SUMMER 2010 PCOM held its 119th DO Commencement this spring while GA–PCOM celebrated its second DO Commencement and its third Commencement for the biomedical sciences program. PCOM graduate programs will celebrate Commencement on July 31. Left: Jim Gardner Right: Veronica Christina Nicholas, DO ’10, was hooded by her father, Alex Nicholas, DO ’75, professor, chair and residency program director, OMM.
SUMMER 2010 SUCCESS: THEY WROTE THE BOOK .... 2 TERRI ERBACHER, PhD .......... 6 DEPARTMENT PROFILE .................. 4 NEW HIRES ........................ 7 what’s inside SIGNS OF SPRING PCOM held its 119th DO Commencement this spring while GA–PCOM celebrated its second DO Commencement and its third Commencement for the biomedical sciences program. PCOM graduate programs will celebrate Commencement on July 31. David Satcher, MD, PhD, was the keynote speaker for the GA–PCOM Commencement. Dr. Satcher served as surgeon general of the United States and assistant secretary for health during the Clinton administration. He is a former president of Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta and is currently the director of the school’s Satcher Health Leadership Institute. During his commencement address, Dr. Satcher reminded the graduates that health care reform presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges for those entering medicine over the next 10 years. “Be prepared to manage change,” he emphasized. Jim Gardner, long-time news anchor for WPVI-TV, presented the commencement address at PCOM’s DO Commencement. The son of a prominent physician, Mr. Gardner recalled walking past PCOM with his dad. “My dad said that PCOM is the Harvard of osteopathic medical schools. But I think he was wrong. Harvard is the allopathic PCOM.” PCOM LINK Above: Dr. Satcher Right: Tiffany Feltman, DO ’10, was one of 75 physicians graduating from GA–PCOM in May. Left: Jim Gardner Right: Veronica Christina Nicholas, DO ’10, was hooded by her father, Alex Nicholas, DO ’75, professor, chair and residency program director, OMM.
Transcript
SUMMER 2010
SUCCESS: THEY WROTE THE BOOK....2 TERRI ERBACHER, PhD ..........6DEPARTMENT PROFILE ..................4 NEW HIRES ........................7what’s inside
SIGNS OF SPRINGPCOM held its 119th DO Commencement this spring while GA–PCOM celebrated itssecond DO Commencement and its thirdCommencement for the biomedical sciencesprogram. PCOM graduate programs willcelebrate Commencement on July 31.
David Satcher, MD, PhD, was the keynote speaker forthe GA–PCOM Commencement. Dr. Satcher servedas surgeon general of the United States and assistantsecretary for health during the Clinton administration.He is a former president of Morehouse School ofMedicine in Atlanta and is currently the director of the school’s Satcher Health Leadership Institute.During his commencement address, Dr.Satcher reminded the graduates that healthcare reform presents unprecedentedopportunities and challenges for thoseentering medicine over the next 10 years. “Be prepared to manage change,” heemphasized.
Jim Gardner, long-time news anchor for WPVI-TV, presented thecommencement address at PCOM’s DO Commencement. The son of aprominent physician, Mr. Gardner recalled walking past PCOM with hisdad. “My dad said that PCOM is the Harvard of osteopathic medicalschools. But I think he was wrong. Harvard is the allopathic PCOM.”
PCOMLINK
Above: Dr. Satcher
Right: Tiffany Feltman, DO ’10, was one of
75 physicians graduating from
GA–PCOM in May.
Left: Jim Gardner
Right: Veronica ChristinaNicholas, DO ’10, was
hooded by her father, AlexNicholas, DO ’75, professor,chair and residency program
director, OMM.
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NOTHING SUCCEEDSLIKE SUCCESSBeginning with the first graduatingclass in 2005, 100 percent of studentsgraduating from the EdS in schoolpsychology program have passed thePraxis exam—the qualifying test forstate certification for schoolpsychologists.
Asked the secret of the program’ssuccess, Diane Smallwood, PsyD,professor, psychology; and director ofthe EdS degree program, notes thestrength of the curriculum, the lowstudent-to-faculty ratio, the resourcesafforded the program, the highlyqualified applicants and the expertfaculty. The faculty is so proficient inpreparing the students for the Praxisexam, in fact, two members wrote the definitive book on how to prepare for the test.
Roe Mennuti, EdD, professor, psychology; and director of the school psychology program, and BarbaraWilliams, PhD, adjunct instructor, have just published PASS: Prepare, Assist, Survive and Succeed: A Guide to PASSing the Praxis Exam in School Psychology.
Drs. Mennuti and Williams have worked together for 35 years. They were both teaching at Rowan Universityin 1994 when the Praxis exam was introduced as therequired state certification for school psychologists.Together, they developed a model of instruction to helpprepare students for the exam.
“In 2003, we were invited to submit a proposal for apresentation at the National Association of SchoolPsychologists’ [NASP] national convention,” recalls Dr. Mennuti. “So we created a workshop based on ourteaching model.” Thus began their annual presentationon the subject to standing-room-only audiences.
A chance encounter at the NASP convention threeyears ago took their teaching model to the next step.Dana Bliss, an editor from the psychology division ofRoutledge Publishing, was attending the convention. “I saw the listing for the Praxis exam preparation workshop and was intrigued,” he recalls. “I fought my wayinto the room, looked up at the podium, and there was Roe. I had no idea she was the presenter.” Mr. Blissexplains that he and Dr. Mennuti know one another well, having worked on several books together. Afterthe workshop, Dr. Mennuti introduced him to Dr. Williams, and the concept for the book was born.
“We gathered the information we had been using in our classes, asked our students what information theyfound most helpful and sat down to collaborate,” recalls Dr. Williams. The result is a 239-page book withgraphic organizers and a CD with practice questions and an answer key. “This book will ease students’anxiety, focus their studies, and strengthen their resolve,” notes one reviewer.
“This was a labor of love,” declares Dr. Williams. “We want everyone in our profession to achieve this levelof excellence. It’s good for our schools, it’s good for our students and it’s good for our profession.”
The study guide was released at the 2010 Chicago NASP convention.
news @ PCOM
Roe Mennuti, EdD, director, school psychology (left), BarbaraWilliams, PhD, adjunct professor, school psychology, and publisherDana Bliss unveiled their book at the 2010 NASP convention.
“We want everyone
in our profession to achieve
this level of excellence.
It’s good for our schools,
it’s good for our students and
it’s good for our profession.”
RESEARCH NEWSThanks to an endowment from theOsteopathic Heritage Foundation,interdisciplinary research is ongoing underthe umbrella of the Center for ChronicDisorders of Aging. These are some recent initiatives:
• Mary P. Owen, PhD, JD, professor,pharmacology, GA–PCOM, is studyinghow blood flow in the eyes is affected bydiabetes. Over 60 percent of patientswith type 2 diabetes will develop visionproblems as a result of thedisease.
• LindonYoung, PhD,associateprofessor,pathology,microbiology,immunology andforensic medicine, isdoing research onpreventing tissuedamage in patientswho have had a heartattack, angioplasty,coronary bypass ororgan transplant.
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news @ PCOM
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY TOADMIT INAUGURAL CLASSThe School of Pharmacy has been grantedprecandidate accreditation status by the AccreditationCouncil for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), allowing it toenroll its first class of students.
All teaching faculty responsible for the first year of the program have been hired, and construction ofclassrooms and labs has been completed in anticipationof the first day of classes on August 16, 2010.
ACPE accreditation is a three-step process for newschools of pharmacy. Precandidate accreditation statusdenotes a developmental program that is expected tomature in accord with stated plans and within a definedtime period. This status is awarded to a new programthat has not yet enrolled students; it authorizes theCollege to admit its first class.
The School of Pharmacy will next apply for candidateaccreditation, which is awarded to programs that haveenrolled students, but have not yet had a graduatingclass. Full accreditation is awarded to a program thathas met all ACPE standards for accreditation and hasgraduated its first class.
The School of Pharmacy has also received therequired approvals from the Georgia NonpublicPostsecondary Education Commission, thePennsylvania Department of Education and the MiddleStates Commission on Higher Education.
GWINNETT MEDICAL CENTER REACHES OUT TO GA–PCOM Daren Wannamaker, DO, assistant professor, internal medicine, osteopathicdirector of medical education, GA–PCOM, has been tapped by Gwinnett MedicalCenter (GMC) – Duluth to teach GA–PCOM third- and fourth-year medicalstudents as they perform their internal medicine rotation at the Center.
“For several years medical students have been rotating through the hospitalistservice at Duluth for their core internal medicine rotation,” says Alan Bier, MD,executive vice president and chief medical officer at GMC. “As service hasbecome busier, the hospitalists very much want to maintain the program buthave had less time to devote to teaching.” Dr. Wannamaker will fill that gap.
The medical students will accompany Dr. Wannamaker as he makes his roundsand see first-hand how diagnostic and treatment decisions are made. The factthat Dr. Wannamaker taught these same students as first- and second-year
medical students brings an added value to their education. “Supervising these students on rotation givesus both a broad spectrum of education,” says Dr. Wannamaker.
“This partnership marks a new phase in a growing relationship between Gwinnett Medical Center andGA–PCOM” says Paul Evans, DO ’79, dean and chief academic officer, osteopathic medical program,Georgia Campus. The hope is that connecting GA–PCOM students with GMC will encourage thesestudents to remain in the area as primary care physicians.
Dr. Wannamaker
Department profile
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Now that the DO class of2010 has graduated, most ofthe College views thesenewly-minted physicians as ajob well done. Admissionsrecruited the students, facultyeducated them and thevarious administrativedepartments played their rolein ushering these studentsthrough four years of medicalschool. For the Office ofGraduate Medical Education(GME), however, commencementsignals a new group of doctorsthey will help navigate throughtheir careers as interns andresidents. These new doctorsinclude not only PCOM grads, butphysicians from other osteopathicmedical schools as well.
“If the doctors choose to do theirinternships and residenciesthrough the PCOM Consortium,they are technically PCOMemployees,” explains JoanneJones, GME assistant director,“and our department acts as avirtual HR department. Weoversee everything from payrollto work schedules, from licensingto loan deferment.” This requiresa lot of paperwork, organizationand even a little hand holding.
“They’re like our chicks and we’relike the hens,” jokes MarilynHeywood, administrativeassistant, internship program.Marilyn helps the interns throughtheir first year as doctors byscheduling interviews, filingapplication forms, submittingcredentialing information andsubmitting payments forCOMLEX exams. “We answertheir questions, get them wherethey need to go and remind themto turn in their internship logs,”she points out. She also
coordinates elective specialtyrotations for PCOM students.
In addition to Marilyn, membersof the department who helpensure that the new doctors canfocus their efforts on patients, notpaperwork, are Sandy Branche,GME supervisor; and Kathy Hainand Kim Jones, administrativeassistants, residency programs.While the responsibilities of thefour women are similar, they eachhave an area of expertise.
Kim verifies training forpostdoctoral employment, inputsdata for all the residents’ timecards, tracks evaluations fromthe rotation sites and schedulesthe ACLS (advanced cardiac lifesupport) course for the residents.In addition, she creates PowerPoint presentations, coordinatesseminars and grades pre- andpost-testing for OMM seminars.
Kathy joined the department aftera stint as office manager at PCOMHealthcare Center – RoxboroughDivision where she saw studentsduring their urban clinical rotations.In the GME office, she has theopportunity to watch as thosestudents, now physicians,negotiate internship and residency.Kathy works mainly with thegeneral surgery and internalmedicine residents. She isresponsible for residents’
schedules and orientations as wellas their loan deferments andcredentialing. She also overseesthe application and interviewprocess for the internship program.
In addition to overseeing all ofthe above, Sandy ensures thatrotation facilities have currentschedules. She puts theresidents’ information into theBanner system and maintainsand runs reports through thesystem, oversees the applicationand interview process for theresidency program—and the listgoes on.
But these GME responsibilitiesare just half of the department’srole. The department alsoadministers PCOM MEDNet –PCOM’s OPTI (Osteopathic Post-doctoral Training Institution). ViceDean of Clinical EducationRichard Pascucci, DO ’75,explains that the OPTI wasmandated by the AmericanOsteopathic Association (AOA) in1995. “The AOA declared that by1999, every osteopathic post-graduate program had to be linkedto an osteopathic medical schoolthat would oversee the residencyprograms and ensure the qualityof the AOA-approved program.”
PCOM’s MEDNet is one of 18OPTIs in the country. OPTIsprovide a comprehensive,
WHENCOMMENCEMENTIS JUST THEBEGINNING
The GME office includes (from left) Sandy Branche, Joanne Jones, KathyHain, Richard Pascucci, DO ’75, Marilyn Heywood and Kim Jones.
kudos!
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seamless model for osteopathicphysician training. They addvalue to medical training byensuring that the osteopathicconcepts are continuedthroughout the physician’straining. OPTIs also requirecontinuous educationalassessment. This is theresponsibility of Joanne and Dr.Pascucci, who oversee theinternship and residencyprograms not only of the OPTI,but of the PCOM Consortium—PCOM’s own residencyprograms. Through systematic
self-study, annual reporting ofdata on accreditationprocedures and the creation ofbudgets and contracts, theyensure the quality of internshipand residency training. Theyalso travel to osteopathicmedical colleges across thecountry to recruit students forthe 32 area MEDNet members.The GME department overseesapproximately 1,143 MEDNetinternship/residency positions,65 to 70 percent of which arefilled by PCOM graduates.
“PCOM MEDNet providescomprehensive, verticallyintegrated physician training thatensures the perpetuation of theosteopathic philosophy,” explainsDr. Pascucci. “And since all ourMEDNet members are within thetri-state area [Pennsylvania,New Jersey and Delaware], ithelps the MEDNet institutions torecruit PCOM graduates notonly for residency positions, buteventually as hospital staff. Thiskeeps our PCOM physicianslocal and helps ensure thesuccess of the hospitals.”
kudos!
Brian Balin, PhD, professor, pathology,microbiology, immunology and forensic medicine, was quoted in the German newspaper FrankfurterAllgemeine Zeitung. He weighed in on a study in theJournal of the American Geriatrics Society that foundthat partners who cared for those with Alzheimer’sand similar diseases were six times more likely todevelop that disease. Dr. Balin is of the opinion thatAlzheimer’s is not contagious but that patients’frequently occurring bacterial infections couldcontribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.Dr. Balin’s research looks at the correlation betweenChlamydia pneumoniae bacteria and Alzheimer’sdisease. Dr. Balin was also quoted in the article “NewStudy Theorizes That Amyloid Beta Protein Is anAntimicrobial Peptide” published in Neurology Today.“We are excited that someone is thinking out of thebox in ways that others haven't considered,” he saysof the research. “Most of the evidence aboutinfections and Alheimer’s Disease has been ignored.The Harvard researchers who conducted the study are going about this in a rational way.”
H. William Craver, III, DO, ’87, professor ofsurgery and chair, undergraduate clinical education,osteopathic medical program, Georgia Campus,was selected as the 2009 Case Writer of the Yearfor COMLEX-USA Level 2 Performance Evaluation.
Kate Galluzzi, DO, professor and chair,geriatrics, presented “Adult Immunization Update”and “High Stakes, Young Lives: Prescription DrugDiversion in the Adolescent Community—Insightsfrom Recovering Students” at the ACOFP AnnualConvention. At POMA’s annual clinical assembly,she presented “Medication Errors/RecordKeeping.” She presented “Clinical Consequencesof Dementing Disease” at the PCOM-sponsoredCME program on “Differentiating Dementias in theElderly.” She and Ruth Thornton, PhD,professor and chair, biochemistry and molecular
biology, presented “Utilizing Standardized PatientPrograms to Bring Death and Dying Issues to Life”at the annual AACOM meeting.
Nicol Joseph, DO, assistant professor,geriatrics, presented the Cultural Competencylecture at POMA’s Annual Conference.
Matthew Schure, PhD, CEO and president,PCOM, has joined the Greater Philadelphia LifeSciences Congress as an ambassador topromote Philadelphia as a world-class lifesciences meetings destination.
Diane Smallwood, PsyD, professor, psychologyand director, EdS program, school psychology, wasone of several members of the school psychologyfaculty recognized with a National Association ofSchool Psychologists Presidential Award at theassociation’s annual meeting. Dr. Smallwood wasrecognized for her six years as strategic planningcoordinator of the association. Terry Molony,PsyD, an alumna of the program and adjunctfaculty member, was named the Rookie StateDelegate of the Year and Barbara Williams,PsyD, adjunct faculty member, received an awardfor her work coordinating the revision of thenational standards in school psychology.
Fred Goldstein, PhD, professor, neuroscience,physiology and pharmacology, teamed up with CarlHoegerl, DO ’01, MS, Clinical Psychologyand Seeniann John, DO/MPH, to deliver theposter presentation “Evaluation of a Stroke AlertProtocol Coupled with an Education Program in theEmergency Department” at the annual meeting ofthe American Academy of Neurology.
Paula Gregory, DO, MBA, clinical educationcoordinator and assistant professor, familymedicine, GA–PCOM, was elected president ofthe Georgia Osteopathic Medical Association.
news @ PCOM
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SUICIDE PREVENTION: A PERSONAL MISSIONTerri Erbacher, PhD, clinical assistant professor, school psychology, has beenaccredited as a School Suicide Prevention Specialist by the American Associationof Suicidology. In addition, she received the “Survivor of the Year Award for SuicidePrevention Efforts” from the Delaware County Suicide Prevention and AwarenessTask Force.
A school psychologist serving the special programs division at the Delaware CountyIntermediate Unit, Dr. Erbacher has a very personal reason for adding this specialtyto her roster of expertise. Her father committed suicide in 2001. “I made a promisethat his death wouldn’t be in vain,” declares Dr. Erbacher. She began working withteens affected by suicide in 2004. She is past co-chair of the Delaware CountySuicide Prevention and Awareness Task Force and is currently on the Board ofDirectors of Survivors of Suicide, Inc. and the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of theAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“There is so much stigma attached to suicide,” explains Dr. Erbacher, “so one of my goals is to get kids andadults to talk about suicide—to build awareness and remove the stigma. I focus on prevention, interventionand post-vention, which includes grief counseling.”
To help those who are grieving, Dr. Erbacher co-authored Suicide Loss: What Teens Need to Know: A Self-help Manual for Young People Who Have Lost a Family Member or Friend to Suicide. “Although we wrotethis manual for teenagers, teachers and parents have benefited from it as well,” she explains. “Grieving overa suicide is a more complex grief. It can include shock, anger, confusion and guilt.”
“When there is a suicide, the first question parents often ask is, ‘Is my child next?’” Dr. Erbacher explains.“Although every situation is different, in 80 percent of suicides there are warning signs. A goal of our work atthe Task Force is to educate teachers, school staff, parents and community members to look for these signs.”
“Most teens don’t want to die,” stresses Dr. Erbacher. “They want their psychic pain to end. Unfortunately, theirfrontal lobes are not fully developed and they don’t yet understand that suicide is a permanent solution to atemporary problem. We’re hoping that with education, suicide hotlines, school-based referrals, cognitive behaviortherapy and dialectical behavior therapy, we can substantially reduce teenage suicide attempts and completions.”
EACH ONE TEACH ONEAt this year’s Bring Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day, thekids learned a few diagnostic procedures before meeting theirsponsoring adults for a peek inside the work day.
Right: Victor Sawyer, Jr., son of Vic Sawyer, printing servicesassistant, printing services, watches as Rasheeda Fairnot, niece ofKea Tull, secretary, psychology, has her blood pressure checked.
Below: Ben Felgoise, son of Stephanie Felgoise, PhD, vice-chairand director, clinical psychology, has his pulse taken by a first-
year DO student.
Bottom Right: Blair and BrandiBankhead, son and daughter of Jemal Marie Bankhead, secretary,physician assistant studies, take turns making sure all is well.
Dr. Erbacher
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New hires
1. Limiat Abdulwahid, Administrative Assistant, PharmacyPractice, School of Pharmacy, GA–PCOM
2. Anthony Austin, Jr., Bursar Assistant, Bursar's Office3. Carmen L. Austin, Assistant Director, Financial Aid Office4. Yun Bai, PhD, Assistant Professor, PharmaceuticalSciences, School of Pharmacy, GA–PCOM
5. Julie Wickman Bierster, PharmD, Assistant Professor,Experiental Education, School of Pharmacy, GA–PCOM
6. Ebony Brooks, BenefitsSpecialist, Office of HumanResources
25. Jennifer Windstein, MS, PA-C,Assistant Professor, PhysicianAssistant Studies
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JULY 31Graduate ProgramsCommencementAcademy of Music, 240 South Broad St.Philadelphia11:30 a.m.
AUGUST 5ODL Orientation
AUGUST 8PCOM DO Orientation
AUGUST 10PCOM BiomedicalSciences Orientation
AUGUST 11GA–PCOM DO, BiomedicalSciences and School ofPharmacy Orientation
AUGUST 20Forensic MedicineOrientation
AUGUST 18Board of Trustees Meeting,Evans Hall, 334 A&B noon
calendar of events
Your Ticket to RideWhy stress on your commute to and
from work? Sharing a ride willsave you money, reduce your
commuter angst, decrease wearand tear on your car, help relievetraffic congestion and save gas. Forall these reasons, PCOM hasteamed up with Greater ValleyForge Transportation ManagementAssociation (GVF), a not for profit
private partnership committed to providing bettercommuting options in the greater Valley Forge area.
GVF helps connect employees with their coworkerswho live nearby with the goal of creating three- andfour-person car pools. The goal, says Carissa
Bobenchik, GVF project coordinator, is to “helppeople get into car pools – even if it’s just one ortwo days a week to reduce congestion and pollutionand enhance the community.”
Another benefit of the GVF car pooling program isthat if you have an emergency and need to leavework early, or unexpectedly have to work overtime,they will arrange access to an Enterprise rental carfor a $5 copay if you meet certain criteria.
So why not meet your neighbors and share a ride?The gas, money and headache you save will beyour own.
If you missed the June 22 Car Pool Meet and Greet,you can go to www.phillytraffic.com, click on commuterservices, then car pool, and enter your information.Carissa will work to find you a car pool match.
This newsletter was printed on Finch Casa Opaque digital, a papermanufactured with 66% renewable energy, utilizing 30 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.
30% PCW
STRESS FREE FRIDAY EVEThe PCOM Activities Group helped everyone relax with a“High-Noon” themed Stress Free Friday (celebrated, ofcourse, on a Thursday). Games, snacks, face painting,balloons and spin art were enjoyed by staff, faculty andstudents.
Cowpokes Doug Koch and Ruth Thornton, PhD, both Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, get ready to ride off into the sunset.
WENDY ROMANOExecutive Editor
CAROL WEISLEditor/Writer
ABIGAIL HARMONGraphic Designer
BRUCE FAIRFIELDPhotographer
Send, fax or e-mail news items to: Marketing and Communications,Levin Administration Building; fax 6307; e-mail: [email protected].
