LECOM Connection Summer 2016

THE

LECOM

ONNECTION

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine SUMMER 2016

LECOM School of Dental Medicine RESPONDING TO NEED AND BUILDING FUTURES IN DENTISTRY

LECOM.edu

One must not simply walk through time without leaving worthy evidence of one’s passage; for we live not only our own lives, but whether we know it or not, we live also the life of our time. ~ Winston Churchill

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) understands this Churchillian truism, for the deeds and accomplishments of LECOM give worthy evidence of its fruitful passage and of the way in which, through its powerful and purposed contributions, it has served the betterment of every community in which it has laid its cornerstone.

As this academic year closes, that evidence is again brought to light as the first graduating class of 100 departs the LECOM School of Dental Medicine (SDM). Recalling the day that these exuberant men and women first crossed the SDM threshold, that threshold represents the portal through which the face of improved dental health care throughout the region and throughout the farthest reaches of the globe has its genesis. For through the LECOM SDM doors pass students who find embodied within this splendid structure, the very heart of excellence in education. Welltrained and well-prepared, these graduates now journey onward into the calling of their lives. From here, they carry forth superlative skills, characters imbued with compassion, and keen minds steeped in a depth of knowledge that will improve the communities that they

will come to serve. For as Churchill furthered, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

LECOM has stood ever boldly at the threshold of excellence. Just as was the case in the early 1990s – LECOM responded to need.

LECOM, since its inception, has ever endeavored to build upward from its solid and resolute foundation. In the early 1990s, when vast sectors of the medical community were unmindful of the need for added medical schools in the nation, LECOM laid that foundation for its first school in Erie, Pennsylvania. LECOM was an innovator and a visionary, anticipating the needs both of the community and of the field of medicine. Three campuses and twenty graduating classes later, we find ourselves in this place – not by accident – rather by vision, determination, leadership, and a commitment to excellence.

The establishment of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine represents the fountainhead of the LECOM journey to serve the Lakewood Ranch Community economically as well as socially, to serve the medically undeserved statewide and throughout the nation, and to build a robust network of whole-body, patientcentered health care that will transform a generation.

The evident decline in the number of dentists in the State of Florida and the needs of the Bradenton community besought the LECOM response. LECOM teamed with its partners in Manatee County governance to establish the dental school and to carry forth the visionary mission as a leader in health care education. Now, as the first class of proficient and capable dentists venture forth to pursue their calling, it remains the fullest expectation of the founders that the current and future needs of dental health will be served by the professionals educated and trained at the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

Students engaged in learning abound, education thrives, and LECOM remains ever cognizant of its commitment to excellence in education and to its purpose in community service. Holding true to all that has underpinned the LECOM mission, ever stalwart in the foundational excellence that it has championed, the powerful place that the profession of Dentistry holds in the field of

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine 1858 West Grandview Blvd.

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

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 John D. Angeloni, DO Vice Provost, Clinical Professor of Family Medicine, Bradenton Hershey Bell, MD, MS (MedEd) Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the School of Pharmacy Matthew J. Bateman, PhD Interim Dean of the School of Dental Medicine Robert George, DO Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Bradenton

health care and the astonishingly appealing career that can be won with a degree in Dentistry is evident at LECOM.

in their daily dental needs as dental students are integrally involved in clinical training and working at dental practice sites.

As of 2016, LECOM Dental boasts 401 students enrolled in its flourishing program, with 301 scholars training at the Bradenton campus and 50 students studying at each of the community outreach clinics of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Erie and in Bradenton.

The need for dental professionals is growing incredibly robustly. Whether working in dental offices or serving the underserved in clinics, dentists are finding themselves in constant demand as a new era in health care reshapes the profession like never before.

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking one’s potential. The unremitting development, rapid expansion, and appeal of the programs offered at the LECOM School of Dental Medicine present an undisputed testament to the vibrant transformation within the field of dentistry.

The dental profession has been redefined, and with LECOM as the driving force in the oral health care field, the profession stands to become instrumental in comprehensive oral health care management.

In addition to the already thriving dental school at LECOM Bradenton, the field of dentistry at LECOM is assiduously serving the public

The new generation of dental practitioners is sought after - capable, competent, and concomitantly well-compensated.

Armed with the right information and guided by a prudent understanding of the multiplicity of options within the dental field, that destination of dentistry truly can become a destiny.

This is the time to make a conscious point to understand the breadth and depth of the field of medicine known as Dentistry. The tangible testament to the manifest destiny of LECOM Health is reflected in the shining and consequential contributions of LECOM to the life of our time.

Pierre Bellicini Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Eric Nicastro Assistant Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Stephanie Bruce Communications and Marketing Specialist Nick Blake Public Relations Specialist Joel Welin Communications and Marketing Specialist, Bradenton Rebecca A. DeSimone, Esquire Chief Writer/Editor-in-Chief

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

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John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO 04 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The Glorious Epoch The Message from the President that accompanies Commencement is an exceptionally important one, for it represents the final time that I shall have the occasion to write collectively to the graduating students of 2016.

Each year marks another milestone in the history of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). This is the 20th class to depart our hallowed halls. From this revered place, this class will carry forth a deep wealth of medical knowledge, a finely honed skill, and a profoundly formed character. It is to them, and to our broader audience across the expansive reaches of LECOM Health, that I address this message.

As we reflect upon the almost twenty-five years since our founding - the founding of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine we recognize that many, who now first meet LECOM, who come to it anew, who are not possessed of the direct connection to its genesis and birth, find a common thread that ties them to its founding.

We have among us, besides the founders of this venerable institution, perhaps many people who are not familiar with the era of the LECOM founding. Students and scholars

who have come from far and wide, finding themselves propelled to answer their calling, yet unaware of the genesis of this very institution - still, to this place, they come to find their purpose. If they reflect upon their history to trace their connection with those early days of LECOM, they find that they have none; they cannot carry themselves back into that glorious epoch to make themselves feel that they are part of us. Yet, are those who join us now not still steeped in all that is LECOM every bit as much as those who came before?

Why then, do they come to this place? What ties our newest generations, our recent classes, our modern progeny, to our founding?

What intrinsic element or special offering beckons the best and the brightest to cross our threshold? Indeed, what is it that has propelled LECOM into the forefront of medical education and health care, making it not only the largest medical school in the nation and its only osteopathic academic health center, but a comprehensive network of exceptionalism personified?

Verily, that answer can be found in our core mission: our purposed path, our commitment to community and to service, and our osteopathic principles inculcated through the supreme application of exceptionalism that links our past to our future. That mission has been an unremitting one; unchanged through the vicissitudes of time, unflagging in its perseverance to educate at the highest level, unabashed in its vision to move forward in the face of adversity and across the changing seas of health care. That exceptionalism, like a link in a chain from the past to the future, joins our newest LECOM family with the physicians, pharmacists, and dental professionals yet to be. They become part of the ongoing stream

that always has been a part of LECOM. They embrace academic excellence and the superlative degree of exceptionalism taught then and taught now that evidences their relation to those first classes and to the founding mission.

The new LECOM graduates claim this educational principle in them, and they have a right to claim it as though they, themselves, were those pioneers who first crossed the LECOM threshold. And, so they are connected to all that is LECOM by the electric cord of that purposed founding that links the hearts and minds of those called to the noblest profession.

For as long as honor, integrity, superlative education, and commitment to community are revered by mankind as sacred, so long shall this estimable institution be extolled in the memory of its successors.

Each class holds a special place in our hearts and each finds a special place in our history.

LECOM bids farewell with our support and well-wishes to this accomplished class.

Scholars - we applaud you; graduates we delight in you; new alumni, we entreat you to stand always with us in pride as we continue our march forward envisioning the possibilities attainable in the coming years.

Forget not your genesis in your emergence from this place, for as each commencement sends, you, our LECOM graduates into your desired callings, do we find our history in your future.

Just as we watch with pride your successes as a graduating class - success attendant to having been educated at a superlative institution of first rate academics and medical acumen - let us rededicate ourselves to that glorious epoch - to LECOM Health, to the betterment of health care, and to our enduring pledge to march ever onward in our glorious mission.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 05

IN THIS ISSUE COVER STORY

07

Credos of Our Calling

08

LECOM Health Continues Expansion

09

LECOM Board of Directors Welcomes New Chair

10

LECOM Leader Selected to Chair Two Organizations

11

LECOM Graduate - Dean of Lincoln Memorial University-Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

12

Orthopedic Research Fellow Pursues Investigative Surgical Techniques

14

The American Dream – Alive and Well at LECOM

16

Angel in a White Coat

17

LECOM Bradenton White Coat Ceremony

21

LECOM Health and Highmark Continue Partnership

DEPARTMENTS

22

The Class of 2016

34

27

Combating Opioid Overuse

29

Run Through the Groves 5K

36 Student, Faculty, and Alumni Notes

31

LECOM Sponsors Give Kids A Smile Day

32

Physician-Scholars Sweep POMA

33

In Memoriam: McHardy M. Smith, PhD

18

LECOM School of Dental Medicine: Responding to Need and Building Futures in Dentistry As Commencement delivers consummately capable medical professionals into the health care arena, this issue of the LECOM Connection will highlight the School of Dental Medicine, its genesis and its impact upon campus, community, and country.

Community is Our Campus

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

06 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

CREDOS OF OUR CALLING •HONOR•

It has been fashionable of late to marginalize the value of honorable men and women.

The state of being morally upright, honest, noble, virtuous, and magnanimous seemingly has fallen victim to the expediency of a demanding and ever declining social mores. In the cross hairs of virtue, stands honor, teetering upon each consequential choice that one makes.

Yet, honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost. Simply put, honor is the morality of superior men. Those who give, hoping to be rewarded with honor, are not giving, they are bargaining. Honor is the inner garment of the soul. One does not truly live for accolades or for pay; one’s happiness is not derived from the taking and the holding of transcendent acquisitions; rather it is formed in the doing, the striving, the building, and the serving a message that bolsters the very core of the LECOM mission.

Honor can be likened to an island; once one has abandoned its shores, one can never return to it. For neither birth, nor wealth, nor awards, can awaken in the minds of men or women the deep and abiding principles that should guide those, who from their youth, aspire to an honorable and an exceptional life. Truly, as Cicero noted: “Ability without honor is useless.”

As one leads one’s life by maintaining integrity, honesty, and noble values, one sets the tone for establishing those qualities within the entire field of health care.

“I would prefer to fail with honor than to win by cheating,” proclaimed Sophocles.

My honor is my life, both grow in one.

Take honor from me and my life is done. ~ Shakespeare

LECOM thrives in a culture of honor and integrity, where one never will supplant honorable judgment by a desire to succeed. The pressure attendant to facing the challenges found in an elite college and the difficult path upon which one chooses to tread will not be the final challenge; for the essence of an education is to teach one to be critical of oneself. It requires the freedom to make moral choices that create the model of a world in which all people would wish to live: one of honesty, personal responsibility, right action for right reason, and making the honorable choice in a moment of temptation. These elements combine to form the very deepest and most literal component of aspiring to honor. If honor dies, what else can survive?

Of the many critical qualities that a leader in the medical profession must possess - from being a visionary, a person of determination, dedication, and perseverance; from knowing the best way in which to motivate others, to understanding the best way to bring about results - most central to all of these is honor.

By behaving according to one’s honorable values, one maintains authenticity; in a word, self-awareness - defining oneself as true to the most intrinsic principles of integrity, honesty, and purpose. By behaving consistently with one’s sense of honor, one will reinforce the importance and impact of honor within oneself and with others.

For that reason, Honor is the Credo of Our Calling.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 07

LECOM HEALTH CONTINUES

EXPANSION

with Acquisition of Visiting Nurses Association of Erie County and LECOM at Presque Isle Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

LECOM Health has acquired the 106-year-old Visiting Nurses Association of Erie County (VNA) along with a second skilled-nursing facility, now known as LECOM at Presque Isle. Both organizations will play an important role in the continuum of care that has been a growing part of the superlative health care provided by the only osteopathic academic health center in America.

The VNA is renowned for its home health care services, but the organization also plays a significant part in hospice care and veterans care.

Another experienced health care constant, LECOM at Presque Isle, is the only skillednursing center in Erie that provides ventilator services. Staff specialties include Neurology, Orthopedic Care, Wound Care, Dysphasia, and a host of other necessary medical services.

Ventilator and Respiratory Services include airway management, oxygen administration, tracheostomy care, weaning, and pulmonary hygiene.

Chris O’Brien, Executive Director of the VNA; Kara Calandrelli, Director of Admissions for LECOM at Presque Isle, Inc.; and Melanie Titzel, PhD, Operations Manager for the LECOM Senior Living Center are instrumental leaders in coordinating the new LECOM Health acquisitions.

The Visiting Nurses Association of Erie County was founded in 1906 by the Woman’s Club of Erie to meet the home health care needs of the Erie community. Since that time, steadfast

traditional beliefs and values have guided a service that places care and compassion at its very core.

“The addition of the VNA to the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging continuum of care brings a level of service to the Erie Community necessary to prevent readmissions to the acute care setting. Home Health Care Services, as well as Hospice Services, are a vital part of serving individuals with dignity and respect, allowing them to remain in their home or apartment for as long as possible,” explained Dr. Titzel.

Patients prefer to be at home whenever possible and the VNA ensures that each patient is treated with the utmost consideration and compassion; a tenet of care that dovetails completely with the core principles of the whole-body, mind, spirit mission of LECOM Health.

Just as exceptionalism is the hallmark of the LECOM standard, so too is it the primary goal of the VNA, as the venerable agency seeks to provide services that not only meet the needs of the people whom they serve, but that exceed their expectations.

LECOM Health partnered with the VNA to advance and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with allied health and human service providers important to the community.

The companion partnering venture for LECOM Health focused upon LECOM at Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. The centrally located facility features a highly-trained clinical

08 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

staff that provides skilled care in a bright, inviting setting. The Center, located within five miles of all major Erie hospitals, offers 24-hour, sevenday-a-week Respiratory Therapy.

Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center believes that superior clinical care along with unsurpassed attention to service leads to wellness.

Customized care through a team approach meets the needs of each resident as he or she progresses through therapy.’

LECOM at Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center offers specialized programs for residents recovering from a variety of illnesses.

Committed to a personalized delivery of care, the Center offers a range of unique programs tailored to individual needs. Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center understands that making a nursing home decision can be difficult. As is ever the standard throughout all LECOM Health facilities, services, and undertakings, Exceptionalism is the hallmark of its purpose.

LECOM Health is committed to cultivating and advancing a Culture of Exceptionalism, from its educational platform to its community services, LECOM Health defines unparalleled academics and education; service and outreach, and wellness and health care - unsurpassed in the industry.

LECOM BOARD OF DIRECTORS WELCOMES NEW CHAIR

Thoughts lead us to purpose; purpose leads to action; action decides character; and character shapes our destiny. Few individuals offer a more emblematic embodiment of Aristotle’s passage than does Marlene Mosco. With a personal and professional history that transcends exceptional, Marlene Mosco is a clear and fitting choice to serve as the new Chair of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Board of Directors. Mosco recently retired as PNC Bank Northwestern Pennsylvania (NWPA). For the past 47 years, she served PNC Bank indefatigably in several capacities, including fifteen years as its Regional President.

While the conferring of awards and honors at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is one way in which LECOM recognizes individuals distinguished by accomplishments consonant with the overarching mission of the College, the naming of the LECOM Board Chair is requiring of a concomitant and profoundly serious consideration and a mindful contemplation of the qualities and attributes exhibited by those invited to serve in such a weighty capacity. Marlene Mosco is among the unsurpassed in her life’s work and she serves as a bright beacon of inspiration to all who have followed her successes. LECOM is especially proud to recognize this remarkable leader, welcoming her to Chair its Board of Directors.

Mosco recounted the way in which both “Marine Bank and PNC Bank - after a merger in 1984 - provided to her an education and a series of opportunities to help local organizations and businesses grow.” That “education” was honed near perfection as Mosco grew to become a name of

renown in the field of banking and economic development. Mosco was an influential presence championing the development of the Erie Bayfront. She lead support for the establishment of the Jerry Uht Ballpark and the 1995 Erie Baseball Initiative; the development of the Erie Insurance Arena; and the refurbishment of the historic Warner Theatre. Mosco has been an unremitting force for good to the solidifying sustenance, the visionary growth, and the enduring vibrancy of the Erie region.

Marlene Mosco first became linked to the future of Erie at the nascence of her career while still in college at Mercyhurst. While she did not set out to become a banker; intending instead, a career in public relations, Mosco would go on to serve for a time in that capacity at the bank. Through Mosco’s leadership, the NWPA Market consistently ranked among the PNC top markets in productivity, despite challenging and powerful competition within the regional financial services industry.

Serving as Chair of the Erie County Convention Center Authority, Mosco led the development of the Erie Bayfront Convention Center as well as the Sheraton Bayfront Hotel. Her many noteworthy honors could easily be catalogued; they include the Erie County Historical Society President’s Award; the United Way of Erie County Tocqueville Award; and the Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania Award, a tribute to PA women whose accomplishments connote a statewide and national importance.

Mosco’s community-focused journey parallels the LECOM mission, making her a natural fit to lead the august body who comprise the LECOM Board of Directors. Explained Mosco, “LECOM has consistently demonstrated a purposed and community-focused vision; from first-rate medical education to cutting-edge health care facilities, LECOM delivers a broad range of contributions to each community that it has come to serve.” Mosco’s enthusiasm to further the LECOM vision was evident as she expounded upon the way in which the community has benefitted from the very presence of the Lake Erie College of

Osteopathic Medicine. “I hope to assist LECOM in continuing that grand vision,” remarked Mosco, “adding to it my background in finance and banking to augment an already sound strategic plan. We plan to move forward with optimism, taking the LECOM mission into a new generation of health care and building upon a quarter century of LECOM exceptionalism,” concluded the new Board Chair.

Unquestionably, Marlene Mosco possesses demonstrable distinguished achievement as she takes to the helm of the Board at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. An unabashed supporter of LECOM, she has assisted in the advancement of the College missions of scholarship, education, and service. She has been a vigorous advocate for LECOM throughout her lengthy and illustrious career, both in banking and in furthering educational growth; and she has served as a leader in LECOM philanthropic endeavors, both regionally and nationally.

Marlene Mosco has committed herself to a purpose that is singular and highly characteristic of LECOM. A forward thinking defender of education who values the attainment of knowledge and the passion of understanding as the vanguard of her purpose, Mosco is a testament to the notion that the great use of one’s life is to spend it for something that outlasts it. Her own faithful community service, wise counsel, and broad understanding of LECOM principles will make her a valued Chair of the Board of Directors for many years to come.

An Italian proverb reminds one that “between the saying and the doing is a pair of worn out shoes.” This apothegm is one not lost upon Marlene Mosco - an unyielding leader, a committed philanthropist, and illustrious in the field of finance and community development.

She is a leader who has trod many a daunting path and strode many an unyielding mile in pursuit of creating a better tomorrow. Her life is a testament to focused action, to inexorable effort, to purpose – indeed, to exceptionalism.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 09

Dr. Richard A. Ortoski, LECOM Regional Dean (left), is congratulated by State Representative, Ryan A. Bizzarro.

Dr. Ortoski was installed as President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society (POFPS).

LECOM Leader Selected to Chair Two Noteworthy Organizations Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Regional Dean, Richard A. Ortoski, DO, was installed as President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society (POFPS) at the Annual Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) Conference earlier this month. Additionally, he was re-elected as the Chairman of the Erie County Board of Health.

The Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society is the noteworthy organization that represents family physicians who hold the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree.

At LECOM, Dr. Ortoski serves also as Chair of the Primary Care Education Department and he is Clinical Director of the Primary Care Scholars Pathway.

Dr. Ortoski was appointed POFPS President during the Installation Luncheon held by the organization at the POMA Clinical Assembly in King of Prussia, PA. Dr. Ortoski has served on the Board of Trustees for POFPS for eight years; as Co-Chair of the POFPS Continuing Medical Education (CME) Symposium, held annually; and as Chairman of the POFPS Mentor Committee.

He is a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), which is the corresponding national organization to POFPS.

As President of POFPS, Dr. Ortoski will work with osteopathic family physicians across Pennsylvania. “My responsibilities include guiding the organization and the Board,” stated Dr. Ortoski. “POFPS gives recommendations to all of the osteopathic family physicians in Pennsylvania, and those recommendations provide guidance in managing their practices and in meeting licensing requirements,” he furthered.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is investing American tax dollars into new primary care programs that place the focus squarely upon primary care physicians.

As a result of this investment, Dr. Ortoski hopes to see a more positive future of practice for those medical practitioners, especially those serving in Pennsylvania.

“The government is placing more emphasis upon Primary Care because many studies have shown that if there is a primary care doctor in an area and the patient is guided by a primary care doctor, that person’s medical care and outcomes are better,” expounded Dr. Ortoski.

“Instead of seeking the aid of a specialist for every health care concern, let the primary care physician serve as the guide,” he advised.

The majority of LECOM graduates become primary care physicians; and U.S. News & World Report ranks LECOM sixth among medical colleges for graduating physicians who choose the field of primary care for practice.

10 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

LECOM offers the Primary Care Scholars Pathway (PCSP), one of five of the only threeyear medical degree programs in the nation.

Dr. Ortoski serves as the Clinical Director of the PCSP, which encourages medical students to pursue a career as a primary care physician and to address the national shortage.

In addition to his being installed as President of POFPS, Dr. Ortoski recently was re-elected as the Chair of the Erie County Board of Health. Dr. Ortoski has worked with the Erie County Health Department since 1992, serving in various roles, including Assistant Medical Director, Public Health Officer, and as STD Clinic Physician.

Dr. Ortoski is the Medical Director for the Northwest Pennsylvania Rural AIDS Alliance.

He also has been a clinical consultant in HIV/ AIDS for the State Correctional Institutions of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ortoski serves as a trustee for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), guiding the evaluation of osteopathic students and residents in protecting the public safety through patient care.

LECOM lauds the distinctive and extraordinary attainments of Dr. Richard Ortoski, a leader who serves as an exemplar of the constant and ready character that keeps LECOM ever in the vanguard of first rate health care education.

LECOM GRADUATE DEAN OF LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITYDEBUSK COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

Brian Kessler, DO The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has cause to celebrate many benchmarks across the span of two flourishing decades. One of the proudest accomplishments and one that denotes a fostering and furthering of its academic mission is to mark the arrival of its graduates to pinnacle placements across the arena of medicine. It is with great pride that LECOM recognizes and notes that 1998 graduate, Brian Kessler, DO, has been selected to become the second Dean of Lincoln Memorial UniversityDeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) in Harrogate, Tennessee.

“Following an exhaustive national search I am confident that we have found the right person to lead the LMU-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, as it continues to mature and grow,” announced LMU President, B. James Dawson, Ed.D. “Dr. Brian Kessler brings a fresh perspective on many levels, yet he is as committed to the ideals and principles of osteopathic medicine as was our founding administration.”

Indeed, Dr. Kessler identifies vast opportunities at LMU-DCOM, both as an institution and as an organization steeped in the principles of osteopathic medicine. In stepping into the leadership position of the school, Dr. Kessler attributes much of the successes that have brought him to this point to the excellent training and education that he gained while at LECOM. Until January 1, 2016, Dr. Kessler had served as the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School

of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM) in Buies Creek, North Carolina. A Board Certified family physician, Dr. Kessler has a vast knowledge of primary care medicine and health policy, and he appreciates the vital role that primary care physicians have in training the next generation of osteopathic physicians.

an integral member of the Hospital Medical Executive Committee and he was active in the Department of Family Medicine, serving as the past Chair of the department. He was a faculty member in the Family Medicine Resident Clinic and he served as a preceptor for LECOM third and fourth year students.

The former Director of Medical Education at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital, Dr. Kessler had been serving as Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at Campbell University since his appointment in August of 2011. At that time, Dr. Kessler stated, “My education at LECOM allowed me to become the leader I am today.” He has not only maintained the forward momentum of his professional career, he also is imbued in the foundational excellence that is the hallmark of his LECOM roots.

As Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at Campbell University, Dr. Kessler was responsible for overseeing the Office of Clinical Affairs and regional training sites for students.

He was instrumental in the development of new osteopathic training programs, research, and community outreach.

Dr. Kessler is a family physician who brings with him a vast appreciation of primary care medicine and the vital role primary care physicians have in training the next generation of osteopathic physicians. He possesses a broad institutional view; and as an active practitioner, he understands firsthand the challenges of practicing community medicine.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Kessler resided in Twinsburg, Ohio for ten years; where, since 2001, he had practiced full spectrum osteopathic family medicine. During that time, he was the team physician for several area high schools and an active member of the community. In addition to his practice, Dr. Kessler enjoyed his role as Director of Graduate Medical Education and Chief Academic Officer at South Pointe Hospital. He was

Before being graduated from LECOM, he was a graduate of Saint Vincent College.

Upon receiving his DO Degree, Dr. Kessler completed a one-year traditional rotating internship at Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania and an Osteopathic Family Medicine Residency at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital.

“I am humbled and delighted to have been selected to be a part of the LMU family. LMUDCOM has been led by a very accomplished leader in Dr. Ray Stowers and the school is well positioned for the future,” Dr. Kessler stated.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to be part of an institution with a solid foundation and with a firm commitment to high academic standards,” the LECOM alumni affirmed.

LECOM applauds Dr. Kessler as a capable and talented practitioner and as a seasoned academician whose leadership as Dean will be truly invaluable to Lincoln Memorial University. @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 11

For as long as she can remember, Arianna Gianakos, DO, LECOM Bradenton 2016 has been interested in medical research. Perhaps the reason stems from the fact that medical research provides a platform from which to question the current beliefs and strategies of medical practice; perhaps it is because through the research process are discovered the ways to improve the status quo in health care. Either way, Dr. Gianakos has found the purpose of her calling within its sway. Having had the opportunity to take one year off for research before completing her last year of medical school at LECOM, Dr. Gianakos was accorded an opportunity and an experience that she will never forget.

The 28-year-old from Lebanon, New Jersey was the only osteopathic representative asked to present at the Interdisciplinary Research Conference on Injectable Osteoarticular Biomaterials and Bone Augmentation Procedures (GRIBOI) held recently in Toronto, Canada. In addition to presenting at that venerable gathering, she was a presenter at the 27th annual Hip and Knee Course hosted by the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City in December.

“I always had been interested in the field of orthopedics because it was an area where one could physically see a patient who was unable to function one day, rise from bed and

walk and move about freely the next,” shared Dr. Gianakos. “This transformative aspect sparked my interest to investigate surgical techniques to assess a patient’s recovery,” she offered.

A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, Dr. Gianakos achieved a Bachelor of Science degree and she was part of the Honor’s Kinesiology Balance and Movement Laboratory. The lab work focused upon the way in which humans coordinate the straightforward acts of reaching, touching, or grasping objects while standing. Already intrigued by research, Dr. Gianakos completed an Honor’s research project as part of a study as to the way in which head turning movements affect the balance of stroke patients.

Dr. Gianakos was accepted into the LECOM College of Medicine at the Bradenton campus in July 2011. In her third year of medical school, with the support of LECOM advisor Richard Heibel, MD, Dr. Gianakos applied for a summer research internship and the inquisitive student was accepted into a Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgery Summer Research Fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery. She worked closely with John G. Kennedy, MD, a surgeon who replaced defective cartilage in the ankle with healthy cartilage from the knee. Dr. Gianakos found herself wondering whether cartilage

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from one part of the body could function just as well in another location.

This experience solidified Dr. Gianakos’ decision to apply to a year-long Metabolic Bone Disease Research Fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery to dedicate an additional year of medical school solely to research under orthopedic trauma surgeon, Joseph M. Lane, MD. “I questioned whether patients would be able to regain their functional mobility after this replacement,” explained Dr. Gianakos.

“My desire to pursue this topic was the first step toward my first accepted publication, Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate in Bone Healing: An Analysis of Basic Science Evidence, which I presented at an international orthopedic conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands in the spring of 2014. Presenting my work on a global level proved to me that I could have an impact upon the advancement of medicine and make a difference in health care,” the scholar admitted.

Dr. Gianakos found the continued challenge of research to be intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding. She focused upon the field of orthobiologics, specifically bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Arianna Gianakos, DO

ORTHOPEDIC RESEARCH FELLOW PURSUES INVESTIGATIVE SURGICAL TECHNIQUES “These therapies aim to restore function by harnessing the natural healing processes of the body,” explained Dr. Gianakos.

value that LECOM places upon research and the constant commitment to the mission which defines LECOM exceptionalism.

She was intrigued by the use of injectable biomaterials for the treatment and/or prevention of bone and joint diseases.

Dr. Gianakos had a total of 10 accepted research publications in 2015, with four pending submissions. She has co-authored four orthopedic surgery book chapters. Her research has been accepted for podium and poster presentations at four international, as well as national, orthopedic surgery conferences. Gianakos has presented internationally in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic; Lyon, France; and Toronto, Canada. In addition, she has presented at national conferences held in Illinois, New York, Hawaii, and Florida.

“My research team and I investigated PRP and MBSC results in the in vivo (living) animal model,” said Dr. Gianakos. “Ultimately, our aim in this long-term study is to translate this basic science research into the clinical setting to improve and to speed up the healing process,” she expounded.

Recognizing that she was very fortunate to have Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Lane as mentors, Dr. Gianakos was encouraged never to stop asking the question, “why?”

“As osteopathic medicine continues to grow, so too does the need for clinical and basic science research,” said Dr. Gianakos. “It is crucial for osteopathic physicians to be at the forefront of this research to advance the frontiers of osteopathic medicine and the osteopathic approach to patient care,” the LECOM scholar pronounced.

The comprehensive body of Dr. Gianakos’ research has proven resoundingly successful and it underscores the profound and weighty

“My year-long orthopedic surgery research fellowship solidified my decision to pursue orthopedic surgery as my career. I not only enjoyed the clinical and surgical aspects of orthopedics, I truly loved working on research projects that would one day further the field.

I believe that my year off genuinely prepared me for my fourth and final year,” remarked Dr. Gianakos.

Dr. Gianakos thanks her mentors, Dr. Heibel, Dr. Kennedy, and Dr. Lane for their guidance and continued support. Her goal is to become an orthopedic surgical scientist, and the sedulous student will be applying to an orthopedic surgery residency in the coming year.

“I will strive to continue my research throughout residency with hopes of becoming part of an academic institution in the future where I can work alongside fellow researchers, surgeons, and students,” said Dr. Gianakos. She affirmed “I hope one day to help future students succeed in the same way that my mentors have helped me.”

The LECOM mission statement pledges to prepare future osteopathic physicians, pharmacists, and dentists through programs of excellence in research. It is not surprising that this assiduous LECOM scholar finds unwavering support in pursuing her calling in a setting that unabashedly encourages the advancement of scientific studies and cutting edge research.

While on rotation after graduation, Dr. Gianakos plans to continue working with ongoing research projects under the mentorship of Dr. Lane.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 13

The American Dream – Alive and Well at LECOM Christian Menezes The grand tradition of LECOM exceptionalism; a tradition with a noble mission to improve lives through providing unmatched medical training to its students, to encourage unprecedented scientific study and life-saving medical research, and to build a comprehensive medical network through the only osteopathic academic health center in the nation has, at its genesis, an American foundation. This foundation is formed and galvanized through the joining of kindred spirits and strong minds; through the unyielding efforts of visionary thinkers, and through compassionate labors brought to fruition by open hearts. All of this attainment, has at its core, the belief in the American values and principles that have created the greatest nation of purpose and freedom that the world has ever known.

This end is accomplished through the heroic commitment of determined and caring men and women who have sought ever to improve their own lives and to better the lives of others.

LECOM itself is a testament to the Horatio Alger stories of bootstrap grit and plucky determination. More than two decades ago, overcoming naysayers and negativity, LECOM leaders, through their astute prescience and vigilant observations, made a decision to open a new school of medicine.

A quarter century has crafted the LECOM story, not by accident or happenstance, rather by the fuel of all that embodies the American Dream. Perhaps that is one reason that the story of a particular LECOM medical

student finds its way to the pages of the LECOM Connection.

Christian Menezes, College of Medicine student in Erie, has the passion and work ethic required to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine; and, perhaps most interesting, Christian is the third-generation of an immigrant family from the Archipelago of the Azores, a cluster of nine tiny islands roughly 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal.

In 1949, Christian’s great-grandparents and his then 16-year-old grandfather, Louis Menezes, made the 2,200-mile journey to America, where they settled in Rhode Island.

“My great-grandmother would wake up each morning to make hundreds of sandwiches for my great-grandfather to carry on his deli truck that he drove to various factories. At each factory location, he would sell the prepared meals to the workers,” Christian said.

Meanwhile, Louis would spend his mornings in a primary school kindergarten class to learn English. The rest of his day, which extended to well beyond midnight, was spent attending high school classes and working in a wartime factory assembling boots for U.S. soldiers who were fighting in the Korean War. At the age of 18 and with $20 in his pocket, Christian’s grandfather made his way to California. Louis labored for a short time in the farm fields before beginning to work

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at various dairies as a milker. Christian said of his grandfather: “He worked for three different dairies before purchasing a small herd of old milk cows from a retiring dairyman.” Aided by another dairyman, Christian’s grandfather was able to “expand his herd and he began farming as well,” explained Christian. “This effort provided for his family and for his firstborn - my father, Jace Menezes,” continued Christian.

“My father’s mission in life was to teach us - my three siblings and me - the importance of a work ethic, how to live a life of faith, and to learn the value of a dollar,” noted Christian.

“My father knew from his own experience that he must nurture his children to become hardworking men and women of integrity and faith,” remarked the proud son.

Christian’s father instilled in his children the importance of assiduous effort and determined dedication to a goal; he cherished those values that fueled the promise of a better life and that had brought so many from the fields of other nations to the hopeful place that is America.

Christian’s elder siblings were in charge of a chicken coop and they would sell their eggs at area dairies. Christian and his closest-inage brother created a roadside vegetable stand from which they sold vegetables that they had grown in their 17-row garden. Their venture – called “Two Lil’ Brothers Vegetable Stand” – operated for six years.

Upon seeing the success of his sons’ vegetable enterprise, Christian’s father told his sons that they must learn more from their fruitful project: they needed to give back to the community and to their church.

“My brother and I began taking fresh vegetables every Saturday night to a convent of nuns,” said Christian. “This way, we were able to not just give back financially to our community, but we were actually giving back the fruits – in this case, vegetables – of our labors to help the community,” recalled the LECOM student.

Christian explained that his father’s reasoning for seeking to instill such core values in his children was that his father understood that those very values formed the character of those who would be prepared to go the distance to do that which is needed to improve a community.

Christian learned well his father’s lessons.

When he began his undergraduate studies at the University of California at San Diego, Christian quickly was interested in the biological sciences. He began his journey by volunteering in the postoperative orthopedic recovery ward of the Veterans Affairs Hospital. Christian realized that he knew no greater gift than that of being able to improve the quality of life of another human being through knowledgeable and experienced healing. Moreover, he realized that compassion and empathy lay at the center of this mission.

Christian took advantage of the LECOM PostBaccalaureate program to enhance his path to medical school. Even while on his way to becoming a doctor of osteopathic medicine, his drive to serve has not ceased. Christian frequently volunteers his time to clubs and to organizations, and he often finds himself involved in Erie community outreach projects.

Christian Menezes (left) shows off the vegetable stand that he started with his brother. The brothers operated the stand for six years where they sold vegetables that they grew themselves.

to lead others to do likewise in service to the community,” furthered Christian.

“My fellow classmates and I are here to become not only physicians who can treat and cure disease, but to become pillars of our communities. The calling of medicine is founded upon being other-centered,” he affirmed.

“Understanding that I would not be here were it not for the LECOM ethos, I knew that once I was accepted, I would endeavor to be a reflection of this institution and

LECOM has long understood that which matters most is not the hurdle that may, for a time, seem daunting; rather it is the power and purpose of the shared values that show the true face of America: family, faith, hard work, opportunity, and responsibility for all, so that every son and daughter may live up to their God-given potential. That is the American Dream and the American value.

Like Christian’s father and his father before him, steeped in the integrity of persistent and unremitting effort and a determined dedication to a goal, LECOM cherishes those values that propel the promise of a better life. Irrefutably, those values underpin a health care system that emphasizes a culture of exceptionalism in education and patientcentered care in a compassionate and healing environment, for one need recognize and remember that the truly important acts that demonstrate the best of our shared humanity come from the deeds of those quiet heroes who are building the dream that continues to be America. The dreams of Americans - whether first generation or generations hence are the American Dream alive and well at LECOM.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 15

Kenny Navarette, (pictured left) with the recipients of the Memorial Hospital Pembroke Patient First Award.

Angel in a White Coat A quick thinking LECOM Bradenton pharmacy student found his clinical rotation at Memorial Hospital Pembroke, in Pembroke Pines, Florida the setting for an event that ostensibly would save a child’s life. LECOM student, Kenny Navarette, prevented a crucial error that would have led to a 17-month-old receiving a medication overdose. Navarette’s catch prevented the child from receiving a medication dosage that could have resulted in a potentially devastating outcome.

Navarette was assigned by Ira Schatten, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist and preceptor, to look over several reports that included adverse drug reactions, weight, allergy, and height information.

“My assignment was to find inconsistencies or potential problems with these reports,” explained Navarette.

While working his way through a report, Navarette noticed that one patient was listed at 123.3 kg, or 271 pounds.

“I thought to myself that this was quite heavy, even for an average adult,” said Navarrete.

“When I looked at the patient’s age, it turned out that the patient was listed as 17 months of age. I immediately brought this fact to Dr. Schatten’s attention because I understood that with children, everything is dosed based upon weight. This is something that I had learned in class and as a result of experience in working as a pharmacy tech,” expounded the student.

For Kenny Navarette, the call to impact a patient’s well-being came early and in a significant way. Navarette’s discovery prevented the child – whose correct weight was just 27 pounds – from receiving a 14-fold overdose of Augmentin, which could have led to an adverse outcome.

The capable and detail-oriented students, like Kenny Navarette, who perform life-saving works in tense and volatile spheres can be proud of their meaningful ministrations; for here the medical enterprise as a whole finds its highest justification of existence and its most profound purpose.

It has oft been said that the best way to find oneself is to lose oneself in the service of others. Such maxim is the through-line of those who dedicate themselves to the fields of health care.

Thanks to his scrutinous detection, Navarrete was presented with the Patient First Award by Memorial Hospital Pembroke for “providing a healing environment that is safe, efficient, customer-focused and of superior quality.”

“It is definitely something extremely humbling and of which I am proud,” said Navarette about receiving the Award. “Anything that can elucidate that which we provide as pharmacy professionals - especially regarding our goal of attaining health care provider status - is important to me,” continued Navarette. The modest LECOM scholar was quick to point out that any of his LECOM classmates would have arrived at the same outcome.

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Next to creating life, the finest thing one can do is to save it. ~ Abe Lincoln Navarette also added that his sound and thorough instruction in the LECOM School of Pharmacy prepared him well for the experience and readied him to detect such an error and to take action.

“Two classes prepared me for that moment,” expounded Navarette: “Pharmacy Calculations and Pharmacist Provided Care (PPC). With the former, I understood that which was needed for weight-based dosing using the patient’s profile. With the latter (PPC), I garnered a further understanding about issues that can arise with dosing in infants and children,” Navarette concluded.

This proficient student is a stalwart in the grand tradition of LECOM exceptionalism; a tradition with a noble mission to improve lives through providing unmatched training to its students and to encourage life-saving skills and excellence in health care. This end is attained through the heroic commitment of accomplished and caring men and women, such as Kenny Navarette.

Someday, this capable pharmacy student will go forth into his community to serve in the whirlwind of need and healing. In that whirlwind, he will be imbued with exceptional LECOM pharmacy training and its indelible service-focused imprimatur as his work serves to better the quality of life of his neighbors and of his community. To a young child in a Florida hospital, who found his report in Kenny Navarette’s hands, this LECOM student is an angel in that whirlwind - an angel in a white coat.

LECOM Bradenton Students Receive White Coats at Annual Ceremonies LECOM Bradenton held three ceremonies at The Harvest Center in Lakewood Ranch, where 436 first-year students marked the beginning of their journey from preclinical education to clinical education by accepting their white coats.

The ceremonies began with the School of Dental Medicine bestowing 101 white coats upon eager students. After a welcoming message from Director of Student Affairs Ronald Shively, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, Provost, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, delivered a powerful and profound message about the significance of their white coats and their upcoming health care journey awaiting them.

“The symbolic white coat event is a celebration that signifies the zenith of this glorious experience for all of you who have so adeptly primed yourselves academically and mentally for the challenges that await you,” remarked Dr. Ferretti. “This occasion signifies your readiness to embrace your calling. The event reaches more profoundly to the purpose of a life dedicated to health care; for although this celebration reflects a pinnacle moment at LECOM to a year companioned by a commitment to hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance, it also signifies a new beginning to invest yourselves into the total immersion of heart, mind, and spirit in the pursuit of exceptionalism in one of the noblest of all professions,” she affirmed.

Following the School of Dental Medicine ceremony, 143 School of Pharmacy students received their white coats after welcoming an uplifting and inspiring message from Class of 2011 alumna, Victoria Reinhartz, PharmD. Dr. Reinhartz remembered fondly receiving her white coat, and she encouraged the pharmacy students to embrace its deep significance.

“I remember sitting in your seat, excitedly tapping my foot in anticipation of my own white coat,” recalled Dr. Reinhartz. “I felt accomplished and proud, and maybe also a little nervous. But most of all, looking back now, I see that nine years ago, I was to some extent naive of the full significance of this white coat. This coat is not just a uniform, not just a badge of accomplishment, but a symbol of altruism,

of devoting oneself to the well-being and health of others. This coat means integrity. This coat endows one with the responsibility of maintaining professionalism in all that one does,” she expounded.

Dr. Reinhartz encouraged the students – along with providing other valuable advice – to “be brave.”

After completing just her second week of pharmacy school, Dr. Reinhartz was involved in serious vehicle accident that left her with a crushed pelvis and months of rehab and recovery. Still, she remained undeterred and she persevered, earning her pharmacy degree.

“It took a near-death experience for me to be brave,” said Dr. Reinhartz.

“I encourage you to let this moment, right now, be your turning point. Let this day be the day that you decide to capitalize upon the professional growth opportunities ahead of you,” she urged.

The profoundly stirring ceremonies concluded with the College of Medicine students receiving their white coats - 192 in all.

Bradenton inaugural class (2004) alumnus, Ryan Jawitz, DO, delivered thoughtful and positive remarks to his audience, reminding them to cherish their time in clinical work and to use it as an opportunity to improve their skills, talents, and training.

“This may be when you determine or confirm the type of specialty you wish to practice or the place that you want to live,” said Dr. Jawitz. “Do not just watch, roll up your sleeves and participate. Those white coats can be dry cleaned. There is no better way to learn than to practice your craft,” he averred.

At all three ceremonies, students pledged to uphold the standards of their chosen professions and to administer compassionate, quality care to their patients.

With this venerable event, LECOM reaffirms its ever solid LECOM commitment to providing superlative education and clinical training to help students achieve their noble goals in the calling of their lives. @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 17

On a beautiful Southwest Florida day in June of 2011, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) leaders gathered with friends and supporters in a sprawling field adjacent to the LECOM School of Medicine to celebrate a “Ground Breaking” for the LECOM School of Dental Medicine (SDM).

Piles of soft sand surrounded an expansive white tent, under which those assembled recognized that they were present at the very inception of a lofty endeavor. Filled with great anticipation and buoyed by confident purpose, only a thin wall of wavering willpower stood between all who called themselves part of the LECOM family and an engulfing flood of pride and nostalgia.

LECOM School of Dental Medicine RESPONDING TO NEED AND BUILDING FUTURES IN DENTISTRY

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On that day in June, LECOM President and CEO, John M. Ferretti, DO, described the visionary genesis of a purposed mission in superlative medical training that would transform lives as he recounted the upward and unyielding trajectory of all that is LECOM. Dr. Ferretti recounted the way in which, since 1992, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has played a definitive role in the educational excellence, purposeful service, and economic growth in each community in which it has come to lay a cornerstone.

The LECOM School of Dental Medicine represented the beginning of a new era for LECOM and each person involved in the fruitful result of that mission offered a precious gift to future generations of LECOM graduates.

On that late spring day in 2011, those gathered in that field mused over the possibilities that would come from the gaping holes in the earth and from the mounds of Florida sand piled in the distance. They spoke in terms of “proposed facility” and of “future building” – and now – that vision is realized.

In March of 2013, Dr. John Ferretti reminded those who again gathered to officially open the LECOM SDM, that the School of Dental Medicine exists as far more than simply

It is not often that a man can make opportunities for himself.

But he can put himself in such shape that when the opportunities come, he is ready. ~ Theodore Roosevelt “grandeur in edifice” – for it was through the realization of the insightful vision of the LECOM Board of Trustees, that the SDM has come to represent personal and intellectual relationships and the highest standards and ideals of a dental science education.

The foundational excellence championed by LECOM leaders imparted in them the ability to observe an evident decline in the number of dentists in the State of Florida.

Indeed, thoughts of creating a Dental School became visionary, when in 2000, a Report on Oral Health by Surgeon General, David Satcher, MD, PhD, identified a serious need to increase oral health workforce diversity, capacity, and flexibility. In that same year, the Department of Health and Human Services recognized 1,275 Dental Health Professions Shortage Areas (Dental – HPSAs) in which 28,000,000 people reside. Couple that information with the American Dental Association Report that 65% of all dentists over 45 years of age (and nearing retirement) creates a “graying” of the dental workforce that will impact adequate care for decades.

Responding to those factors, and most intently to the needs of the Bradenton community, LECOM teamed with its partners in Manatee County governance to establish the School of Dental Medicine. LECOM invested more than $52 million dollars to construct an exceptionally planned building to house the Dental School and the highly technical, state-of-the-art classrooms required to prepare the next generation of Dentists.

that dentists have become an integral team player in improving the health of their patients. The role that they play in preventive medicine corresponds with the osteopathic principals of total health care as taught by the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the School of Pharmacy. The current and future needs of dental health will be served by the professionals schooled and trained at the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

Ever cognizant of its foundation of commitment to excellence in education and to purpose in community service, the LECOM School of Dental Medicine opened its doors for classes in 2012. The school enrolled one hundred first-year students. Within four years of its inaugural class, the LECOM School of Dental Medicine employed 86 professional employees, including dental faculty, administrators, dental hygienists, technical, and administrative support staff.

When the inaugural Transition Ceremony for the LECOM School of Dental Medicine Class of 2016 was held, it marked a noteworthy benchmark in the journey that defines a profound and purposed contribution to community and to health care. The ceremony marked the transition from student into clinical care outside of the School as a defining moment along their personal paths that will lead them to the calling of their lives.

Today, the LECOM School of Dental Medicine has created a footbridge between the present and the future of Dentistry throughout the Southwest Florida region. LECOM recognizes

With the commencement of the inaugural Class of 2016, LECOM once again finds itself in the vanguard of leadership - this time, in the field of Dental Medicine. The solid positioning in such place did not come about as a result of chance or of circumstance; rather it is a result of keen vision and design, forwardthinking strategic planning, and a thorough understanding of community need exhibited throughout various regions. For unlike other institutions of higher learning, LECOM has had the emblematic distinction of applying its penetrating insight to addressing the specific needs of each community into which it has ventured. The LECOM SDM is focused upon offering oral hygiene and dental health care to rural areas and throughout lesser-served regions where dental care is limited.

In 2008, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation (a recognized organization dedicated to improving the health of the public by advancing the education and training of health professionals) conducted a study that encouraged: “New Models of Dental Education” to combat economic and health@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 19

In just this last year, fifty dental students completed clinical practice in Erie, Pa., while another fifty traveled to DeFuniak Springs, Fla. - each group with the same charge: to provide superlative and high-quality dental care to patients residing in areas that most need it.

Dental residency programs, such as the one begun in New York at NYU Lutheran Pediatric Hospital for Advanced Education in General Dentistry, finds experienced dental practitioners working with current LECOM dental students, preparing them to journey into their chosen communities to serve where they are most needed. Four secondyear pediatric residents from NYU Lutheran spend five weeks at LECOM SDM yearly.

Residents are instructing LECOM students, both clinically and didactically, under the supervision of LECOM pediatric dentists.

In addition, the School of Dental Medicine participates in the Remote Area Florida Medical Expedition which, in only two days in November of 2015, treated 5,000 patients.

The oral health care event was held at Manatee Technical College, after which the Expedition received a community-generated Certificate of Appreciation for LECOM faculty and student contributions.

related challenges to the communities and professions.

The Study called for: community-based, patient-centered clinical training, and a curriculum that provides a basis in the medical and behavioral sciences similar to that found in medical schools.

LECOM had the perfect answer to that sobering call-to-arms with its ProblemBased Learning (PBL) Pathway Program.

The Student-centered, self-directed learning curriculum offers a setting in which students

work independently and in small groups as they develop learning issues relevant to actual patient cases. The unique programs at the LECOM School of Dental Medicine feature the PBL course offering integrated medical and dental student groups in the first year of training. Self-study gross anatomy courses and early exposure to dentistry also occur in the very first year of schooling as dental students work as dental assistants in local primary care dental clinics. In addition, students spend their entire fourth year of study working in primary care clinics located in underserved areas.

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Across the field, School of Dental Medicine students are excelling on the National Dental Board Examinations I and II, where they scored above the national mean. School of Dental Medicine Research is thriving as their work is being recognized by research awards; and as posters and presentations are being offered by LECOM scholars.

Irrefutably, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has never wavered in its single-minded focus to educate the next generation of health care professionals and to better each community that it has come to serve. The LECOM School of Dental Medicine, with its accomplished graduates, evinces yet another cherished contribution of unparalleled training and health care service.

Saint Vincent Hospital President and CEO, Scott Whalen, PhD; Highmark Health Executive Vice President Dan Onorato; LECOM Senior Vice President, Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia Ferretti, DO; and LECOM alumna, Catherine Conway, DO,stand with the $500,000 check that was presented to LECOM by Highmark. Conway, who graduated from LECOM in May, was the first Student-To-Practice Academic Scholarship recipient.

LECOM HEALTH AND HIGHMARK

CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP

Increasing the Supply and Retention of Physicians in Rural Pennsylvania

I know not what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will find true happiness are those who will have sought and found how to serve. ~ Albert Schweitzer

The profound observation offered by Albert Schweitzer has been echoed resoundingly by the men and women of two venerable organizations - Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM); organizations blessed with visionary leaders who have demonstrated the tireless passion to serve.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield presented Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) with a $500,000 check recently to support a continuation of the StudentTo-Practice Academic Scholarship, the collaborative scholarship program aimed at increasing the supply and retention of physicians in rural areas of Pennsylvania.

“Today’s health care environment is filled with challenges, one of which is making sure that all communities, throughout our diverse service areas, have access to high-quality, affordable care options,” said Highmark Health President and CEO, David Holmberg. “Not only will LECOM students in medical training benefit from this half-million-dollar scholarship program, but the Program also will benefit many rural and underserved Pennsylvanians who will see these same scholarship recipients – their future doctors – for care,” remarked Holmberg.

The Highmark-LECOM Partnership began in 2012, with an initial five-year, $500,000 contribution from Highmark. With the continuation of the Scholarship, a decade-long continuum of LECOM graduates, who will train and work within the Allegheny Health Network, has been solidly established.

Scholarship recipients agree to practice in the field of Primary Care throughout areas in Pennsylvania and Appalachia designated by Highmark as those areas exhibiting physician shortages. That requirement is significant in light of the fact that Pennsylvania ranks tenth in the United States in the number of such underserved areas, according to a study released by the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation.

Unquestionably, Pennsylvania has one of the largest underserved areas in the United States, ranked as the third largest rural population in the country.

Catherine Conway, DO, a West Mifflin, Pennsylvania native was among the first group of students to receive the Scholarship in 2014. Dr. Conway will begin her residency this summer at an Allegheny Health Network teaching hospital. She is eager to serve the rural Pennsylvania community as a Primary Care physician.

- Continued On Page 38 @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 21

THE CLASS OF 2016 LECOM Holds History-Making Ceremonies

Dare to have a dream for dreamers make the miracles, dreamers right the wrongs, and dreamers shape the world. Sacrifice for your dreams for one will not gain from a dream too easily reached, and above all believe in yourself - for upon that your dream depends.

Abundant dreams filled the halls of multiple event centers this spring as the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) graduated its accomplished scholars to meet the calling of their lives.

Marking an historic occasion for LECOM as it graduated the largest class in the chronicle of its history - as well as graduating its first ever class of dentists - the College awarded 964 degrees as it held its 20th Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 29, 2016, at the Erie Insurance Arena.

During the Ceremony, 248 students from the Erie campus and 105 students from the Seton Hill campus received the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree. LECOM Erie awarded 537 degrees. In addition to the medical graduates, 134 Doctor of Pharmacy Degrees were awarded to the graduating scholars, and 14 students received the Master in Health Services Administration Degree (including 10 dual degree recipients).

Additionally, 31 students received the Master of Science in Medical Education Degree; and another five students were awarded the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Degree.

The LECOM at Seton Hill College of Medicine class recognized Alexandria Boley and Lauren Mathos, DO, as the first students accepted to LECOM through the Early Acceptance Program (EAP) partnership with Seton Hill University.

After completing three rigorous years of undergraduate studies at Seton Hill, Drs. Boley and Mathos were accepted into the LECOM College of Medicine in 2012 and they were awarded their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees on May 29, 2016.

LECOM Bradenton held its Commencement Ceremony a week later than the Erie event, on June 5, 2016. That ceremony was particularly significant as the 100 inaugural School of Dental Medicine students received their Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees after beginning classes in 2012.

Fifty students from the class spent a year in Erie for clinical training, while another 50 students completed a year of clinical training in DeFuniak Springs, Fla. Adam Rose, DMD, a native of Beaver, Pa., was among the first students accepted

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into the School of Dental Medicine, and after the four-year program, he was eager to be graduated and to continue to represent LECOM. Joining the dental students were 190 Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree candidates; 117 Doctor of Pharmacy degree students; and 19 Master in Health Services Administration degree recipients.

Across the campuses, one of the primary missions advanced by LECOM is to prepare dentists who can provide oral health care to communities exhibiting a need for more dentists. Florida ranks third in the nation for its number of communities designated as Dental Health Shortage Areas; while Pennsylvania is seventh nationally.

LECOM has recognized the integral role of dentists in improving the health of patients. That aspect of preventive medicine complements the osteopathic principles of total health care as taught by the LECOM College of Osteopathic Medicine and its School of Pharmacy.

The same profoundly purposed focus extends

to the mission of the LECOM School of Pharmacy as graduates begin their careers at community and clinical pharmacies across the nation and as an increasing number of them elect to continue with postgraduate specialized-residency programs.

As classes began in 2012, Seton Hill students, Lauren Mathos, DO, and Alexandria Boley, DO, made the transition from undergraduate student to medical student, after having participated in the Seton Hill University Cooperative Degree Program with LECOM. This Program facilitated the scholarly shift with the innovative process undertaken upon the same campus. LECOM and Seton Hill share a common purpose as well as a common satisfaction in advancing the successes of the Early Acceptance Program (EAP). LECOM has been a part of the Seton Hill campus community since the medical school opened seven years ago on the rolling hills of the university grounds. With the arrival of the medical school Class of 2016, LECOM enrolled more than 400 students on the Seton Hill campus.

School of Pharmacy Dean’s Award-winner, Ashley Cubillos, PharmD, of Sarasota, will begin a pharmacy residency at Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Fla., for an additional year of clinical training as she seeks a position in a health care facility or hospital system. She noted that her years at LECOM gave her an “excellent foundation in pharmaceutical knowledge and clinical training” that, coupled with “all I learned about leadership – essentially learning to manage myself so I could manage others – are skills that should be beneficial throughout my career.”

Many LECOM College of Osteopathic Medicine graduates will pursue internships and residencies as they continue postgraduate training at hospitals throughout the nation; with 30 percent of those graduates continuing their training in Florida and in Pennsylvania. Two out of three LECOM graduates will enter primary care. U.S. News & World Report magazine ranks LECOM among the Top 10 medical schools that graduate the greatest percentage of primarycare physicians.

Alexandria Boley, DO

Dr. Mathos of Irwin, Pennsylvania and Dr. Boley of Greensburg, were the first such students welcomed to the LECOM Medical School in 2012. The program presents a more rigorous academic path since during the second year of scholarship, those students registered in the course of study must take added science classes and labs - which can prove challenging.

LECOM College of Osteopathic Medicine Dean’s Award-winner, Marissa Evarts, DO, of West Islip, N.Y., hopes to specialize in pediatric otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat). Dr. Evarts credits her years at LECOM for helping her to take an active role in preparing for her future.

“LECOM emphasized the need for selfmotivation and time-management, as well as preparing me to chart my own course and to take control of my career,” she said.

“LECOM also helped me to realize leadership goals. Through participation in clubs, such as the Latino Medical Students Club and the Pediatrics Club, I learned to be a moreeffective leader for students, and ultimately, for my patients,” concluded Dr. Evarts.

The consummately accomplished professionals of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine now venture forth into a needful world. LECOM anticipates bright futures carried forth with compassion, courage, and grace for its graduated Class of 2016.

Upon meeting grade and medical school entrance exam requirements, students who are accepted into the cooperative program are guaranteed one of twenty-six places reserved for Seton Hill students at LECOM.

Irv Freeman, PhD, Vice President for LECOM at Seton Hill, explained that Seton Hill ensures that only the best and brightest are admitted into the program - requiring higher SAT or ACT scores than do other universities with whom LECOM holds cooperative degrees.

Having completed the Program at Seton Hill, both Drs. Boley and Mathos entered LECOM as highly qualified and capable students, prepared to succeed in medical school.

Lauren Mathos, DO

As is the case with many a pioneer, trails are blazed with the first plucky souls who are prepared to take the step. Drs. Boley and Mathos persevered through the rigors of the program, proving that seemingly insurmountable obstacles are overcome with steadfast commitment and undaunted effort – and by taking one step at a time.

Fast forward four years to Commencement 2016 as a proud and accomplished Dr. Alexandria Boley and Dr. Lauren Mathos reflected upon the journey.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 23

“It has been quite the adventure and it is difficult to believe that these years have already flown. I can say truly that entering this program is not for the faint of heart. I was an avid learner from the start and I feel that characteristic combined with dedication has led to my success in the program. I am feeling overjoyed that this experience is coming to an end, but it is bittersweet,” noted Dr. Boley.

Dr. Mathos echoed her classmate. “It is almost unbelievable that this is graduation; a moment for which I have worked so determinedly over the past eight years. It was definitely not an easy journey; I had to sacrifice a great deal for it and I could not have done it without the support of my loving family, husband, and friends.

However, it has been extremely gratifying; and there is nothing else that I would rather be doing with my life. I love medicine and I am thrilled with the opportunity to spend the rest of my life doing something that I so thoroughly enjoy,” expounded the accomplished graduate.

Having gone through the EAP program, both Drs. Boley and Mathos recommend it to students who are considering a medical career. The benefit from the Seton Hill-LECOM partnership was a palpable one for both graduates.

“I think that this program is wonderful as it creates a very smooth transition from undergraduate to graduate education. It eliminates much of the stress that surrounds the medical school application process and it allows the students more time to focus upon education,” Dr. Mathos affirmed. “Also, I had excellent professors in my undergraduate education at Seton Hill University who ensured that I was prepared for the rigors of medical school,” Dr. Mathos furthered. “If someone is seriously considering a medical career I would suggest they explore all that this program offers,” she recommended.

Now prepared to meet her calling in the medical field, Dr. Mathos underscored her delight in having moved through the PBL Pathway offered at LECOM at Seton Hill.

“The Program was extremely intimidating and it required abundant self-discipline, but it was very beneficial,” she enthused. The early introduction to clinical cases taught her the way in which she would come to “think like a physician” and the way in which to seek out evidence-based information on her own. These skills are vital to success during the third and fourth year clinical rotations. “I know that LECOM has given me a strong foundation,” noted Dr. Mathos.

Dr. Mathos thoroughly enjoyed clinical rotations. “I did the majority of the rotations at Uniontown Hospital in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. It was a wonderful place in which to learn. All of the medical education staff and preceptors were friendly and eager to teach. I had the opportunity to work directly with my attending without other medical students or residents, which offered a great experience because I was given so much attention. I was able to follow my own patients and to discuss directly with the attending my thoughts about their cases. Questions were always welcomed and learning was constant.

It was such a fabulous experience,” explained the LECOM graduate.

The months ahead look bright for the accomplished scholar. She matched into her first choice program at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh and she plans a career in Internal Medicine.

Noted Dr. Boley, “My medical school experience prepared me to pass the Boards and to enter residency. LECOM has high standards for its students and being successful has made me a more professional, structured, medical student and future resident. The rigorous expectations at LECOM have taught me to take responsibility for my learning and to become the best doctor that I can be,” Dr. Boley stated.

“Medical school, especially rotations and my time on the Seton Hill campus, have offered many amazing experiences to work one-onone with faculty and to enjoy a challenging and encouraging educational environment. On rotation, I worked with doctors in action and to assist in formulating treatment plans. It was a profoundly important time that connected me with lifelong mentors who I hope will shape my future practice after residency,” she elaborated.

Dr. Boley will commence her residency in Pediatrics at East Tennessee State University.

Armed with a degree from LECOM, capable in their qualifications, and well-prepared to meet their respective futures, these successful EAP graduates journey forth into the calling of their lives.

24 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

Jaxson Burkins, PharmD As the years of study and scholarship have brought Jaxson Burkins, PharmD, to his present attainment, he recalled that as a first-year student pharmacist, he was ever eager to receive e-mails that focused upon the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA–ASP) Chapter events and to embrace those opportunities to share his passion for patient care.

His enthusiasm blossomed as he recalled speaking with patients at health fairs and advocating for his future profession. “I relished the conversations that I had with patients while listening to their personal stories, but most of all I was eager to tap into my classroom knowledge,” explained Dr. Burkins.

“One day, I received an e-mail about an unique opportunity; an event that appeared to have nothing to do with medicine, pharmacy, or patient care. Instead, it dealt with robots and LEGOs,” the scholar continued.

At the time, Dr. Burkins did not understand the correlation between pharmacy school and judging a competition about robot design and construction. “Although I knew that the members of the LECOM School of Pharmacy APhA–ASP Chapter enjoy direct patient encounters, I soon learned about the commitment that the LECOM Chapter held

for service to our community,” furthered Dr. Burkins.

For several years, student pharmacists from the LECOM APhA–ASP Chapter have volunteered as judges for the local LEGO League Competition, which is hosted by another university in the area.

During this competition, elementary and middle school students use LEGOs to build robots to tackle obstacles and to complete various tasks, such as picking up a ball and dropping it in a bucket on the opposite side of a table. The students work in teams throughout the school year to design, construct, and to program their robots. The teams also are challenged to develop a creative presentation based upon a central theme, such as environmental disasters or pollution. Some teams create informational videos, while others perform skits or host a game show.

Although this opportunity is not directly related to patient care, Chapter members enjoy participating in the competition. “It was one of my favorite events as a student pharmacist,” recalled Dr. Burkins. “It was inspiring to watch the young competitors take ownership of their projects as they showcased their hard work,” noted Burkins. “I had the opportunity to see the passion in the eyes of young students as they explained their critical thought process,” he beamed.

Unquestionably, Dr. Burkins observed young students working on tasks that profoundly interested them. The competitors’ passion reminded Dr. Burkins of his own passion for pharmacy. Each successive year, as he served as Judge at the LEGO League Competition, Burkins’ spirit to persevere through pharmacy school was revitalized. This unique volunteer opportunity stirred Burkins’ passion to answer his calling; proving that building blocks of one’s life come in all forms - and this time, they were LEGOs.

On competition day, the students explain their robot design and creative process to the panel of judges. They also present their project and discuss all that they have learned through their research. The students are judged by LECOM Chapter members and that judging occurs in multiple areas including: robot design, project development, and core values. The judges determine which teams will receive awards and which team will advance to the state level competition.

This fine event provided an excellent volunteer opportunity for Chapter members who sought to share their interest in physical science and community service, and Dr. Burkins was delighted to do so.

“It feels quite special to be able to say that one is a part of something as important as the inaugural class at LECOM. I think that we, as a class, have been able to represent LECOM well, both on a state and national level; and that we have proudly carried forth the mission of the Dental School,” commented Rose.

“With the competitive nature of applying to dental school, I was exceptionally pleased to be accepted into the inaugural class at LECOM” the scholar furthered. In speaking with friends who are dental students at other schools, Rose noted that at LECOM, he has received more clinical hours to train and to study than have his counterparts who are studying at the other schools. LECOM Dental students are afforded the opportunity to undertake and to perform procedures that are not offered at other schools. “The facilities in Bradenton and Defuniak Springs are first class; and we, as a class, have been spoiled with brand new and state-of-the-art equipment,” applauded Dr. Rose. The new graduate noted that the opportunity to learn using such new technology will better prepare him for the real world of the 21st century.

Dr. Rose mentions his moving into the Dental Clinic and seeing his very first patients as being a pivotal dental school moment.

Once Dr. Burkins began to participate in this event, he realized that the competition was about much more than the mere construct of a robot. Like any group project, this competition instilled in students the joy of being part of a team. They were challenged to work together and to brainstorm about innovative ways in which they may overcome obstacles.

As members of the LECOM APhA–ASP Chapter, students like Dr. Burkins are qualified as judges because of their comprehensive background knowledge in physical sciences and their dedication to teamwork and professionalism. Chapter members provided constructive feedback about team interaction and they taught the students about professionalism. Such core values, inculcated and esteemed by LECOM, are implicit in the underpinnings of this enterprise.

Dr. Rose was featured in the 2012 edition of the LECOM Connection magazine as LECOM commemorated the opening of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Bradenton.

Now accepted into an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Rose is fully prepared and poised for a purposed future in Dental Medicine.

When asked comprehensively for his most noteworthy take away from his four years in the LECOM School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Rose was quick to respond. “Persistence and determination are the keys to success,” he affirmed.

Adam Rose, DDM Adam Rose, DDM, was a part of the first group of students accepted into the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Dental Program and now, he is a part of the first graduating class of Dental Practitioners.

Truly, such essential keys are integral to forming the strength of character that is the expected standard among LECOM-educated health care professionals. Dr. Adam Rose was a part of the first group of students accepted into the LECOM Dental Program and now, he is a part of something equally exceptional as a LECOM Dental School graduate serving the next generation of health care.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 25

LECOM ON THE FRONT LINES:

COMBATING OPIOID OVERUSE America is in the midst of an epidemic of prescription and illicit opioid overdose deaths. In 2014 alone, more than 28,000 people perished as the result of the overuse or the improper use of such medications.

Each day, more than 40 Americans die from prescription opioid overdoses. The amount of opioids prescribed and sold in the United States has quadrupled since 1999 with opioid-related deaths numbering more than 168,000, yet there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report. While prescription opioids indeed can serve well as an appropriate part of pain management, a new federal guideline seeks to improve the safety of prescribing and reducing harm associated with opioids, including opioid use disorders, and overdoses. The federal government Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently published the first national standards (guidelines) for prescription painkillers, recommending that physicians try pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, before prescribing the highly addictive pills; and if doctors do prescribe such opioids, that they give most patients only a limited supply.

While all of the discussion regarding opioid limits and new guidelines may be fruitful, the most fruitful option would be never to have relied upon such medications in the first place. Enter Osteopathic Medicine!

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine physicians manage pain without opioids using osteopathic treatment, acupuncture, and other non-medication treatments, including advanced aqua healing.

LECOM physicians, Greg Coppola, DO, and Marguerite Evanoff-Jurkovic, DO, are adroit osteopathic medicine practitioners who treat chronic pain daily using a host of therapies derived from the osteopathic principles that effectively treat and manage long-term pain.

Program Director for the LECOM Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine Fellowship, Dr. Coppola explained that there are many

very beneficial and therapeutic options to treating chronic pain that eschew the use of opioids. Dr. Coppola noted, “There is such an outcry from the community because one sees so many patients who are overdosing on narcotics. I do believe that many physicians wish that they had been trained more properly in dealing with pain and chronic pain issues.

I also think that there is a need from the patient’s perspective and from the physician’s perspective - as part of their repertoire - for something more than prescribing narcotics to help the patient,” concluded Dr. Coppola.

Dr. Marguerite Evanoff-Jurkovic, (orthopedist), integrative and osteopathic medicine specialist, and a colleague of Dr. Coppola, described her perspective: “Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain come with a combination of biomechanical alterations complicated by subsequent deconditioning, postural and gait changes, layered with emotional sequelae such as anxiety and depression. My approach to treating these problems has, at its foundation, an osteopathic understanding that the body functions as an integrated system that is further shaped by orthopaedic surgical training. This unique perspective is coupled with the use of acupuncture, trigger point and interarticular injections, and individualized therapeutic exercises.” Furthered Dr. EvanoffJurkovic, “This is an even broader approach to chronic pain management than that which has been recommended by the CDC.” She noted that narcotics do not change the function of biomechanical alterations. “An integrated osteopathic (orthopedic) approach identifies and treats the dysfunctions. Acupuncture and injections augment the treatment, and therapeutic exercises retrain and recover neuromuscular function,” the doctor expounded. “Treating chronic pain becomes a partnership between physician and patient in treatment, recovery, and prevention,” Dr. Evanoff-Jurkovic stated.

Undoubtedly, chronic pain is common, multidimensional, and highly individualized; and its treatment can be challenging for health care providers as well as for patients.

“This is an even broader approach to pain management than that which has been recommended by the CDC.” – Marguerite Evanoff-Jurkovic, DO Integrative Medicine, such as that practiced by superlatively trained physicians throughout the LECOM system, offers a broad, healing-oriented approach to medicine that emphasizes a patient-doctor partnership; one which takes into account the whole person, including all aspects of the patient’s lifestyle.

It embodies the ability of the practitioner to offer therapeutic options consistent with the patient’s belief system that are predominantly non-surgical and non-medication focused.

Integrative options reveal high-quality research, patient safety, effectiveness - and they offer reduced adverse effects in clinical practice.

Indeed, the time-honored and effective osteopathic principles of whole-body health care offer a comprehensive approach to patient wellness. These principles understand the wholeness of the patient - complete in mind, body and spirit.

Understanding this aspect of health care allows physicians to think broadly and to make use of techniques and treatments that extend beyond the curative default position of prescribing pills. The use of that which many allopathic doctors may term alternative medicine has offered superlative results for many patients.

Perhaps, the rest of the world is just now learning that which osteopathic physicians have known from the start: that wholeperson treatment entails using a wide array of effective treatment options that best facilitate the end result - a healthy and painfree patient.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 27

Why choose a Why choose a

Join the LECOM Health

LECOM Health LECOM Family doctor? doctor? of Physicians Treating Erie’s Families LECOM Health doctors belong to the only academic health

We are the physicians of Medical Associates of Erie - the center headquartered in northwestern Pennsylvania – LECOM Health doctors belong to the only academic health Clinical Practices of LECOM. Our goal is to provide to our LECOM Health. center headquartered in northwestern Pennsylvania – patients the very best osteopathic, wholeHealth. person care – LECOM mind, body and spirit – for a lifetime of optimal health.

LECOM Health doctors provide medical care and teach at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the nation’s LECOM Health doctors provide medical care and teach

You can become part of the only Osteopathic Academic at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the nation’s largest medical school.

Health Center in the nation led by the Lake Erie College of largest medical school.

Osteopathic Medicine.

LECOM Health doctors accept all major insurances.

LECOM Health doctors accept all major insurances.

Currently, we are seeking physicians in Neurology, LECOM Health doctors’ primary hospital is Millcreek Psychiatry, General Surgery, Pediatrics and Urology for ourCommunity LECOM Health doctors’ primary hospital is Millcreek Community Hospital, the region’s leading hospital for geriatric care, expanding practices.

Hospital, the region’s leading hospital for geriatric care,

behavioral health, rehabilitation, wound care and orthopedics. behavioral health, rehabilitation, wound care and orthopedics.

Please contact Dennis Styn at (814) 868-2504 LECOM Healthtodoctors can refer patients for specialty care or dstyn@lecom.edu learn more about LECOM or Health doctors canfor refer anywhere – Cleveland, Pittsburgh, wherever is best thepatients for specialty care available opportunities.

anywhere care and convenience of the patient.* – Cleveland, Pittsburgh, or wherever is best for the care and convenience of the patient.*

LECOM Health doctors belong to Medical Associates LECOM Health doctors belong to Medical Associates of Erie and practice Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, of Erie and practice Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Geriatrics, Integrative Medicine, General Surgery, Geriatrics, Integrative Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Orthopedics, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Podiatry and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Podiatry and Primary Care and Medical Specialties.

Primary Care and Medical Specialties. *Specialty care insurance coverage depends upon a patient’s insurance company. *Specialty care insurance coverage depends upon a patient’s insurance company.

E A LTH WELCOME TO WELLNESS L E C OL MEHC OM

H E A LT H

MEDICAL ASSOCIATES OF HOSPITAL ERIE ASSOCIATES MILLCREEK COMMUNITY WELCOME TO LECOM HEALTH MEDICAL OF HOSPITAL ERIE MILLCREEK COMMUNITY

LECOM Health doctors. Become one todaydoctors. to join aChoose health one today to join a health LECOM Health Visit LECOMHealth.com/clinical-practices Visit LECOMHealth.com/physicians system with a focus on overall wellness, for system that will focus onlife. your overall wellness, for life.

Care. Compassion. Community.

28 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

LECOM again partnered with Mixon Fruit Farms in Bradenton to present the Annual 5K Run (or walk) Through the Groves.

The course followed the aromatic citrusembowered trail through the orange groves.

LECOM volunteers spread throughout the groves, during the early March event, to direct participants along the route and to offer water to the runners and walkers.

as they waited for division winners to be announced.

The winners of the event were: Timothy Corcoran, Overall Male winner and Kailand Cosgrove, Overall Female winner. Timothy just finished his second year at LECOM’s College of Osteopathic Medicine; Kailand just finished her first year at LECOM’s School of Dental Medicine.

The Run Through the Groves has become an anticipated rite of spring, portending the seasonal change to come. The Mixon event has become a part of Bradenton tradition as the company offers 75 years of southern hospitality.

The top female and male competitors received a $75 gift card to Fit2Run Sports Store. In addition to the oft-bestowed run T-shirt, all participants received a completion medal; and the top male and female runners and walkers received placement medals.

Runners and walkers enjoyed a post-race breakfast provided by the Mixon sponsors

All proceeds derived from the event benefited the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 29

EARN YOUR MASTERS IN HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION DEGREE ONLINE The LECOM MHSA Program will prepare you with the knowledge and skills required to plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. With the MHSA degree you will be ready to step into an administrative role in hospitals, health care facilities, public health organizations or private practices.

• Designed to provide working professionals with the skills needed to become top health care administrators; • Over 90% of the courses are delivered Online by experienced faculty members; • 18-month and 24-month programs meet busy professional schedules; • Current LECOM students and alumni are eligible to be awarded a LECOM MHSA Scholarship up to a maximum amount of 50% off the tuition cost*.

LECOM is proud to introduce a distance education program to prepare qualified health care leaders to meet the challenges of 21st Century medicine. For more information, contact us at 941-405-1535 or mhsa@lecom.edu

*Students must apply to the MHSA program prior to enrollment deadline to qualify.

LECOM Sponsors Give Kids a Smile Day The LECOM School of Dental Medicine chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) hosted Give Kids A Smile Day in February 2016. The free community event was held in association with the American Dental Association and it was conducted at the LECOM DeFuniak Springs dental offices as well as at the dental offices located on the Bradenton campus.

Give Kids A Smile provides free dental screenings for children who are not able to receive dental care elsewhere. LECOM student dentists offered free dental exams, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and sealants to children ages two to seventeen.

Services included oral hygiene education and the issuance of a toothbrush, toothpaste, and

floss to the young patients. Last year, 125 pediatric patients received more than $35,000 worth of dental care. This year, 199 patients received care and based upon the cost of the procedures that were provided to them, the savings to families and to the community at large amounted to more than $70,000 worth of dental care.

Early in their dental studies, students gain clinical experience by working with patients from the Bradenton community at the Lakewood Ranch group practice office. The same experiential opportunity occurs in DeFuniak Springs and Erie as clinical group practices provide dental treatments for residents who face challenges in obtaining needed dental care.

Give Kids a Smile Day is yet another example of the countless community outreach programs that LECOM so enthusiastically supports, both across its campuses and throughout the nation.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 31

LECOM Physician-Scholars Sweep POMA Clinical Writing Contest The profound value of a teaching hospital and the merits that it offers to educational advancement cannot be overstated. That value, both intrinsic and tangible, is highlighted with delight when its physicians and residents are recognized for the purposeful work that they undertake.

That recognition came abundantly as four residents of Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH), the teaching hospital for Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), swept the 2016 Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) Clinical Writing Contest at the 108th POMA Clinical Assembly.

All of the winners were working toward the LECOM Master’s of Science in Medical Education (MS MedEd) when they entered the competition.

The First Place Award winner, who received the Golden Quill Award, was Jennifer E. Carson, DO, (pictured above, center left) a member of the LECOM Class of 2014.

Dr. Carson, a second-year internal medicine resident at MCH, won the Golden Quill Award for her article entitled, Correlation and Impact of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and Celiac Disease.

The Second Place Award was bestowed upon Meredith A. Marcincin, DO, (pictured above, center right) a third-year ophthalmology resident at MCH. Dr. Marcinicin wrote an essay entitled, Isolated Horner’s Syndrome: A Diagnostic Challenge. She received her MS MedEd degree at this year’s commencement.

A native of Erie, Matthew L. Hintz, DO, (pictured above,right) is a second-year orthopedic surgery resident at MCH and a 2014 graduate of LECOM. His article entitled, A Look at Aggressive Play and Intent to Injure Among Male Junior Hockey Players of the OHL, earned the Third Place Award.

32 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

Dr. Hintz currently is undertaking research relating to the study of the anterior lateral ligament (ACL) of the human knee.

The Honorable Mention Award was presented to Patrick Fessler, DO, (pictured above, left) a second-year orthopedic surgery resident at MCH. Dr. Fessler’s article was entitled, Injury Underreporting in Collegiate and Professional Athletes. Dr. Fessler has served with international humanitarian health organizations in Nicaragua and Honduras.

LECOM extends hearty congratulations to the fine assemblage of LECOM physician-scholars whose collective lamp of learning burns ever brightly in pursuit of their noble calling.

IN MEMORIAM

LECOM Mourns the Passing of

McHardy M. Smith, PhD Nothing touches the heart like the human condition; and nothing so deeply affects the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) like the loss of one of its family members.

LECOM is mourning the loss of committed supporter and fellow champion of pharmacy education, McHardy M. Smith, PhD, who passed away suddenly in his home. Dr. Smith dedicated much of his life to the field of pharmacy, working in pharmaceuticals and pharmacy education.

As LECOM Associate Professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Professor of Pharmacology at LECOM in Bradenton, Florida, Dr. Smith was instrumental in the teaching of pharmacology and toxicology to LECOM students and PharmD candidates. His focus centered upon communicating technical information by using the students’ existing frames of reference and active learning skills.

Dr. Smith served as a Senior Research Scientist in Membrane Biochemistry and Biochemical Pharmacology at Merck and Company before joining the LECOM faculty.

As a skilled leader in the industry, with over 20 years experience, Dr. Smith was committed to focused drug discovery and development.

Memories, like leaves of gold, never tarnish or fade away. Similarly, the gift of education that Dr. Smith imparted upon numerous LECOM scholars will underpin his lasting and estimable legacy. Dr. Smith strengthened minds, he deepened intellects, and his warm and congenial spirit is ever locked in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to have known him. He gave many gifts - but most of all, he gave his time to educate.

Memories are precious entities that time never can destroy, for in remembrance of this great educator and cherished LECOM family member, the heart can find its peace and purpose. From his second home at LECOM, collective thoughts, prayers, and words of comfort are extended to Dr. Smith’s wife, Ann and to his children, Steve and Nicole (Nikki).

Dr. Smith will be remembered for his warmth, his wit, and his great devotion to education.

His incredible generosity of spirit has left an unparalleled legacy at LECOM. Dr. Smith’s attentive inculcation of his students and his passion for so many other projects has made a difference not just at LECOM, but for scholars throughout our communities and, indeed, around the world. He will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 33

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Bowl with a DO

Bradenton Research Day

Medical students, (from left) Sara Azeem, Laine Conte, Yesha Shah, and Julie O’Donnell flank Mark Kauffman, DO, Associate Dean of Students.

They joined other College of Medicine students and faculty for Bowl with a DO at Rolling Meadow Lanes Bowling Alley in Erie.

LECOM Bradenton held its Annual Research Day in April of 2016. The event boasted 70 presentations made by students and faculty from the School of Dental Medicine, School of Pharmacy, and College of Medicine.

Hospital Day

Mentoring Club

LECOM College of Medicine students from LECOM Erie and LECOM at Seton Hill attended the Annual LECOM Hospital Day at their respective campuses. The event provided them with an opportunity to gain information about perspective clinical rotation sites.

Fifteen LECOM Erie Mentoring Club members attended an Erie BayHawks game. They were joined by a large group of young fans from the YMCA. The highlight of the night occurred before the game began, as the youngsters formed a court-side tunnel to welcome the players onto the floor with a flurry of high-fives. Following the pre-game festivities, the group watched the BayHawks take on the Westchester Knicks.

34 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Pharmacist Day

Presque Isle Cleanup

Hundreds of pharmacists and student pharmacists gathered at the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., for the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Pharmacy Day. LECOM School of Pharmacy students and faculty attended the April 2016 event that facilitated more than 160 appointments with legislators. The group also experienced a press conference and a rally in the Capitol rotunda.

Medical students braved the chilly April weather as they took part in a spring cleanup effort at Presque Isle State Park. Thirty students participated in the event.

Safe Kids Day

Seton Hill Proclamation Photo

Medical students, Sarah Patzner (left) and Zoe Hawkins, teach Villa Maria Elementary School students about home safety at LECOM Safe Kids Day. Villa Maria Elementary School hosted the event, where students learned about home and fire safety, bike safety, and poison prevention.

During National Osteopathic Medicine Week, LECOM at Seton Hill Medical Students met with Greensburg, Pa., Mayor, Robert Bell, to be presented with a proclamation from the city. Pictured (from left) are Kelsey Rigby, Joe Odierno, Marc Bozych, Ziqian Wang, Mayor Robert Bell, Richard LaVeau, Lauren Valyo, Ashley Wagle, and James Estipona.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 35

NOTES

STUDENT NOTES College of Medicine Erie Campus

Jeffrey Uselman, OMSII, started a recreational ice hockey team comprised of LECOM students. They won their league championship during this past season.

College of Medicine Seton Hill Campus Jun Elegino, OMSIII, had an essay titled, More Than the Sum of its Parts, published in the American College of Physicians IMpact newsletter. Elegino also had a poster, done with Tanush Sahay, OMSIII, titled, Creation of a Sustainable HIV/STI Clinic and Educational Curriculum for the LGBT Youth of Pittsburgh: Lessons Learned, accepted in the American Medical Student Association’s (AMSA) 21st Annual Project, Research, and Experience Exhibition held at the AMSA Annual Convention.

School of Pharmacy Erie Campus Shelby Leheny, P2, was published in Pharmacy Times online with an article entitled, Could Prescribing Become a Daily Duty for Pharmacists? and Four Tips for Taking Care of Yourself in Pharmacy School.

John Maneo, P1, created an HIV/AIDS Prevention Infograph that was recognized as a Top 10 Finalist in a national SNAPhA competition.

Stephanie Samuelson, P2, was awarded the Charlie Brown Student Engagement Award by the Alachua County Association of Pharmacists.

School of Dental Medicine Bradenton Campus Tatiana Rocha, D2, was a recipient of the American Dental Association Predoctoral Dental Student Scholarship.

FACULTY NOTES College of Medicine Erie Campus

Frank L. Buczek, PhD, had an article published in the journal, Medical Engineering and Physics entitled, Automated Pressure Map Segmentation for Quantifying Phalangeal Kinetics During Cylindrical Gripping.

Thomas Corso, PhD, was accepted as a reviewer for the American Journal of Pharmacy Education.

Bertalan Dudas, MD, published a book of selected poetry entitled, Dudas Bertalan: Ritus.

Shivam Patel, P2, was published in Pharmacy Times online with an article entitled, How Smoking Effects Medications.

John J. Kalata, DO, and Regan P. Shabloski, DO, were inducted as fellows of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.

School of Pharmacy Bradenton Campus

Randy Kulesza, PhD, and Jonathan K. Kalmey, PhD, presented a poster entitled, Assessing Musculoskeletal Competency in Osteopathic Medical Students, at Experimental Biology 2016.

Robbie Christian, P3, was awarded the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award.

Elizabeth Faville, P3, and Terry Amelunke, P1DE, were the pharmacy representatives on the winning team for the Annual Interdisciplinary Case Competition. The Competition involved five teams, each of which worked through a patient case to establish diagnoses and a treatment plan.

Elizabeth Faville, P3, was a recipient of the 2016 AACP Walmart Scholar Program Scholarship.

Patrick Leary, DO, presented a poster and podium case study ultrasound workshop at the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine Clinical Conference in Tempe, AZ. Mark A. Terrell, EdD, had a study published in the Journal of Emergency Management entitled, Reduction in Unavailable-forResponse Episodes in a Private Emergency Medical Services Agency.

36 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

College of Medicine Bradenton Campus Lt. Col. Patricio Bruno, DO, had a chapter published in Academic Medicine entitled, Alignment of Graduate Medical Education Accreditation – What About the Details?

Dr. Bruno also had a chapter published in the Journal of Special Operations Medicine entitled, Combat-Driven TACEVAC-FEVER Operations: A Synopsis.

Col. Warner D. Farr, MD, received the Medal of Honor in a ceremony held at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC. Dr. Farr is a retired Army doctor who served in several leadership roles within the Special Forces Community.

Kersten Schroeder, PhD, was named an Allied Health Professional Finalist for the Champions of Health Care Awards sponsored by the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce.

College of Medicine Seton Hill Campus Amber Eade, PhD, had an article published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research entitled, The Interaction of Ethanol Ingestion and Social Interaction with an Intoxicated Peer on the Odor-Mediated Response to the Drug in Adolescent Rats.

School of Pharmacy Erie Campus Sarah Dombrowski, PharmD, had a study published in Evidence-Based Practice entitled, In Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and a Drug-Eluting Stent, What is the Safest Method of Anticoagulation Management?

Dr. Dombrowski also had a Letter to the Editor accepted by Family Medicine entitled, Expanding the Possibilities for PharmacyFamily Medicine Residency Collaboration.

Erica Pascale, PharmD, gave a presentation entitled, Medication Risks and Benefits: Finding the Right Balance, to the women’s group, College Club of Sharon, in Sharon, PA. Dr. Pascale also mentored five P2 students who participated in the Northwest Pennsylvania Society of Health System Pharmacists (NWPSHP) Spring Civic Engagement Day. Bojana Stevich-Heemer, PharmD, was invited to speak about the pharmacy profession at Youngstown State University, where she served as a panelist during their Women in Science and Engineering event.

NOTES School of Pharmacy Bradenton Campus Marcus Campbell, PharmD, was invited to speak at the Rotary Club of Sun City where he gave a lecture entitled, The Pharmacy Profession, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Dr. Campbell also gave a presentation to the Saint Petersburg General Family Medicine Residency entitled, Anticoagulation Transitions of Care. Additionally, Dr. Campbell joined the editorial panel for the journal EC Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Sarah Eudaley, PharmD, Katherine Tromp, PharmD, Mitchelle Rodriguez, PharmD, Julie Wilkinson, PharmD and Hershey Bell, MD, submitted a poster to the Annual AACP Meeting entitled Performance Comparison Between Distance Education and Traditional Four-Year Pathway Students.

Sunil S. Jambhekar, BPharm, had a study entitled, Cyclodextrins in Pharmaceutical Formulations I: Structure and Physiochemical Properties, Formation of Complexes, and Types of Complex, published in Drug Discovery Today. Dr. Jambhekar also had an article entitled, Cyclodextrins in Pharmaceutical Formulations II: Solubilization, Binding Constant, and Complexation Efficiency, included in the same publication. Additionally, Dr. Jambhekar was invited to be a speaker and the Guest of Honor for the Valedictory Event at the Third International Conference organized by the Institute of Pharmacy of Nirma University in Ahmedabad, India.

Stephanie Peshek, PharmD, gave a community presentation joined by medical and pharmacy students. That presentation was entitled, Medication Use Tips. Dr. Peshek also volunteered at the Good Sam Pharmacy.

Mitchelle Rodriguez, PharmD, became Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy.

Kelly Scolaro, PharmD, co-authored an abstract that was accepted into All Together Better Health VIII, an event that will take place in Oxford, UK, in September, 2016.

The poster is entitled, Interprofessional Handoffs: Using the Mnemonic b-SAFER to Deliver Safer Patient Handoffs. Dr. Scolaro also co-authored a poster that was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in Baltimore entitled, An Interprofessional Simulation Curriculum Designed to Improve Communication and Teamwork Among Medical, Nursing, and Pharmacy Students.

Katherine Tromp, PharmD, attended the Non-Prescription Medicine Academy Meeting in Tampa, FL, and she presented a poster entitled, Impact of Debate on Students: Opinions of Controversial Topics in Self-Care.

Class of 2007

Antonia Vilella, PharmD, became Board Certified in Critical Care Pharmacy.

Class of 2008

ALUMNI NOTES

Bryan Doner, DO, and Keyur Patel, DO, CoMedical Directors at ACMH Hospital in Kittanning, PA, have been working in the Concussion Care Unit to treat athletes and other residents who may suffer from brain injuries.

Class of 2000

Daniel Harmon, DO, has been helping patients get back on their feet with use of the direct anterior approach to total hip replacement at the Orthopedic Center of Florida in Fort Myers, FL.

Danielle (Stanko) Godinez, DO, is serving as the Medical Director at Saxony Health Center in Saxonburg, PA. She is also serving as the Medical Director at Hope Hospice in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Godinez is married to Lucas Godinez, DO, (Class of 2000), who is a shareholder of Kids Plus Pediatrics, LLC in Pittsburgh. He provides primary care pediatrics to children in his three offices. Drs. Godinez have three children: Joseph, 13; Isabel, 12; and Alexander, 8.

Class of 2003 Kiley J. Reynolds, DO, was chosen as a Distinguished Doctor by The Expert Network.

The honored distinction is based upon peer reviews and ratings, as well as numerous recognitions and accomplishments achieved throughout his career.

Michael Slater, DO, has joined CCS Healthcare, which services Western New York.

Class of 2005 Amber Fedin, DO, was elected as a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Physicians (ACOFP). Dr. Fedin is the Family Medicine Residency Program Director at Danville Regional Medical Center in Danville, VA.

Class of 2006 Lauren DiMarino, DO, has been appointed Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. Kathie Horrace-Voigt, DO, is working in an urgent care position at Shannon Healthcare Systems in San Angelo, TX.

Andrew Martin, DO, was inducted as a fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine.

Class of 2009 Michael Archer, DO, became engaged to Karlene Aiken. Dr. Archer is the Chief Surgical Resident at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Eugene DiBetta, DO, was named the 2016 Young Osteopathic Family Physician of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Dr. DiBetta is a Tampa, FL native and he currently practices at Suncoast Family Medical Associates in Largo, FL. Jeffrey Fowler, DO, is currently serving as the Chief Cardiology Fellow at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Fowler was accepted into the Interventional/Structural Advanced Cardiology Fellowship at the hospital.

Jeffrey Martindale, DO, is a cardiologist working in the Heart and Vascular Program at the MidMichigan Health Medical Offices in Gladwin, MI. Sasha Noe, DO, has been elected President of the Hillsborough County (Florida) Osteopathic Medical Society for the 2016-18 term.

Class of 2010 John Evans, DO, matched to a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at the Mayo Clinic Rochester after completing a Navy internship and a general medical officer tour.

Class of 2012 Farzad Pourarian, DO, with Patrick Leary, DO, presented poster which examined a study of tibial stress fractures in adolescent female runners. at the 2016 American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine Conference.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 37

NOTES Andrew Trout, DO, has joined OhioHealth’s Generations Family Medicine in Gahanna, OH.

Class of 2013 Kathleen Morris, DO, completed an internal medicine residency at Indiana University.

She was named Best Medical Resident in her graduating class and she was appointed Chief Medical Resident for Indiana University Academic Medical Center.

Brittany Ann Sujka, PharmD, of Poland, OH, was married to Richard DiMuzio on May 14, 2016.

Class of 2015 Peter Laucks, DO, is a first-year resident at Millcreek Community Hospital. Prior to attending LECOM, Dr. Laucks spent time in China coaching the Chinese National Mountaineering Team and training emergency medical technicians.

Class of 2016 Devon Brooks, PharmD, had multiple articles published in Diabetes in Control, which are as follows: Action To Control CV Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) – A New Look at an Old Trial; Does Niacin Cause Diabetes?; Effect of Leisure-time Physical Activity on HBA 1C in Type 2 Diabetes; Get Off the Diabetes Couch; and How Much Does Our Government Pay for Health Services?

Javeria Fayyaz, PharmD, had multiple articles published in Diabetes in Control, which are as follows: Diabetes Said to Combat Prostate Cancer; Effectiveness of Insulin Regimens for Patients with Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes; Empagliflozin: Potential New Approach to Treating T2DM; Extreme Exercise; Nutrition and Lifestyle Modifications for Diabetes Patients; and Reprogramming Human Skin Cells to Produce Insulin.

- Continued From Page 21 “I was awarded the Student-To-Practice Academic Scholarship for two years,” she beamed. “Not only do I enjoy the opportunity to work as a family medicine physician in Pennsylvania during that time, but I shall be able to do so with considerably less debt. As a native of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, and as a fourth-year osteopathic medical student at LECOM, I am quite overjoyed to have this unique opportunity to remain in my home state and to work with underserved populations.

This Highmark Scholarship is very important to me because I am determinedly committed to focusing upon Primary Care,” the LECOM scholar affirmed.

Many physicians who are currently practicing in rural communities throughout the Commonwealth are 55 years of age, or older; and they are moving toward retirement during the next few years. Replacement of Primary Care and specialty physicians is critical to continue providing health care to needful rural populations.

“This partnership will support and benefit LECOM students throughout their years of medical school and it will help to provide health care for underserved areas for years to come; aspects which are central to the LECOM mission,” averred Dr. Silvia M. Ferretti, LECOM Vice President, Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs. “As Highmark continues working with LECOM, we look toward generations to come – to an improved health

care system where all may receive the best care and where institutions such as LECOM and Highmark stand ever in the vanguard,” stated the indefatigable LECOM leader.

The Scholarship selection is a joint effort between LECOM and Highmark. Administered by the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Highmark-LECOM Scholarship Program provides support to students who seek financial assistance to complete the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Degree requirements. Scholarships are awarded through a highly competitive selection process overseen by a committee of senior leaders from LECOM and Highmark. Awards are based upon several criteria, including academic performance, a commitment to practicing in primary care, and prior experience working with underserved populations.

This endeavor demonstrates yet another noteworthy step forward in the ongoing mission of LECOM to serve each community into which it may deliver needed health care solutions. LECOM extends its continued gratitude to Highmark as the Highmark-LECOM alliance spotlights the grand and purposeful achievements that may be accomplished through the powerful partnership of like-minded community leaders.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine continues to expand rapidly; attracting some of the brightest candidates for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, and School of Pharmacy. LECOM maintains the second lowest private medical school tuition in the country.

Yet, medical students face mounting debt as they complete their education.

Each year, the College conducts fundraisers solely for the purpose of providing scholarships to LECOM students.

Through these efforts and with support from the LECOM community, LECOM students were awarded more than $4 million in scholarship aid during this current academic year.

Since beginning the LECOM scholarship fund, the College has awarded more than $25 million to dedicated scholars.

Kuljit Kaur, DO, organized a painting night at Paint Monkey in Cranberry Township, PA, to raise funds for the charity known as Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls’ education.

Allen Shepard, DO, was awarded the Andrew Taylor Still Memorial Scholarship by PhysicianLoans and the Student Osteopathic Medicine Association (SOMA).

Your support of the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund will help deserving students to fulfill their dreams of becoming physicians, dentists, and pharmacists.

Jimmy Tran, PharmD, had an article published in Diabetes in Control entitled, Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Intensifies.

Help the students of today . . . . . . become the health care professionals of tomorrow.

Donate online at lecom.edu/alumni or by sending your contribution to: LECOM Student Scholarship Fund 1858 West Grandview Blvd.

Erie, PA 16509

38 LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2016 | LECOM.edu

The

LECOM St u d e n t S c h o l a r s h i p Fu n d

LECOM Summer CME In Toronto, Aug 14-19, 2016 The LECOM Summer CME in Toronto, Ontario offers a unique learning experience for physicians and health care professionals seeking the opportunity to learn the latest information on medical advancements and treatment options. LECOM clinical faculty will present topics from the perspective of a primary care physician.

Attendees can earn up to 20 Category 1-A CME credits.*

Fees:

Standard Registration: $1,500 Adjunct Faculty**: $1,200 Commuter Registration: $450 Standard and Adjunct Faculty Registration includes CME fee, five (5) nights lodging at Park Hyatt, Toronto, and breakfast Monday through Thursday.

Commuter Registration includes only CME fee and breakfast; it does not include a hotel stay.

Visit LECOM.edu/CME to register.

*LECOM anticipates AOA CCME approval for 20 Category 1-A Credits. All lectures will be held between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. allowing time for afternoon activities around Toronto. **For questions about registration or to receive your adjunct faculty discount code, please contact the LECOM CME Conference office at (814) 860-5125 or email us at cme@lecom.edu. A passport will be required for traveling to and from Canada. Please visit travel.state.gov for passport and travel information.

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

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LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auctions The LECOM Student Scholarship Fund helps deserving students manage the high cost of medical, dental and pharmacy school. Since the inception of the auction events LECOM students have received more than $25 million in scholarship funds. Visit lecom.edu/alumni for the latest auction news and items.

Saturday, October 29, 2016 Hyatt Regency Sarasota, Florida

Saturday, November 5, 2016 Erie Bayfront Convention Center