Campus Tidbits

At the Denver Osteopathic Foundation's Golf Tournament, Dr. Kristin Putnam, Co-Director of the Pre-Doctoral Osteopathic Principles and Practice Fellowship, won the Ladies Longest Drive and Ladies Closest to the Pin awards! RVU sponsored the event, which raises money for the advancement of health and well-being in the community, while promoting osteopathic medicine.

The Southern Utah Veterans Home, of which Dr. David Crimin serves as Medical Director and Dr. Brooks Beal (Assistant Professor of Primary Care) and Brandon Thomas, FNP-C, (Instructor of Primary Care) serve on the clinical team, has received the 2020 Silver American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award. This is the largest association of long term and post-acute care providers; they actively advocate for quality care and services.They will remain an active Silver recipient through 2023.

Rocky Vista University has been re-accredited as an Accredited Education Institution by the American College of Surgeons—and in the top category of Comprehensive! What this means is that RVU "has met the stricter standards and highest qualifications as a broad-based surgical education program," said Dr. Susan Carter, Director of the Office of Simulation in Medicine and Surgery.

The Town of Parker, in which RVU's Colorado campus is located, was recently awarded 2nd Place in the article, "50 Best Place to Live in 2020" by Money Magazine. The magazine contributes both Denver's tech- and natural resourcedriven economy for helping Parker to score high in two categories:

• Economy and Income

• Health and Safety As Prachi Bhardwaj writes, "Despite its breakneck growth, Parker has managed to maintain a strong sense of community: The “Talk of the Town” newsletter offers details on local events from watercolor workshops in the summer to the Parker Ice Trail, a 450-foot ice-skating path that winds its way through the town’s Discover park from Thanksgiving until Spring."

Paint and Sip hosted by Florence Yip, OMS II, was held on the RVU-CO lawn while practicing social distancing guidelines. The 25 participants received all the necessary supplies such as an easel, canvas, paint, brushes, water cups, paper plates and towels, and of course snacks! The ultimate goal of this event was to bring our RVU community together during the rigors of the pandemic for muchneeded fun and celebrate the end of a week filled with exams. “Many of my peers came up to me and thanked me for hosting this wonderful event. They said they missed seeing classmates face to face, and to do an activity together as a collective. I hope they were able to see the healing energy and community aspect that art can bring to one's life,” said SD Yip.

Retraction: Due to a miscommunication, Dr. Qamrul Choudhury was added to the Promotions and Appointments section in the August issue of the Vista View. His correct title is Associate Professor of Physiology.

"It is not weak to ask for help—it is instead incredibly strong to be able to admit that you cannot handle what you are going through alone," stated a representative from the STIGMA Club. Medical students and physicians are at higher risk of developing mental health problems and/or dying by suicide than the general population.

The Out of the Darkness Community Walk, an RVU-SUhosted event, was created to raise awareness of and offer support for those considering or affected by suicide. "It provided students the opportunity to come together (virtually) in honor of those whose lives have been touched by suicide. [It also] offered a safe place for students who have personally been affected," said Kayleigh Helgesen, OMS II.

"Those who struggle with depression and suicidal ideation can feel like they are drowning in the darkness and struggling to find the light," explained SD Helgesen. "The intent of Out of the Darkness is to help bring people back to the surface and aid them in navigating through what they are experiencing—to show them that they are not alone, people care about them, and suicide is not the answer.”

The STIGMA Club handed out beads to students before the start of the event, with each colored bead representing a different type of personal loss. Participants were encouraged to utilize the Charity Miles app, which tracks distance through walking or running and donates twentyfive cents for every mile walked or ran to charity.

The STIGMA Club thanks everyone who participated and served as an advocate for the cause. They encourage everyone to "Check in not only with those around you but also with yourself." If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts please check out RVU’s free resources here: https://bit.ly/3nKjAAa

Listen to a Podcast

• Dr. Imposter: This podcast, hosted by Austin White and Kamaehu Matthias, discusses the experience of applying to and navigating medical school. With episodes such as "What is a DO?" and "Why Did You Go To Medical School?", this podcast is a great resource for those considering a career as a physician. As a special bonus, Dr. David Park is interviewed in the episode, "Our Trip to the Dean's Office"! https://podcasts. apple.com/us/podcast/dr-impostor/id1534626656

• Peds Cases: "This podcast will review the clinical features, management, complications, comorbidities, and epidemiological data of abdominal wall defects (umbilical hernia, omphalocele, and gastroschisis) in fetuses and newborns. It was developed by Zachary Rumlow, a fourth-year medical student at Rocky Vista University, in collaboration with Dr. Paul Dube (Rocky Vista University) and Dr. Melanie Lewis (University of Alberta)." http://pedscases.com/abdominal-walldefects-newborn

Catch up on your reading

• The DO: Recently, the Utah Medical Association's House of Delegates passed a resolution, as described in the recent article titled, "Utah Medical Association denounces discrimination against osteopathic physicians and students." The resolution, which was authored by RVU's own Dr. David Park, states that the UMA will adopt a non-discrimination position statement or policy that denounces discrimination, harassment, or retaliation against any physician or medical student based solely on their osteopathic or allopathic training." Read more at http://bit.ly/2WDIdCo

Taylor Runion, OMS II, hosted a relaxing workshop for fellow students in which she taught them to repot a plant. She wanted to share her love for plants with other students and "give them the same feeling I have when I care for my plants and see them grow,” said SD Runion. Owning plants can provide many benefits, including but not limited to improving your mood, performance, air quality, and promoting therapeutic healing. Students who signed up previously for this event picked up their supply bag from the front desk, which included a bag of soil and perlite mix, a 3" terra cotta pot and saucer, and a 2" echeveria succulent. SD Runion hopes that this event helped students enjoyed interacting with friends and getting their hands dirty (literally)—all while adding greenery to their homes!