The LECOM Pulse (July, 2023)

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LECOM Launches Online Master of Science in Nursing Program

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) proudly announces its Master of Science in Nursing Program, the first nursing program to be offered by the College. The first cohort of registered nurses (RNs) begins July 31, 2023.

The new Program is part of the LECOM Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the degree will provide graduates with a Clinical Nurse Leader National Board Certification.

This 16-course program is being offered exclusively online and students will earn 45 academic credit hours during four traditional semesters of full-time study.

Students can take courses at their own pace, earning 11-12 credit hours each semester, while attaining 500 clinical hours in three clinical practicums conducted during the course of study.

Graduate nursing students are encouraged to work with preceptors in their current place of employment and the scholars will be required to complete a Leadership Capstone Project. Each student will implement a project, present findings at a national nursing conference, and submit an article manuscript for publication prior to graduation.

Requirements for eligibility to apply include an unencumbered

Registered Nursing (RN)

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applicant is employed, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) was waived for the first cohort with all applications having been submitted by July 1, 2023.

Tuition for the Program is significantly discounted for LECOM clinical affiliates.

For more information about this new Program, including application requirements and tuition fees, please visit the LECOM website at: https://lecom.edu/gsbs/master-of-science-in-nursing-clinical-nurse-leader/

Questions and inquiries about the Program may be made to the Director of Nursing Graduate Programs, Dr. Octavia Flanagan at oflanagan@lecom.edu.

LECOM is delighted to add this purposeful Nursing Program to an ever increasing plethora of healthcare education offerings; all of which serve in the realm of community betterment and give a profound meaning to that service.

If one sits upon the sidelines, it is quite likely that one will never make the decisions that affect life.

With healthcare laws ever in the crosshairs, economic crisis spanning the globe, and families struggling as never before in recent decades, LECOM is reflecting upon its position as a leader in healthcare education to impart upon its alumni, administrators, and its present student body, an important message of involvement.

With Thirty Years as a Leader in Healthcare Education, LECOM Encourages Alumni and Administrators Alike to “Become Involved!”

“Action is eloquence.”

- William Shakespeare

Edmund Burke admonished that “all that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.” That aphorism is intended to impart upon the reader the reality that in the absence of action, governing bodies will effectuate decisions that will contravene the objectives of the majority. An understanding gained through acquiring information and increasing awareness is essential to a fully functioning society. Such a notion is equally true within the field of medicine.

Prodigious purpose in the arena of health care demands commitment and involvement; to become supremely aware of, and intimately involved in, the pivotal issues of this time; issues that affect family physicians, their practices, and their patients. There exist wide-ranging opportunities for physicians to become involved and to shape the future of medicine.

Issues that influence physicians and patients on a daily basis, particularly malpractice reform and access to care, are areas in which one may choose to become involved. Examination of the effect of current healthcare laws is another area that requires scrutiny.

To those who may contend that they lack the time to become involved in the efforts of organized medicine, LECOM hopes that they will consider devoting a more focused effort to make the time. If doctors fail to step up and to become involved, someone else is going to make those decisions in the place of the physician. It is likely, given the current environment, that it will be the government or governmental bodies carrying out those decisions. If that happens, the outcomes may not be beneficial for the medical community and certainly, they will not be beneficial for patient care.

Aerial view of Erie’s LECOM campus.

LECOM asseverates that there are several ways in which physicians may become involved in medical action organizations:

Examine the objectives of the state and national Medical Society Political Action Committees and/or join an action committee;

Contact colleagues in the area who are involved in medical organizations and join a local medical society;

Advocate to local, state, and federal legislators about issues that affect practice, patients, and health care;

Focus upon not only improving patient care, but also upon improving population health and healthcare reform on a grander scale;

Carry an attitude of empowerment and enthusiasm as a force that unites good healthcare teams.

It can be said that vision in the absence of action constitutes nothing more than a wish and action in the absence of vision produces nothing more than chaos; therefore, well-defined objectives and thorough understanding of the needs of the profession are indispensable for the betterment of healthcare and for the benefit of the medical profession as a whole.

Dale Carnegie once said that, “we cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.”

Accordingly, leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and action. There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less incapacitating than the long-range risks and costs of apathy.

The medical community, in the present environment, faces an onslaught of change. It is incumbent upon its practitioners to remain aware, astute, and involved.

LECOM Bradenton College of Medicine campus, Florida.

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The entire notion of purpose is based upon a keen awareness of the interdependence of humankind involved in one another. Goals and objectives find success or failure because of people who are willing to become involved to affect change. Only by attracting the very best people may great deeds be accomplished.

LECOM is confident in the quality of its people and of the resolute objectives of its alumni, administrators, and students alike. It is with energetic enthusiasm that LECOM hopes that each of those groups will – become involved.

2023 LECOM

Bradenton Research Day Poster Award Winners Mark Probative Discovery

Rounding out the deeply penetrating purpose of a superlative education, unmatched clinical care, and unflagging community service, research comprises a key component of the LECOM mission.

The LECOM Bradenton Interprofessional Research Day 2023, boasted a plethora of submissions offered by participating physicians, faculty, and students.

The College takes great pride in the assiduously honed scholarship put forth by the student participants as well as by their mentors.

LECOM extends its hearty congratulations to the winners of the LECOM Bradenton Research Day 2023 Poster Sessions and it offers grateful acknowledgement to the judges of the poster presentations and especially, to the students and faculty mentors for their quality submissions.

Many compelling, probative, and revealing pieces of work were showcased during the event

with the following presentations being awarded prizes.

Based upon a rigorous evaluation by faculty judges, the following posters were selected for the 2023 Awards:

1st Place: $500

Allison Hawkins, Class of 2026

Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Steiner, Ph.D.

Title: Exploring the Importance of Translational Quality Control in Gram Negative and Gram Positive Bacteria

2nd Place: $300

Terrence Ahlin, Class of 2024

Faculty Mentor: David Boesler, D.O.

Title: Enhanced Imaging of Individual Retinal Pigmented Epithelial Cells In Vivo with Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy

Photo, upper right: Allison Hawkins.

Photo, lower left: Terrence Ahlin.

Joint 3rd Place: $100

Ross Gillan, Class of 2025

Team: Kassidy Webber, Gabrielle Bachtel and Yasmine Ezzair

Faculty Mentors: Anupam Bishayee, Ph.D. and Nicole Myers, D.O.

Title: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Progress, Pitfalls, and Promise

Joint 3rd Place: $100

Kassidy Webber, Class of 2025

Team: Blake Delgadillo, Ante Rebic, Brian Handal and Adam Dann

Faculty Mentor: Paul Danahy, M.D.

Title: Salvage Treatment for Periprosthetic Humeral Nonunion; A Case Report

Congratulations to the LECOM Bradenton Interprofessional Research Day Poster Award winners!

Photo, upper right: Ross Gillan.

Photo, lower left: Kassidy Webber.

Anticipating the Annual LECOM Student Scholarship Auction Galas: 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.

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 its 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, D.O., 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 one of the lowest medical school tuitions nationwide, 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 $40 million in scholarships to deserving students, including more than $20 million during the last five years alone.

The Annual LECOM Student Scholarship Galas 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 raises almost $4 million dollars in scholarship aid for deserving 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.

Compounding the plentiful results of events, such as the Annual Galas, the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund has received significant investment support as a result of prudent Auction Gala partners with like-minded organizations.

There is no doubt that LECOM students and their families recognize, in a tangible manner,

Guests attend LECOM Erie 2022 Auction.

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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 osteopathic medicine, 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 its thirtieth anniversary year 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.

Join with the College in anticipation of the Annual LECOM Student Scholarship Auction Galas and Dinners - October 14. 2023 in Sarasota, Florida and November 11, 2023 in Erie, Pennsylvaniacelebrating 30 years of LECOM!

Flashback FridayHighlighting Our LECOM Family

For thirty years, the successful journey of our scholars has been our passion. Medical education excellence and a steadfast pledge to community betterment have underpinned a legacy-making goal that has positioned the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) as the largest medical school in the nation and as its only osteopathic academic health center.

It has become a truism that while other things may change us, LECOM starts and ends with family. The College has adhered to its enduring practice of treating our family like friends and our friends like family.

This credo is palpably applicable in the realm of our cherished alumni.

A refuge in an ever changing world, our alumni family strives in union to seek purposeful and noble goals: to heal the sick, to cure disease, to strengthen the elderly and the infirm, to bring health and wellness to our communities and neighbors, both at home and abroad. Generations of family members have

found an educational home at LECOM, and as our alumni, we are proud to count you among them.

As a continuing tribute to our alumni family, LECOM is celebrating its 30th anniversary year with a series highlighting the success of our graduates.

Each week, the series, entitled Flashback Friday, introduces a LECOM healthcare professional - our alumni - to the world of social media. The graduate is introduced onscreen and he or she then takes a few minutes to tell the audience about his or her accomplishments, current position, favorite LECOM class, and any other interesting personal details.

As you make a difference in the betterment of your communities, do not forget that just as you are part of our story, your educational home is part of your story. We encourage you to hold fast to those ties that bind and share a moment or two with us on Flashback Friday.

LECOM looks forward to hearing from you soon! Join us!

LECOMThe Right Choice for a New Age

With the burgeoning number of medical schools now seemingly inundating potential students with options, just what is it that places the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) decidedly at the pinnacle of the list?

Of all methods used in determining “the best” of multiple options, a long-revered set of widely accepted indicators of excellence has been the gold standard.

LECOM has an extraordinary record due to its recognized faculty, innovative and top-rated curriculum, multi-skilled and high-accomplishing graduates, supportive student scholarship reserve, superlative match rates and board scores, and universal distinction. It has the one of the lowest tuitions in the United States, providing unparalleled value for exceptional medical training.

Given its recognized name and renowned stature, a prospective student should rely upon the gold standard of medical education when assessing options.

However, eclipsing these key

determining factors, one added aspect definitively sets LECOM apart from the rest: The LECOM family spirit! It is an intrinsic value that is the crowning glory of a valued professional degree. This is the unshakable through-line of the possible, an institutional organization that fully supports each and every one of its students as they become part of the ever growing family of LECOM.

Throughout its three-decade history, that sense of family and community has propelled the journey of a great institution of medical education. Student success is at the very center of all LECOM undertakings, and THAT is the defining hallmark of a successful professional future in medicine!

LECOM has developed a proud sense of tradition. As scholars engage in their academic journey and professional pursuits, each will do so knowing that they are experiencing moments and creating memories that are shared across generations. Upon graduation they join one of the most passionate and purposed alumni networks in the world.

To those with an interest in the medical profession, with the heart of a healer, and with a passion to make a difference, we say:

“Join us — we cannot wait to welcome you!”

LECOM Class of 2023

Robed in Honor, Crowned with Light

The lamp of learning is burning brightly at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) as the 27th LECOM Commencement Ceremonies were held on May 28, 2023 in Erie, Pennsylvania and on June 4, 2023 in Bradenton, Florida.

Two ceremonies in Erie took place, one at 10 a.m. and the second at 2 p.m. at the Erie Insurance Arena in the downtown area of the city. Likewise, Bradenton hosted a 10 a.m. and a 2:30 p.m. ceremony with both events held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto, Florida.

The School of Pharmacy highlighted the Erie morning ceremony as 140 students in the Class of 2023 received degrees. That session included 11 Distance Education graduates who chose to participate in the Erie event.

In addition, 131 Masters Degrees were conferred by the School of Health Services Administration (SHSA) and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS). The conferred degrees include the Masters in Health Services Administration, Masters in Public Health, Master of Science in Biomedical Ethics, Master of Medical Science, Master of Science in Biomedical Science, and the Master of Science in Medical Education.

Two graduates received Ph.D.s in Anatomy Education while two others received their Ph.D. Degree in Medical Education. More than 2,000 guests attended the 10 a.m. Commencement. Some 350 graduates and nearly 3,000 family members and guests gathered for the afternoon ceremony to see degrees conferred upon the College of Medicine Erie and Seton Hill scholars.

One week later, LECOM Bradenton graduated its 17th Class as degrees were conferred upon the College of Medicine, School of Health Services Administration, and Graduate School of

The American Flag is presented at the Erie Commencement Ceremony.

Biomedical Science scholars.

A total of 175 new DOs celebrated during the morning session, bringing the total number of graduates in the Class of 2023 to 525 across all LECOM campuses. In addition, 118 Masters Degrees were conferred upon accomplished scholars with six Ph.D.s in Healthcare Administration included in the tally. Those six scholars were the first to receive doctorates conferred by the School of Health Services Administration.

Dental Medicine Graduates at the LECOM Bradenton Commencement.

The Master’s Degree candidates at Bradenton included 71 scholars in the Masters of Medical Science Program, 18 students in the Masters in Public Health Program, five candidates in the Master of Science in Biomedical Ethics Program, and 24 scholars in the Masters in Health Services Administration Program. Finally, three LECOM Bradenton scholars received the Master of Science in Medical Education Degree.

The 2:30 p.m. Commencement Ceremony in Bradenton saw 112 Doctor of Pharmacy Degrees conferred upon deserving scholars, including 18 of those who graduated in the School of Pharmacy Distance Education Pathway. This event marked the 13th LECOM Bradenton graduating class in Pharmacy.

Also receiving degrees were 103 scholars in the

Commencement is a special day for graduates and their families.

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School of Dental Medicine, the eighth commencement for that discipline since welcoming its first class in 2012.

At the conclusion of the four Commencement Ceremonies, LECOM welcomed more than 1100 new alumni to its ranks. Since opening its doors in 1992, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has continued to produce the finest professionals in the healthcare arena, each of them prepared fully to meet the challenges of 21st century healthcare.

LECOM Professor in the Vanguard of Innovative Research and Prolific Scholarly Texts

So says the passage on the homepage of an intriguing web link (www.neo-lab.org) to an innovative research laboratory located in Erie and directed by one of the preeminent scholars and researchers at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).

Bertalan Dudas, MD., PhD, Professor of Anatomy at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie is consistently breaking new ground in research of the human brain. During the last decade, Dr. Dudas has had multiple high-value scholarly books published; these are in addition to his plethora of articles and chapters published in noteworthy medical journals concerning his cutting-edge findings.

“The peculiar fascination of the brain lies in the fact that there is probably no other object of scientific inquiry about which we know at once so much and yet understand so little.”

- Gerd Sommerhoff

The books and articles came about as a product of his extensive research and exploration at the Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Organization (NEO), a research center of which Dr. Dudas is the Founder and Director. NEO is an innovative research hub initiated by Dr. Dudas and located in Erie that focuses upon studies of the hormone producing systems of the human brain. Projects undertaken at NEO include understanding the way in which stress impacts upon sexual regulation and growth, and studies focusing upon furthering the understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Noted peer-reviewed journals, including Neurobiology of Aging and Neurobiology of Disease, published Dudas’ articles based upon his comprehensive studies dealing with several neuroprotective compounds that appear to protect against lesions of Alzheimer’s Disease. Numerous other research papers based upon results at NEO have been published in top neuroendocrine journals. These projects include the exploration of the morphology and connections of the luteinizing hormone - releasing hormone (LHRH) - producing nerve cells that represent a fascinating neurotransmitter system comprised of merely several hundred cells in the human brain, yet controlling the release of all of the major sexual hormones that influence comprehensive emotional and conscious life.

Dr. Dudas’ scholarly books, include: Human Hypothalamus: Anatomy, Functions and Disorders; Central Catecholaminergic System; The Central Regulation of Growth: Morphological and Functional Considerations; Atlas of the Human Hypothalamus: Anatomy, Blood Supply, Myelo-, and Cytoarchitecture; Human Histology: A Text for Physicians and Scientists.

Dr. Dudas’ book entitled, Human Histology: A Text and Atlas for Physicians and Scientists has been ranked among “The 13 Best New Histology Books to Read In 2023” on BookAuthority.

As featured on CNN, Forbes, and Inc., BookAuthority is the leading site for obtaining book recommendations. The

Dr. Bertalan Dudas, M.D., PhD

prolific researcher also has two volumes of non-scientific work published highlighting poems and paintings.

Dr. Dudas received his M.D. degree at Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical University, Szeged in 1993, and he obtained his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Szeged, Hungary in 2007, with a summa cum laude designation. His dissertation was entitled: Significance of Neurotransmitter Inputs of the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neuronal System in the Human. He has worked with LECOM since 2003 and currently, he is the Assistant Dean of Research and Scholarship at LECOM and its Institutional Director of Research.

As revealed by his noted publications, Dr. Dudas’ many explorations include examining the hypothalamic regulation of stress and stress-driven suppression of human reproduction. His further examinations have been focused upon revealing the morphology of accepted communication between associated brain elements with the resulting data crucial to furthering the understanding of the regulatory processes of stress in human beings.

Dr. Dudas defended his habilitation degree (Bertalan Dudas MD. PhD. Habil.) this year at the University of Szeged to receive the highest combined teaching/scholarship degree that European universities can grant.

Dr. Dudas has always been noticeably enthusiastic about his work and about the possibility that his investigations can have far-reaching positive effects upon public health. LECOM is extremely supportive of all of his work at NEO and the College is constantly seeking to advance scholarly investigation into innovative areas of research.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine takes great pride in recognizing Dr. Bertalan Dudas and in celebrating his noteworthy efforts in a field that will change and deepen the understanding of the human brain.

There are moments in one’s life that one remembers, and for many of those who have heard the calling, research in osteopathic medicine has led to more than simply treating disease; for probative discovery represents a significant step on the path to achieving better health for all.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is pleased to have established a new Summer Research Internship Program.

Summer research interns and faculty mentors during an orientation on May 18, 2023.

The primary objectives of the impactful Program are to provide osteopathic scholars with opportunities for hands-on experience as evaluators and producers of foundational, translational, and clinical research; and to promote the research and scholarship conducted by students and faculty.

For the 2023 summer session, 18 incoming second-year doctor of osteopathic medicine students have been selected to participate in the Program. These scholars completed an orientation program on May 18, 2023, during which time, the interns were familiarized with various research concepts and available projects as presented by prospective faculty mentors. Students also discussed their own research ideas with participating faculty members.

Each student works under the auspices of attentive faculty supervision to undertake a dedicated research project during the summer months; and that scholar continues to work for an additional period as needed.

The Program facilitates student research findings that lead to oral/poster presentations as well as to publications.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is proud to support these valuable efforts in research, efforts that will change and deepen understanding in important areas of medicine.

Photos: The inaugural class of a new summer research intership program at LECOM-Bradenton.

Memoriam Ronald A. Esper, D.O.

The sun dimmed over the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), as the LECOM family itself was shaken by the news of the loss of Ronald A. Esper, D.O., its longtime friend and advocate, The College remains grateful for a man whose integrity burnished those he touched with a sense of the possible.

As a founding member of the College, Dr. Ronald Esper was a dynamic and vital thread running through the tapestry of all that is LECOM. A bright spirit, vibrant energy, and a quick wit accompanied his caring presence, from the classroom at LECOM - as a former Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery, to the world at large - as a focused and highly-skilled physician. Dr. Esper imbued those around him with his infectious sense of purpose to a cause greater than himself. LECOM collectively extends its deepest and most sincere condolences to the entire Esper family.

Ronald A. Esper, D.O.

A Pennsylvania native (originally from Pittsburgh), his parents instilled in him the importance of moral qualities and of an exalted mind, character, and spirit. The faith-filled, grounded guidance that shaped his devotion to family, to country, to education, and to osteopathic medicine would follow him throughout his lifetime.

Ronald A. Esper, D.O., passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on May 10, 2023.

The capable physician received B.S. and Ed.S. Degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and he was a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Medical Services Corps.

While pursuing his medical degree in osteopathic medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, he also met the love of his life, Kathleen.

After residency, he practiced as a general surgeon and urologist for 40 years. Dr. Esper was a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. He was a Past President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association, and he served on the Board of Trustees of the American Osteopathic Association, eventually becoming its President. The venerable healer also served as a consultant in urology for the National Board of Examiners, former Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Millcreek Community Hospital, Founder and CEO of the Esper Medical Center, an Assistant Clinical Professor at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and as noted, a committed and highly-regarded Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery at LECOM.

Dr. Esper’s passion to succeed propelled his purpose-driven heart, enabling him to bring life to his vision for the future of medicine. A man ahead of his time, in 1976, he became the founder of the Esper Medical Center in Millcreek Township, the first free-standing ambulatory surgical care facility in the eastern United States.

His active role in the formative years of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and his continued support of the institution throughout his career and retirement has etched the name Esper permanently into the legacy that is LECOM.

Clad in coat and tie each day, and ever conscious of the nobility of the calling, Dr. Esper emphasized the need for scholars to be attired professionally. He arrived on campus promptly at 5:30 AM prepared to ensure the proper appearance of the student body.

Dr. Esper was a familiar LECOM personage, daily traversing the halls of each building to ensure all was in order and well presented. His generous heart found him frequently in the offices of faculty and staff, bearing boxes of treats.

Dr. Ron Esper vigorously advocated education as a means to lift oneself out of poverty—a philosophy fostered by his own experience, as he and many of his ten siblings sought higher education to improve their quality of life from their humble beginnings as first-generation Syrian-Americans. He motivated successive generations of his family to pursue, not only higher education, but careers in medicine; inspiring nineteen members of his family to tread along his well-honed path.

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Dr. Ronald Esper is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Kathleen; by his three children (and their families); and by his seven grandchildren.

In the enduring value of his lofty achievements, in the many thousands that he touched, in his own loving family and in the family that is LECOM - Ronald A. Esper, D.O. will leave his indelible legacy.

Sarah Elizabeth Jamieson Receives

LECOM-Bradenton Excellence in Research Award

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) extends hearty congratulations to Sarah E. Jamieson, a Class of 2023 graduate, who is the recipient of the prestigious LECOM-Bradenton Excellence in Research Award. The honor is conferred upon a member of the graduating class who has demonstrated continued effort in the areas of clinical or basic science research and who has contributed to the comprehensive knowledge in biomedical science.

Dr. Jamieson’s passion for research began while she was attending Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida, where she interned in a clinical psychology laboratory.

Upon being graduated from FSU with a bachelor’s Sarah Jamieson, D.O.

degree in psychology, she worked as a research technician at Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology in Jupiter, Florida; and she was involved in developing a new drug for post-traumatic stress disorder.

At LECOM-Bradenton, the focused scholar worked with Dr. Anupam Bishayee, Professor of Pharmacology, on several projects exploring the evaluation of cancer preventive and therapeutic efficacy of various medicinal plants and dietary agents. She also led a team of students in the lab of Dr. Roger Biringer, Professor of Biochemistry, investigating ouabain as a potential migraine treatment.

Dr. Jamieson has published several articles in high-impact biomedical journals and she presented her research work at a host of scientific meetings.

While at LECOM, the assiduous scholar was selected to receive the Student Researcher of the Year Award in 2021.

Presently, Dr. Jamieson will be entering a Family Medicine Residency Program at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.

As a future clinician and investigator, Dr. Jamieson is determined to conduct research into public health and preventative medicine and to improve patient outcomes with a view toward helping her future patients access better health care.

Her very proud Alma Mater, wishes Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Jamieson every success in her future endeavors.

Sarah Jamieson, D.O., accepting award during LECOM Commencement Ceremony with Dr. James Gnarra (left) and Dr. James Toldi (right).

Annual Script Your Future Medication Adherence Challenge Places

in the Vanguard

The National Consumers League (NCL) 2023 Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge winners were announced on May 16, 2023.

The NCL announced the winners of its Twelfth Annual Team Challenge, an eight-week intercollegiate competition among health profession student teams and faculty intended to combat poor medication adherence in the United States. Nearly three-out-of-four patients do not take their medication as directed.

The Challenge returns to medical school campuses each year to encourage student competition and innovation.

“The Team Challenge was first established in 2011 to nurture adherence-minded values in future generations of health professionals. Since its launch, the Campaign has supported

close to 2,000 community health events, engaged more than 60,000 healthcare providers, and reached 27.5 million consumers. “We are very proud of the contribution this effort has made to the public health of all consumers,” said NCL Chief Executive Officer, Sally Greenberg.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy enjoys the laudable distinction of being the National Award Winner for 2023.

LECOM Script Your Future efforts centered around Wellness, Adherence, Lifestyle, and Knowledge (WALK). LECOM students and faculty designed community service events in collaboration with various healthcare professionals across various pathways (in Erie, Bradenton, and Distance Education) and across programs (such as pharmacy,

Upcoming LECOM Events

LECOM Summer CME

July 24 - 27, 2023

Sarasota, FL

LECOM 5K

August 5, 2023

Erie, PA

CelebratePharmacy CE

August 18, 2023

Erie, PA & Virtual

Orofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Medicine CE

September 23, 2023

Bradenton, FL

OMED Conference & Expo

October 6-8, 2023

Orlando, FL

LECOM Student Scholarship Auctions

Bradenton, FL - October 14, 2023

Erie, PA - November 11, 2023

Continued from page 25

medical, and masters).

The unified message promoted by the Challenge highlighted the importance of medication adherence, chronic disease state management, reducing disease stigma, smoking cessation, safe drug disposal, and Over-the-Counter medication safety.

The Script Your Future Healthcare Pledge affirms the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork in improving patient outcomes; and 223 current and future healthcare professionals joined as signatories to the Pledge.

Overall, 817 educational materials were distributed in-person to 260 individuals. Social media, print, and broadcasting efforts reached an estimated 279,360 people.

In sum, the LECOM Script Your Future was a successful and purposeful campaign that welcomed 159 volunteers, correlating to 273 hours of community service offered through 23 service events.

LECOM resoundingly lauds the achievements of these fine scholars and their key undertakings that impart upon LECOM an enthusiasm, a fervor, and a contagious spirit that is a positive exemplar to the entire arena of healthcare.

Tenth Annual LECOM

5K - 6,000 Steps for Success

Running and brisk walking can be effective exercises to help one stay healthy. They also can be a source of great joy and inspiration in one’s day.

The LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center is pleased to announce the Tenth Annual LECOM 5K 6,000 - Steps For Success, a fitness event that enables registrants to walk or run either a 3.1-mile course or a one-mile course.

All proceeds from the 5K event will benefit the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund, helping to defray the educational costs of future healthcare providers from LECOM.

Event registration costs $25 for an emblem shirt, and $35 for a shirt and participation medal.

Those interested may choose to participate in the Live Event on Saturday, August 5, 2023 beginning at 9 AM; or they may partake of the Virtual Event anytime from now until September 29, 2023.

Participants will be using timing devices and bibs, so they may compete for a place medal, or simply aim for a personal best.

Participants have the option of posting their times on the registration site to compare their individual time with that of others from around the country.

Online registration is available for both events at:

https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Erie/ LECOMERIE5K.

The enduring community presence and commitment of LECOM and its progeny underscore the success of events such as the LECOM 5K 6,000 - Steps For Success.

LECOM encourages all who join in the annual event as the College hails the athleticism of competition, the health benefits, and the genuine camaraderie, of all who join closer to building success for shared goals and for the future of the community and region.