LECOM Connection Spring 2021 by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

CONNECTION Magazine of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

SPRING 2021

LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health

Shining the Light of Hope

CONNECTION Magazine of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

John M. Ferretti, DO President/CEO Silvia M. Ferretti, DO Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs Eric Nicastro Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Stephanie Bruce Senior Communications and Marketing Specialist

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURE 06

LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health

President's Message – New Beginnings

Credos of Our Calling – Individual Responsibility

LECOM Research Day 2020

16th Regional Science Consortium Annual Research Symposium Winners

MISSION STATEMENT

LECOM Scholars Triumph

Pharmacy – An Essential Profession in a New Age

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. Serving as a guiding light and cornerstone in medical education and true to the core principles of its founders, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has expanded its reach to include exceptional programs in graduate studies designed to provide scholars superlative education in the respective areas of study. The professional programs are dedicated to serve all students through innovative curriculum and the development of postdoctoral education and interprofessional experiences.

LECOM Master’s Degree Program Among the Best in the Nation

Generosity in a Time of Adversity

Research, Residency, and Romance Blossom for LECOM Couple

Forensic Files – Amy C. Gruszecki, DO

LECOM Graduate Comes Full CIrcle

LECOM Alumna to Lead PCOM – Georgia

HE(ART) for the MIND

In Memoriam

Student, Faculty and Alumni Notes

To submit editorial material or change address/unsubscribe: LECOM Communications & Marketing Department at (814) 866-6641 or communications@lecom.edu

John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO 02 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

Shining the Light of Hope

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

NEW BEGINNINGS Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. – C.S. Lewis

John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO

Strength does not derive from hollow victories. Rather, it is triumph over struggles that develop our truest strength. The ability to endure adversity, deciding not to surrender that is strength. The unforeseen and globally devastating events of the COVID-19 pandemic will long be present in our collective memories. The hardships and challenges, the loss and trepidation caused by the events of 2020 will echo throughout our land for many days to come. However, it is my fervent hope that we shall have drawn strength and inspiration from the dark days; that we shall reach beyond our bounds to excel and to break free from the seemingly daunting bonds of adversity. As the new year greets us imbued with its attendant hope and optimism, we seek to draw together despite our imposed separation. We strive to maintain the closeness of our families and our communities; and we reach out to our extended Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) family with a sincere entreaty to look forward with us as we continue to educate the next generation of LECOM medical professionals - those who will be fully prepared to lead in the evertransforming realm of medicine.

For almost three decades, LECOM has been a national leader in providing medical education, specializing in student-centered learning through a collaborative curriculum and independent research. That mission did not halt, even momentarily, as the Pandemic loomed. As the College - the core of the Health System - continued, across its multiple campuses, to educate students remotely, the LECOM Health System advanced key projects that support and sustain the LECOM mission - including finalizing the new partnership with the Achievement Center, a landmark operation in Erie, Pennsylvania which, for almost 100 years, has served children with emotional, social, physical, or behavioral challenges. The organization is now known as the Achievement Center of LECOM Health. A further collaboration and partnership was implemented with Corry Counseling Services, a respected organization that for decades has assisted children and adults with mental and developmental disabilities.

LECOM also moved forward with great enthusiasm and regional support to open the LECOM at Elmira School of Medicine, which is now completely and successfully underway. Truly, our strategic plan has spotlighted continued leadership and a steady hand that has navigated LECOM through more than a quarter century of success. Despite the setbacks of 2020 - setbacks of which few in any sector were immune - LECOM remains sound and growing. I am perpetually honored, as President of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, to see this grand institution thrive as a beacon of learning that has been a source of educational advancement in medicine. A perspicacious history and bold, innovative goals for the future provide the catalyst for our endeavors in 2021. As we begin a bright spring, let us hold to these enduring truths and let us shape tomorrow in purpose, deed, and health.

These dual ventures reinforce the LECOM Health position as the largest provider of mental health services in the region, while expanding the ability of the Health System to deliver multifaceted, expert care to a broader range of residents.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 03

CREDOS OF OUR CALLING

Individual Responsibility The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has long revered the valued credo of individual (personal) responsibility, for indeed, “responsibility is the price of greatness.” Essential to a balanced and just society, the code of individual responsibility forms the wellspring from which arise all rightly attained aspirations and accomplishments. LECOM understands and teaches a comprehensive unity of mind, body, and spirit underpinned by a firm and unremitting commitment to personal responsibility. Indeed, the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life outcomes is the source from which emerges self-respect. The abilities resulting from that unity of mind, body, and spirit comprise the solidly formed strength of a personally responsible individual who, in turn, possesses the aptitude and desire to contribute positively to the betterment of society. A philosophy shared by educators and medical practitioners alike, each understands that as one forms one’s habits, those habits form the individual. For this reason, it can be said that nothing strengthens the judgment and quickens the conscience as does personal responsibility. Although it may appear an easy path to avoid one’s responsibilities, one cannot escape the consequences of avoiding those responsibilities. For no person has, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices.

responsibility, for it is the hallmark of attainment and the charge of a grand profession. People who value the tenet of personal responsibility are better prepared to meet challenges with a calm and courageous heart. They are more proactive in addressing and remedying difficulties and they are more fully equipped to overcome obstacles. Individual responsibility functions in tandem with capacity and accomplishment, for action emanates not merely from thought, but from a readiness to accept responsibility. The diligent scholars at LECOM have shown consistently that responsibilities gravitate to the person who best can shoulder them. One owes very little to the condition in which one is born, for as generations of Americans have demonstrated, a person becomes that which he makes of himself. If one holds oneself to the highest standard, there arises therefrom the strength to impose one’s own terms upon life. The greatest gifts that one may pass to one’s progeny are the roots of responsibility, for from them spring the branches of independence. From the realization that one’s own decisions cause one’s own consequences, comes wisdom and maturity. In all arenas of life, from medicine to ministry, from military to community leadership, the commitment to personal responsibility has given rise to instruct the single quality that all successful people share – that of individual responsibility.

Winston Churchill

All too frequently in this age of modernity, the gift of personal responsibility often is abdicated to others to excuse or to free the individual from the consequence. Yet, all medical professionals understand that personal responsibility is an attendant and obligatory aspect of a noble calling. Such is the weighty burden of a prodigious and profound undertaking. To be sure, LECOM encourages personal

04 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

The LECOM founders have long recognized personal responsibility as an indispensable attribute, one rooted in self-determination, upon painstaking attention to detail, and upon confidence. It is a component of all aspects of a medical, dental, or pharmacy calling. That personal responsibility, which corrects the eagerness of selfgratifying passions, which fortifies the spirit with independence of self over dependence upon another, which overcomes the inclination to make excuses, and which enlightens the mind with the power of useful knowledge – is of more value to accomplishment than are all of the provisions that derive from circumventing the challenge. For these reasons, Individual Responsibility is a Credo of our Calling.

EXCEPTIONALISM FLOURISHES DURING LECOM RESEARCH DAY 2020 Rounding out the deeply penetrating purpose of a superlative education, unmatched clinical care, and unflagging community service, research comprises a key component of the LECOM mission. The LECOM Interprofessional Research Day, held in late October of 2020, boasted 120 abstract submissions offered by participating resident physicians, faculty, and students. The College takes great pride in the assiduously honed scholarship put forth by the student participants as well as by their mentors. LECOM extends its hearty congratulations to the winners of the LECOM Research Day 2020 Poster and Lecture Sessions and it offers grateful acknowledgement to Dr. Speelman, the College of Medicine Director of Research, for organizing the sessions; to the judges of the poster and the oral presentations; and especially, to the students and resident physicians for their quality submissions. Many compelling, probative, and revealing pieces of work were showcased during the event with the following presentations being awarded prizes:

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS Lecture Session Winners 1st Prize ($500) Alyson Burchell Investigation of a Long-Range Glycinergic Projection from Brainstem Interneurons to the Thalamus Alyson Burchell; Yusra Mansour; Randy J. Kulesza Jr., PhD 2nd Prize ($250) Prutha Mehta Liver Metabolic Dysfunction in PCOS Rats Prutha Mehta; Patrick Pasqualicchio; Diana Speelman, PhD 3rd Prize ($100) Zachary Weisner, MS Association of Pre-Hospital Hypocarbia and Hypercarbia with Outcomes with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Patients Zachary Weisner, MS; David D Salcido, PhD; Francis X Guyette, MD; Christian Martin-Gill, MD; Hinnah Siddiqui, MPH; Jessica Salerno, MPH; and Jonathan Elmer, MD Poster Session Winners 1st Prize ($500) Ian Koch Characterization of the Auditory Brainstem Response in Hyperandrogenic Rats Ian Koch; Michael Furey; Diana Speelman, PhD; and Randy J. Kulesza Jr., PhD

2nd Prize ($250) Aaron Grossberg Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease by Palpation Aaron Grossberg OMS-II, MS; and Kevin Thomas, DO 3rd Prize ($100) Yusra Mansour Virtually the Same? The Comparison of InPerson and Virtual Drawing Sessions on the Structural and Clinical Anatomy of the Vagus Nerve Yusra Mansour; Randy J. Kulesza Jr., PhD CLINICIAN PRESENTATIONS Lecture Session Winners 1st Prize ($500) Farhan Ali, DO Metformin as Adjunctive Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Farhan Ali, DO; Sowmyia Srinivas, MD; Dayakar Reddy, MD; and Pallavi Kamjula, MD 2nd Prize ($250) Shane Lohss, DO Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening Compliance Rates Through Marketing and Performance of a 2 for 1 Combined Colonoscopy-Prostate Screening Exam Shane Lohss, DO; Dustin Wong, OMS-III

– Continued on page 26

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 05

FEATURE

Shining the Light of Hope LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health The Achievement Center of LECOM Health Corry Counseling Services of LECOM Health

One’s present circumstances do not determine where one may go, they merely determine where one may start. Every day begins with an act of courage and hope; and it is during one's darkest moments that one must focus upon the light. It is that light, illuminated by LECOM Health, that has been the focus of the LECOM Institute of Behavioral Health and its newest affiliate, The Achievement Center of LECOM Health. In January of 2020, LECOM Health consolidated many of its mental health services; and with the opening of the LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health, outpatient psychiatric care and medication management became readily accessible from a team of nine psychiatrists, as well as from expert counselors and compassionate support staff. Services at the Institute include medication stabilization, individual therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, medication, and diagnostic education for patients and families. The LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health offers extensive expertise and services for children, adults, and seniors; and each offering is designed to meet and exceed expectations in addressing behavioral health challenges and to support the journey toward health and recovery. An established leader in behavioral health care, LECOM Health began providing the needed services at Millcreek Community Hospital in 2001. Today, the LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health is the third largest mental health care facility in Pennsylvania and the largest provider of inpatient behavioral health services in the region, offering comprehensive services and care. 06 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

Qualified professionals pride themselves on delivering evidence-based medicine. Knowledgeable support staff are available to assist the patient and family with questions regarding scheduling, medication, and the host of concerns attendant to emotional rehabilitation. The support staff functions as a liaison between the patients and the psychiatrists. As an affiliate of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), the Institute is engaged in the education of future behavioral health providers. Fellows, residents, and students work closely with care teams to gain specialized knowledge in the clinical practice setting. Institute psychiatrists specialize in mental health care; they do not treat or manage physical illnesses. All care, in addition to medications including labs, EKGs, and imaging, is ordered in support of the psychiatric treatment that is received by the patient. Continued enhancement and development of behavioral health services has been an ongoing theme at LECOM. Construction is now complete on a 10-bed residential psychiatric health facility for children and adolescents. Situated in Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH), the short term residential behavioral health offering is designed to assist youngsters between the ages of seven and seventeen who are navigating emotional difficulties. The typical length of stay in the facility will be no longer than 60 days. The unit is networked with family-based mental health organizations throughout the community that will assist in directing the young patients toward success upon their reentering the community setting. “The LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health is a leading center of excellence in providing mental health services and superlative care.

Indeed, this new LECOM offering highlights the importance of advancing whole-body health by delivering the full spectrum approach to mental health services and care. The ability to empower this segment of the population to live their young lives in a more healthful and vibrant way underscores the way in which LECOM is ever seeking the betterment of the communities that it serves,” commented Dr. Danielle Hansen, Vice President of Acute Care, Behavioral Health, and Quality at MCH. Further augmenting the wide range of behavioral healthcare offerings at the Institute, the newly affiliated Achievement Center of LECOM Health provides quality therapeutic services to children and families throughout the region. Achievement Center programs are designed to meet the unique needs of children and adolescents who are experiencing emotional, social, physical, or behavioral challenges. For 95 years, the Achievement Center has sought to maximize the potential of each of the more than three thousand children they serve each year. The Achievement Center helps children and young adults to thrive. A variety of therapeutic services for children, from birth to age 21, allow children and families in Erie, Crawford, Forest, and Warren, Pennsylvania to move forward to experience a stable and emotionally fulfilling life. “The LECOM Institute, as one of the largest providers of mental health services in Erie County, offers an integrative mold that allows

"By combining our efforts, our organizations can build a cohesive continuum of care that uses collaboration and coordination to deliver improved family experiences and patient outcomes." – Danielle Hansen, DO us to collaborate better for psychiatric and therapeutic services, offering resources from the Achievement Center and psychiatrists there too,” expounded Dr. Gianpiero Martone, Child Psychiatrist at the LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health. The alliance bolsters the ability of the organizations to better serve the needs of residents throughout Pennsylvania. The light of hope entails a seamless continuity of care for the most vulnerable, young men and women, often who require multiple professionals from a variety of disciplines to address a wide range of needs. The paired organizations provide hope, healing, and support to those in crisis, delivering high-quality, therapeutic care, and advancing complementary objectives to bring about life improvements. “Welcoming the Achievement Center into our fold of affiliates and partners allows LECOM Health to further its mission of delivering wholeperson care and wellness to the communities we serve,” noted Danielle Hansen, D.O., Millcreek Community Hospital Vice President of Acute Care, Behavioral Health and Quality. “By combining our efforts, our organizations can build a cohesive continuum of care that uses collaboration and coordination to deliver improved family experiences and patient outcomes,” emphasized the caring physician. The integration of the array of communitybased services offered by the Achievement Center paired with LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health psychiatry services solidifies the LECOM position as the undisputed mental health leader in the region.

Danielle Hansen, DO

Further enhancing the array of mental health options and the range of behavioral healthcare services, LECOM Health and Corry Counseling Services have announced a partnership that will strengthen the capacity of the organizations to meet the behavioral health needs of residents throughout the Northwestern Pennsylvania region. The collaboration is pending approval

from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Through this partnership, the combined resources of LECOM Health and Corry Counseling Services will further expand behavioral healthcare options, particularly in rural and under served locales. For more than four decades, Corry Counseling Services has assisted children and adults with mental and developmental disabilities throughout Erie, Warren, and Crawford Counties. Services include outpatient mental health services, family-based mental health services, medication support, family preservation services, blended case management, as well as offering two residential community homes for adults with developmental disabilities. “LECOM Health was our first choice partner, based not only upon presence of the health system in southeastern Erie County, but also based upon the reputation of LECOM Health for providing quality services to patients in the Corry region and beyond,” noted Karen Croyle, Corry Counseling Services Executive Director. For decades now, LECOM and its network of partners have been the foundational bulwark that has reinforced a powerful and purposed healthcare mission. LECOM has been solidly at the epicenter of that mission, championing the vision of healthful living, and advancing the educational and medical core of a growing and ever-expanding network of medical exceptionalism. LECOM takes great pride in its union with the Achievement Center and with Corry Counseling Services; and the whole of LECOM Health looks forward with resplendent enthusiasm to continue to lead the way in the field of behavioral healthcare offerings.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 07

16th Regional Science Consortium Annual Research Symposium Winners The 16th Regional Science Consortium (RSC) Annual Research Symposium was held virtually in November of 2020, and two LECOM Master of Science in Biomedical Science/Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine scholars emerged victorious. Arjun Malhotra, OMS3, received First Place honors in the Graduate Student Poster Session for his presentation entitled, Developmental Trajectory of the Auditory Brainstem Response of the Valproic Acid Induced Rat Model of Autism. Alyson Burchell, OMS2, also finished first. Her victory came in the Graduate Oral Session

08 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

for her presentation entitled, Investigation of a Long-Range Glycinergic Projection from Brainstem Interneurons to the Thalamus. Located on the shores of Lake Erie, the Erie, Pennsylvania-based RSC is a nonprofit organization that facilitates research, education, and collaborations among its members. The RSC is not directly affiliated with an institution, instead, it is a consortium of institutions seeking collaborations in scientific research. Organized in 2004, the RSC moved into the research wing of the Tom Ridge Environmental Center prior to its opening in May of 2006.

Since that time, the RSC has been an active part of the scientific research community fostering numerous collaborations on a variety of topics. The goal of the organization and its participants is to make key researchers and others aware of important ongoing research and to initiate meaningful and productive scientific collaborations. LECOM recognizes the fine work of its scholars and the College resoundingly praises their meaningful results.

LECOM SCHOLARS TRIUMPH LECOM congratulates the winners of the Cleveland Academy of Osteopathic Medicine Annual Winter Seminar. This virtual format of the 56th Annual Winter Conference was held on January 29 - 31, 2021. The purpose of the seminar is to provide American Osteopathic Association (AOA) accredited programs that address the clinical practice needs of osteopathic physicians. Sessions are offered to continually assess issues, developments, advances, and trends in current medical practice, and to address identified needs through relevant comprehensive programs designed for general statewide physician audiences of all specialties. A host of events peppered the seminar offerings. LECOM participants performed admirably; and as in past years, LECOM scholars garnered many awards and accolades. The 2021 Student Advocate Award was presented to Austin Sellers, OMS-II, LECOM, University Hospitals and University Hospitals of Cleveland, East. The Cleveland Academy of Osteopathic Medicine (CAOM) established the award in honor of Emil E. Pogorelec, DO

Austin Sellers, OMS-II, Educational Research Minority Representation in Osteopathic Medical Education: Are We Doing Enough? Cylie Alflen, OMS-III, Literature Review Evaluation of OMT in Pain Reduction in Pregnant Women During Third Trimester and Postpartum

Peris Kibera, OMS-III, Case Report Severe Eczema with Erythroderma in an African American Male Patient

George Matta, OMS-II, Osteopathic Focused Research Meta-analysis of Randomized-Controlled Trials Evaluating the Efficacy of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment as an Adjunct Treatment Modality for Pain

Marija Rowane, OMS-III, Case Report Chronic Morbidities of COVID-19: A Young Female with an Acute Thrombotic Cerebrovascular Accident

Second Place Ami Shah, OMS-IV, Case Report Ileus and Ischemic Ulcers in the Setting of Legionella Pneumophila Syed Ahmed, OMS-III, Literature Review The Impact of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment on Postoperative Hospital Length of Stay Prajin Srivastav, OMS-III, Original Research The Efficacy of Epley Maneuver compared to Brandt-Daroff and Semont Exercise in Reducing Short-Term Recurrence in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

As the award recipient, Sellers is invited to serve as the Student Representative of the Executive Committee of CAOM, and to be formally recognized at the CAOM Annual Winter Conference. He also receives a stipend to attend the Ohio Osteopathic Association (OOA) House of Delegates Annual Meeting.

Mercedes Kent, OMS-III, Osteopathic Focused Research (tied) Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy in the Treatment of Respiratory Disorders

First Place Lauren Henn, OMS-III, Case Report An Unlikely Source of Group B Streptococcal Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A Case Report

Honorable Mention

Joshua Valerio, OMS-III, Original Research Effects of Hippotherapy on Balance in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis

The award is designed to honor an exemplary medical student who exhibits the same passion for osteopathic medicine and the osteopathic profession in northeast Ohio as had the deeply revered Dr. Pogorelec.

LECOM is equally proud of the Abstract Research and Scholarly Activity Contest winners. LECOM students across all campuses have won abstract awards, and all First Place holders presented posters at the CAOM. The LECOM Medical Student winners in the Abstract Presentations Category are:

Marija Rowane, OMS-III, Osteopathic Focused Research Osteopathic Structural Clinical Exam Case Study: Primary Immunodeficiency Associated with Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 1 (PIK3R1) Gene Mutation

Shannon Myers, OMS-III, Osteopathic Focused Research (tied) Can OMT Improve Athletic Performance? Third Place Faizan Rahim, OMS-III, Literature Review Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis in the Setting of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Abigale Cannone, OMS-III, Original Research Structure and Culture of U.S. Healthcare as Barriers to Prenatal Care Adherence for African-American Mothers at High Risk for Infant Mortality in Cleveland, Ohio

Fellows Phuong Daniels, OMS II, LECOM Erie is a coauthor on each of the Fellow Abstract/Posters First Place Reimus Valencia, DO A Heterozygous Novel Variant of SMARCAL1 Gene Causing Schimke Immuno-osseous Dysplasia Second Place Ryan Shilian, DO Development of Osteopathic Rhinitis Module in an Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Third Place Craig Sewell, DO Emerging Lethal Electronic Cigarette Drug Trends: ARDS and Death from a Zombie Apocalypse Residents Second Place Madiha Huq, DO Posner Schlossman Syndrome in Common Variable Immune Deficiency Phuong Daniels, OMS II, is also a co-author on the Second Place Resident Abstract/Poster. LECOM lauds the consistently triumphant endeavors of its scholars and progeny as they probe the depths of discovery and engage in valuable medical discourse and collaborative projects.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 09

Pharmacy An Essential Profession in a New Age With a perpetual focus upon improvement and upon innovation, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has advanced beyond its roots in osteopathic medicine. In 2002, LECOM established a School of Pharmacy; and the first Doctor of Pharmacy graduates earned their degrees in 2005. Since the establishment of the initial School of Pharmacy, LECOM also added a school of Pharmacy at its branch campus in Bradenton, Florida.

The LECOM School of Pharmacy opened to prepare pharmacists as members of a changing health care environment dedicated to patient-centered care. LECOM Erie offers the year-round, three-year curriculum, while the Bradenton campus has a four-year program, and a four-year, distance education pathway. In this moment, LECOM stands as the vibrant heart of the only osteopathic academic health center in the nation; and one of its shining attainments has been the success - and successful graduates - of the LECOM School of Pharmacy. Twenty-first century pharmacists enjoy a larger role in patient care, improving outcomes, increasing patient access to care, shifting time for physicians to focus upon more critically ill patients, improving patient and provider satisfaction, assuring patient safety, and clearly advancing and improving the whole of the healthcare delivery system.

Nicholas Lombardo, PharmD

10 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

LECOM has been successful and remains so because it had and continues to have a clear vision. It is a strategically implemented vision with celebrated successes and transcendent triumphs. The School of Pharmacy and pharmacy profession have much to offer; and a window of opportunity now is thrown wide because of the plethora of need resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic. LECOM alumnus, Nicholas Lombardo, PharmD, (Class of 2018) has been pivotally involved in addressing that need. As a clinical pharmacy specialist at Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH), he has been instrumental in providing COVID-19 immunizations, an undertaking essential to conquering the virus that has devastatingly affected so many lives. This triumph is a personal reward to Dr. Lombardo, and to those like him who stand by a commitment to providing excellent patient care. In addition to overseeing direct

– Continued on page 26

LECOM Master’s Degree Program Among the Best in the Nation "This recognition by Intelligent.com is a testament to the synergy and effectiveness of the interprofessional alumni relationships created through our programs." – Timothy Novak, DBA, SHSA Dean

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Masters in Health Services Administration (MHSA) program has been ranked one of the top online programs of its kind in the United States, according to a study by Intelligent.com. Intelligent.com, a website dedicated to helping students connect with the best, easy-tounderstand resources and advice, analyzed 334 regionally accredited programs at 159 colleges and universities. Each program was evaluated for its reputation in the field, course strength, flexibility and cost. The LECOM MHSA Program ranked number five overall while also being recognized for having the Best Alumni Network. The LECOM MHSA program is part of the School of Health Services Administration (SHSA). The program was initiated in 2014 to develop clinicians and graduate students into executive healthcare administrators armed with the critical knowledge, leadership skills, and confidence required to fully manage the growing demands and complex issues of the healthcare industry. All of the SHSA graduate programs, including the Masters in Public Health, Master of Science in Biomedical Ethics, and Doctor of Healthcare Administration, are designed specifically to accommodate busy students and working professionals. A large portion of the curriculum (98%), is delivered through a Distance Education Online Platform led by a dynamic team of faculty experts possessing deep industry experience.

“Our Masters in Health Services Degree program teaches students the ‘business of healthcare’ as part of the largest medical college in the United States, creating an unique educational setting where clinicians and administrators can develop into future healthcare industry leaders,” explained Timothy Novak, DBA, SHSA Dean. “This recognition by Intelligent.com is a testament to the synergy and effectiveness of the interprofessional alumni relationships created through our programs,” he noted. Healthcare administrators are integral to the operation of a healthcare system or organization, often overseeing Human Resources, financial management, strategic planning, day-to-day procedures, and patient advocacy. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow 32% by 2029, much faster than the average of all occupations; and due in large part to the sizable aging baby-boomer population. LECOM programs provide students with indispensable knowledge, and sound leadership and communication skills required to plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health service organizations. LECOM leaders are making their mark upon the future of healthcare administration as the college consistently maintains its noteworthy position in the vanguard of superlative medical education.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 11

in a Time of Adversity Throughout the year 2020 and across the nation, churches have stopped meeting, school has been cancelled, and many businesses have implemented modified operating conditions or have closed completely. These transformational events, in some form, have lingered into the new year. Although everyone hopes to do his or her part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Americans are unaccustomed to being confined and restricted. Yet, in the gloom of loss and limitation, generosity ushers in the light that all so desperately seek. Indeed, generosity has blossomed in the times of social distancing, causing many people to open their hearts and to close the distance through gratitude, joy, and through giving back. The purposeful mission of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) continues to be delivered even during these times of challenge and restriction. The students and the successful futures of LECOM scholars never has slipped from view of a prescient and visionary administration focused keenly upon financial stewardship during this critical period. As the pervasiveness of the COVID-19 Pandemic transformed almost every aspect of life, an increased awareness upon the significant roles that medical professionals have in society has taken root in the forefront of the collective consciousness. Perhaps, unlike any time prior since the World Wars, the importance of a highly-trained, superbly skilled, healthcare force - one prepared to address the vicissitudes of public health crises - has been highlighted unabashedly. Despite a global economic downturn and widespread financial concerns, generous donors stood strong in 2020, successfully raising $1.5 million for the LECOM Student 12 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

Scholarship Fund. Those resources will assist aspiring osteopathic physicians, pharmacists, and dentists studying at LECOM across its four campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, in Bradenton, Florida, and in Elmira, New York. “The COVID-19 Pandemic has highlighted that which those of us in the medical community have always known: that healthcare workers are an integral component of a functioning society,” explained John M. Ferretti, D.O., President and CEO of LECOM. “The generosity shown to LECOM this year demonstrates the significance and value that others place upon ensuring that the healthcare system of our nation is buoyed by medical professionals who have received the best possible education and training, so that they are fully prepared to meet future challenges as they arise,” underscored the LECOM President. The annual LECOM fundraising events include undertakings held at its campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The dual LECOM Student Scholarship Auctions form the seminal fundraising event - held each autumn in Erie and Bradenton.

“LECOM is grateful to the individuals and businesses that contributed to the 2020 LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Drive,” noted Monsignor David Rubino, LECOM Vice President of External Affairs and Coordinator of the 2020 Fund Drive. “The last year has been a period of financial stress for many, so to have received such a tremendous showing of support has been truly inspiring.” LECOM consistently maintains one of the lowest tuitions among private medical schools in the United States. Despite this fact, many students graduate with a considerable amount of debt. LECOM leadership established the Student Scholarship Fund to assist future physicians, pharmacists, and dentists in easing the financial burden of their medical education. Each year, the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund provides over $4 million to deserving students across the four LECOM campuses. Since 1994, LECOM has awarded more than $40 million in scholarships to deserving scholars, including $20 million in scholarships throughout the last five years alone.

Those in-person events, curtailed by the fallout of the pandemic, found LECOM adapting to rely upon individual and corporate contributions as well as upon virtual events to bolster the Student Scholarship Fund. Newly envisioned activities included virtual 5Ks, club raffles, as well as the annual Scholarship Golf Classic event.

Without doubt, the events of 2020 presented conditions under which people have been guided by their better angels, offering positive outreach after experiencing highly stressful and adverse events. These positive changes relate to the development of important qualities of character, such as compassion, generosity, and purpose. Thus, the COVID-19 adversity may have provided unique opportunities for the development of important wisdoms.

The largest fundraiser in 2020 was that of Erie Gives - the single-day philanthropic campaign organized by the Erie Community Foundation. The College received $165,652 in donations, more than double the greatest sum that the institution had previously received.

Through the dark days of a pandemic that seemed to envelop an unwitting people was found a resilience of heart, a depth of compassion, and a sense of unity that parted the shadows and revealed the true nature of the human spirit.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 13

Research, Residency, and Romance Blossom for LECOM Couple

In the realm of research and medical education, in the arena of scientific discovery, the pledge to a cause beyond oneself underscores the essence and the very being of those who would work within the field of medicine and who would serve as a leader at an estimable educational institution. Few individuals better demonstrate and affirm these results and accomplishments than does Dr. Ping He, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Assistant Professor of Biochemistry. For several years, Dr. He’s many proficiencies and outstanding and reliable performance of his educational undertakings have burnished the glistening emblem of exceptionalism that is LECOM. Recently, Dr. Ping He and his team of LECOM researchers have published a study focusing upon phosphate toxicity. Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is an essential nutrient for human health. The expansive research article was a result of a LECOM team of two professors, three students, and one technician. The key study helps to raise social awareness of Pi toxicity and it highlights the importance of preventing dietary Pi overload. 14 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

The noteworthy work was published as a full 21-page research article for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) April 2020 Journal. The society was founded in 1912, and the highly cited Journal consistently ranks among the top biology journals globally. Dr. He along with Mohammed Razzaque, PhD, LECOM Professor of Pathology, and third-year medical students, Jacob Fling and Olivia MannCollura, co-authored the article. “Our recent work was published as a result of 100% LECOM support. I would like to express my thankfulness to Dr. Silvia M. Ferretti, LECOM Provost, Senior Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs and to LECOM,” noted Dr. He. Dr. He’s wife, Dr. Yueling Li, is a LECOM psychiatry resident at Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH). Dr. Li obtained her medical degree from Dalian Medical University, China, where Drs. He and Li were classmates. After graduation, the duo pursued their Ph.D. degrees at two different universities in Beijing, and the couple was married after earning their degrees.

To support Dr. He’s study, Dr. Li accompanied her husband to San Diego, California where they had two sons. In 2018, Dr. Li participated in the psychiatry residency program at Millcreek Community Hospital; and to support Dr. Li’s work, the entire family relocated to Erie. “Luckily and thankfully, I was offered an Assistant Professor position at LECOM, where I can research and teach,” remarked a grateful Dr. He. Despite the hectic lifestyle as a resident, Dr. Li continuously supports Dr. He’s work at LECOM by sharing household duties and offering research ideas. LECOM supports and advances medical lifestyles and it values the importance of family. Drs. He and Li have demonstrated that research, residency, and romance can indeed work seamlessly in concert.

LECOM Scholar Joins the Global Battle of the Century

FILES Amy C. Gruszecki, DO The care and treatment of the living likely is first and foremost in one’s mind when the topic of the calling of medicine is raised. The noble profession, established upon an enduring mission to heal the sick, to comfort the afflicted, and to provide compassionate care to the ailing and infirm, has spanned the ages gilded in its venerable purpose. Yet, there is an area of medicine, paralleled in nobility and purpose. It entails the medical study of the dead. Medical examiners have an important role in the effective functioning of public health. Accurate recordings of causes of death and the reasons that people die are extremely important pieces of information. Amy C. Gruszecki, DO, Chief Forensic Pathologist and Medical Director of American Forensics in Mesquite, Texas affirms this tenet. Her valuable work with an estimably recognized organization known as American Forensics - the first facility in the United States to become accredited in the discipline of Death Investigation - has placed her at the pinnacle of her medical specialty. Dr. Gruszecki is a 1999 graduate of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and she has gone forth from the hallowed halls of her Alma Mater to employ her LECOM osteopathic medical training to the field of death investigation.

“We believe that our clients deserve the best,” stated Dr. Gruszecki. The Certificate of Accreditation from the National Accreditation Board in the Field of Forensic Science Inspection in the Discipline of Medical Legal Death Investigation (ANAB), an independent, not-for-profit organization, closely examined the facility and procedures of American Forensics, finding the operation to be exceptional. “The accreditation means we, as an organization, care enough about our clients to strive for the highest level of death investigation possible,” expounded the dedicated physician. The objective is a rewarding one as the work that Dr. Gruszecki performs often answers very important questions, specifically for family members who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Accreditation distinguishes American Forensics from other death investigation facilities by noting that the organization provides the highest quality of death investigation and autopsy services to its clients as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation. ANAB has a long history of accrediting crime laboratories, toxicology laboratories, and other forensic service providers, however American Forensics, under the leadership of Dr. Gruszecki, is the first facility in the nation to become accredited in the specific discipline of Death Investigation.

American Forensics was founded in 2009, as an independent medical-legal death investigation facility providing forensics autopsy services and expert witness consultations for Texas counties, for families, attorneys, and hospitals. Dr. Gruszecki’s credentials are varied and wholly impressive; they include a plethora of published works, numerous lecture and symposium invitations, and a lengthy list of awards and memberships. The distinguished physician holds several key Medical Directorships and she serves as Co-chairman of the American Academy of Forensic Science Standards Board (ASB). Indeed, Dr. Gruszecki’s resume is extensive and it highlights her depth of training and expertise in her field. To be sure, Dr. Gruszecki’s work underscores further the fact that one cannot undersell the value of osteopathic medicine, even if one is not treating living patients. LECOM leadership - always keenly insightful about medical education and advancing scholars and scholarship - imbued Dr. Gruszecki with the seminal leadership skills to serve her well in the demanding field of death investigation. One cannot be a good forensic pathologist if one is not a good physician. It is abundantly clear that armed with an exceptional LECOM education, Dr. Amy Gruszecki is both.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 15

LECOM Graduate Comes Full Circle

Michael Slater, DO, a Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) 2018 graduate chosen for the single Gastroenterology Fellowship position at Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) is coming full circle in his medical journey. The Naples, Florida native spent several years working with underserved populations. “Training in a culturally diverse region has allowed me to interact with patients from many walks of life,” commented Dr. Slater, “most notably serving the large medically underserved Haitian population of Southwest Florida,” he explained. In particular, such experiences truly solidified Dr. Slater’s interest in Gastroenterology. “In the United States, we often take for granted preventative healthcare measures, such as routine vaccinations like hepatitis B,” noted Dr. Slater in highlighting a troubling case in which a young Haitian man’s death could have been prevented.

16 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

“I am a strong advocate of preventative medicine and I believe that Gastroenterology is a field that embodies this important value,” averred the skilled physician. Dr. Slater conducted research at the Mayo Clinic, Naples Community Healthcare (NCH) System where he had also undertaken his residency. The LECOM alumnus has an estimable array of credentials. His awards and honors include a LECOM Academic Scholarship, NCH Residency Awards, several peer reviewed publications, and a plethora of volunteer work and professional memberships. LECOM lauds this accomplished graduate in achieving the Gastroenterology Fellowship position at Millcreek Community Hospital.

LECOM Alumna to Lead PCOM – Georgia In the realm of public service, the pledge to a cause beyond oneself underscores the essence and the very being of those who would lead an estimable educational institution. The promise and the possibility that is stirred in the heart of those most committed to the purpose of this noble calling is evidenced in the result and in the accomplishment of their every day in service. Few individuals have better demonstrated and affirmed these results and accomplishments than has, Andrea Pax Mann, DO, a 1999 graduate of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) who recently has been named Dean of the Philadelphia College of Medicine - Georgia (PCOM Georgia). Effective this spring, Dr. Mann will direct and oversee the activities of the Clinical and Biomedical Sciences Departments, as well as deliver policy and curriculum as required by the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine President, Provost, and Board of Directors. Dr. Mann is well qualified for this position, having most recently served as the Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, Chair of Pediatrics, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at the Jerry M. Wallace, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Buies Creek, North Carolina. With 20 years of experience in academic medicine and five years at the dean's level, Dr. Mann presents a stellar record of accomplishment as a leader, administrator, educator, mentor, and advisor.

Self-described as a “solid, flexible, optimistic, and introspective leader who is approachable and never retreats from a challenge,” Dr. Mann is well prepared for her new responsibilities. Dr. Mann’s osteopathic training at LECOM will be reflected in the seemingly boundless proficiencies and through the outstanding and reliable performance of her new and weighty leadership duties at PCOM Georgia. PCOM has a proud history and it is to its credit to galvanize that history with a leader honed in LECOM teachings and imbued with osteopathic purpose. LECOM is proud that its progeny are trained to lead, as leadership provides medical professionals the key opportunity to serve. Being willing and able to make decisions is a true sign of an effective leader; a sign that cultivates one's ability, that takes the extra step to raise the aspirations of others toward all that is attainable, and that seeks to release their energies so that they will inspire others to a similar standard. For indeed, high standards and successful attainment of those standards emerges from one's willingness to meet vigorously the challenges of duty. LECOM extends its hearty good wishes and congratulations to Dr. Andrea Pax Mann as she moves forward to enlarge, enliven, and enlighten the realm of osteopathic medical education at PCOM Georgia.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 17

HE(ART) for the MIND During a year that many have viewed as the most unsettling period since the World Wars, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) graduates are engaging in a program to garner a positive outcome for those struggling emotionally.

Recently, HE(ART) for the MIND creator, Dr. Martone, a 2014 LECOM graduate, was selected as one of six individuals to be honored as a Genuine Hero by the Kevin Love Fund and by the sports memorabilia company, Upper Deck.

LECOM Health Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Gianpiero Martone, DO recognized this problematic issue, and with his friend, Monica Mikulski, he established the nonprofit organization known as HE(ART) for the MIND, an amalgam of mental health advocates who are employing the healing power of art to assist those who are struggling with mental health issues. The program provides a forum from which to explore that which it means to be alive in all of its depths of sorrow and joy by connecting advocates and artists with those affected emotionally.

Founded by Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team forward, Kevin Love, the Fund supports the mission of encouraging individuals to live their healthiest lives while offering tools to achieve physical and emotional wellbeing.

Albert Einstein once remarked that, "The arts and sciences are branches of the same tree, for all of these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, toward lifting it from the sphere of a mere physical existence, and toward leading the individual toward freedom.” This spirit, this shared understanding - is one evidenced by LECOM, to see that art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known. It enables one to find oneself and to lose oneself at the same time. HE(ART) for the MIND has applied these truisms in the Pediatric Psychiatry Unit at Millcreek Community Hospital and at SafeNet, an advocacy agency that provides free confidential services including counseling, legal advocacy, education, and shelter to victims of domestic violence. Gianpiero Martone, DO, and Monica Mikulski.

18 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

Upon receiving the Genuine Hero award, Dr. Martone noted, “As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, my hope is to help heal the young and developing who are suffering from mental illness. With the introduction of COVID-19, mental unrest and anguish have increased across all age groups. I am forever grateful that people like Kevin Love are using their platform to encourage mental health and wellness.”

LECOM extends its sincere congratulations to Dr. Martone and to Monica Mikulski for a successful first year providing HE(ART) for the MIND to those in need.

Gianpiero Martone, DO, is shown with prints by California artist Tom Everhart in the psychiatry unit at Millcreek Community Hospital.

For more information about the organization, visit heartforthemind.org. @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 19

In Memoriam Robert Evans DO The skies are darker over Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) as the college family takes heart-heavy note of the loss of Robert Evans, DO. Dr. Evans was a vital and foundational thread running through the fabric that has come to form the tapestry of all that is LECOM. His ever-inquisitive blue eyes, his uplifting spirit, and the vibrant cheerfulness that accompanied his presence from classroom to the world at large imbued those around him with his infectious joy. LECOM collectively extends its deepest and most sincere condolences to the entire Evans family. LECOM welcomed its first class in August of 1993, and at that time, Dr. Evans and Dr. Silvia Ferretti, (now LECOM Provost, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs), were practicing in the same offices located across from Millcreek Community Hospital. “Dr. Evans was a joy, always upbeat, an expert in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), and a fine and dedicated family physician,” noted Dr. Ferretti. With a large following of patients, Dr. Evans practiced for over 30 years.

20 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

When Dr. Evans - a father of five children decided to retire from clinical practice, LECOM invited him to become a full-time OMM faculty member. Dr. Evans set up his office in the OMM Lab. His fatherly demeanor underpinned his ensuing and excellent mentorship to LECOM students. Without exception, this devoted medical educator made himself available to students, offering keen expertise and guidance. Dr. Evans’ piercing blue eyes became the source of an internal jest - that their vibrant color prompted the blue hues chosen for the OMM Lab - a place so often frequented by this honored educator. Truly, Dr. Robert Evans was a man of faith, compassion, and caring who embodied the deepest and most profoundly meaningful attributes of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Evans dedicated his life to abating misery his work, his purpose, his mentorship, and his very mission was to heal; yet in so doing, his ebullient spirit scattered joy around him. In the joys of his achievements, in the students that he touched with his gift of knowledge, and in the family that is LECOM - Dr. Robert Evans will leave his legacy.

NOTES

LECOM Connection wants to hear from

YOU! Send us

Dina Randazzo, DO The whole of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) family mourns the loss of Dina Randazzo, DO, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Randazzo succumbed on February 20, 2021 after a lengthy battle with cancer. A 2009 graduate of LECOM, Dr. Randazzo completed her residency in neurology at the University of Florida at Jacksonville. Her work as a caring and highly-skilled neurooncology specialist will be long remembered. Dr. Randazzo also completed a fellowship at Duke University in 2014, before joining its School of Medicine faculty. She was a member of the Duke Cancer Institute and the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center; and she served as Principal Investigator on several publications that focused upon research and treatment of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer of the brain and spine.

Dr. Randazzo’s lifelong professional pledge and undaunted mission to defeat the scourge of cancer endures, made all the more poignant by her untimely loss to the disease. May the family and friends of Dr. Dina Randazzo take comfort in the inspirational memory of her noble mission and in the awareness of the many lives that she transformed during her all too brief time among 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, 866-6641 or email communications@lecom.edu. communications@lecom.edu

All submissions are subject to editing for clarity and length.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 21

STUDENT NOTES College of Medicine Elaine Blackman, OMS3, received the American Osteopathic Foundation 2020 Sterling Welch, DO, Scholars Grant. The grant was established to provide funding support to help defer the costs of students’ osteopathic medical education. Recipients are chosen based upon financial need, academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, and a commitment to osteopathic medicine. Alyson Burchell, OMS2, earned the award of First Place in the Student Lecture portion of LECOM Interprofessional Research Day 2020 for her presentation entitled, Investigation of a Long-Range Glycinergic Projection from Brainstem Interneurons to the Thalamus. Prutha Mehta, OMS2, earned Second Place with her lecture entitled, Liver Metabolic Dysfunction in PCOS Rats, and Zachary Weisner, OMS4, earned the honor of Third Place with his lecture entitled, Association of Pre-Hospital Hypocarbia and Hypercarbia with Outcomes with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Patients. In the poster category, Ian Koch, OMS2, garnered top honors with a poster entitled, Characterization of the Auditory Brainstem Response in Hyperandrogenic Rats. Aaron Grossberg, OMS2, earned the RunnerUp distinction with his poster entitled, Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease by Palpation. Yusra Mansour, OMS4, received Third Place honors for her presentation entitled, Virtually the Same? The Comparison of In-Person and Virtual Drawing Sessions on the Structural and Clinical Anatomy of the Vagus Nerve. The City College of New York (CCNY) recognized Dean Cuadrado, OMS1, as an “award-winning research-author at the New York University College of Dentistry Biomedical Department in the Craniomaxillofacial Orthopedic Biomaterials Regenerative Applications Lab.”

Third-year medical students, Emin Eminof and Matthew Yurkewicz presented at the Fourth Annual Tri-State Simulation Symposium in September of 2020. The students along with Albert Sabirov, MD, Assistant Professor of Comprehensive Basic Science, and Ichabod Jung, MD, Clinical Instructor, co-authored an abstract entitled, Simulation is an Effective Time- and CostEfficient Tool to Teach Pre-Clinical Medical Student Skills. Members of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP) selected Brie Howerton, OMS2, as the Most Impactful General Council Member at the COSGP Summer Business Meeting. Ali Husain, OMS2, and Mohammed Razzaque, PhD, Professor of Pathology, were co-authors of an article entitled, COVID-19 Pandemic: Adaptation in Antenatal Care for Better Pregnancy Outcomes, published in Frontiers in Global Women’s Health. Kaitlyn Kilpatrick, OMS2, and Anupam Bishayee, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology, contributed to an article entitled, Marine Cyanobacteria and Microalgae Metabolites—A Rich Source of Potential Anticancer Drugs, published in Marine Drugs. Adam Lefleur, OMS3, was elected to serve as President of the National Executive Board of Student American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics. His classmate, Tyler Hunt, OMS3, was re-elected to serve as National Treasurer. Evan Callahan, OMS2, was elected as National Membership Chairman. Yusra Mansour, OMS4, Syed Ahmed, OMS3, and Randy Kulesza, PhD, Dean, LECOM School of Biomedical Sciences, collaborated on an article entitled, Abnormal Morphology and Subcortical Projections to the Medial Geniculate in an Animal Model of Autism, published in Experimental Brain Research. Niki Nourmohammadi, OMS2, authored an article entitled, A Cross-Sectional Study of Herpes Zoster Diagnosis in the Time of COVID-19, which has been accepted for publication in SKIN, The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine.

22 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

Nicholas Olson, OMS2, and his wife welcomed a son, Oliver, in November of 2020. Erin Ritzer, OMS2, co-authored an article entitled, Effect of Fin Length and Shape of Stemless Humeral Components in a Reverse Shoulder Implant System: A FEA Study, published in the Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology. Dylan Thibaut, OMS1, received an Advocates Believe in You Scholarship sponsored by the Advocates of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA). Jason Wood, OMS4, and his wife welcomed a son, Samuel Ford, in December of 2020.

School of Pharmacy Marianis Barreto Quintana, P4, contributed an article entitled, Diabetes in Your Pet May Increase Your Risk, to Diabetes in Control. Ingrid Belaza, P4, is the recipient of a National Hispanic Health Foundation Health Professional Scholarship. The honor is bestowed upon outstanding students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to providing healthcare to Latinos. Tarshay Boyd, P3, contributed articles entitled, Telehealth, Smartphones, Mobile Apps and CGM: Changing the Way We Control Type 2 Diabetes in Adults; Bone Density Mass in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes; and COVID-19 Severity Perceived in Recently Diagnosed Diabetes Patients, to Diabetes In Control. Her interview with Eli Lilly and Company Senior Medical Adviser Dan Pollom, MD, also was published in Diabetes in Control. Cassandra Darling, P2, was the recipient of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation Jerry W. Ross Scholarship. Darling was one of 19 American pharmacy students to receive an APhA Scholarship. Awards are based upon the students’ academic accomplishments and their leadership skills as demonstrated by their active involvement in the APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists.

Leyany Feijoo Ramos, P4, contributed articles entitled, Dulaglutide Can Reduce Cognitive Impairment in Patients with T2D and Could Vitamin D Have a Role in T2DM? to Diabetes in Control. Melinda Rodriguez, P4, contributed articles entitled, Another Oral Combination Antidiabetic Agent; Telemedicine for Management of Diabetes Amid COVID-19 Concerns: Does it Work?; Improving Medication Adherence in Primary Care; and Gut Microbiota and Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes, to Diabetes in Control.

School of Dental Medicine Stanley John, D3, was awarded top honors in the LECOM School of Dental Medicine Oral Presentation Competition for his work entitled, The Effect of Essential Oils on the Antibiotics Efficacy Against Enterococcus Faecalis. He will represent LECOM at the American Association of Dental Research Meeting in July of 2021.

FACULTY NOTES College of Medicine

Alaeddin Abukabda, DMD, Assistant Professor of Physiology, contributed to a review entitled, Quorum Sensing: A New Prospect for the Management of Antimicrobial-Resistant Infectious Disease, published in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy. Anupam Bishayee, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology, co-authored a review entitled, On a Beam of Light: Photoprotective Activities of the Marine Carotenoids Astaxanthin and Fucoxanthin in Suppression of Inflammation and Cancer, published in Marine Drugs. Dr. Bishayee contributed to a second article entitled, Trends in Research on Exosomes in Cancer Progression and Anticancer Therapy, published in Cancers. He also contributed, Natural Products in Drug Discovery: Advances and Opportunities, published in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery.

Bertalan Dudas, MD, Assistant Dean of Research and Scholarship, has been named Guest Editor for an article entitled, Current Advances in Neuroendocrine Research, published in The Journal of Clinical Medicine. Leah Labranche, PhD, Instructor of Anatomy, Mark Terrell, EdD, Assistant Dean of Medical Education, and Randy Kulesza, PhD, Dean of the LECOM School of Biomedical Sciences, co-authored a report entitled, Learning in Stereo: The Relationship Between Spatial Ability and 3D Digital Anatomy Models, published in Anatomical Sciences Education. Patrick Leary, DO, Clinical Professor of Sports Medicine, spoke with the American Osteopathic Association group known as, Doctors That DO for creation of an article entitled, Tips on Aging Well. Christine Lomiguen, MD, Assistant Director of Pathology, Justin Chin, DO, Master of Science in Medical Education student, and Ivelys Rosete, OMS2, wrote an article entitled, Providing Culturally Competent Care for COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit Delirium, published in Cureus. Drs. Lomiguen and Chin co-authored a second piece entitled, Influenza Vaccination Quality Improvement as a Model for COVID-19 Prophylaxis, also published in Cureus. Yasmin Mali, MD, Physician Faculty at LECOM Bradenton, contributed a chapter entitled, Inferior Oblique Procedures, to The Duke Manual of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Surgery. Mohammed Razzaque, PhD, Professor of Pathology, co-authored an article entitled, TGIF1-Twist1 Axis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, published in the Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. Dr. Razzaque’s review entitled, Exacerbation of Antimicrobial Resistance: Another Casualty of the COVID-19 Pandemic?, was published in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy. Brian Risavi, DO, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Mark Terrell, EdD, Assistant Dean of Medical Education, contributed to an article entitled, The Effectiveness of a Formal Curriculum in Teaching Mass Casualty Management,

published in the Journal of Emergency Management. Drs. Terrell and Lomiguen were contributing authors on a work entitled, The Role of Barriers and CommunityBased Education in Compliance to Regular Eye Exams in New York City’s Harlem Community, published in Cureus. Albert Sabirov, MD, Assistant Professor of Comprehensive Basic Science, Ichabod Jung, MD, Clinical Instructor, and Stephanie Esper, DO, Clinical Professor of Family Medicine/OPP, co-authored an abstract entitled, Perception of Simulation Experience in Medical Students: From Preclinical Years to Clinical Rotations. Dr. Sabirov presented the abstract during the Fourth Annual TriState Simulation Symposium in September. Chelsea Schwartz, DO, PBL Instructor at LECOM at Seton Hill, contributed to a piece entitled, Intralesional 5-Fluorouracil for the Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinomas, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Diana Speelman, PhD, Director of Research for the College of Medicine, Jack Lee, PhD, Assistant Director of the LECOM Lecture Discussion Pathway, and LECOM researchers, Auryana DeChick and Rebecca Hetz co-authored an article entitled, Increased Skeletal Muscle Fiber CrossSectional Area, Muscle Phenotype Shift and Altered Insulin Signaling in Rat Hindlimb Muscles in a Prenatally Androgenized Rat Model for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

School of Pharmacy Victoria Reinhartz, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, received the 2020 Next-Generation Pharmacist Civic Leader Award. Presented by Pharmacy Times and Parata Systems, the Award recognizes a pharmacist whose activism for patients and the pharmacy profession highlights the needs of the community and whose vision is related to advancement of policy, pharmacy care, and the health outcomes of the community.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 23

School of Dental Medicine

Class of 2003

Nader Abdulhameed, BDS, Biomaterials/ Assistant Professor, Simulation Clinic, was a contributing author of an article entitled, Transferring Occlusal Anatomy From Worn Temporary Crowns to Zirconium Oxide Crowns, published in the European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry.

Ryan Lynch, DO, has been installed as a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists. Dr. Lynch is a neurologist with Medical Associates of Erie, the clinical practices of LECOM Health.

Osman Tahir, DO, has joined Desert Radiology in Las Vegas. Dr. Tahir is fellowship trained in vascular and interventional radiology and he is a member of the Society of Interventional Radiology, American Board of Radiology, American College of Radiology, and the California Radiological Society.

Class of 2004

Class of 2011

Shanele Williams, DDS, a faculty member with the LECOM Bradenton Simulation Clinic, co-authored an article entitled, Untreated Caries Among U.S. Working-aged Adults and Association with Reporting Need for Oral Health Care, published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Hilary Shapiro-Wright, DO, has joined Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health and Wellness Institute and Eugene M. and Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida in Boca Raton, Florida. Dr. Shapiro-Wright is board-certified in Breast Surgical Oncology and she specializes in breast cancer surgery, highrisk breast pathology, benign breast disease, oncoplastic surgery, and hidden scar surgery. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Oncoplastic Surgery and the Editing Board of the Journal of Oncoplastic Surgery. Dr. Shapiro-Wright has been named the Cincinnati Top Doctor in Breast Surgery/ Breast Cancer in Cincinnati Magazine from 2013 to 2020.

Travis Swartz, DO, has joined the surgical staff of Tri-County Health Care Specialty Clinic in Wadena, Minnesota.

Thomas Yoon, DDS, Troy Tran, DMD, and Nathan Estrin, DMD, contributed to an article entitled, Evaluation of Length and Location of the Maxillary Sinus Intraosseous Artery Using Computerized Tomography, published in the Journal of Periodontology.

ALUMNI NOTES Class of 1999 Andrea Pax Mann, DO, has been named Dean and Chief Academic Officer of the Osteopathic Medicine Program at PCOM Georgia, located in Suwanee, Georgia. In her new position, Dr. Mann will direct and oversee the Clinical and Biomedical Science Departments as well as deliver policy and curriculum for the College.

Class of 2001 William Wright, DO, has joined the Infectious Disease Services at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center in Windber, Pennsylvania. Dr. Wright is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Infectious Disease. He is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

24 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

Class of 2009 Orthopedic Surgeon, Christopher Betz, DO, has joined Starling Physicians in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Dr. Betz is fellowship trained in Sports Medicine and he specializes in shoulders, hips, and knees procedures. The LECOM alumnus has authored a number of publications and currently, he serves on the medical staff for several local Connecticut baseball teams.

Class of 2010 Marcus Babiak, PharmD, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) in Erie, Pennsylvania. Dr. Babiak joined the MCH staff in 2014 as Pharmacy Director. He also served as Patient Safety Officer and COVID-19 Pandemic Incident Commander. He and his wife, Jaime Babiak, PharmD, were recognized as Front Line Heroes by Erie News Now for their work during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Jaime Babiak is Director of Operations for the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging in Erie.

Class of 2012 Cardiologist, Stephen Frossard, DO, has joined Baptist Health Medical Group Cardiology near Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Frossard completed Internal Medicine and General Cardiology Fellowship Programs at Magnolia Regional Health Center in Corinth, Mississippi; and he also completed an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program at Franciscan Alliance in Olympia Fields, Illinois.

Class of 2013 Jordan Balencic, DO, has been appointed to the Turner Valley Oil and Gas Board of Advisors in Kerrville, Texas.

Class of 2014 Brooklyn, New York Borough officials honored Daniel Erdheim, DO, as a Brooklyn COVID Hero. The Borough has recognized individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact upon others during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr. Erdheim is Board Certified in Anesthesiology and he works with NYU Langone Health. Tammy Gebo-Seaman, DO, has joined the Department of Gastroenterology at Watson Clinic Highlands and Watson Clinic Main in the Lakeland, Florida, area. Dr. GeboSeaman is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine and she is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the American College of Physicians.

Elizabeth Kermis, DO, has joined the staff of Wyoming County OB/GYN and Midwifery Services in Warsaw, New York. Dr. Kermis provides traditional obstetrics and gynecological care as well as pediatric and teen gynecologic services. Lisa Lanning, DO, has joined McLeod Family Medicine Center in Florence, South Carolina. Dr. Lanning is Board Certified in Family Medicine; and she was a member of the LECOM inaugural class in the Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway. Dr. Lanning also will serve as a faculty member of the McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program. Natasha Patel, PharmD, has received the CVS Health Paragon Award for 2020. The award recognizes the best among CVS Health colleagues who embody the core values of the company and who deliver direct care to patients and customers. It is the highest employee recognition bestowed by CVS Health. Vinny Sharma, DO, has joined the Elmhurst Neurosciences Institute in Elmhurst, Illinois. Dr. Sharma is Board Certified in Neurology and he is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Stroke Association.

Class of 2015 Michael McCleese, DO, has been appointed the Marion (Ohio) Public Health Physician. In this role as Medical Director, Dr. McCleese will support the public health nursing team and serve as an advocate for the health of the community.

Class of 2016 Kyrstin Ball, DO, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. Individuals are chosen based upon their position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a professional field. Dr. Ball currently is a resident physician at Kirksville Family Medicine, in Kirksville, Missouri. Tim Davidson, DMD, has joined Overmeyer Family Dental in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Davidson is a member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, and the Central Florida Association.

Jeffrey Wisinski, DO, is an Assistant Professor in the Penn State Health Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation and Department of Family and Community Medicine in State College, Pennsylvania. Dr. Wisinski also serves as a team physician for the Penn State Nittany Lions and as a Principal Investigator for Penn State University as part of the Big Ten Conference COVID Cardiac Registry.

Class of 2017 David Irwin, DO, has joined the Arnot Health staff in Elmira, New York. Pediatrician, Paul Robbins, DO, has joined the staff of the Chautauqua Center in Jamestown, New York. Brendan Mulcahy, DO, has joined the Penn Highlands Healthcare Emergency Medicine Team and he will be serving patients in DuBois and St. Marys, Pennsylvania. Dr. Mulcahy served as Medical Corp Officer, Battalion Surgeon, in the 112th Battalion as well as Instructor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Science F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine. In addition to his role as an emergency medicine physician, Dr. Mulcahy also is an EMT and a volunteer firefighter.

Class of 2018 Farhan Ali, DO, garnered top honors in the LECOM Interprofessional Research Day 2020 Lecture Session for his clinical presentation entitled, Metformin as Adjunctive Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Class of 2019 Jonathan Brach, DO, co-authored an article entitled, Our On-again Off-again Relationship With Aspirin: Where Are We Now With Cardiovascular Prevention?, published in Family Doctor. Shane Lohss, DO, earned Runner-Up honors in the LECOM Interprofessional Research Day 2020 Lecture Session for his presentation entitled, Clinical Presentation of COVID-19 in Two Rural New York Counties.

Claire Papp, DMD, has joined White and Haines Advanced Dentistry in Cornelius, North Carolina. In addition to her role as an Associate Dentist, Dr. Papp is a volunteer with the nonprofit organization known as the Remote Area Medical Foundation, which provides pro-bono quality medical and dental care to those in need. Grant Ross, DMD, has joined Sarrell Dental of Enterprise in Enterprise, Alabama. Kevin Ruhland, DO, has joined the hospitalist team at the Bond Clinic in Winter Haven, Florida. Dr. Ruhland is board certified in Internal Medicine.

Class of 2020 Kamilla Avshalum, PharmD, contributed an article entitled, PCOS Increases Risk for CVD, to Diabetes in Control. Kelly Jo Baldwin, MD, has joined Maine Medical Partners - Neurology in Scarborough, Maine. Dr. Baldwin focuses upon neuro-infectious disease. Kassey James, PharmD, contributed an article entitled, Down’s Syndrome Youth Have a High Prevalence of Dyslipidemia and Prediabetes, to Diabetes in Control. George McConnell, PharmD, contributed an article entitled, Real-World Evidence in Support of Continuous Glucose Monitoring, to Diabetes in Control. Jacob Matsil, DO, earned Honorable Mention in the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) Clinical Writing Contest for his piece entitled, Determining Reasons for Flu Shot Refusal. The article will be published in the POMA Journal, spring issue. Mit Suthar, PharmD, wrote an article entitled, Evaluation of an Interoperable Artificial Pancreas System (iAPS), published in Diabetes in Control. Jacob Woods, DMD, has joined Smiles by Beck in Tallahassee, Florida.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 25

– Continued from page 05 Poster Session Winners 1st Prize ($500) Sadaf Mughal, MD Clinical Presentation of COVID-19 in Two Rural New York Counties Richard Terry, DO; Sadaf Mughal, MD; Vidya Reddy, MD; Sowmya Srinivas, MD

Congratulations LECOM takes pride in announcing that Marcus C. Babiak, PharmD, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH). In his new leadership position, Dr. Babiak will oversee the daily operations of the Hospital. His responsibilities also include leading and participating in the development and execution of programs, policies, procedures, and initiatives that drive patient volume and retention. “We are delighted to have Dr. Babiak in this position,” remarked Mary L. Eckert, President and CEO of Millcreek Community Hospital. “We look forward to his assistance in developing and nurturing an environment that implements effective and ongoing programs to measure, assess, and improve the quality of care and services provided to our patients,” the Hospital President averred. Dr. Babiak joined LECOM Health in 2014 as the Pharmacy Director at Millcreek Community Hospital. In 2016, his responsibilities and reach increased and expanded to include duties as Patient Safety Officer. In 2020, Dr. Babiak also began serving as the Hospital COVID-19 Pandemic Incident Commander. A native of Altoona, Pennsylvania, Dr. Babiak received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Juniata College. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in 2010; and in 2015, he completed the LECOM Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) Program. Dr. Babiak has accomplished his objectives with great aplomb, emblematic of the LECOM imprimatur. LECOM extends its congratulations to Marcus C. Babiak, Pharm.D., in grateful recognition of his recent achievement.

26 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2021

2nd Prize ($250) Laura Bradel, DO The Hidden Troublemaker - A Case of Atrial Flutter with Complete Heart Block Laura Bradel, DO; Bishoy Elbebawy, MD; William DeLuccia, MD; and Kent Stephenson, MD The LECOM administration is proud to support the exemplary work of its scholars and researchers by providing the funding for the prizes; and the College resoundingly congratulates all involved in the worthwhile event.

– Continued from page 10 immunizations, Dr. Lombardo has engaged in lectures and educational efforts to bring awareness to community and colleagues alike about the vaccine effects and efficacy. He attributes his training at LECOM, both as a student and throughout his subsequent residency at MCH, to providing the basis and foundation of his comprehensive understanding of the pharmacy profession, noting that it will continue to serve him well as he advances in his career. Now is the time to consider a career in Pharmacy. The impact of pharmacists in patient care has been well-documented in the hospital and outpatient clinic setting. The emerging changes with respect to community care and to the importance of Emergency Preparedness have more clearly elucidated the role of the pharmacist within the community with regard to public health and patient wellness. In 2020, the message that the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) gave to the world was that pharmacists are, now more than ever, essential and accessible health care providers. LECOM School of Pharmacy alumni are working in a variety of positions at retail and community pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and physicians offices. They are on the front lines in the battle of a century and they are an indispensable part of a complete healthcare team. The three-year, year-round accelerated PharmD program - one of only a handful in the nation prepares pharmacists who can deliver expert staff services and clinical care at the front lines.

The year 2020 presented untold hardships to many. It was during that momentous period that the role of the pharmacist became more well defined at the federal level. The United States Department of Health and Human Services named pharmacists as Covered Persons under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, enabling these professionals to provide COVID-19 testing; and now, establishing a pathway for pharmacists to enroll with Medicare as mass immunizers providing COVID-19 vaccines. To facilitate preparation by pharmacies to meet the needs of the continued public health emergency, the supermarket chain, Kroger, has announced that they will hire an additional 1,000 pharmacists; and Walgreens is planning to hire 8,000 to 9,000 pharmacy team members to “support the full spectrum of pharmacy and COVID testing and vaccine needs.” APhA CEO, Scott Knoer, recently affirmed that, “Team Pharmacy is strong...and they enter 2021 empowered like never before to provide patient care services.” LECOM is driving that empowerment in a tangible way. Indeed, the upward course of an institution is due in large measure to its educational excellence. For almost three decades, LECOM has been training superlative pharmacists and healthcare professionals. Times of great adversity call for those best prepared to battle it. As the force of a new age, LECOM pharmacists will fight the battles of a new era.

Join the

LECOM Family of Physicians Treating Erie’s Families

We are the physicians of Medical Associates of Erie - the Clinical Practices of LECOM. Our goal is to provide to our patients the very best osteopathic, whole person care – mind, body and spirit – for a lifetime of optimal health. You can become part of the only Osteopathic Academic Health Center in the nation led by the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Currently, we are seeking physicians in ENT, General Surgery, Neurology, Pediatrics, Primary Care, Pulmonary Medicine, and Rheumatology for our expanding practices. Please contact Dennis Styn at (814) 868-2504 or dstyn@lecom.edu to learn more about available opportunities.

WELCOME TO WELLNESS WELCOME TO LECOM HEALTH

LECOM Health doctors. Choose one today to join a health system that will focus on your overall wellness for life.

Visit LECOMHealth.com/clinical-practices

ER 19 9 2

LLE IEOCTO A

T H I C ME PAU R A M U S DI

OF NOASTEO GEE R S O M C

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

1858 West Grandview Blvd. Erie, Pennsylvania 16509

L AK

SAVE THE DATE August 16-19, 2021

LECOM Summer CME in Sarasota

For details, visit cme.lecom.edu

LECOM Connection Spring 2021

Articles inside

In Memoriam

LECOM Graduate Comes Full CIrcle

LECOM Alumna to Lead PCOM – Georgia

Forensic Files – Amy C. Gruszecki, DO

HE(ART) for the MIND

Research, Residency, and Romance Blossom for LECOM Couple

LECOM Research Day 2020

Generosity in a Time of Adversity

16th Regional Science Consortium Annual Research Symposium Winners

Pharmacy – An Essential Profession in a New Age

LECOM Master’s Degree Program Among the Best in the Nation

LECOM Scholars Triumph

Credos of Our Calling – Individual Responsibility

President's Message – New Beginnings