LECOM Connection Fall 2019

THE

LECOM

ONNECTION

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine FALL 2019

The Art of Medical Education

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

IN THIS ISSUE

Mathew J. Bateman, PhD, DHEd Dean of the School of Dental Medicine

FEATURE

Mark Kauffman, DO, MS (MedEd), PA Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Bradenton

06 The Art of Medical Education A Heritage, A Destiny, A Legacy

Eric Nicastro Acting Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Stephanie Bruce Senior Communications and Marketing Specialist Sheena Baker Communications and Marketing Specialist

03

Message from the President

04

Credos of Our Calling – Generosity

05

The Joe and Sue Kelly Challenge

10

Tradition Triumphs

12

Food Glorious Food

Joel Welin Communications and Marketing Specialist, Bradenton

13

LECOM Harborcenter

Rebecca A. DeSimone, Esquire Chief Writer, Editor-in-Chief

14

Advancing a Golden Paradigm

16

Unveiling Opportunities, Victor M. Awuor, DO

17

An Intended Destiny, Jan Gorniak, DO

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Fellowship of Fortitude, Thadeus Dapash, DO

21

LECOM Costume Caper 5K

28

In Memorium

31

Christmas Message

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.

John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO

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DEPARTMENTS 22

Community is Our Campus

24

Student, Faculty and Alumni Notes

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Legatum de Doctrina The Legacy of Learning

John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO

In the last issue of the LECOM Connection, my message focused upon vision and insight and the way in which such undertakings lead inexorably to the emergence of a legacy. As our Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) vision continues to expand, I wish now to turn our attention toward that which underpins the making of such legacy and that which forms the central mission of all that is LECOM. Legacies do not spring fully formed onto the cover pages of magazines; rather they are the result of a combination of elements, some of which form the central theme of this Message.

Since its convocation in 1993, LECOM has played a vital role in defining the educational excellence, purposeful service and economic growth in each community in which it has come to lay a cornerstone. In the approaching third decade of LECOM, this distinguished institution of higher learning and all that it engenders has come to represent the personal and intellectual apex for generations of alumnae and the highest standards and ideals of a medical education. What then makes it so?

Without hesitation, we answer thus: it is our commitment to our students. We carry with us an unswerving belief in, and commitment to, the superlative education of our students. That palpable mission guides our ambitions and motivations toward our legatum de doctrina – the highest goal of an educator. LECOM leadership, faculty and staff share a proud

bond, that of producing a superlative scholastic institution and of a pledge to offer a first-rate medical and healthcare education to all who cross our threshold.

esteemed educators – the people who spur discovery, who illuminate unseen opportunities and who advance the well-being of individuals and society alike.

Our scholars come to LECOM for many reasons. Some seek our affordable tuition, the most affordable of all private osteopathic medical schools. Some seek to study within our hallowed halls to partake of our unique and innovative student-centered pathways. Others know that board scores of LECOM scholars consistently exceed the national average, while still others value our placement rates that rank among the highest in the profession.

Passion and intellect, ingenuity and perseverance – such are the qualities that lead to truly great breakthroughs in research, the sort that overcome assumptions, unearth discoveries and, quite literally, change lives.

No matter the highly individualized reasons for choosing our prodigious imprimatur, LECOM emerges proudly as the most applied to medical school. After almost three decades and several dozens of graduating classes, LECOM stands as a triumphant accomplishment that blends multiple proud campuses to emerge stronger and better thanks to every one of them. We honor all of those faculty and students that came before, including the pioneers and innovators, and advancing ever onward to serve as the standard-bearer of academic excellence in medical and healthcare education.

Indeed, people drive the success of any outstanding organization. Two of our greatest priorities are found in our scholarships and in our professorships. These assets allow us to recruit the best and the brightest students along with the most venerable, talented and

The same characteristics contribute to academic experiences that enable learners to pursue new perspectives, modes of inquiry, and for increasing numbers of students, their own original scholarship.

Little of note happens without extraordinary people; however, talent and dedication do not stand alone. Our faculty and our students thrive among the most state-of-the-art campus settings that LECOM can offer – where students learn and work, perform and produce, practice and, yes, even take time to relax and to enjoy their experiences as they move forward in the calling of a lifetime.

Each of us has been profoundly touched

by LECOM and by its people. As we look forward upon an ever changing horizon, we pay tribute to our past, to our solid foundation and to that which was created so that we may create further. Now is the moment to recall our legacy and to march toward the infinite possibilities found within our legatum de doctrina.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 03

CREDOS OF OUR CALLING

Generosity•

Those in the healthcare professions rise each day, prepared to give life and energy to others. Through the healing arts and sciences, physicians, pharmacists and dentists serve as a constant source of inspiration, encouraging patients to overcome challenges and to become whole in mind, body and spirit.

That inspiration underpins a generous nature. Those in the healthcare fields always have something to give – whether it be the medical knowledge to facilitate healing, the energy to encourage and to engage a patient, or the gift of time.

Reaping and sowing in every facet of life exists as a Providential principle, purposefully incorporated into all of life. It offers a truism that life gives back and that often one reaps the rewards of one’s efforts.

Generous people energize others. They are the rare souls central to a community; those who realize that generosity is never about how much one has, rather it is about the way in which one gives. Generosity is not defined by an event, rather by a lifestyle.

Winston Churchill astutely noted, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” His sage maxim has long been evidenced by the LECOM mission.

Generosity is defined as a readiness or liberality in giving. It is far more than a giving of wealth, for it encompasses being generous with one’s attitudes, emotions, thoughts, ideas, time and talents.

When one is possessed of a generous mindset, giving magnanimously from financial resources seems a natural extension of that purposeful largess.

Generosity funds its genesis in a grateful spirit. Philanthropic people instinctively lead the way. As the way-makers, it is often their lead that inspires others to stretch their faith and to make a difference in society.

Those living a life of generosity are very intentional about giving and about sharing.

The scriptures reveal that a generous person devises generous things, and by such generosity, they shall be known. Purposeful in discovering, planning, and sharing their wealth and generosity with others, the generous soul finds a profound meaning in the fullness of life – mind, body and spirit.

It is obvious that generosity is a trait that can inspire others, change circumstances and reflect a grateful heart; and for these reasons, generosity is a Credo of Our Calling.

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The Joe and Sue Kelly Challenge A Happy Warrior Stirs Others to Join His Mission World-renowned author and poet William Wordsworth wrote glowingly about the Happy Warrior. He described that warrior as a generous spirit whose high endeavors were borne of an inward light that brightened the way for others.

Indeed, a true leader is revered not for the height of his ego nor the grandeur of his ambition, rather for the unbounded generosity and vision pursued to create a better world.

It is with this premise personified that the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) recognizes one of its stalwart benefactors and friends, Joe Kelly.

For the last several decades, Kelly has served LECOM in his capacity on the leadership team of Hubbard-Bert, the premier employee benefits consulting firm in northwestern Pennsylvania.

As co-owner of Hubbard-Bert, and as senior vice president of the newly established Erie base of HUB International, Kelly’s organization continues to protect and guide LECOM employees in the arena of health benefits.

The partnership between LECOM leadership and Kelly has been a solid one, ever proving that generous leaders are servant leaders, always acting with open hands and open hearts.

Studies show that receiving generosity and support increases the likelihood of extending generosity to others. Such action is likely to play an important role in setting a cascade of generosity in motion.

Without a doubt, Kelly has demonstrated that the heart is a generous muscle imbued with the grace to do good deeds. In March of 2019, Joe Kelly and his wife, Sue, made a $100,000 gift to LECOM to benefit the Student Scholarship Fund. The Kellys are passionate about medical education and about a LECOM medical education in particular.

“When we help others, we may not only be helping one particular individual, but potentially many others downstream,” explained Kelly.

“LECOM has shown that a true medical education consists of acquiring the facts of science coupled with the development of character. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that compounded treasure,” the Hubbard-Bert chief affirmed.

“People can copy anything – one’s mode of dress, one’s way of speaking, walking, dancing, singing – but they will find it very challenging to imitate the way one donates money,” continued Kelly.

With that goal in mind, the Kellys have put in motion their next milestone mission - that of inspiring others to match or exceed their $100,000 gift. In fact, said Kelly, “generosity sets no parameters,” and he encourages a contribution of any amount to the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

The Joe and Sue Kelly Challenge invites similarly situated philanthropists and education supporters from all facets of life to take up the mantle of generosity and to join in the Kellys’ purposeful campaign.

- Continued On Page 30

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 05

FEATURE

The Art of Medical Education

A Heritage, A Destiny, A Legacy

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) educates osteopathic physicians, pharmacists and dentists to practice medicine upon a higher level. It inculcates the values of leadership excellence – not limited solely to educational training, but in community service and through awareness of the human condition.

future, be reminded that all who have accomplished purposeful victories have held a high aim, have fixed their gaze upon a goal which was towering, one that may have seemed impossible – for this is the code of leadership, this is the mission of LECOM, and this is the heart of LECOM scholars.

In observing the comprehensive mission of its first-rate medical, pharmacy and dental schools in providing superlative educational training in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and in Bradenton, Florida, the tremendous growth of LECOM has become one of the top entrepreneurial success stories in the nation. Not only does LECOM offer three revered professional degree programs, but its Ph.D., Master’s and other certificate programs are highly sought after as well.

LECOM leads across the nation in the arena of providing to students a superlative medical education at the lowest tuition cost. A comparison of American Osteopathic Association accredited private colleges of medicine across the nation positions LECOM in the very vanguard of cost savings for scholars who seek a medical education. LECOM has consistently bested the national average for offering the lowest tuition and fees of any private medical college. In the 2018-2019 Academic Year, LECOM Erie recorded both its in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees at $34,570; Bradenton in-state tuition and fees equaled $33,480 and out-of-state tuition and fees equaled $35,825. By comparison, the national average for in-state tuition was recorded at $49,490, while outof-state tuition and fees equalled $53,795.

To what can LECOM attribute this success, this legacy of learning? In a word – leadership.

The indispensable principle of leadership in advancing the art of medical education is comprised of many attributes: academic excellence, personal integrity, self-discipline, purpose, preparedness, commonsense and compassion to name a few. Leaders are not born, they are made through hard work, through sacrifice and through determination.

As one recalls the humble beginnings of LECOM as a once wistful idea that crossed the minds of a few dreamers as they envisaged the 06 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

The same distinguishing cost savings translates to the LECOM School of Pharmacy in Erie, Pennsylvania and in Bradenton, Florida.

Additionally, during the 2018-2019 Academic Year, the LECOM School of Pharmacy began two new and highly innovative programs. The first, an RN to Pharm.D. degree program, established a bridge that allows registered nurses to earn a Pharm.D. degree directly. The second

offering is that of a Pre-PharmD Enrichment Program that facilitates the student’s ability to earn a pharmacy degree, a program similar to the Post-Baccalaureate Program also offered by LECOM. A fresh curriculum involving a three-year accelerated pathway available through the School of Pharmacy is also in developmental stages, demonstrating that LECOM innovators and visionaries are ever mindful of national trends and of a potentially increasing need for pharmacists.

The LECOM School of Dental Medicine also claims its place among the most affordable programs in dentistry as out-of-state scholars boast thousands of dollars in cost savings while receiving dental school training of the highest order. The innovative LECOM curriculum, which begins clinical work early, places fourth-year dental students in community clinics in geographic locations identified as being underserved in terms of oral healthcare.

Since its inception, the LECOM School of Dental Medicine has produced capable and highly trained dentists that are making positive impacts upon patient care. @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 07

FEATURE

Top 10 Medical Schools with the Most Applicants 1. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine 16,129 2. University of California

14,503

3. Georgetown University

13,679

4. George Washington University

11,107

5. Drexel University

11,069

6. Tufts University

10,854

7. Wake Forest University

10,449

8. Western University of Health Sciences

9,934

9. Thomas Jefferson University

9,907

10. Brown University

9,814

Erie, Seton Hill, and Bradenton Match Outcomes

LECOM Outcomes National Outcomes

Data according to www.nrmp.org

2015 2016 2017 2018 99.3% 99.8% 99.8% 100% 94.8% 95.7% 95.4% 95.8%

Aspiring medical professionals eager to cross the threshold at LECOM have made the college an unparalleled leader, conferring upon it the estimable distinction of the most applied to medical school. Applicants seeking admission to American medical schools for the 2018-2019 school year numbered 52,777 (according to statistics from the Association of American Medical Colleges). Among the 118 medical schools listed in the U.S. News and World Report Best Medical Schools rankings (those that reported fall 2018 applicant numbers), the average number of applicants was 5,793. However, among the 10 schools with the most applicants, the average number of applicants was more than twice as high: 11,745. Evincing solid leadership among the field, LECOM exhibited the largest fall 2018 applicant pool at 16,129 from which the school enrolled 2,256 full-time students.

From cost to applicants to match placement, LECOM leads without compare. In fact, in recent years more DOs are in the match than ever before. A significant increase in match rates of graduates of osteopathic medical schools find numbers reaching all-time highs. All three LECOM campuses boast match rates above 99 percent, a significant feat that has become a familiar refrain for LECOM graduates. Indeed, such success across key areas can be traced to superb leadership as institutional leadership is transmuted to its scholars.

LECOM students have led the way in volunteerism, providing medical treatment and care to the suffering in underserved villages across the globe, and in the shadows of the inner-cities right here in the United States. LECOM scholars, imbued with a sense of community, excel in the arena of service. Their proud work, both academically and civically, propels them into the calling of a lifetime as they enter their professions prepared, confident and well-equipped to succeed and serve.

LECOM holds four important pillars at its core: education, research, clinical training, and community service. The results of those values help define the path of LECOM graduates. Seeking the exceptional in every task and creating a better tomorrow, the spirit of LECOM embodies the depth and breadth of learning that kindles the spark of knowledge and understanding. As LECOM graduates enter the profession armed with the plentiful arrows of knowledge, skill, training and compassion filling their quivers, it is important to understand that they will reap the rewards of their dedication and commitment. The bounty will come from the gratifying work attendant to the calling of a lifetime. As they heal the sick, restore the infirm and share in the common bond of humanity, the fruits of such labor will also be reflected in meaningful compensation.

According to the leading algorithms companies – including the Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2018 – the average salary for a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine graduate is steadily increasing each year, outpacing the year previous. In fact, physician income overall has been rising steadily over the past seven years. The average physician salary in the United States varies widely, guided largely by specialty and region. A general income range for the most utilized positions, including primary care and specialties, typically falls between $299,000 and $435,927 per year.

Pharmacy salaries have also increased steadily as noted by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2018, the income range of pharmacists in the U.S. spanned $129,718 to $138,520, depending upon locale and employment structure. From staff pharmacists at retail and mail-order pharmacies to team managers and nuclear pharmacists, the compensation has been steady and increasing.

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The American Dental Association Health Policy Institute's most recent survey – the 2015 Survey of Dental Practitioners – reports that the average net income for an independent private general practitioner who owned all or part of his or her practice was $183,340. For dental specialists, income was in excess of $344,740. As with the disciplines mentioned above, incomes vary across the United States and most depend upon the type of practice.

LECOM alumni, highly trained and fully prepared to enter the profession, have gone forth to pursue important careers in each of these healthcare fields. Achieving notably, their diverse histories color their accomplishments and hold high the bar – a bar of which all can be proud.

LECOM graduates have distinguished themselves throughout a host of highly estimable arenas. From teaching at other venerable institutions such as Harvard, serving as consultants at respected cancer institutes and health centers, working as team physicians for nationally recognized sports organizations, publishing and being published in a plethora of noted medical journals, and working at the highest levels of government and public service, LECOM graduates have covered the map with their successes.

From campus to community, alumni of every background have left their indelible marks upon a needful populace. They have served on the battlefield and in the boardroom, in hospital theatres abroad and in hospitals here at home. They have opened thriving practices and they have added their expertise to clinics and health centers around the globe. From community to the world at large, the medley of LECOM healthcare scholars achieve notably and then, they go forth into the communities that brought them to LECOM, or into the broader community of mankind.

LECOM recognizes that leadership centers upon building a community of leaders at all levels of society, and to instill leadership into the capable and well-trained hands of the physician, pharmacist and dentist such that they will have the ability to lead. A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, however, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. LECOM creates entire classes of great leaders.

The ability to acknowledge and to celebrate leadership fuels a passion to value people and to create a sense of progress through which all may confront issues and challenges. LECOM is proud of its faculty, staff and students who lead and who live actively. Leaders inspire others to grow in responsibility and in skills. One only learns one’s limits by exceeding them and by adopting a pledge to continuous improvement.

As a stellar institution of academic and educational prowess, LECOM casts a wide net for its scholars and a broad range of society is represented within its LECOM family.

Merit, skill and ability exist at the core of LECOM in the selection of the strongest candidates most capable of accomplishing the tasks to come.

LECOM is deeply proud of its scholars and alumni whose skills, honed in the arena of leadership, have fully acquitted them to become the next generation of health professionals.

Osteopathic Medical College Tuition Comparison 2018-2019 LECOM Bradenton (Resident) $33,480 LECOM Bradenton (Non-resident) $35,825 LECOM Erie $34,570 AVERAGE $53,462 HIGH – Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine $73,348 Data according to www.aacom.org

Pharmacy School Tuition Comparison 2019-2020 LECOM Bradenton (Resident) $24,552 LECOM Bradenton (Non-resident) $24,552 LECOM Erie $27,730 AVERAGE $47,169 HIGH – Chapman University $78,510 Data according to www.aacp.org

Dental School Tuition Comparison 2018-2019 LECOM Bradenton $51,965 AVERAGE $66,440 HIGH – University of the Pacific $111,925 Data according to www.ada.org

LECOM exceptionally educates its scholars across multiple disciplines.

A perspicacious history and bold and innovative goals for the future provide the catalyst for this feature.

The LECOM legacy of learning has set as its paradigm a plan of individualized student attention provided within spacious state-of-theart facilities. The LECOM story is one not only of success, but also of triumph, for it is a tale of growth, both institutionally and civically.

Indeed, all that LECOM has brought forth, to student and community alike, reveals the full range of its prodigious talents from sage educator to civic improver and from osteopathic healthcare innovator to medical education pacesetter.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 09

TRADITION TRIUMPHS LECOM PRESENTS WHITE COATS TO MEDICAL AND PHARMACY STUDENTS

There are few events that give rise to the stirring inspiration and pride as does the tradition of the White Coat Ceremony. The celebration 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 uniting professionalism and empathy in the study and practice of medicine.

On September 14, 2019, medical and pharmacy students at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) marked their transition from classroom study to clinical education in a ceremony held at the Warner Theatre in Erie, Pennsylvania. The students received their hallmark white coats in a

celebration 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 event signifies a preparedness to embrace their calling. Even though the moment may appear to serve as a capstone at LECOM to a year comprised of hard work, sacrifice, and success, it also signifies a new beginning to commence with the total immersion of heart, mind, and self into one of the noblest professions upon this earth.

The white coat is a symbol of trust between doctor and patient, of compassion, and of the purity of a medical professional’s purpose.

The first White Coat Ceremony at LECOM was conducted in 1996, and each year,

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the ceremony recognizes the precious significance of training physicians in the combined attributes of medical knowledge and compassionate care. The two inextricably linked qualities result in the finest medically trained and caring doctors in society today.

Members of the School of Pharmacy Class of 2022 received their white coats during a morning ceremony, while the LECOM College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2023 received their white coats during a separate afternoon ceremony. In total, more than 400 first-year students were cloaked in white during the highly anticipated event.

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. “The White Coat Ceremony serves as an opportunity for first-year students to reaffirm the commitment that they made to become competent osteopathic medical professionals while, at the same time, endorsing the everpresent commitment of LECOM to provide the highest level of academic excellence and clinical training to help its students achieve these fine goals,� said LECOM Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO.

Jan Gorniak, DO, offered the keynote address to the College of Osteopathic Medicine White Coat recipients. A 2000 LECOM graduate, Dr. Gorniak serves as the chief medical examiner of Fulton County, Georgia.

Brandon Sing, PharmD, Class of 2016, presented the keynote speech to the attendees at the School of Pharmacy event.

Sing is assistant professor of pharmacy practice at LECOM and he also serves as a clinical pharmacist at Millcreek Community Hospital in Erie.

The Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) generously provided the

white coats and stethoscopes for the LECOM medical students. POMA CEO Diana Ewert and POMA President Pam Goldman, a 2006 LECOM alumna, made the presentations.

Almost a month later, on October 12, 2019, more than 100 LECOM at Seton Hill firstyear medical students completed their rite of passage, receiving their white coats during a ceremony held at the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Members of the LECOM at Seton Hill College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2023 were treated to a keynote speech offered by Cory Gray, DO, a 2015 LECOM at Seton Hill graduate. Dr. Gray serves as an emergency department staff physician for Conemaugh Health System in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

The LECOM at Seton Hill scholars were presented with their white coats and stethoscopes by POMA CEO, Ewert and POMA President-Elect Gene Battistella, DO. With the understanding that Providence directs the hands, hearts and minds of the men and women wearing the emblematic white coats, they now set forth to bring their gifts to the larger communities in which they will serve to answer their noble calling.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 11

Food Glorious Food The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) tips its collective hat as the college family takes a hearty and thankful note of the LECOM Café leadership and staff. “Please sir, may I have some more?”

This is a question that never meets with a negative answer for Dupree DeBoe and his fellow foodsmiths Sharon Arnold and Kathleen Longenecker. The caring expertise and skill of the trio is profoundly and palpably known by all who frequent the LECOM Erie dining hall.

Students, faculty and staff patronizing the LECOM Café enjoy a first name rapport with the café culinarians. Their sincere and nurturing interaction with the students is their mission, they know when students need a lift, when they are celebrating, and when they need a kind word of reassurance.

Helen Keller once stated that “life’s true happiness is attained through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” It seems that DeBoe, LECOM cafeteria director, lives by that principle. His is a life devoted to the worthy accomplishment of ensuring that a steady gathering of prospective medical professionals is nutritionally supplied with all that they need to focus upon their important mission at hand.

“I've always liked to cook and entertain family, so in 2010, I enrolled at Mercyhurst University and I obtained a degree in hospitality management,” explained Dupree.

Arnold took special courses to enhance her knowledge and skills related to health and wellness and she linked that expertise to her work in food service at the school. Her LECOM ties are familial, both figuratively and literally, as she has a twin sister who works in the LECOM Wellness Center Café.

Longnecker’s specialty centers upon food preparation and cooking. Replicating an

atmosphere of home and hearth in every meal, she prepares delicious comfort foods and provides generous portions for the students to enjoy.

It has been often noted that an army marches on its stomach; so too, Napoleon's maxim may be applied to the assiduous scholars who depend upon the LECOM Café to keep them sated and comfortable so that they may turn their attention to their educational endeavors and community service undertakings.

LECOM is committed unreservedly to providing to its students a superlative education, and that unsurpassed quality entails learning in an atmosphere of comfort, and being supported by nutritionally beneficial meals and snacks that are healthful both to mind and body.

alive with activity as the skilled trio create nutritious menus and take seriously the needs and requests of their patrons. Arnold’s specialty is salads – a student favorite – and she prepares at least two or three fresh salads daily. The café team has had a keen eye on healthful alternatives, even replacing traditional pizza crust with a vegan option made from cauliflower. The LECOM group sponsors a farm-to-table event in the late summer and fall whereby fresh produce is supplied daily to the dining hall. Through all of these innovations and extras, the LECOM Café family food smiths strive to keep the menu varied and affordable for students.

DeBoe, Arnold and Longnecker have dedicated the depth of their spirit to serving and caring

- Continued On Page 30

Upon stepping into the LECOM dining area, students, faculty and staff (as well as visitors to LECOM) enter into a welcoming and homelike environment.

The offerings are varied and fresh. Daily health guidelines combined with student surveys and personal requests guide the café collective to design interesting and delectable offerings. The café team also attends food shows to garner ideas for updating menu items.

The LECOM Café serves no fried foods and no trans fats.

Wholesome, tempting and carefully sourced ingredients are plucked from the refrigerator.

Freshness and attention to detail are key: one minute a Kathy Longnecker, with LECOM Cafeteria Director, Dupree DeBoe, sandwich, the next a salad, wrap and Sharon Arnold take great pride in serving delicious and nutritious or baguette. The kitchen is ever food to the LECOM Erie family.

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Pegula Sports and Entertainment President and CEO, Kim Pegula joined LECOM Provost, Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, on September 23, 2019, in Buffalo, New York, to announce a partnership between the two organizations.

What is in a Name?

In a Word: Excellence Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) stands proudly as the new title sponsor of a place that brings so much to so many – the Buffalo Harborcenter.

For almost three decades, LECOM has been an emblematic standard bearer of excellence.

As an unabashed leader in superlatively educating scholars to advance the powerfully healing principles of osteopathic medicine while simultaneously blending its missiondriven objective of benefiting its surrounding communities, the first word called to mind when LECOM is mentioned is that of excellence.

Further advancing that paradigm, LECOM has joined with Pegula Sports and Entertainment to announce a multi-year naming rights partnership at the newly monikered LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, New York.

As the largest and most affordable medical college in the United States, the naming of

a landmark in the Western New York region serves to inspire a new generation of medical, pharmacy and dental students. The highly regarded educational institution will broaden its audience with its name glistening above the Buffalo skyline.

LECOM Provost, Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, joined Kim Pegula, Pegula Sports and Entertainment President and CEO, on September 23, 2019, to formally unveil the LECOM Harborcenter and to announce a major community initiative.

“We have a mission to build long-term success and to strive for excellence in all of our businesses,” stated Pegula. “LECOM exemplifies excellence both as an industry leader and a community leader, significantly advancing opportunities for aspiring medical students over the last 25 years. We are proud to extend our partnership and to create many new opportunities at LECOM Harborcenter.”

“LECOM and the Buffalo Sabres share a commitment to our community, to health and wellness, and to develop young people into highly trained professionals who will succeed,” remarked Dr. Ferretti.

“LECOM enthusiastically partners with several sports organizations to extend our focus upon wellness, preventative medicine, whole-body healthcare and the principles of osteopathic medicine. Success on the field of competition and in the practice of medicine each require heart, pride and teamwork,” Dr. Ferretti concluded.

As part of the multi-year Sabres agreement, LECOM also becomes an official Gold Ring Partner of the Buffalo Sabres. LECOM originally partnered with the One Buffalo organization as an Official Education Partner of the Buffalo Sabres during the 2017-2018

- Continued On Page 30 @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 13

State and local officials joined LECOM Health representatives on August 29, 2019, to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Corry Medical Arts Building.

Advancing a Golden Paradigm Corry Medical Arts Building From its very inception, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) leadership has held fast to the tenet that the great use of life must be spent for something that will outlast it.

Every LECOM endeavor has spoken to that noble end, and in every mission enduring service and unyielding exceptionalism has been at its heart.

The most recent exemplar of this golden paradigm comes in the form of the new Corry Medical Arts Building, a state-of-the-art facility that is now the home of the Corry Rural Health Clinic as well as offices for primary care and specialty physicians.

Residents of Corry, Pennsylvania will now have access to expanded healthcare options allowing them to receive high-quality care in their own region. In August of 2019, officials with Corry Memorial Hospital (CMH), an affiliate of LECOM Health, celebrated the Grand Opening of the new facility. The clinic offers a broad spectrum of services, including family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine, podiatry, urology, endocrinology, orthopedic surgery, OB-GYN, general surgery and gastroenterology.

The presence of these valued services in Corry eliminates the need for residents to travel long distances to receive specialized medical attention. “Patients may remain close to home while receiving care,” explained LECOM Health Vice President Jasen Diley. “We're pleased and gratified to open the new Rural Health

Clinic as it allows us more space to expand primary and specialty care services supporting the people of Corry and the surrounding communities,” commented Diley. “We know that rural communities are impacted negatively by physician shortages, and LECOM Health has made a commitment to ensure that the people we serve have access to great care. Our new clinic affords us the opportunity to fulfill that commitment,” he concluded.

At nearly 10,000 square feet, the Corry Medical Arts Building features 22 outpatient exam/ treatment rooms and a 264-square-foot multipurpose conference room that can be used for patient consultations and as a teaching center for LECOM students and residents. Most notably, the multi-disciplinary clinic is directly attached to CMH, allowing patients to easily and conveniently transition between the facilities without having to leave the CMH campus for services or to be exposed to the elements.

In November of 2018, Building Systems Inc. began construction on the $3.2 million project designed by Roth Marz Partnership. The Corry Medical Arts Building was styled to tie seamlessly into the CMH campus and to mirror the standard set forth by other LECOM Health clinical facilities. Indeed, the new facility is far more than a pleasing architectural structure. As the realization of the insightful vision of John M. Ferretti, DO, and the LECOM Board of Trustees, the new facility will care for countless Corry-

14 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

area residents and strengthen and support the community for generations to come.

LECOM Health officials celebrated the grand opening of the Corry Medical Arts Building with a private ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the new facility for invited guests. A few days later, CMH welcomed Corry-area residents to its campus for a public open house. Visitors toured the Medical Arts Building, learned about available services, and were greeted by the staff. The community-wide celebration also featured a free end-of-summer community picnic, complimentary backpacks and school supplies for children, and activities for youngsters. The grand event coincided with the 125th anniversary of Corry Memorial Hospital.

The establishment of the Corry Medical Arts Building completes one phase of a long-term project that will develop the CMH campus into a health and wellness sector. Construction on Parkside at Corry, an independent senior living facility adjacent to the hospital, is underway with the enterprise scheduled for completion in 2020.

LECOM has ever endeavored to build upward from its solid and purposeful foundation. The opening of the Corry Medical Arts Building serves as an enduring reminder that LECOM is vigorously committed to respond to the needs of the community through growth and renewal.

Unveiling Opportunities LECOM Alumnus Victor M. Awuor, DO expansive enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for the sake of the institution reflective of its mission of medical education and service.

Making use of the superlative medical training that he received at LECOM, the 2008 graduate has overcome seemingly impossible odds to deliver critical, lifechanging neurological care to more than 400 patients.

The dream of becoming a doctor was the driving force that prompted Kenya native Victor Awuor to emigrate from the East African nation to the United States. A gaping void in medical care in his home country served as profound motivation for the then teen to make the many thousand mile journey in pursuit of a purposeful goal.

During his years as a medical student at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and later as a resident, Dr. Awuor continued to hold the people of Kenya close in his heart and mind.

The nation of Kenya is home to a mere 30 neurosurgeons despite a population that exceeds 50 million - roughly a 1.7 millionto-1 patient-to-neurosurgeon ratio. Of those 30 physicians, none serves Dr. Awuor's hometown of Kisumu, the third-largest city in the country with 1 million residents. Kisumu inhabitants in need of neurological care are often unable to afford necessary procedures or the cost of travel to facilitate them.

Without alternatives, patients are left to live with debilitating conditions.

LECOM has ever sought exceptionalism for the betterment of its students, never forgetting about progress and prosperity for the region and for the broader communities of the world. LECOM ambitions are

As purpose underpinned Dr. Awuor’s journey, his passion continued to be the fire that illuminated his path. Having long recognized the critical need for neurological care in Kenya, Dr. Awuor, now a neurosurgeon at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, partnered with neuroscience colleagues and fellow Kisumu expatriates to create the Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative. The nonprofit program, founded in 2017, provides Kisumu residents with improved access to neurological care.

Dr. Awuor made an inaugural trip to Kisumu in May 2018. He performed 23 surgeries during his 10-day visit to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, including performing the first neurosurgery in the region. Since then, various teams of neurosurgeons have engaged in rotating trips to Kisumu, volunteering time and travel, and leaving patients to pay only the cost of the hospital stay.

Those visits, coupled with a new full-time neurosurgeon at the hospital, have resulted in yearround neurosurgery access for the Kisumu community.

16 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

Prior to each visit, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital advertises the surgeons' services. Local physicians also triage and refer candidates for neurosurgery. Upon the group's arrival, the neurosurgery team examines each patient to determine who can safely undergo surgery at the Kisumu hospital and who requires more extensive care at another facility.

As a result of the Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative, more than 400 Kenyans and patients from neighboring countries have received care that previously had been inaccessible to them. The group also hosted the first international neuroscience symposium in the nation. The two-day conference in Kisumu welcomed more than 80 physicians from different specialties and from across the globe.

Graduates of LECOM understand that their degree exists both as an estimable mark of past achievement and as a profound obligation to the future. Wearing the proud mantle of his alma mater, Dr. Awuor seeks to deliver further benefits of his training and skill to his homeland.

- Continued On Page 29

An Intended Destiny LECOM Alumna Jan Gorniak, DO “I’m not a politician, so it was a learning curve,” remarked Dr. Gorniak about her run for office. “It was difficult, but at the same time, it was great because the election gave me an opportunity to educate the Columbus community about the role of coroners.” Dr. Gorniak took office in 2009, and she was reelected in 2012.

The progress from LECOM scholar to learned pathologist is steeped well in the strength of her medical training. Combining a keen interest in the law with a passion for medicine, Dr. Gorniak built upon that interest exponentially. As a highly revered forensic pathologist with an unremitting penchant for education, Dr. Gorniak understands the importance of pursuing an educational ambition.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) alumna, Jan Gorniak, DO, returned recently to her alma mater to present the White Coat Ceremony keynote address to the College of Osteopathic Medicine white coat recipients and guests. The Class of 2000 graduate offered sage words and instructive maxims to the throng of attendees. Perhaps even more instructive than her words is the lesson offered through the purposeful life that she has led upon graduating from LECOM. Dr. Gorniak has been an exemplar of a life lived with the steady enthusiasm of all that LECOM holds at its core. Since 2016, Dr. Gorniak has served as chief medical examiner of Fulton County, Georgia, a locale in the Atlanta metro area with more than one million residents.

Transitioning to Atlanta from her position as deputy chief medical examiner in the Washington, D.C., office of the chief medical examiner, Dr. Gorniak built upon her LECOM training, following a path that took her through an anatomical pathology residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland and then a forensic pathology fellowship at the coroner's office in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Further experience as Franklin County (Ohio) Deputy Coroner propelled Dr. Gorniak to seek public office as county coroner, a position to which she was elected in 2008.

Hailing from the South Bronx and raised by a single mother who supported the family working as a corrections officer, Dr. Gorniak was possessed of a deep fascination with all matters legal. An early curiosity about the law and an interest in televised documentaries about revealing stories behind unnatural deaths fueled the ambitions of the budding pathologist.

The palpable interest persisted within her, even as she entered medical school at LECOM. “My curiosity for the law and being nosy combined with my interest in medicine – and that rather sums up forensic pathology, but I never realized that it was a specialty,” noted Dr. Gorniak.

seems perhaps prophetic. The experiences gained through a life of perseverance, determination and steady enthusiasm have enabled the esteemed alumna to serve the public in an important and meaningful way.

Dr. Gorniak noted that her experience as County Coroner in Ohio prepared her to lead the Fulton County (Georgia) Medical Examiner’s Office.

Indeed, each step advances the next, each stone builds higher the monument, and the success that Dr. Jan Gorniak has built upon her LECOM foundation stands as a tribute to scholar and school alike.

Dr. Gorniak prefers to use her success story to teach others about choices. “I made it out of the South Bronx. No one has to travel a path in a story that someone else has written for them,” she averred.

Nearly two decades after deciding to pursue her passion for forensic pathology, Dr. Gorniak indeed is living a life of steady enthusiasm in a career that brings her joy and the fulfillment of a life's ambition. Hers has been a destiny not of chance, rather of choice, and LECOM takes pride in having been part of that destiny.

The superlative medical education at LECOM provided the key catalyst for a journey that Dr. Gorniak would take to become a forensic pathologist. That journey included a five-year residency.

Yet, Dr. Gorniak was hesitant to uproot her life in Erie, Pennsylvania as well as disrupting the lives of her husband and their two young children.

Just prior to graduation, however, Dr. Gorniak received key words of advice from a medical resident, words that urged her forward upon her career path.

The resident reminded her of the many sacrifices that she had made along her worthwhile journey, of the fleeting nature of time, and of the importance of following one’s dreams. His advice resonated with the young DO, and she took it to heart. Returning now to LECOM from a journey that has come full circle

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 17

Presented By:

Peek’n Peak Resort, Clymer, NY

•

March 5-8, 2020

Conference Information

Pre-Conference Workshop

Primary Care 2020 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.

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.

Primary Care 2020 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 2020 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 2020 will include up to 5 hours devoted to the Pennsylvania Safety/Risk Management Requirements.

Fees and Credit Hours Early-bird prices end February 1, 2020 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.

Registrants may participate in this preconference geriatric focused workshop on Thursday, March 5 from 12-5pm.

This pre-conference workshop is an add-on and provides five additional hours of CME credit.

Conference Schedule March 5: 12:00pm-5:00pm March 6: 7:00am-5:30pm March 7: 8:00am-5:30pm March 8: 7:00am-11:00am

Register Online at LECOM.edu/CME Early-bird prices end February 1, 2020

Fellowship of Fortitude Thadeus Dapash, DO American Cancer Society projects that colorectal cancer will cause more than 51,000 deaths in 2019.

According to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), 90 percent of all colorectal cancer cases are preventable through early detection and removal of polyps – the grapelike precancerous growths that form on the lining of the colon or rectum. Moreover, cancers found in early stages can be treated successfully and cured.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the majority of new colorectal cancer cases occur in individuals over the age of 50, supporting regular screenings from that age onward.

The enduring mission of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has been rooted in foundational principles, pillars that give rise to greatness and success. Holding as its touchstone the amalgam of excellence in education, clinical training, research and community service, LECOM takes a profound pride in the work of its educators and scholars who endeavor nobly toward great results.

Indeed, Thadeus “T.K.” Dapash, DO, has taken as his own the charge to endeavor nobly. His is a mission that seeks to achieve positive outcomes for a specific segment of the American population affected by colorectal cancer.

Dr. Dapash is using a gastroenterology fellowship at Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) in Erie, Pennsylvania, to highlight the effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening in early detection among the African-American community.

Unremittingly applying his patience and fortitude to the task at hand, Dr. Dapash is seeking to broaden cancer survival rates.

Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the nation, with men slightly more disadvantaged than women. The

For African Americans, however, the recommended screening age is that of 45 years.

Research has shown that this group develops colorectal cancer at a much earlier age than do other segments of the American population.

Further, African Americans suffer the highest mortality rate and the lowest survival rate of any racial group. Incidences of colorectal cancer are significantly higher among African-Americans as are their death rates due to the disease.

While increased screenings have resulted comprehensively in a decade-long decline in colorectal cancer deaths, that decline has been slower among African Americans.

The ASGE notes that African Americans are less likely to undergo screenings as compared to other segments of the population. Without early screenings, physicians are less likely to discover polyps at a time during which the growths can be removed easily.

Dr. Dapash is working to reduce the instances of advanced-stage colorectal cancer among African Americans.

His gastroenterology fellowship has been centered upon increasing screenings – be they at-home stool kits or colonoscopies – as a way in which outcomes for African Americans may be improved.

Dr. Dapash noted that, “By the time the disease is discovered in some patients, the cancer is so advanced that the patients do not have good outcomes. If they are screened earlier, they have more options for care.”

“There are a variety of at-home screening tools available to patients, but they are underused in the African-American community,” added Dr. Dapash.

Seeking to convey to the affected communities the risk factors associated with a failure to screen for colorectal cancer and to broaden access to the tests, Dr. Dapash hopes to make positive inroads in reducing the incidences of colorectal cancer among the African-American population.

Through his fellowship research project, Dr. Dapash has targeted the African-American community in Erie. Future plans will extend his mission into the Warren, Ohio, area where he is completing outpatient rotations.

Seeking a clinical research grant through the American College of Gastroenterology to elicit patient testimonials via social media and community outreach efforts, Dr. Dapash intends to convey the importance of colorectal screenings to the segment of the populace most in need of awareness.

“We shall solicit the help of patients who have been seen, screened and treated at MCH, asking them to share their experiences and to address misconceptions and fears about testing,” explained Dr. Dapash. “We’ll also be able to provide necessary information and knowledge to patients, including offering potential alternative screening solutions, so that they feel prepared and comfortable about the process and the results.”

Recorded video and audio testimonials will inform, educate and broadcast this key screening message to a larger audience, facilitating the dissemination of important testimonials to those who can benefit from it.

- Continued On Page 29

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 19

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 Pediatrics, ENT, Neurology, 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

LECOM Costume Caper Caps Pittsburgh Pumpkin Festival

Promoting all things pumpkin and welcoming fall, the Annual Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival took place during the weekend of October 19, 2019.

The festival has quickly become an eagerly awaited event as competitions for the largest pumpkin have garnered national attention.

Last year, one of the largest pumpkins grown in the world was recorded at the event.

In addition to the gigantic growths, a rowing race boasts pumpkin-themed gourds carefully crafted into makeshift canoes, a pumpkin-pie eating contest, a pumpkin drop and various carving contests.

This year, the event featured a special treat: the inaugural LECOM Costume Caper 5K. Perhaps to become known as one of the most unusual runs or walks this side of the Great Pumpkin Patch, the 5-kilometer race welcomed all ages, experienced as well as novice runners, along with relaxed wanderers, who enjoyed the crisp autumn air.

The fine fall weekend found LECOM Costume Caper participants donning their most elaborate Halloween-themed apparel to trot and stroll the North Shore Riverwalk and trails of Pittsburgh.

Strategically positioned Halloween surprises dotted the course, delightfully astonishing runners and walkers along the route; and fabulous prizes were awarded to the early finishers as well as to those who arrived most interestingly costumed. Prizes for the scariest, funniest and most original costume were presented to the ghoulishly garbed entrants.

Each race participant received a race shirt and a finisher’s medal along with a swag bag filled with seasonal treats. Runners were timed as they competed for coveted prizes awarded to the first 100 male and 100 female finishers. The race festivities culminated with an age-bracketed Kids’ Spooky Sprint.

Since its inception, LECOM has taken to heart the concept that the community is our campus. To promote fitness and wellness for the betterment of the community, LECOM consistently supports activities that further its important mission.

LECOM)proudly sponsored the Costume Caper race, an event that encourages the healthful activity of those gathered as they run and walk for enjoyment.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 21

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Bradenton Operation Diabetes

Health Meets Food Program

Wellness Center 5K

Volunteerism Trip

Members of the LECOM Bradenton School of Pharmacy Operation Diabetes Team attended a Bethel Church Health Fair on October 26, 2019. Members of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists, a group of students whose primary focus is diabetes care, offered blood-glucose and blood-pressure screenings to the fall festival-goers.

The LECOM 5K and Ice Cream Fun Run, hosted by the LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, welcomed 626 participants at its sixthannual event. The August 2019 race also raised more than $13,000 for the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

22 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

Nolan Patel, OMS4, supervises two aspiring chefs during the Pediatric Culinary Medicine Program, part of the Health Meets Food Program through Arnot Health in Elmira, New York. More than a dozen students learned about eating healthfully, meal planning, and kitchen skills before preparing a meal for their families, all with the help of LECOM students.

In July of 2019, students from the LECOM at Seton Hill Global and Underserved Medicine Club traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica to establish a temporary health care clinic in a low-income neighborhood.

Working with a local physician, 16 LECOM scholars applied skills that they learned during their first year of medical school to care for more than 200 patients over a four-day period.

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Trail of Treats

On October 23, 2019, LECOM students and LECOM Safe Kids Erie took part in the 23rd Annual Trail of Treats, a safe, family friendly, indoor Halloween event benefiting Sarah A. Reed Children's Center and The Achievement Center. The two-day event was held at the Millcreek Mall.

American Pharmacists Month

City of Erie Mayor, Joe Schember, issued a Proclamation recognizing the month of October as American Pharmacists Month in Erie, Pennsylvania.

FSHP

LECOM Bradenton faculty, alumni, preceptors, and current students came together on August 2, 2019, to take part in the Florida Society of HealthSystems Pharmacists Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Bridging the Gaps

As part of their Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program, second-year LECOM medical students Shine Kim, Jaclyn Natalone, and Matthew Verne collaborated with several Erie-area organizations to organize an educational medication disposal event for Erie residents.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 23

NOTES

STUDENT NOTES

School of Pharmacy Onyi Ibeji, P4, contributed articles entitled, The Role of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Glycemic Control, Feasibility and Safety of Hybrid Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery in Young Children, Mechanisms Involved in Beta-Cell Dysfunction in Diabetes and A Review of Genetic Risks in Type 1 Diabetes to the journal, Diabetes in Control.

Kassey James, P4, contributed several articles to Diabetes in Control, including: Caution for Using SGLT-2 Inhibitors in Type 1 Diabetes: ADA; Can Chronic Kidney Disease Cause Type 2 Diabetes?; The Link Between Diabetes, Birth Weight and School Achievement; How the Tongue Can Be Used as a Possible Preliminary Diabetes Screening Tool; Family Conflicts Influence Outcomes for Children With Type 1 Diabetes; Death and Dietary Fats in Type 2 Diabetes; Aggressive Glucose Control Not Recommended During Stroke; and Oral Glucose Challenge vs HbA1c in Gestational Diabetes.

Jessica Miles, P2, received a $1,500 scholarship through the Venice-Nokomis Rotary Club Foundation of Venice, Florida.

Amber Satz, P4, wrote articles entitled, CV Benefit of GLP-1 Agnostics and SGLT2 Inhibitors Misleading for Black Patients?

ADA; Sleep is Sweeter Than We Think; Intermittent Fasting Beneficial for Weight Loss and Glycemic Control; Liraglutide and Sitagliptin Useful for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in T2DM; New Method to Predict Prediabetes; Skipping Breakfast Related to Higher Cardiovascular Risks; Childhood Cardiovascular Risk Factors Can Predict Adult-Onset Diabetes; Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Linked to Deterioration in Muscle Strength; Improving Glycemic Control in T1 DM Can Decrease Risk of Fracture; and Exceed Trail: Efpeglenatide Displays Significant Reduction in H bA1c and Body Weight, published in Diabetes in Control.

School of Dental Medicine Shelby Anderson, D2, is the winner of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine Fall Oral Presentation Competition for her presentation entitled, Caries Diagnostic Assessment of Dental Student Versus General Dentists: A Pilot Survey-Based Study. Anderson will represent LECOM at the March 2020 meeting of the American Association for Dental Research.

FACULTY NOTES

The following members of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) staff have received promotions; their new positions follow their names: Devora Cohen-Karni, PhD, Assistant Director of Problem-Based Learning at LECOM at Seton Hill; Randall Heemer, PharmD, Professor, Pharmacy Practice; Alice Hudder, PhD, Director of the Lecture Discussion Pathway; Jack Lee, PhD, Assistant Director of Lecture Discussion Pathway; Sarah McCarthy, PhD, Assistant Director of Directed Study Pathway; Inna Miroshnyk, PhD, Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences; Teri Runo, MHSA, Director of LECOM Masters in Health Services Administration Program; Donald Simpson, PhD, Director in Masters of Public Health; and Kevin Thomas, DO, MS, MedEd, Director of Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway at LECOM at Seton Hill.

College of Medicine Mark Andrews, PhD, wrote an article entitled, Stretch Receptor and Somatic Dysfunction: A Narrative Review, published

by The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Dr. Andrews also was cited in an article entitled, Seven Home Remedies for Muscle Cramps, published by U.S. News & World Report.

24 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

Rajinder Bajwa, MD, has been named CoChair of the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center 2020 Premier Annual Black Tie Gala.

Roger Biringer, PhD, contributed an article review entitled, The Role of Eicosanoids in Alzheimer’s Disease. The piece was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Alaeddin Abukabda, PhD, co-authored an article entitled, miRNA-378a as a Key Regulator of Cardiovascular Health Following Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation Exposure, published in Nanotoxicology. A second article entitled, Maternal Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation During Gestation Disrupts Vascular Kisspeptin Reactivity, was published in Toxicological Sciences.

Bertalan Dudas, MD, and third-year students, Thomas Nguyen and Dustin Uhlman, were co-authors of an article entitled, Substance P Appears to Affect Growth Via Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GHRH) Neurons in the Human Hypothalamus, published in the journal entitled, Brain Structure and Function.

Randy Kulesza, PhD, and Yusra Mansour, OMS3, contributed to an article entitled, Auditory Brainstem Dysfunction, NonInvasive Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis and Monitoring of Alzheimer’s Disease in Young Urban Residents Exposed to Air Pollution.

The piece was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Christine Lomiguen, MD, co-authored an abstract entitled, The Prevalence of Thyroid Ima Artery and Its Clinical Significance, published in the International Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Lomiguen contributed to a second article entitled, Postpartum Psychosis in a Non-native Language-Speaking Patient: A Perspective on Language Barriers and Cultural Competency, published by General Psychiatry.

NOTES Mohammed Razzaque, PhD, co-authored an article entitled, Use of an Online Medical Database for Clinical Decision-Making Processes: Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Oral Health Care Providers, published in Advances in Medical Education and Practice. Dr. Razzaque coauthored a second article entitled, Anabolic Effects of Vitamin D and Magnesium in Aging Bone, published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Richard Terry, DO, has received the Senator McGee Rural Health Award. The Award recognizes Dr. Terry’s dedicated and enduring commitment to medical education, highlighted by his integral involvement in expanding LECOM programs to fill a critical need for physicians in the Southern Tier of New York.

Sanjay Yathiraj, MD, presented a talk entitled, Parkinson’s Disease: Sleep Issues and Fatigue, as part of the Neuro Challenge Foundation Parkinson’s Distinguished Speaker Series.

School of Pharmacy Anupam Bishayee, PhD, and Sarah Fraser, OMS2, were contributors to a review entitled, Focus on Formononetin: Anticancer Potential and Molecular Targets, published by Cancers.

Eric Schaefer, PharmD, was featured on a Pennsylvania Cable Network program about the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

School of Dental Medicine Nader Abdulhameed, DDS, and Hind Hussein, DDS, were co-authors of an article entitled, In Vitro Wear of Ten Universal Composites, published in the Stomatology Edu Journal.

Randy Ashooff, DMD, has been appointed Director of Patient Care Services, LECOM School of Dental Medicine Erie Dental Clinic.

Purushottam Lamichhane, PhD, coauthored an article entitled, Novel Delivery Systems for Checkpoint Inhibitors, published by Medicines.

Barry Lipton, DDS, discussed forensic dentistry that occurs during disasters. His discussion took place during an interview for the Ricky Anguson Blog.

Steven Tinsworth, DMD, was highlighted in an article published in the Sarasota Magazine. The piece centered upon his work in coordinating free pop-up dental clinics across Manatee County, Florida.

Thomas Yoon, DDS, Donald Millner, DMD, and Thanhphuong Dinh, DMD, collaborated with 2018 graduate, Nathan Estrin, DMD; 2019 graduate, Alexander Ahmadi, DMD; and Nathaniel Saed, D4, on an article entitled, Prevalence and Anatomical Characteristics of the Accessory Mental Foramen: A Study Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography, published in General Dentistry.

LECOM SCHOOL OF PHARMACY Online Pharmacy Program Ranks in the United States The LECOM Doctor of Pharmacy Distance Education Pathway has ranked fourth among the Best Online PhD and Doctoral Programs in the United States, according to the online education platform Study. com. In conducting its analysis, Study.com evaluated United States Department of Education data, including student retention figures, tuition costs, and graduation rates of each ranked school. The ranking also assessed the academic support offered by the school to its online students, such as library database access, writing assistance, and tutoring guidance.

The LECOM School of Pharmacy received the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association 2019 Membership Award in September of 2019. The Award recognizes the Pennsylvania pharmacy school that excelled in membership recruitment, retention, and involvement. In selecting LECOM as the 2019 recipient, PPA acknowledged the ability of LECOM to develop unique events, which increased PPA membership numbers.

LECOM was also recognized for its many innovative projects, including a welcome back picnic, a weeklong membership drive, and a Jeopardy-style course review program for the benefit of the students.

In recognition of their success, LECOM scholars received a commemorative plaque and a $200 cash prize for their chapter.

LECOM was among eight Pennsylvania pharmacy programs eligible for the Membership Award, and this marks the second consecutive year that LECOM has received this honor.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 25

NOTES

ALUMNI NOTES Class of 2003

Class of 2009

Charlene Saloom, DO, has joined the Conemaugh Physician Group in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Dr. Saloom is a board-certified family medicine physician.

Amy Maley, DO, has been named to the Pennsylvania Medical Society Top Physicians Under 40 list.

Bryan Opalacz, DO, has joined the offices of OrthoCarolina in Shelby, North Carolina.

Dr. Opalacz is fellowship trained in sports medicine and he completed an orthopedic sports medicine fellowship and residency at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida.

Class of 2011

Kyle Packer, DO, has joined the surgery team at Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper, Alabama.

Class of 2007 Carla V. Cork, DO, has published a book entitled, Unboxed: Practical Advice for Turning Your Passion into a Career. The guidebook assists teens in navigating the college selection and application process, discusses factors to consider when selecting a college, and clarifies the way in which one may select a career path.

Class of 2008 Garry Brady, DO, has joined the team at Rensselaer (Indiana) Care Center as an attending physician.

Melissa Decker, DO, has joined the staff of SRB OBGYN in Jacksonville, Florida.

Bryan Donor, DO, was a guest on Marijuana Minute, a program presented on Pittsburgh NewsTalk 1320 WJAS. Marco De Santis, DO, has joined the Licking Memorial Endocrinology team with Licking Memorial Health System in Newark, Ohio.

Nicole Witman, DO, was the recipient of a grant through the Pennsylvania Substance Use Disorder Loan Repayment Program.

The program awards funding for education loan repayment to healthcare professionals who are providing medical care, behavioral care and treatment for substance use disorder and opioid addiction in high opioid use areas where there are shortages of healthcare practitioners. Dr. Witman is board certified in psychiatry and she works with Pennsylvania Counseling in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Jessica Ziebarth, DO, was featured in a faculty spotlight highlighting her role as assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Class of 2012 Jordan Powner, DO, has joined the Starling Physicians Healthcare Network in Connecticut. Dr. Powner is board certified in pulmonary and critical care medicine and he sees patients in Glastonbury, Wethersfield and Bristol.

Class of 2013 Jeffrey Cara, DO, has been named as Director of Spine and Wellness Centers of America. Dr. Cara is an interventional pain management physician and physiatrist at the new institute, located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His team treats acute and chronic conditions using lifestyle and regenerative medicine, injections, physical and occupational therapy, spinal cord stimulation, kyphoplasty, radiofrequency ablation, medication and a host of integrative approaches.

Jason Kuhn, DO, joined the surgical team at Hills and Dales General Hospital in Cass City, Michigan.

| LECOM.edu | LECOM.edu 26 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL WINTER 2019 2019

Andrey Rupasov, DO, is undertaking an emergency diagnostic radiology fellowship at Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Kyle Shilk, DO, has joined Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Associates – UPMC in Franklin, Pennsylvania. Dr. Shilk is fellowship trained in interventional pain medicine.

His specialties include interventional pain management, comprehensive chronic pain management, cancer pain management, and neuromodulation.

Edward Skicki, DO, has joined the medical team at Penn Medicine Lancaster Health Physicians Trauma and Acute Care Surgery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

John Thompson, DO, has joined Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine of SWFL in Fort Myers, Florida. Dr. Thompson practices general orthopedics and he has fellowship training in complex hip and knee reconstruction.

Class of 2014 Kevin Brown, DO, has joined the urology team at St. Peter’s Health Medical Group – Broadway Clinic in Helena, Montana. His focus includes management of urologic cancers, including prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. Dr. Brown also specializes in robotic-assisted surgery.

Emily Jewell, DO, was featured in an Associated Press article entitled, Clinic on Wheels, for her work with the Community Connections Free Clinic in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

NOTES

Nilamben Patel, DO, has joined the staff of UMass Medical Center – University Campus in Worcester, Massachusetts. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Patel specializes in pulmonary, allergy and critical care.

Cory Porteus, DO, has joined the staff of Sterling Physician Group Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie, Georgia. Dr. Porteus specializes in cytopathology and pathology care.

Class of 2015 Benedict Belcik, DO, announced his engagement to Christina O’Neill. A January 2020 wedding is planned.

Ryan Carbaugh, DO, offered a case presentation at the Third Annual IBD Summit for Fellows. His case, Establishing a Foundation to Improve the Quality of IBD Care, was presented in October in San Antonio.

Seth Lapic, DO, is serving as the chief resident of Prisma Health Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina.

Dr. Lapic, a LECOM at Seton Hill alumnus, is the third LECOM graduate to serve in this capacity in the last five years. Isabella Adjinah, DO, a 2012 graduate of LECOM Bradenton, and Katelin Williamson, DO, a 2014 graduate of LECOM Erie, also held the same position.

Stephanie Cole, DMD, has joined the staff of Exceptional Dentistry of Sarasota (Florida). She is a member of the American Dental Association, Sarasota County Dental Association, West Coast District Dental Association, and the Florida Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Karley Mecko, DO, and Mollie Meagher, DO, are undertaking residencies through the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Joshua Kropko, DO, has joined the staff of St. Luke’s P.S. Rudie Medical Clinic in Duluth, Minnesota.

Christopher Lenivy, DO, married Nicole Stroney in September 2019.

Robert Puckett, DO, has joined the Carey Medical Center in Carey, Ohio.

Keith Maholtz, PharmD, and Jennifer Wisen, PharmD, have announced their engagement. A May 2020 wedding is planned.

Connie Pham, DO, has joined the Live Oak Health Partners Primary Care team in San Marcos, Texas.

Jacob Ramseyer, DO, has joined the staff of Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Michigan.

Katie Savio, DO, has joined Pipestone County Medical Center in Pipestone, Minnesota. In her new position, Dr. Savio will serve as a family physician and an obstetrician.

Class of 2017

Class of 2016

Vanja Alagic, DMD, is leading the team at a new Aspen Dental location in Concord, North Carolina.

Mohamed Amer, PharmD, and Kristi Lamoncha, PharmD, have established PharmacyGo, an independent apothecary in Estero, Florida.

Krystal Kazemba, DMD, has joined the St. Johnsbury (Vermont) Dental Associates as a pediatric dentist.

David Ambrosetti, DO, has joined the Erlanger Health System Primary Care team in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is board certified in internal medicine and he is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Practice, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association.

Class of 2019

Jared Schmitt, DMD, opened a dental practice, Seaglass Dental Clinic, in North Palm Beach, Florida.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 27

In Memoriam LECOM Loses a Wise and Compassionate Scholar David J. Payne The skies are darker over LECOM today as the college family takes heart-heavy note of the loss of David J. (D.J.) Payne, a third-year osteopathic medical student.

Payne completed the pre‑clinical curriculum at LECOM at Seton Hill in the PBL Pathway and, at the time of his passing, he was undertaking clinical rotations at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland.

LECOM scholars are the foundational thread running through the fabric that has come to form the tapestry of all that is LECOM. The bright color of Payne’s spirit and the vibrant cheerfulness that accompanied his presence epitomized a man with deep compassion.

With a strong desire to care for and to heal the infirm, Payne imbued those around him with his infectious curiosity. LECOM collectively extends its deepest and most sincere condolences to the entire Payne family.

Payne died of natural causes on November 12, 2019, at the age of 38, the result of complications arising from his lifelong battle with diabetes.

28 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

Born in Singapore on December 2, 1980, Payne was proud to be a naturalized American citizen. A graduate of the University of California San Diego with an econometrics degree and a masters in Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego, Payne had just completed his first year of rotations at LECOM, with the hope to focus upon emergency care.

Payne came to LECOM in 2017, practicing Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture at Alpha Omega Health in Connecticut. He explained his decision to leave that practice to enter osteopathic medical school as an outgrowth of his belief that practitioners of medicine must continue to grow so that they could be of greater service to their patients.

Payne’s desire to grow indeed personified his keen mind. A wise and intelligent healer, the whole of LECOM has been enriched by his having been a part of the LECOM family.

May the light of his all too brief life bring a sense of hope and purpose to others as his mission lives on in that which he leaves behind.

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Additional resources and information as to the way in which one may obtain free stool-based tests as well as options for invasive screening tests for high-risk patients will be available as well.

Through this purposeful mission, Dr. Dapash seeks to bring health and wellness to the African-American community thereby improving outcomes for individuals who otherwise may have been more difficult to treat, or even for those who may have forgone treatment due to the absence of detection.

Affirmed Dr. Dapash, “It would be deeply satisfying to help improve the quality of life for this population.”

LECOM lauds this important and noteworthy endeavor undertaken by Dr. Dapash. His patience, fortitude and conquering spirit further advance the long-standing LECOM commitment to improving the health and wellness of the region and beyond.

Automatically Support LECOM Each Time You Shop!

AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. When you shop online at smile.amazon.com and select Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine as your charity, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible purchases to the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

”We are seeking to hire a second neurosurgeon at the hospital so that we can begin a neurosurgery training program.

The goal is to increase the number of neurosurgeons in the country,” he explained. ”We also need to secure local community and political support to help sustain the program and to establish Kisumu as a regional center of excellence in the neurosciences,” Dr. Awuor furthered. ”Eventually, I'm hopeful that we can establish a private medical school in Kisumu where we can provide medical education that is second to none,” the committed LECOM alumnus envisioned. ”It is our duty to give to those less fortunate,” Dr. Awuor averred. ”Certain things aligned for me and I was able to come to the States to receive an education, but any one of those patients could be me,” expressed the thankful LECOM graduate. ”I always picture myself in their situation. To me, it's personal, but at the same time, God calls all of us to give to those less fortunate. There's nothing like giving back.”

Dr. Awuor has made manifest a central LECOM tenet, that one's deeds are possessed of an almost immeasurable power to touch, to teach, to heal and to transform. Indeed, his work has been able to unveil many opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.

Student Scholarship Fund @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 29

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, 866-6641 or email communications@lecom.edu. communications@lecom.edu

All submissions are subject to editing for clarity and length.

- Continued From Page 5 Generosity always has admirers, but rarely imitators. Kelly is hopeful that he can change that paradigm.

“We must always remember that it is the things of the spirit that in the end prevail.

Caring matters; hope and faith matter; and without sincere philanthropy, there can be nothing good,” commented the magnanimous benefactor. “Generosity is a cardinal virtue, so by believing in the inherent goodness of man, we make confident strides into the unknown.”

Concluded Kelly, “LECOM has always outclassed the ordinary and refused the routine to make ‘exceptional’ the standard. I am proud to support a medical college that has raised the bar academically and through its pledge of integrity. I call upon my friends and colleagues to join with Sue and me, remembering always that what we have done for ourselves dies with us, but what we have done for others and for our communities remains immortal.”

- Continued From Page 12 for those within the commissary retreat who arrive hungry. Hearkening to an age of complete immersion into the field, they do not measure dedication by a clock, rather the call to food service entails a passion. That passion is personified in the café team through quiet, unassuming and humble toils. It is a labor of love and a calling to serve – to fuel the stomach, the spirit and the soul.

cheerfulness. “Our mission,” stated DeBoe, is that of “bringing smiles and laughter to the soul through good food.”

From kitchen to cafeteria and to the world at large, these culinary luminaries imbue those around them with infectious joy – and no one leaves hungry.

DeBoe and his colleagues fill a vital and foundational need at LECOM supplying the toothsome offerings on display and coupling them with a vibrant and supportive

- Continued From Page 13 season. The Sabres will continue to present the LECOM Student All-Stars Program, the LECOM Student Value Ticket and the LECOM T-Shirt Toss. The Student All-Stars Program will once again recognize outstanding students during the Sabres home games. Members of the public are invited to nominate students from schools across the region for the highly regarded tribute. The LECOM Student Value Ticket allows students to enjoy Sabres home games at a reduced price.

the Academy of Hockey, the Buffalo Jr. Sabres Youth Hockey Organization, Canisius College Men’s Hockey, and a host of events and competitions held throughout the year.

The downtown Buffalo venue welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors per year.

The LECOM Harborcenter is a 750,000 squarefoot venue that is comprised of two NHL-size hockey rinks, a 205-room, full-service Marriott hotel, the Academy of Hockey, various training facilities, four restaurants and ample parking.

LECOM is confident that the newly named LECOM Harborcenter will help to shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values of integrity, respect and perseverance through sporting competitions and athletic accomplishments as it holds high the standard of excellence for which the name LECOM is synonymous.

The LECOM Harborcenter is the Official Practice Facility of the Sabres. The center also houses the NHL Scouting Combine,

30 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2019 | LECOM.edu

With this partnership, LECOM highlights the full spectrum of health and wellness through the sporting events that are a mainstay of the region.

The Christmas season is a time for us to gather with families and friends and to take stock of the meaning of this important time of year. Educational institutions, such as LECOM, seek to commemorate this joyous celebration through the freedoms that we derive from the founding of our great nation. It is most fitting that during this Christmas season, we at LECOM embrace the loved ones who enrich our lives. We also look to a bright and promising future for the lives that, through our care and skills, we may also enrich.

As medical professionals, we recognize that all of these blessings and that life itself comes not from the hand of man, but from Almighty God. We honor that moment in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago when the nascent gift of one life would begin a journey that continues to time’s end.

Although Christmas is a cherished holiday for Americans, steeped in faith and family, countries around the globe celebrate Christmas with traditions of their own.

People the world over have embraced the spirit of Christmas, venerating in their own way the importance of the day.

In Peru, La Noche Buena (“the Good Night”) on December 24 centers upon attending mass, sharing a meal, exchanging gifts and a midnight toast.

Christmas in East African countries such as Kenya and Uganda are deeply religious. The most common gift is a new outfit to wear to church, and many people collect stones, leaves and other natural items as a birthday present for Jesus.

A special tradition in the Philippines involves the lighting of a Christmas lantern, called a paról. The lantern is star-shaped, reminiscent of the star of Bethlehem.

Syrian children receive gifts from one of the wise men’s camels, believed to be the youngest and weakest in the caravan, who collapsed from exhaustion at the end of the long journey to Bethlehem.

Though only 2 percent of the nation’s population is Christian, India reveres Christmas as a national holiday. Christmas traditions include lighting oil lamps along the perimeter of a home or courtyard.

Iraq declared Christmas an official holiday in 2008. On Christmas Eve, Iraqis burn wreaths of dried thorns and children of the family read the Christmas story from Arabic Bibles while family members light candles and listen.

So at this and every Christmas, let us remember the gift of Providence, granting to us an abundant land and an indomitable

people. As medical professionals, we are blessed with talents to live and to work toward a purpose greater than ourselves.

LECOM is especially thankful at this time of year for the brave men and women of our armed forces who protect these freedoms while forgoing their own desires. As long as they serve, at Christmas and always, we recognize that their courage sustains our freedoms, their sacrifice deserves our thanks and their character fortifies our pride. In particular during the holidays, our entire campus holds them and their families in our thoughts and prayers.

During this season, we pay tribute to all of those caring individuals who reach out with a helping hand and who serve a cause larger than themselves. LECOM faculty and students are ever mindful of the need to share our gifts with others, and we are ever moved to compassionate action.

LECOM extends the merriest of Christmas wishes to all of those who join us in celebration. As ever, to all of those who are of other faiths and of other beliefs, we extend joyous and heartfelt good wishes as they gather with family, friends and loved ones to strengthen the ties that bind us, the common ground that we share, and to give thanks for the many choices that we enjoy as we continue to forge new beginnings in unity.

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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 * Price includes PA license registration and production fees and a tax-deductible donation to the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.