The Pulse - Volume XV, Issue I

LECOM Suncoast Classic TriumphsAgain

After the success of the previous LECOM Suncoast Classic events, the widely received tournament returned to the Korn Ferry Tour (previously the Web.com Tour) during the weekend of April 20-23, 2023.

The Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida hosted 156 Korn Ferry Tour golfers competing for a $1,000,000 purse and 30 PGA TOUR cards. The event highlighted professionals competing against the best golfers on the Korn Ferry Tour

Taking part in the trophy presentation, from left to right: Dr. Tim Novak, Dean of the LECOM School of Health Services Administration; Luke Henwood, LECOM Dental Student; Dr. Mark Kauffman, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs LECOM Bradenton; Scott Gutschewski, LECOM Suncoast Classic Champion; Tom Wedzik, LECOM Board of Trustees Member; Brennon Eudis, LECOM Medical Student; Dr. Thomas Yoon, Dean of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

The LECOM Suncoast Classic made its debut on the annual schedule in 2019, naming Mark Hubbard as its first champion. Last year, the 2022 champion, Beyong Hun An credited the LECOM Suncoast Classic as being instrumental in his success. The 2023 LECOM Suncoast Classic continued in its five-year commitment to the region as it provided yet another opportunity for skilled professionals from around the globe to enter the PGA TOUR.

LECOM Suncoast Classic TriumphsAgain (cont)

This year, the tournament champion was Scott Gutschewski, finishing with a solid -21 under par to close the thrilling competition that held golf fans captivated. The anticipated week of sun, golf, and enthusiasm was highlighted by a reception at the Lakewood Ranch Grove Restaurant, followed the next day by a Pro-Am Tournament, and finishing with the highly-awaited professional competition.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), as title sponsor of this sporting event has proclaimed its steadfast commitment to educational advancement in support of its Student Scholarship Fund and in fundraising endeavors that reinforce the noble calling of osteopathic medicine.

The event highlights wellness with aspiring athletes, who, like LECOM students, commit themselves to an extraordinary amount of work to achieve their career goals. These professionals mirror the passion to be great; a passion evidenced by fine LECOM scholars. For like the athlete, the scholar commits the whole of himself or herself to the calling of a lifetime.

LECOM is proud to be a part of the Lakewood Ranch community and of the greater Manatee County region. LECOM students weave through the tapestry of this thriving community giving of themselves in service to their neighbors. Whether it be fourth-year medical students serving at the Galvano One-Stop Clinic where they provide free primary care services or volunteering their training in health fairs, school outreach, public health screenings, and dental clinic offerings, LECOM scholars are working together for the betterment of the region.

Indeed, the enduring community presence and commitment of LECOM and its progeny underscore the success of events such as the 2023 LECOM Suncoast Classic. LECOM congratulates all who joined in the annual event as the College hails the sportsmanship of skilled competition and genuine camaraderie, and all who join closer to building success for shared goals and for the future of the community and region.

LECOM Provost, Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., Receives

RobertA. KistnerAward

The Robert A. Kistner Award is an honor and an accolade that recognizes the most esteemed of medical professionals, for to be recognized for the Award, one must be deemed to have improved the quality and continuum of osteopathic medical education.

The Kistner Award signifies the most profound compliment, a prodigious accomplishment, indeed a

From left to right: Dr. H. William Craver, AACOM Board Chair, Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOM Provost, and Dr. Robert A. Cain, AACOM President and CEO.

LECOM Provost, Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., Receives

RobertA. KistnerAward (cont.)

noteworthy distinction. It seems wholly fitting that Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Provost, Senior Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia M. Ferretti, D. O. be named the recipient of this enduring tribute.

The praiseworthy Award is bestowed upon a deserving medical professional in remembrance of Robert A. Kistner, a physician who stood at the pinnacle of the advancement in the osteopathic field; and the names of those honored with this award are cataloged among the most distinguished and august names in medicine.

On April 27, 2023, the American Association of Osteopathic Colleges of Medicine bestowed this illustrious honor upon the LECOM leader.

Dr. Ferretti has committed her life’s work to the fields of medicine and education, serving in the realm of community betterment, and giving meaning to service in the field of osteopathic medical education.

Dr. Ferretti is nationally recognized as a multi-faceted trailblazer, humanitarian, and visionary who, through exceptional public service and steadfast commitment to providing educational excellence to future generations of medical professionals, has led LECOM to become the largest medical school in the nation.

As the first female Dean of an osteopathic medical college and as a constantly active and renown leader in osteopathic medicine, Dr. Ferretti has invested unflagging personal commitment to community and to Commonwealth, to classroom and to Country by improving the health and welfare of its citizens, by training future healthcare professionals in multi-disciplinary medical fields, and by revitalizing numerous areas throughout Pennsylvania through the establishment of medical educational institutions, health and wellness facilities, and outreach programs that bolster the municipalities in which they have been instituted. Throughout the last three decades, Dr. Ferretti has led LECOM in its mission to provide to its graduates exceptional academic training and purposeful community service.

As a champion of osteopathic medical education, her contributions and her commitment to strengthen the state of healthcare education overall and to improve the quality of life for so many make her the perfect choice to receive the Robert A. Kistner Award.

Inaugural LECOM Doctor of HealthcareAdministration (DHA) Cohort Joins 2023 Graduating Class

Throughout its three decade history, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has been renowned for identifying unmet needs in healthcare higher education and for effectively and comprehensively answering that call.

In 2014, the first business masters degree program was established at LECOM. The program boasted eleven students. The success of the Masters in Health Services Administration (MHSA) Program and its graduates spurred the explosive growth of the LECOM School of Health Services Administration (SHSA), a School that, in less than 9 years, offers four masters degrees and the DHA Program. The graduating Class of 2023 will become part of 426 SHSA alumni who are leading healthcare organizations across America.

The LECOM DHA three-year, 72-credit-hour intense research track program prepares health industry professionals to become innovative leaders and complex problem solvers. This degree program qualifies professionals to serve as college faculty members, preparing them to teach and perform interprofessional research focused upon “the business of healthcare.” They also are educated to become next generation healthcare administrative practitioners well prepared to harness advanced systems, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and virtual medicine to champion their important work.

Theoretical and practical studies are blended in this rigorous doctorate degree program. Like the other four School of Health Services Administration (SHSA) degrees, this program is delivered on-line and designed specifically for the busy working professional seeking to expand and elevate his or her career.

Dr. James Stikeleather and Dr. Timothy Novak

In addition to being a life-long entrepreneur, the LECOM DHA Founding Director, Dr. James Stikeleather, served previously for seven years as Chief Innovation Officer for Dell Computer Systems; and he is internationally known as a thought leader across industries. He and Dr. Timothy Novak, Dean of the LECOM School of Health Services Administration, were classmates at the University of South Florida - and it was there that the vision of the innovative DHA was conceived.

Their mission was to create something new, needed, and lasting at LECOM. This inspiration guided the design, construction, and delivery of a transformative terminal degree program.

DHA(cont.)

Drawing upon their cumulative knowledge and surrounding themselves with a collaborative of healthcare scholar-practitioner faculty, the DHA Program was inaugurated in the summer of 2020, during the Pandemic and its success was immediate and noticed.

Six students enrolled as true pioneers of the DHA Program, all of them aware that they were part of something life-changing, and all setting forth on a journey that would define the path for themselves and for those who followed. Each course was undertaken by the group for the first time and it was carefully evaluated to implement any required improvements. The LECOM DHA Class of 2023 is featured below, along with the titles of their dissertation research publications.

Richard Curren, D.O., M.H.S.A.

From Burnout to Eudaimonia: Identifying Key Contributors to Employed Clinician Burnout Using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory

Loretta Darche, RN, M.B.A, M.S.

A Study to Learn How Curriculum Is Developed and Revised In Graduate Schools of Healthcare Administration

Brian A. McQuone, D.O.

Examination of a Physician-Created Wellness Toolkit Specific to the Practice of Medicine and its Effects on Emergency Medicine Residents' Wellness and Burnout

Breanna McKenzie, M.S.B.E. Barriers to Using Mental Health Resources in Primary School Setting

Natalie Novak, M.S.B.E.

Acute Care Hospital Administrators’ Willingness to Hire a Bioethicist and Pathways Towards the Advancement of the Profession

Brian A. Kessler, D.O.

Using Data Analytics of Medical Student Characteristics to Guide the Osteopathic Admission Process

There are a total of 16 LECOM DHA scholars in the next two cohorts and another 10 students expected to join the Program in July of 2023.

Healthcare is a pivotal industry and a vast business enterprise encompassing 20% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs. This projected growth is largely due to an aging population leading to greater demand for healthcare services. Healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than are any of the other occupational groups.

Talented, motivated, and skilled leaders are needed in the healthcare sector to manage these ever-growing requirements for medical services that align with rapid technological advancements, patient-centered ethical compliance requirements, and regulatory actions. Expertly trained health services administrators are essential to meet these demands effectively.

All of the LECOM SHSA programs provide students with indispensable knowledge, leadership, and communication skills required to plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health service organizations such as hospitals, healthcare facilities, public healthcare organizations, pharmacies, private practice groups, and senior living centers. The knowledge gained from these programs is vital to the understanding, planning, and implementation of sound fiscal policy, strategic planning, industry compliance, ethics, and responsible governance.

LECOM leaders are making their mark upon the future of healthcare administration as the College consistently maintains its noteworthy position in the vanguard of superlative medical education.

LECOM looks forward to probing the depths of understanding and to furthering the boundaries in the optimal practice of medicine as it continues to offer superbly designed programs to knowledge-seekers as they journey forward in the business of healthcare.

To learn more email about LECOM SHSA please visit:

SHSA@lecom.edu or call

941-405-1533

Classes are now forming for June 2023

LECOM Board of Trustees to Honor John J. Kalata, D.O.

In proud recognition of his installment as President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA), Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) alumnus and faculty member, John J. Kalata, D.O., will be honored by the LECOM Board of Trustees as they issue a formal Proclamation as a tribute to mark his noteworthy accomplishments.

In the realm of the medical profession, the pledge to a cause beyond oneself underscores the essence of all that embodies the osteopathic philosophy.

Dr. John J. Kalata, a graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a graduate of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned his Masters of Medical Education Degree, has demonstrated his abiding commitment to the purpose of this noble calling, evidenced by the accomplishment of each day in service.

Dr. Kalata has championed the principles that a conditioned body, a knowledge-seeking mind, and a purposeful heart are the cornerstones of a strong and vibrant community. For more than three decades, Dr. Kalata has served the Erie, Pennsylvania community as a Family Medicine Specialist.

He has distinguished himself as an esteemed LECOM luminary, serving expertly as Professor of Family Medicine at LECOM and at LECOM Health as Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) Residency Director where he has helped to encourage and produce many other skilled physicians.

With a multi-decade career championing the healthcare needs of the community, Dr. Kalata has earned the trust of, and continued relationships with his patients; and the respect and admiration of his colleagues.

Dr. Kalata (cont.)

Previously, Dr. Kalata served as District Chairman for the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association where he worked to further the mission of promoting the distinctive philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania for POMA members and for their patients.

On May 5, 2023, Dr. Kalata was installed as the new President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association during a POMA Inauguration Ceremony.

Recently, the Board of Trustees of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine formally recognized John J. Kalata, D.O. for his decades of noteworthy attainments, his unremitting dedication to the mission and calling of medicine, to the superlative education of LECOM students, and to the osteopathic profession as a whole, as well as to his support of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association.

The Board extended its congratulations and appreciation to Dr. Kalata for his years of loyal and dedicated service to LECOM and to LECOM Health honoring him with a formal Proclamation and a donation of $10,000 to Dr. Kalata’s scholarship in honor of his father, John C. Kalata.

For his dedication and determined attention to the cause of healing, to the advancement of whole person health, and to the betterment of his fellow man, LECOM takes great satisfaction in its full-throated recognition of Dr. Kalata as an exemplar of its enduring mission.

LECOM Health Groundbreaking Ceremony Heralds Major Expansion of Millcreek Community Hospital

A Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on March 23, 2023 at the Millcreek Community Hospital Education Center in Erie, Pennsylvania to announce the latest undertaking in the ever expanding LECOM healthcare nexus.

LECOM Health officials shared plans with the public about the latest construction project scheduled by the organization, one that will significantly expand the size and services of Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH). Mary Eckert, Millcreek Community Hospital CEO, along with Dr. Anthony Ferretti, LECOM Health Vice President of Surgical Services and Project Lead, provided details about the project.

The officials announced the groundbreaking of a 34,000 square-foot addition to the Millcreek Community Hospital that will create a new emergency department and intensive care unit.

The new emergency department will be located on the first floor and it will include eight treatment rooms, two trauma rooms, and six patient rooms dedicated to behavioral health. The second floor intensive care unit (ICU) will consist of six new critical care patient beds, and 14 private medical/surgical patient rooms.

Groundbreaking (cont.)

“The investment in this project aligns with our continued mission of meeting the needs of the community, particularly the need for better, faster emergency care in a private and comfortable setting,” explained Dr. Anthony Ferretti.

The plans also provide a new emergency entrance and exit and a dedicated ambulance-only drop-off area. Dr. Anthony Ferretti and Mary Eckert were joined at the ceremony by notables, John M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOM President and CEO; Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOM Provost; Danielle Hansen, D.O., Vice President of Acute Care, Behavioral Health and Quality at Millcreek Community Hospital; and James Lin, D.O., President of the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging. LECOM Health partners working on the project include Westminster Group Companies through JPI Development Partners, LLC; Perspectus Architecture of Cleveland, Ohio; Building Systems, Inc. of Erie, Pennsylvania; and Sanford Surveying and Engineering of Erie serving as the civil engineer. Construction is scheduled to be completed in late 2024.

From left to right: Mary Eckert, CEO of Millcreek Community Hospital; Anthony Ferretti, D.O., LECOM Health Vice President of Surgical Services; James Lin, D.O., President of the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging; Danielle Hansen, D.O., Vice President of Acute Care, Behavioral Health and Quality at Millcreek Community Hospital.

Alumni Our LECOM Family

The LECOM Health investment into the transformation of the landscape of the Erie region reminds the entire populace that the most enduring traditions and purposeful missions are ever-ready to respond to the needs of the community through growth and renewal. LECOM Health has been a stalwart perpetuator of community betterment. Refurbishments and upgrades, new and expansive projects, and an unremitting view of the possible have persisted throughout the ensuing decades and they have given rise to a remarkably improved Erie and a broader and more effective healthcare reach.

Thanks to LECOM Health and to the full complement of its resources, the mission and purpose that it began decades ago - to constantly improve access to health services and to affect community betterment - places LECOM squarely in the forefront of pinnacle care and community development as it serves the Erie region economically as well as medically. LECOM Health stands triumphantly - welcoming the next undertaking with the vision and purpose that will leave the landscape of tomorrow even more promising than that of today. For three decades your journey has been our passion. Excellence in medical education and unyielding commitment to community have formed a legacy-making mission that has established LECOM as the largest medical school in the nation and is the only osteopathic academic health center.

Other things may change us, but LECOM starts and ends with family. We have adhered to the time-honored practice of treating our family like friends and our friends like family. Such is the case with our cherished alumni.

A haven in a struggling world, our alumni family strives together to achieve great and noble goals: to heal the sick, to cure disease, to strengthen the elderly and the infirm, to bring health and wellness to our communities and neighbors, both at home and abroad. Generations of family members have found an educational home at LECOM, and as our alumni, we are proud to count you among them.

As you make a difference in the betterment of your communities, do not forget that just as you are part of our story, your educational home is part of your story. We encourage you to hold fast to those ties that bind.

LECOM looks forward to seeing you soon at a host of events, seminars, and programs that are offered throughout the year; and to furthering the boundaries in fundraising for our scholars as well as the optimal practice of medicine as LECOM continues to provide the best in medical education to discerning knowledgeseekers.

LECOM IT Specialist - Marathon Man RunningAgainst Fear

Mark Badaracco is an Information Systems Manager at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).He will be running as a LECOM- sponsored athlete in the 127th Boston Marathon in April of this year. The story of Badaracco’s journey from pack-a-day smoker to highly conditioned athlete bears telling, for his is a tale of determination, inspiration, and American pride.

The journey began in 2008, when Badaracco ran his very first race. His sister-in-law, a high school cross country runner, had been diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's Disease. Determined to not allow the disease to prevent her from living a full and meaningful life, she remained an active runner; and she founded a non-profit organization known as Running for Parkinson's. In 2008, she held her first race in partnership with Parkinson Partners of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Badaracco volunteered at each event until it was halted in 2020.

That event sparked Badaracco’s interest and despite his smoking habit, he spent the next few years dabbling in running, primarily running only on race days.

In 2013, Badaracco was at home just a week or so after a Parkinson's benefit race when the news broke that the Boston Marathon had been marred by terrorism as two homemade bomb explosions near the finish line took the lives of several people and injured many more participants and spectators.

“As I watched the situation unfold, I vowed then and there that I would become healthy enough to qualify and to run the Boston Marathon one day,” recalled the LECOM analyst. “I wanted the world to see that we are not scared, and we will not let fear deter us,” he avowed. Badaracco began to run more frequently. He gave up smoking later in that year and he began a serious commitment to bettering his health.

In 2018, Badaracco started running an ever increasing number of races, with his pledge to run the Boston Marathon firmly fixed in his mind. Despite getting into his "stride" and “making great progress,” Badaracco recognized that the longest distance he had run at that point was only a 10K (6.2 miles). Pressing onward, in 2019, he successfully completed his first half marathon.

In 2021, inspired by a friend in training for the Erie Marathon, Badaracco began his own training program with his goal to finish: on September 12, 2021. “I finished with a time of 3:22:45; not good enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon, but I finished,” he beamed.

Badaracco spent the next nine months maintaining and improving his health and his run efficiency. Throughout the year, he trained and competed with coaches and elite runners in the community. He became a more educated and experienced athlete, now belonging to multiple run clubs, such as the Erie Runners Club, the Flagship City Track Club, and the Achilles Run Club.

The determined runner began a training block three months before the Erie Marathon. He trained very diligently nearly every day and through the summer heat, spending countless hours on the track on the Penn State Behrend campus.

Marathon Man (cont.)

On September 11, 2022, Badaracco qualified for the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:53:34; a significant improvement over that of the previous year. Badaracco was officially accepted as a participant in the 2023 Boston Marathon on September 29, 2022. His qualifying time was 17 minutes better than the Marathon cut off time of 3:10:00.

On January 23, 2023, the LECOM stalwart began his training block for the 127th running of the Boston Marathon. His goal is to complete the Marathon with a finishing time of 2:45:00 to 2:50:00 - a target pace of 6:20 per mile.

Although the geography of the Boston Marathon is much more difficult than the flat lands at home, Badaracco is confident that he will succeed in his goal.

Badaracco shares the LECOM values of whole body health and wellness - a commitment to mind, body, and spirit. He has deemed it an honor and a privilege to represent LECOM and the Erie community as an athlete in the 2023 Boston Marathon.

As a sponsored athlete, Badaracco will proudly wear the LECOM logo and brand on his running gear during and after the race, at the finish line, and throughout the day, representing the LECOM core tenets of health and wellness.

LECOM proudly lauds the tenacity and fortitude demonstrated by Mark Badaracco in his marathon goals. The College stands Boston Strong with all Americans who will never be bowed by terrorists or terrorism and extends its well wishes to its LECOM family member as he seeks his personal best.

LECOM Takes Pride in Match Day 2023

There are moments in one's life that one remembers, moments that one awaits and of which one dreams. For many of those who have heard the calling, osteopathic medicine has meant more than simply treating disease; and Match Day represents a significant step on the path to achieving that dream.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is pleased to announce that its comprehensive (All) LECOM Match Rate for 2023 is 100%. All 560 LECOM students matched into a residency program.

The unprecedented need for Unified Graduate Medical Education (UGME) training has been a point of action for LECOM. The College has capitalized upon this change, aggressively pursuing and maintaining favorable Match rates.

In fact, the LECOM Match Rates consistently have been at or near 100% as LECOM regularly places almost all of its graduates into GME residency positions.

Since its inception almost 150 years ago, the calling of the osteopathic medical profession has centered upon the treating and healing of the entire body, mind, and spirit. LECOM takes pride in the grand success of its scholars as they set forth to answer that noble calling.

Congratulations scholars!

LECOM

Pharmacy Scholar WinsAmerican Pharmacists AssociationAcademy of Student Pharmacists

National Patient Counseling Competition

Shelby Matthews, a third-year pharmacy student in the LECOM Distance Education Pathway was the 2023 American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) National Patient Counseling Competition winner.

To be eligible for this Competition, students first must compete at their individual pharmacy schools. The winner travels to the Annual APhA Meeting to compete against the victorious candidates from other schools.

Once participants reach the national level, a preliminary round takes place from which the top ten participants progress to a final round. In each of the successive rounds, the patient counseling situation becomes more complex. Matthews and the other finalists were recognized on March 25, 2023 at the Annual APhA-ASP Awards Celebration at the APhA National Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

The goal of the APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition is to encourage student pharmacists in their efforts to become better patient educators. The Competition is designed to reflect changes that are occurring in practice, to promote and encourage further professional development of the student pharmacist, and to reinforce the role of the pharmacist as a healthcare provider and educator.

The Distance Education Pathway is one of three individualized Learning Pathways offered at the LECOM School of Pharmacy. A three-year Accelerated Pathway in Erie, Pennsylvania and a fouryear Pathway in Bradenton, Florida also provide stellar pharmacy education.

Equipped with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes necessary to solve problems, educate, advocate, and collaborate; and working with a broad range of medical professionals on integrated teams, LECOM pharmacy scholars, such as Shelby Matthews, become skilled pharmacy professionals, able to identify problems, to explore and prioritize potential strategies, and to design, implement, and evaluate viable medical solutions. LECOM is delighted to congratulate Shelby Matthews in her recent triumph, wishing her well as she journeys forward prepared to join a 21st century healthcare team of pharmacy professionals.

Meeting the Moment Dr. Elizabeth Rose Gray

There are moments during the course of a shared humanity that eclipse others, emblazoned upon one’s mind; moments of supreme challenge, of intense and daunting trials. It is in those moments that one is transformed. It is by one’s deeds, during those moments, that an individual is defined.

In 2020, and in the months following, the COVID-19 Pandemic and the unprecedented and challenging events thrust upon America and the world proved transformative.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) maintained its peerless ability to educate and to train the healthcare scholars, to imbue knowledge and to hone the character of many of the warriors who are now actively practicing in these Post-Covid years.

One such warrior is Dr. Elizabeth (“Liz”) Rose Gray, a proud Class of 2020 graduate of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

Despite the hurdles presented during the Pandemic, Dr. Gray was determined to be successful in dental school.

She and her classmates were resilient, and because of their motivation and resilience, they graduated in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic with all requirements completed in full.

After graduation, Dr. Gray continued to pursue a postgraduate residency in General Practice Dentistry to further strengthen her skills.

A native of Florida, “Liz” as she prefers to me known, was born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale. She is the second of four daughters. Her parents are immigrants; her father hails from Jamaica and her mother from Birmingham, England. Upon arrival in the United States, both of Liz’s parents worked determinedly to raise the family, each working three jobs.

Her father served in the United States Air Force as a dental lab technician. Little did Liz know at the time of her LECOM enrollment, but her father once dreamed of becoming a dentist, sacrificing that pursuit upon the birth of his first daughter. He was working as a Broward County Sheriff, when Liz announced (at the age of four) that she wanted to be a dentist.

One can imagine the profound swell of pride her father enjoyed in seeing his daughter accomplish that dream.

Dr. Gray’s elder sister is a registered emergency room and intensive care unit nurse, working toward becoming a nurse practitioner; and Dr. Gray’s third sister is a computer engineer now focused upon pursuit of a medical career. The youngest of the sisters is in college, majoring in English.

Dr. Gray (cont.)

Dr. Gray earned her Bachelor's Degree in Biological Science from the Florida Atlantic University. Postgraduation, Dr. Gray completed a General Practice Residency (GPR) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

She sought a career in dentistry because she valued the “immediate impact that she can make on someone's life, making someone smile and feel good about themselves.”

Dr. Gray selected the LECOM School of Dental Medicine because the community outreach service opportunities offered by LECOM to the dental students (such as Give Kids a Smile, the Senior Living Center offerings, Remote Area Medical services, and Mission of Mercy) gave her the opportunity to enjoy hands-on patient interaction.

With a life motto of “Work Hard,” Dr. Gray has personified that credo, spending most of her free time volunteering at her church and serving in the children's ministry.

Currently, Dr. Gray works at a private dental practice in Omaha, Nebraska. She welcomed the time spent in surgical rotation during her GPR training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and she looks forward to the opportunity to return to the hospital setting to provide dental care to patients with special needs.

Indeed, the challenging task put upon humanity in the Pandemic throes called many to find courage, to summon strength, to seek one’s better angels, and to meet the moment. Dr. Elizabeth Gray has done just that - and LECOM is proud.

Below, Dr. Elizabeth Gray (left) and Dr. Destynee Horner (right), both graduates of the LECOM SDM Class of 2020. To the right, Dental school graduation, June 2020

Elmira Casino Night DrawsAttendees Seeking to Benefit LECOM Scholarship Fund

Southern Tier wagerers - philanthropists, community leaders, and patrons of all ages - were on hand for the Annual Elmira Casino Night Student Scholarship Fundraiser that took place on March 25, 2023, at the Elmira Country Club, in Elmira, New York.

Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, dinner, casino games, a silent auction, raffles, music, and dancing. The affair has become a highly awaited event, and an evening that community members seek not to miss.

A $125.00 entry ticket included 100 playing chips and a promise for an evening of camaraderie and exciting chances to win prizes. LECOM at Elmira is committed to raising funds that will help attract and retain osteopathic medical students to Upstate New York.

Elmira Casino Night (cont.)

Students, staff, and guests mingled and mixed; and those who chose to play in the games vied to win fake casino chips in order to earn raffle tickets that would then be used to put into 20 different raffle baskets.

Some of the baskets included Buffalo Bills and Sabres tickets, various getaway trips, signed sports memorabilia, event tickets, a spa basket, and many other intriguing items. The 165 attendees and the more than 149 contributors to the event made the night a resounding success.

Additionally, more than 69 donors made contributions to the silent auction. The Elmira Casino Night raised $150,000 to benefit the Scholarship Fund. Student speakers at the event, LECOM at Elmira second-year, Kadidja Bayor, second-year, Stephen Howard, and first-year, Joel Rhinehart lauded the importance of the LECOM Student Scholarship and all that the Scholarship has meant to them.

Eclipsing the jubilation of the affair was the obvious purpose of the night: the future of medicine and the quality of the doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and podiatrists being nurtured by LECOM supporters. The commitment to excellence that LECOM exudes remains palpable at the end of the evening, those in attendance departed with a lighter pocket billfold, clearly they left behind more than dollars as they championed a cause that assuredly will change lives.

LECOM at Seton Hill fourth-year student, Cora Blodgett, participated in a juried podium presentation of a case report entitled, Vagus Broke Her Heart: A Case of Symptomatic Bradycardia from a Vagal Nerve Stimulator. Her presentation, made along with Madalyn Nelson, CPT, MD, from Carl Darnall Army Medical Center, in Ft Hood, Texas, took place at the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians (USAFP) 2023 Research Competition.

The March 31, 2023 Competition was held in Orlando Florida. Blodgett won first place honors in the Medical Student Case Report Category.

Mohammed S. Razzaque, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology at LECOM Erie, authored an article with third-year student, Joanna Oh, entitled, Common Dietary Sources of Natural and Artificial Phosphate in Food. The piece was published in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. See link for the full article: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91623-7_10

Dr. Razzaque also authored an article entitled, Antagonism Between Prdm16 and Smad4 Specifies the Trajectory and Progression of Pancreatic Cancer, published in the Journal of Cell Biology. See link for the full article: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202203036

Three LECOM-Bradenton third-year scholars, Kylie Caouette, Layth Alkhairi, and Jeremiah Earl, recently had a book published highlighting a host of tips to help students excel during clinical rotations. The book is entitled, 40 Tips to Ace Clinical Rotations.

As described by the publisher, "This book contains 40 practical and theoretical tips to help you be your best while on the wards. Written by three United States medical students at the tail-end of their third year, it provides you with pointers based on lived experiences.” The book is available at:

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZBQXMT1

Pictured to the right, left to right, Cora Blodgett and Dr. Madalyn Nelson.

Faculty/Student News (cont.)

Second-year, LECOM Bradenton student, Min Chae, received an Outstanding Presentation Award at the 86th Annual Meeting of the Florida Academy of Sciences, held on March 10, 2023. The award-winning presentation highlighted a Robust Na+, K+-ATPase Activity Assay for the Evaluation of Synthetic Inhibitors: A Screen for Potential Migraine Mitigation Pharmaceuticals. The poster was presented with those of two fellow research members: second-year scholars, Emma Barnes and Morgan Hatlovic. All three students are pictured here with LECOM Bio-

ALUMNI NOTES

2001 - Erie

James Covalesky, D.O. is practicing internal medicine in New Jersey and he is affiliated with CentraState Medical Center, Victoria Health Center, Care One of Holmdel, and the Manor Health and Rehabilitation Center.

2003 - Erie

Rhonda Parker, D.O. will be representing Districts 3 and 4 in Western Colorado on the Colorado Medical Society Board.

2009 – Erie

Sarunas Sliesoraitis, D.O. is practicing medical oncology with University Knight Cancer Collaboration in Logan, Utah.

2017 – Erie

Thomas Fister, D.O. is seeing patients at Baptist Behavioral Clinic-North in Little Rock, Arkansas.

2018 - Bradenton

Aviral Yadav, D.O. has joined Capital Health Primary Care in West Windsor, New Jersey.

2018 – Seton Hill

Ashley Matter, D.O. is practicing gynecologic surgery with Cayuga Health in Ohio.

2019 – Erie

Jeffrey Tseng, D.O. is practicing emergency medicine at Penn Highlands Healthcare and Penn Highlands Mon Valley in Pennsylvania

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 28 Commencement: LECOM Erie, LECOM at Seton Hill

June 4 Commencement: LECOM Bradenton

July 21 Registration Day (COMS-All locations)

July 24 – 27 Summer CME at The Ritz Carlton, Sarasota, FL

August 12 White Coat Ceremony (Elmira)

September 9 White Coat Ceremony (Seton Hill)

September 16 White Coat Ceremony (Erie)

LECOM Erie

Marketing & Communications commmunications@lecom.edu

814-860-5125

Kelly Murphy

kamurphy@lecom.edu

724-552-2869

LECOM Bradenton

Debra Horne

dhorne@lecom.edu

941-782-5933

LECOM

Suzanne Harkness

sharkness@lecom.edu

607-442-3500

LECOM Seton Hill

at Elmira