

As part of the Affiliation Agreement, WGH will be established as a clinical site for LECOM medical students, and WGH physicians and pharmacists will be afforded the opportunity to obtain adjunct faculty appointments with LECOM. WGH will provide

clinical clerkships for LECOM students in the areas of family medicine/primary care, emergency medicine, internal medicine/ hospitalist services, and in specialties such as gastroenterology, orthopedics, urology, and obstetrics/gynecology. The hospital also will work with LECOM to develop clerkships in other disciplines, such as in pediatrics and psychiatry.

“We look forward to Warren General physicians and pharmacists joining our adjunct faculty where they will provide LECOM students with the clinical experience that they need to become skilled and compassionate health care providers,” further explained Dr. Ferretti. “This venture offers an incredible opportunity for our institutions to collectively develop and to inspire the future medical leadership of Warren County,” he concluded.

LECOM ever has demonstrated that purpose is the reason that one takes the journey, and passion is the fire that lights the way. In reflecting upon the many accomplishments that LECOM has achieved throughout the decades, it is clear that the institution is an undeniable protagonist in shaping and in advancing the pivotal essence of medicine – that of community betterment. That foundation of purposeful service has formed the core of all that is LECOM – and this venture is yet another exemplar.

LECOM Health Partners with Warren General Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, and Highmark Health

IN NEW VENTURE

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LECOM Further Broadens Healthcare Reach with New Corry Medical Arts Building An official Groundbreaking Ceremony was held this fall for the Corry Memorial Hospital (CMH), an affiliate of LECOM Health. The new Corry Medical Arts Building (MAB) will house the Corry Rural Health Clinic. The eagerly anticipated new Rural Health Clinic will offer to the community exceptional primary care and specialty physician services.

Construction of the nearly 10,000 square-foot building began in early November and it is scheduled to be completed by June 2019.

The architectural fluidity of design will maintain consistency with LECOM Health standards, emulating the appearance of structures established on other LECOM clinical campuses. According to Jasen Diley, Vice President of LECOM Health, “The facility will enhance the exceptional quality already found at our modern hospital. The physicians will have access to better facilities, better equipment, benefiting the people of Corry and the surrounding communities that receive their care at CMH.” CMH President, Barbara Nichols, explained that the expansion has been contemplated for several years, envisioning an outgrowth of the new hospital. “The hospital would be the anchor and additional health-related facilities would be built around it,” she detailed. “We

made a decision to secure the presence of the hospital in the community and to further explore the development of a health and wellness community around it, and to enhance services for our patients,” stated Nichols.

Deeply appreciative of the LECOM lead in the pivotal project, Nichols furthered, “Great doctors are coming from LECOM and our practices are growing and becoming ever more impactful.”

Roth Marz Partnership designed the stateof-the-art Medical Arts Building to connect directly to, and to blend seamlessly with, CMH. The building features 22 examination/ treatment rooms and each room facilitates the physician’s ability to provide an exceptional environment for healthcare delivery to the patient. The multi-disciplinary Clinic will provide a broad spectrum of care, including OB-GYN, Orthopedic Surgery, Endocrinology, General Surgery, Urology, Podiatry, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, and Family Medicine.

Building Systems, Inc. has been retained as General Contractor to oversee the massive project.

The new building also will boast a multipurpose conference room that can be used for physician and patient consultations.

The conference room locale will serve as a

teaching center for LECOM students and for residents.

LECOM Health and CMH will employ 18 fulltime equivalent physicians and staff, with an annual payroll of 2.6 million dollars. CMH is investing 3.2 million dollars to construct and equip the Medical Arts Building.

Among the guests at the Ceremony were Pennsylvania Senator, Michelle Brooks; Pennsylvania Representative, Curt Sonney; Erie County Executive, Kathy Dahlkemper; Corry Mayor, David Mitchell; and Erie County Councilman, Scott Rastetter.

No longer will patients find it necessary to travel to multiple locations to receive needed services after a primary care or specialist visit.

Patients will be able to enter the hospital for needed imaging, lab work, and outpatient therapy as is often required after a visit to a physician.

Wisdom is knowing what to do, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it. LECOM has long personified this timehonored maxim. With superlative education, community service, and patient care ever as its mission, these sage attributes are emblematic of a champion of exceptionalism.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 15

CEREMONIAL TRADITION IS STRONG AS LECOM STUDENTS RECEIVE WHITE COATS

The long-held tradition of the White Coat Ceremony offers one of those golden moments that give rise to the swell of delight and pride. The event venerates one of the highlights of the college year as a commemoration of achievement. The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored custom at medical schools that serves as a ceremonial rite of passage – a pronouncement of a psychological contract that creates a bond of professionalism and compassion in the study and practice of medicine.

On September 8, 2018, medical and pharmacy students at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) marked their transition from classroom study to clinical education in separate ceremonies at the Warner Theatre, in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Nearly 600 first-year medical and pharmacy students received white coats during the dual ceremony celebration; an event that denotes the culmination of a triumphant experience for all of the first-year students who have prepared themselves academically and mentally for the challenges that lay ahead of them.

The annual event represented a formal welcome into the profession for 380 College of Medicine students and for 143 School of Pharmacy students. The Erie ceremonies were held at the Warner Theatre where a gathering of 600 family and friends viewed the ceremony for the School of Pharmacy.

The event featured an address to the Class of 2021 offered by Graham Garcia, PharmD, a Class of 2015 alumnus. Dr. Garcia now serves as a member of the LECOM faculty.

The White Coat Ceremony for the College of Medicine (Class of 2022) drew a gathering of almost 1200 guests. Highlights of that event included the Keynote Address offered

by Commander Thanh D. Hoang, DO, a 2004 LECOM graduate, now on the staff of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Also addressing the gathering was Pam Goldman, DO, PresidentElect of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA). Dr. Goldman, a member of the LECOM Class of 2006, will become the 108th President of POMA in May of 2019.

She was joined by the POMA Chief Executive Officer, Diana Ewert, as they ceremoniously presented a new stethoscope to each student.

Even though the moment may appear to serve as a capstone at LECOM to a year comprised of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and success, it also signifies a new beginning to commence with the total immersion of

16 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

heart, mind, and self into one of the noblest professions upon this earth.

was a member of the very first graduating class of LECOM at Seton Hill.

The white coat is a symbol of trust between doctor and patient; of empathy, and of the purity of purpose of the medical professional.

The first White Coat Ceremony at LECOM was convened in 1996; and each year hence, the ceremony recognizes the precious significance of training physicians in the combined attributes of medical knowledge and compassionate care. The two inextricably linked qualities – honed to perfection – result in the finest medically trained and caring medical professionals in society today.

In both ceremonies, students received their white coats and stethoscopes through the generosity of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA).

During the ceremonies, LECOM School of Pharmacy students and College of Medicine students pledged - in the presence of their families, faculty members, and peers - to uphold professionalism and competence within their respective practices.

As in the Erie celebration, receiving the white coat marks a pivotally important milestone for the Seton Hill campus students as they approach the completion of their first semester preparing to make the transition from pre-clinical education to more clinical, hands-on training. LECOM Bradenton holds its White Coat Ceremonies for the medical and pharmacy students in Florida in late January.

Whatever the season during which the estimable tradition is celebrated, the same holds true - the White Coat Ceremony serves always as an opportunity for first-year students to reaffirm the commitment that they made to become competent osteopathic physicians and pharmacists while, at the same time, endorsing the ever-present commitment of LECOM to provide the highest level of academic excellence and clinical training to help its students achieve these fine goals.

With the understanding that Providence directs the hands, hearts, and minds of the men and women wearing the white coats, these scholars soon will set forth to answer their noble calling and to offer their gifts to the larger communities in which they will serve.

The students now are prepared to embark upon the highest quality in medical education as they begin to work with physicians and pharmacists in clinical courses and practices where they will learn more about the ways in which they may partner with their patients upon a pathway to the betterment of health for all whom they serve.

LECOM at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, hosted its White Coat Ceremony on October 6, 2018, for its first-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students. That event was held in Greensburg, Pennsylvania at the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center. The Class of 2022 listened intently as Brett Adair, DO, Class of 2013, shared his words of wisdom. Dr. Adair @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 17

LECOM Pharmacy Student Plants Seeds of Wisdom in Washington, D.C. Robert Louis Stevenson drilled his readers not to judge each day by “the harvest that is reaped, rather by the seeds that are planted.”

Indeed, his words endure as important advice to second-year LECOM School of Pharmacy student, Relindis Mbah.

More than a decade ago, Mbah and her family left their West African nation of Cameroon to relocate to the United States.

Now, a pharmacy scholar at LECOM Erie, Mbah is committed to undertaking a battle against a disease over which she triumphed as a youngster, and one which continues to endanger the place of her birth.

As a youth in Cameroon, Mbah learned quickly about the dangers of Malaria. As a young child, Mbah was twice hospitalized after contracting the potentially deadly disease. Her family home had no protection against the mosquitoes that carried the Malaria parasite. A simple solution to repel the disease-carrying insects involved nothing more than the installation of treated netting across modes of insect access. Only the local hospital was fortunate enough to employ the use of such netting.

The shuddering experience and its echoing trauma remained foremost in Mbah’s mind as she found a better life in America.

18 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

The dedicated LECOM student is seeking to ensure that other children around the world do not face the dangers of Malaria. Mbah is an active team member of an organization known as Nothing But Nets (NBN). The group seeks to raise funds for its global grassroots campaign to raise awareness, resources, and voices to battle the scourge of Malaria.

Nearly half of the global population has a risk of contracting Malaria with most of the cases and deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

However, South-East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East also are at risk.

Malaria is transmitted to people through the bites of Anopheles Mosquitoes, which primarily bite at night and carry the life-threatening disease caused by the blood parasite, Plasmodium. According to NBN, across the globe, a child under five dies from the disease every two minutes. In 2015 (per the most recent data available), there were 212 million new cases of Malaria worldwide resulting in 429,000 deaths, 70% of which were small children.

“People in those parts of the world need a simple means of protection,” explained Mbah. “All it takes is specially-treated netting to repel the mosquitoes; this measure protects families while they sleep,” she noted. The NBN goal is to provide that protection to as many people as possible.

“I wanted to undertake a meaningful cause that is not only close to home, but also, close to my heart,” Mbah remarked.

Her first event - a basketball tournament -raised more than $1000 for NBN. “Ten dollars provides protection for a family of four,” Mbah explained. “That event helped more than 400 people battle the mosquitoborne disease,” she beamed. A bowling tournament raised $3,000 and it served to safeguard 1,200 people.

to offer a statement on-the-record in favor of United States support. On September 13, 2018, Congressman Thompson stood on the House Floor to deliver a full-throated endorsement for Nothing But Nets. “His comments about the Initiative were very positive and he lived up to his commitment to me,” Mbah averred. The LECOM student is hopeful that others will contact their representatives to further the project goals.

She has, as Mark Twain advised, “cast off the bowlines and sailed away from the safe harbor” of her adopted nation where she remembers others across the globe who may not enjoy the blessings or comforts that many Americans take for granted. In choosing such undertakings, she endeavors not simply to become an individual of success, rather to heed Albert Einstein’s advice to become an “individual of value.”

LECOM takes great pride in its scholars, who tasked with a noble mission to better the human condition, find lessons in their own lives from which they may help others.

Relindis Mbah is one such scholar.

Apothegms aside, LECOM lauds the efforts of this determined pharmacy student, confident that the seeds that she has planted from the trials of her past will bear a fruitful harvest.

Recently, with the help of United States Congressman, Glenn Thompson, Mbah’s mission, rooted in the seeds that were planted more than a decade ago in Cameroon, was taken to the floor of the United States House of Representatives.

Mbah had contacted Congressman Thompson (R-PA5), who represents eastern Erie County and much of north-central Pennsylvania, who found her message compelling.

“I spoke with him about access to funding for the President’s Malaria Initiative,” Mbah related. The Initiative has bipartisan support and it seeks to provide U.S. funding to global needs areas, an undertaking that fills the gaps where United Nations agencies fall short. “Past funding has led to new interventions that can eradicate the disease,” Mbah noted.

Representative Thompson was very receptive to the purposeful objectives and he agreed

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 19

of the LECOM-Goodwill partnership is to provide four dental outreach events at Goodwill locations. Establishing themselves at these four Goodwill locations, LECOM dental students will offer free dental hygiene education, screenings and materials to assist Goodwill employees, shoppers, donors, and the community at large.

The inaugural event, a Health Fair for Veterans and their families, took take place on August 31 at the Goodwill Veterans Services Program Office in Sarasota, Florida. The remaining Health Fairs are to be offered before the end of the year and they will take place at the Goodwill Arcadia Corporate Campus in Bradenton and at the Mecca Sarasota location. Each person meets with a LECOM student dentist for a 20-minute interview and then receives an exam, an assessment and treatment recommendations.

"Data has shown conclusively that too many in our region are not receiving sufficient dental care. Poor oral health can lead to an array of associated health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy complications, and dementia, among others," explained Shirley Parrado, Director of Outreach at LECOM. "LECOM students offer tens of thousands of hours each year to community service efforts.

We are proud to partner with Goodwill in order to provide dental care both for its employees and for its constituents," she stated.

LECOM and Goodwill Industries Partner to Assist the Defenders of American Freedom The parallel between medical practice and military service is found deep within the heart of the purposed core of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) through a commitment to scholarship, dedication, intense discipline, and selfless service. In addition to maintaining a rigorous course of study and to preparing for residency, students across the three LECOM campuses commit their time and skill to serving in the United States Armed Forces. With hundreds of medical students being graduated each year, many of those graduates choose to become military doctors.

LECOM takes great pride in its unabashed support of these leaders. Those who take up the

cause of military service in the field of medicine or on the field of battle, at home or abroad, serve with a selfless love of country.

It is unthinkable that men and women who wear the uniform would find themselves among the ranks of the homeless or living in conditions that cause them to be underserved medically.

With a keen focus upon dental outreach, the coming months will highlight a partnership between Goodwill Manasota and the LECOM School of Dental Medicine that will enable underserved community members to receive dental care at a reduced cost. The 2018 goal

20 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

Vice President of Mission Services for Goodwill echoed the shared purpose. "We are thrilled to be working with LECOM to help provide dental care at Goodwill locations," said Margie Genter.

Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading not-forprofit organization that changes lives through the power of work. Genter encouraged veterans and others in need to contact the Veterans Services Program Office.

LECOM has observed a continued need for dentists across the nation, including in Florida.

To help alleviate that shortage, LECOM has brought much-needed dental health care to Bradenton where third-year dental students train alongside licensed dentists. The presence of the LECOM Dental Clinic on the campus improves the oral health status of the community by providing comprehensive care and general dentistry for all ages.

LECOM applauds the first endeavor of the multi-event partnership as it supports the men and women in the service of our country.

Their dedication and discipline underpin the cornerstone of steadfast service to a grateful nation and their health and healthcare must ever be remembered.

SPORTSMANSHIP AND SKILL Highlight the Third Year of the LECOM Health Challenge The win caused Ledesma to advance sharply on the Money List from number 101 to number 24. The top 25 finishers on the Web. com Tour earn a PGA TOUR Card at the end of the season. Ledesma became the fifth rookie to win a tournament on the Tour this season and he became the fifteenth first-time Tour winner.

Three years ago, the Web.com Tour LECOM Health Challenge marked the welcome return of professional golf to Peek’n Peak. Since that time, professional golf fans from across the nation have been treated to outstanding golf at the premier resort destination for golf situated in the gently rolling hills of Western New York. The result and reception was no different this year as thrilling tournament play at the 2018 LECOM Health Challenge captured the multi-day event.

This summer, the excitement was at its pinnacle yet again as Argentinian rookie, Nelson Ledesma, claimed an unlikely victory with a 22-under par and 266 over the 72 holes of play.

Proceeds of $100,000 from the Web.com Tour event are awarded to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Student Scholarship Fund - which provides funds to deserving students to defray the burdensome cost of a medical education; to Mikey’s Way Foundation, a Buffalo-based philanthropy dedicated to providing free electronic devices to hospitalized children to serve as a much-needed distraction from longterm cancer treatments; to the Jamestown Community College (JCC) Student Scholarship Fund, which provides the necessary training and edification that the next generation of professionals requires to lead successful careers; and to The First Tee of Western New York, which encourages and inspires positive values and healthy choices in the next

generation of Western New York through the experience of golf.

LECOM endorses this tournament, viewing it as a way in which it may advance its mission of health and wellness to a broad audience.

There is no better way in which to highlight wellness than through the example of these young tour professionals who commit themselves to an extraordinary amount of work to achieve their career goals. Their drive, determination, and tireless devotion to a worthy goal offers a resounding parallel to the attributes displayed by LECOM students.

As the title sponsor of this enthralling sporting event and as the tournament once again propelled the LECOM Health Challenge into the global spotlight, LECOM underscores its steadfast commitment to educational advancement in support of its Student Scholarship Fund and fundraising endeavors that reinforce the noble calling of osteopathic medicine.

The 2019 LECOM Health Challenge will be held July 1-7, 2019.

Ledesma entered the week ranked at 101 on the regular season Money List for the Web. com Tour, and he simply was hoping to keep his card. He had missed a majority of the 14 cuts as he entered the LECOM Health Challenge event and he was in danger of falling out of the Tour.

Ledesma took to the first tee on Sunday, trailing the leader, Sebastian Munoz, by one shot. Ledesma moved into a tie for the lead on the second hole. He finished the round at 5-under par and without a single bogey – his third straight bogey-free round of the week.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 21

LECOM Alumnus Performs Critical Surgery Using Breakthrough Treatment In reflecting upon the many accomplishments that the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has achieved in its first quarter century, it is clear that the institution is an undeniable protagonist in shaping and in advancing the pivotal essence of medicine through the astute and exceptional physicians that it gives to the world.

That truism was evident yet again in the late summer, at the Indiana Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania, when Dr. R. Brandon Trale, one such LECOM alumni, performed a reduction of a hip fracture suffered by an 83-year-old man.

The surgery was critically needed as the patient, a retired mathematics teacher in the

Penns Manor Area School District, had fallen and broken the femoral neck portion of his hip. There was a one-in-three chance that the patient would be dead within a year if he had not been treated surgically within 48 hours of his injury. His was the most common form of hip fracture, but nonetheless a fracture that can disrupt the blood supply to the hip, causing complications, blood clots, or worse.

“This was not an elective procedure,” Dr. Trale noted, “as the patient had an increased risk of death.” The assiduously competent orthopedic surgeon performed a partial hip replacement. “The technical term is a bipolar hemiarthroplasty,” explained the 2009 LECOM graduate.

22 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

It was the event that occurred toward the end of the surgery that may have made history for Dr. Trale and for the Indiana Regional Medical Center. As Dr. Trale was closing the wound, he injected a solution on either side of the muscle.

The case of the Penns Manor teacher is part of an international trial being conducted for an Israeli company, Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. of Haifa, through multiple contractors including Antria, a Pennsylvania-based research company. Antria focuses upon the improvement of human life by advancing science through cutting-edge treatments and transforming health care through clinical research.

The teacher readily consented to the procedure as Dr. Trale explained to him that he would receive either a placebo saline solution or a solution that contained stem cells. The skilled surgeon called the event a “randomized controlled test,” with the patient being the first ever to participate in the trial.

The patient may have been the recipient of placental-derived stem cells meant to regenerate muscle tissue for a quicker recovery time. In April of 2018, Pluristem received United States Food and Drug Administration clearance for a Phase III study of its PLX-PAD Cell Therapy in the treatment of muscle injury following surgical repair.

As a LECOM alumni, Dr. Trale stated that “It is great to know the training that I received at LECOM and in residency has led me down a path of discovery and advancement in medicine.”

The famed Lord Byron aptly wrote that “there is a deep and abiding discovery in the pathless woods.” Each choice changes one's experience; and the path is not always clear.

LECOM has long demonstrated through its sagacious example that the key value that one possesses centers upon the risks that one is willing to take. Dr. Trale’s involvement in this trial serves as another exemplar of the profound dominion and influence of LECOM training, innovation and its quest for exceptionalism in practice.

R. Brandon Trale, DO, specializes in total knee and hip replacements and shoulder surgery.

Of his patient, Dr. Trale noted a favorable recovery. “Before he was discharged, he was up and ambulating with a walker and physical therapy. He had little pain.”

The benchmark case may have been a breakthrough in the medical annals, but the LECOM alumni remained unflappable.

“I treat all of my patients the same…” Dr. Trale averred, “all of my patients are VIPs.”

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 23

Classical Cellists

Rock Audiences 24 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

Music is many things, and foremost, it is the voice of our time. It displays the universal language of love – be it love of God, expressed through lofty hymns; love of country, expressed through stirring and patriotic anthems; love of one’s school, reflected in a proud alma mater; or good old-fashioned romance, offered through the familiar strains of a hummable melody.

Got Talent (AGT), performing a blistering version of the Jimi Hendrix signature song, Purple Haze.

Music is a link in a chain that joins the past with the future. And it is, undeniably, osteopathic in its scope. Indeed, the mind, body, spirit connection to music is palpable.

The young men finished the televised competition as finalists and they became part of the AGT live shows at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

It is little wonder then, that Emil Liakovetsky, a first-year School of Dental Medicine student at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Bradenton, Florida has been passionately captivated by music. His brother, Dariel – who hopes to follow his older sibling to LECOM – has been equally captured.

A YouTube video of the duo’s performance went viral and it recorded more than ten million views.

Emil and Dariel are classically-trained cellists who have garnered world attention with their stylized cello performances.

The young rock-cello sensations gained national exposure in 2014, on the NBC show, America’s

"You guys just shocked us; you just went to being the coolest guys on the block," the talent show judge, Howard Stern, told the duo after their ferocious performance.

“We take an audience’s perceptions and we turn them upside down,” said Emil.

In 2016, Emil and Dariel were invited to share the stage with childhood idols, Apocalyptica, the famed Finnish cello-rock band.

“It has been great fun and who knows where it is going to take us,” Emil remarked, as his brother nodded in agreement. “It is something

that we have done since we were young and we still love doing it,” Dariel furthered.

Emil and Dariel Liakovetsky are joining the past with the present as they bend the classical cello to the whims of modern rock and pop music, with solos that genuinely enliven audiences.

The brothers hail from several generations of classical musicians. They are steeped in classical training through the tutelage of their grandfather, Leonid Rubanchik, himself a cellist of renown.

“Our grandfather taught us the love for the instrument,” Emil said, “and we developed the passion for performance.”

Each began playing the cello at the age of four, under the guidance of their grandfather, who instilled in the boys the indispensable virtues of dedication and hard work.

They also credit their musical abilities to years of intense practice and to a steadfast commitment, both of which have rewarded them with recognition beyond their dreams.

Indeed, the history of the world has been written in music and, as the Liakovetsky brothers may surely attest, their mark upon the world of music reflects a character wrought by their efforts and by those who have encouraged them.

LECOM deeply values this work ethic as an ethos of its own progeny. Indeed, forging character has been the pursuit of LECOM since its inception. LECOM stands proudly with this musical duo as they continue to transfix, uplift, and inspire audiences – mind, body, and spirit.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 25

LECOM Hearts Pour Out in Remembrance of Scholar-Athlete The entire LECOM family has been shaken by the sudden loss of Margaret (Maggie) Mae Murray, an Erie, Pennsylvania native who was attending the LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Bradenton, Florida.

Maggie died on September 30, 2018, from injuries that she suffered in a boating accident off of a beach in the Sarasota area.

The 22-year old scholar was a 2014 graduate of McDowell High School, and she was graduated in May of 2018, from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Maggie played volleyball at McDowell and later at Seton Hill where she excelled both on and off of the court.

Maggie immersed herself in the close camaraderie of her new environs as a dental school student at LECOM Bradenton and word of her passing has affected the College profoundly. Maggie was an exuberant and inspirational force, a compassionate caregiver, and she was possessed of an evident passion of purpose. Full of promise, the scholar sought to provide health care and compassion to the many she hoped to treat.

Her absence leaves an agonizing hole in the fabric of the LECOM family.

LECOM prides itself upon its ability to recognize exceptionalism – the force of which strengthens our great nation. Indeed, Maggie was exceptional – graced with optimistic expectancy and with a sincere enthusiasm for life.

Maggie Murray serves as an exemplar to those who will long remember her.

More than a compassionate, capable, and beneficent future dental practitioner – she

26 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

was emblematic of the spirit that is LECOM. Hers is a legacy that will remain as a testament to the lives that she has inspired in seeking to serve others.

LECOM extends its most profound condolences to the Murray family, to Maggie’s many and dear friends, and to all who ache in her loss. May her memory continue to inspire others and may her name always be echoed through the hallowed halls of LECOM. Murray starred as a volleyball player at McDowell, where coach Jamie Soboleski described her “as one of the best kids I have coached” in her 14 years as coach. Soboleski said Murray was a senior captain and anchored the team by playing every position.

“She didn’t come off the court,” Soboleski said. She also said the other players looked up to Murray, who helped others readily.

“She was kind. She got along with everyone,” Soboleski said. “A lot of people are hurting for her and her family.”

Murray’s volleyball coach at Seton Hill, Rick Hall, recruited Murray and recalled her leadership skills. He said news of her death devastated the team. He said Murray played for him all four years and was a senior captain.

“Maggie was one of my favorite players,” Hall said told Carlos Munoz, a reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “She was a leader on the court. She was a kid who never complained and was always smiling.”

Why choose a

Join the

LECOM Health

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doctor?

Treating Erie’s Families LECOM Health doctors belong to the only academic health center headquartered in northwestern Pennsylvania – LECOM Health.

We are the physicians of MedicalLECOM Health doctors provide medical care and teach at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the nation’s Associates of Erie - the Clinical Practices of LECOM. Our goal is to providelargest to ourmedical school. patients the very best osteopathic, whole LECOM Health doctors accept all major insurances. person care – mind, body and spirit – for a lifetime of optimal health.

LECOM Health doctors’ primary hospital is Millcreek Community You can become part of the only Hospital, the region’s leading hospital for geriatric care, behavioral health, rehabilitation, wound care and orthopedics.

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Currently, we are seeking physicians care and convenience of the patient.* in Pediatrics, ENT, General Surgery, Neurology, and Rheumatology forLECOM our Health doctors belong to Medical Associates of Erie and practice Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, expanding practices.

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Please contact Dennis Styn at Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Orthopedics, to (814) 868-2504 or dstyn@lecom.edu Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Podiatry and learn more about available opportunities.

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LECOM Health doctors. Choose one today to join a health Visit LECOMHealth.com/clinical-practices Visit LECOMHealth.com/ph system that will focus on your overall wellness, for life. @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 27

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Walk to End Alzheimer's

LECOM 5K Ice Cream Run

On Saturday, September 15, 2018, the LECOM Erie Chapter of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer's. The event raises awareness of the devastating brain disease while also raising funds for Alzheimer's Association research efforts.

The LECOM 5K Ice Cream Run is a community event that encourages a healthful lifestyle, promotes physical fitness, and improves the health of the Erie Community. All proceeds benefit the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund, which provides financial support for medical, pharmacy, and dental students. The morning of the event offered sunshine, smiles, and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream of Erie.

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk

Erie Homes for Children and Adults Health Fair

On Saturday, September 29, 2018, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention held the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk at Presque Isle. The LECOM Mental Health Task Force and Paws for Patients took part in the event which drew approximately 750 participants.

28 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

LECOM students improved the health of the Erie community by volunteering their time and skill at the Erie Homes for Children and Adults (EHCA) Health Fair. The EHCA supports eighteen group homes designed for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. The community programs offer opportunities and support services for individuals with disabilities.

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

LECOM Bradenton Affiliate On-Campus Day

Erie Trail of Treats

LECOM Bradenton hosted students from affiliated schools at the OnCampus Day introductory event. The visitors to the school were shown the workings of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, including the research facilities and the student lounge. The guests also participated in a mock PBL Session and they took part in various demonstrations.

Above, Dr. Streven Ma demonstrated OMM techniques.

On October 23 and 24, 2018, the Annual Trail of Treats was held at the Millcreek Mall in Erie. LECOM Safe Kids Erie distributed goodies to area children while educating them about Halloween safety and poison control.

American Heart Association Heart Walk

LECOM at Seton Hill

Rebecca Wise, PharmD, MEd, LECOM School of Pharmacy Director of Admissions and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, at left, was honored as a stroke survivor at the American Heart Association Heart Walk held September 13, 2018. David Hopkins, Director of the LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, above right, is pictured with Dr. Wise.

LECOM at Seton Hill participated in its Walk to End Alzheimer's at Twin Lakes Park. A team of five students raised $1,277 for Alzheimer's research, treatment, and support. Team members: Meghan Robison, OMS-2; Amber Kuta, OMS-2; Valen Gordon, OMS-1; Micah Debenedetto, OMS-1; and Eric Lemister, OMS-2 are pictured.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 29

The Christmas season is a time resplendent with tradition. It is a season that melds awe with wonder to create a holiday both joyous and holy.

The events of this glorious season are transformed into timeless moments.

Christmas songs and hymns, familiar and comforting, recast our daily routines into something new, creating golden moments that endure the years. Paired with faith, important rituals of the Christmas season highlight family traditions passed from generation to generation. These traditions, spiritual and familial, are central to our humanity.

As one recalls the hours shared with loved ones baking cookies, wrapping presents, or trimming a tree, it is the repetition of such traditions that causes one to feel close to a lost parent, grandparent, brother, or sister. A time-honored traditional Christmas Eve meal and the gathering of family in a special place create memories that transform the sensory and the temporal into transcendent moments, imbuing the material of our lives with an enduring meaning.

The threads of tradition in faith and family link us to the tapestry of the ages. A child may never have known a great-grandparent or grandparent, yet through a Christmas tradition, that youngster will come to know at least a bit about that grandparent.

Of course, not everyone has family memories or traditions. Some people must start anew mending the remnants of a painful or difficult childhood.

Theirs is the task to create a new collection of memories and traditions pieced together with courage and faith. Indeed, each of us possesses the gift to transform or to create a chain of memories, to influence it for good and for the generations to follow.

For us – at LECOM – we seek ever to keep the chain of family, community, tradition, and service alive. Christmas and all that it embodies must always be a timeless season where faith and family find each other. We honor and bless one another with traditions of belonging. Perhaps, to some, they are seen as simple, even meaningless practices. Yet, as we trace their history, we find a resplendent tapestry of faith, family, and constancy that will long endure.

Wishing a very Merry Christmas to all of our LECOM family!

NOTES

STUDENT NOTES

College of Medicine Michael Dobrowolski, OMS4 and LECOM faculty member, Steven Habusta, DO, coauthored a paper entitled, APL Distal Insertion Variability: Cadaveric Variation in Abductor Pollicis Longus Accessory Slip Insertion Site for the International Journal of Orthopaedics.

Levi Harris, OMS, was selected to serve as Vice-Chair of the Community Service Committee, one of the standing committees of the 2018-19 AMA Medical Student Section.

Steve Nystrom, OMS2, Eric Brockmeyer, OMS2, and Trey Aguirre, OMS2 participated in the Medical Wilderness Adventure in Danville, PA. A dozen three-member teams tested their skills on volunteer victims at various outdoor trail, river, and field stations.

Tin Wong, OMS1 was awarded a National Health Service Corps Scholarship from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

School of Pharmacy Ashleigh Beachy, P4 won the PatientCounseling Competition at the meeting of the Annual Florida Pharmacy Association (FPA) and the ASHP Clinical Skills Competition.

She advances to compete in the National Conference in California.

Maggie Braxton, P4 was presented the 2018 Norman Tomaka and Family Community Service Award during the Student Awards Luncheon at the Annual FPA Meeting.

Amanda Cortes, P3 had a series of articles published in Diabetes in Control. The articles include: Asian Indians Developing Diabetes after Adopting Poor Lifestyle; Glycated Hemoglobin Directly Impacts Cardiovascular Disease Risk; Vitamin D Supplementation for Diabetes Prevention; and Modified Dietary Interventions in Gestational Diabetes.

Carolyne Da Silva, P4 presented a poster at the Annual FPA Meeting.

Clare Dyczkowski, P3, and Emma Wysocki, P3 presented a research project entitled, Boosted Student Confidence in Core Curricular Competencies Through Student-Led Journal Clubs. The research project was undertaken and presented with Kristen Gawrownski, PharmD, at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting.

Arsalan Hashmi, P4 had an article entitled, Technosphere Insulin — Research on Inhaled vs. Injected Insulin, published on the website Bloodsugardiabetes.org.

Amina Meier, P4 served on a panel discussion session entitled, Preparing the Next Generation of Pharmacy Leaders.

Clarke Powell, P3 had a number of articles published in Diabetes Journals, including: Gut Proteins May Indicate Higher Risk of Progression to Type 1 Diabetes at Risk for Type 1 Diabetes in Diabetes Care; Women with Diabetes at Higher Risk for Certain Cancers; and One Million Events and Nuts, Nuts, and More Nuts Lower A1c and Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetologia.

Alexandra Rivera, P4, and Madison Saxton, P4 presented a poster entitled, Impact of Prescription Drug Abuse Education in Health Professional Curriculums at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Rivera was presented with the 2018 Willie Davis Award for Academic Excellence and Outstanding Service to the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) at the Annual National Conference of the SNPhA. Shelby Swartzentruber, P4 created an informational leaflet published by the Emergency Medicine Learning and Resource Center. Swartzentruber also won the local ASHP Skills Competition and she advances to represent LECOM at the National Conference.

Ian Toloza, P4, and Crystal Toloza, P2 coauthored a poster entitled, Pharmacy and Dental Student Interprofessional Collaboration: The Impact on Patients. The poster was presented at the American Association of Colleges. Co-authors included LECOM faculty members, Kathleen Hitchcock, PharmD, Kelly Scolaro, PharmD, and Madge Potts-Williams, DDS. Kaytie A. Weierstahl, P4 had an article entitled, Endogenous Glucose Production After Treatment with Canagliflozin and Liraglutide, published in Diabetes In Control.

School of Dental Medicine Grant Ross, D4 is a recipient of the 2018 Dental Trade Alliance Foundation Scholarship, which recognizes third-year and fourth-year dental students who have an established commitment to community service and who have demonstrated academic excellence in dentistry.

FACULTY NOTES College of Medicine

Richard Chegwidden, PhD was selected to produce a research volume entitled, The Carbonic Anhydrases: Current and Emerging Therapeutic Targets, in the series, Progress in Drug Research.

Steven Habusta, DO and Richard Michael Raymond, PhD co-authored an article entitled, The Role of Extracellular Adenosine Receptors in Modulating Pain Progression During Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review of the Literature, for the journal, Rheumatology and Orthopedic Medicine. Dr. Habusta also was co-author of the article entitled, Patient Perceptions Regarding Viscosupplementation for Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee in the Physiotherapy Open Access Journal.

Molly Johannessen, PhD, Leslie Petasis, MEd, and Mark Terrell, EdD presented a poster entitled, Curriculum Development and Outcomes of the LECOM Master of Science in Medical Education Program at the International Conference of Process Educators.

Dr. Johannessen also co-authored a study focusing upon the use of virtual reality for arthroscopic surgery training of orthopedic residents. The piece was published in the October 2018 issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Patrick Leary, DO was a guest lecturer at the 2018 North Carolina Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Annual Meeting.

Santiago Lorenzo, PhD was inducted into the University of Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame (Track and Field) Class of 2018. Dr. Lorenzo also had an article entitled, The Assessment of Pulmonary Function with Osteopathic Manipulative Treatments Versus Standard Respiratory Therapy in a Healthy Population, accepted for publication in the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association Journal.

Mohammed Razzaque, PhD had an article entitled, Dietary Phosphate Toxicity: An Emerging Global Health Concern, published in Histochemistry and Cell Biology.

Michael Rowane, DO and Kevin Thomas, DO co-authored an article entitled, National Institutes of Health and Osteopathic Medicine: Another Call for Action and Equality in a Legal Struggle Won Long Ago, published in the American Academy of Osteopathy Journal.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 31

NOTES Mark Terrell, EdD offered a presentation entitled, Measuring Professional Development in Producing Transformational Learning Educators, at the International Conference of Process Educators.

School of Pharmacy Marcus Campbell, PharmD served in the House of Delegates at the Annual Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists Meeting.

Kenneth Bauer, PharmD, and Raul Deshmukh, PhD co-authored a piece entitled, Durvalumab: A Newly Approved Checkpoint Inhibitor for the Treatment of Urothelial Carcinoma, for the Current Problems in Cancer Journal.

Katherine Tromp, PharmD was selected to serve on the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Self-Care Special Interests Groups Communications Committee.

Julie Wilkinson, PharmD was a speaker at the Health Professions Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Camp for high school students at the State College of Florida.

Rebecca Wise, PharmD presented a poster at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting. The poster was entitled, Interprofessional Interaction with Social Workers Enhances Advance Pharmacy Practice Experience Student Understanding of Ambulatory Care Pharmacy.

Kristen Gawrownski, PharmD presented a research project entitled, Boosted Student Confidence in Core Curricular Competencies Through Student-Led Journal Clubs. LECOM students, Clare Dyczkowski, P3, and Emma Wysocki, P3, joined in the presentation at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting.

Tatiana Yero, PharmD presented discussion sessions at the Florida Pharmacy Association Mental Health Conference. The talks were entitled, Catching Those Zzzzs: A Discussion of Treatment Options for Sleep Disorder and The Skinny on Eating Disorders.

Deepak Gupta, PhD had an article entitled, Physical Properties and Solubility of Nifedipine-PEG 1450/HPMCAS-HF Solid Dispersions, published in the journal, Pharmaceutical Development and Technology.

Also, Dr. Gupta serves on the Planning Committee for the Vision Florida 2019 Research Symposium.

Nader Abdulhameed, BDS had an article accepted and presented at the Academy of Dental Materials Meeting in Brazil.

The piece was entitled, Reproducing the Occlusal Anatomy of Temporary Crowns in Zirconiumoxide Crowns.

Kathleen Hitchcock, PharmD, Kelly Scolaro, PharmD and Madge Potts-Williams, DDS presented a poster at the American Association of Colleges Annual Meeting. The poster was entitled, Pharmacy and Dental Student Interprofessional Collaboration: The Impact on Patients. Co-authors included LECOM students, Ian Toloza, P4, and Crystal Toloza, P2.

Vanessa Lesneski, PharmD was awarded a scholarship to attend a course at the Institute of Functional Medicine. The course is entitled, Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice.

Aashish Morani, PharmD authored an article entitled, Kappa Opioid Receptor Agonist Mesyl Sal B Attenuates Behavioral Sensitization to Cocaine with Fewer Aversive Side-Effects than Salvinorin A in Rodents, in the journal, Molecules.

Kimberly Stultz, PharmD led a preceptor workshop at the Annual Florida Pharmacy Association Meeting. The workshop was entitled, Keep Your Mind Young: Commit to Self-Directed Lifelong Learning.

School of Dental Medicine

Hind Hussein, BDS and Nader Abdulhameed, BDS co-authored a piece entitled, In Vitro Wear of Two Bioactive Composites and a Glass Ionomer Cement, in the German-language journal, Deutsche Zahnärztliche Zeitschrift.

Purushottam Lamichanne, PhD co-authored two articles that were published in the American Association for Cancer Research Journal. The pieces are entitled, Tobacco Carcinogen-Induced Production of GM-CSF Activates CREB to Promote Pancreatic Cancer; and Inverse Correlation of STAT3 and MEK Signaling Mediates Resistance to RAS Pathway Inhibition in Pancreatic Cancer. Dr. Lamichhane also had an article published in the Online Journal of Dentistry & Oral Health. The piece was entitled, Oral Microbiome and Response to Immunotherapy: Is It Time to Pay Attention?

Barry Lipton, DDS, conducted a research project with LECOM D4 students, Evan Black, Alex Ahmadi, and Stephanie Vazana.

The project entitled, The Significance of Environmental Effects on Dental Implants for Forensic Science Victim Identification, was presented at the 2018 Hinman Research Competition.

32 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

LECOM faculty members, Mark Zmiyiwsky, Thomas Yoon, and Purushottam Lamichhane, former faculty member, Kirk Zeller, and D4 student, Nicholas Allen, had an article entitled, Individual Preferences on Grading Systems in Dental Schools, published in the Online Journal of Dentistry & Oral Health.

ALUMNI NOTES Class of 2001

Marvin McGowan, DO, Primary Care Services, Central Outreach Wellness Center, received the Oswald Nickens Physician of the Year Award from the Gateway Medical Society of Pittsburgh.

Class of 2004 CDR Thanh Hoang, DO, is the newly appointed Endocrine Division Director for the Uniformed Services University Department of Medicine, Bethesda, MD. Dr. Hoang was the guest speaker at the LECOM Erie White Coat Ceremony, Class of 2022.

Class of 2005 Maureen Ginsburg, DO, is a member of the staff at the Interventional Pain Center of Penn Highlands Healthcare in Clarion, PA. Danielle Hansen, DO, co-authored a study with Molly Johannessen, PhD and Millcreek Community Hospital resident, Kevin Keith, DO focusing upon the use of virtual reality for arthroscopic surgery training of orthopedic residents. The piece was published in the October 2018 issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Class of 2006 Edward Gusick, DO, Sports Medicine Specialist at UPMC Susquehanna, published 10 Tips for Returning Safely to Sports on NorthCentralPA.com.

Class of 2007 Erin Bowser, DO, Clarion UPMC Urgent Care in Clarion, PA, participated in an ExploreClarion.com article regarding the influenza season.

Andrew Martin, DO has been named President-Elect for the North Carolina Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.

NOTES Class of 2008

Class of 2013

Victor Awuor, DO recently returned from a month-long trip to Kisumu, Kenya, where he provided hospital care to many members of the population. Dr. Awuor is a neurosurgeon with OhioHealth Neurological Physicians in Westerville, Ohio.

Iris Castillo, DO co-authored Concussions and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: An Adolescent Case Presentation, for publication in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Bryan Doner, DO, Compassionate Certification Centers co-founder, announced the opening of a new Medical Marijuana Evaluation and Treatment Facility in Erie, PA.

Bryan Doverspike, DO joined the medical staff at Clarion Hospital in Clarion, PA.

Shawna Grimm, DO has joined the surgical team at Marshall University, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall Health and Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, WV. Also, Dr. Grimm has been named Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the School of Medicine.

Class of 2010 Justin Berthold, DO is the recipient of the 2018 Pittsburgh Health Care Heroes Award in the Health Care Provider - Individual Category.

Dr. Berthold is the founder of Rehabilitation Physicians of Pittsburgh. As Medical Director of Physical Health for the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh, Dr. Berthold reshaped patient care by streamlining inpatient services and redirecting care to outpatient services.

Ashley B. Cipriano, DO joined the Family Medicine Team at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. Melissa Marks, DO has opened Signature Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Andrea Spellman, DO was selected as a fellow in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Clevens Face and Body Specialists in Melbourne, FL.

Class of 2012 William C. Allsopp, DO, a Specialist in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, has joined the Munson Medical Center, Grand Traverse Radiologists in Traverse City, MI. Charles E. Claps, DO joined Resurgens Orthopaedics in Atlanta, GA. Ben Cox, DO joined the McLaren Central Michigan Student-Athlete Injury Clinic in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Class of 2014

Class of 2015 Garrett Beatty, DO joined the Sovah Medical Residency Program at Sovah Health-Danville in Danville, Va., where he will be educating and supervising resident physicians as well as treating patients.

Laura Jaussi, DO was introduced to the community at the Fall Festival Open House held at the Laurel Health Center in Blossburg, PA, where she is now a member of the staff.

Yelena Tarasenko, DO joined the medical staff at Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill, FL. Dr. Tarasenko practices Family Medicine at Nature Coast Center for Primary Care, in Brooksville, FL.

Class of 2016 Igor Bilov, DMD was the featured speaker at the American Chemical Society Student Affiliate Club at the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota Alumni Speaker Series. Dr. Bilov shared his experiences about becoming a dentist.

Class of 2018 Stephanie Wills, PharmD co-authored a piece entitled, Durvalumab: A Newly Approved Checkpoint Inhibitor for the Treatment of Urothelial Carcinoma for the Current Problems in Cancer Journal.

- Continued From Page 13 students who meet the LECOM requirements, and we anticipate that this arrangement will assist EC in attracting more students interested in the health professions,� he remarked.

LECOM expansion to Elmira has received enthusiastic support from Elmira Mayor, Daniel J. Mandell; Chemung County Executive, Thomas J. Santulli; U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer; U.S. Representative Tom Reed; and from other legislators.

LECOM at Elmira College will use the highly successful Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum developed at LECOM Erie and used exclusively at LECOM Bradenton and LECOM Seton Hill. PBL involves small groups of students working together on patient cases.

Students develop learning objectives in basic science or clinical care needed to solve the patient case. Faculty facilitators guide the students as they gain medical knowledge.

The College will hire more than 17 full-time equivalent faculty members to serve as PBL facilitators and instructors. Support for faculty and staff salaries and benefits will approach $4 million annually.

LECOM will invest more than $20 million to construct a building on the Elmira College campus to accommodate the new medical school program. The two colleges plan an announcement about the building project in the near future.

A medical college in the Southern Tier of Western New York connotes investment, it fosters economic vitality, and it provides new physicians to support the health needs of residents, where the need is high and general practitioners are few. This state-of-the-art medical education facility will ensure that people in these rural communities will have increased access to health care.

The proposed facility will be far more than a pleasing architectural structure. As the realization of the insightful vision of Dr. John Ferretti and the LECOM Board of Trustees, the new medical school in Elmira will come to represent a precious gift to future generations of graduates and to community alike.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 33

LECOM Connection wants to hear from

YOU! Send us

career updates, recent appointments, residencies, fellowships, research or student activities, award or honors, or other

important life events.

Please contact the LECOM Communications & Marketing Department at (814) 866-6641, or email communications@lecom.edu.

MEDICAL ASSOCIATES OF ERIE

PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

Four New Physicians Appointed to the Clinical Practices of LECOM

Medical Associates of Erie (MAE), the Clinical Practices of LECOM Health, collectively form part of the LECOM Academic Health Center. Along with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH), MAE adds a multi-specialty group practice component to the osteopathic healthcare network.

The expansive reach of MAE covers two states and three counties, from northwestern Pennsylvania, with practice locations in every corner of Erie County, to Meadville in Crawford County. With the addition to MAE of the Corry Memorial Hospital Rural Health Clinic and Corry Primary Care, patients in southeastern Erie County, as well as in neighboring Warren County, have access to the MAE physician network. The neighboring community of Clymer, New York also avails itself of the MAE physicians.

There are more than 178 employees at MAE, including more than 54 physicians; and the organization is ever expanding.

The physicians in the group serve also as instructors and professors at LECOM. The mission of MAE is committed to offering accessible, community-based care, while promoting the advancement of medicine and education in all areas of LECOM Health.

The latest physicians to join MAE and LECOM Health are doctors who received their postgraduate medical education at MCH. These capable healthcare professionals have decided to start their careers in Erie.

Craig J. Rush, DO, completed his Psychiatry residency at MCH, and he has worked at Stairways Behavioral Health and St. Vincent Health Center. Dr. Rush now sees patients at MCH, which recently has expanded its Behavioral Health services. Dr. Rush was graduated from LECOM in 2011.

Bryan Colligan, DO, was graduated from LECOM in the Class of 2015. He has joined MAE as an Internal Medicine Specialist. Like many of the MCH residents, Dr. Colligan is using the expertise that he gained from the LECOM Master of Science in Medical Education program to prepare and to teach current medical students.

Anand Popuri, DO, is a pioneer in post-graduate education. He is the first graduate of the MCH Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship. In addition to seeing patients with breathing disorders, Dr. Popuri oversees the Pulmonary Testing Lab at the LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center.

David McGarvey, DO, is a 2008 LECOM graduate who completed an MCH residency in Internal Medicine. He also earned the Master of Science in Medical Education. Dr. McGarvey employs his skills adroitly as an associate professor at LECOM. Across the broader Pennsylvania region, supremely qualified and expertly trained medical professionals are choosing to remain close to their educational hub. Their calling is singularly focused to provide to patients the superlative care and treatment borne of their LECOM training.

All submissions are subject to editing for clarity and length.

34 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2018 | LECOM.edu

Presented By:

Peek’n Peak Resort, Clymer, NY

•

February 28 - March 3

Conference Information Primary Care 2019 offers a unique learning experience for physicians and health care professionals seeking to learn the latest information about medical advancements and treatment options. LECOM faculty and guest lecturers will present topics pertinent to primary care physicians as well as to specialists.

Primary Care 2019 will focus upon health problems commonly seen in the offices of primary care physicians. The objective of this four-day seminar is to provide participating physicians with information about new medical advancements in order to increase the scope of treatment options available to primary care physicians and to enhance the physicians’ existing knowledge of topics that will be covered.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine anticipates Primary Care 2019 being approved for up to 25 AOA Category I-A CME credit hours pending approval by the AOA CCME. LECOM anticipates this activity will be approved for up to 25 prescribed credits by the American Academy of Family Physicians. An application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Determination of credit is pending. Primary Care 2019 will include up to 5 hours devoted to the Pennsylvania Risk Management Requirements.

Fees and Credit Hours Early-bird prices end February 1, 2019 Physician Registration - Up to 20 Credit Hours: $400.00 Allied Health Professionals - Up to 20 Credit hours - $275.00 Current Students, Residents, Interns - Up to 20 Credit Hours - $150.00 Thursday Pre-Conference Workshop Add-on - Up to 5 Credit Hours: $100.00

Adjunct Faculty LECOM Clinical Adjunct Faculty are eligible to receive a discount. Please contact the LECOM CME Conference office at cme@lecom.edu to receive your discount code.

Pre-Conference Workshop The Lake Erie Integrated Geriatric Health Team (LIGHT) is supported by a $3 million Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant.

The GWEP supports the development of a health care workforce that improves health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care, maximizing patient and family engagement, and transforming the health care system. The Thursday, pre-conference workshop will consist of continuing education sessions for all levels of licensed health care professionals and will prepare them for certification in geriatrics through the certifying body for each discipline.

Registrants may participate in this pre-conference geriatric focused workshop on Thursday, February 28 from 12-5pm. This pre-conference workshop is an add-on and provides five additional hours of CME credit.

Conference Schedule February 28: 12:00pm-5:00pm March 1: 7:00am-5:30pm March 2: 8:00am-5:30pm March 3: 7:00am-11:00am

Register Online at LECOM.edu/CME Early-bird prices end February 1, 2019

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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID ERIE, PA PERMIT NO. 968

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1858 West Grandview Blvd. Erie, Pennsylvania 16509 (814) 866-6641 www.lecom.edu

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SHOW YOUR LECOM PRIDE! LECOM License Plates Now Available in Pennsylvania

LECOM alumni and friends of the College can now display their LECOM pride wherever they drive. A purchase of a LECOM license plate supports the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

Standard plate: $125.* Personalized plate: $230.*

VISIT LECOM.EDU/ALUMNI/LICENSE-PLATE TO ORDER YOUR PLATE

Visit LECOM.edu/alumni for the latest auction news * Price includes PA license registration and production fees and a tax-deductible donation to the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

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