LECOM Connection Winter 2017

THE

LECOM

ONNECTION

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine WINTER 2017

LECOM WEST

FORMALIZING CURIOSITY

LECOM.edu

Fortune favors the bold

Such as it is, that adage never has been lost on LECOM. For as an inexhaustible innovator, ever in the vanguard to recognize and to advance the prescient vision of a magnanimous and mighty mission, LECOM supports those determined souls who

dedicate their work to the noble endeavors within the medical arts and sciences, who labor in the fields of formalized curiosity, and who seek the betterment of health and health care for generations to come.

This issue of the LECOM Connection will

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 Hershey Bell, MD, MS (MedEd) Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the School of Pharmacy Mathew J. Bateman, PhD Interim Dean of the School of Dental Medicine Robert George, DO Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Bradenton Pierre Bellicini Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Eric Nicastro Assistant Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing Stephanie Bruce Communications and Marketing Specialist 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.

acquaint the reader with one of the most recent additions to the expansive LECOM nexus of educational LECOM offerings – the newly completed LECOM Research Laboratory. As the LECOM educational paradigm flourishes, the foundational training

and commitment to exceptionalism never has been more fervid. In its 25th year, LECOM reaches boldly, unabashedly, and optimistically into the future. Join us, as we share with you the news of the latest attainments in our LECOM story.

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Twitter @1LECOM

John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO 04 LECOM CONNECTION | WINTER 2017 | LECOM.edu

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Time-Honored Mission Marks LECOM's

25th Year It is in the hopeful moment of our nation and in the prodigious tribute to our grand traditions, faith and founding that I greet you in 2017.

While the principal theme of this bright New Year at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) centers upon our twenty-five year touchstone – a celebration of our campus, of our institution, and of our legacy – it is not only to the LECOM Quadranscentennial that I wish to turn my narrative. It is to an equally bright future – the future of osteopathic medicine – and to a new season of attainment and discovery that I direct the first Message of this New Year.

For the past quarter century, LECOM has served as an educational beacon for all who seek to practice in the whole-body health arena; for those who wish to train at the highest levels of the medical arts and sciences, offering individualized, patient-centered care; and, for those who embrace the noblest and purest objectives of the osteopathic medical calling. Central to that mission, and indispensable to delivering unparalleled

education and training, are the faculty members whose expertise, body of work, and ceaseless quest for knowledge ignites the lamp of learning in our eager scholars. LECOM faculty offer forays into projects that deepen clinical training for students, and that serve to inculcate the indispensable attribute of cognitive thinking.

Already this year, LECOM has actively expanded its research center in Erie with a project that has enhanced educational tools and equipment. In the spacious LECOM West Building – the same locale that houses the School of Dental Medicine Offices – stands a burgeoning ten-million dollar, two-floor, 26,000-square-foot research facility. The LECOM Research Center provides a superior venue for conducting interprofessional collaborations with a view toward an increase in basic science research.

The LECOM educational paradigm, nurtured within the classrooms, lecture halls, and research labs, is wholly integrated across the program disciplines of osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry; always with the objective to advance medical education and training – imputing a cognitive discipline and a fundamental curiosity to LECOM scholars.

Underscoring the LECOM mission to support and to advance predoctoral and postdoctoral training in primary care and to provide programs of postdoctoral instruction and training in the art, science, principles, and practice of osteopathic medicine, the Lake Erie Consortium for Osteopathic Medical Training (LECOMT) was developed to support and to ensure quality osteopathic medical

education through an alliance of osteopathic training sites paired with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Through LECOMT, the College encourages continuing research among the hospital residents as they study patient cases that bring new challenges and insight into the diagnosis and treatment of disease that they can report to their peers through journal essays and clinical poster presentations.

There are 49 LECOMT member hospitals and office-based programs within LECOMT, all of which advance and foster scholarly activity, both in basic science and in clinical medicine.

As LECOM takes pride in bolstering its educational offerings, renowned physicians and prominent educators continue to engender a transformative effect upon the region by fostering a medically-integrated collaborative, designed to finely hone the educational mission of the college.

Advanced thinkers in medical exploration have formed investigative alliances with LECOM as the College forms a robust and probative educational environment for students; one in which the scholars may thrive in the fullest array of medical and scientific training.

As our educational nexus expands, as our students, alumni, and faculty work on the cutting-edge of medicine, we look forward to announcing even more milestones of attainment and exceptionalism in the coming year; all the while graduating the well-rounded, superlatively trained, and clinically-advanced scholars who will be instrumental in shaping the next 25 years in our LECOM story.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 05

IN THIS ISSUE 07

Credos of Our Calling

COVER STORY

10

LECOM Research Initiative 2016

11

LECOM Health Challenge Prepares for Another Year of Success

08 Formalizing Curiosity

13

Rich Tradition Celebrated

16

LECOM: A Chronicle

18

LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auction

24

LECOM Tops US News & World Report Rankings

DEPARTMENTS 22

Community is Our Campus

25

Student, Faculty, and Alumni Notes

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

06 LECOM CONNECTION | WINTER 2017 | LECOM.edu

CREDOS OF OUR CALLING

Action•

Question with boldness, hold fast to the truth, speak without fear - and in all areas in which one may be able, take action for the advancement of a better tomorrow. This proactive mantra is just part of the palpable and mission-driven through-line of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).

Unquestionably, the world is changed by example; and being truly effective entails that one must be clear about that which one wishes to achieve. Being proactive in putting one’s goals into action is best achieved by striving to synergize with others, to invest in lasting relationships, and to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

In order to be proactive, one must first address one’s character and not merely attune to one’s behavior. The deepening of character involves the aligning of personal paradigms with noble principles. Hone the instrument of character to forge great things and to shape the world effectively. Action-oriented people use free will to take control of one’s own fate, realizing that choices have consequences and inaction is, itself, a choice.

If one wishes to achieve a goal, a long-term vision and a personal mission statement greatly aid that objective. Action-focused people - those armed with a readiness for responsibility - often visualize, as clearly as possible, the outcome of each action before undertaking it.

Prioritizing the important tasks, addressing the immediate needs, and calmly completing the mission advances the intended action. Working collaboratively with others helps to build lasting relationships. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. If one only does that which one knows one can achieve, one never will achieve much.

Such action-based example moves one forward into the broad sunlit uplands, prepared to brace oneself to one’s duties, and in so doing, to bear out one’s achievements. Indeed, thoughts lead to destiny via the highway of action.

Perhaps Theodore Roosevelt best described the importunate value of action: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

For this reason, and for all who answer the call to action, the LECOM Connection highlights Action as a Credo of Our Calling.

Actively engaged individuals - the sort cultivated at LECOM - flourish when keeping rhythm, when following set times, routines, and litanies.

Intellectual action is not wizardry, nor is it accomplished only by the purest of academics. Productively active people tend to follow a routine.

Winston Churchill worked from bed and bath every morning. During his morning ablutions, Churchill would dictate letters to his assistant; later he would take meetings, lunch, and a nap; embarking thereafter upon a lengthy and productive evening of work. Churchill maintained that precise regimen unaltered - even during the war.

Action conquers fear. ~ Aristotle

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 07

FEATURE

FORMALIZING CURIOSITY

Transforming Education Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. So said American astronomer and scientist, Dr. Carl Sagan. This sage commentary indeed underpins the very motivation of countless medical professionals who dedicate their time, talents and training to the profoundly purposed pursuit of discovery.

With this pursuit in mind, and once again placing itself on the cutting edge of this purpose, is LECOM - now set to expand its research facilities. Like its prior creations, this undertaking is poised to be a noteworthy

success. Now underway in the LECOM West Building - near the School of Dental Medicine Dental Offices - is development of a planned ten-million dollar, two-floor, 26,000-square-foot research facility. Currently, there are five labs relocating to the new research center; and five faculty members are planning to begin using the new facility in the near future. The facility is also available to LECOM faculty at Seton Hill who wish to conduct research and educational projects as their schedule allows. The new laboratory will provide a superb setting for interprofessional research.

08 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2016 | LECOM.edu

The location, formerly occupied by LORD Corporation, had been designed for industry research. The existing structure was completely reworked and renovated to be made ideal for basic science and for clinical research. The labs, located on the second and third floors, offer nearly three-times the usable space of that of the prior LECOM research lab, which was located off campus, in Millcreek Township, about a 15-minute drive from the LECOM main campus. Dr. Mathew Bateman, Director of Institutional Planning, Assessment, Accreditation and Research, and Interim

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. ~ Zora Neale Hurston Dean of the School of Dental Medicine, championed the design of the research labs.

The construction of the labs took place under the auspices of Dr. Silvia Ferretti, LECOM Vice President, Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs.

Everything that was old or outdated was discarded, replaced with new, state-of-theart equipment. Salvageable items, such as laboratory glassware, were retained to be pressed into service. All of the equipment was transported to the new lab facility in December of 2016.

"Our faculty has grown, and with the collaborative integration of medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry on campus, we seek to encourage and to develop interprofessional research as we continue to educate and to train at the highest level,” averred Dr. Ferretti.

Biomedical research that specifically bridges basic science and clinical research is termed translational research, which integrates the basic and clinical research domains to accelerate knowledge translation from the bench to bedside, and back again. This building block of research is undertaken to advance and to support the development of knowledge in the healthcare field. It is a highly useful tool in the furtherance of a well-rounded medical education.

are being built these days. The preferred model is a large open space with bench after bench.

Each individual is designated a bench or two, depending upon his or her productivity; and then, instead of having individual rooms, there are shared or common rooms, where students come in and out to utilize the equipment. Not only is this model much more cost effective for the school, but it also allows the students to utilize the equipment to its fullest potential.

Multiple investigators can make use of that same equipment; and shared understanding and enhanced learning are the result," stated Dr. Bateman.

fullest knowledge and understanding available as they advance to become the healthcare professionals of tomorrow.

“This new facility will have a very large impact upon the researchers. With the shared equipment, they can perform experiments that they have been unable to conduct in the past," Dr. Bateman affirmed.

To those who commit themselves to this noble endeavor, to those who work in the arena of formalized curiosity, who poke and pry with a purpose, LECOM offers not only this grand facility, but its proud and hearty commendation.

LECOM, ever an impassioned innovator, ever on the cutting edge and always prepared to presciently embrace and advance the visionary possibilities of a purposed promise, calls to mind the observation of the Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian biochemist, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, who noted that, "Research is conducted to see that which everyone else has seen, and to think that which no one else has thought."

All of these endeavors are intended to provide the comprehensive educational offerings necessary for medical students to gain the

Basic science research is a rapidly evolving area in biomedical research. “The LECOM Masters in Biomedical Sciences Program is one aspect at the very heart of this undertaking, as is a desire to encourage student research with regard to recent changes in the post-graduate medical education residency program. This entire process will engage more students: the Masters scholars as well as residents at the hospital. It is truly a system-wide undertaking, embracing pharmacy faculty and students and those in dental training,” noted Dr. Ferretti.

“If one looks back 30 years, when laboratories were being constructed, every medical student had his or her own four walls and his or her benches. They all had their own isolated and individual laboratory,” explained Dr. Bateman. That is not the way that laboratories

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 09

FEATURE

EXCEPTIONALISM FLOURISHES During LECOM Research Initiative 2016 Rounding out the deeply penetrating purpose of a superlative education, unmatched clinical care, and unflagging community service, research comprises a key component of the LECOM mission.

The LECOM Interprofessional Research Initiative 2016 was held on October 20, 2016. The well-regarded event boasted more than 65 abstract submissions offered by participating resident physicians, faculty, and students.

The presentations included posters and lectures focusing upon research undertaken for Erie-area hospitals and conducted by LECOM students and resident physicians.

The Research Day allowed those participating in the event to showcase their work, as well as to provide an educational experience for their co-contributors.

The judging was divided between two groups, those presentations offered by the students and those presentations offered by resident physicians. The submissions were further subdivided into Lecture Session and Poster Session offerings.

The top prize for the student Lecture Session was presented to Stacey Main, OMSI, for her study entitled: Cerebellar Structure and Function after Repeated Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid. Main’s study was performed with Randy Kulesza, PhD, LECOM Director of Anatomy.

First-year medical student, Margarita Vinogradova, OSMI, received second place recognition in the Poster Session for her

research entitled: Patency of the Internal Iliac Artery After Placement of Common and External Iliac Artery Stents. Vinogradova completed her research with Hye Joon Lee, BS; Ehrin J. Armstrong, MD; John Laird, MD; and Misty Humphries, MD. Third place was awarded to Parth Javia, OMSII, for his study entitled: Utilizing Scribes to See More Patients - How Does it Affect Physician and Patient Satisfaction? His research was completed with William Lovett, MD and Okju Yi, DO. The first prize for the poster session was bestowed upon fourth-year medical student, Robert Waters, for his study entitled: The Effect of Essential Plant Oil Combinations on Growth Inhibition of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. He completed his research with Christopher Keller, PhD, Director of Primary Care Scholars Pathway at LECOM, and with Nancy Carty, PhD, LECOM Assistant Professor of Microbiology.

Second place was awarded to fourth-year medical student, Kaitlyn Blackburn, for her research entitled: A Case of Peripheral Neuropathy Due to Toxic Levels of Pyridoxine from NOS Energy Drink Consumption.

Blackburn completed her research with Katie Warren, DO. The Poster Session third prize was received by second-year medical student, Corbyn Minich, for his study entitled: Active Surveillance of Human Pathogen Carrying Ticks from Presque Isle State Park (Erie, PA). He completed his research with Dr. Carty and Dr. Keller.

10 LECOM CONNECTION | WINTER 2017 | LECOM.edu

Research Day constitutes the culmination of medically-based investigations and indepth studies that seek to greatly advance and enhance the abilities and capabilities of those in the medical community. Research is increasingly important as the current generation of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students view research differently than have their predecessors. Current Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students are more focused upon research, in part because, research is key to supporting competitive residencies, such as those in radiology or neurosurgery. Many students apply for the same residencies; thus, with all else being equal among the multiple applicants (such as academic record and board scores), those who possess an active research record maintain a decided advantage over their dissimilarly situated counterparts. Those students who have participated in research studies gain invaluable experience in cognitive and critical thinking, problem solving and writing.

In addition to the many student benefits, Research Day allows the faculty to become better acquainted with the participating students, research also can be a source of estimable note for a hospital and for other institutions as advancements in the field are developed in and through communal exchanges of critical information.

The physicians’ Lecture Session first prize was awarded to Grayson Goldman, DO, for his study entitled: Comparison of Intubation Modalities in Cadaver Models While Wearing

- Continued On Page 27

PREPARES FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF SUCCESS LECOM Health Challenge Presents Checks as it Announces Dates for Second PGA/Web.com Tournament

The very first LECOM Health Challenge proved to be a resoundingly overwhelming success.

Marking the return of the PGA TOUR to Western New York, the 2016 Web.com Tour event was held at Peek’n Peak Resort during the week of July 4 -10. With over 20,000 spectators in attendance, the inaugural tournament featured a full schedule of events, including a Junior Golf Clinic and a Pro-Am followed by four rounds of official competition from which, Rick Lamb emerged as the 2016 LECOM Health Challenge champion.

The 2017 LECOM Health Challenge will take place from July 3 - 9 at the Peek’n Peak Upper Course. Among the brand new activities planned for the 2017 tournament is a Junior Pro-Am for young golfers - ages 10 to 18 years-old. The winning foursome will enjoy the thrill of walking with the pros during the tournament. The tournament is adding a Fan Zone to provide spectators easier access to

the pros for autographs as they complete their rounds.

With nearly four-million viewers tuned-in to the Golf Channel, the inaugural LECOM Health Challenge was the top rated tournament for the Web.com Tour. It is equally anticipated that the 2017 LECOM Health Challenge event will be eagerly awaited and attended.

Check presentations took place recently as the $100,000 tournament proceeds were awarded to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Student Scholarship Fund - which provides funds to deserving students to defray the burdensome cost of a medical education; to Mikey’s Way Foundation - a Buffalo-based philanthropy dedicated to providing free electronic devices to hospitalized children to serve as a much-needed distraction from long-term cancer treatments; and to the Jamestown Community College (JCC) Student Scholarship Fund - which provides the necessary training and edification that the next generation of professionals requires to lead successful careers.

Aside from the three listed charities, the LECOM Health Challenge also donated $5,000 to First Tee of Western New York, $2,000 to the Panama Central School Swim Team, $1,500 to the Findley Lake Volunteer Fire Department, $1,500 to the Clymer Fire Department, $1,500 to the Sherman FireRescue and $900 to the Clymer Baseball Club.

(From left to right) Cory Duckworth, President of Jamestown Community College; Les Friedman, CEO of Mikey’s Way Foundation; Michelle Turner, Vice President of Marketing for Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency; Vince Horrigan, Chautauqua County Executive; and Marlene Mosco, Chairperson of the LECOM Board of Trustees at the check presentation event for the LECOM Health Challenge.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 11

Why choose a

Join the

LECOM Health

LECOM Family of Physicians

doctor?

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

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

You can become part of the onlyLECOM Health doctors’ primary hospital is Millcreek Community Hospital, Osteopathic Academic Health Center in the region’s leading hospital for geriatric care, behavioral the nation led by the Lake Erie College of health, rehabilitation, wound care and orthopedics.

Osteopathic Medicine.

LECOM Health doctors can refer patients for specialty care

Currently, we are seeking physicians in anywhere – Cleveland, Pittsburgh, or wherever is best for the Anesthesiology; Ear, Nose, and Throat; care and convenience of the patient.* General Surgery; Neurology; Orthopedics; Pain Management and Psychiatry for ourHealth doctors belong to Medical Associates LECOM expanding practices. of Erie and practice Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Geriatrics, Integrative Medicine,

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

Primary Care and Medical Specialties.

*Specialty care insurance coverage depends upon a patient’s insurance company.

WELCOME TO WELLNESS

WELCOME TO LECOM HEALTH

LECOM

H E A LT H

MEDICAL ASSOCIATES OF HOSPITAL ERIE MILLCREEK COMMUNITY

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

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

12 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2016 | LECOM.edu

RICH TRADITION CELEBRATED WHITE COATS PRESENTED TO MEDICAL AND PHARMACY STUDENTS

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 13

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

The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored custom at medical schools that serves as a ceremonial rite of passage – a pronouncement of a psychological contract that creates a bond of professionalism and compassion in the study and practice of medicine.

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

The long-held tradition of the White Coat Ceremony offers one of those indispensable moments that gives rise to the swell of pride and delight.

Medical and pharmacy students at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine marked their transition from classroom study to clinical education in ceremonies held separately at the Warner Theatre in Erie. The dual event denotes the culmination of a triumphant experience for all of the first-year students who have prepared themselves academically and mentally for the challenges that lay ahead of them.

LECOM pharmacy students received their white coats in the first ceremony of the day.

They were addressed by guest speaker, Bojana

Stevich-Heemer, PharmD, who serves as an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at LECOM and who is a LECOM School of Pharmacy Class of 2006 alumna.

“Being here today marks an accomplishment of which each of you should be very proud,” remarked Dr. Stevich-Heemer. “Receiving your white coat is a very important step to becoming a pharmacy professional. I encourage you to continue to build upon your knowledge and upon this achievement,” she emphasized.

Following Dr. Stevich-Heemer’s keynote speech, Zachary Heeter, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy Residency Education and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Douglas Smith, PharmD, Director of Experiential Education and Professor of Pharmacy Practice; and Randall Heemer, PharmD, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice placed the white coats upon each of the students as they processed across the stage. Following the presentation of the white coats, the pharmacy students recited the Pledge of Professionalism, promising their commitment to the pharmacy profession In the second ceremony of the day, the medical students were addressed by Thomas Doran, DO, a LECOM Class of 2014 graduate.

Dr. Doran is in his third year of an emergency medicine residency within the Conemaugh Health System in Johnstown, PA; and he delivered remarks focusing upon the responsibility and privilege attendant to donning the white coat for the first time. “Today, you will have conferred upon you a mantle of responsibility,” declared Dr. Doran. “You have

14 LECOM CONNECTION | WINTER 2017 | LECOM.edu

been told, correctly, that LECOM considers the white coat an honor and privilege to be bestowed only upon those who will embody the ideals of osteopathic medicine. With the coat about your shoulders, we shall look upon you to represent the medical profession with honesty, integrity, and fidelity,” Dr. Doran pronounced.

The students were then cloaked by an assemblage of esteemed medical professionals: Robert Evans, DO, Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Osteopathic Principles and Practice; Carmine D’Amico, DO, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology; Jan Hendryx, DO, Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Osteopathic Principles and Practice; Mark Kauffman, DO, Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies and Director of the Accelerated Physician Assistant Program; and Regan Shabloski, DO, Assistant Dean of Clinical Education.

In addition to receiving their white coats, the medical students were issued stethoscopes, which were presented by Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA) President, Anthony DiMarco, DO. The students were then led by Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, Vice President, Provost, and Dean of Academic Affairs, in reciting the Pledge of Commitment, promising their commitment to medicine and to the osteopathic profession.

The Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center in Greensburg, PA was the setting for students at LECOM at Seton Hill to don their white coats. The 112 first-year medical students

“Today, you are bestowed your white coat for the first time. This is a symbol of student learning and at LECOM, a milestone to remember.” ~ Michael Hoy Yates, Jr., DO

Irv Freeman, PhD, Vice President of LECOM at Seton Hill, welcomed the students, along with their families and friends to the grand event. Dr. Freeman provided a history of the ceremony as he articulated its profound significance.

LECOM Bradenton held its White Coat Ceremonies for medical, pharmacy, and dental students on January 28, 2017. The 100 thirdyear Dental students, 100 first-year Dental students, 138 first-year Pharmacy students, and 192 first-year College of Medicine students pledged themselves to prepare for experiences outside of the classroom as they took oaths of professional commitment.

“The White Coat Ceremony not only provides an opportunity for first-year medical students to reaffirm the commitment that they made to become competent osteopathic physicians, but the ceremony also reaffirms the LECOM commitment to providing the highest level of education and clinical training necessary to help these students achieve their goal,” affirmed Dr. Freeman.

Families and friends gathered at the Harvest United Methodist Church facility, in Bradenton, as School of Pharmacy students welcomed the guest speaker, Revika Matuknauth, PharmD, LECOM Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Class of 2015 graduate.

Dr. Matuknauth reminded the white coat recipients of the high level of professionalism and quality patient care expected of them.

The gathering was addressed by guest speaker, Michael Hoy Yates, Jr., DO, LECOM Class of 2006. Dr. Yates is the lead overnight physician at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, GA, his home state. Dr. Yates, an accomplished opera singer, wrote the LECOM Alma Mater and he participated in the Erie Opera Company and the Edinboro University Chancellor Choir.

Another distinguished LECOM alum, Randall Scott, DO, Class of 2008, highlighted the characteristics of perseverance, passion, and listening skills as being key attributes to achieving one's dream of becoming a doctor.

from the College of Medicine Class of 2020 at LECOM at Seton Hill received their white coats at the annual Ceremony.

“The pride it gives me to speak on such an historic and momentous occasion is overwhelming,” noted Dr. Yates. “Today, you are bestowed your white coat for the first time.

I congratulate each and every one of you. This is a symbol of student learning and at LECOM, a milestone to remember,” he proclaimed.

Following Dr. Yates’ speech, the students received their white coats and stethoscopes and they were led by Dr. Silvia M. Ferretti in the recitation of the Pledge of Commitment.

“Developing relationships with my patients makes my day so much better than I could have ever imagined,” Scott said. “They have made a permanent impression upon me and I shall always be grateful for that,” he affirmed.

LECOM School of Pharmacy; Robert George, DO, College of Medicine Associate Dean of Academic Affairs; Julie J. Wilkinson, PharmD, Associate Dean of the Florida Pathway at the School of Pharmacy; and Mathew J. Bateman, PhD, Interim Dean of the School of Dental Medicine were among the dignitaries attending the Bradenton ceremonies.

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

LECOM heartily congratulates its White Coat recipients!

Ronald J. Renuart, Sr., DO, incoming President of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association; John M. Ferretti, DO, LECOM President and CEO; Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, Provost, Senior Vice President of LECOM, and Dean of Academic Affairs of the College of Medicine; Hershey S. Bell, MD, MS (MedEd), Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 15

A CHRONICLE FROM PROVENANCE TO PREEMINENCE

Throughout history, legacy creating, innovative decisions have distinguished between leader and follower; between insight and apathy; and ultimately, between success and failure.

There is great sincerity in the belief that an academic institution possesses a particular optimistic heart, for its leaders and its educators personify distinctive attributes; a set of intrinsic qualities or sum of qualities by which the school may be distinguished from other such institutions. It rises to moral and to ethical worth to imbue within its graduated posterity a vision of the cherished heart of optimism. Such qualities represent

the heart and soul of an ideal nurtured within the mind as well as a focused higher purpose promulgated through action. Such is the case with the history that has come to form the heritage of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).

As the 20th Century drew to a close, those in governance of Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) in Erie, Pennsylvania, were faced with a problematic decision. In an era during which it was becoming increasingly difficult to attract new physicians to the calling, this small community hospital sought to maintain its position of leadership within the field of health

16 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2016 | LECOM.edu

care. The dilemma was dissected by the group of visionaries at MCH who, through their astute prescience and vigilant observations, made a decision to open a new school of medicine.

At a time during which much of the medical community did not see a need for additional medical colleges, much less the need for further physicians, the MCH Board saw it differently. The hospital existed in an area within close proximity to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Buffalo; an area underserved by physicians. The establishment of a medical college in Erie had the intended effect of

allowing the hospital to train needed new doctors and to accommodate the open positions at MCH and at other hospitals throughout the region.

The journey began in September of 1988, when the Board of Trustees of Millcreek Community Hospital conducted a major strategic planning retreat. Attendees at the planning session established a new hospital mission that emphasized the need for educating osteopathic physicians to provide medical services to the medically underserved areas across Northwestern Pennsylvania.

In March 1989, the Board of Trustees assembled an Osteopathic Medical School Task Force that began to explore the feasibility of founding a new osteopathic medical school. The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) was established as the 16th college of osteopathic medicine in the nation with its receipt of a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Charter in December 1992. The Charter Class began on August 9, 1993 at a new campus on West Grandview Boulevard in Erie, Pennsylvania. With the graduation of the LECOM inaugural class on May 24, 1997, the College received full accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association. Since that time, LECOM has granted the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree to more than 4,900 graduates as of 2016.

The founding President, Joseph J. Namey, DO, was an acclaimed general practitioner and a tireless advocate of osteopathic medicine.

A longtime resident of Erie, Dr. Namey has been credited with enhancing the image of osteopathic medicine across the country.

John M. Ferretti, DO, succeeded Dr. Namey, becoming the second President of LECOM. Dr. Ferretti is a Board Certified Internist who was among the College founders and who is a nationally recognized leader in osteopathic medicine. Under Dr. Ferretti’s guidance, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has gained national prominence and it has realized categorically unprecedented growth.

By 2002, College growth and enrollment required LECOM to triple the size of the original medical school building, adding another 100,000 square feet of modern teaching, learning and research facilities.

A continually growing medical and wellness campus also stretches along Peach Street in

Erie as the college and community engage in the whole-body wellness paradigm that has become LECOM Health, the only health system with an Osteopathic Academic Health Center in the United States. The College, Millcreek Community Hospital and Medical Associates of Erie, the clinical practice network of physician offices located in Erie County form the core of this highly innovative medical education and patient-care system.

True to the College mission, to provide primary health care to Northwestern Pennsylvania, LECOM achieved another milestone with the addition of its School of Pharmacy. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania approved the LECOM School of Pharmacy in May 2001. Classes began in September 2002; and LECOM held its first pharmacy school graduation in June 2005. Following that commencement, the LECOM School of Pharmacy received full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Since that time, LECOM has granted the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree to more than 1,900 graduates.

In keeping with its proven tradition of leading the field in medical education, LECOM initiated the Master of Science in Medical Education Degree Program at the Erie campus in 2005.

This postgraduate course became the first distance education program at LECOM and it trains physicians to become teachers and leaders in the clinical education of future physicians. The College also offers the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Degree and the Health Sciences Post Baccalaureate Certificate.

In addition to the original campus in Erie, LECOM further continued its role in the vanguard of national leadership in osteopathic medicine by developing a branch campus in Bradenton, Florida. Located in the lush, palm-embowered setting of Lakewood Ranch, a master-planned community in Manatee County, Florida, LECOM Bradenton welcomed its first class of medical students on September 13, 2004. With the enrollment of the Bradenton Class of 2011, LECOM became the largest medical college in the nation. In 2007, the School of Pharmacy also expanded to Florida, offering a traditional four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree curriculum and graduating the first class from LECOM Bradenton in 2011.

The vision of LECOM continued in 2009, with the extension of LECOM Erie to the campus of the private liberal arts institution of Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

LECOM at Seton Hill added an additional 104 medical students to the first-year class, and now, it has more than 400 students in total enrollment.

LECOM continued its expansion in 2011 as its Erie campus - with its expansively situated, Lake Erie-view, 53-acre, park-like setting along West Grandview Boulevard welcomed the acquisition of the neighboring LORD Corporation property.

In July 2012, the LECOM School of Dental Medicine welcomed students in Bradenton, establishing yet a new era in the betterment of health care education. The first class of dental students completed their fourth year of study at community-based dental outreach offices in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, and in Erie, Pennsylvania. These sites were chosen, in part, because of the enduring LECOM commitment to provide care where it is most needed.

Ever vigilant to marking innovative trends in education, LECOM added two Distance Education Pathways in 2014. The School of Pharmacy Four-Year Pathway has grown to allow students to take courses online. The Pathway offers one of only two online-distance education programs in the nation for pursuing the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The first online class of the Masters in Health Services Administration has provided the highly sought after opportunity for professionals aspiring to take leadership roles in the administration of hospitals, clinical practices, and in other health care facilities.

Augmenting the noteworthy educational advancements, LECOM has been ever cognizant of its role in community enrichment, service, and the promulgation of health for all.

With the 2009 opening of the John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, the College founded a medically integrated wellness center that not only serves the fitness and medical education needs of LECOM students and employees of LECOM Health, but also provides a facility that offers to the populace of Erie County an opportunity to pursue a better quality of life through prevention and wellness. In 2011, LECOM expanded its community offerings in Erie by

- Continued On Page 28 @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 17

LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auction Bold Bidding and Steadfast Supporters Highlight Bradenton Auction Gala

Clockwise from top: The live-auction bidding brought the crowd at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota to its feet during the 2016 Student Scholarship Auction. Food services managers Mike and Yvonne Arrigo enjoyed the celebration, as did Matt and Dr. Julie Wilkinson and Dr. Anthony Ferretti.

Suncoast philanthropists, community leaders, and patrons of all ages were on hand for an extraordinary indulgence on the evening of October 29, 2016, as the LECOM Bradenton Student Scholarship Fund Dinner and Auction Gala hosted its eleventh annual event.

The affair, this year, boasted considerable attendance and the greatest quantity of auction items to date.

bevy of fine wines - all of which caused the room to hum with excitement and exuberant anticipation. Auctioneer, Jeff Burchard of Auctions Unlimited, lauded the ardent bidders as the spirit of philanthropy gripped the eager attendees.

Chaired by LECOM Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Robert George, DO, and by Communications and Marketing Specialist, Joel Welin, the evening welcomed LECOM notables including President and CEO, John M. Ferretti, DO, Dean and Provost, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, and Millcreek Community Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Mary Eckert who hosted the fundraising festivity at the Sarasota Hyatt Regency Grand Ballroom.

The benefit and fundraiser for the future doctors, pharmacists and dentists schooled at LECOM is an enthusiastically anticipated event that provides monies raised to assist the financial needs of matriculating students.

The overall theme and tone of the night was that of immense pride in the students. Clearly emanating from every patron and donor, sponsor and bidder, whether winning or not, was the palpable sense that the evening entailed great purpose. The annual event has raised millions of dollars and it promises to be even more exhilarating with each passing year.

A cocktail reception was followed by a silent and a live auction at the black-tie gala that included several affable bidding battles for items including: a unique Miracle on Ice collector's print signed by the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team; trips to Paris, France and to the Cotswolds in England; exquisite custom-designed jewelry; and a

The ballroom boasted many distinguished individuals, political leaders and organization sponsors whose outstanding contributions to the medical community and to the community as a whole make this yearly event possible.

Emcee, Mike Clay, launched the festivities and he led the gathering through the offerings of the evening.

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As the largest medical school in the country - with campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and with its campus located in Lakewood Ranch, Florida - LECOM extends to generations of health care practitioners a dedicated commitment to exceptionalism and to educational distinction.

The cost of a medical school education for the future health care practitioner can well exceed $200,000. The strain upon students to financially meet this burden while managing the rigors of a demanding and exacting medical program is onerous. The LECOM Auction Gala provides critical support and succor to the scholarship recipients; and the delight that they found in being part of the program was evident.

Third-year medical student, Caleb Leibe, offered the invocation as he further expressed a reflective and deep gratitude to the blessings of Providence.

LECOM aide and professional thespian, Becky Moran, teamed with fellow performers, Miranda Wolf and Marianne Hernandez, from the Manatee Performing Arts Center to offer a musical interlude of Broadway favorites.

The night was a resounding success. Thirtynine sponsored tables accommodated more than 375 guests as they dined and bid. Some of the more interesting items on the auction block included Tampa Bay Rays luxury suite seats; a special reserve box collection of fine wines; stunning jewelry - among which included a fabulous custom-designed citrine, diamond, and amethyst pendant, a Pavé diamond charm bracelet, and a Frédérique Constant Swiss watch; and autographed sports memorabilia. Silent bidders found abundant dinner, golf and hotel packages; get-away trips; and a variety of appealing themed baskets to tempt them.

Eclipsing the gems, the exquisite dinner graciously provided by the Hyatt Regency, and the alluring vacation destinations was the obvious purpose of the night: the future of medicine and the quality of the doctors, pharmacists and dentists being nurtured by those in attendance.

The commitment to exceptionalism that LECOM represents remains palpable - and even if, at the close of the evening, those in attendance departed the venue with a less weighty pocket-book or a thinner billfold, unquestionably, they left behind more than dollars as they championed a cause that assuredly will change lives for the better.

Student ambassadors helped the festive mood with their cheerful presence.

Sponsors of the 2016 LECOM Bradenton Scholarship Auction Emerald Sponsor - $20,000 Benco Dental

Diamond Sponsor - $15,000 Meisinger USA

Platinum Sponsor - $10,000 John M. Ferretti, DO Silvia M. Ferretti, DO Robert George, DO and Goldie George Hyatt Regency, Sarasota Immediate MedCare & Family Doctors of Bradenton

Silver Sponsor - $5,000 Coltene Whaledent Kavo-Kerr / Pelton and Crane Oakley Landscaping Premier Dental Products SDI North America Shofu Dental Corporation Whip Mix Corporation Willis Smith Construction

Patron Sponsor - $1,600

Charter One Hotels Francis M. Curd, DDS, DMD and Pamela Curd Anthony J. Ferretti, DO and Sarah Ferretti Mark A Romer, DDS FOMA FOMA District 7 HCA Healthcare (Blake Medical Center/ Doctors Hospital) Immediate MedCare and Family Doctors of Bradenton Jan-Pro of Manasota John and Michelle McKay – TBC Consultants Lakewood Ranch Commercial Manatee Memorial Hospital Nissan of Venice Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton Marauders PNC Bank Prime Care – Stephen P. Coppa, DO Rebecca A. DeSimone, Esquire Regions Bank Van Wezel Foundation Venice Theatre VitalSource

Bronze Sponsor - $2,500 HBKW Insurance – Joe Kelly Jeff and Edie Myers Orlando Magic

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 19

LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auction More Than One Thousand Guests Gather at 23rd Annual Auction

(Clockwise) More than 1,000 guests gathered at Erie’s Bayfront Convention Center for the 23rd annual LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auction Gala. Former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Common Pleas Judge for Allegheny County Dwayne Woodruff, joined by other former Steelers, addressed the crowded Bayfront Convention Center. Second-year medical student Christian Menezes calls out a bid during the live auction. Guests mingle and peruse the silent auction items.

More than 800 fanciful and unique items were up for bid on Saturday, November 5, 2016, as the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) held its 23rd Annual LECOM Student Scholarship Auction Gala at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. All proceeds assist deserving LECOM medical, dental, and pharmacy students in defraying the cost of their health care education.

Despite the fact that LECOM boasts the second lowest tuition in the nation, most medical and dental students often graduate with a loan indebtedness in excess of $200,000. The LECOM Student Scholarship Auction is a highly anticipated yearly event that, for many, serves as an unofficial start of the festivities for the Christmas season in Erie. As

is ever the trend at the LECOM Auction Gala, many interesting and unusual items drew the attention of the bidders.

Highlighting the live auction segment of the evening, was a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with a 3-year, 12,000 miles-per-year lease. This year marked the second consecutive year that Interstate Mitsubishi donated an Outlander Sport vehicle. Also featured during the live auction bidding was a weeklong stay at the Peek’n Peak Lake House, located on beautiful Findley Lake; a Pittsburgh Steelers helmet autographed by team noteables; and two rounds of golf at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, home of the Web.com Tour Championship.

Many other must-have items were offered in the silent and live auction portions of the

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Gala, including tickets to professional baseball, football, and basketball games; professional sports memorabilia, jewelry, and unique gift ideas for Christmas gift-giving.

Auctioneer, Carson Chesley, of Chesley Auctioneering encouraged the more than 1,000 assembled guests to bid often and high. Chesley was brought in by David R Johns of Interstate Antique Gallery when the original auctioneer became ill. Those in attendance were also treated to an uplifting musical performance by the Erie Playhouse Showstoppers.

The evening proved to be a grand and glorious success, the result of which benefits future medical professionals serving the next generation of health care.

Sponsors of the 2016 LECOM Erie Scholarship Auction Presenting Sponsor - $50,000 PNC Bank

Principal Sponsor - $35,000 Mary L. Eckert John M. Ferretti, DO Silvia M. Ferretti, DO Esther J. Fucci The Hakel Fabrizio Financial Group UBS/Hakel Fabrizio

Platinum Sponsor - $30,000 Church & Murdoch Electric Coca Cola Refreshments Erie Community Foundation First National Bank Orris C&B Dewey Hirtzel Memorial FD Scott Electric Vantage Healthcare WAPA

Gold Sponsor - $15,000

Church Hill Classics LTD Coffee Culture Obsidian Group Enga International Friend of LECOM Hubbard Bert Inc. Insurance Management Interstate Mitsubishi Millcreek Community Hospital Millcreek Community Hospital Staff Nancy Peaden Richard Olinger Rabe Environmental Scott Enterprises Walgreens Judy Zboyovski

Silver Sponsor - $7,500

AVI Food Systems Baltimore Orioles Hershey Bell, MD and Marianne Bell Building Systems Incorporated Church Hill Classics LTD Dana and Steve Demetriou Frank Fatica, DO Fiber Solutions Gannon University Hagan Business Machines The Hammocks Happi 92.7 Erie Radio Company Howard Hanna Integrated Environmental Systems Inc. Kascar HVAC Solutions Inc. Mark Kauffman, DO and Michele RothKauffman, JD Keyser Consulting Group LLC Lilly Broadcasting L.M Wander & Sons Inc. Marquette Savings Bank Medical Associates of Erie Employees Networking Technologies Northwestern Mutual

Penelec/First Energy Perry Construction Group PGA Tour Power Wellness Roth Marz Partnerships, PC Raymond Seifert, DO and Carol Seifert, MD Seton Hill University Standard Air & Lite Corporation Dennis and Sandy Styn Suzanne Kelley, DO Joshua Tuck, DO and Fran Tuck WJET, Fox 66

Bronze Sponsor - $3,200

Aaron Susmarski, JD George H. Althof, Inc. Arent Fox, LLP Arnett Carbis Toothman Bayfront Convention Center Gregory Coppola, DO Phil and Christine English Erie Elite Basketball LLC Erie Playhouse Irving Freeman, PhD, JD and Julie Freeman, JD Douglas Fronzaglia, DO and Angela Fronzaglia Hagan Business Machines Healogics Jan Hendryx, DO Hubbard Bert Inc. Janitors Supply Company Kada Gallery LECOM Pharmacy Faculty Lottery Tree LECOM Student Government Fund James Lin, DO and Emma Lin Sol Lizerbram-IATS Malady & Wooten Manatee Cardiac Surgery (Alice J. Coppola Fund) McCreary Roofing Northwestern Mutual Kevin Novak, MD and Marie Novak POMA PremCom Corporation Presque Isle Downs and Casino Joseph Racanelli, DO-Alumni Donation SGA Pharmacy Class of 2016 Regan Shabloski, DO and Cheryl Moore, DO Smugmug-Proceeds from Commencement Photos Pauline Stevens Richard Terry, DO and Marie Terry Melanie Titzel, PhD Tower Engineering Frank Tursi, DO V Systems Kathe Weschler Rafferty Judge Dwayne Woodruff and Joy Woodruff Kathryn Zboyovski

Patron Sponsor - $1,600 AFLAC A Anthony & Sons Ally Financial

John Balmer, DO and Pat Balmer Ranko Barac, DO and Melissa Barac Barber National Institute John J. Barber Pierre and Loretto Bellicini C. A. Curtze Capstone Health Alliance Christopher Carbo, DO and Ann Marie Carbo Jason Carlson, DO Church and Murdock Electric Garrett Clark, DO and Marie Clark Corry Memorial Hospital County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Cura Hospitality Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote e-4 Services Engel O’Neill Erie Insurance Group Erie Times-News Jeffery Esper, DO Ronald Esper, DO and Katherine Esper Vincent Fierro, DO First Niagara Bank - Key Bank Gannon University Robert George, DO and Goldie George Gerflor USA - Flooring Soultions Jason Goldberg, DO and Candace Goldberg Steven Habusta, DO and Kathryn Habusta Danielle Hanson, DO and Corey Hansen Randy Heemer, PharmD and Bojana StevichHeemer, PharmD Ingram Book Company Intertech Security Group John Kalata, DO LifeWorks Erie George and Paula Lyons - Contemporary Motorcar Maleno McCormick Construction Medline Industries, Inc. Fernando Melaragno, DO Mercyhurst University Eric Milie, DO and Christine Milie Northwest Savings Bank Oasis Footwear Rachel Ogden, PharmD and Dan Ogden Richard Ortoski, DO Gary Peterson, DO and Hally Peterson Prosource Erie Charles Rohrbach, DO and Elaine Rohrbach Safe Kids Joyce Savocchio Stevens and Lee St. Vincent Hospital Urban Engineers Village SurgiCenter Vital Source Technologies Brian Viviano, DO and Elizabeth Viviano Friends of Sean D. Wiley Wilkins Company WTAE-TV

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 21

COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Mentoring Club Thanksgiving

Musical Ensemble SLC

The LECOM Erie Mentoring Club served a tasty Thanksgiving dinner to youngsters at a local YMCA.

During the Christmas season, the LECOM Erie Musical Ensemble went caroling at the LECOM Senior Living Center. The ensemble of students, along with a few staff and faculty, delivered smiles to the residents, who often joined in the familiar songs.

Blood Pressure Screening

Bradenton Soccer

LECOM is contributing to the American Heart Association Check.

Change. Control. campaign by providing 50 student volunteers who will educate the public about blood pressure control, medication adherence, and healthful lifestyle habits, during the campaign. Pictured is Abby Gallagher, P3, taking the blood pressure of Mike Batchelor, President of the Erie Community Foundation.

Students at LECOM Bradenton participated as volunteer coaches, trainers, and mentors for the Braden River TOPSoccer Special-Needs Athlete Soccer Program. More than 20 students from the College of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, and School of Dental Medicine took part in the eight-week session, which wrapped up its season this past fall.

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COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS

Pediatrics Club Reading Day

Mentoring Club Giving Tree

The LECOM Erie Pediatrics Club hosted Doctor Reading Day at Chickfil-A. The event included stuffed animal check-ups, interactive book readings, and doctor crafts.

The LECOM Erie Mentoring Club delivered Christmas gifts collected from the Giving Tree to the YMCA Kids Club at Erie Heights.

Give Kids A Smile Day

World AIDS Ribbon

LECOM Bradenton School of Dental Medicine students and faculty paired with the Florida Dental Association for the annual Give Kids A Smile Day, held in DeFuniak Springs. Free dental screenings, cleanings and dental hygiene education were provided to 45 children and their families who attended the event.

On Dec. 1, 2016, LECOM Erie commemorated World AIDS Day by creating its Annual Human Red Ribbon. More than 70 students, faculty, and staff gathered in the college atrium to recognize the event.

LECOM Erie also commemorated World AIDS Day by creating a Tree of Remembrance and Hope, decorated with red ribbons, and by creating panels for the LECOM Aids Quilt.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 23

LECOM TOPS U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT RANKINGS - AGAIN The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a familiar name in the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

U.S. News and World Report has released its Best Medical School Rankings for 2016, and LECOM was well-represented among the more than one hundred schools responding to the magazine survey.

Among the 116 ranked medical schools that submitted data to U.S. News in its annual survey, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine received the most student applications – 15,475 – for the fall 2015 entering class. The 15,475 applicants bested perennial leaders such as Drexel, George Washington, Georgetown, and Temple Universities.

entering the fields of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and OB-GYN. However, with the most graduates (at 536 per year), that 68% figure results in 364 graduates entering the field of primary care; a figure that far surpasses any other college.

LECOM recognition by peers, college deans, and hospital Directors of Medical Education (DMEs), continues to grow robustly. More osteopathic schools than ever before are achieving key rankings in the U.S. News report - and LECOM is a familiar name at the top of the list.

Consistently, LECOM has been graduating primary care physicians, offering the lowest tuition among private medical schools, and placing among the top schools for attracting applicants.

Since 2008, LECOM has ranked as the largest medical school in the country with more than 2,280 medical students and it continues to boast the second lowest tuition among private medical colleges. For the 2015-2016 academic year, the $32,985 annual tuition established the College as one of the most affordable in the nation, a feature that attracts many applicants.

There are several implicitly important messages observed by reviewing the facts and figures offered in the U.S. News and World Report. It is clear that osteopathic medical education remains in the health care vanguard and it is doubly clear that LECOM offers an estimably ranked and superlative medical education at an affordable cost.

This year, LECOM continued its Top Ten Ranking for graduating the highest percentage of primary care physicians. Ranked at number six, LECOM has 68% of its graduates

It bears repeating a maxim oft stated by Benjamin Franklin: “If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone” - indeed a truism as applied to LECOM.

24 LECOM CONNECTION | WINTER 2017 | LECOM.edu

The 2016 edition of U.S. News and World Report: Best Medical School Rankings shows that among the leading medical schools in the nation, LECOM has continually advanced its leadership position in key areas, ranking:

#1

Medical Colleges Over 1,000 Students;

#1

Most Popular/Most Applicants;

#2

Lowest Tuition Among Private Medical Colleges;

#6

Colleges Graduating the Most Primary Care Physicians.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education ranked LECOM:

#16 Among the Top 100

Colleges for Doctoral Degrees Granted to Minorities;

#7

For Asian-American Enrollment;

#42 For Hispanic Enrollment;

#66 For African-American Enrollment.

NOTES

STUDENT NOTES College of Medicine Erie Campus

Kaitlyn Blackburn, OMSIV, and Jennifer LeMay, OMSII, co-authored a research article entitled: Identification of Aberrant White Matter Bundles Entering the Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle, recently published in Neurology.

Kaitlyn Blackburn, OMSIV, won First Place in the Tom Ridge Environmental Center Student Research Competition. Her project was entitled: Dysmorphology in the Human Medial Superior Olive after Environmental Exposure to Pollution.

Franciska Hasselhof, OMSIV, was featured in an article published by the American Osteopathic Association entitled: The Best Holiday Gifts for DOs and Med Students.

Christian Menezes, OMSII, was nominated for the 2017 Student DO of the Year Award for the Erie Campus, which is presented by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Lee Quist, OMSIV, was awarded a $20,000 scholarship from the Johnstown, PA Apollo Scholarship Program. Dr. Quist has made a commitment to practice medicine in the Johnstown area.

College of Medicine Bradenton Campus Vincent Anagnos, OMSIII, has been nominated for the 2017 Student DO of the Year Award for the Bradenton Campus. The Award is presented by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

George Schilling, OMSIII, authored an article entitled: Medical Misinformation Can Be the Difference Between Life and Death, published in the Utica Observer-Dispatch. The article focused upon his time with the Peace Corps in Tanzania.

College of Medicine Seton Hill Campus Taylor Barnwell, OMSI, was elected as Treasurer for the Class of 2020.

Faith Finoli, OMSIII, was featured in a US News & World Report article entitled: Save Money by Spending Less Time in College.

Max Jacobs, OMSI, was elected as President for the Class of 2020.

Alex Pastino, OMSI, was elected as the Second Vice President for the Class of 2020.

Sohaib Syed, OMSI, was elected as First Vice President for the Class of 2020.

Carla Wood, OMSII, attended the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Conference in Boston, MA, as a member of the Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program.

School of Pharmacy Erie Campus Dalton Fishel, P3, and Keawe Makaimoku, P3, presented a poster at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Mid-year Meeting.

Kayla Harvey, P2, received a scholarship from the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) to attend the annual meeting in Dallas, TX. Maggie Kronz, P1, was selected to serve as the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Mid-year Regional Coordinator for the 2017 meeting that will be held in Pittsburgh, PA.

School of Pharmacy Bradenton Campus Ashleigh Beachy, P2, and Allie Rivera, P2, assisted at a booth at the Manatee County Freshman Focus 2020. The two scholars aided a nurse from Blake Medical Center with demonstrating a simulation device called Drunk Goggles. The goggles provide a visual sensation of having a blood alcohol content over the legal limit. The student participants wore the goggles as they attempted to complete an obstacle course.

Sarah Didrikson, P4, and Robbie Christian, P4, were the winning team for the 2016 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Clinical Skills Competition. Both students represented LECOM at the Annual ASHP MidYear Conference in Las Vegas, NV, in December.

Neda Kalali, P3, spoke at the American College of Pharmacy (ACCP) Annual Meeting about the accomplishments of the LECOM Student Chapter at a session where the LECOM Bradenton Chapter was presented with the Outstanding Student Chapter Award.

Kiera Muray, P4, and Margaret Emerson, P4, offered poster presentations reporting on scholarly projects at the ACCP Annual Meeting.

Robert Sheridan, P3, and Henry Thai, P2, were members of the winning team for the Annual Interdisciplinary Case Competition. Their team also included College of Medicine students Michelle Kaminsky, OMSI, and Dina Mason, OMSII.

FACULTY NOTES College of Medicine Erie Campus

Randy Kulesza, PhD, recently collaborated with a professor from Auburn University to discover the microstructure of the primo-vascular system with a view toward increased understanding of the function of acupuncture.

Pat Leary, DO, offered a Continuing Medical Education lecture entitled: PPE in NBA D League, at the South Bend Winter Sports Symposium in Chicago, IL. Tyler Travis, MA, was named the Trainer of the Month (in October) by Personal Fitness Professional.

College of Medicine Bradenton Campus Santiago Lorenzo, PhD, recently was appointed Director of Student Assessment and Assistant Director of the Problem-Based Learning Pathway at LECOM.

School of Pharmacy Erie Campus Randy Heemer, PharmD, received the credential of AAHIP, which designates him as an HIV Expert, by the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

Hershey S. Bell, MD, recently co-authored an article entitled: The Role of Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership in Academic Pharmacy. His piece was published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

He also served as the keynote speaker at the 2016 University of New England College of Pharmacy Hooding Ceremony.

Shelly Kearns, P1, was recognized at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Midyear Regional Meeting for her leadership on Generation Rx.

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 25

NOTES Kristen Gawaronski, PharmD, served as a mentor for Dalton Fisher, P3, and for Keawe Makaimoku, P3. The duo presented a poster entitled: A Retrospective Evaluation of Fall Admissions in Geriatric Patients, at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Meeting.

Inna Miroshnyk, PhD, and Sabir Mirza, PhD, have offered several pharmacy compounding demonstrations to visiting student groups.

Erica Pascale, PharmD, served as a mentor for students who presented a poster at the local Northwestern PA Health System Pharmacist Meeting.

School of Pharmacy Bradenton Campus Kathleen Hitchcock, PharmD, recently joined the LECOM School of Pharmacy Distance Education Pathway as an assistant professor of pharmacy practice.

Sunil Jambhekar, BPharm, and Marcus Campbell, PharmD, presented LECOM School of Pharmacy programs to prospective pharmacy students at a meeting organized by Hillborough Community College in Bradenton.

Kelly Scolaro, PharmD, co-authored a study to determine if a teaching-assistant (TA) program for third-year pharmacy students improved confidence in their teaching abilities. The study was published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

School of Dental Medicine Bradenton Campus Barry Lipton, DDS, and Thomas Yoon, DDS, along with Evan Black, D2, Alexander Ahmadi, D2, and Stephanie Vazana, recently were awarded a $3,000 research grant from the American Society of Forensic Odontology for their proposal: The Significance of Environmental Effects on Dental Implants for Forensic Science Victim Identification.

ALUMNI NOTES Class of 2000

Sandip Hirpara, DO, recently joined Carrol Health Group Primary Care in Westminster, MD.

Class of 2002 Stephen Bell, DO, recently was appointed to the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission by Governor Rick Snyder. Dr. Bell is the President and Attending Physician at Newport Internal Medicine. He also serves as Executive Director of the Wayne County Osteopathic Medical Association.

Class of 2004 Kristin Shaneyfelt, DO, recently was recognized

by Continental Who’s Who among Pinnacle Professionals in the healthcare field. Dr. Shaneyfelt is an OB-GYN at Starling Physicians, in South Glastonbury, CT, and he serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut.

Class of 2006 Jeff Litt, DO, recently was accepted as a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Litt currently serves as the Burn and Wound Program Director and as a trauma and acute care surgeon at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Class of 2008 Dabanjan Bandyopadhyay, DO, recently joined the University of Maryland Community Medical Group, in Baltimore, MD, as a surgeon specializing in laparoscopic procedures.

Amanda Carr, PharmD, works for the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and she serves in the mental health field as a clinical pharmacist. Currently, Dr. Carr is working toward Board Certification for Psychiatric Pharmacy. A resident of Bloomsburg, PA, Dr. Carr lives with her husband, Ryan, and their 3-year-old daughter, Katherine.

Ariane Conaboy, DO, recently was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Physicians in Pennsylvania, a distinction conferred based upon quality of care, patient satisfaction and leadership in medicine and medical education by the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Additionally, Dr. Conaboy was named one of the Top 20 Under 40 Young Business Leaders by the Northeast Business Journal. Dr. Conaboy practices traditional inpatient and outpatient internal medicine with Commonwealth Health, Physicians Health Alliance in Scranton, and he serves on the Medical Executive Committee of Moses Taylor Hospital and on the Advisory Board of Physicians Health Alliance.

Frank Biondolillo, DO, recently was appointed as the new Chief Medical Officer for Palms of Pasadena Hospital and St. Petersburg General Hospital, in St. Petersburg, FL.

26 LECOM CONNECTION | FALL 2016 | LECOM.edu

Charity Dugan, DO, recently became a civilian general surgeon at Fort Bragg, in Fayetteville, NC. Dr. Dugan’s husband, Sean, is an active duty United States Army member, stationed at Fort Bragg.

Shawna Grimm, DO, recently joined Mon General Hospital, in Morgantown, WV, as a General Surgeon.

Deanna Mascho-Cawley, DO, joined Geisinger Medical Center, in Danville, PA, as an OB-GYN. Dr. Mascho-Cawley served as Chief of Obstetrics at Bassett Army Community Hospital, in Fort Wainwright, AR.

Class of 2009 Katherine Lund, DO, was selected as a recipient of the Physician 40 under 40 Award by the Pennsylvania Medical Society Physicians.

Sasha Noe, DO, was instrumental in introducing Direct Family Care, a program that assists residents of the Apollo Beach, FL, area in accessing affordable primary care.

Jasper Yung, DO, is a member of the Detroit Medical Orchestra, which features more than 70 physicians, medical students, and other healthcare professionals. The group presents free Symphonic Performances in Detroit, MI.

Class of 2010 Maggie Biebel, DO, was selected as a recipient of the Physician 40 under 40 Award by the Pennsylvania Medical Society Physicians.

Brian Tommasini, PharmD, is engaged to be married to Candace Benner, PharmD. Dr. Tommasini is a pharmacist with the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Dr. Benner is a pharmacist at a Pittsburgh CVS. Kristy Wolfel, DO, recently began work providing diagnostic imaging for patients at several Conemaugh Health Facilities in Jamestown, PA. Joshua Wert, DO, recently joined St. Luke’s University Health Network, in Tamaqua, PA, as a pain specialist at St. Luke’s Spine and Pain Associates.

Class of 2011 Lisa Ball, DO, recently joined BayCare Medical Group, in St. Petersburg, FL, as a family medicine doctor.

Amanda Morris, DO, recently joined Lakeland Diabetes and Endocrinology, in St. Joseph, MI, as an endocrinologist.

NOTES in Modulating Pain Progression During Osteoarthritis - A Systematic Review of the Literature. Dr. Weaver collaborated with Steven F. Habusta, DO; and with Richard M. Raymond, PhD.

Kelli Wienecke, DO, was selected as a recipient of the Physician 40 under 40 Award by the Pennsylvania Medical Society Physicians.

Class of 2013 Vanessa Herring, DO, recently joined the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Primary Clinic in Juneau, AK. Erin Kenney Hammett, DO, recently joined the Sansum Clinic Hospitalist Program, at Pueblo Multi-Specialty Clinic, in Santa Barbara, CA. Elizabeth Ramsey, DO, was selected as a recipient of the Physician 40 under 40 Award by the Pennsylvania Medical Society Physicians.

Jessica Tattershall, DO, recently joined Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics, in Austintown, OH, as a pediatric physician.

Michelle Wong, DO, was recently matched into a Gastroenterology Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Class of 2014 Gale Garmong, PharmD, was the guest speaker at the Gamma Tau Chapter of the Rho Chi Society Induction Ceremony.

Kaitlyn Mula, DO, recently matched into the Dermatology Residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Dr. Mula is a Lieutenant in the United States Navy.

Class of 2015 Revika Matuknauth, PharmD, has joined the LECOM Bradenton School of Pharmacy as a faculty member in the Distance Education Pathway.

Second prize was received by Jordan Bonier, DO, for his research entitled: Post-Operative Surgical Site Infection Rates in Orthopedic Procedures Before and After Use of SilverImpregnated Occlusive Dressing in a Community Hospital Setting.

- Continued From Page 10 Personal Protective Equipment. Dr. Goldman completed his research with Roger Taylor, DO; Matthew Pitzer, DO; Augusta Czysz, MD; and John Ashurst, DO. Second prize was presented to Kevin Keith, DO, for his study entitled: Alternative Referencing for Distal Femur Cut in TKA: Use of the Anterior Femoral Cortex. Dr. Keith completed his research with Daniel Kwon, OMSI; Robert Woods, DO; and Donald Smith, MD. Brad Golden, DO, won the third prize in the Lecture Session for his research: Fatigue Assessment in a Cohort of Pre-Hospital Providers in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Dr. Golden’s research was undertaken in collaboration with Kevin Martin, DO; Thomas Simunich, DO; and Dr. Ashurst.

In the Poster Session, first place was awarded to Nathan C. Weaver, DO, for his study: The Etiology of Pain in Osteoarthritis and the Role of Extra-Cellular Adenosine Receptors

Third prize was awarded to Christopher D. Hess, DPM, for his research entitled: Foot Infection with Fusobacterium Necrophorum.

Dr. Hess collaborated with Kristen L. Heard, DPM; and with Richard W. Sieber, DPM. The LECOM Interprofessional Research Initiative 2016 provided exceptional opportunities for LECOM to affect and to impact the research community and to spotlight its solid leadership role in the advancement of the understanding of the wide-ranging implications of these important issues.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine stands in the vanguard of the promise of our time, having grown with each passing year to become an inscrutably unmatched health care leader – superlative in education, solidly in the forefront of clinical care, a champion of community outreach, and ever advancing profound, meaningful, and developing research.

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.

Class of 2016 Stephanie Mazariegos, DMD, and Kaycee Wilcox, DMD, recently were named Associate Editors for Today’s FDA, the journal of the Florida Dental Association.

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.

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

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

The

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

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 27

- Continued From Page 17

opening the Coffee Culture Café and Eatery to provide a relaxing study space for students and an attractive venue for the public to enjoy coffee or a light fare.

In keeping with its unremitting mission of service and its unflagging goal to promote improved health for all, LECOM - in 2014 became the lead agency for the Safe Kids Erie Program, which previously had been administered by the Erie County Department of Health. Safe Kids Erie strives to educate families and to raise awareness of the fact that the vast majority of injuries to children can and should be prevented. LECOM leadership of the Program also has created additional opportunities for students at the College to serve the community.

Also in 2014, LECOM incorporated LifeWorks Erie into its family of health and educational services. The affiliation with LifeWorks Erie, which offers programs, services, and lifelong learning opportunities for individuals age 50 and older, has complemented and enhanced the ability of the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging to serve the growing elderly population throughout the region.

Millcreek Health System became LECOM Health in 2015 as the Millcreek Health System added the now familiar moniker to a health care and educational delivery system with more than a half-century of commitment to care, compassion, and community. LECOM Health coordinates the full complement of its academic health system – with hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, health plans, governments, and employers – to improve the countless lives that it touches.

In 2015, as LECOM wholly recast the very paradigm in comprehensive patientcentered health care, the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging opened the 138-bed LECOM Senior Living Center adjacent to Millcreek Community Hospital. The welcoming and homelike environment, coupled with a skilled nursing facility, is the next generation of innovative, compassionate, and comprehensive health care designed specifically for older adults.

Ever aware of changing community needs, LECOM recognized the disproportionately growing senior population in Erie County by adding a multifaceted component to its health care programs for older adults. As part of the LECOM commitment to wellness for this growing age group, LECOM purchased Parkside Senior Living Communities comprised of three independent living and personal care apartment complexes, located in Erie, North East and Millcreek.

Life is change; growth is optional. In this area, LECOM always has chosen wisely. Knowing the way in which to grow is just as important as knowing when to do so.

Thus, as the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine met the new year, 2016 began with multiple LECOM acquisitions, including Corry Memorial Hospital, LECOM at Presque Isle Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and the Visiting Nurses Association of Erie County.

The prodigious undertaking further solidifies LECOM as the seminal provider of a healthful and proactive amalgam of comprehensive services that afford older adults independent decision-making options throughout each part of the continuum of care.

Superb educational programs continue to be added to the LECOM paradigm further expanding and augmenting the exceptional offerings of a cutting edge leader in medical education. In 2016, the Masters of Science Program welcomed its first students to the Bradenton campus.

The beginning of all promising enterprises, undertakings, or accomplishments begins with an idea. With that idea usually follows a set of circumstances, which, in retrospect, appear to have forecast a prophetic outcome.

Now in its 25th year, LECOM has developed an unassailable reputation as a leader in medical education and patient care, with its graduates highly sought after in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry. LECOM also has set the standard for affordable education in a private medical college setting where graduates achieve outstanding board

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scores and journey forward to make a difference in the field of health care.

The College established its venerable place in medical education through a multiplicity of attributes; one of its most noteworthy offerings focuses upon its student-centered Learning Pathways. LECOM became one of the first institutions to present its curriculum in multiple learning styles designed to address the specific educational needs of its students and it accorded to them a choice of three- or four-year programs.

Coupled with its superlative curriculum, the character of those who practice their noble profession is at the heart of a LECOM education. Those in leadership understood that a physician embodies honor, professional appearance, purposeful action, and responsible behavior. The College adopted an honor code, a dress code for classroom and clinic, and professional policies that inculcate respect for the faculty.

The visionary leaders of medicine who founded LECOM sought to develop the core attributes of that which defines a health care professional: the credo of the calling; the intrinsic purpose of the healer; and the foundation of that which carries a physician to seek the best version of himself or herself for each defines the future of medicine.

Much has transpired in these two plus decades - education, enrichment, character and community - all within the prophecy of a prescient body of educators and physicians whose idea of the possible triumphed over doubt.

The founders of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine knew that their actions would inspire, their mission would bring purpose, and their commitment to a vision would result in a better tomorrow, not only for the generations of scholars who have crossed the threshold of a great institution, but also to the communities and to the larger world that they will serve in the calling of a lifetime.

Be a part of the

EXCITEMENT! The 2017 LECOM Health Challenge will take place July 3-9, 2017 at Peek’n Peak resort in Clymer, NY. A weeklong schedule of events will include a Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 5, followed by four official rounds of tournament competition, July 6-9, with a tournament purse of $600,000. Proceeds will benefit the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund.

Learn more at

www.lecomhealthchallenge.com

2016 LECOM Health Challenge winner, Rick Lamb

@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 29

IT’S TIME TO HAVE

The

LECOM Stud e nt Scholarship Fund

THE TALK

WITH YOUR FUTURE PHARMACISTS. We would like to extend a special thank you to all of our alumni who contributed to the 2016 Student Scholarship Fund! Your generous support has helped to significantly minimize the financial burden many of our students take on as they aspire to work alongside you as leading physicians, pharmacists, dentists, educators, and administrators. Your kindness has, yet again, impacted the lives of many.

Thank you, alumni!

Jamie Babiak, PharmD, MHSA ’10 Marcus Babiak, PharmD, MHSA ’10 Ranko Barac, DO, MS ‘07 Hershey Bell, MD, MS ‘07 Casey Burke, DO ‘01 Eric Cafini, DO ‘99 Christina Campana, DO ‘09 Jason Carlson, DO, MS ‘10 Garrett Clark, DO, MS ’05 Geralynn Clark, PharmD ‘13 Michelle Daryanani, DO ‘09 Jeffrey Esper, DO, MS, ’13 Frank Fatica, DO ‘98 Kathleen Fernan, DO ‘03 Douglas Fronzaglia, DO, MS ‘00 Jarrod Frydman, DO ‘99 Lisa Galbraith, DO ‘05 Drew Geller, DO ‘09 Michael Ghassibi, DO ‘14 Jason Goldberg, DO, MS ‘10 Stanley Gorski Jr., DO ‘00 Margaret Hallahan, DO ‘10 Jennifer Hammers, DO ’04 Danielle Hansen, DO, MS, MHSA ’05 Melhem Harp, DO ‘09 Kurt Harrison, DO ‘97 Randall Heemer, PharmD ‘06 Zachary Heeter, PharmD ‘09 Michael Huynh, DO ‘11 Melissa Jones, DO ‘13 Mark Kauffman, DO, MS ‘00 Bree Kramer, DO ‘05 Jeffrey Langsam, DO ‘04 Huong-Thao Le, PharmD ‘11 Joseph Lembo, DO ‘13 James Lin, DO, MS, MHSA ‘02 Sara Lucas, PharmD ‘09

Samuel Marcotullio, DO ‘02 Fernando Melaragno, DO, MS ‘07 Eric Milie, DO, MS ‘04 Melissa Millewich, DO ‘07 Cheryl Moore, DO, MS ‘12 Jonathan Morgan, DO ‘03 Stephanie Murphy, DO ‘06 Barbara Newman, DO ‘98 Nneka Nzegwu, DO ‘08 Rachel Ogden, PharmD, MS ‘13 Yvonne Okeke, PharmD ‘11 Taylen Peaden, DO ‘14 Gary Peterson, DO, MS ‘07 Anand Popuri, DO, MS ’15 Joseph Racanelli, DO ‘99 Frederick Raiser III, DO ‘00 Anthony Randich, DO ‘14 Armando Ricci, DO, MS ‘12 Beth Ann Ricci, DO, MS ‘07 Christine Rohanna, DO ‘08 Charles Rohrbach, DO, MS ‘09 Kelly Rosborough, DO ‘14 Kenneth Saliba, DO ‘00 Olga Selioutski, DO ‘02 Hardik Shah, PharmD ‘13 Elliot Share, DO ‘01 Tameka Sisco, DO ‘09 David Skolnick, DO ‘01 Marie Sprague, DO ‘02 Bojana Stevich-Heemer, PharmD, MS ‘06 Belinda Stillman, DO ‘03 Joshua Tuck, DO, MS ‘11 Frank Tursi, DO, MS ‘10 Brian Viviano, DO, MS ‘12 Benjamin Vroman, PharmD ‘11 Rebecca Wise, PharmD, MS ‘05

30 LECOM CONNECTION | WINTER 2017 | LECOM.edu

As a pharmacist, you may know someone in your family or at work who’s thinking about becoming a pharmacist.

Let them know pharmacy is a well-paying, patient-centered profession with a major role in health care.

Then tell them about the LECOM School of Pharmacy and our innovative, affordable student-centered pathways.

Tell them how the Erie three-year accelerated program can save as much as $70,000 or more* in tuition compared with more expensive, private four-year programs.

Tell them how the LECOM Distance Education program allows students to learn from home without the expense or burden of moving to another city.

Tell them how they can also choose the equally affordable four-year program at our beautiful state-of-the art campus in Bradenton.

Tell them to choose

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy *LECOM, PA 3-year tuition = $76,470; LECOM, FL 4-year tuition (out of state) = $101,960; LECOM Distance Education Pathway = $100,120; National Average tuitions range from $149,064 for a 3-year program to $145,500 for a 4-year program. (Source: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy).

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11.17 25 Years in the Making

Watch your mailbox this November for a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the LECOM Connection!