17 minute read
The President's Newsletter Fall 2024
DEAR MCPHS COMMUNITY,
As we enter our third century as a proud and esteemed University, we have the noble yet daunting responsibility to provide clarity and direction to our Community for the future of health and life sciences education. Our collaborative approach in engaging our faculty, staff, students, and alumni across 100 diverse academic programs provides us with tremendous confidence in developing that road map.
Our commitment to advancing innovation has never been more urgent. We embrace change and challenge the status quo to optimize teaching models while allowing our students to reach their potential as they learn and pursue new knowledge.
We are currently immersed in a digital healthcare transformation where technology and healthcare are embedded and inseparable. As clinicians and data scientists work passionately toward the next generation of healthcare solutions to improve the quality of care and health outcomes, our role is to prepare our graduates with those evolutionary skills.
We have established new schools, launched new programs, partnered with leading-edge organizations, hired renowned thought leaders and educators, and invested millions to establish that path forward for our students. We have also aggressively expanded internships, fellowships, residencies, and other real-world experiences to expose our students to the burgeoning intersection of healthcare and technology.
The meteoric rise in AI, as well as the critical importance of personalized medicine and other data-driven innovations, are also at the cornerstone of the research being done in our Centers for Excellence. Our Workforce Development teams, in partnership with our Employer Relations and Career Development teams, are providing our students a very clear path to contemporary careers in “health tech.”
The following pages provide a small glimpse of some of the passionate work and incredible accomplishments emanating from our Community members. Their inspiring work, grounded in our core principles around collaboration, inclusion, respect, and support, continues to strengthen our position as a global leader in health and life sciences education.
Thank you, as always, for taking a few moments to read this latest issue of “Our Story” as we work together to create a healthier, more equitable world.
/ COVER STORY /
THE INTERSECTION OF HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY
Technology has permeated every part of modern life, and healthcare is no exception. In recent years, the rate of innovation and advancement of technology in healthcare has been exponential. At their core, many of these developments share a common goal: to improve patient care.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) shares this vision for the future and seeks opportunities to make it a reality. Healthcare and technology have converged in numerous ways, utilizing a variety of technologies, from artificial intelligence to virtual reality, from digital health to informatics, and more. Geographically and philosophically, MCPHS is well positioned to embrace these advances and train professionals who will soon lead them.
Explosion of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated nearly every industry. In healthcare, AI is being used to make processes from diagnosis to patient data analysis faster, more accurate, and more efficient. Dean of the School of Healthcare Business and Technology Michael Spooner, EdD, said investment in AI has increased sixfold in the last three years alone. “AI is becoming part of our language, spurring a design-thinking mindset and supporting our ability to handle complex challenges creatively,” he said. “It combines healthcare and life sciences through practical applications of data science and machine learning…to improve lives of patients.”
Early applications of AI in healthcare came through chatbots and virtual health assistants. With this explosion of investment, AI tools can identify patterns in massive amounts of patient data, analyze medical imaging to diagnose conditions, and pinpoint the best treatment for specific patients. Still, there remains much untapped potential and, therefore, a need for thought leaders in this space.
“Skills like AI literacy and the ability to use prompt engineering are starting to appear in job descriptions,” Dr. Spooner said. “We cannot simply replace critical thinking and intuition with AI, but we can enhance the effectiveness and productivity of our employees.”
Personalized Medicine
One of the many applications of AI is advancing personalized medicine, a whole new approach to caregiving. Personalized medicine combines several technologies and techniques to customize both physical and mental health care for an individual. “Personalized medicine is a buildup of multiomic data points where we can collate massive data around a patient and assess what will likely work for that patient on a personal level,” said Timothy Aungst, PharmD, Professor of Pharmacy Practice at MCPHS.
Remote patient monitoring is one of the many ways personal patient data is collected. Using tools including smartwatches and other wearable devices, smartphone applications, at-home vitals monitors, and more, providers can collect direct insights into a patient’s lifestyle and wellbeing. In some cases, such devices can also aid in delivering treatment.
Genomic sequencing is another method of data collection providers are using to predict, diagnose, and treat a condition based on that patient’s DNA. As medicine becomes more personalized, providers will have more data to make better care decisions not just for individuals but also for entire populations with similar conditions.
Similar to AI, the investment in personalized medicine and digital health methods is growing. “Watching organizations like the FDA create a Digital Health Center of Excellence showcases the seriousness with which regulators are taking digital health,” said Dr. Aungst. “Coupled with payers offering coverage on digital health tools and interventions, I think we’ll see more people gaining access to such care pathways and more involvement from health professionals.”
Data-Driven Innovation
Healthcare technologies, including AI and personalized medicine, could not function without data. Luckily, the healthcare industry generates a staggering amount of data. In response, healthcare and life sciences organizations are relying on data professionals. “As with many industries, healthcare is becoming more datadriven, and there is a constant feedback loop of new data becoming available,”said Anna Decker, PhD, an adjunct faculty member at MCPHS and Associate Scientific Director at Moderna.
Data professionals employ a variety of tactics to make sense of this data, automating collecting processes, extracting insights and patterns from complex data sets, and building models to predict outcomes. They are also hyper-focused on patient privacy, using systems such as blockchain databases to better secure electronic health records.
“The expertise that data professionals bring allows organizations to make informed decisions faster, optimize treatments, predict patient risks, and ultimately, reduce costs while maintaining patient care and safety standards,” Dr. Decker said.
Simulating Reality
Hands-on experience is an essential part of education for future healthcare leaders. The emergence of virtual reality and augmented reality has brought great advances to this training, allowing providers to improve their skills in a faster, more efficient manner.
Headset devices and computer programs are the primary means of creating simulated clinical situations. They craft a reality in which providers can experience complex conditions and refine their skills before bringing them to patients. The School of Optometry at MCPHS has virtual reality technology readily available for students. “We don’t need a real patient to sit there, we don’t need to use any eye drops on anyone, and we can come and practice anytime we want,” said Lilly Phan, OD ’25.
Simulated reality technology also has great benefits for patients. It can create gamelike situations for patients to exercise their minds and bodies. For example, an occupational therapy patient can wear a headset to practice limb mobility. Or a patient with cancer can wear a headset to escape to the beach or the mountains while they receive treatment. Leading healthcare institutions, including MCPHS, have incorporated simulation technology into programs so students have experience with the latest tools available to improve patient care.
Training the Future Workforce
Healthcare and technology have become inseparable, ushering in a new era of patient-centered innovation. These advances have led to a growing need for highly trained providers, and MCPHS is committed to meeting the workforce needs of this evolving industry.
/ UNIVERSITY NEWS /
LIFE SCIENCES GRANT FOR STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT
FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR, MCPHS has received a grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC). Under the direction of Professors Fred Frankhauser and Ronny Priefer in collaboration with the Center for Life Sciences, the $500,000 award will allow the University to purchase strategic pieces of laboratory equipment, reinforcing our position as a leader in life sciences workforce training.
A PATHWAY TO OUR BIOLOGY PROGRAMS
THE UNIVERSITY HAS SIGNED an agreement creating a new pathway for Middlesex Community College students into one of the biology programs at MCPHS. Students on this pathway will complete their general education requirements at Middlesex, then transfer those credits and apply them to a bachelor’s degree from MCPHS.
BOSTON CAMPUS GROWS
THE BOSTON CAMPUS expanded this fall with the opening of six classrooms and a suite of administrative offices at One Palace Road. MCPHS leased the space from Simmons University over the summer. The agreement includes approximately 40,000 square feet of space spanning three floors.
SPS REACHES MILESTONE, TOPPING 10,000 UNIQUE STUDENTS
THE SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES (SPS) has achieved a significant milestone, enrolling its 10,000th unique student in prerequisite courses. This accomplishment highlights the University’s commitment to expanding educational access and supporting diverse learners as they pursue further studies. SPS offers a suite of 20 online, self-paced prerequisite courses and a range of certificate and credential programs for professionals.
/ ACADEMIC NEWS /
DMS PROGRAMS RECEIVE NEW EQUIPMENT
THE DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY (DMS) PROGRAMS on the Boston and Worcester campuses are utilizing brand-new, cutting-edge imaging machines. They allow students to work with the same equipment they will use in hospitals and other clinical settings. The equipment arrives as the School of Medical Imaging and Therapeutics welcomes one of the largest classes it has ever had.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CERTIFICATE
THE SCHOOL OF HEALTHCARE BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY has launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare Certificate. The program is designed to provide a fundamental understanding of AI, including its ethical and regulatory challenges. Students who complete the certificate will be prepared to apply AI solutions in several industries, including healthcare, life sciences, and technology.
LIFE SCIENCES LABS COMING SOON
MCPHS IS ENHANCING ITS LIFE SCIENCES training with 2,200 square feet of of state-of-the-art lab space on the first floor of the Fennell building, set to open in Spring 2025. The new labs in Fennell 113 and 114 will offer hands-on experience with industry-standard biotechnology tools, ensuring students are well prepared for careers across the life sciences industry.
ACCREDITATION NEWS
THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY—GENERAL programs on the Boston and Worcester campuses have been reaccredited for the next five years, until 2029. Additionally, the Bachelor of Science in Radiation Therapy program has been reaccredited for eight years.
/ FACULTY NEWS /
NATIONAL CLINICAL TRIAL USES VIRTUAL REALITY
THE EYE AND VISION CENTER at MCPHS–Worcester is an investigational site for a national clinical trial testing a device called a multi-periscopic prism (MPP) lens for patients who have lost half their field of vision. Patients’ success is evaluated with a virtual reality environment that tests their ability to detect collisions with other pedestrians with and without the MPP lens. “We’ve never seen any lens that could expand the patients’ field of view as much as this device,” said Kathryn Deliso, OD, FAAO, Chief of the Low Vision Service at the Center.
DR. KERI GRIFFIN NAMED DEAN OF THE CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH Keri Griffin, PhD, MPH, MPA, has been promoted to Dean of the Center for Research and Discovery, one of our seven Centers for Excellence. Dr. Griffin led the launch of the Center in 2018 and has served as Founding Director since. As Dean, she will collaborate with stakeholders across the University to oversee the Center’s continued growth and success.
DR. AMANDA KENTNER SERVES ON NIH STUDY SECTION
PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY Amanda Kentner, PhD, was appointed to a National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Integrated Review Group. During her four-year term, Dr. Kentner will review grant applications to help direct funding and make recommendations to the NIH. The invitation was based on the strength of Dr. Kentner’s extensive body of research on brain development in early childhood.
/ STAFF NEWS /
NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE
IN ADDITION to serving as Dean of the School of Professional Studies, Carol Stuckey has been promoted to Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships. In this position, she is set to forge strong relationships with industry and healthcare organizations, driving workforce development and unlocking new business opportunities for the University.
A TASTY START TO THE FALL
FACULTY AND STAFF CAME TOGETHER in Boston, Worcester, and Manchester, NH, for the annual Fall Kickoff Cookouts. Attendees enjoyed burgers and all the fixings while reconnecting with colleagues. The events created a lively atmosphere across the campuses, fostering camaraderie as the new semester began.
/ ALUMNI NEWS /
REUNION 2024: REFLECT & RECONNECT
ON OCTOBER 26, MCPHS hosted Reunion 2024 at Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza, welcoming 300 alumni and guests, some of whom traveled over 3,000 miles to attend. The event celebrated class years ending in 4 and 9, and honored Golden Graduates. With the theme “Reflect, Reconnect, and Celebrate,” alumni spanning 72 years of MCPHS history— from the Class of 1952 to that of 2024—gathered to renew ties and mark milestone anniversaries.
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT ON THE RISE
Over the last few years, MCPHS alumni engagement has increased by 63 percent. This figure is calculated using the many ways alumni connect with the Community, including volunteerism, communication, and event attendance.
/ STUDENT NEWS /
ACTIVITIES FAIRS KICK OFF A NEW SEMESTER
NEARLY 1,000 STUDENTS across all three campuses attended Campus Life Fairs to begin the new semester. Clubs, professional organizations, and University departments were present at each fair to showcase the opportunities available to students. In Boston, Evans Way Park transformed into “Camp Red.” In addition to student groups, Worcester’s fair included local businesses and community partners. In Manchester, NH, students organized a plant sale to benefit a charity walk. All three fairs were a celebration of the MCPHS Community.
STUDENT RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS HONOR SOCIETY FELLOWSHIP
ANI OURFALIAN, MPAS ’27, BS ’25, is the first student from MCPHS to be selected as a Phi Kappa Phi Fellow. She is one of just 62 student members of the honor society to receive the fellowship this year. “It’s an honor to be able to represent MCPHS in this way,” she said. Phi Kappa Phi is the oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society in the country. Every year, the MCPHS chapter inducts approximately 100 students who are at the top of their class.
WELCOMING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO MCPHS
THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR means new international students joining the MCPHS Community. Receptions were held on the Boston and Worcester campuses, providing opportunities for students to meet each other, connect with faculty and staff, and get aquainted with campus life. This year, MCPHS is welcoming students from countries all over the world, such as Albania, Haiti, South Korea, and many others.
STUDENTS TRAVEL TO PANAMA FOR SERVICE TRIP
MEMBERS OF THE MCPHS Global Brigades recently embarked on a weeklong service trip to Panama. During the trip, dental hygiene, premedical health studies, PA studies, and pharmacy students provided services to more than 200 people. They helped with patient intake, assisted with procedures, and provided education about health conditions and proper sanitation. The group is planning its next service trip, to Belize, in the spring.
/ COMMUNITY NEWS /
TEACHING LOCAL RESIDENTS HOW TO PREVENT FALLS
DOZENS OF OLDER ADULTS from the Worcester area recently came to MCPHS for an interprofessional presentation on how to prevent falls. Optometry, physical therapy, and pharmacy students shared important information about the things residents can do to decrease their risk of falling and suffering serious injury. This was the first time the annual event, which started in 2019, was held on an MCPHS campus.
COLLECTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR KIDS IN NEED
THE COALITION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ADVOCATES FOR DIVERSITY (COTAD) , a student organization on the Manchester, NH, campus, held a school supply drive for children experiencing homelessness. Working with Families in Transition, a local nonprofit organization, COTAD collected enough supplies for 45 children for the start of the school year.
SERVING VETERANS AT STAND DOWN EVENTS
MCPHS STUDENTS AND FACULTY from the optometry, nursing, and dental hygiene programs volunteered at Stand Down events in Boston and Worcester, offering health screenings, wellness resources, and support to over 500 veterans. These events, organized by Veterans Inc. and the New England Center for Veterans, connect veterans with essential services like medical care, housing assistance, and employment resources.
PROFESSOR LEADS TEAM USA TO VICTORY IN CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD
PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY Songwen Xie, PhD, once again led high school students from across the country to victory at the Chemistry Olympiad. Team USA earned four medals at this year’s event, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
/ EVENTS /
WELCOMING FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO MCPHS
THE CENTER FOR CAMPUS LIFE in Boston held Family Weekend on October 4–6, inviting students, their families, and their friends to campus. They enjoyed activities across the area, including a comedy show, apple picking, and discounted tickets to “Mamma Mia!” Guests capped off the weekend with Sunday brunch and a fall festival on campus.
HONORING MCPHS PRECEPTORS
PRECEPTOR APPRECIATION DAY at the Crowne Plaza Boston–Woburn brought together dozens of MCPHS preceptors for a day of educational workshops covering topics like pharmacy law, experiential education, and precision medicine. The event also celebrated the 2024 Preceptors of the Year: Dr. Frank Small, Director of Pharmacy at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network; Dr. Prasanna Gore, Managing Director of Gore & Company; and Vrushank Patel of Auburn Pharmacy and Home Healthcare.
DECEMBER COMMENCEMENT
THE DECEMBER 2024 Commencement ceremony will be held on Tuesday, December 17, at the DCU Center in Worcester. Aram Kerr, MBA ‘21, BS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography–Echocardiography ‘17, will deliver the alumni address. Kerr is the founder of Echo Imaging Solutions, a diagnostic imaging center in Portland, Maine.
