CONNECTION Magazine of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
SPRING 2020
LECOM'S Commitment to Scholarship Assistance
John M. Ferretti, DO President/CEO Marlene D. Mosco Chair of the Board of Trustees Silvia M. Ferretti, DO Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs Hershey Bell, MD, MS (MedEd) Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the School of Pharmacy
IN THIS ISSUE
Mathew J. Bateman, PhD, DHEd Dean of the School of Dental Medicine
FEATURE
Mark Kauffman, DO, MS (MedEd), PA Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Bradenton
06 Fanning the Winds of Fortune for Scholars and Scholarship
Eric Nicastro Acting Institutional Director of Communications and Marketing
03
Message from the President
04
Credos of Our Calling – Patience
05
LECOM Ranks at the Top for Lowest Loan Default Rate
09
LECOM Secures $1 Million Scholarship Investment
10
Philanthropy with a Purpose
12
First-Year Finishes First
Joel Welin Communications and Marketing Specialist, Bradenton
13
Second Season of Suncoast Success
14
LECOM's Got Talent 2
Rebecca A. DeSimone, Esquire Chief Writer, Editor-in-Chief
16
LECOM White Coat Ceremonies
18
Day of Discovery
19
The Future of Healthcare for Older Adults
21
Unveiling Inspired Healthcare
23
LECOM Lauds Goode Example
24
A Guide to Perfecting the Patient Encounter
27
LECOM Alumna Alexandria (Cisowski) Boley, DO
Stephanie Bruce Senior Communications and Marketing Specialist Sheena Baker Communications and Marketing Specialist Jonathan Kim Digital Content Producer
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Lake Erie College
of Osteopathic Medicine is to prepare students to become osteopathic physicians, pharmacy practitioners and dentists through programs of excellence in education, research, clinical care and community service to enhance the quality of life through improved health for all humanity. The professional programs are dedicated to serve all students through innovative curriculum and the development of postdoctoral education and interprofessional experiences.
John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO
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DEPARTMENTS 28
Community is Our Campus
30
Student, Faculty and Alumni Notes
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Funding the Future
Supporting Student Success
John M. Ferretti, DO - President/CEO Few educational institutions have undertaken so aggressively the mission of ensuring the educational success of its students as has the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). As a leader in medical education, LECOM offers exceptional, innovative, and affordable education in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and dental medicine. From campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania and in Bradenton, Florida, LECOM provides studentcentered pathways to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals. The College has established itself as a national leader in medical education through studentcentered programs and by achieving a balance between excellence and affordability. At LECOM Bradenton, the Problem Based Learning (PBL) pathway promotes critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills through a team approach. After four years of study and training, students are graduated with the Doctor of Medicine (DO) degree. The School of Dental Medicine also offers a PBL stuient-centered learning approach that emphasizes extensive classroom learning and clinical training. Third-year students are treating patients in group practices at the Bradenton campus. As fourth-year students, they will train in community-based dental practices in Erie, Pennsylvania and in Defuniak Springs, Florida, thereby complementing their classroom learning while also providing dental care in communities in which many patients are unable to receive proper oral health care.
The School of Pharmacy offers several options for students interested in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, including an accelerated three-year program offered in Erie. LECOM also offers an online PharmD program for students who require a greater degree of flexibility in their studies. The Master of Medical Science degree provides additional pre-health education for students who require extra course work before beginning medical, pharmacy, or dental school. LECOM Bradenton also offers an online Masters in Health Services Administration (MHSA) Program designed for students who aspire to plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health service organizations. For healthcare professionals interested in teaching, LECOM offers the Master of Science in Medical Education via distance education. For high school students who are considering becoming physicians, pharmacists, or dentists, the LECOM Early Acceptance Program (EAP) allies with more than 150 colleges and universities to assist students in obtaining a head start upon their chosen healthcare path. Just how has LECOM become a leader in medical education? The answer combines exceptional training with affordability, of course; and it encompasses an array of offerings, as noted above, all of which are focused upon the needs of the student. The student is at the heart of every objective undertaken by LECOM. To provide a more complete perspective as to the student-centered LECOM mission, one need not look beyond that which LECOM values in its fundraising endeavors. Unlike other colleges or universities, LECOM does not conduct capital campaigns to raise funds for building projects or endowments. Rather, LECOM takes upon its shoulders the unyielding pursuit of funding the future of medicine – its students. The College is a superlative educational institution that encourages and supports its
scholars through and beyond their years of study. The annual LECOM Student Scholarship Auction is the chief generator of resources that are used to assist students in defraying and offsetting the cost of their medical education. Each year, LECOM distributes more than 4-million dollars in scholarship aid for deserving students. In a time during which there is an increased need for primary care physicians, the need for successfully graduated medical practitioners is felt now more intensely than ever before, and LECOM is committed to answer the call. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow rightly noted that, “The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.” LECOM undertakes active charity in promoting the success of its scholars such that they will go forth into willing service. Indeed, each meaningful act is a magnanimous undertaking for the future, endorsing the philanthropic mission of student success. Through galas and golf tournaments, races, runs, and regional partnerships, LECOM is making a profoundly felt difference in the lives of LECOM scholars. In this issue of the LECOM Connection, stories will familiarize you, the reader, with the two LECOM Student Scholarship Auctions, the LECOM Suncoast Challenge, 5Ks and races, and a few of the partnerships that have resulted in funding for our scholars. At a time during which healthcare is fundamentally changing, LECOM continues to build healthier communities, one graduate and one patient at a time. Thus, it is up to us, heirs of a glorious past and a heritage of inestimable value, ever to commit ourselves to transmit the lamp of learning to future generations. LECOM support – our educational bounty – creates opportunities that change people, and people who change lives. @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 03
CREDOS OF OUR CALLING
Patience•
“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” – St. Augustine
Almost everyone is familiar with the adage, “Patience is a virtue.” The phrase, though seemingly innocuous, is replete with meaning. Indeed, patience or tolerance is the capacity to endure challenging circumstances in the face of delay. It embodies a forbearance of provocation without responding in frustration or becoming disagreeable, and it suggests restraint and self-control when under stress, particularly when faced with protracted adversity or complication. Patience is the level of intestinal fortitude that one can sustain before exhibiting negative behavior. The character trait of being resolute also is associated closely with patience. Patience is essential to the medical arts. As William Shakespeare noted, “How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?” Truly, moral character is an evaluation of the stable qualities of an individual. The concept of a patient character can imply a variety of attributes, including the existence of good behaviors or habits that support a patient demeanor or comportment. Such patience refers to the assemblage of qualities that distinguish one individual from another. Patience has been said to be the key to joy. “Patience with others is love, patience with self is hope, patience with God is faith,” explained Adel Bestavros, the noted Egyptian lawyer and theologian. One who is possessed of a great aptitude for patience courts genius, for the ability to be patient and to endure delay, trouble, pain, or hardship strengthens character and builds one's virtues. Albert Einstein once commented, “It is not that I am so smart, it is simply that I stay with problems longer than most.” Few paths are too long for one who proceeds with determination and with a patient spirit. Unquestionably, those in the medical profession must rely upon patience and a steady core of character to best serve patient and practitioner alike. One who is possessed of the ability to master patience is likely to more readily find success and peace of mind. For this reason, patience is an indispensable Credo of Our Calling.
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LECOM Ranks at the Top for
Lowest Loan Default Rate
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has been recognized in LendEDU's Annual Report on Student Loan Default Rates for having one of the lowest default rates not only in Pennsylvania, but throughout the entire United States. LendEDU is a respected online marketplace offering a variety of financial products, including student loans, personal loans, and credit cards.
This praiseworthy attainment is not only valuable information for prospective students; moreover it underscores the wholly studentcentered pledge that LECOM has honored time and again.
supports, and advances its scholars throughout each stage of their training as they acquire and apply the necessary, wellinformed knowledge and skills that prepare them to be the best healthcare practitioners of the 21st century.
As evidenced by these rankings, the LECOM mission strenuously values, underscores,
Specifically, the default rate at LECOM was 0.40%, according to the most recent data from the Department of Education. The figure placed LECOM in the category of one of the lowest student default rates in Pennsylvania. Nationally, the exceptionally low default rate at LECOM placed the college in the 90th percentile. During a time whenh student loan debt is higher than ever before, LECOM has become renowned for creating an environment in which the burden of student loan debt repayment is far less than that of almost every other college in the nation. With data provided by the United States Department of Education, LendEDU lists the default rates for nearly 4,500 colleges across the country. The data was delineated by state and school type.
“With manageable student loan debt, our graduates are able to afford their loan payments without feeling completely overwhelmed by the financial burden of their debt, ultimately avoiding the damaging effects of student loan default.” – Bonnie Crilley, LECOM Institutional Director of Financial Aid
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 05
FEATURE
Fanning the Winds of Fortune for Scholars and Scholarship
Andrew Carnegie, famed steel magnate and philanthropist, revolutionized steel production in the United States. Carnegie built plants throughout the nation, using innovative technology that facilitated manufacturing. During each step of the process, Carnegie ensured that he owned all that was needed to create the best steel: the raw materials, the trains and ships for product transport, and even coal mines to drive the furnaces with abundant fuel. This beginning-to-end strategic plan placed Carnegie in the vanguard of the industry, allowing him to become one of the most prolific benefactors in American history. Carnegie Steel Corporation became one of the largest steel organizations in the world, fueling the economy and shaping America; and its namesake became known as one of the Builders of the Nation. 06 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2020 | LECOM.edu
Often, there exists a striking similarity among the leadership styles of great visionaries, for it is the well-considered strategic plan and the bold vision that combine to form the foundation of successful endeavors. Those familiar with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) need not look far to observe the similarities here referenced. At LECOM, much has transpired in the almost three decades of exceptionalism – education, enrichment, character, and community – all within the prophecy of a prescient body of educators and physicians whose idea of the possible has transformed the economic tapestry of the region for the betterment of its graduates and the greater community.
Much like Carnegie’s steel nexus, the LECOM founders, under the guidance of President and CEO John M. Ferretti, DO, developed a nexus of medical education and healthcare in the form of the only osteopathic academic health center in America. Together, LECOM and LECOM Health provide all of the means of production, educating scholars at the highest level across four campus locations using innovative, student-centered pathways unique to LECOM, training within its fulsome network of clinical sites, and graduating superlatively trained and wholly capable healthcare professionals prepared to enter the medical arena of the 21st century. Within this framework, funding of future graduates has been a pivotal nugget at the core of the LECOM mission.
Boasting the lowest tuition among private medical schools in the United States, LECOM has held fast to the mission of supporting its medical scholars by offsetting the cost of their education. Since 1994, LECOM has distributed more than $37 million in scholarships to deserving students, including $20 million over the last five years alone. Galas and golf tournaments, races, runs, and regional partnerships have made a palpably positive difference in the lives of LECOM scholars. The Annual LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auctions are the chief generators of resources that are used to assist students in defraying and offsetting the cost of their medical education. Each year, LECOM distributes more than $4 million dollars in scholarship aid for deserving
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 07
FEATURE a fabulous venue for an invigorating family outing. The February event drew thousands of attendees. LECOM enthusiastically sponsored the LECOM Regatta Bridge Run and Walk during which participants ran and walked across the dual city Green Bridge to finish under the glow of the spectacular fireworks. During the summer, hundreds of runners take part in the LECOM 5K Scholarship Run/Walk. The purposeful community event in Erie, Pennsylvania, encourages the pursuit of healthful lifestyles, promotes physical fitness, and improves the health of the region while providing financial support for medical, pharmacy, and dental school students. During autumn, the inaugural LECOM Costume Caper 5K Race found eager participants donning their most elaborate Halloween-themed apparel to trot and stroll the North Shore Riverwalk and trails of Pittsburgh, all for the benefit of LECOM scholars. Compounding the plentiful results of participation-based events, the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund has received significant investment support as a result of prudent partnerships with like-minded organizations.
scholars. In a time during which there is an increased need for primary care physicians, the need for successfully graduated medical practitioners is felt now more intensely than ever before. LECOM makes a significant impact upon student lives each day, improving the student experience through education, advocacy, fundraising, and the hands-on nurturing of positive professional outcomes. Many of these fiscally positive outcomes are a direct result of events and activities that advance physical activity or health-focused sporting endeavors, highlighting the link between an active lifestyle and whole body wellness. LECOM stands proudly as the title sponsor of the LECOM Suncoast Classic in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. The highly publicized event furthers the purposeful role of LECOM as an unabashed leader in advancing the powerfully healing principles of osteopathic medicine while simultaneously blending its mission-driven objective of benefiting its Student Scholarship Fund. The LECOM Suncoast Classic 2020, held at Lakewood National Golf Club, hosted 144 professionals competing for a $600,000 purse and a chance to contend against the best golfers on the PGA TOUR. Through this event, LECOM demonstrates its unswerving commitment to educational advancement as it supports scholarships for LECOM osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and dental students through its Student Scholarship Fund and fundraising endeavors that reinforce the noble calling of osteopathic medicine. Races and regattas round out the activity-based fundraisers that encourage the healthful involvement of those gathered as they physically participate in furthering a meaningful objective. The Sixth Annual Bradenton Area River Regatta, in Palmetto and Bradenton, Florida, features plenty of boats, an evening of fireworks, and it offers 08 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2020 | LECOM.edu
Consider the recent LECOM and Pegula Sport and Entertainment (PSE) partnership, an initiative through which PSE has committed $1 million disbursed into the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund over the next 10 years. Each year, 10 LECOM medical, pharmacy, and dental students across Western New York will receive a $10,000 scholarship. By expanding the accessibility of medical education to aspiring students throughout the region, the program seeks to encourage more healthcare professionals to serve Western New York and the Southern Tier. Similarly, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has renewed its partnership with LECOM, an alliance that began in 2012, with an initial five-year, $500,000 contribution from Highmark. With the continuation of the Scholarship, a decade-long continuum of LECOM graduates who train and work within the Allegheny Health Network has been solidly established. An added $500,000 contribution further supports the continuation of the Student-To-Practice Academic Scholarship, the collaborative scholarship program that seeks to increase the supply and retention of physicians in rural areas of Pennsylvania. There is no doubt that LECOM students and their families recognize, in a tangible manner, the way in which LECOM dedicates itself to student success. Decades have tested the LECOM commitment – doubted by their peers who scoffed at the founders’ vision of establishing an osteopathic medical school in the early 1990s, pressed by the resistance of the allopathic community to the osteopathic field, and sharpened by the current events in the healthcare climate – LECOM has never wavered in its single-minded focus to educate the next generation of healthcare providers and to better each community that it has come to serve. It has achieved this noble goal through a steadfast drive to fan the winds of fortune, ever directing them toward LECOM scholars and ensuring bold and sustainable student success. As a new decade presents itself to a welcoming multitude, LECOM remains invigorated, buoyed by its enduring purpose, and keeping ever at its core the success of each student who crosses its threshold.
Rich Jureller, VP of Community Relations/ President of Sabres Foundation presented a check for $1,000,000.00 to Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, LECOM Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs on November 9, 2019.
LECOM SECURES $1 MILLION SCHOLARSHIP INVESTMENT The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Student Scholarship Fund has received significant investment support as a result of a new partnership between LECOM and Pegula Sport and Entertainment (PSE). Through this initiative, PSE has committed $1 million disbursed into the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund over the next 10 years. Each year, 10 LECOM medical, pharmacy, and dental students across a 22-county region in Western New York will receive a $10,000 scholarship. By expanding the accessibility of medical education to the aspiring students throughout the region, PSE hopes that this program will encourage more healthcare professionals to serve Western New York and the Southern Tier. LECOM boasts the lowest tuition among private medical schools in the United States. From its very inception, LECOM has held fast to the mission of assisting its medical students in offsetting the cost of their medical education. Since 1994, LECOM has distributed more than $37 million in scholarships to deserving students, including $20 million over the last five years alone.
young athletes who, like our LECOM students, commit themselves to an extraordinary amount of work to achieve their career goals,” the LECOM Provost affirmed. As part of the multi-year Sabres agreement, LECOM also becomes an official Gold Ring Partner of the Buffalo Sabres. LECOM originally partnered with the One Buffalo organization as an Official Education Partner of the Buffalo Sabres during the 2017-2018 Season. In the new season, the Sabres will continue to present the LECOM Student All-Stars Program, the LECOM Student Value Ticket, and the LECOM T-Shirt Toss. The Student All-Stars Program, once again, will recognize outstanding students during Sabres home games. Members of the public are invited to nominate students from schools across the region for the highly-regarded tribute. The LECOM Student Value Ticket allows students to enjoy Sabres home games at a reduced price. The LECOM Harborcenter is a 750,000 square-foot venue that is comprised of two NHL-sized hockey rinks, a 205-room full-service Marriott hotel, the Academy of Hockey, various training facilities, four restaurants, and ample parking.
PSE President and CEO, Kim Pegula, and LECOM Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia Ferretti, DO, announced the scholarship initiative in Buffalo, New York. Both leaders agreed that the PSE-LECOM relationship is a facile and comfortable alliance, acknowledging the level of commitment that those in the athletic and healthcare fields dedicate to their respective professions.
As the official practice facility of the Buffalo Sabres, the LECOM Harborcenter also houses the NHL Scouting Combine, the Academy of Hockey, the Buffalo Jr. Sabres Youth Hockey Organization, Canisius College Men’s Hockey and a host of events and competitions held throughout the year. The downtown Buffalo venue welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors per year.
“With this partnership, we will be able to highlight the full spectrum of health and wellness through the sporting events that are a mainstay of this region,” explained Dr. Ferretti. “We are delighted to partner with Pegula Sport and Entertainment to advance and encourage health and wellness. There is no better example to highlight wellness than with
LECOM is confident that the newly-named LECOM Harborcenter will help to shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values of integrity, respect, and perseverance through sporting competitions and athletic accomplishments as it holds high the standard of excellence for which the name LECOM is synonymous.
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 09
Philanthropy with a Purpose LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auctions
Philanthropy with a Purpose Annual LECOM Student Scholarship Auctions Eclipse Records
Erie Greek philosopher and polymath, Aristotle, rightly noted, “We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths; in actions, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart throbs as he most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest, and acts the best.” That salient sentiment seemed to envelop those gathered at the 26th Annual Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Student Scholarship Fund Auction held at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pennsylvania on November 9, 2019. The purpose of the mission-driven event is to raise funds that will lift the weight of economic burden from the shoulders of hardworking LECOM scholars. In addition, the fabulous occasion affords LECOM the opportunity to showcase itself to the community and to bring to the greater region an important awareness of the purpose and potential of this magnificent institution. Offsetting the considerable expenditure for a medical school education and relieving the pressure upon students to meet this financial
burden has long been a central focus of the LECOM Auction. Erie community leaders, donors, and patrons indulged in the fine offerings of the silent and live auction that ranged from household goods, artwork, and sports memorabilia to vacations, sporting event tickets, and coveted getaways. The night was a resounding success as the 2019 affair boasted 1,200 guests in attendance who bid on 635 items in total. More than 30 high-value items graced the live auction block, including a 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SP. The sleek pearl white Eclipse Cross was donated by Interstate Mitsubishi. Each year, the LECOM Auction attracts community notables, LECOM alumni, and business leaders who recognize LECOM as a significant community asset. Special guests at the LECOM Auction included former Buffalo Bills running back, Thurman Thomas and his linebacker
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teammate, Darryl Talley. The pair graciously participated in a photo booth session and they signed autographs for delighted fans. Buffalo Sabres alumni, René Robert and Andrew Peter also participated in the meet and greet prior to the dinner. Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Louis Lipps was also in attendance.
All proceeds from the Auction benefited the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund and all items available for bidding were donated by individuals and businesses. With the final contributions almost fully tabulated, the Auction proceeds are projected to garner a record sum of $2 million. The event this year recorded the largest participation in the history of the LECOM Erie Auction, a fact which demonstrates the profound degree of influence that LECOM has upon the community. The overwhelming response aids LECOM greatly in providing meaningful student scholarships to its deserving scholars. The 2019 Auction serves as the pinnacle event capping all of the scholarship fundraising efforts that LECOM holds throughout the year across its three campus locations in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania and in Bradenton, Florida. There is great worth in service and with a genuine keenness and preparedness to serve others one can make equally great victories within any group or community. LECOM has demonstrated that the very eagerness to serve others, as evidenced by the altruistic bidding of the enthusiastic attendees at its 2019 LECOM Erie Auction, will endow so many young men and women with the power and skill necessary for their required service in the calling of medicine.
Bradenton Suncoast philanthropists, community leaders, and benefactors of all ages attended an extraordinary evening of indulgence on October 19, 2019 as the LECOM Bradenton Student Scholarship Fund Auction hosted its annual event. The affair boasted the largest gathering and the most successful gala to date.
enthusiastically anticipated event that provides monies raised to assist the financial needs of matriculating medical students. The overall theme of the night was that of immense pride in the students. Emanating from every supporter and benefactor, sponsor and bidder, whether winning or not, was the palpable sense that the evening entailed philanthropy with a purpose. Each year, LECOM conducts fundraisers for the sole purpose of providing scholarships to its students.
medical program is onerous. The Auction provides critical support and succor to the scholarship recipients; and the delight that they find in being part of the program is ever evident.
Through these efforts and with the active endorsement of those who attend the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund Auction, students were awarded more than $4 million in scholarship aid during the current academic year. Since the beginning of the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund, deserving students have received more than $37 million.
Forty-seven sponsored tables accommodated almost 500 guests who dined and bid. Some of the more interesting items on the auction block included an autographed Lion King animation cell; a special reserve collection of fine wines; limited edition boxing gloves signed by the greats; and a range of stunning jewelry – which included a fabulous, one-of a-kind custom-designed 14-karat yellow-gold copper and diamond pendant; a citrine and fire opal vintage ring; and an 18-karat gold necklace with an ornate cross. Get-away trips and a variety of appealing theme baskets were available to tempt just about everyone.
The LECOM Bradenton Auction boasted the attendance of many distinguished individuals, political leaders, and organization sponsors whose outstanding contributions to the medical community and to the community as a whole make the yearly event possible. As the largest medical school in the country with campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the LECOM facility located in Lakewood Ranch, Florida extends to generations of medical practitioners a dedicated commitment to exceptionalism and to educational distinction. The cost of a medical school education for future health care practitioners can exceed $250,000. The strain upon students to financially meet this burden while managing the rigors of a demanding and exacting
LECOM donors recognize that the scholarship fund connotes far more than financial support; it is a gift of the possible for many students, allowing them to realize a dream that otherwise may have remained unfulfilled.
Eclipsing the gems, the exquisite dinner provided by the Hyatt, and the alluring vacation destinations was the obvious purpose of the night: the future of medicine and the quality of the physicians, pharmacists, and dentists being nurtured by those in attendance. The commitment to excellence that LECOM champions remains unmistakable – and even if, at the close of the evening, those in attendance departed with lighter pocketbook or a thinner billfold, it is without doubt that they left behind more than dollars as they supported and sustained a cause that truly will transform lives.
Chaired by LECOM Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Mark Kauffman, DO, and by Communications and Marketing Specialist, Joel Welin, the evening welcomed LECOM notables, including President and CEO, John M. Ferretti, DO, and Provost, Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, who hosted the fundraising festivity at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota Grand Ballroom. The benefit fundraiser for the future LECOM doctors, pharmacists, and dentists is an @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 11
First-Year Finishes First The LECOM 5k Bridge Run/Walk, held on February 8, 2020, highlighted an assortment of events taking place at the Sixth Annual Bradenton Area River Regatta.
LECOM takes special delight in its support and advancement of healthful community pursuits – a day replete with family fun, a spectacular fireworks display over the river, and a lighthearted after party.
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) took pride in again sponsoring the race that emphasizes whole body health and wellness. About 700 runners traversed the Green Bridge crossing the Manatee River between Bradenton and Palmetto, Florida. Francisco Centeno, a first-year student at the School of Medicine, finished first overall, thrilling his fellow LECOM supporters, family, and friends. Centeno was joined by a plentiful throng of runners, including LECOM Associate Dean of Pharmacy, Katherine Tromp, PharmD, as they made their way along the circuit. Participants received race shirts, finishers’ medals, and glow gear, all of which served to enhance the enlivening atmosphere of the day. Runners were chip-timed, competing for special prizes for the top 100 male and top 100 female finishers. All paces, including walkers, were welcomed at the event and a complimentary meal for the entrants was available after the race. The first 500 registrants received a complimentary entry pass to the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic Golf Tournament held at the Lakewood National Golf Club. Centeno, the grand prize winner of the 2020 Bradenton Area Regatta LECOM 5K Bridge Run, was invited aboard the Victory Boat, where he launched a festive evening of fireworks.
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Francisco Centeno, a first-year student at the School of Medicine, finished first overall with a finish time of 17:47:46.
Second Season of Suncoast Success LECOM Suncoast Classic was unbelievable. It jump started my confidence and I’ve been a different player since then,” proclaimed Hubbard. The 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic continued in its five-year commitment to the region as it provided another opportunity for skilled professionals to enter the PGA TOUR. This year, Andrew Novak birdied the 17th and 18th holes finishing 22-under par on the final day of the multi-day contest to win his first professional victory at the Korn Ferry Tour LECOM Suncoast Classic. The Korn Ferry Tour identifies and develops players who are prepared to compete and win on the PGA TOUR with all 50 available PGA TOUR cards coming through its events. After the success of the inaugural LECOM Suncoast Classic, the widely received tournament returned to the Korn Ferry Tour (previously the Web.com Tour) during the week of February 10-16, 2020. The Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida again hosted the 144 professionals competing for a $600,000 purse and a chance to contend against the best golfers on the PGA TOUR. The LECOM Suncoast Classic made its debut on the annual schedule in 2019, naming Mark Hubbard as its first champion. Hubbard shot an impressive 26-under par to secure the victory. After receiving his PGA TOUR card in August, Hubbard finished just short of his first PGA TOUR victory at the Houston Open, finishing in second place. Hubbard credited the LECOM Suncoast Classic as being instrumental in his success. “I thought that I would have to build all year to get into position to win, but to win it at the
work to achieve their career goals,” explained LECOM President and CEO, John M. Ferretti, DO. Speaking at the pre-event reception, LECOM Provost, Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, affirmed that observation. “These professionals mirror the passion to be great; a passion evidenced by our fine LECOM scholars. For like the athlete, the scholar commits the whole of himself or herself to the calling of a lifetime,” she said.
- Continued On Page 34
Stalled only by a localized Florida shower and a brief, but rather dense fog, the week of sun, golf, and anticipation began with a welcome reception at the Lakewood Ranch Grove Restaurant, followed the next day by a Pro-Am Tournament, and finishing the week with the highly-awaited professional competition. The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), as title sponsor of this sporting event has proclaimed its steadfast commitment to educational advancement in support of its Student Scholarship Fund and in fundraising endeavors that reinforce the noble calling of osteopathic medicine. “There is no better example to highlight wellness than with aspiring athletes, who, like our LECOM students, commit themselves to an extraordinary amount of
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 13
LECOM’S GOT
Talent
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) enjoys a profound and enduring connection to the Erie community – a place from which its genesis illuminates the medical and educational futures of generations to come. Likewise, the LECOM Stage at the Erie Playhouse produces art that serves as a glimmering star in a shared humanity, providing illumination for the community. It is the forum in which those gathered explore that which it means to be alive in all of its depths of emotion.
On November 22, 2019, the LECOM Stage at the Erie Playhouse hosted LECOM’s Got Talent II, the second exhibition of a philanthropic entertainment event first conceived by LECOM Vice President of Academic Affairs and School of Pharmacy Dean, Hershey Bell, MD.
A showcase of 15 musical offerings featured LECOM students, faculty, and staff in an evening production that benefited LECOM healthcare leaders of the future while
simultaneously delivering several hours of entertainment to a rapt audience. Dr. Bell opened the show with his original guitar-andvocal composition, Dream Two. Members of the Northcoast Brass Company, including LECOM Biochemistry and Neuroscience Professor, Tom Corso, PhD, performed the Depression-era tune, Happy Days are Here Again, and the rock classic, Carry On. Instrumental talents abounded with Hudson Jazz, featuring LECOM Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Alice Hudder, PhD, on the saxophone. The group entertained the audience with two selections. Second-year pharmacy student, Emily Oravitz, sang a captivating rendition of the 1975 Fleetwood Mac hit, Landslide. Oravitz returned to the stage later in the program with a musical-theatre selection, her moving interpretation of On My Own from Les Misérables. In separate appearances, secondyear pharmacy student and accomplished saxophonist, Joseph Dedionisio, performed All of Me and Take Five. LECOM at Seton Hill first-year medical scholar, Anthony Richardsen, adroitly demonstrated his skills on the jazz guitar.
Ensemble performing Play On
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Anuja Deore offered an unusual talent to the engaged gathering. The second-year student charmed the attendees with her selection performed on the penny whistle.
Emily Oravitz udder Alice H
Dave Hopkins
First-year medical student, Colton Andersen received a hearty audience response with his original guitar-and-vocal offering, entitled, Blue Eyes. Like Andersen, Krystal Kern, a LECOM Coffee Culture Café and Eatery employee, offered an original composition, singing and playing acoustic guitar on her piece entitled, Superman. Jack Ogden, Director of LECOM Safe Kids Erie, and his longtime friend, Jordan Nichols, closed the First Act of the talent show with their rendition of The Traveller’s folk tune, Nobody Makes It Out.
The Second Act of LECOM’s Got Talent II began with second-year medical student, Aaron Bliss’ drum solo accompanying the Megalovania remix from the popular video game, Undertable. Third-year medical student, Stephanie Peck, and her friend, keyboardist, Kyle Kruse, inspired the audience with Carrie Underwood’s critically acclaimed religious anthem, Something in the Water. Peck’s fiveyear-old daughter, Emelia, joined her mother on stage to sing a few lines of the iconic hymn, Amazing Grace. Anuja Deore made a Second Act appearance on the LECOM Stage, playing the theme from Outlander on her penny whistle. Colton Anderson, Krystal Kern, and Anthony Richardsen each returned for a followup performance with original compositions on guitar. Jack Ogden and Jordan Nichols made their Second Act return with a lively version of American country musician Tyler Childers’ album title song, Country Squire. Dave Hopkins, Director of the LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, followed the duo with his original piece played on acoustic guitar, entitled, What You Leave Behind.
Jack Ogden
Dr. Hershey Bell and Stephanie Peck returned to the stage to serenade the audience with the sprightly tune, Flowin’ Like a River. The evening of entertainment concluded with a grand finale as the performers gathered on stage to lead the audience in singing, Play On. The lyrics, composed by the LECOM Board of Trustees, captured the spirit of the event and served as a fitting culmination of the worthwhile endeavor. Proceeds from LECOM’s Got Talent II, including ticket and T-shirt sales, basket raffles, a 50/50 drawing, and sponsorship from PNC Bank, directly benefited the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund. The inaugural presentation of LECOM’s Got Talent, held in April of 2019, raised $4,000 for the Scholarship Fund; and the November showcase reprise almost doubled the contributions with more than $7,200 assisting LECOM scholars. Indeed, the enthralling evening of entertainment and the audience delight brought about by the talented performers highlighted a cause that will surely transform lives for generations to come.
Dupree Deboe brought an air of Christmas to the evening as he crooned the holiday favorite, This Christmas.
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 15
LECOM WHITE COAT CEREMONIES AN ENDURING IMPRIMATUR The White Coat Ceremonies for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Bradenton Class of 2022 were held at the Harvest Center in Lakewood Ranch, Florida in late January of 2020, where 389 first-year students affirmed the beginning of their journey from preclinical education to clinical education. Supported by a gathering of friends and family, LECOM School of Dental Medicine, School of Pharmacy, and College of Osteopathic Medicine scholars received their white coats in ceremonies that call to mind the history of the moment. Harken to the nineteenth century, during which time a profound regard for science blossomed. To highlight the scientific undertaking associated with modern
Since that time, the white coat and the White Coat Ceremony have taken on profound meaning that symbolizes the conversion of a lay person into a member of the healthcare profession.
The white coats with which the scholars were ceremoniously cloaked were generously supplied by three deeply involved organizations and stalwart LECOM supporters. The Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA) provided the garb for the medical students; Walgreens supplied the pharmacy coats; and Dentsply Sirona furnished the dental coats.
The symbolic white coat signifies the zenith of a glorious experience for healthcare scholars, who so adeptly have primed themselves academically and mentally for the rigors of medical training. The august occasion signifies the readiness of the students to embrace the calling of medicine. The event reaches more profoundly to the purpose of a life dedicated to health care.
Silvia M. Ferretti, DO, LECOM Provost, Vice President, and Dean of Academic Affairs, addressed the scholars during the collective events. She underscored the fact that although the celebration reflects a pinnacle moment at LECOM to a year companioned by a commitment to hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance, it also signifies a new beginning to invest oneself into the total
medicine, physicians comported themselves as scientists, wearing the symbolic apparel of the scientist – the white laboratory coat.
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immersion of heart, mind, and spirit in the pursuit of exceptionalism in one of the noblest of all professions.
and perseverance; but most of all, you will require a dedication to service,” explained the sage alumna.
Eric Goldsmith, DO, 2020 President of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA), attended the medical students’ ceremony.
The themes of perseverance, relying upon friends made at LECOM, making time for collegial undertakings, and the importance of doing well on rotations were topics that also were emphasized.
During all three of the ceremonies, students pledged to uphold the standards of their chosen professions and to administer compassionate, quality care to their patients. In turn, LECOM reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to providing the highest level of medical education and clinical training as it guides and bolsters its scholars in the achievement of their goals.
The LECOM School of Dental Medicine Ceremony saw 103 students cloaked. Igor Bilov, DMD, LECOM Class of 2016, offered inspirational words to the gathering. “The white coat should represent patient comfort, healing, and a sign of trust for those who seek your help and advice.” The 99 students who received their white coats for the LECOM School of Pharmacy welcomed Devon Brooks, PharmD, LECOM Class of 2016, as their Keynote Speaker. Highlighting leadership and the credos espoused by LECOM, he noted, “If you ask for responsibility when others do not, you will be the one given the opportunity to prove yourself.” Jennifer Laman, DO, LECOM Class of 2009, addressed the 187 School of Medicine recipients as they, along with their beaming supporters, looked on with pride. “The white coat you receive today represents the start of a journey. To complete that journey, you will need discipline, patience,
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 17
DAY OF DISCOVERY Interprofessional Research Day 2019
Bolstering the profoundly probative purpose of a superlative education, unparalleled clinical care, and steadfast community service, research comprises a key component of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) mission. Each year, Interprofessional Research Day encourages investigation and discovery through which LECOM scholars augment their education with hands-on, analytical undertakings. The College vigorously supports student exploration as the students, faculty, and medical residents showcase their findings before an audience of their peers. The entire LECOM Erie Research Day event, held on November 1, 2019, proved to be a resounding success as it underscored the significant value of LECOM research and the constant commitment of the College to the comprehensive objectives which defines LECOM exceptionalism. The 2019 competition recorded more than 80 students and physicians who presented scientific research addressing a range of topics.
More than $3,000 was awarded to participants whose work in lecture or poster presentation segments finished in the top three of the respective categories. The highest honor for the Research Day student poster session was awarded to second-year scholar, Rayann Atway, for her research entitled, Development of an Opal Multiplex Immunofluorescence Assay to Better Tailor Aggressive Prostate Cancer Therapy. Second-year medical student, Syed Ahmed, received the second-place prize in the poster session for his research entitled, In Utero Valproic Acid Exposure Results in Dysmorphology Within the Ventral Nucleus of the Medial Geniculate. Hasan Alhelo, a first-year student, garnered third-place accolades with his poster entitled, Repeated Prenatal Valproic Acid Exposure and Oropharyngeal Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder Rat Models. The lecture session was met with a plethora of analysis and study as the first-place laurels
in the Student Lecture Presentation category was presented to 2020 doctor of anatomy education candidate, Leah Labranche, for her research entitled, Seeing in Stereo: Investigating the Relationship Between Spatial Ability and Learning with 3D Anatomy Models. The second-place honor was awarded to first-year medical student, Azka Khan, for her oral presentation addressing, Co-infection Prevalence of Anaplasma Phagocytophilum and Borrelia Burgdorferi in Ixodes Scapularis Ticks in Erie, Pennsylvania. Third-year medical student, Yusra Mansour, claimed the third-place honors with her research entitled, In Utero Exposure to Valproic Acid Results in Hypoplasia and Reduced Ascending Axonal Projections to the Auditory Thalamus. The physician poster session found the first-place prize being awarded to Western Reserve Hospital resident, Jessica Tullington, DO, for her research entitled, Laparoscopic LigaSure Verse Laparoscopic Stapler in Acute Appendicitis: An Intraoperative Cost Analysis.
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The Future of Healthcare for Older Adults There are seemingly countless moments during which the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has stood proudly to advance its glistening mission to broaden and to better, to shape and to sustain, to teach, to train and to care for the communities that it serves. Many will recall LECOM being awarded the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program Grant. The receipt, in 2015, of the venerable award and of its ensuing estimable stipend was a seminal event establishing LECOM as one of only 44 universities in the nation that had been named to receive the HRSA Grant funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The HRSA Grant provided nearly $3.1 million funded over four years to LECOM in tangible resources to support quality care for older Americans. The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program improves the quality of healthcare by transforming clinical training environments into integrated geriatrics and primary care delivery systems. These systems focus upon seniors who are uninsured, isolated, and medically vulnerable. To meet the goals of the grant, LECOM introduced LIGHT: Lake Erie Integrated Geriatric Health Team that prepared 7000 healthcare workers with the skills and comprehensive understanding necessary to care for an aging population. LECOM Health has consistently ensured that expertise in geriatric care has been made accessible to a greater segment of seniors across Pennsylvania.
The expansion of services underscores the second phase of the LECOM Health geriatrics workforce, now commonly known as LIGHT. In July of 2019, to complement the work already underway and to further advance the successful mission, LECOM Health received an additional five-year HRSA Grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services to launch LIGHT-2. Bolstered by the further $4.4 million, the second phase of the project envisions an age-friendly health system and dementia-friendly communities. The objectives of the LIGHT-2 mission will focus upon enhancing geriatric education and training implementing a three-pronged approach. Geriatrics-focused quality and process improvements will enhance and augment a network of approximately 3,000 healthcare providers in western Pennsylvania. Making comprehensive use of LECOM technology platforms, educational training and telehealth strategies will optimize geriatric care for practicing professionals, patients, and caregivers. Behavioral health services will be integrated into the platform of primary care for seniors, with particular attention being given to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) as well as to substance and opioid use disorders. As the unabashed leader in geriatric services throughout northwestern Pennsylvania, LECOM and LECOM Health expanded its services to encompass an ever-burgeoning territory.
Indeed, just as the initial LIGHT Program extended its beneficial care beyond Erie, Crawford, and Warren counties, LIGHT-2 will broaden further that benefit to encompass a 14-county region in western Pennsylvania. The vast, largely rural area is home to more than 540,000 adults over the age of 65. LECOM, as the only osteopathic academic health center in the nation, is ideally suited to address the challenges of the growing elderly communities through a strategic and sustainable approach that covers a continuum of care across diverse settings from acute care to senior housing. Integrating geriatrics with primary care, home and community-based services, caregiver support, and geriatrics training for students in the health professions as well as for practicing clinicians, LECOM Health boasts a luminous achievement in the betterment of healthcare for older adults. In addition to training medical, dental, and pharmacy students, LECOM is supported by an amalgam of allied health professionals with proficiency in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social work. Gannon University, Penn State Behrend, Mercyhurst University, Edinboro University, and community partners such as the LECOM Center for Health and Aging will continue to create a regional network that fully integrates its partners in an interprofessional collaborative plan to provide better care to the growing older population of the region. LIGHT Project Director and President of the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging, James
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@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 19
Join the
LECOM Family of Physicians Treating Erie’s Families
We are the physicians of Medical Associates of Erie - the Clinical Practices of LECOM. Our goal is to provide to our patients the very best osteopathic, whole person care – mind, body and spirit – for a lifetime of optimal health. You can become part of the only Osteopathic Academic Health Center in the nation led by the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Currently, we are seeking physicians in Pediatrics, ENT, Neurology, and Rheumatology for our expanding practices. Please contact Dennis Styn at (814) 868-2504 or dstyn@lecom.edu to learn more about available opportunities.
WELCOME TO WELLNESS WELCOME TO LECOM HEALTH
LECOM Health doctors. Choose one today to join a health system that will focus on your overall wellness for life.
Visit LECOMHealth.com/clinical-practices
LECOM Health representatives and local officials celebrated the grand opening of the Institute for Behavioral Health.
Unveiling Inspired Healthcare For more than a quarter of a century, superlative education, first-rate healthcare, genuine compassion, and the needs of the community have framed each mission that has guided all that LECOM has undertaken. The integrated and comprehensive network of LECOM Health blends the synergy of academia, clinical practice, and personal care to advance and expand its long-established connection between LECOM Health and the Erie community. With this objective ever in the forefront, LECOM Health recently further broadened its services and offerings at two of its affiliates. A ribbon-cutting ceremony in November of 2019, unveiled the new home of the LECOM Center for Health and Aging. Representatives of the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging proudly marked the opening of the new facility, one which is superbly suited to address the needs of an older population that is ever increasing. Formerly known as LifeWorks Erie, the newly named LECOM Center for Health and Aging offers a more accurate moniker. Indeed, since its acquisition in 2014, the
facility has distinguished itself as the preeminent resource and advocate for the advancement of healthful living among older adults who seek an active, fulfilled lifestyle. With lifelong learning and discovery objectives underpinning its mission, an assemblage of classes, social programs, comprehensive medical screenings, health and prevention education, and strength and mobility programs augment a robust array of offerings. The options, conveniences, and amenities of the Center extend well beyond the foregoing by providing important advice and guidance to seniors and their families that facilitate contentment and independent lifestyles, and by offering complementary services that adapt to the ever changing needs associated with aging. The Center will continue to offer many of the same services that its members have come to expect and upon which they rely. Additionally, other programs and services will expand to satellite sites at the LECOM Health Senior Living Communities. “In cultivating our mission to develop more services to meet the needs of our
aging population, the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging is adding services such as share care housing, home care, and adult day center services,� noted James Lin, DO, President of the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging. The relocation of the truly inspired and innovative LECOM Center for Health and Aging addresses the need to provide a more centralized location to better serve the residents of northwestern Pennsylvania. Unquestionably, the LECOM brand has been flourishing. As community needs change and expand, it becomes further necessary to clearly articulate and to determine the most propitious time to implement a change. In January of 2020, another ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the consequential revelation of the LECOM Institute for Behavioral Health at its new location. The health system embarked upon expansion of its behavioral health services to further broaden its unflagging commitment to community service and to address
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@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 21
LECOM Lauds Goode Example In the realm of public service, the pledge to a cause beyond oneself underscores the essence of all that comprises a life on the police force. The promise and the possibility that is stirred in the hearts of those most committed to the purpose of this exemplary calling is evidenced in the result and in the accomplishment of each day in service. That profound philosophy is reflected in the accomplishments and outstanding commitment of LECOM Institutional Director of Campus Police and Security, Officer Kevin Goode. Goode oversees a sharply honed team – a compliment of personnel that serves and monitors West Grandview Boulevard, including the buildings situated upon the main campus, the LECOM dental offices, the John M. Ferretti and Silvia M. Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, Coffee Culture Café, the LECOM Senior Living Center, the Senior Living Communities, the Bayfront Campus, and the offices of Medical Associates of Erie. The police are responsible for all of the students and employees who use the LECOM Health facilities. Security for LECOM Erie alone includes more than two dozen sworn officers and a bevy of security officers. Only the City of Erie and Millcreek Township police employ larger forces. None of the responsibilities appear to daunt this cheerful guardian. Imbued with seemingly boundless energy, Officer Goode is a tireless ombudsman for LECOM. His positive, can-do attitude is infectious, eliciting a smile and immediately buoying the spirits of students and faculty alike. It is not uncommon to find Officer Goode personally involved in an extracurricular event at LECOM or gregariously championing a college fundraiser. Prior to serving and protecting the LECOM community, Officer Goode devoted his talents to the City of Corry Police Department,
working in numerous capacities. Undertaking a host of duties, Goode served as one of the first School Resource Officers in Erie County, Pennsylvania. A recipient of the city and state Medal of Valor for his instrumental involvement in a rescue of two small children from a building set ablaze by a subsequently convicted arsonist, Officer Goode resists the term “hero,” asserting that he was doing that which he is called to do. Nothing so conclusively proves one's ability to lead others as that which one does during each day to lead oneself, and Officer Kevin Goode’s achievement underscores this conclusion. The calling to serve and the example set in that service define this dedicated officer. The former Eagle Scout carries that service pledge to young men as he devotes his time as a Boy Scout Troop Leader and as a trusted counselor. A regular Polar Plunge participant and a dedicated LECOM 5K runner, Officer Goode places volunteerism at the core of his being.
Executive Assistant to LECOM School of Pharmacy Dean, Hershey Bell, M.D. The couple met at LECOM and they are planning a June 2020 wedding. Memorializing the place of their meeting, Officer Goode made his marriage proposal to Morrison on bended knee in the LECOM atrium. From force leader, to scout leader and from community leader to LECOM cheerleader, Officer Goode has been a vibrant and shimmering star in the LECOM family. His passion for the possible is evident as one who takes the extra step to raise the aspirations of others toward all that is attainable and who seeks to release their energies so that they will aspire to a similar standard. Indeed, high standards and successful attainment of those standards emerges from one's willingness to meet vigorously the challenges of duty. In grateful recognition for all of these key attributes and for his unbounded dedication to school and community, LECOM lauds Officer Kevin Goode. His stalwart service and his willingness to set a positive example, holds high the bar central to all that is LECOM.
Officer Goode is ever ready with a quip to advance positive objectives. An innate leader, his dedication to individual citizens and community alike offers a palpable reminder that the dictionary is the only place in which success comes before work. Leadership entails a challenge to be something more than average; it is the willingness to undertake ordinary tasks and to perform them extraordinarily well. Indeed, police officers such as Officer Goode set the standards, leading by example. Adhering to the principles of policing, they make often difficult choices to do the right thing in every circumstance, providing a level of service to the community that sets them apart from others. One choice that was not at all difficult for Officer Goode was that of making a recent proposal of marriage to Sharon Morrison, @1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 23
A Guide to Perfecting the Patient Encounter
Often, it has been noted that a wellconceived book is the legacy that a great mind leaves to the world. With trademark expertise and candor, Michael P. Rowane, DO, offers a keen perspective and hands-on detail in his recently published book entitled, Basic Musculoskeletal Manipulation Skills: The 15 Minute Office Encounter. Co-authored with Paul Evans, DO, the impressive body of work presents to the reader a concise clinical case via a background of anatomy, employing straightforward techniques and abundant references. “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease,� explained William Osler, the renowned Canadian physician. With that instructive principle in mind, the book provides a comprehensive, engaging, and essential tool for any physician who seeks to understand all that is entailed in
an office encounter with a patient. More than 400 photographs, 150 illustrations, and 200 charts make Basic Musculoskeletal Manipulation Skills: The 15 Minute Office Encounter an invaluable resource for students and practitioners alike. The work offers plentiful mnemonic devices that enable the reader to remember all that has been learned, and it is replete with diagrammatic photographs with arrows that indicate exactly the way in which the technique is applied. The easy-to-follow charts enable a doctor to visualize the technique. The book is a foundational tool for any good practice. Michael P. Rowane, DO, is Professor of Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Associate Dean of Clinical Education for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). Dr. Rowane previously served as the Director of Medical Education at University Hospitals Regional Hospitals and as the Director of Osteopathic Integration for the UH Osteopathic Consortium. He is a 1989
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graduate of Des Moines University from which he received an OMM predoctoral fellowship. Following his Family Medicine residency, Dr. Rowane participated in faculty development fellowships at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed a postdoctoral Masters in Family Medicine at CWRU and a fellowship with the National Institute for Program Directors. The seasoned physician has presented nationally and he has published multiple articles and book chapters. He also co-directs a national Osteopathic Faculty Development Initiative in which he trains core educators in the osteopathic profession. Indeed, Dr. Rowane is an estimable physician who understands the properties of the human body, the conditions that affect it, the treatments and techniques that will benefit it, and he exercises his art with a thoroughly prudential and expert skill. LECOM is proud and honored to recognize the prodigious accomplishment of Dr. Michael Rowane.
LECOM School of Health Services Administration Teaching the Business of Healthcare LECOM is proud to offer four distance education programs specially designed for busy working professionals seeking to advance their formal education on-line. These next generation healthcare administration graduate degree programs include: Masters in Health Services Administration (MHSA), Masters in Public Health (MPH), Master of Science in Biomedical Ethics (MSBE) and Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA). The knowledge gained from these programs is vital to the understanding and implementation of sound fiscal policy, strategic planning, industry compliance, ethics, public health, complex problem solving and responsible governance in a continuously evolving healthcare system. Classes are forming. Contact us to discuss your professional goals at (941) 405-1533 or shsa@lecom.edu.
College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy School of Dental Medicine
School of Graduate Studies School of Health Services Administration
LECOM Alumna Finds Place of Purpose Alexandria (Cisowski) Boley, DO As the spring issue of the LECOM Connection highlights education, enrichment, character, and community – all of which have been generated, supported, and advanced by the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) to ensure the resounding success of its graduates and the greater community, it is with deep satisfaction that the College recognizes the daring pioneers who took the risk of earning their medical degrees at a nascent college. It has been more than a decade since Alexandria (Cisowski) Boley, DO arrived as a Freshman on the Seton Hill campus in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. As such, she was the first student to enroll in the then new LECOM - Seton Hill University Cooperative Degree Program. Dr. Boley was one such scholar prepared to walk boldly forward companioned by a brand-new vision. In the years that have followed her graduation from LECOM at Seton Hill, she has established a thriving practice working in a Native Alaska Primary Care Clinic in Wasilla, Alaska. There, Dr. Boley provides care to residents with specific health care needs. Unquestionably, Dr. Boley has found the purpose of her calling. When asked to describe key elements of her practice, she responded
enthusiastically, “I am fortunate to work sideby-side with family medicine physicians to keep the family unit together under one provider, to provide specialized pediatric care to high-risk children, and to be available for consultation regarding pediatric problems.” Dr. Boley joins more than 700 physicians who have been graduated from LECOM at Seton Hill since LECOM welcomed its inaugural class in 2009. Those physicians work and serve in hospitals, physician offices, and in other healthcare settings providing medical services in rural Pennsylvania towns, strengthening medical care in major metropolitan areas, and traveling to places such as Wasilla to deliver first-rate medical care to a needful populace.
achieved except by those who dare to believe that something far greater than the present circumstance is possible. She stepped away from the crowd to make her own strides and decidedly, that path has led her to success in the profession. “It is amazing that it has been ten years since the Seton Hill-LECOM cooperative began,” noted Boley. The LECOM bond with Seton Hill continues to produce highly-trained physicians who serve in urban and rural populations. Doctors such as Alexandra Boley, DO, are answering the call of underserved communities, delivering to those communities the superlative care and training that they themselves received from a LECOM education.
Dr. Boley spoke with pride about her alma mater. “Thinking about where I am now makes me extremely thankful that LECOM at Seton Hill provided to me this opportunity.”
In the prodigiously successful decades that have followed those early days, LECOM has watched with pride the many graduates who have held themselves to distinction and note.
Today, with an enrollment of more than 400 medical students, LECOM at Seton Hill is providing that opportunity to many more scholars while simultaneously bolstering the Greensburg community.
This accomplished physician is one of the many LECOM at Seton Hill graduates who serve in the whirlwind of need and healing. In so doing, she has carried forth exceptional LECOM medical training and comprehensive compassionate care to others in places far from the crowd.
The Alaska-based pediatrician is a proud first graduate who knows that nothing worthwhile is
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 27
COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS
Rho Chi Induction
World AIDS Day
The Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society - Gamma Iota Chapter, and the Rho Chi Society - Gamma Tau Chapter, welcomed new inductees from the LECOM Erie School of Pharmacy during a ceremony held on January 11, 2020. Sean Stainton, PharmD, joined Rho Chi as a 2020 Faculty Initiate.
LECOM Erie held its Annual World AIDS Day Commemoration on December 2, 2019, to show support for those living with HIV/AIDS and to remember those who have died from the virus. Students, faculty, and staff formed a human red ribbon, placed ribbons on the LECOM Tree of Remembrance and Hope, and created memorial quilt panels.
Addiction Speakers
Human Body Explored
The LECOM at Seton Hill Awareness Club hosted Antoine Douaihy, MD, and Jody Glance, MD, addiction psychiatrists from the University of Pittsburgh/UPMC. The duo of guests discussed the topic of Addiction in Medicine with first- and second-year students.
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Cole Herzik, D1, showed Ramy Lonzo the way in which to use a variety of dental tools. The demonstration took place during the monthly LECOM Bradenton Human Body Explored Program for high school students.
COMMUNITY IS OUR CAMPUS
LECOM Lip Sync
The LECOM Oncology Club hosted a Lip Sync Battle on January 10, 2020, to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network at St. Vincent Hospital in Erie. The victorious team at the close of the Battle included Erik Esper, DO; William Wismer, DO; Stephany Esper, DO; Jan Hendryx, DO; Kim Moscatello, PhD; Lexi Seastone, Benjamin Esper, Karina Wismer, and Lauren Esper.
Give Kids a Smile
More than 100 students, staff, and faculty participated in the Tenth Annual Give Kids a Smile event held on February 1, 2020. The LECOM Bradenton affair, sponsored by the American Dental Association, provided more than $120,000 worth of basic dental care to more than 300 area children who lack dental insurance.
Military Care Packages
In November of 2019, LECOM and LECOM Health partnered with the Erie BayHawks to sponsor the Annual Salute Our Troops event. Fans donated care package items in exchange for a ticket to the game. Pictured with Erie Bayhawks President Matt Bresee are second-year LECOM Medical School students Joshua Lindholm, Ezra Klein, and Benjamin Duppstadt.
Heart Month
Second-year LECOM at Seton Hill students Adam Burke, Lucas Lebbin, Sampath Choppara, Micah DeBenedetto, William Hoover, and Stephen Germann demonstrated their support for American Heart Month by wearing red on February 7, 2020 – National Wear Red Day.
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 29
NOTES
STUDENT NOTES
College of Medicine Megan Crotty, OMS4, was selected as a finalist in the Nexstar Media Remarkable Woman Contest, which recognizes women for their community contributions, selfachievement, and family impact. As a finalist, Crotty was featured during a televised news segment on WJET-TV Erie, Pennsylvania. She is among 460 women across the United States who are being considered for the Nexstar Woman of the Year Award. Claudia Green, OMS1, has been selected to receive the Student Osteopathic Medicine Association (SOMA) Foundation 2019 Women in Medicine Scholarship. Adam Lafleur, OMS2, was named Student American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics National Vice President; Tyler Hunt, OMS2, was named Treasurer. Sarah Potts, OMS4, was the subject of a blog post entitled, True Beauty – Part II, on the DeLaynne Taylor Photography Blog, Focused on Life: My Expressions of the World Around Me. Cole Schailey, OMS2, has been selected by the Erie Student Government Association (SGA) as the 2020 Student DO of the Year. With this nomination, Schailey will be the LECOM Erie candidate for the 2020 American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents National Student DO of the Year Award. Ibrahim Umer, OMS3 at LECOM Erie and Pabhdeep Singh, OMS3 at LECOM at Seton Hill, collaborated on an article entitled, A Non-Classical Presentation of Parvovirus B19 in a Known Sickle Cell Patient.
Ryan Zimmerman, OMS3, Amanda Smith, OMS4, Tatiana Fech, OMS3, Yusara Mansour, OMS3, and Randy Kulesza, PhD, collaborated on an article entitled, In Utero Exposure to Valproic Acid Disrupts Ascending Projections to the Central Nucleus of the Inferior Colliculus from the Auditory Brainstem, published in Experimental Brain Research.
School of Pharmacy Latoya Cuyler, P4, and Aquaiel Troupe, P4, joined LECOM Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Lillian Smith, PharmD, in writing a piece entitled, Firvanq: The First Oral Solution for the Treatment of C. Difficile, published in P&T Community. Onyi Ibeji, P4, contributed two articles entitled, Cardiovascular and Renal Benefits of SGLT2 Inhibitors, and Achieving Glycemic Control with Targeted Insulin-Adherence Interventions, to Diabetes in Control. George McConnell, P4, submitted articles entitled, Glycemic Control and Hypoglycemia in Continuous Glucose Monitoring; Using Telemedicine to Improve Care for Patients with Diabetes; and MODY Testing in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, published in Diabetes in Control.
School of Dental Medicine Callista Schulenburg, D2, has been named Editor-in-Chief of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) for the 2020-21 Academic Year. In her role, Schulenburg will serve as a non-voting member of the ASDA Board of Trustees and she will manage the operations of the editorial board for online and print publications that reach more than 24,000 members.
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FACULTY NOTES
College of Medicine Delbert Abi Abdallah, PhD, and Christopher Fonner, PhD, co-authored an article entitled, Evaluating the Use of AvidaED Digital Organisms to Teach Evolution and Natural Selection, published in The American Biology Teacher. Mark Andrews, PhD, submitted an article entitled, How Can You Live Without One of Your Kidneys, which appeared on the website, TheBioHacker. Anupam Bishayee, PhD, co-wrote an article entitled, Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Genistein in Cancer: Recent Advances, published in Frontiers in Pharmacology. Bertalan Dudas, MD, George Grignol, Andrew Luu, OMS3, and Zachary Oberdoerster, OMS3, co-authored an article entitled, Presence of Substance P Positive Terminals on Hypothalamic Somatostatin Ergic Neurons in Humans: The Possible Morphological Substrate of the Substance P-modulated Growth Hormone Secretion, published in Brain Structure and Function. Ronald Fecek, PhD, contributed to an article entitled, Single Injection of IL-12 Coacervate asan Effective Therapy Against B16-F10 Melanoma in Mice, published in the Journal of Controlled Release. Randy Kulesza, PhD, and Stephanie Klinesmith, Anatomy Education Candidate, collaborated on an article entitled, Congenital Bilateral Absence of Levator Scapulae Muscles: A Case Report, published in the International Journal of Anatomical Variations. Dr. Kulesza collaborated with Yusra Mansour, OMS3 on a second article entitled, Alzheimer’s Disease Starts in Childhood in Polluted Metropolitan Mexico City. The article was published in Environmental Research.
NOTES
Christine Lomiguen, MD, contributed to an article entitled, Osteopathic Considerations for Peripheral Neuropathy Due to Concomitant Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis Syndrome and Lumbar Epidural Lipomatosis: Case Report. The piece was published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research. Dr. Lomiguen co-authored a second piece entitled, Benzodiazepine Overdose in a Non-EnglishSpeaking Patient: Case Report on Cultural Competency and Asian Pharmacy Practices, published in the International Journal of Psychiatry Research. She co-wrote a case report entitled, Cotton Fever Resulting in Enterobacter Asburiae Endocarditis, that was published in Infectious Disease Cases. In March of 2020, The Mercy Center for Women recognized and honored Dr. Lomiguen and 12 others for their contributions to the community. Mohammed Razzaque, PhD, co-authored an article entitled, TGIF1 Functions as a Tumor Suppressor in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, published in The EMBO Journal. Brian Risavi, DO, contributed to two articles entitled, Type I AV Fistula of the Thoracic Spinal Cord and Sydenham’s Chorea, both of which were published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. LECOM Associate Dean of Clinical Education Michael Rowane, DO, submitted an article entitled, The Second Generation Perspective to My Medical Conspiracy, for publication in the inaugural issue of the journal Scholar: Pilot and Validation Studies. The article is a companion piece to one written by Dr. Rowane’s late father, William Rowane, DO, entitled, My Medical Conspiracy. Marcos Sanchez-Gonzalez, MD, coauthored an article entitled, Asthma and Allergy Crisis in Puerto Rico: A Must-Do Proposal, published in the Journal of Thoracic Disease.
Lisa Tavallali, PhD, co-wrote an article entitled, Addressing the Crisis in Campus Counseling Centers: An Organizational Perspective, published in the Journal of Quality in Health Care and Economics. Melanie Titzel, PhD, and 2019 LECOM alumna, Kristen Gehrlein, MHSA, received awards of recognition from the Alzheimer’s Association for their dedication to direct care staff education. The duo provided a Habilitation Therapy Training Curriculum to the staff at Parkside North East, one of the LECOM Health Senior Living Facilities, to further educate staff in the care of those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
School of Pharmacy The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accepted a poster by Rinita Acevedo, PharmD, entitled, Impact of Liposomal Bupivacaine on Opioid Utilization, Pain Management and Length of Stay in Patients Receiving Total Knee Arthroplasty, for the ASHP Midyear Meeting held in December 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Anupam Bishayee, PhD, and Courtney Croley, OMS2, contributed to an article entitled, Targeting Inflammation by Flavonoids: Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Metabolic Disorders, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Kristen Gawronski, PharmD, Lexus Frazier, P3, and 2018 LECOM alumna, Lauren Bobby, PharmD, submitted a manuscript entitled, Emerging Therapies for the Treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, to the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. Dr. Gawronski also collaborated with the Distance Education Program Deans and Directors from Creighton and Duquesne Universities to submit a proposal entitled, A Discussion of Current Online PharmD Degree Programs, to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting.
Erica Greene, PharmD, presented a session entitled, Building a Successful Professional Image, at the 2019 Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists Annual Assembly held in late October at the Valley Forge Resort in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Greene also represented LECOM and the Millcreek Community Hospital Pharmacy Residency Programs during the residency showcase. Randy Heemer, PharmD, passed the AAHIVP Examination, extending his HIV Pharmacist Certification for three years. Inna Miroshnyk, PhD, has been selected for the AACP Pharmaceutics Section Planning Committee and as a reviewer for the 2020 New Investigator Awards. Victoria Reinhartz, PharmD, and Jonathan Coffman, PhD, were honored for their efforts in fighting the opioid epidemic. The accolades were bestowed upon the pair during the Drug Free Manatee (Florida) Annual Red Ribbon Breakfast. Kelly Scolaro, PharmD, chaired the committee writing the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Substantive Change Report transitioning all LECOM School of Pharmacy Pathways to a threeyear curriculum. Dr. Scolaro also submitted a review of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Reference Guide entitled, Peripheral Brain for the Pharmacist. Bojana Stevich-Heemer, PharmD, authored an article entitled, Management of Radiation-Induced Nausea and Vomiting, published by U.S. Pharmacist. Dr. StevichHeemer also attended the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Annual Meeting held in October 2019 in New York City.
@1LECOM | LECOM CONNECTION 31
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ALUMNI NOTES Class of 1998
Class of 2008
Class of 2015
Dina Dosch, DO, has earned the designation of Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Dosch serves as Associate Medical Director of Good Samaritan Hospice, Associate Medical Director for Concordia Visiting Nurses, and Interdisciplinary Medical Director of Good Samaritan Hospice. All of the organizations are based in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
Rachael Morocco, DO, has announced her candidacy to seek the Ohio District 67 State Representative seat.
David Kalir, DO, has joined the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group and he will be practicing internal medicine at Kaiser Permanente Mapunapuna Medical Office in Oahu, Hawaii.
Shelden Wical, DO, has joined Upper Valley Family Medicine in Troy, Ohio.
Class of 2005 Michael Gerst, DO, contributed an article entitled, Emergency Department, Urgent Care Clinic or Your Doctor’s Office, to NorthCentralPA.com. Dr. Gerst is the Medical Director of the Emergency Department at UPMC Williamsport in north central Pennsylvania. He also serves as Chairman of Emergency Services for UPMC in the Susquehanna region.
Class of 2007 Nicole Labor, DO, offered a presentation highlighting Addiction as an Illness. The February 2020 talk took place in Sandusky, Ohio. Dr. Labor is the Medical Director of OneEighty, an addiction treatment center in Wooster, Ohio; and she practices addiction medicine for Summa Health in Akron, Ohio.
Class of 2009 Melissa Roewe, DO, has joined Esse Health O’Fallon Pediatrics in O’Fallon, Missouri. Dr. Roewe is board certified in pediatrics.
Michael McLeese, DO, has joined the medical team of OhioHealth in Marion County, Ohio. Dr. McLeese specializes in internal medicine.
Class of 2016 Class of 2012 Maria Mithaiwala, DO, was featured in an article entitled, Illinois Hit Hard By Nationwide e-Cigarette and Vaping Lung Injuries, published by Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. Nathaniel Vinje, DO, has received renewal recognition under the National Committee for Quality Assurance PCMH Recognition Program. Dr. Vinje specializes in internal medicine at his practice in Inverness, Florida.
Class of 2013 Robert Jones, DO, married Katelyn Feldstein on June 14, 2019, in Newport, Rhode Island. Dr. Jones is an internal medicine physician at Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia. Ravi Ved, DO, has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. Dr. Ved serves as a sports medicine physician with Allegheny Health Network in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
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Joseph Barbato, DO, has joined the staff of Niagara Family Medicine Associates, PC, the largest primary care physician group in Niagara County, New York, as a boardcertified family physician. David Carroll, DO, will complete a residency in anesthesiology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pennsylvania) Medical Center and this summer, he will begin a cardiac anesthesiology fellowship at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Monica Esposito, DO, has joined Access Health Care Physicians, LLC in New Port Richey, Florida. Dr. Esposito is board certified in internal medicine and osteopathic manipulative treatment. David Fipps, DO, has received the William Webb Fellowship through the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. This prestigious and highly competitive oneyear fellowship recognizes the leadership potential, academic rigor, and research publications of advanced psychiatry residents and fellows and it is awarded annually to six physicians throughout the United States. In July of 2020, Dr. Fipps will begin a consultation liaison psychiatry subspecialty fellowship at the Mayo Clinic
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in Rochester, Minnesota. Like the Webb Program, the Mayo Clinic fellowship also is highly competitive as each year, only one fellow is accepted into the Program. Zachary Novakovic, DO, has joined the Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Primary Care Wilton in Saratoga Springs, New York. Dr. Novakovic is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians.
Class of 2017 Ben Boehme, DO, a third-year family medicine resident with the Heritage Valley Health System in Beaver, Pennsylvania, was among several physicians to participate in a hands-on cooking demonstration hosted by the culinary arts students at the Beaver County Career and Technology Center. The goal of the event was to educate physicians as to the ways in which they may eat healthfully while enduring the rigors of a hectic schedule. Mitul Patel, DMD, and his dental colleagues have opened River Crossing Dental Care in New Port Richey, Florida.
Class of 2018 Tyler Liebegott, PharmD, was featured during a news segment on WPXI Pittsburgh for his work in making Shingrix, a shingles vaccine, available to those in need. Daniel Skaggs, DMD, has joined the dental practice of Signature Smiles Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky.
an increasing need for psychiatric care throughout the region. Under the auspices of the Medical Associates of Erie, the Institute is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, counselors, and support professionals who offer wide-ranging behavioral health services and individualized therapies, including comprehensively integrated outpatient psychiatric care and medication management for patients of all ages. LECOM Health has maintained an enduring commitment to addressing the behavioral health needs of the Erie community ever since Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) first incorporated mental health care into its continuum of care in 2001. Throughout the decades, LECOM Health has become recognized as the largest provider of inpatient behavioral health services in northwestern Pennsylvania. Located minutes from the LECOM campus, the 7,300-square-foot Institute provides ample space for many of the clinical offices and support services to be housed at one facility. The capacious building is fully prepared for future expansion and to adapt to the needs of the community. “We’re thrilled to open this new facility that can better accommodate our patients’ needs,” stated Meghan McCarthy, DO, Director of the MCH Psychiatric Residency program. “The central location of the facility will offer our patients easy access to our behavioral health services while its size will let them receive care in a comfortable, spacious setting.” Of course, the real glory of LECOM achievement lies always before it, because, for the true leaders – those who make such victories possible – the idea of filling a void appeals to them as inspired, both in thought and deed. As new entities are added to the LECOM family, it becomes necessary to more definitively identify the system of pinnacle healthcare in the community, one that consistently unveils such inspired healthcare, in short: LECOM Health.
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- Continued From Page 13 LECOM is proud to be a part of the Lakewood Ranch community and of the greater Manatee County region. LECOM students weave through the tapestry of this thriving community giving of themselves in service to their neighbors. Whether it be fourth-year medical students serving at the Galvano One-Stop Clinic where they provide free primary care services or whether volunteering their training in health fairs, school outreach, public health screenings, and dental
clinic offerings, LECOM scholars are working together for the betterment of the region. LECOM extends hearty congratulations to the event participants. As the College hails the sportsmanship of skilled competition and genuine camaraderie, all join closer to build success for shared goals and for the future of the community and region.
- Continued From Page 18
Mary Crowe, DO, a 2019 LECOM graduate and Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) intern, earned second place with her poster entitled, Osteoporosis Education Provided Upon Admission for Skilled Nursing Care.
The events of Research Day provide exceptional opportunities for LECOM to inculcate the discipline of inquiry and to spotlight its solid leadership role in the advancement of a well-rounded medical education.
Crowe’s MCH colleague and 2015 LECOM alumnus, Aaron Leininger, DO, placed third with his poster entitled, Endoscopic-Assisted Anatomic Reconstruction of Chronic Proximal Hamstring Avulsion with Achilles Allograft.
“LECOM Interprofessional Research Day is a perfect opportunity to promote institutional research by allowing students and faculty to present their research data and thus to collaborate on future scientific endeavors of the institution,” explained Bertalan Dudas, MD, LECOM Institutional Director of Research.
The first-place prize in the physician lecture session was awarded to Ann McCray, DO, of Meadville (Pennsylvania) Medical Center. The 2017 graduate of LECOM claimed the honor with her presentation entitled, Anti-Factor Xa Monitoring for Dose Adjustment of Enoxaparin for VTE Prophylaxis at Meadville Medical Center. Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) resident, Stefanie Kananda, DO, earned the second-place distinction with her research entitled, Mortality-Associated Symptomatology in COPD Patients.
Indeed, the event constitutes the culmination of medically-based investigations and in-depth studies that seek to greatly advance and enhance the abilities and capabilities of those in the medical community. For more than three decades, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has stood proudly in the vanguard of medical education, promoting profound, meaningful, and developing research. The results of the 2019 LECOM Research Day continue that compelling charge.
Donata Vaiciunaite, DO, a resident at Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, received the third-place award for her lecture entitled, A Systematic Review of Current Therapies Described for Seronegative Hepatitis C Virus Recipients of Kidney Transplants from Seropositive Donors.
- Continued From Page 19 Lin, DO, has continued to enlist collaborating allies to complement the LIGHT-1 partners, incorporating Dent Neurologic Institute, Physician Partners of Western Pennsylvania, Highmark, and the Erie County legal community into a comprehensive program of care. Each organization brings specific talents and resources that facilitate the multifaceted LECOM Health mission to improve geriatric healthcare throughout the state.
34 LECOM CONNECTION | SPRING 2020 | LECOM.edu
LECOM Health envisions the firm establishment of consummate care, buoyed by financially sustainable collaborations and seamless delivery systems, and fully supported by LECOM educational and training programs – all societal benefits created by LECOM that shall endure long after HRSA funding has expired. As with the receipt of the first HRSA Grant, LECOM remains deeply honored to affirm this significant achievement as LECOM Health and its nexus of allies look ahead with an incandescent spirit to continue to lead and to LIGHT the way in the field of geriatric healthcare.
LECOM August 17-20, 2020
Conference Information
CME Credits
LECOM Summer Primary Care 2020 in Sarasota, Florida offers a unique learning experience for physicians and health care professionals seeking the opportunity to learn the latest information on medical advancements and treatment options.
LECOM anticipates AOA and AAFP approval for 20 Category 1-A Credits. All lectures will be held between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. allowing time for afternoon activities around Sarasota.
Topics for this year cover cardiovascular issues, pediatrics, gastroenterology, orthopedics, two hours devoted to Florida law requirements, and so much more! LECOM clinical faculty will present topics from the perspective of a primary care physician.
Registration Information Standard Registration: $1,675 Adjunct Faculty Registration: $1,425 Commuter Registration: $550 Standard and Adjunct Faculty Registration includes CME fee, four (4) nights lodging at the Ritz Carlton, Sarasota, Florida and breakfast Monday through Thursday. Commuter Registration includes CME fee and breakfast. It does not include a hotel stay.
Registration and Lecture Schedule To view the lecture schedule and to reserve your spot for the LECOM Summer CME Conference in Sarasota, Florida, go to lecom.edu/cme to register. Adjunct faculty can receive a discount by emailing or calling the CME conference office.
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