Jefferson Chronicle-Spring/Summer 2006

ISSUE ONE 2006

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF JEFFERSON COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

C H R O N I C L EJEFFERSONJEFFERSON

C H R O N I C L E

CONSOLIDATION PROGRESSES FACULTY PROFILE NEW ALUMNI COORDINATOR

&&BIOMEDICAL SCIENCESPHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCESPHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

Carol M. Seavor, R.N., Ed.D.President

FeaturesTHE REID REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Sandra Eubank, RN, ’93 Published Roanoke Memorial LPN School to Join Jefferson

FACULTY PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Charlie Moore, Ph.D.

SPOTLIGHT ON PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . 6, 10Biomedical SciencesPhysician Assistant

JEFFERSON COLLEGE of HEALTH SCIENCES

J E F F E R S O N C H RO N I C L E 1

ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carolyn Mason-Murray ’98President

Natalie O’Donnell ’01Secretary

COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stephen MusselwhiteChairman

William R. ReidImmediate Past Chairman

Robert C. LawsonVice Chairman

Nathaniel L. Bishop

Martha Bruce Boggs

Charles Saldarini

The Honorable Philip Trompeter

F. Lee Tucker

Ellen Wade

Joseph Wright

COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION

Carol M. Seavor, R.N., Ed.D.President

Douglas Southard, Ph.D., P.A.-C.Provost and Dean for Academic and Student Services

Anna Millirons, C.P.A.Dean for Administrative Services

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Wilton Kennedy

Mike Slaughter

Bre Sawyer

Mark Lambert

MAGAZINE EDITOR

Diane Hailey

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Brehanna Sawyer

DESIGN

Inprint, Inc.

PRINTING

Seckman Printing

COLLEGE ACCREDITATION

Commission on Colleges of the Southern

Association of College and Schools (SACS)

Jefferson College of Health Sciences

is certified by the State Council of

Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

WILLIAM O’NEAL, ’04, began his healthcare career in the Navy. “After basic training I was an

undesignated deck hand, one of the most undesirable positions known to man. Fortunately,

my drill instructor forced me to sign up for hospital corpsman training,” O’Neal recollects.

His work on the USS Nassau earned him the coveted moniker “Doc,” reserved for thoroughly-

trained and respected corpsman. “I wasn’t interested in eight to ten years of medical school,

so I looked into physician assistant programs. When I found out that Roanoke, my hometown,

had a PA program, I knew I was meant to attend Jefferson.”

DepartmentsAbout the cover...

CLASS NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13JEFFERSON ADVANCEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Bre Sawyer New Alumni Coordinator

Cover photo by Ian Bradshaw

Charlie Moore, Ph.D.

8

William O’Neal ’94

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Jefferson PTA and Friends

Grant & Award NewsThe Jefferson College of Health Sciences Physician

Assistant program was one of seven programs across the

nation to win a 2005 Innovations in Health Care award.

The award is sponsored by the AAPA/PA Foundation/Pfizer

to recognize PAs involved in innovative health care delivery

models. JCHS won based upon work with the Appalachian

Campus-Community Education, Services, and Support training

program. The recognition carries a $3,500 cash award and a

summary of the project in national publications.

The Healthy

Families Project

proposal submitted by

Jefferson faculty to the

Carilion Biomedical

Institute Collaborative Research Program has been funded for

$17,148. This research project will involve members of the

Jefferson nursing faculty and Virginia Tech developmental

science faculty over the next 12 months.

A noteworthy event is the plan to add the Roanoke MemorialSchool of Practical Nursing to the JCHS family. Adding thislong standing successful LPN school to our program offeringsprovides a ready made career ladder to prospective nurses.Look for a more in-depth view of this merger in the fall issueof Jefferson Chronicle.

THE REID REPORT

2 V I S I T U S AT W W W. J C H S. E D U O R C A L L 8 8 8 . 9 8 5 . 8 4 8 3

The Jefferson CupEach year, a committee of faculty and staff chooses two

employees who they believe advance the mission of the college

best. This year, department secretary Lynn Freeman and

assistant professor Allen “Mac” Snead were chosen for this honor.

They were presented plaques and appreciation from Dr. Carol

Seavor at the Employee Annual Dinner on March 18, 2006.

Mission Possible

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Mike Slaughter and Brian Boland Lynn Freeman and Mac Snead

Mike Slaughter, M.S., program director and assistant

professor for math and sciences, and Brian Boland, NREMT-P,

instructor for EHS-Paramedic, were awarded the 2004-2005

Teaching Awards by the student body. Slaughter was honored

for his work in the classroom, and Boland was honored for his

work in e-teaching in the distance learning environment.

LPN School to Join Jefferson

PTA Students Show HeartStudents in the PTA program participated in the American

Heart Walk at Explore Park on October 15, 2005 and raised over

$1,600 for the American Heart Association.

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Two incoming students for Fall 2006 could

receive the Who Traveled the Longest Distance

Award. Nursing students and husband/wife

team Jared and Valene Dunn hail from North

Pole, Alaska.

Jefferson is not new to West Coast and

Arctic Circle students. In 2005, Alaskan Rita

Wright (see photo at right) completed the parish

nursing program and earned faith community

nursing certification online through JCHS.

Wright was pleased with the experience and

opportunity to learn through distance education,

saying, “Thanks to the wonderful instructors at

Jefferson College and their willingness to provide

creative solutions, I can now fill the nursing

need at our fellowship and in rural villages.”

Parish nursing, also known as faith community nursing,

focuses not only on health care but also on spiritual care. Faith

community nurses bond closely with their communities,

working in homes and churches to promote physical and

spiritual health. Often, they will identify areas of community

health needs, such as education or senior care, and step

into those roles.

The JCHS certification program is delivered in a

combination retreat and online learning format. Two

retreats bookend the online learning component over

approximately three months.

If you are interested in learning more about faith

community nursing, contact Karie Salas 540.767.6070.

There will be a summer 2006 class beginning in June.



Rita Wright (right), of Dillingham, Alaska, demonstrates one of the facets of subsistence living- preparing the salmon catch to sustain the village through the winter.

Alaskan Students Make Their Way to Jefferson

THE REID REPORT

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In the foreword of Jefferson professor Bob Reese’s

book The Winner’s Mentality, Ahmad Rashad

reminisces about his long friendship with Reese and

the PTA (pain, torture, agony) that Reese inflicted

upon him during his football career. Now that

Rashad is a comfy commentator, he still relies on

his old friend for improving something other than

his ligaments—his career performance. Reese’s

book is about not only improving the reader’s

performance, but also helping the reader maintain peak performance.

Reese believes in the American dream, that every person—no matter

what his or her upbringing, parent’s status or last name—can achieve a

successful financial and personal life. As a professor in the humanities

department at Jefferson, Reese is a constant encouragement to freshmen

students who may need a boost in self-esteem to see their own successful

futures. As a private college, we are committed to giving all of our

students the resources they need to succeed. One of those resources

is Dr. Bob Reese.

Achievement Based Book DevelopsWinner’s Mentality

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Bob Reese, Ph.D.

THE REID REPORT


New Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing

ROANOKE-National publisher Alexander Books

recently announced the release of Room 409, a collection

of short stories about ghostly events in Virginia hospitals

by Jefferson alumna Sandra Eubank, ’93. Eubank’s over

35 years of hospital nursing in the Roanoke area and her

professional writing skill come together in this collection

of well-crafted short stories that both thrill and chill.

The fictional hospital in the stories resembles so many

real ones. It has its own rumor mill among the employees,

efficiently broadcasting the best gossip, setting up the eerie

legends and tales that arise as a natural result of long night

shifts and of events unexplainable.

Throughout her 35 years of hospital bedside nursing,

Eubank has worked as a registered nurse in various specialty

areas including neurosurgical units, emergency room,

oncology and medical surgery units. Presently she works

on a busy surgical progressive care unit as a clinical team

leader/charge nurse.

Sandra Eubank, RN ’93Publishes Fiction Book

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Accreditation NewsThe College had successful accreditation visits over the past several months. The master of science in nursing received a positive

exit report from the College’s regional accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission

on Colleges. SACS is widely regarded as one of the toughest accrediting bodies in the nation. In fall 2006, the Commission on

Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) of the American Council of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) will visit to assess the program’s

excellence and worthiness for professional accreditation.

The EHS-Paramedic program was pleased to earn continuing accreditation status from the Committee on Accreditation of

Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP).

Other exciting program news includes the addition of a

new traditional bachelor’s degree in nursing. The new four-year

program offering is open to qualified students who wish to

earn a BSN degree as their first nursing practice degree.

The program has already met its enrollment goals for fall 2006

in both the freshman and sophomore level classes.

The new bachelor of science in nursing program began in

January, 2006 with 40 students. Many of the students were

initially associate degree nursing students who jumped at the

opportunity to work toward the four-year credential. “We are

so pleased to be able to offer the four-year option for students

who want it,” says Admissions Director Judith McKeon.

“Plus, adding the new program opened up a lot of room for

our waitlisted folks who could then begin the associate

program in January.”

The initial success of the program indicates that the

national trend of nurses wanting four-year and master’s

degrees in nursing is evident in Roanoke. The associate degree

in nursing remains strong, but statistics show that more nurses

than ever are beginning their careers with a bachelor’s degree.

The College’s RN to BSN program still fills to capacity

each year with registered nurses who want to earn the

bachelor’s degree.

If you are interested in coming back to Jefferson to earn

the BSN, please call the Admissions Office at 888.985.8483.

Judy Cusumano, Ph.D., Rebecca Clark, Ph.D., R.N., Annette Strickland, R.N.Cynde Early, BSN ’06



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CommencementDecember

Joy Sylvester-Johnson was keynote speaker for DecemberGraduation 2005. As executive director of the RoanokeRescue Mission, founded by her parents in 1948, Sylvester-Johnson spoke of the tremendous need for both human andfinancial resources for the underprivileged in the RoanokeValley. The Rescue Mission is a Christian crisis intervention centerthat provides 214 beds of temporary and transitional shelter,food on premises, clothing and furniture and a residentialrecovery program for substance abuse.

THE REID REPORT

The project to consolidate Carilion Roanoke Memorial

Hospital (CRMH) and Carilion Roanoke Community

Hospital (CRCH) and marked several milestones in 2005

as work continues this year.

At Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital, in 2005,

work began to transform the facility into one of the

most comprehensive healthcare education centers in

the region. When the renovations are complete, the

CRCH building will be home to Jefferson College of

Health Sciences.

In winter 2005, the exterior of the Carilion Roanoke

Memorial Hospital began to evolve as floors were added

to the South Tower. Inside the hospital, renovations

began to existing spaces to house relocated department

and service lines throughout the facility. The moves were

part of a plan to maximize the quality and efficiency of

care provided to patients regardless of the treatments

they need. In addition, the renovations provided

opportunities for some areas to update or install state-of-

the-art equipment that would support Carilion’s goal

of providing comprehensive care for patients in a world-

class medical center.

By fall 2005, we marked a milestone in the project as exterior construction at CRMHwas completed, including the “topping out” of the multi-story addition to the South Tower

that will house Women’s and Children’s services relocating from CRCH. Work willcontinue on interior renovation and construction at CRMH throughout 2006.

Consolidation of Roanoke Hospitals Construction Progresses

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BY MARK LAMBERT, Employee Communications Specialist—Carilion Health System

This focus helps students

connect their Jefferson

education to real world

applications as they work

toward health care and/or

clinical laboratory careers.

“When the College

started the biomedical

sciences program in 1998,

the expectation was that it

would attract students with

an interest in hard sciences

who wanted to do strictly

lab research,” says Mike

Slaughter, program direc-

tor. “But what has evolved

is a curriculum that works

very well as a pre-professional program that prepares a wide

range of students for other programs within the College, the

clinical lab program at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital

or graduate programs at other universities.”

The Biomed program brings the cream to the top very

quickly, and when students complete the program, they are

ready for any challenge. “Our student population tends to

include a wide array of abilities and interests; therefore, we

have to apply more pressure and creative incentives for them

to find their inner scientist,” Slaughter contends.

Enrollment for the first few years was less than exciting

since the program was designed as a terminal degree and few

could visualize a career in biomedical sciences.

Then the television show CSI came along. When the

criminal procedure shows exploded in popularity, the College

felt the boost of interest in biomedical sciences, and the phone

began to ring. “Those shows are dramatizations, of course, but

they give young people a glimpse of life inside the laboratory,

even if the glimpse is not exactly accurate.” Slaughter continues,

“NCIS is probably the biggest culprit. The young woman who

works in the lab is always drinking a cup of coffee– that’s a

big no-no in the real world, it would violate laboratory safety

regulations.” The one thing these shows demonstrate well is

that courtroom prosecutors are very dependent on the people in

lab coats analyzing the evidence. “DNA and forensic evidence


BY DIANE HAILEY, Coordinator of Communications and College Relations

Nationally, many students lament the irrelevancy of college curricula

to the real world, and many faculty members lament declining basic

academic skills of students enrolled in their college courses. Both issues

can bring frustration to the college experience for both students and

faculty. While Jefferson Biomedical Sciences faculty members expect

students to perform at a high level and to think critically, they also strive

to teach the rigorous science-based curriculum with relevancy to the

medical field. Professors also strive to consistently relate the scientific

course material to the dynamic processes included in human functioning,

health and disease.

SPOTLIGHT ON PROGRAMS

Crime labs are not the

only places the biomedical

sciences alumni flourish.

Because biomedical

laboratories are a

growing business all over

the United States, there

is a solid job market

available for people who

want to base their careers

in healthcare-related

laboratory work as well.

Biomedical

Mike Grimes is a great example of a student whose educational

needs demanded the curriculum which the biomedical sciences

program supplies. After spending 13 years in the military and

out of school, he sought a program that would prepare him for

the physician assistant program at Jefferson. Grimes explains,

“The biomedical sciences program at Jefferson meets every

requirement as a pre-PA program of study, emphasizing health-

care sciences, not the natural sciences. I didn’t want to spend years

studying nature. I wanted to learn how science is used to help

heal people.” He made the right decision. Few PA candidates who

have less than a bachelor’s degree are accepted into the program.

Grimes also wasn’t

completely new to the

medical field. He spent his

last five years in the Army

as a field medic and is a

nationally-registered EMT-

paramedic. With more than

a decade of military service

behind him, the decision to

take an honorable discharge

was a difficult one. However,

the thought of furthering

his education in medicine

kept tugging at him, and

now he is satisfied he made

the right choice. “Being

a paramedic and having

the biomedical sciences

background will make me a

better physician assistant,”

he says.

Grimes will practice in

cardiovascular and

cardiothoracic surgery,

assisting the surgeon with

procedures in the surgical

theatre. “I’ll be working

with many patients who are suffering the consequences of not

taking care of themselves,” he says. “Hypertension, congestive

heart failure and artery failure are often the manifestations of a

poor lifestyle, and when these patients find themselves in a surgical

situation, I’ll be there with them,” he says. Educating his patients

with chronic disease management education will also be his

responsibility. Part of a cardiology PA’s daily routine includes

working with post-operation patients, providing follow up care

to the surgical patients after an MI and using the chronic disease

self-management approach to reduce their risk factors and

improve their lifestyles.

Mike Grimes, ’06biomedical sciences alumnus, physician assistant student

dublin, va

“Being a paramedic and

having the biomedical

sciences background

will make me a better

physican assistant.”

— Mike Grimes ’06

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SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI

is critical in law enforcement

now,” he continues.

Roanoke City’s

Commonwealth Attorney Don

Caldwell agrees, “When there is

forensic evidence from a crime

scene, it becomes a critical

component of the case. Juries

expect evidence that has been

examined in the lab to be clearly

explained to them and put in

proper context. This is the type

of evidence that can show guilt

or innocence without reasonable

doubt.” From his point of

view, there are definitely job opportunities in the forensic field.

The state crime lab is funded by the Virginia General Assembly,

therefore, staffing is dependent on the budget. “There is no

question that the increase in evidence evaluation requests has

exceeded what the state lab can handle expeditiously.”

Caldwell predicts that forensic laboratories will begin to appear

on the local level, giving local law enforcement a way to have

evidence tested on site. Caldwell is appreciative of Jefferson’s

program and its potential for attracting people who want to go

into the field. “We have got to establish a level of expertise in

Roanoke that is greater than what we currently have. We need a

forensics lab right here in Roanoke, and when we get one, we

need a pool of trained local people to fill those jobs.”

Crime labs are not the only places the biomedical sciences

alumni want to spend their careers. The program is also a

stepping stone into medical school, radiology school, and

pharmacy school, just to name a few opportunities. Slaughter

believes the local job market is even more promising than the

national market: “Roanoke is a healthcare delivery city and

our graduates with the right credentials will be well positioned

to fill the human resource needs.” •

Ijust have an undiagnosed hyperactivity disorder, that’s all,” explains Charlie Moore, Ph.D. “That’s why I get to my office

so early every morning. I like to have at least 3 cups of coffee before my first class.” Moore knows the chemical compound

that makes caffeine so enticing. “It’s that second oxygen molecule that gives me the energy I need,” he jokes. As an eight-

year math and science professor at Jefferson, he has also learned what his years of caffeine and nicotine abuse have done to

his respiratory, epidermal and cardiology systems. “I was much happier when I worked in the military, where my colleagues didn’t

really care enough to give me a hard time,” he laughs.

FACULTY PROFILE


Charlie Moore ph.d., lieutenant colonel, retired


“

Despite his vices, Moore has

received top employee and teaching

honors at Jefferson. “Maybe the College

sees me as a good customer for Carilion

and wants me to stick around Roanoke,”

he ponders mischieviously. Moore’s

work ethic and sense of humor helped

lead him to receive the College’s highest

honor, the Mission Possible Award, in

2002. Also, he earned the highest honor

bestowed on faculty by students, the

Jefferson Cup for Classroom Teaching,

in 2004. His recognition by students is

due in large part to the wide range and

sheer numbers of students that he

teaches. Most students in the varied

Jefferson programs must complete

classes like general chemistry, anatomy

and physiology because these courses

provide a foundation for understanding

how the human body functions.

Moore can relate to students on

many career tracks and provides special

advising to students who major in the

bachelor of science in biomedical sciences.

A biomedical sciences degree may provide

a student with a path to research in the

laboratory setting or it can be a stepping

stone. “For example, students who get

these high level sciences under their

belts often go on to medical or dental

school, clinical laboratory programs, the

PA program, or pharmacy school and

the like,” says Moore.

There is no denying that biomedical

sciences, as a terminal degree at the

college, is not one that attracts high

enrollment numbers. The program

typically receives about 100 serious

inquiries per year and about 20 of

those students matriculate into the

major. It is not unusual for some of

these students to choose other majors

after learning of other options within

the college. When students spend

two or three years in the program and

are recruited away by another program

within Jefferson or to another great

college or university, JCHS faculty

and administrators still consider that

a success story.

Moore believes that Jefferson

is on the threshold of a major push

for biomedical studies in Virginia.

Although the biomedical sciences

program has been one of the best-

kept secrets in Roanoke for the past

eight years, the influx of biomedical

work on Roanoke’s Jefferson Street

will bring the program to the forefront.

“It is very exciting to think about this

program getting its just desserts,” says

Moore. “The Carilion Biomedical

Institute is getting lab

sciences in the newspapers and on the

local television news, and the average

person is going to get to know more

about how biomedical sciences

improves their lives.”

Bringing a higher profile to science

education in Roanoke pleases Moore

immensely: “Long-time Roanokers,

naturally, know more about the railroad

business than most people. As this area

continues to increase its healthcare and

laboratory expertise, its young people

are going to have a greater knowledge

of and appreciation for medicine or

lab sciences. The probability of young

people in the Roanoke Valley choosing

these career paths will increase.”

Moore is happy that he works in

the world of microscopes and test tubes

every day, and he enjoys sharing what

science can do for sick people. “I relate

everything that I teach to healthcare and

medicine in some way so that students

don’t lose sight of what they are here

for,” Moore explains. “When students

know the relevance to people in what

they are learning, they are better

students, and that makes my job even

more rewarding.”

It’s this intuitive wisdom that

makes Moore stand out. His students

are grateful that he takes textbook

biology and puts it into the medical

perspective. “Dr. Moore always brings

real life situations into his teaching,”

says former student Mike Grimes, ’06.

“If he’s talking about biology, it’s about

human biology, not the biology of cats

and squirrels. If he talks about diseases,

it’s about diseases that happen to

humans, not to trees.” •



“long-time roanokers,

naturally, know more

about the railroad

business than most

people. as this area

continues to increase

its healthcare and

laboratory expertise,

its young people are

going to have a greater

knowledge of and

appreciation for

medicine or lab sciences.

the probability of young

people in the roanoke

valley choosing these

career paths will increase.”

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Physician Assista



From the beginning

the PA faculty set a standard

for excellence. The original

teaching team consisted of

Southard, as program

director; Mark Greenawald,

MD, as medical director;

Rebecca Scott, Ph.D., PA-C,

as academic coordinator (and

later as program director);

and Sharon Maiewski, PA-C,

as clinical coordinator. In

addition, over 150 physicians,

physician assistants, nurse

practitioners and other

health professionals helped

train the first class of 21

students in 1997.

Once Jefferson paved the way, three more Virginia colleges

began offering the physician assistant program. James Madison

University, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Shenandoah

University now also offer PA programs. “A lot of people think

of us as a small college no one has ever heard of,” says current

Program Director Wilton Kennedy, PA-C, “but in medical

education, we are very well-known.”

Southard explains, “It was, and still is, a marvel that a college

in southwest Virginia spearheaded physician assistant education.

Northern Virginia and Richmond are usually the pacesetters in

Virginia education.”

Complete support from the Roanoke medical community

has been the foundation of the program since its inception.

The strongest partnerships are with Carilion Health System,

Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Southwest Virginia

Community Health Systems, Inc. These medical institutions

make room each month for Jefferson PA students to participate

in clinical rotations in different specialties, similar to the rotations

of medical students. Because physician assistants have a great

deal of flexibility in their training, they are available for a wide

variety of clinical settings.

“Carilion Health System is very fortunate to have the

Jefferson PA program in Roanoke,” says Dr. J.A. Hagy, Sr.,

director emeritus of family practice education with Carilion

Health System and professor emeritus, University of Virginia

School of Medicine. Hagy was part of the original development

board for the program. He continues, “I’ve been very impressed

with the students that the program has been able to attract.

The combination of bright students and dedicated faculty makes

the Jefferson program stand out.”

Aiding the medically-underserved areas of Southwest and

Southside Virginia has always been the program’s main focus.

The Jefferson PA

program is meeting its

challenge of providing

this region with medical

support, as well. Of the

175 Jefferson graduates,

68 still work in Roanoke

and Southwest Virginia.

Eighteen of these work

in a Carilion facility.

In 1996, a 20-member advisory committee began developing a

curriculum and finding clinical sites for the first physician assistant

program in Virginia. Jefferson’s PA program would break barriers not

only for healthcare licensure offered in the Commonwealth but also for how

Virginians view primary care. “In 1996, there were only a few hundred

physician assistants practicing in the state,” says Dean for Academics and

Student Services Douglas Southard. “Now, there are well over 1,000 PAs

working in all sorts of medical environments across Virginia.”


Rebecca Scott, Ph.D., PA-C was part of the groundbreaking team of faculty whose students included Susan Albanowski, PA-C.

antJEFFERSON COLLEGE of HEALTH SCIENCES


Students applying to the program have been

encouraged to work in this region for at least

a portion of their careers after graduation.

That focus has been a boon for medical

practices in places that have dire need for

chronic disease education, a key element of

the Jefferson program. Southwest Virginia

has the most at-risk population for obesity,

diabetes and asthma in the Commonwealth.

Moreover, the rate of people having more

than one of these chronic conditions, called

co-morbidity, outpaces the rest of the state.

“Chronic disease management hinges

on three main factors. We have an aging

population, an increase in chronic disease,

and a lack of health education programs

appropriate for persons with co-morbidity,”

says Kennedy. Jefferson PAs, armed with

educational strategies and knowledge of

treatment protocols, are tackling health

issues that affect many Virginians.

Most medical professionals agree that the

future of medicine will depend on medical

providers’ ability to effectively teach

patients how to self-manage their chronic

diseases. “So much of the health dilemma in

Southwest Virginia is directly tied to health

behaviors-there’s no easy fix-but our PAs learn how to meet the

specific challenges that culture, poverty and lack of access to

health care bring,” says Kennedy.

The Jefferson PA program is meeting its challenge of

providing this region with medical support, as well. Of the 175

Jefferson graduates, 68 still work in Roanoke and Southwest

Virginia. Eighteen of these work in a Carilion facility.

This year the program plans to increase its incoming class

to 36. The number of applicants for fall 2006 exceeded 375, and

as the program gains national recognition, it receives inquires

from increasingly academically qualified and competitive

applicants. Strong competition for so few seats allows for a

learning environment that gives faculty the opportunity to create

an advanced curriculum and to expect students to keep pace.

“Many of our students already have bachelor’s degrees or have already

been in the working world,” says Kennedy. “Almost all have previous

experience in project management, so we can be more productive.”

With its unique chronic disease management education

component, the program is finding a national and international

audience. Kennedy, Medical Director Patrick McCarthy, M.D., and

the Jefferson PA faculty have incorporated a community medicine

rotation that may become the standard by which other medical

training programs are judged. Conference committees globally have

been seeking Kennedy to speak on the Jefferson curriculum.

“We’ve known community-oriented primary care is the future of

healthcare for a long time,” says Kennedy. “By sharing information,

we are doing our part to improve healthcare delivery not only

in Virginia but around the world.” •

The Jefferson PA program made local and statewide news in 1996 and continues to garner frequent media coverage for its curriculum and mission.


SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI

William O’Neal, ’04, is happier now than at any other time

of his life. “For the first time, my smile is genuine, and it

comes from knowing that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to

be,” he says. After graduating from Jefferson, he was assigned

to the Vernon J. Harris Health Center, located in the East End

Richmond neighborhood of Church Hill, by the National

Health Services Corps (NHSC). The NHSC is an elite

federal program that paid for O’Neal’s education at Jefferson.

In return, he is serving

the health center clients in

Richmond. The NHSC

fills the need for medical

staff in some of the most

underserved settings in

the United States. O’Neal

was skeptical about this

assignment but accepted

the post to honor his

commitment to the Corps.

He now feels that

it was a move planned

for him by Providence.

“My wife and I both feel

that God brought us to

Richmond,” he explains.

“We are close enough to

Roanoke to be able to visit

our hometown, and we

feel like we were meant to

come here.” His wife,

Asia O’Neal, R.N. ’02, is a

Jefferson nursing alumna

who works in labor and

delivery at Saint Francis

Hospital in Richmond.

Vernon J. Harris Health Center is a friendly, professional

environment despite the high-volume of patients seen every day.

Employee morale building is an important component of O’Neal’s

daily duties as staff manager. “The nurses and support personnel

have to stay emotionally and spiritually upbeat, facing some

pretty exhausting days,” says O’Neal. “Many of our patients are

in situations that can wear us down as we struggle to balance

connection and objectivity.” As an endless stream of young

mothers walk past the large pod of smokers outside, it might

be easy for O’Neal to get discouraged and count the days until

the end of his Church Hill assignment. Physician assistants can

work in better places, affluent offices where people have good

insurance, listen to the advice of their doctor, get prescriptions

filled and take their medicine. “I spent my clinical rotation at

Jefferson in Norton, Virginia learning about health issues in

rural America,” he says. In Southwest Virginia geographical

disconnection due to population scarcity challenges healthcare

providers to lure patients in from long distances.

“By contrast, in the inner city we have thousands of

people within a few blocks’ radius of our facility, but they are

disconnected from healthcare psychologically,” says O’Neal.

Many black Americans in the South, including Richmond, are

distrustful of the medical world and shun medical attention for

any reason. History has contributed to this mistrust. For example,

the government sponsored Tuskegee Syphilis Study conducted

between 1932 to 1972 in Georgia invited subjects to participate

by offering free medical testing and treatment. During the course

of that study, 400 black men were secretly denied medical

treatment for syphilis. “As a black man, I can understand the

paranoia. At the same time, it frustrates me that people are

now withholding their own treatment as a way of dealing with

the anxiety,” says O’Neal.

O’Neal stresses, however, that most health problems aren’t

relevant to race. “Bad lifestyle choices, not genes, are the source

of most health problems that I see in primary care,” he says.

“In both rural areas and inner city neighborhoods, bad choices

like unprotected sex and smoking affect more than the individual;

they also impact the family and community.”

The physician assistant program at Jefferson is rigorous, but

although most students feel like turning in their stethoscopes

in the first year, the retention rate is an astounding 100 percent

most years. Program Director Wilton Kennedy explains, “The

PA program is both a sprint and a marathon, but a lot of time and

effort go into handpicking each student. We interview dozens

of candidates for 20 seats each year. We select the students that

we truly feel have what it takes to make it all the way.”

“Being a PA makes me appreciative of my life and my family,”

says O’Neal. He and Asia are proud parents of Gabrielle (8)

and Malcolm (2). “Everything in our lives brought us to where

we are,” O’Neal explains. “God gave me hard times growing up

that led me to the military, then the military led me to medicine

and Jefferson, and Jefferson prepared me for Vernon J. Harris

Health Center and whatever may be beyond.” •

From Jefferson to Church Hillwilliam o’neal, ’04

physician assistant, national health services corps, richmond, va

“Being a PA makes me

appreciative of my life.

Everything in our

lives brought us to

where we are.”

— William O’Neal ’04

Pho

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1980S

David Hoback, EHS, ’84, of Roanoke,received the Outstanding EMS AdministratorAward at the Governor’s EMS Awards dinnerheld in November. David is a founding member of the Virginia Association ofGovernmental EMS Administrators and is on the regulation and policy committee.

Mary D. Quinn, ADN, ’88, of Roanoke,is working in the PICU at Carilion RoanokeCommunity Hospital. She has two children,ages 14 and 10 years and is working towardher BSN at Jefferson. She would like for herclass to hold a 20-year reunion in 2008. If you are interested, please contact theJefferson alumni office.

Susan Lowe, ADN, HSM, ’89, of Roanoke,retired from hospital nursing and is currentlyinvolved with National Guard and VADF. She was promoted in October 2005 to therank of major and works as a medical operations officer in the George WashingtonDivision headquarters in Richmond. She is a volunteer firefighter and life member ofClearbrook Volunteer Fire Department. She is a flotilla staff officer member trainingin the U S Coast Guard Auxillary.

1990S

Cammy Nulty, ADN, ’92, works inGreenboro, NC as a clinical nurse specialist.As a clinical resource and educator, she provides licensed staff with information oncurrent health care trends and issues.

John Deal, EHS, ’96, of Eau Claire, WI,served 4 years with the United States Navyin direct support of Operations SouthernWatch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.John received an honorable discharge and isnow an instructor and clinical coordinatorfor the paramedic program at ChippewaValley Technical College in Eau Claire.

Yvette Powell, HIM, ’96, of Wirtz, is currently a medical transcriptionist coordinator at Physician Associates of Virginia.

CLASS NOTESJEFFERSON COLLEGE of HEALTH SCIENCES


Plans are underway for a 2007 celebration to mark the anniversary of Jefferson’s

accreditation for associate degree programs in Respiratory Therapy and Nursing.

Class of 1984 Respiratory Therapy graduates have much to celebrate! The 1984

class marked a new standard of merit for the college. Jefferson has grown to

include more students and diverse degree programs. One thing remains the

same: Jefferson’s excellence and innovation in education.

To be involved in the planning, contact Bre Sawyer, Coordinator Alumni

Affairs, 540.224.4644 or [email protected].

Cheryl Lynne AyersRandolph C. BayntonNorman Gordon Blake, Jr.James Harvey CloeDebra J. DavisLisa N. KazmerMichael Wayne Klaiber

Amy Louise MartinMichael E. McCollumConnie Mitchell NakhleJamie F. RibbleKim Ellen RoeVictoria Dennis Trevilian

Respiratory students in 1984.

associate degree in respiratory therapy25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY class of 1984 alumni celebration

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Clint Thornhill, PTA, ’96, of Roanoke,recently moved back from Williamsburg with his wife and two children. He is a salesand marketing executive with HousecallHome Healthcare, an Amedisys Company.After practicing physical therapy for fiveyears as a licensed assistant, he decided to pursue a career in healthcare sales. Since changing careers he has worked for a large pharmaceutical company selling respiratory medications and for a companyselling optical lenses and laboratory services.

Tina Graham-Cook, ADN, ’97, ofBoones Mill, is working at Maxim Healthcare,a home health staffing agency, in Roanokeas a clinical supervisor. She will be comingback to Jefferson to pursue a BSN inHealthcare Management.

Robert Geddens, PTA, ’97, of Blythewood,SC, and wife, Beth, have a son named Caleb,born 3/22/04. Geddens graduated fromthe University of South Carolina’s DPT program in May 2005, and is working as aphysical therapist at Providence Hospital inColumbia, South Carolina.

Carolyn Mason-Murray, BSN, ’98, ofBlue Ridge, graduated from Old DominionUniversity in May 2005 with a master’s innursing education.

John D. Carney, PA, ’99, of Newark, DE,is a member of thoracic/vascular service atChristiana Care Health System.

Marli Sparbel Overstreet, PTA, ’99, ofHigh Point, NC, is married to Rick Overstreet.She is the therapy manager for RehabWorksat Westchester Manor in High Point.

Jess Naples, PA, ’99, of Lynchburg, practices at Nephrology Physicians inLynchburg. He works closely with JohnCardwell, PA, ’99, who was instrumental inbringing him into the practice.

Rebecca Rutt, PTA, ’99, of Richmond,went back to school and graduated with an associate’s degree in education in 2000. Currently, she is attending VirginiaCommonwealth University and workingtowards a bachelor’s in business managementand a minor in marketing with the intention ofstarting or working in an executive positionfor a non-profit organization.

Plans are underway for a 2007 celebration to mark the anniversary of Jefferson’s

accreditation for associate degree programs in Respiratory Therapy and Nursing.

Since the first graduates received associate degrees in nursing in 1985,

Jefferson has grown in many ways. Today, offerings at Jefferson include four

bachelor of science programs of study and the master of science in nursing.

Jefferson has steadfastly held to the mission of preparing ethical, knowledgeable,

competent and caring professionals in the healthcare field.

Your ideas and enthusiasm for the celebration are welcomed! To be involved

in the planning, please contact Bre Sawyer, Coordinator Alumni Affairs, at

540.224.4644 or [email protected].

Sylvia Susan AmickKim Elaine AustinAnna Maria BoushElizabeth Adele FoustCarol Elizabeth Sittler FurryLinda Gayle KingLinda S. LumsdenWallace E. Martin, Jr.Karen S. MoranPaula O’Dell Morrison

Marjo Lackey MullinsDonna F. NicholasJayne Marie OrrMelisa Gayle PleckerArthur Beal ShumateMary Lynne SprouseDonna Elizabeth TerryJulie Ann WhiteE. Sue Woodahl

Nursing students take a break from their studies.

associate degree in nursing25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY class of 1985 alumni celebration

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2000S

Jason Patterson, EHS, ’00, of Hardy, worksfor the Roanoke County Fire and RescueDepartment as a paramedic-firefighter.

Michelle Hightower Hylton, PTA, ’00, ofRocky Mount, and husband Chris welcomedChristopher Ashton Hylton on April 19, 2006.Christopher weighed 7 pounds and was 193/4 inches long.

Sherry Chaney, ADN, ’01, of Roanoke,practices on 10 West at Carilion RoanokeMemorial Hospital as a clinical team leader.

Kelly Watts Butler, OTA, ’02, of StuartsDraft, is married with a one-year-old son,Nathan. She practices at Augusta MedicalCenter as a COTA on the skilled nursingunit. Her husband, Kenny, is a Marine, serving his second tour in Iraq.

Frank P. Doyle, ADN, ’02, of Elliston, has remained in the hemodialysis field,practicing as the acute dialysis coordinatorfor New River Valley Dialysis Center’s in-hospital program at MontgomeryRegional Hospital.

Debbie LaBiosa, ADN, ’02, of Salem,practices in long-term care as a registerednurse. She enjoys the ever-challengingaspects of providing care while working as a member of a multi-disciplinary care planteam. Her passion continues to be workingwith the elderly and emphasizing dignity,resident rights and the ongoing need forcapable and caring assistance provided tothem by nursing employees.

Paresh K. Visana, PA, ’02, of Gray, TN, is a physician assistant with WataugaInternal Medicine in Johnson City, TN.

Brian Hubbard, FIR, ’03, of Carrollton, is a paid firefighter-paramedic for theNewport News Fire Department.

Gary Mayfield, AT, ’03, of Petersburg,married Tia in 2004. He is now the fatherof two girls, Gianna (4) and Shania (1) and practices as an athletic trainer and as aphysical therapist assistant.

Tejas Vaishnav, BSN, ’03, of Charlottesville,is in the MSN-Ph.D. tract program atUniversity of Virginia. Her MSN focus is asacute care nurse practitioner and Ph.D.focus is on pain management and the useof CAM- complementary and alternativemedicine.

Steven Sharkey, ADN, ’05, of Roanoke,practices at Carilion Roanoke MemorialHospital in the MSPCU 8 Mountain.

Mike Showalter, ADN, ’05, of Roanoke,practices in the emergency department atCarilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Marianne Lyman, ADN, ’05, works as astaff nurse in stepdown cardiology (MCPCU)at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Send your class notes announcements and digitalimages (300 dpi) to [email protected].




Michelle H. Hylton ’00 and Christopher.

Send us your new baby photo and we’ll send you

a Jefferson baby bib!

Email digital images (300 dpi) to

[email protected] or mail to

PO Box 13186, Roanoke, VA 24031

JEFFERSON ADVANCEMENTHEALTH DISPARITIES PROGRAM ADDS

NEW DIMENSION OF PATIENT CARE


Imagine that you have diabetes and lack health insurance. You can’t remember the last time you saw

a physician, and you have no idea when the government-subsidized clinic can squeeze you in for

an appointment. This was the situation in which most patients at the Kuumba Community Health

and Wellness Center in Roanoke, Virginia, found themselves prior to fall 2004.

That’s when first-year students at the Jefferson College of

Health Sciences PA Program teamed up with chronic disease

patients at the health center in a pilot program called Reducing

Health Disparities with PA Student-

Patient Self-management and

Support (PASSMAS).

The program is based on a

partnership between provider and

patient. PA students provide tailored

education and support to chronic

disease patients through a series of

home visits. The visits empower the

patients to take greater control of

their health, while exposing students

to a range of social, cultural and

environmental factors that impact

their patients’ management of

chronic conditions. The exchange

improves the long-term health

outcomes of chronic-disease patients and teaches PA students

the importance of developing cross-cultural approaches to care.

According to Wilton Kennedy, director of the JCHS PA

program, few practicing providers have been trained in patient

self-management techniques, which is an essential tool for

managing chronic disease.

“As the burden of chronic disease continues to rise in

this country, it will be imperative that more patients become

empowered to better manage their own conditions,” Kennedy

says. “More PAs also need to be prepared to provide their

patients with self-management support, in an effort to reduce

health disparities. This is especially true in cardiovascular

disease and diabetes, given that both of these conditions

disproportionately affect minorities.” More than half of the

health centers patients are African American or Hispanic.

The program works like this: Patients with a chronic

disease, usually diabetes or hypertension, are recruited at the

health center. Their charts are given to PA students, who meet

with PA program faculty to develop an understanding of a

patient’s chronic illness. The health center then arranges for

the patient and student to meet to discuss disease management

problem areas and goals. Utilizing input from the patient,

students develop an action plan that addresses diet, exercise

and other tips on improving their health. After the initial visit,

all PASSMAS visits take place in the patient’s home.

During each home visit, students observe the patients

behaviors and choices and develop culturally sensitive strategies

to help the patient live as fully and productively as he or she can

with a chronic condition. Sometimes

this means teaching a patient how to

exercise on “bad days” or reworking

a patient’s grocery list to incorporate

healthier foods.

By offering feedback and support

along the way, students instill patients

with the confidence they need to

manage their chronic condition.

Students also provide health center

staff with full psychosocial profiles

of their patients that go into the

patients’ medical charts.

Every patient who participates

in the PASSMAS program is also

enrolled in the Bureau of Primary

Health Cares Health Disparities Collaborative for diabetes

and cardiovascular disease. The patient’s preprogram and

post-program health indicators — hemoglobin A-1C, lipid

levels, blood pressure, and BMI — are compared to, assess

clinical improvement.

At the end of the pilot program’s first year, more than 90

percent of patients surveyed said they felt more confident in

managing their chronic conditions. Staff at the community

center expressed gratitude that someone could spend so much

time educating the complex patients. PA students also had the

opportunity to learn about continuity of care.

For providing such benefits to everyone involved, PASS-

MAS earned a $3,500 award as part of the 2005 Innovations in

Health Care: AAPA/PA Foundation/Pfizer Recognition

Program. The money will be used to defray the cost of the

program and the cost of the book Living a Healthy Life withChronic Conditions (Spanish and English versions), which is

given to each patient who participates in PASSMAS. Kennedy

also plans to present a paper about the program at this falls

PAEA Education Forum to encourage other PA programs to

consider creating similar programs in their communities.

“Anytime you start a new program, there will be challenges.

But [PASSMAS] has added a new dimension of patient care

and contact,” said Kennedy. “Patients win. Clinics win.

Students win. Everybody wins.” •

BY JÉNENE FONTENOT, AAPA News

PA Program Director Wilton Kennedy, PA-CP

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Iam Bre Sawyer, the new Alumni Relations Coordinator, and I am very excited

to be a part of Jefferson College of Health Sciences! Roanoke is my hometown,

I’m a graduate of Hollins University, and I’ve worked with several other

non-profit organizations in the area. I look forward to getting to know you and

discovering what we can achieve together to build a vital alumni association

and help JCHS continue to excel and serve.

As Alumni Relations Coordinator, my goal is to create activities and programs

for JCHS alumni that will encourage you to be a part of the Jefferson community

long after graduation. As an alumnus, each of you can support the College through

your ideas, suggestions, professional expertise, time, participation in college events

and financial support.

Alumni are critical to a strong college campus. You reflect the mission and

accomplishments of Jefferson, and your support allows us to thrive generation

after generation. One of my first initiatives will be to plan and develop an annual

fund campaign for 2007. We hope that when you are invited to participate you

will see this as a worthy initiative and give to the degree that you can. We will

appreciate each dollar you can give, but the amount is not as important as your

show of support. Our goal is to count ourselves among the proud colleges that

have 20% of alumni showing their support each year through annual fund giving.

Bringing together all of the schools that make up Jefferson College of Health Sciences creates an alumni base dating back to

1914. That’s impressive! In 1914, when the first nursing students at Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing started their program,

only a few blocks from where the current college stands, the Jefferson tradition of educational excellence began.

Jefferson’s alumni family also includes Lewis-Gale School of Nursing, Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley School of

Nursing, and, of course, Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley College of Health Sciences. Each of these great schools is the

foundation upon which Jefferson College of Health Sciences is built.

Our mission as an institution of higher learning could not be more important. Jefferson adds over 200 healthcare professionals

to the United States annually. The impact that Jefferson makes in our health care community, especially in this time of care giver

shortage, is tremendous and is well recognized. Dozens of hospitals and health centers in Virginia rely on Jefferson to educate

competent and caring healthcare professionals to meet their patients’ needs.

Every top college and university in the United States strives to have a strong legacy of annual giving by its alumni. Unrestricted

giving is crucial because it allows the institution to utilize the donors’ gifts to meet its most immediate needs. In other words,

Jefferson Fund support will go to things like library needs, equipment for labs and facility needs. Jefferson Fund gifts will help

the College increase its operational resources and directly enhance the Jefferson Experience for students. With your gifts, students

will have access to the best laboratory equipment, technology and research resources.

The move into the new building will be both exciting and costly. While Carilion Health System will complete the renovation

work to create an outstanding educational environment, the college is still responsible for funding the day-to-day needs that

directly affect students’ learning experiences. I welcome each of you to be a part of building the Jefferson Fund into a vital

resource for the college. Jefferson alumni are over 2,500 strong and can make a difference!

Sincerely,

JEFFERSON ADVANCEMENTNEW ALUMNI COORDINATOR INTRODUCES HERSELF

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BY BREHANNA SAWYER, Alumni Relations Coordinator

Hello Jefferson Alumni

Bre Sawyer

• $10 for adults$ 5 for kids 12 and underFree for kids 3 and under

• “Thirsty Thursday,” June 29th

• Game begins at 7:05 p.m.

• Purchase your tickets through the Jefferson Alumni Office by calling 540-224-4644 or email [email protected].

• Admission will include hot dog, chips and soda on the Valleydale Deck, just off right field.

JCHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PICNICAT THE SALEM AVALANCHE GAME ON JUNE 29TH

mark your calendar!

for the Second Annual

Jefferson Picnic in the Park!

/

Non-Profit Org

U.S. Postage

PAIDRoanoke, VA

Permit No. 28

P.O. Box 13186

Roanoke, Virginia 24031-3186

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Jefferson Chronicle-Spring/Summer 2006

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