The Graduate by Susan Reynolds

Graduate the

Spring

2010

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A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE MGH INSTITUTE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Dr. Laurie Lauzon Clabo is Chosen as New Nursing Dean Laurie Lauzon Clabo, PhD, RN, will join the MGH Institute of Health Professions on June 1, 2010, as Dean of the School of Nursing. Currently, Dr. Lauzon Clabo is Associate Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island. Previously, she served two years there as Director of Undergraduate Studies in Nursing. The current School of Nursing Dean, Dr. Margery Chisholm, EdD, RN, CS, ABPP, will return to a full-time faculty role. “I look forward to working with the Institute’s highly qualified and wellregarded faculty, students who are fully engaged, and an administration that is on the cutting edge of nursing education,” said Dr. Lauzon Clabo,

who will also hold a faculty appointment as Professor of Nursing. She cited the Institute’s clinical focus, connection with Massachusetts General Hospital and other affiliates in Partners HealthCare, and the opportunity to increase faculty research as other key reasons for her decision. “The Institute and faculty of the School of Nursing are looking at new ways to prepare nurses as leaders in the 21st Century, and to build the knowledge base that supports nursing practice,” she said. “It’s an exciting time to be joining the Institute.” “Dr. Lauzon Clabo’s appointment is the result of a highly competitive national search,” said Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Alex F.

Johnson, PhD. “She has a portfolio that demonstrates excellence in academic leadership, promotion of scholarship, and in nursing education. She will be continued on page 12

School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Created

Responding to Haiti It didn’t take long for members of the greater MGH Institute community to rally behind the relief efforts in the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake that devastated Haiti. In the subsequent months following the disaster, which killed as many as 250,000 people and left millions destitute, several alumni and students have either played a key role in the relief efforts or travelled to the island nation to give first-hand care.

Dr. Lauzon Clabo will start on June 1.

The MGH Institute this spring established its newest academic unit, the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), which comprises the Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and the Graduate Program in Medical Imaging.

Sherline Chery-Morisset ’06 spent 10 days in her native Haiti.

Sherline Chery-Morisset ’06 had just completed a volunteer visit with the Boston non-profit organization Sante Fanm Ak Lafanmi, which she founded in 2009, when the earthquake struck. She quickly returned to her native country. continued on back page

“As one of the few independent health professions graduate schools in the country, the Institute is now positioned to focus on the strengths of each of our programs and to identify the unique contributions made by all of our academic programs,” noted Provost and Academic Vice President Alex F. Johnson, PhD. “With our two schools in place, we are now in a position to continue to develop the Institute, acknowledging our interprofessional nature, but also the distinctiveness of each of our programs.” continued on page 14

President’s Corner MGH INSTITUTE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

ealth care reform continues to remain front and center on the national level, and I’m pleased to report that the MGH Institute will continue to monitor developments that have implications for our academic programs and our faculty and students. Regardless of the outcome of new legislation or policies, we are poised to respond quickly to ensure that our programs remain on the cutting edge and our graduates prepared to embrace and adapt to changes that will affect their work and their respective professions in the future.

ADMINISTRATION Janis P. Bellack, President Alex F. Johnson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Atlas D. Evans, Vice President Office of Finance and Administration Janis P. Bellack, President

MISSION STATEMENT REDEFINED Throughout the past year, our senior administrators, faculty, staff, and students played a large role in redefining the Institute’s mission statement, creating a vision statement, and articulating a set of core values to direct our efforts going forward. The time, effort, and energy invested in this process resulted in a widely accepted and understood strategic framework, and stimulated a host of new ideas and innovative developments in such areas as academic programs and initiatives, teaching-learning modalities, and technology. To better position us to achieve our strategic goals, the reorganization of the Institute into two academic schools was recently completed with the creation of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). Following the formation of the School of Nursing last year, the SHRS comprises the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Department of Physical Therapy, and Graduate Program in Medical Imaging. Dr. Leslie Portney, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, has been named interim dean of SHRS. A new dean of the School of Nursing, Dr. Laurie Lauzon Clabo, has been appointed and will join the Institute June 1, 2010. Current dean of the School, Dr. Margery Chisholm, will return to the faculty following a well-deserved sabbatical leave, having dramatically expanded the School’s programs, faculty, and students over the past several years.

Christopher Hartley, Executive Director Office of Institutional Advancement Bette Ann Harris ’83, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

Robert E. Hillman, Associate Provost for Research

Carolyn F. Locke, Dean Office of Student Affairs

Denis G. Stratford, Chief Information Officer

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS Margery Chisholm, Dean School of Nursing

Gregory L. Lof, Chair Communication Sciences and Disorders

Leslie G. Portney, Interim Dean School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Chair, Physical Therapy

Richard Terrass, Director Medical Imaging

PARTNERSHIPS BEING CONSIDERED To help realize the Institute’s strategic commitment to become the global leader in health professions education, we are currently exploring several potential international partnerships. We are working closely with Partners Harvard Medical International and Partners International Medical Services, as well as American HigherEd (AHEd), to determine how best and to what extent the Institute can reasonably extend its reach and influence globally. We also are committed to expanding opportunities for our students who wish to have a short-term “study abroad” experience, and this summer several students will travel to South Africa with Professor Inge Corless to visit and volunteer in health clinics there, specifically with HIV/AIDS populations. We also are exploring a number of local and regional partnerships. For example, the Institute recently signed an agreement with Regis College to create a joint Master of Arts in Teaching degree in which Regis students will complete half of their required credits in the Institute’s existing Certificate of Advanced Study in

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Reading program. This collaboration is a wonderful example of how both institutions can complement each other’s strengths, and expand their respective student base using existing curricula and staff, while filling an obvious need – in this case, to alleviate the shortage of reading specialists in the public schools. Another initiative underway is repositioning our “science summer” courses as Science Prerequisites for Health Care Professionals, and to offer these courses online every semester, not only for prospective Institute students but also

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Trustees Add Five New Members

The composition of the Board of Trustees changed during the past year, as the leadership was expanded to 17 members. Five new members were elected: 1. D. Ari Buchler, Senior Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Services of Phase Forward Inc. in Waltham, a firm that provides integrated data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety;

2. Jeanette Ives Erickson, Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; 3. Oswald “Oz” Mondejar, Vice President for Human Resources & Community Relations of Partners Continuing Care, Inc., the non-acute care services division of Partners HealthCare, in Boston; 4. Angelleen Peters-Lewis, Director of Women’s & Newborn’s Nursing and Clinical Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; and

5. Colette Phillips, President and CEO of the public relations and marketing communications firm Colette Phillips Communications, Inc., in Boston, and a trustee at Massachusetts General Hospital. 4

“We are delighted to have these five exceptional individuals become members of the Board of Trustees,” said Board Chair George E. Thibault, MD. “They are joining the board at a time of expansion at the Institute, and we look forward to their playing a key role with their wisdom and leadership skills.” Three long-time members have become Honorary Trustees, and were cited for their service to the Institute at the June 2009 Board meeting: • E. Lorraine Baugh, the Board’s longest-serving member, and its first Chair of the Board, for providing wise and steady stewardship from the Institute’s birth as an independent affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital; • John V. Guttag, for sharing his expertise in academia and research, for being Chair of the Board’s Academic and Student Affairs Committee, and for his support of the Institute’s Physical Therapy program; and • Carol Surkin, for being Chair of the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee and its Long-Range Planning Committee, and for her support of the Hanson Initiative for Language and Literacy (HILL).

health professions students elsewhere who need access to these science prerequisite courses. In addition, plans are proceeding to add a Master of Science in Medical Imaging that builds on our current post-baccalaureate certificate, to prepare leaders in the field. There are several other programs and initiatives in the early planning stages, and we will keep you apprised of them as they become realities.

GROWTH ON THE HORIZON As the Institute grows and expands, it is clear that additional resources will

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be needed to ensure our continued commitment to high quality. Specifically, we must recruit new faculty, secure needed clinical placements, and assure sufficient and appropriately equipped classrooms, labs, and other student learning spaces. We are actively recruiting new faculty, expanding our clinical placements, and have begun to explore acquiring additional physical facilities in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Along with the relocation of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital to the Navy Yard scheduled for 2012, our goal is to further consolidate the Institute’s

presence and engagement with the Charlestown community. These initiatives promise to help us reach our primary strategic goal of strengthening our distinctiveness through excellence, strategic growth, and innovation. We are well on our way. I welcome your ideas, questions, and suggestions. On behalf of the entire Institute community, thank you for your continued support.

President and John Knowles Professor

SPRING 2010 n THE GRADUATE 3

INSTITUTE AT A GLANCE Partnership With Regis College Created First step in effort to expand our educational reach The collaboration between the MGH Institute and Regis College to create a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with a concentration in reading promises to be more than just providing students with another educational option. The agreement is the first of its kind with a peer institution, and one in which President Janis P. Bellack believes is a first step of more to come. “This is a perfect example of how we can expand the Institute’s reach and scope of influence,” said President Bellack. “Opportunities to create partnerships in which we can complement another institution’s strengths, and increase the number of students while keeping additional costs to a minimum, are very beneficial to our long-term stability.” Talks between the two schools occurred over several months during 2009, led by Dr. Richard P. Santeusanio, coordinator of the Certificate of Advanced Study in Reading Program. He and his Regis counterparts quickly realized they could create a program to help alleviate a local and nationwide shortage of teachers with expertise in reading. The deal was signed by President Bellack and Dr. Mary Jane England, Regis president, last December at a ceremony on the campus of the Weston college. Graduates of the 36-credit joint program will be accomplished in reading instruction, skilled in diagnosing reading issues, and be able to collaborate with teachers across other disciplines. During their coursework at the Institute, students will gain unrivaled experience instructing struggling readers at the graduate school’s Speech, Language and Literacy Center. At Regis, they will focus on teaching methods and other related coursework in the Department of Education and School of Arts and Sciences. Regis will issue the master’s degree. The Institute is currently investigating other partnership opportunities with local and regional colleges that may include both on-campus and distance-learning components. In addition, President Bellack, Provost and Academic Vice President Dr. Alex Johnson, and other Institute leaders are in discussions with health care organizations that have an

NEWS BRIEFS n A new Diversity Council, comprised of members throughout the school, has been created. Its charge is to provide a forum for continued vigilance directed toward creation, promotion and maintenance of activities, programs, and policies that further the Institute community’s understanding of and support for diversity.

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Regis Professor Leona McCaughey-Oreszak, Regis President Mary Jane England, MGH Institute President Janis Bellack, and MGH Institute Reading Program Coordinator Richard Santeusanio, celebrate the partnership agreement.

international focus. Those include Partners Harvard Medical International, Partners International Medical Services, and American HigherEd. The agreement with Regis creates a synergy between the two schools that will allow each to better leverage resources and keep expenses low while creating the opportunity to enroll a new cohort of students for far less than it would cost to start a new program independently. “This collaboration complements each institution’s strengths,” noted President Bellack. “It offers a unique opportunity for Regis’s graduate students to get a wide range of experience from experts in the field of reading that they can immediately use to improve pupils’ education.” Added President England, “Cutting edge partnerships like this create an informed workforce of teachers and diagnosticians. Graduates of this program will be able to address the needs of different populations of students.” ”We are all excited about being involved in this unique partnership,” said Dr. Santeusanio. “Our graduate students are going to become knowledgeable about research-based reading practices in courses taught by leaders in the field of reading and learning disabilities.” n The Institute completed a transition to a new courseware platform called Desire 2 Learn (D2L). It offers students a greatly enhanced learning experience, and gives faculty a greater range of options to support student learning and assessment. n The Institute and the Office of Research Administration at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital have begun working

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Prepared for Decennial Review

he MGH Institute is well-prepared for the New England Association of Schools and College (NEASC) decennial review, scheduled for the end of March.

“The entire community has spent the past 18 months working on a collective self-study process to evaluate the Institute against the NEASC standards for colleges and universities,” said President Janis P. Bellack. “I am confident the Institute is well-positioned for a favorable review by the site visit team.” NEASC serves as the accreditor of the Institute, and maintaining accreditation is essential to ensuring access to federal financial aid and other federal resources. Ten separate subcommittees gathered information and submitted their findings to the Self-Study Steering Committee, chaired by Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Bette Ann Harris. Each team included members from administration, faculty, and staff, and students had an opportunity for input to the standard on students. “The review process has been one of critical self-examination that involved identifying the school’s many strengths, acknowledging its ongoing challenges, and offering recommendations for improvement,” noted President Bellack. Site visit team members are scheduled to be on campus March 28-31. They will meet with members of the Board of Trustees and key administrative and academic units, and will hold three open meetings for students, faculty, and staff. The team will issue its preliminary report the morning of March 31, which will be submitted to the NEASC Commission on Higher Education for review and formal action on the Institute’s continued accreditation. The Commission is expected to notify the school of its action in Fall 2010. The self-study report is available at www.mghihp.edu/neasc.

together to help faculty with the research process including obtaining and managing research grants. The Spaulding personnel oversee all grant management operations, which includes all pre-award work such as administrative help with grant preparation and grant submissions, as well as post-award functions such as assistance with budget tracking and agency reporting.

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Campus Going Green The Administration has increased its efforts to make the campus community more environmentally conscious in an effort to reduce waste and improve efficiency. Among the changes that have occurred since the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year are: • increasing students coursework online • having faculty use course packs to replace textbooks • printing on both sides of paper • capping dry erase markers to extend their lives • installing energy-efficient vending machines in the Shouse Building • turning off lights and equipment after use, and • increasing the number of recycling bins throughout campus “The Institute is committed to going green by integrating environmental practices throughout the campus,” said Manager of Operations Diane Nolan, who is leading the initiative. “As a health science community, we take seriously the effects of our environment on human health. By working together, the entire campus can move towards being even more energy efficient.” During the past academic year which ended June 30, 2009, the school’s recycling efforts saved 107 adult trees, 22 cubic yards of landfill space, and 30,633 Kilowatts of electricity, or 18 barrels of oil, while reducing the carbon footprint by 6.17 metric tons of carbon equivalent – equal to removing five cars from the roadway. The Institute is also working with Institution Recycling Network, a non-profit that works with colleges and universities to facilitate recycling items such as computers, monitors, TVs, audio equipment, and outdated office furniture. These items are then cleaned/repaired, if needed, and shipped to struggling areas within the United States and worldwide through disaster relief and economic development programs. Go to www.mghihp.edu/green for updates.

n The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has created four specialty electives that will allow students to eliminate the need for tracking into either a medical or educational course of study. The new concentrations are Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Reading Disorders; and Voice Disorders.

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INSTITUTE AT A GLANCE Inquiries, Applications Surge in Five Direct-Entry Programs

nterest from people who want to change their career path by attending the MGH Institute continues to climb.

Inquiries to the school’s five direct-entry programs – Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Medical Imaging – increased 33% this current academic year compared to 2008-2009. Even more impressive, applications increased 51%. The rise can be attributed to a number of factors, including the relative stability of health care careers, good wages, and the continued economic downturn which often prompts people to consider a career change. The BSN program saw the largest jump in both categories. Inquiries doubled to 2,228, while applications increased 71% to 468. The number of students admitted in the program’s second year increased from 45 to 86. “We’re very pleased that so many people hold our Umila Dutt, a student in the Master of Science in Physical Therapy program, program in such high esteem and that we continue to found a perch to study in the 3rd floor student lounge. She is part of the largest attract talented applicants who are committed to help incoming class in the Institute’s history. alleviate the shortage of nurses in the country,” said Accelerated BSN Program Director Alexandra Paul-Simon, SAVE THE DATES PhD, RN. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us at Overall, 366 new students enrolled in the five direct-entry an upcoming event: programs, the largest incoming class in the school’s 33-year May 8: Commencement history. A total of 900 students are taking classes, surpassing May 10-14: Spaulding Clinical Preceptor the Institute’s enrollment goals. Appreciation “This allows us to educate more health care professionals June 16-19: APTA Annual Conference in Boston who can help alleviate acute shortages while keeping June 24: MGH Clinical Preceptor Appreciation tuition expenses as low as possible,” noted President Oct. 15-16: Department of Physical Therapy 30th Janis P. Bellack. Anniversary Weekend To help educate this larger cohort, the Institute hired Oct. 28: 4th Annual Scholarship Gala 11 new full-time faculty members and added several For updates, go to www.mghihp.edu. adjunct faculty.

n Zanele Mfono, a Visiting Fulbright Scholar, will be on campus through June. A professor at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa, she will give lectures while researching why people infected with the HIV virus in her native South Africa do not take anti-AIDS drugs with the same frequency as people in the United States. Last year, the Institute began a collaborative effort with Partners

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Harvard Medical International to help the South African university establish a school of health sciences. n The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program received a $300,000 grant from the Helene Fuld Health Trust, whose mission is to support nursing students. The award will be used over the next three years to increase financial aid to students in the program.

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PROGRAM NEWS Doctor of Nursing Practice for Executives Created They come from different backgrounds, different positions, different points of view. One thing that’s not different for high-ranking nurse executives is the dearth of peers with whom they can problem solve while at work. That is just one of the primary reasons behind the new Doctor of Nursing Practice for Nurse Executives (EDNP) program in the School of Nursing.

Inc., a management consulting firm, she is a former MONE president with 40 years experience in health care that includes executive positions in several hospitals. She also is chief nursing consultant to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Nursing Initiative.

“The opportunity to learn alongside people who are going through the same things as me has been outstanding,” said Joyce Cotton, Associate Chief of Nursing and Clinical Services at Spring Harbor Hospital in Maine. “I’ve learned different ways to approach an issue and different philosophies that have been remarkable.” “I’ve been able to apply things I’ve learned in this program directly to work situations,” noted Elaine Bridge, Senior Vice President for Patient Care at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and the incoming president of the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE). “It’s already made a difference for me.”

FIRST OF ITS KIND

Doctor of Nursing Practice for Nurse Executives (EDNP) cohort members (from left) Joyce Cotton, Elaine Bridge, and Maureen Scrozynski discuss common issues.

The program is the first of its kind in New England, and one of a handful in the United States. It is a hybrid of online classes and monthly on-campus seminars where the cohort hears from management experts while having the chance to strategize solutions to common issues they encounter. Built upon the curriculum of the school’s existing DNP program – one of the first to be created in the country when it was launched in 2007 – its format was deliberately created to accommodate the demanding schedule of nurse executives who are responsible for patient care at their workplace. Maureen Sroczynski has been involved from the beginning in the EDNP’s formation. The president of Farley Associates

SHORT TAKES n Communication Sciences and Disorders Associate Professor Charles Haynes was inducted into the International Dyslexia Association’s Hall of Honor for his contributions to the field of dyslexia.

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As a consultant, she needs to keep up with the latest trends in nursing, and had thought a PhD was her only option when she got together with other MONE members – including Nursing Dean Dr. Margery Chisholm – to address what they collectively saw was a pressing need. “A PhD educates people to be researchers, which is obviously very important, but there wasn’t anything for executives on the clinical side who manage a staff who give direct care to patients,” Sroczynski explained. “This program gives us knowledge on things we’re rarely exposed to or have the time to work on, like leadership theory, negotiating skills, informatics, and management assessment tools. It’s a highquality education for nurses in senior leadership positions.”

n School of Nursing Associate Professor Janice Goodman was named a Nurse Faculty Scholar by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One of just 15 nurse educators from around the country to receive a threeyear $350,000 award, her research focuses on early post-partum depression intervention for first time mothers,

using an innovative approach to treat both the infant and the mother simultaneously to create better long-term outcomes. She was an expert witness at a State House hearing in January for a bill that would make Massachusetts the first state to mandate that health care providers regularly screen for postpartum depression.

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PROGRAM NEWS Physical Therapy to Celebrate 30-Year History in October Plans are underway to celebrate this coming October several milestones in the history of the Department of Physical Therapy.

speakers on Saturday morning who will represent each of the three degree options, followed by a luncheon.

The department will commemorate the first cohort of students to begin classes in the department’s three degree options with several events over the weekend of October 15-16, 2010.

All graduates, faculty, and students, as well as preceptors and former faculty, are invited to attend the celebration. Attendees will receive a commemorative booklet that will look back at the program’s 30-year history, and include stories on graduates and the programs’ achievements.

30years

The celebration is based upon when the first students began classes in each of the three degrees:

• 1980: Post-professional Master of Science in Physical Therapy • 1995: Entry-level Master of Science in Physical Therapy • 2000: Entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy, and transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy

“This is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the department’s role and history at the Institute,” said department Chair Leslie Portney, DPT, PhD, FAPTA. “Our programs have grown in stature and prominence during the past 30 years. We’re looking forward to this event and hope everyone connected with the program can join us.”

While exact details are still to be finalized, the celebration is expected to include a kickoff cocktail reception on Friday evening at a Boston restaurant, presentations from three

The Department of Physical Therapy recently became part of the new School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, joining the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Post-Baccalaureate Program in Medical Imaging. The event will support a new onsite clinical education center, which will open its doors this summer. “This is an exciting project for us, allowing us to develop practical learning opportunities for physical therapy students,” said Dr. Portney. Several opportunities exist to support the event, including purchasing an ad in the booklet and activity sponsorship. To learn more about supporting the Department of Physical Therapy anniversary, please email alumni@mghihp.edu.

STUDENTS PREPARE FOR MAY 8 COMMENCEMENT While the MGH Institute’s official Commencement is each May, students in several degree programs finish at different times throughout the calendar year. Students in the entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program held their completion ceremony in late January. “We know how hard you’ve worked to reach this milestone, and we are very proud to now be your colleagues,” department Chair Dr. Leslie Portney told the 41 students.

n Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Instructor Carmen Vega-Barachowitz was recognized as a Diversity Champion by the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association (ASHA).

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The threat of an impending snowstorm did not deter the 12 students who were awarded the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Medical Imaging from arriving in the Charlestown Navy Yard in early February for their event. Although the school was officially closed for the day, friends and family ignored the weather forecasts to attend the ceremony. In addition to early completion ceremonies, a small number of students also officially complete their Institute education two

other times during the year – the first Friday in January, and the first Friday in September. Commencement 2010 has been moved to a new day and location. For the first time, all graduation-related events – including hooding ceremonies and the official graduation – will take place on one day. This year’s event is Saturday, May 8, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston’s Back Bay.

n Diane Feeney Mahoney, the Jacques Mohr Professor in Geriatric Nursing and Director of Gerontechnology Research and Development in the School of Nursing, was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

n School of Nursing Clinical Assistant Professor Eleonor Pusey-Reid, was awarded an Excellence in Nursing Award by the New England Regional Black Nurses Association. n Sandra Jones, Program Coordinator of the Hanson Initiative for Language and Literacy (HILL), which is part of the

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Return of the Prodigal CSD Director

r. John Locke returned to the MGH Institute in January to a crowd of more than 140 alumni, preceptors, and faculty in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Locke, a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), founded the CSD program in 1991. A Professor of Linguistics, Lehman College, City University of New York, and the CUNY doctoral program, and a faculty member in the anthropology department at Yale University, he presented his latest work, entitled The Canal Boat Children of Early 20th Century England: Insights into the Nature of Language and the Ability to Speak. After he was introduced by Sarah Ward ’94, who was in the program’s second graduating class, Dr. Locke spoke of the program’s beginnings at 101 Merrimac Street in Boston’s West End neighborhood where students were crowded into a few floors of an office building. “It’s really something that began as a small acorn but has grown into something much greater,” he remarked.

Dr. John Locke (second from right) poses with Sarah Ward ‘94, and CSD faculty Leslie Maxwell, Pamela Hook, Charles Haynes, and Ann Waters before his January 2010 presentation.

In addition to Dr. Locke, the evening also offered complimentary Continuing Education credits and a reception. The evening also was a time for the CSD program to honor its preceptors, the unsung heroes who shepherd students through the clinical rotations that play a large role in their professional development. More than 40 preceptors attended the event.

How to Make a Difference to People with Disabilities The Institute’s annual Interdisciplinary Rounds Lecture is always a well-attended event, and one in which students have an opportunity to understand how health care professionals can work together to provide better patient care. This year’s lecture, held in the Bunker Hill Community College auditorium in early February, was given by Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Instructor Carmen Vega-Barachowitz. Entitled “Providing optimal care for people with disabilities: Will I make a difference?” Vega-Barachowitz cited several issues related to the physical and communication barriers encountered by patient with disabilities, and attitudinal issues on the part of providers stemming from stereotypes and assumptions.

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, is co-author of Learning Literacy Change - Strategies and Tools for Administrators, Teachers, and coaches. The book details the strategies of how HILL works with school districts to improve student learning.

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“Patients and families face many challenges within a hospital environment,” noted Vega-Barachowitz, who also is the Director of Speech-Language Pathology, Swallowing and Reading Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, and co-chair of the MGH Council on Disabilities Awareness, “and for a patient with a disability, those challenges can multiply.” Among the steps she identified to help improve care are removing architectural barriers; purchasing additional medical equipment and devices that are accessible for people with disabilities, such as wheelchair scales, power adjustable exam tables and power door openers; modifying hospital policies and procedures; and developing training programs for staff who interact with patients and visitors.

n Department of Physical Therapy Clinical Associate Professor Tracy Brudvig was appointed to the Specialty Council on Orthopedic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for a four-year term that began in January.

n Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Assistant Professor Margaret Kjelgaard Rockcastle is just one of seven recipients of an International Research Travel Award by the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association (ASHA).

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Need for Financial Aid on Rise

he four scholarship recipients who were recognized at the 3rd Annual Scholarship Gala come from different backgrounds, but what they have in common is a deep appreciation of how financial aid is allowing them to change their careers – and their lives – by attending the Institute. “My father immigrated to this country with literally $100 in his pocket, and he and my mother worked lots of jobs to put my sister and me through college,” said Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology major Sherry Ly, one of the Institute’s three 2009 John Hilton CSD student Sherry Ly Knowles Scholars. “Getting a scholarship really means a lot to be able to help them out.” More than 350 people turned out for the October 29, 2009 event, generating $305,000 for student scholarships which helped push the total scholarship monies collected in 2009 to more than $825,000.

A graduate typically owes $88,000 after completing their studies - making financial aid even more critical. Also recognized at the Gala were CVS MinuteClinic Scholar Sarah Taylor (Nursing), Dr. Charles and Ann Sanders Family Scholar Marty Lamoureux (Medical Imaging), and Massachusetts General Scholar Thomas Yee (Physical Therapy). Enrollment has grown more than 35% in the past five years to more than 900 full- and part-time students, requiring the school to expand its financial aid resources accordingly. The Board also voted to expand the need-based grant program, which last year constituted 33% of scholarships. Need-based scholarships are especially important in attracting a more diverse student population who will contribute to improving health care for an increasingly diverse society. While 69% of students receive some form of financial assistance, a graduate typically owes $88,000 after completing their studies – making it critical to attract more philanthropic support for student scholarship aid. To donate, go to www.mghihp.edu/give.

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SCHOLARSHIP GALA 2009 SPONSORS The MGH Institute is extremely grateful to the following individuals and companies who helped to make the 2009 Scholarship Gala a success: Diamond ($25,000) CVS MinuteClinic Massachusetts General Hospital Dr. and Mrs. Charles A. Sanders Platinum ($15,000) Phase Forward Gold ($10,000) John and Larisa Connors Genesis HealthCare Corporation iFactory, a division of RDW Group The Knowles Family Dr. Henry and Mrs. Carole Mankin MGH Nurses’ Alumnae Association Merrill Corporation Partners HealthCare Dr. and Mrs. George Thibault Sterling ($5,000) Janis P. Bellack Cephalon, Inc. Cross Country Staffing EMC Corporation/Presidio Networked Solutions FHO Partners Goodwin Proctor LLP Judith A. Fong SON ’68 John Hancock Financial Services Bette Ann Harris ’83 Julian F. Haynes Elizabeth T. and Mark S. Joyce Massachusetts General Physicians Organization Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital To find out how you can become a sponsor for the 4th Annual Scholarship Gala on October 28, 2010, please contact Development Coordinator Jean-Marie Bonofilio: jbonofilio@mghihp.edu.

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Deciding to Give Physical Therapy a Break Theodore Yee knows how well physical therapy works – personally. Yee, who is in his first year in the Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, has broken his shoulder, separated his shoulder’s acromio-clavicular joint, and sprained his ankle multiple times. While he has remained injury free in recent years, the therapy he received remained fresh in his mind as he began his undergraduate studies. “I liked the fact they could get to know a patient much more in depth, and could see them progress over time,” said the Boston native. “I saw that they became partners with their patients.” As a Health Sciences major at Boston University, Yee worked a stint as an aide in the school’s in-house physical therapy clinic. He was soon drawn to the physics of the human body and how it moves. “There’s a method to the madness with science to back it up,” he noted. But even with all that, Yee still wasn’t sure of his ultimate direction.

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STUDENT PROFILE

After taking two years off to regroup, he made the decision to go into PT – and the MGH Institute was his first choice. “You get to do your clinicals right after you start, which allows you to immediately connect with what you’re doing in class,” said Yee. “You learn much faster that way.”

Theodore Yee at the 2009 Scholarship Gala.

Yee, who worked as a Medical Technologist at Massachusetts General Hospital prior to becoming a PT student, has embraced his current clinical placement with the Natick Visiting Nurse Association.

“You get to see how physical therapy is applied and practiced in the patients’ homes. You experience what they have to go through on a daily basis and really connect with them to make an impact in their lives,” he explained. “I never would have thought about practicing physical therapy in a home environment without having had this opportunity.”

SPRING 2010 n THE GRADUATE 11

CLASS NOTES

COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS Nina (Filibert) Foley ’00 was married in August 2009 and is now living in Northampton in western Massachusetts.

Emily Villaflor ’03 is still working at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC in acute care. She recently had a son, Jacob.

Leslie Rosen Silberman ’04 married

Jason Silberman and now has two children – Brett, 2, and Carly, 10 weeks. She lives in Needham. She is not currently working in the CSD field, but she and her husband own and direct a summer camp in Maine called Camp Matoaka.

Angela S. Ayre ’07 works at Massachusetts General Hospital. She recently co-authored the chapter, “Reading and Reading Disabilities in Spanish and Spanish-English Contexts,” in The Routledge Companion to Dyslexia, by Gavin Reid.

MEDICAL IMAGING Dan Mullen ’06, who works in the

outpatient radiology department at Massachusetts General Hospital, recently completedhis Master of Management, with a concentration in Health Care Management, at Cambridge College.

Kimberly Russell ’06 was recently named Technical Manager for Mass General West Imaging in Waltham.

MaryEllen Graham ’09 took a few months off after receiving her MI certificate last winter, and then joined the second class of the Institute’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. She will finish her BSN this summer.

PHYSICAL THERAPY Kelly K. Macauley ’00 became certified

as a cardiovascular and pulmonary specialist by the American Physical Therapy Association in June 2009.

Edgar Savidge ’01 presented, “Rehabili-

tation of Femoroacetabular Impingement,” at the Sports Medicine 2009: Advances in MRI and Orthopaedic Management conference in Boston in June 2009.

ALUMNI PROFILE

A Practical, Hands-On Education Pamela Pangjen “PJ” Su says one of the most important aspects of her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology degree is that it’s based on practical experience. “The courses laid the foundation for me to think about whatever problems I might face in a clinical setting,” said the 2002 graduate, who recently was named coordinator of Speech and Swallow Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute. “That to me was more valuable than giving me just a bunch of facts.” Before attending the Institute, Su received her undergraduate degree in sociology and environmental sciences from Tufts University and found a job at a nonprofit. While the work was interesting, she knew something was missing. After some soul searching, she decided to become a either a bilingual language disorders specialist or a researcher, and soon attended an information session at the Institute. “I really liked the instructors,” she recalled of that initial meeting.

She also discovered CSD alumna PJ Su ’02 the program had something she felt was crucial: real-world experience. “You need to do clinical rotations either in a school system or a hospital,’’ she said. “I was very interested in working at a hospital, so a large piece of why I chose the Institute was because of the school’s strong relationships with Boston’s hospitals.” She cites intimate classes taught by faculty in their specialty field, and a wider array of electives, as other reasons for attending the Institute. “The students really worked hard together and we developed a camaraderie,” noted Su, who stays in touch with many of her former professors. “The faculty gave us very hands-on feedback. You couldn’t ask for more than that.”

New Nursing Dean, continued from page 1 a dynamic presence in our School of Nursing who will enhance our ongoing commitment to interprofessional development.”

positions in nursing leadership, most recently as the Director of Nursing Practice at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

At URI, Dr. Lauzon Clabo has been involved in teaching across the various levels of nursing education, from baccalaureate to doctoral, with a particular emphasis on nursing administration and deductive theory development. She was the original coordinator of URI’s Clinical Nurse Leader program. Her program of research focuses on the impact of nursing unit-level culture on the practice of the individual nurse.

In 2005, Dr. Lauzon Clabo was named a Fuld Fellow in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Leadership for Academic Nursing Program. She serves on the Board of Trustees for CharterCARE Health Partners of Rhode Island. She chairs the research committee for Delta Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, the Rhode Island State Nurses Association, the Eastern Nursing Research Society, and the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE).

Before joining the URI faculty, Dr. Lauzon Clabo held a number of 12 THE GRADUATE n SPRING 2010

“They were all very smart and open, and they seemed genuinely interested in educating me as a speech-language pathologist.”

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FACULTY PROFILE

Small Class Size, Intimate Learning When it comes to preparing students for a career in health care, Sandy Creaser believes big things come from small packages—especially when it comes to the Graduate Program in Medical Imaging. “Our students have opportunities here because we have fewer than 25 students in each class, which allows the faculty and students to know each other very well,” said Creaser, Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education, “and we have the ability and flexibility to offer more variability.” Students in the accelerated 18-month program alternate taking online courses, evening hands-on labs at Massachusetts General Hospital and several multiweek clinical rotations where they put their education to real-world setting such as at MGH and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. It allows students—most of whom are in their 30s and 40s and making a career change—to continue working part-time while attending classes.

Graduates are prepared to become radiologic technologists who take x-rays in a wide variety of health care settings. By completing their Assistant Professor studies in February, Sandy Creaser students have a greater chance of landing a job—so great that every student who has pursued a radiologic technologist position during the program’s first five years has found employment. Creaser has worked as a Radiologic Technologist, Mammographer, and a Nuclear Medicine Technologist during a 30-year career at Mass General. Although employed full-time at the MGH Institute, she also works per diem in mammography and x-ray to remain current with the latest technological advances. “I have many stories to share given my extensive time at MGH,” she says. “I love to watch the students learn, achieve their learning goals, and fulfill their educational dreams.”

FOR DR. CHISHOLM, SABBATICAL TIME TO RECHARGE Dr. Margery Chisholm is ready to focus on a number of subjects during her sabbatical that begins in May when she steps down as the first Dean of the School of Nursing. “I’m looking forward for the opportunity to think, reflect, and reengage on areas I’ve been interested in for years and haven’t been able to devote enough time to,” said Dr. Chisholm, listing such topics as integrating mental health into primary care, and leadership development. It won’t be all work, however. She is planning a multi-week trip across the country to visit friends and relatives, and will also tend to her beloved garden that has gone neglected in recent years. Dr. Chisholm, who led the nursing program for the past seven years, will return to the Institute as a full professor next January. She will teach courses in the Doctor of Nursing Practice, which she launched in 2007. She also will be working on special projects in the Office of the Provost, and with the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE).

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CLASS NOTES Theresa H. Michel ’02 presented her

poster, “Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Physical Activity of HIV+ Patients with Metabolic Syndrome,” at the annual conference of the American Physical Therapy Association, in Baltimore in June, 2009. She also published, “Educating Health Professions Students in Communication for Compassionate Care Giving: a Case Study,” in the Journal of Nursing Education, e-published in April 2009.

Robert P. Dorman, Jr. ’03 was appointed a member of The Task Force to Create a Resource for Clinicians for the Management of Patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis, at the APTA in April 2009. He also presented, “The Physical Therapy Management of the Patient with Burns: Acute Care and Beyond” at Boston University that same month. Jennifer Podesky ’05 became certified as a neurological specialist by the APTA in June 2009.

Kate Adeletti ’06 became certified as a neurological specialist by the APTA in June 2009.

Elise Townsend ’06 became certified by

the APTA in June 2009 as a pediatric specialist.

Matthieu Boisgontier ’09 moved back to

his native France and is now working on his PhD in home care, and living in Grenoble.

Karen Waak ’09 became certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in June 2009.

The Nursing Research Committee Journal Club at Massachusetts General Hospital recently heard from hospital nurse researcher Jennifer Repper-Delisi ’90 on her article “Successful implementation of an alcohol withdrawal pathway in a general hospital.” It originally was published in the July-August, 2008 issue of Psychosomatics.

Suellen

Breakey ’91 co-authored “The Implementation and Evaluation of a Communication Skills Program for Cardiac Surgery Nurses”; and co-authored “An Analysis of the Characteristics of Chronically Critically Ill Patients in a Cardiac Surgical Population.” She works at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Cheryl A. Avitabile ’95 was named last

May as manager for Central Nursing Education in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Nursing Excellence.

SPRING 2010 n THE GRADUATE 13

CLASS NOTES Patricia Dunn ’97 is an attorney doing

veterans disability law. She uses her nurse practitioner background in analyzing service related injuries and assisting veterans to procure compensation and get the care they deserve.

PRECEPTOR PROFILE

Precepting: Helping the Next Generation

coast for the mid-west, returning to Minneapolis to live near family. She is working in a start-up clinic for Take Care Health Systems as the sole full-time clinician at Children’s Employee Health Services, providing health services for the employees of Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota.

When Virginia Capasso, PhD, ANP-BC, was one of the first full-time faculty member when the Graduate Program in Nursing launched in 1982 - one of the country’s first direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing programs. She knew the importance of having good preceptors to help students with their clinical experience.

Sheila M. Davis ’97, ’08 and Valerie J. Fuller ’08 co-presented, “Three Views on

That’s why she has continued her connection as a preceptor.

Deborah Popper ’03 has left the west

Practice in the Clinical Nursing Doctorate: Limiting or Liberating,” at the Second National Conference on the Doctor of Nursing Practice conference at Hilton Head in March 2009. Both Carine Luxama ’06 and Sherline Chery-Morisset ’06 had volunteered in Haiti with Boston Community Medical Group, and returned to the United States just three days prior to the devastating January 12 earthquake. Chery-Morisset returned to her native country in February, while Luxama is planning on going in June. They had been providing nursing education to nurses at a hospital in North Haiti.

Aleah Nesteby ‘07, a family NP at Baystate

High Street Health Center in Springfield, received a 2009 project grant from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Her project title was “Increasing Access to Health Care for Transgender Patients Through a Targeted Subspecialty Clinic.” After volunteering in Nepal for four months, Jennifer Ross ’07 moved to Denver in October 2009 and now is a nurse practitioner at the Jefferson County Public Health Family Planning Clinic. Her future goals are to purchase a house, train to be a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE), and complete her first marathon.

Stephanie J. Ahmed ’08 witnessed the

first face transplant in New England, and just the seventh in the world, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in September 2009.

Shauna Worrell-Waldron ’09 is currently

volunteering with Boston Cares and other organizations in the Boston area, and remains positive and hopeful for a job soon. “I miss my days as a student in the ABSN program,” she writes. Please submitt your class note to alumni@mghihp.edu.

14 THE GRADUATE n SPRING 2010

“I do it because of my commitment to the Institute,” said Dr. Capasso, who is co-director of the Wound Care Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. “It’s a great way to generate enthusiasm for patient care, clinical scholarship and research among members of the next generation of nurse practitioners.” After playing a key role in opening the generic Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration, she went on to practice as a Vascular Clinical Nurse Specialist at the MGH and to teach at several other area nursing schools. But she maintained her connection with the Institute, a connection that was strengthened when in 1994 she was in the first class to earn a Certificate of Advanced Study in Primary Care, preparing her for a blended role as an Adult Nurse Practitioner.

She also was a member of the Institute’s curriculum planning committee that helped create the Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2007. Currently, she holds Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Virginia a rank as Assistant Clinical Professor in Capasso ’94 the School of Nursing in addition to her preceptor role. One thing she has noticed in her years as a preceptor is the sense of purpose Institute nurse practitioner students bring to her clinic. “The Institute continues to educate highly-qualified clinicians,” said Dr. Capasso, who is also a nurse scientist at the hospital’s Munn Center for Nursing Research. “I’ve always respected how well prepared students from the Institute are, and I see it in my clinic every day. Over the years, I’ve had wonderful students.” To learn more about becoming a preceptor, contact Cammie Townsend ctownsend@mghihp.edu (Nursing); Donna Applebaum - dapplebaum@ mghihp.edu or Jane Baldwin - jbaldwin @mghihp.edu (PT); Charles Jeans cjeans@mghihp.edu (CSD); or Sandy Creaser - screaser@mghihp.edu (MI).

School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, continued from page 1 In 2009, the Institute reorganized its Graduate Program in Nursing as a School of Nursing. Leslie Portney, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, has been named interim dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. She will continue in her current role in the physical therapy department. “Creating the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is an opportunity to expand interdisciplinary education as well as consider the creation of new complementary programs,” said Dr. Portney, who joined the Institute in

1990. “The three programs can work together within the culture of rehabilitation and begin to work on the contributions we can make to this discipline.” Dr. Portney in 2002 was named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of |the American Physical Therapy Association, the organization’s highest honor. She has served as the Chair of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, and is currently heading the formation of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy.

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Nursing Alumnae Association Creates New Endowment The MGH Institute’s ongoing efforts to increase scholarship awards to students has been strengthened with a gift of nearly $123,000 by the Massachusetts General Hospital Nurses’ Alumnae Association (MGHNAA) that establishes the Massachusetts General Hospital Nurses’ Alumnae Association Endowed Fund. The new fund will provide financial support to students enrolled in any program of study in the MGH Institute School of Nursing that leads to licensure as a registered nurse, and registered nurses who are seeking advanced degrees. In addition, the MGHNAA has established the Lloyd Nichols Staats Scholarship in memory of Mary Staats, a graduate of the MGH School of Nursing and long time MGHNAA member.

The MGHNAA is composed of graduates of the former Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing, the immediate predecessor school of the MGH Institute. The hospital’s diploma nursing school operated from 1873 until 1981.

“We can think of no better way to support our most noble profession.” - Barbara Dunderdale, SON ’63, President, MGHNAA “It is very appropriate that this gift was initiated in the same year in which the school’s Graduate Program in Nursing became the MGH Institute School of Nursing,” said Institute President

Janis P. Bellack. “Through this gift, the MGHNAA has secured its legacy with current and future classes of nursing graduates from the Institute.” Barbara Dunderdale, SON ’63, president of the MGHNAA, noted, “The MGHNAA is pleased to establish an endowed fund that will support aspiring nursing students and nurses who endeavor to enhance their profession in and effort to continuously improve the care of patients now and in decades to come. We can think of no better way to support our most noble profession.” Existing MGHNAA-funded scholarships are the Miriam “Mim” J. Huggard, SON ’31 Nursing Scholarship, the Ruth M. Sleeper Award, and the Adele Corkum Award.

STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR FELLOW INSTITUTE ALUMNI The Institute now has a presence on both the Facebook and LinkedIn social networking sites, and we encourage all alumni to use these sites to stay connected to your classmates and other Institute colleagues. Search for: MGH Institute of Health Professions Alumni

Search for: MGH Institute of Health Professions Alumni Association

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SPRING 2010 n THE GRADUATE 15

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Responding to Haiti, continued from page 1 “I’m in love with my country, and I need to do whatever I can to help,” said the Master of Science in Nursing graduate, who lived her first seven years in Haiti before moving to the United States. “I had to go back.”

the Brigham and Women’s Hospitalaffiliated medical organization. She directed the delivery of tons of medical supplies and food along, and helped organize medical teams that provided care to the Haitian people.

Not all the assistance came in the form of personal visits. Nursing graduate Donna Barry ’01 played a major role in coordinating relief efforts as policy director for Partners In Health (PIH), 16 THE GRADUATE n SPRING 2010

It’s been less than three months since the earthquake, and already the spotlight and the media attention has begun to fade despite estimates that relief efforts will be needed for years to come. Lauryl Smith ’07, who plans to go back later this spring for a second stint, had a suggestion for students who will be graduating in May.

Third-year NP student Leila Hepp was among the first wave of people who arrived in Haiti shortly after the natural disaster occurred. The only full-time Institute student to go to Haiti as of press time, she spent 10 days treating the wounded working in makeshift hospitals and clinics. Working 18-20 hour days, Hepp saw hundreds of patients have their limbs amputated in an effort to save their lives working in battle-like conditions. “It has forever changed the way I look at how health care is delivered throughout the world,” said Hepp, who wrote a personal journal of her trip that is posted at www.mghihp. edu/haiti.

“I could barely sleep knowing my mother might be hurt or sleeping out on the streets,” recalled Cornay, who immigrated to the United States when he was 16.

“There’s going to be a tremendous need for nurses and physical therapists for Third-year nursing student Leila Hepp riding in a makeshift ambulance while in Haiti. a long time to come,” said Smith, a nurse practitioner in the pediatric department at Boston Nixon Cornay knows all too well the Medical Center, “so they should impact of the earthquake. A first-year think about going if they have the student in the Master of Science in opportunity.” Nursing program, his mother and To read more of the MGH Institute most of his immediate family were left community’s volunteer efforts, go to homeless. But it took several days of www.mghihp.edu/haiti. nervous worry before he found out his family was spared.

MGH Institute of Health Professions is a member ofwww.mghihp.edu