WVSOM Magazine: 50th anniversary celebration • Winter 2023

50 th celebrationanniversary

“Every occasion was memorable and brought together alumni, students, faculty, staff, preceptors, hospital/ clinic partners, donors, legislators and friends of the institution.”

A message from the president

WWhat a year it has been celebrating 50 years of WVSOM’s accomplishments! This edition of the WVSOM Magazine chronicles our yearlong celebration from the kickoff at the Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar in January 2022 to Statewide Campus regional celebrations, to multi-state alumni dinners, to events on the Lewisburg campus. The festivities culminated with the establishment of Dec. 12 as WVSOM Founders Day. Every occasion was memorable and brought together alumni, students, faculty, staff, preceptors, hospital/clinic partners, donors, legislators and friends of the institution. The “Cheers to 50 Years” luncheon and the Golden Jubilee banquet were highlights, but every event raised WVSOM’s visibility. Importantly, we made numerous new connections and had the opportunity to thank our many benefactors, partners and WVSOM employees who worked to make events memorable. Truly, it was a year filled with remarkable celebrations!

I want to especially mention three items that were created as part of our 50th anniversary celebration. A WVSOM video, memory book and school song were created to celebrate WVSOM’s founding and preserve 50 years of accomplishments. While the video and memory book are creations of the Audio Visual Production and Marketing and Communications staff, the song was composed by a WVSOM alumnus, Alex Bingcang, D.O., Class of 2006, in honor of his alma mater. In this magazine are opportunities for you to obtain each item as a remembrance.

We are also documenting the return to a more normal campus experience as we learned how to live with the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a review of our many inperson activities, including our annual recognition of students and employees, the 2022 Commencement, Convocation and White Coat ceremonies. Other articles range from recognition of our “Exercise is Medicine” program and our remarkable 99 percent residency placement rate to those describing new virtual reality teaching technology and research developments.

Also highlighted are profiles of three alumni, Joe Cincinnati, D.O., Troy Foster, D.O., and Deena Obrokta, D.O., who not only have given to their patients throughout their careers, but also gave to WVSOM through the establishment of endowed scholarships. In addition, Tom Takubo, D.O., and Mindy Chua, D.O., were named to the West Virginia Health Care Hall of Fame, while a number of WVSOM faculty and staff were recognized for significant contributions at state and national levels.

WVSOM has come a long way since its founding. Our school is well positioned to continue to grow and contribute to the health care needs of West Virginia and beyond. I hope you will have an opportunity to visit our campus if you are in the Lewisburg area, and I wish you the best as WVSOM begins its next 50 years!

Warmest regards,

James W. Nemitz, Ph.D. WVSOM President

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM), West Virginia’s largest medical school, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding in 2022. Based in Lewisburg, W.Va., WVSOM was founded in 1972 as the private Greenbrier College of Osteopathic Medicine and was brought into the state’s higher education system in 1976.

The main campus is where much of the school’s growth and change has taken place for 50 years.

The Lewisburg campus has grown from three buildings in 1972 to 20 buildings, including the most recent construction of a simulated national board exam testing center. The school began as a 43-acre campus formerly used by the Greenbrier Military School, but has expanded to 67 acres, in addition to seven Statewide Campus regional locations throughout West Virginia. The campus has transformed from grass fields where military cadets practiced drills to buildings filled with state-of-the-art equipment used to educate future physicians.

It’s uncommon for a campus to be completely devoted to one specialty. WVSOM is the only standalone osteopathic school in the country — it isn’t connected to an undergraduate college. At WVSOM, medical education is at the forefront. The school’s focus on osteopathic medicine means that in addition to the standard medical curriculum all physicians study, each student also completes training in osteopathic manipulative medicine, a system of hands-on techniques that help assess health, alleviate pain and restore motion. The osteopathic philosophy focuses on a “whole person” approach, treating each individual as more than just a collection of organ systems and body parts that can become injured or diseased.

For the past year, WVSOM has paid homage to its beginning and the four osteopathic physicians who recognized the need for medical providers in rural and underserved areas of West Virginia. Take a look back at the events that contributed to this institution’s memorable milestone. Here’s to the next 50 years!

JanuaryMID-WINTER OSTEOPATHIC SEMINAR KICKED OFF WVSOM’S YEARLONG 50 TH -ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

It had been two years since WVSOM alumni were able to socialize with peers at the Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar in Charleston, W.Va. The conference, which is one of the three major annual events hosted by WVSOM’s Alumni Association for physicians to obtain medical education credits, was completely virtual in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference served as the first official event of WVSOM’s 50thanniversary celebration. Nearly 90 medical professionals attended the Jan. 28-30, 2022, conference in person, and nearly 225 attended virtually.

“We are so happy to be able to see the faces of our alumni again. We are always concerned about providing a safe environment during this pandemic, which is why we also offered a virtual option, but slowly getting back to in-person conferences is important to maintaining alumni relationships,” said Shannon Warren, WVSOM’s director of alumni relations and CME. “We have much to celebrate this year, and our upcoming events will present great opportunities for alumni to share their memories and stories from the time they were students.”

At the conference, alumni browsed yearbooks, looked through old pictures and video-recorded memories to be shared later in the year.

A total of 17 presentations included topics such as heart failure management, Type 2 diabetes, functional medicine, incorporating

virtual reality into medical education, the business of medicine, glucose monitoring and insulin delivery systems, dermatology, legislative updates, vertigo evaluations, drugs that were approved in 2021, prostate screenings, dementia, information about fluoride, medical liability, asthma updates, and pain management and opioids.

An alumni luncheon and annual meeting was offered to in-person attendees and broadcast to virtual attendees. During the event, WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., shared information about the school’s 50th anniversary. Rob Olexo, D.O., was recognized for his service as president of the WVSOM Alumni Association board. On behalf of the association, Warren presented him with a watercolor photo of the WVSOM Lewisburg campus.

Additionally, the WVSOM Alumni Association presented Pat Bauserman with an Honorary Alumni award for serving as the school’s photographer for more than 35 years. Olexo pointed out that Bauserman has taken pictures of nearly every alumni of the medical school. She received an engraved brick that will be placed on the alumni brick walkway at the school’s front entrance.

WVSOM’s 50th anniversary continued with its first oncampus event, a Valentine’s Day celebration hosted by the school’s human resources department. Students, faculty, staff and retirees visited the Conference Center in the WVSOM Student Center for coffee, hot cocoa, cookies and T-shirts, and to participate in a photo booth featuring fun props and augmented reality filters.

FebruaryMarch 193

WVSOM GRADUATES currently practice in the areas included in the South Central Region.

SERIES OF WVSOM STATEWIDE CAMPUS 50 TH -ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

BEGAN IN CHARLESTON

WVSOM celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of events around the state by WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., and other school staff with stakeholders, alumni, students and friends of the medical school in WVSOM’s Statewide Campus system, which is made up of seven designated regions in West Virginia.

The first celebration took place at Berry Hills Country Club in Charleston, W.Va., in an effort to increase awareness of WVSOM’s impact on the state and region and to generate excitement among supporters that could lead to philanthropic support. WVSOM’s overall economic impact is $133.6 million.

At WVSOM, a student’s first two years of a four-year program are spent on campus in Lewisburg, W.Va. The latter two years are spent on medical rotations in clinics and hospitals in WVSOM’s Statewide Campus, where students provide about 1,050,000 health care hours each year. A total of 193 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the South Central Region of the Statewide Campus.

“We have much to celebrate this year,” Nemitz said. “I want to be sure everyone knows the value WVSOM brings to West Virginia. Not only do we have a tremendous economic impact in the state, but WVSOM is the state’s largest medical school, with about 800 students enrolled each year. WVSOM is also the No. 1 medical school in the state providing primary care physicians in rural and underserved areas. We want to share our incredible message and celebrate the rich history of the school’s founding.”

230

50 TH ANNIVERSARY

SCHOOL CELEBRATED

IN PRINCETON

WVSOM officials celebrated the institution’s founding during a visit to the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton, W.Va. A total of 230 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the South East Region of the Statewide Campus.

Nathaniel Jordan, D.O., a 2022 graduate who was still a student at the time of the event, said it’s exciting to be part of an institution that has such a rich history.

“To get to celebrate and see some of the physicians I’ve been able to rotate with, along with mentors who are alumni of the school, is memorable,” the Beckley, W.Va., native said. “It’s great to be part of this 50th celebration, seeing everyone’s excitement and how far the school has come, and hearing about their enthusiasm for the future.”

INSTITUTIONAL EVENTS ADDED TO 50 TH  CELEBRATION

Annual institutional events are part of the foundation of any higher education school. While events such as the Spring Awards Ceremony, Graduation Awards, Commencement, and Convocation and White Coat Ceremony are important milestones to acknowledge, the year 2022 in particular held more value as WVSOM honored its five decades of history.

The school’s 2022 Spring Awards Ceremony took place in person after two years as a virtual presentation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scholarship and award recipients were acknowledged on April 8. A total of $465,316 was distributed through 34 scholarships, awards and certificates of appreciation. Read the full story on page 24.

WVSOM GRADUATES currently practice in the areas included in the South East Region.

MaySCHOOL CELEBRATED 50 TH ANNIVERSARY IN WHEELING

WVSOM officials headed to the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia for its third Statewide Campus event celebrating 50 years since its founding.

The visit took place at Stratford Springs, a restaurant in Wheeling, W.Va. A total of 102 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the Northern Region of the Statewide Campus.

Class of 2022 President William Kohler, D.O., said it was exciting to be part of an institution commemorating a milestone. Kohler celebrated WVSOM’s anniversary and his graduation before he began a surgical residency in Fayetteville, N.C.

“This was a memorable opportunity to visit with my preceptors and mentors from the past two years in the Northern Region and see their dedication to supporting WVSOM acknowledged in the local medical community,” the Pittsburgh, Pa., native said. “I am incredibly proud of my classmates’ accomplishments these last four years and welcome the opportunity to contribute to WVSOM’s rich history.”

102

WVSOM GRADUATES currently practice in the areas included in the Northern Region.

197 GRADUATED DURING COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

For the members of WVSOM’s Class of 2022, the school’s 45th annual Commencement Ceremony was a one-of-akind event. The 197 graduates completed their medical school journey during a year marking the 50th anniversary of the school’s founding. Additionally, it was the class that, four years earlier, joined WVSOM at the same time longtime faculty member James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., became the school’s seventh president.

The keynote address for the May 28 ceremony was provided by Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., president of the American Osteopathic Foundation and a nationally recognized expert on health policy issues related to primary care, medical education, minority health, women’s health and rural health. Ross-Lee told graduates that patients, society, family and the osteopathic profession will make many demands on them as they progress in their careers. Read the full story on page 26.

JuneWVSOM HOSTED FIESTA TO CELEBRATE RETIREES, EMPLOYEES

WVSOM’s Office of Human Resources hosted its annual Employee Celebration, recognizing seven retirees and distributing 16 awards in five categories to employees for their dedication to the medical school, on June 16.

The 2022 event was a Fiesta Celebration, with the theme of “let’s taco ’bout 50 years” in recognition of the 50th anniversary of WVSOM’s founding.

In addition to award recognitions, employees enjoyed a bingo game, pinatas and a taco and nacho bar.

“We have much to be proud of. Our reputation and our opportunities will continue to grow. As we celebrate this moment in time in the 50th year of WVSOM’s founding, let’s be thankful for what we have. Remember we are always stronger together,” WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., told employees.

Leslie Bicksler, WVSOM’s vice president of human resources, said the school’s faculty and staff consistently show that they are committed to the success of its students.

“Our employees have much to be proud of,” Bicksler said. “They are dedicated to ensuring we provide the best medical education possible. Each employee has an important role at WVSOM, and their passion for doing that job, supporting their colleagues and engaging with our students is evident in all that they do.”

Read the full story on page 34.

A GOLDEN CELEBRATION HEADED TO THE BEACH

For a medical school celebrating its golden anniversary, it was fitting for WVSOM to share that celebration at a place where the sun seems to always be shining. The school hosted its annual Summer Seminar June 8-11 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Shannon Warren was recognized by the WVSOM Alumni Association for her

dedication to the organization. During the Summer Seminar, board members presented Warren, WVSOM's director of alumni relations and continuing medical education, with a plaque naming her an honorary alumna. Warren joined WVSOM in 1995 and began working with the WVSOM Alumni Association in 2000.

the

included in the South West Region.

July

WVSOM, WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE CELEBRATED GREENBRIER COUNTY

Local government officials and business leaders attended a “Greenbrier County Celebration” reception co-hosted by WVSOM and West Virginia Executive magazine July 12 on the school’s Lewisburg, W.Va., campus.

The event offered a chance for community members to network, socialize and hear about some of Lewisburg’s cultural, recreational and business highlights as well as the recent successes of projects elsewhere in Greenbrier County, including revitalization efforts in White Sulphur Springs, Ronceverte and the Meadow River Valley, which encompasses the towns of Rainelle and Rupert.

Government officials attending the reception included former West Virginia State Sen. Stephen Baldwin, West Virginia State Delegate Mike Honaker, Ronceverte Mayor Deena Pack, Lewisburg Mayor Beverly White and Rainelle Mayor Robin Williams.

Ashley Vickers, executive director of the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce, cited public initiatives and commercial ventures that are giving new life to communities following the floods that devastated portions of the county in 2016.

“It took a tragic, historic event to revitalize White Sulphur Springs. When I moved here 12 years ago, Main Street was empty, but you had new leadership within the city and you had citizens who wanted to make White Sulphur Springs a wonderful place to visit,” she said. “We’re also seeing a resurgence of Ronceverte. They’re doing wonderful things at Island Park, where the first dog park in southern West Virginia opened, and we recently welcomed Montani Homes, which specializes in energyefficient modular homes. And in the Meadow River Valley, a great group of people have made the Meadow River Rail Trail, which is another outdoor destination for folks throughout the state and country to enjoy.”

HUNTINGTON EVENT CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF SCHOOL HISTORY

On July 13, WVSOM celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding by continuing its series of Statewide Campus events around the state with a visit to The Frederick, a restaurant in Huntington, W.Va. A total of 75 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the South West Region of the Statewide Campus.

Class of 2024 student Priyanka Pandey attended the reception and said that one of her reasons for wanting to be an osteopathic physician was a desire to treat patients using resources other than potentially addictive medications.

“That’s why I wanted to be a D.O. in the first place,” she said. “They teach you alternative ways to treat health issues rather than using drugs that can be highly addictive for pain and other symptoms.”

WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., was named one of 10 Class of 2022 “Sharp Shooters” by West Virginia Executive. At the reception, he spoke of his love for the people and culture of Greenbrier County.

“I’ve been a resident of this county for almost 40 years, and I tell people all the time that this is the best place I’ve ever lived,” Nemitz said. “Our valley is rich with history, with culture, and there’s a real sense of community. People care about others and they do what they need to do in order to help each other. It’s a cliche to say that we’re better together, but it’s true.”

Additionally, Nemitz told attendees about WVSOM’s own accomplishments. He discussed the school’s economic impact in the county, state and nation, and pointed out that WVSOM has grown to become West Virginia’s largest medical school.

“Our founders had a vision,” he said. “The school was created to meet what they saw as a real need for physicians in rural areas. There continues to be that need, not just in West Virginia but throughout the country. Against a lot of challenges, this school, 50 years later, is an incredible success story.”

75 WVSOM GRADUATES currently practice in

areas

WVSOM CELEBRATED IN SHEPHERDSTOWN,

ANNOUNCED SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

WVSOM celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding with an Aug. 2 reception at the Bavarian Inn, a resort and brewing company in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

The reception was one of many visits by James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., and other school staff with stakeholders, alumni, students, faculty and friends of the school in WVSOM’s Statewide Campus system, which is made up of seven designated regions.

WVSOM’s Eastern Region Statewide Campus site is located in Martinsburg. A total of 39 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the Eastern Region of the Statewide Campus.

The event was also attended by WVSOM alumni Joseph Cincinnati, D.O., and Troy Foster, D.O., of the Martinsburg-based Center for Orthopedic Excellence. Nemitz announced at the celebration that the physicians committed to establish a scholarship endowment through the WVSOM Foundation. The endowment is known as the Patricia Louise McClung Nemitz Memorial Scholarship, named for Nemitz’s late wife, who passed away in 2009 of complications

from multiple sclerosis. Read the full story on page 64.

Zachary Bloom, a Class of 2023 student who hails from New Jersey, attended the reception and shared his experience at WVSOM.

“The school makes abundant resources available to us, whether that means a professor comes in on the weekend or we seek out the ASPIRE (Academic Support and Intervention Resources) program, which helps us cope with the demands of medical school by providing resources to maintain our mental and emotional health,” Bloom said. “It’s a pretty unanimous opinion among students that WVSOM provides a healthy balance for learning.”

Andrew Colebank, a Class of 2023 student from Pennsylvania, discussed the school’s community engagement efforts.

“WVSOM not only provides extraordinary assistance to students, it also helps tremendously in the community,” he said. “I plan to go into rural medicine and family medicine, and it’s been refreshing to watch President Nemitz’s humanitarian efforts.”

WVSOM GRADUATES currently practice in the areas included in the Eastern Region.

STATE FAIR OF WEST VIRGINIA CONNECTED WVSOM TO COMMUNITY

WVSOM’s time at the State Fair of West Virginia brought school employees and community members together to educate residents about the school’s programming. From hosting children’s “teddy bear clinics” to displaying items from the Rural Health Initiative’s Lending Library, from baby swaddling demonstrations to free blood pressure checks, the fair gave WVSOM a chance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding in a fun-filled environment.

WVSOM has had a presence at the State Fair of West Virginia since the school’s early days. For many years, WVSOM students provided blood pressure checks to guests. During WVSOM Day at the State Fair, on Aug. 18, guests stopped by the booth under the grandstand to receive a blood pressure check from school representatives, and WVSOM giveaways were offered under the fair’s hospitality tent.

WVSOM CELEBRATED 50 TH ANNIVERSARY IN WESTON

On Aug. 29, WVSOM officials celebrated the institution’s founding during a visit to Lambert’s Winery in Weston, W.Va. A total of 121 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the Central East Region of the Statewide Campus.

Class of 2024 student Jessica Brumbaugh attended the reception.

“I feel lucky to be a part of WVSOM as it reaches such an impressive milestone. Celebrating this accomplishment in the midst of my peers, mentors and present and future preceptors was exciting.

Hearing of the school’s previous accolades inspires me to do my best to provide patient-focused care built on a foundation of high-quality osteopathic education,” she said.

WVSOM GRADUATES

currently practice in the areas included in the Central East Region.

September

WVSOM HAD MAJOR PRESENCE AT WEST VIRGINIA BUSINESS SUMMIT

WVSOM’s leadership team and students participated in the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce 2022 Meeting and Business Summit, which took place Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

More than 800 business leaders attended the conference, taking part in educational sessions centered on the theme “Leaders Taking Action.”

WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., participated in a panel titled “Higher Education Driving Change in West Virginia.” He spoke about the fact that WVSOM is West Virginia’s largest medical school and has a 99 percent residency placement rate. Nemitz emphasized WVSOM’s dedication to its mission and educated attendees about the school’s successes during the past five decades.

“We have grown to enroll an average of 800 students per year, more than any other medical school in our state,” Nemitz said. “WVSOM now has more than 3,370 graduates who practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of our graduates, who contribute to WVSOM’s total economic impact of $1.5 billion per year to our state, and our students, who contribute 10,000 documented volunteer hours per year in our communities,” he continued.

WVSOM had a large presence at the conference, with a booth just outside the main conference hall. The booth’s prominent placement allowed WVSOM students to interact with attendees, providing health information on a variety of topics and handing out complimentary COVID-19 tests.

Nemitz said the conference gave him an opportunity to share WVSOM’s achievements with West Virginians who might not be familiar with the school.

“Being in front of 800 business leaders, legislators and other government officials at this conference provided a tremendous opportunity for our school,” he said. “WVSOM continues to gain even greater respect throughout our state and region as a leader in higher education. I was grateful to be a speaker and to tell WVSOM’s story to this vast audience. I never get tired of paying tribute to all those, past and present, who have made our school such an important part of West Virginia.”

BUSINESS LEADERS

“I couldn’t be more proud of our graduates, who contribute to WVSOM’s total economic impact of $1.5 billion per year to our state, and our students, who contribute 10,000 documented volunteer hours per year in our communities.”

- WVSOM PRESIDENT JAMES W. NEMITZ, PH.D.

attended the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce 2022 Meeting and Business Summit.

FOUNDER’S GRANDSON PROVIDED KEYNOTE SPEECH DURING WHITE COAT CEREMONY

Twenty-three years after receiving the medical degree that set him on the path to a career as a family physician, Ryan Newell, D.O., welcomed the 215 members of WVSOM’s Class of 2026 in an address in which he advised new students to “understand your role as healers.”

Newell was the keynote speaker at WVSOM’s Convocation and White Coat Ceremony. As the grandson of one of WVSOM’s four founders, Donald C. Newell Sr., D.O., Newell’s speech made frequent references to the history of the school.

The Class of 1999 graduate counseled students to have the kind of courage the school’s founders had in forging a path that led to WVSOM’s creation in the face of seemingly overwhelming obstacles. Read the full story on page 38.

SCHOOL RECEIVED NINTH RECOGNITION AS A GREAT COLLEGE TO WORK FOR

WVSOM was recognized for the ninth time as a Great College to Work For in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual report on academic workplaces.

The 2022 report recognized WVSOM in six categories: compensation and benefits; confidence in senior leadership; diversity, inclusion and belonging; job satisfaction and support; mission and pride; and professional development. WVSOM was also included on the publication’s Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to institutions that are cited most often across all categories.

On Sept. 27, WVSOM’s Office of Human Resources commemorated the recognition with a celebration for employees called “WVSOM Is on a Roll.” The event was followed by a Business After Hours networking session that took place in conjunction with the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce. The monthly events offer networking opportunities for businesses and organizations in the county.

Leslie Bicksler, the school’s vice president of human resources, cited WVSOM’s repeated recognition as evidence that employees of the institution value the strengths of its work environment.

“The work of educating physicians to serve the health care needs of West Virginia and beyond happens because each faculty and staff member strives to ensure students’ success,” Bicksler said. “We’re fortunate to work at an institution that has a strong mission, supports employees with the resources they need to be successful, and an environment in which people choose to work toward improvement. In this competitive job market, the significance of being a Great College to Work For is that candidates notice employers who have this designation and seek out employment with them. Just as significant is that employees who are committed to the success of our students, their coworkers and the community stay at WVSOM.”

Honor Roll 2022

50 TH RECEPTION IN VIENNA CONCLUDED STATEWIDE CAMPUS EVENTS

The final Statewide Campus event took place Oct. 12 at the Parkersburg Country Club in Vienna, W.Va. A total of 67 WVSOM graduates currently practice in the areas included in the Central West Region of the

Class of 2024 student Hunter Neely said it was an amazing opportunity to be part of one of -anniversary celebrations.

“It was nice to interact with classmates and preceptors outside the classroom and clinic. Since I am from West Virginia, I see the impact of WVSOM in my community daily. This event was important to recognize the effect this organization has had on our great state during the last 50 years,” Neely said.

WVSOM PARADE TOOK PLACE IN DOWNTOWN LEWISBURG

WALKER

OUTSTANDING ANTIQUE CAR

WVSOM HOSTED GOLDEN JUBILEE, RAISING $187,338 FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

After a year filled with activities marking the anniversary of its founding, WVSOM hosted its Golden Jubilee Weekend and All-School Reunion Nov. 3-6 in Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

The weekend’s highlight was the Golden Jubilee itself, a black-tie-optional dinner and dance that brought alumni from the past half-century together with sponsors, WVSOM community members and school supporters. The event, a fundraiser to help ease medical students’ financial burden, raised $187,338 for scholarships to be distributed through the WVSOM Foundation and WVSOM Alumni Association.

Dante Mattioli, a Class of 2025 student who is president of the school’s Student Government Association, said it was heartening to see that physicians educated at WVSOM are eager to play a role in the success of their alma mater’s current students.

“Seeing so many alumni come back to show their love for our school was terrific,” Mattioli said. “It was humbling to meet alumni two generations older than me who have been practicing medicine longer than I’ve been alive, and it was eye-opening to discuss how things have changed over the years. Events like these are important not only to raise money, but to exemplify WVSOM’s network that exists across the country. The support from alumni leads me to believe that when I

The weekend coincided with a continuing education conference hosted by the West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association. The conference kicked off with a welcome reception at The Greenbrier, where attendees mingled as the Ramp Supper Band, featuring current and former WVSOM faculty members, provided bluegrass-tinged music.

During an on-campus “Cheers to 50 Years” luncheon attended by alumni, employees, retirees and other members of the WVSOM community, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice praised the school for its growth and its long history of contributions to West Virginia.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done,” Justice said. “Those of you who were here in the beginning, think about what this place was then, and look at the unbelievable economic engine the ‘O school’ is today. I commend all the great people who have made this a reality.”

James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM's president, thanked luncheon attendees for helping the school fulfill the vision of its founders, who, 50 years ago, saw a need for a medical school that would provide physicians for a state experiencing a shortage of medical professionals.

“We are the leading producer of physicians in the state,” Nemitz said. “We’ve populated the small towns of West Virginia with Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, going from about 80 D.O.s in the state to almost 1,000. Our beautiful campus has grown from three buildings to 20 buildings, and we’ve grown from a handful of employees to nearly 300. WVSOM has a growing research enterprise, and we’re a leader in community engagement through our Center for Rural and Community Health and other programs that help West Virginians live healthier. We’re poised for growth, and WVSOM will continue to evolve as an institution that serves West Virginia first and foremost.”

Robert Holstein, D.O., a WVSOM Class of 1979 alumnus who chairs the school’s Board of Governors, urged an audience filled with leaders of the osteopathic medical profession to work to retain the qualities that set osteopathic medicine apart. “The osteopathic profession is unique, and our uniqueness is our strength. If we lose the core value of who we are, then we lose our purpose and become assimilated and absorbed, to the detriment of the medical profession as a whole,” Holstein said.

Also during the luncheon, Manny Ballas, D.O., a Class of 1993 alumnus who is president of the WVSOM Alumni Association, presented the 2021 Distinguished Alumni of the Year award to Deborah Schmidt, D.O., a professor in the Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice, and the 2022 award to Mark Waddell, D.O., an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. Ballas also presented an Honorary Alumni award to Bill Martin, Ph.D., a retired WVSOM faculty member.

WVSOM students organized a silent auction that took place during the luncheon and continued during the Golden Jubilee, raising $11,245 for scholarships to be awarded during the school’s annual Spring Awards Ceremony.

The weekend concluded with a donor appreciation breakfast for employees of businesses and other organizations that contributed financially to make the Golden Jubilee a success, and for the Lifetime Giving Leaders who have donated to the school through its nonprofit fundraising arm, the WVSOM Foundation.

$11,245

IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS raised during student-led silent auction

SILVER

Astorg Auto of Charleston

The Bank of Monroe

Boone Memorial Hospital

James H. Deering, D.O., and Jodi S. Flanders, D.O.

Greenbrier Valley Medical Center

Humana Mako Medical

MonHealth

Jim Nemitz and Nancy Bulla Rainelle Medical Center Dr. Art and Missy Rubin West Virginia State Medical Association Whit Yates and Jack Carvalho ZMM Architects and Engineers

BRONZE

Bailey & Wyant

Brick House Antiques and Wilson Properties

City National Bank

Rae Godsey, D.O., and Rob Blok, D.O. Greenbrier Valley Board of Realtors

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Holstein HospiceCare Inc.

Huntington National Bank

Jackson Kelly Marshall Health Mason and Barry Inc. Mountain Health Network Dr. Lorenzo and Tina Pence PostNet and Greenbrier Medical Arts Pharmacy PracticeLink

Professional Business Products Steven and Sharon Rubin Dr. Andy Tanner and Dewayne Duncan

FRIENDS OF THE JUBILEE

American Beer Company

The Country Vintner Inc. Dr. Charles and Barbara Davis Frederick Hospital Robert C. Byrd Clinic

WVSOM FOUNDERS

WVSOM’S INAUGURAL FOUNDERS DAY COMMEMORATED THOSE WHO CREATED MEDICAL SCHOOL

In its inaugural Founders Day celebration, WVSOM paid tribute to the individuals who, 50 years ago, decided to create an institution that would educate physicians to serve the medical needs of residents of West Virginia, Appalachia and beyond.

The Dec. 12 event honored the four osteopathic physicians who founded the school in 1972 — Carlton Apgar, D.O., O.J. Bailes, D.O., Donald Newell Sr., D.O., and Frank Wallington, D.O. — as well as the school’s first president, Roland P. Sharp, D.O. It was the final event in a year filled with celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the institution’s founding.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (accompanied by his ever-present companion, Babydog) was among those who spoke to an audience that included family members of all the founders along with state and local legislators and WVSOM employees. Other government officials in attendance included Delegate Vernon Criss, finance chair of the West Virginia House of Representatives; State Sen. Vince Deeds, of West Virginia’s 10th District; and Beverly White, mayor of Lewisburg.

In his remarks, Justice praised WVSOM for helping the state weather the COVID-19 pandemic and for its estimated $1.5 billion annual economic impact on West Virginia including contributions made by WVSOM alumni delivering health care.

“You all do incredible work here,” Justice said. “If you think of your accomplishments, it is unbelievable. It became this incredible osteopathic story. You have produced the best of the best. … Now, go on and keep doing all the goodness that you've already done and I'll try in every way I possibly can to stand behind you, to support you and to be your No. 1 advocate.”

Justice’s office also issued a proclamation declaring Dec. 12 to be West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Founders Day in the Mountain State.

In an introductory speech, WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., spoke of the school’s beginning and its growth in the face of obstacles, and acknowledged some of the physicians and families who played roles in its success over the years.

WVSOM’S FIRST PRESIDENT

Roland P. Sharp, D.O.

“In the late ’60s and early ’70s there was a huge need for health care in rural areas,” Nemitz said. “Now, there are almost 1,000 Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine in the state. It’s a remarkable history. While we honor our founders and first president, I also want to recognize the many D.O.s from the West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association who also contributed to helping WVSOM during the early days. There were a lot of people who made this work: the Muscari family, the Wood family and many, many others. We owe them a debt of gratitude as well.”

Nemitz told the audience that while the institution has accomplished a great deal, more remains to be done.

“The vision of these remarkable people has been fulfilled. We have populated small towns and rural areas with D.O.s, and we’re not finished. We’re going to continue to serve West Virginia first and foremost, providing physicians throughout our state and our country,” Nemitz said.

Donald Newell Sr., D.O.

Carlton Apgar, D.O. O.J. Bailes, D.O.

Frank Wallington, D.O.

Other speakers at the event included Robert Holstein, D.O., chair of WVSOM’s Board of Governors, and Cynthia Persily, Ph.D., the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s vice chancellor for health sciences.

Persily thanked the school for its half-century of contributions to medical education and to the communities in which its graduates serve. “Fifty years is a long time, especially in these days in which we live for the next ‘like,’ the next ‘click,’ the next ‘swipe.’ I think that the founders, while aspirational, could not even imagine the growth in enrollment, in research, in scholarship, in creativity and creative achievement, and in the partnerships that you’ve realized today,” she said. “You encourage young people to seek careers in medicine, and you provide care across the state and across the nation. You seek to create new models and new knowledge that will impact the health of a population, and for this, we are eternally thankful.”

Also as part of Founders Day, items were displayed for inclusion in a time capsule that was planted outside the WVSOM Student Center, for opening in December 2047 during the school’s 75th anniversary. Items included WVSOM promotional merchandise such as shirts, badges and pennants; publications such as magazines, books and flyers; and products emblematic of life in the early 2020s such as a COVID-19 test. The capsule was placed into the ground Dec. 13.

WVSOM recognized medical students for their academic and community achievements through scholarships and employees for their commitment to educate future physicians.

The school’s annual Spring Awards Ceremony took place in person after two years as a virtual presentation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scholarship and award recipients were acknowledged on April 8. A total of $465,316 was distributed through 34 scholarships, awards and certificates of appreciation.

DR. ROLAND P. SHARP PRESIDENT AND FOUNDATION AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Given to a first-year student based on academic performance, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship.

Benjamin Jack

STUDENT D.O. OF THE YEAR

Acknowledges a student’s commitment to his or her school and community and to the osteopathic profession.

Matthew Parsley

WVSOM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Given to two students who exemplify scholarship, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship.

Brooke Seamans Benjamin VanTasel

WEST VIRGINIA EMULATION ENDOWMENT TRUST/DR. OLEN E. JONES JR. SCHOLARSHIP Established in 2016 and named after Olen E. Jones Jr., Ph.D., who served as president of WVSOM from 1987 to 2009. The scholarship is awarded to West Virginia students based on literary and scholastic attainments, morality, leadership and physical vigor.

First: Haley Craig Second: Caleb Duncan

FOUNDATION SCHOLARS AWARDS

Given to West Virginia residents with satisfactory academic performance who plan to stay in West Virginia after residency to practice. Preference is given to students from Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming counties.

First: Seth Graham Second: Kayla Vaughan

LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

Created by the WVSOM Foundation in an effort to help offset the cost of medical school for WVSOM students.

Brian Moore

JARRELL FAMILY AWARD

Recognizes second-year students who are West Virginia residents, with preference given to students from Boone, Fayette, Kanawha or Raleigh counties.

John Craig Caleb Duncan

ENCOVA SCHOLARS AWARD

Donated by the Encova Foundation of West Virginia.

Mariah Berman

Caleb Duncan

Abigail Effingham

Madeleine Gwinn Abundance Hunt Taylor Jones Nathaniel Jordan Thulasi Kulasinghe Allison Moore Tanner Moore Ryan Murphy Syeda Rukh

WEST VIRGINIA STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ALLIANCE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Provides scholarships for medical students from West Virginia who desire to practice in the state after they graduate. The alliance is an organization that comprises physician spouses, who in the fall of 2016 established an endowment at each of the three medical schools in West Virginia.

Matthew Parsley

FREDRIC W. SMITH MEMORIAL FAMILY PRACTICE SCHOLARSHIP

Awarded to a student completing his or her second year of medical school. The student must be a West Virginia resident who plans to practice family medicine and has a strong interest in the school and community.

Elizabeth Coyle

SAMANTHA KETCHEM MUNCY PRIMARY CARE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Established to honor Muncy, a student killed in a car accident. The scholarship is awarded to a third-year medical student from Barbour, Harrison, McDowell, Preston or Taylor counties in West Virginia who plans to remain in the state to practice in a primary care specialty.

Ravirajsinh Chudasama

DR. WILLIAM B. MULLEN AND JENNIFER WHITE SCHOLARSHIP

Created in recognition of Dr. William B. Mullen of Logan, W.Va., a physician who cared for his patient, Jennifer White, who passed away in 2011.

John Craig Caleb Duncan Abigail Effingham

EUGENE MCCLUNG, M.D., FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

Created by McClung’s family to honor his service to the medical profession. McClung was a graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine and was a U.S. Army Purple Heart recipient. He practiced internal medicine in Lewisburg from 1957 until his death in 1988. The scholarship recognizes a firstgeneration college graduate who

exhibits a strong interest in community involvement.

Thao Englert

LORETTA MOORE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Chosen by first-year students and given to a classmate who has overcome obstacles in order to succeed.

Nauman Shahid

RON BILLIPS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Formed by a 2002 WVSOM graduate to honor his friend and classmate killed in a car accident. The award is given to a first-year student who is a graduate of Big Creek, Iaeger, Mount View, Princeton or Bluefield high schools in West Virginia or Graham, Tazewell, Richlands or Pocahontas high schools in Virginia.

Cody

Fuller

GREENBRIER MILITARY SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP

Presented to two students who excel academically and show strong leadership, determination and discipline.

Samantha DeMartino

Dante Mattioli

DRS. CHERYL AND MICHAEL ADELMAN WVSOM LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

Awarded to students who have demonstrated character and leadership during their time at WVSOM and who have the potential to be future leaders in the osteopathic profession.

Mark Haft

PAUL G. KLEMAN, D.O., FAMILY PRACTICE STUDENT AWARD (KLEMAN FAMILY AND WEST VIRGINIA SOCIETY OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC FAMILY PHYSICIANS)

Recognizes students who plan to use osteopathic manipulation in treating patients and are willing to instill the importance of osteopathic principles and practice in the next generation of WVSOM students.

First: Caleb Duncan

Second: Abundance Hunt

MOSS SCHOLARSHIPS

Honor the late Marlene Wager, D.O., and are presented to students who are out-of-state residents.

Margaret Anwar Mac Kenzie Bohns

Samantha DeMartino Paul Fudacz

Anthony Grillo

Lauren Ivers

Vanessa Lim

Michael Meseha

Katherine Muterspaw

John Polyzois

Sarah Socrates Jacob Solanki

Joson Thomas Anisha Verma

Mark Wagner

JAMES R. STOOKEY, D.O.,

MANIPULATIVE MEDICINE SCHOLARSHIP

Created in honor of James Stookey, WVSOM’s vice president for academic affairs and dean from 1988 to 2002. The scholarship is given to a student who has demonstrated proficiency in manipulative medicine.

Devin Towne

MARLENE A. WAGER 10-FINGERED OPP SCHOLARSHIP

Created by the osteopathic principles and practice department in 2008 to recognize a second-year student with outstanding skills in osteopathic manipulative treatment. Candidates are nominated and voted on by classmates. The winner has his or her name engraved on a plaque that is displayed in the osteopathic clinical skills lab.

Jessica Coxon

WVSOM FAMILY PRACTICE

SCHOLARSHIP

Awarded to a second-year West Virginia student who has intentions of practicing family medicine upon graduation.

Elizabeth Coyle

WVSOM DIVERSITY TASK FORCE –EVA TETER HAMMER AWARD

Given to a student who demonstrates an interest in osteopathic medicine and in eliminating the inequities of individuals.

Preston Allison

CHOOSE WEST VIRGINIA PRACTICE PROGRAM

A tuition waiver program that incentivizes nonresident West Virginia medical students to remain in the state to practice. Out-of-state students accepted or enrolled at each of the three medical schools in West Virginia are eligible for the program. Recipients receive a tuition waiver for the cost difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition and agree to practice in a primary care or shortage specialty in West Virginia for a minimum of one year.

Richard Cardillo III

Jona Dajbabic Benjamin Dodge Katerina Mastronardi Christopher Musil Nicholas Wilson Joseph Wing

RURAL PHYSICIAN SERVICE PROGRAM

Incentivizes WVSOM students to remain in West Virginia to practice medicine. Students agree to practice at an eligible service site within the state and receive enhanced rural health training through WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative during medical school. The program is presented with financial assistance as a grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Hannah Ankrom Mary Rosiek Keirston Sutherland Nicholas Wilson Joseph Wing

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND RELIEF EFFORT (C.O.R.E.)

Recognizes members for their service. Twelve students were honored for participation in the program.

Jacquelyn Anderson Radhika Bajaj Madeline Illar Carleigh Jenne Erin Lewis Braeden Mantonya James Austin Martin Jr. Julia Moore Olivia Skiro Travis Steerman Brennan Toler Aiden Ward

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

Presented to first-, second- and third-year students who have mentored fellow students, shared their own resources to facilitate the learning of others, founded clubs or organized events and brought students together in new and creative ways.

Gillian Gaunt (Class of 2025)

Alyssa Turner (Class of 2025) James Easler (Class of 2024)

Matthew Parsley (Class of 2024) Mark Haft (Class of 2023) Shannon Misiaszek (Class of 2023)

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION CHARACTER SCHOLARSHIP

Presented to first-, second- and third-year students who possess and demonstrate characteristics that may sometimes go unnoticed but are noted by peers.

Natalie Fabrizio (Class of 2025)

Kassey Wagner (Class of 2025)

Ashika Chaluvadi (Class of 2024) Ruth Warren (Class of 2024)

Meghan Allwes (Class of 2023) Aaron Byczynski (Class of 2023)

FREDRIC W. SMITH COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

Recognizes a campus organization or club that demonstrates a commitment to the Lewisburg community, the WVSOM community and classmates.

WVSOM chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists

SPECIAL AWARD PRESENTATION

Recognizes service and leadership to WVSOM and the student body.

Student Government Association President Harrison Solomon and Vice President Lindsey Trusal

OSTEOPATHIC PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE (OPP) INTEGRATION TEACHING AWARD

Given to faculty members for their efforts in teaching and for excelling in integrating OPP into their classes.

Rebecca Scopa Kelso, Ph.D. (biomedical sciences)

Chelsea Feger, D.O. (clinical sciences)

Peter Palko, D.O. (adjunct clinical sciences preceptor)

ATLAS CLUB GOLDEN KEY AWARD

Given to a biomedical sciences faculty member and clinical sciences faculty member selected by students.

Kristin Stover, Ph.D. (biomedical sciences)

Lauren Miller, D.O. (clinical sciences)

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (SGA) APPRECIATION RECOGNITION

Given to employees by SGA members for their work and support on behalf of medical students. Clinical Evaluation Center staff

197 GRADUATED from medical school during Commencement Ceremony

For the members of WVSOM’s Class of 2022, the school’s 45th annual commencement ceremony was a one-of-a-kind event.

The 197 graduates not only completed their medical school journey during a year marking the 50th anniversary of the school’s founding; it was also the first commencement ceremony for Linda Boyd, D.O., WVSOM’s vice president for academic affairs and dean. Additionally, it was the class that, four years ago, joined WVSOM at the same time longtime faculty member James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., became the school’s seventh president.

Members of the class gathered with their loved ones and WVSOM’s administration, faculty and staff under a tent on the school’s parade field. Wearing black-and-green gowns, students crossed the stage to receive their diplomas during a ceremony that was livestreamed for those who couldn’t visit the Lewisburg campus in person.

The keynote address for the May 28 ceremony was provided by Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., president of the American Osteopathic Foundation and a nationally recognized expert on health policy issues related to primary care, medical education, minority health, women’s health and rural health. Ross-Lee told graduates that patients, society, family and the osteopathic profession will make many demands on them as they progress in their careers.

“Your future patients will present to you in the most vulnerable status a human being can experience: a patient in need of expert help,” Ross-Lee said. “They will expect you to bridge the cultural divide between your personal beliefs and their personal beliefs. They will expect that you are worthy of their trust. They will expect you to listen, observe, promote health and function, relieve pain and suffering, and be understanding.” Ross-Lee also shared her own personal expectations for the Class of 2022, calling them “the four bes.”

“First, I expect you to be good. Do the best you can do, and be the best you can be, because someone’s life may depend on it. Second, be wise. Use your education but don’t abandon common sense, and continue to learn, because status quo is a formula for mediocrity. Third, be proud. Osteopathic medicine has succeeded against all odds to contribute value to health care. Each of you must be confident that the contributions you make to the health of this nation as an osteopathic physician are distinctive and important. Finally, be visionary. Change has been described as the only constant. Nowhere is change more evident, or more needed, than in health care,” she said.

be good be wise be proud be visionary

WVSOM GRADUATES GIVEN $50,350 AT AWARDS CEREMONY

WVSOM Alumni Association

Roland P. Sharp Graduate Award

Created to honor the values of WVSOM’s first president. The award honors graduating students who exemplify Dr. Sharp’s vision of holistic care and service.

students based on literary and scholastic attainments, morality, leadership and physical vigor.

FIRST: MATTHEW SANTER SECOND: MADELEINE GWINN MICHAEL YOST

Dr. Catherine A. Bishop Scholarship Fund

Recognizes a graduating student committed to a residency program in West Virginia.

JARED ZOPP

David Hinchman, D.O.,

WVSOM students in the Class of 2022 were recognized for their achievements in medical school during a Graduation Awards Ceremony on May 27. Graduation awards totaled $50,350.

The class consisted of 197 graduates, with 103 graduates entering primary care residency programs and a 99 percent residency match rate for the class.

The event recognized 20 students who graduated with honors. In addition, 31 students were recognized as members of Psi Sigma Alpha, a national osteopathic scholastic honor society. Nine students were recognized with the American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Certificates of Commendation for Academic Achievement. Forty-two students received cords reflecting their membership in Sigma Sigma Phi - Nu Chapter, a national osteopathic medicine fraternity that supports medical scholastic excellence. Twelve graduates were recognized with special coins for their military service.

NATHANIEL

JORDAN ALFREDO WONG JR. MICHAEL YOST

Olen E. Jones Jr. and WVSOM Foundation Academic Achievement Award

Presented to a student graduating in the top 10 percent of the class.

EMILY VAN ANTWERP

Opal Price Sharp Memorial Fund

Created in memory of the wife of WVSOM’s first president, Dr. Roland P. Sharp. Opal Price Sharp worked alongside Dr. Sharp in the early years of the school, using her journalistic skills to promote WVSOM’s mission throughout West Virginia.

FIRST: ERIN HARVATH SECOND: MICHAEL BROWN

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia FarsonSmith-Earley Award

Presented to a graduating student who has matched to a West Virginia primary care residency with the intent to practice in a rural area.

MICHAEL YOST

West Virginia Emulation Endowment Trust/Dr. Olen E. Jones Jr. Scholarship Established in 2016 and named after Olen E. Jones Jr., Ph.D., who served as president of WVSOM from 1987 to 2009. The scholarship is awarded to West Virginia

Donald Newell Sr. Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior

Presented to a student who, in the opinion of his or her classmates, best exemplifies the qualities of scholarship, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship.

RHET HAPPEL

Gwen Clingman Memorial Scholarship

Presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated a commitment to community service throughout his or her time in medical school.

JARED ZOPP

Drs. John and Nancy Chambers Memorial Scholarship Fund

Given to students who intend to practice medicine in an underserved community and who had a strong academic performance. The scholarship honors two former WVSOM professors.

ALEXIS CASH MATTHEW TILLEY

Olivia Claire Obrokta Pediatric Award

Recognizes a student who committed to serving in a pediatric specialty. Deena Obrokta, D.O., Class of 1994, established the award after losing her granddaughter shortly after her birth.

RASHELLE VINCENT

Emergency Medicine Award

Created by Brant Hinchman, D.O., Class of 2012, to honor his retired father, from WVSOM’s Class of 1982, and others who have helped medical students become emergency medicine physicians. The award is given to a graduating student who intends to enter an emergency medicine residency.

ABIGAIL CERRONI

Stephanie Dawn Barragy Memorial Scholarship

Established to honor Charles and Jean Cornell’s daughter, who was a victim of suicide. The scholarship recognizes a student committed to working on behalf of mental health issues, with a focus on patient care and intervention.

CADE WALKER

Dr. William R. Holmes Jr. Scholarship Award

Given to a student who has shown determination, persistence and commitment in pursuing a medical education.

GERALD “TREY” FURBY III

Libby Kokott, D.O., Memorial Grant

Established by Kokott’s four children in 2020 to honor a woman who, against all odds, became a physician at the age of 50 (from WVSOM’s Class of 1993). Kokott helped hundreds of patients in her 20 years as an internist, and her hope was that others could do the same.

OLADOYIN JOLAOYE

U.S. Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Award

Recognizes medical students who have positively impacted public health in their communities. It is given to a student who has developed and implemented a program advancing the overarching goals and achieving the objectives of Healthy People 2023. Consideration is also given to students who have developed and implemented a program that addresses the priorities of the National Prevention Strategy; made a significant benefit to a medically underserved community; completed research that advances the goals of Healthy People 2023 and the National Prevention Strategy; or conducted health activities in collaboration with public health agencies.

GARRETT PARSONS

MSOPTI Rural Scholar Program

Aims to increase the likelihood that students from West Virginia medical schools will self-select residency programs located in the state, establish a relationship in the community and commit to practice medicine in that area.

BRITTANI JONES

MATTHEW SANTER

West Virginia Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians Award

Recognizes one student from each of the three medical schools in West Virginia whose performance

in clinical rotations reflects an understanding of and commitment to the delivery of emergency care.

AUSTIN BENNETT

WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative (RHI)

Recognized 14 graduates who participated in the program. The RHI program is designed to enhance the rural primary care curriculum at WVSOM and produce graduates uniquely qualified to practice medicine in underserved communities in rural West Virginia.

JAIME BASHAM

AUSTIN BENNETT

ADAM COOK

GERALD FURBY III KACY HARMON SARAH JONES

BROOKE LAUDENSLAGER

CHRISTOPHER MUSIL MOLLY O’NEIL

JACOB REDDEN

PATRICK SAWYERS

SAMANTHA WESTBROOK

ALFREDO WONG JR.

MICHAEL YOST

Statewide Campus Outstanding Student Awards

Students from each of WVSOM’s seven Statewide Campus regions received Statewide Campus Outstanding Student Awards for their third- and fourth-year clinical rotations.

CENTRAL EAST REGION: AUSTIN BENNETT DIANA DUONG

CENTRAL WEST REGION: ANAM ALAM JAMES FERRICK

EASTERN REGION: MICHAEL BROWN DAVID NYE

NORTHERN REGION: PHILLIP CROCE RHET HAPPEL

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION: DENIS RUZDIJA GENEVIEVE SELL TREVOR TOUSSIENG SAMANTHA WESTBROOK

SOUTH EAST REGION: SARAH JONES JARED ZOPP

SOUTH WEST REGION: BRENDAN CAMP CHIA-CHEN CHUANG

Order of Vesalius Award

Presented to students who have served as graduate teaching assistants in the biomedical sciences department.

RYAN JENSEN ABDUL MANNAN

RAMS Head Award

Given to students who served as graduate teaching assistants in the osteopathic principles and practice department.

AMANDA BUZZETTA JARED ZOPP

Clinical Sciences Award

Recognizes a student who served as a graduate teaching assistant in a clinical sciences or family medicine capacity.

BROOKE YASGUR

Merck Manual Award for Academic Excellence

Presented to the top two female and top two male students based on grade point average in their class.

ALEXANDRIA FOSTER ELAINE KOBERLEIN

NATHAN FORREN

TREVOR TOUSSIENG

Donna

Jones Moritsugu Memorial Award

Recognizes an osteopathic medical student’s spouse or partner. The recipient exemplifies the role of a professional’s partner in providing support to their family and the osteopathic profession.

SAMANTHA FEDERICO, SPOUSE OF GRAHAM FEDERICO

CLASS OF 2022 ACHIEVED 99% RESIDENCY PLACEMENT RATE

In a key measure of the success of its graduates, WVSOM placed 99 percent of its Class of 2022 into residency programs — 2 percent higher than the school’s 2021 residency placement rate.

James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s president, said the school’s high placement rate is especially notable at a time when the growth in the number of U.S. medical students is outpacing the growth of graduate training programs.

“I am proud of our graduates and their success in securing residencies at a time when there are more applicants applying for residencies than positions available,” Nemitz said. “The successful placement of our graduates is the culmination of hard work by our students, faculty and staff. WVSOM continues to be a leader in providing quality, highly competent, compassionate osteopathic physicians to serve our communities.”

According to a report by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), the nonprofit organization responsible for placing most medical school graduates into residency programs, the 2022 match rate for new U.S. graduates receiving D.O. degrees was 91.3 percent — an all-time high — while the match rate for those receiving M.D. degrees was 92.9 percent.

After completing medical school, new physicians train in residency programs for three to seven years in order to qualify for medical licensure. A total of 190 of the 192 on-cycle graduates in WVSOM’s Class of 2022 matched to residencies.

Additionally, 88 percent of WVSOM Class of 2022 graduates matched to one of their top choices of residency programs, as selfreported by graduates.

Linda Boyd, D.O., WVSOM’s vice president for academic affairs and dean, praised the class for its success in residency placement.

“We work hard to support our students in getting the residency of their choice. WVSOM has a great reputation in training doctors to perform well from the beginning of residency,” Boyd said. “However, most of the work comes from the students themselves, who study hard for four years to learn their profession, including building a strong foundation of knowledge in science and medicine, as well as practicing the art of medicine by listening to patients and doing physical exams and procedures. Many students also do research while at WVSOM to build a skill set in scientific inquiry. Medical school is incredibly rigorous, and we’re proud of our students’ accomplishments.”

Although WVSOM’s graduates can enter any specialty, part of the school’s mission is to train physicians to practice in primary care, which encompasses family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and OB-GYN. A total of 105 graduates in WVSOM’s Class of 2022, or 55.3 percent of those who matched, are entering primary care residencies.

Other popular specialties for 2022 WVSOM graduates include emergency medicine, with 27 graduates; general surgery, with 10 graduates; psychiatry, with 10 graduates; and orthopedic surgery, with six graduates. One Class of 2022 graduate entered a residency in urology, a specialty commonly recognized for requiring one of the most competitive application processes in the field of medicine.

In addition to residency programs at some of West Virginia’s largest medical

55.3 percent of those who matched are entering primary care residencies.

Nationally, 39,205 residency positions were offered and 36,943 positions were filled.

55.3% 36K+ 91.3%

The nationwide 2022 match rate for new U.S. graduates receiving D.O. degrees was 91.3 percent — an all-time high.

organizations, such as Charleston Area Medical Center, West Virginia University and Marshall University, WVSOM graduates matched to programs at renowned health care facilities nationwide. They include the Cleveland Clinic, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Mount Carmel Health System, Kettering Health Network, Rutgers University, Howard University and Kent Hospital/Brown University.

The NRMP’s Main Residency Match was the largest in the organization’s 70-year history, with 39,205 residency positions offered and 36,943 positions filled, according to the NRMP website.

“In our 70th year of matching, we were excited to see the high PGY-1 [postgraduate year 1] match rates among each applicant type, especially the record high rate for U.S. D.O. seniors,” said Donna Lamb, DHSc, MBA, BSN, president and chief executive officer of the NRMP.

‘LET’S TACO ’BOUT 50 YEARS’

EVENT CELEBRATED RETIREES, EMPLOYEES

WVSOM’s Office of Human Resources hosted its annual Employee Celebration, recognizing seven retirees and distributing 16 awards in five categories to employees for their dedication to the medical school.

The 2022 event was a Fiesta Celebration, with the theme of “let’s taco ‘bout 50 years” in recognition of the 50th anniversary of WVSOM’s founding. In addition to award recognitions, employees enjoyed a bingo game, pinatas and a taco and nacho bar.

“We continue to build our reputation as a leader in community programs. Our visibility is increasing and people around the state and country know your work,” WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., told employees. “We have much to be proud of. Our reputation and our opportunities will continue to grow. As we celebrate this moment in time in the 50th year of WVSOM’s founding, let’s be thankful for what we have. Remember we are always stronger together.”

RETIREES

Karen Ayers

Connie Baldwin Celia McLay, D.O. Sherry Phillips

John Reinholt William Shires Victoria Shuman, D.O.

PRESIDENT’S OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE AWARD

The award, given annually to employees identified to the president through a vote by WVSOM faculty and staff as outstanding employees for the current academic year, recognizes exceptional and dedicated service to WVSOM. The goal of the award is to raise awareness of the indispensable contributions made by the employees to the quality, diversity and overall mission of WVSOM.

NOMINEES

Crystal Boudreaux, Ph.D.

D.O.

LIVING OUR MISSION AWARD

The award recognizes WVSOM staff who exemplify professional excellence, an understanding of and commitment to WVSOM, and a commitment to achieving the school’s mission.

Ryan Booth

Susan

Mindy

Tess

Griffith

McCormick

McMillion

Bobbi Morgan

Heather Pickering Randy Saunders Leah Stone Jill Trent Todd Trent

PRESIDENT’S OUTSTANDING FACULTY AWARD

The award is presented each year to members of the faculty in recognition of their excellence in teaching and commitment to osteopathic medical education.

Christopher Kennedy, D.O.

Christopher Pankey, Ph.D.

RISING STAR AWARD

The award honors a newly hired employee who has already demonstrated a strong commitment to the school, an understanding of how their position supports the school’s mission and a commitment to working with others to engage the school’s future.

Shelden Mullens

STATEWIDE CAMPUS PRIDE AWARD

The award recognizes an employee in one of WVSOM’s seven Statewide Campus regions who goes above and beyond in their service to WVSOM and to the students they serve. Employees receiving this award are people-oriented, respectful, innovative, dedicated and effective.

Megan Meador

YEARS OF SERVICE

The celebration also recognized employees for years of service in five-year increments. In addition to recognizing a number of employees who reached milestones of service, WVSOM recognized six employees who achieved 20 or more years of service as of June 2022.

* Sadly, Betty Baker passed away Dec. 7, 2022, at age 73.

PROFESSOR EMERITUS

David Beatty, D.O., was honored with professor emeritus distinction during the celebration. The honor of emeritus is granted at retirement in recognition of meritorious service.

FACULTY PROMOTIONS

Two WVSOM faculty received promotions. They were Machelle Linsenmeyer, Ed.D., promoted to professor, and Tuoen Liu, M.D., Ph.D., promoted to associate professor.

Leslie Bicksler, WVSOM’s vice president of human resources, said the school’s faculty and staff consistently show that they are committed to the success of its medical students.

“Our employees have much to be proud of,” Bicksler said. “They are dedicated to ensuring we provide the best medical education possible. Each employee has an important role at WVSOM, and their passion for doing that job, supporting their colleagues and engaging with our students is evident in all that they do.”

WVSOM employs 300 people, 26 of whom have 20 or more years of service.

Knight

YEARS Andrea Nazar, D.O.

YEARS Kevin Williams

Baker

Dowdy

YEARS James Nemitz, Ph.D.

“I’ve spent many years working to build small community infrastructure in West Virginia. My goal is for our state to be prepared to create sustainable programs to improve the lives of West Virginians. I love our small communities and I’m happy to be a part of the big solutions.”

DREMA HILL, PH.D., MSP, WVSOM’S VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

DREMA HILL, PH.D., MSP

WVSOM VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVED STATEWIDE ADVOCATE AWARD

An administrator at WVSOM was honored during a statewide conference for her career as a longtime community advocate.

Drema Hill, Ph.D., MSP, WVSOM’s vice president for community engagement and development, was named the recipient of the 2022 Small Communities, Big Solutions Advocate award.

The Small Communities, Big Solutions Conference is hosted annually by the Alliance for Economic Development of Southern West Virginia, the West Virginia Community Development Hub and Coalfield Development.

Sara Payne Scarbro, operations council chair for the alliance, said the award recognizes Hill for working at the intersection of higher education, community workforce development, community engagement and partnerships to guide the creation, implementation and evaluation of strategies that generate health improvements. The award was one of seven whose recipients were announced during the conference.

“These awards are extremely competitive, and our awards committee likes to highlight the true change agents who are making a positive difference in the Mountain State,” Scarbro said.

“In her time with WVSOM, Hill has replicated 18 opioid prevention and awareness toolkits in West Virginia, created an international research project in partnership with Kilimanjaro Medical University in Tanzania and helped bring millions of dollars in funding to WVSOM. Her love for service and for our people truly embodies the best of West Virginia.”

Hill said she was honored to receive the award.

“I’ve spent many years working to build small community infrastructure in West Virginia. My goal is for our state to be prepared to create sustainable programs to improve the lives of West Virginians. I love our small communities and I’m happy to be a part of the big solutions,” Hill said.

In her role at WVSOM, Hill oversees the school’s Center for Rural and Community Health. She has more than three decades of experience in public health leadership, including positions with the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, the Tennessee Department of Health, Vanderbilt University’s Health Management Foundation and Comprehensive Care Center, and the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Health Office.

Hill joined WVSOM in 2016 and became one of the school’s vice presidents in 2019. James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s president, praised Hill for her work at the osteopathic medical school and for her dedication to helping improve the well-being of residents of rural areas.

“Dr. Hill has been an enduring positive presence in the field of rural health,” Nemitz said. “As a trailblazer in making West Virginia’s communities healthier places to live, she has led many successful local and state initiatives and programs, and she has done a great job of representing WVSOM on a broader scale at national and international gatherings of rural health leaders. I’m pleased that her important work is being acknowledged through this award.”

White Coat Ceremony speaker:

MEDICAL SCHOOL REQUIRES COURAGE

Twenty-three years after receiving the medical degree that set him on the path to a career as a family physician, Ryan Newell, D.O., welcomed the 215 members of WVSOM’s Class of 2026 in an address in which he advised new students to “understand your role as healers.”

Newell was the keynote speaker at WVSOM’s Convocation and White Coat Ceremony, an observance that marks first-year students’ entry into the medical profession and the beginning of their career in health care service. As the grandson of one of WVSOM’s four founders, Donald Newell Sr., D.O., Newell’s speech made frequent references to the history of the school, which in 2022 celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding.

The WVSOM Class of 1999 graduate counseled students to have the kind of courage the medical school’s founders had in forging a path that led to WVSOM’s creation in the face of seemingly overwhelming obstacles.

“We don’t like to talk about fear and uncertainty in our culture,” he said. “But our founders had to wrestle with fear and uncertainty because they were doing something remarkable. You will have to deal with them because you’re doing something remarkable. And courage doesn’t stop with admission to medical school. It’s required in classes. It’s required in rotations. Soon you’ll be interns, then residents. Then, as attending physicians, I’ll have the pleasure of calling you colleagues. I will lean on you for your wisdom and your guidance for patients who are beyond my capacity to help.”

He told students, assembled with their families and friends on WVSOM’s campus, that the coats they received during the ceremony come with a high level of responsibility.

“The white coat is powerful. There are perks to wearing the coat, but believe it or not, it takes courage to wear it, because there are higher expectations,” Newell said. “When you succeed by passing your tests, successfully completing your rotations and graduating — and when you go out into the world and do something remarkable — you honor our school and our legacy.

Acknowledge the fear, but stay courageous, take care of each other, have fun and stand a little taller knowing there’s a collective effort behind you and that we are all standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Prior to medical school, Newell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal and veterinary sciences at West Virginia University. He completed a family medicine residency at Charleston Area Medical Center before he and his wife, Lisa Newell, D.O., joined Newell’s father in private practice at the Fayette Clinic in Lochgelly, W.Va. The practice, now part of AccessHealth, is in the same location and building in which his grandfather started in 1969.

In an introduction to the ceremony, WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., emphasized how important it is for students to pay attention to their own well-being as they learn to look after the health of others.

“The white coat is powerful. There are perks to wearing the coat, but believe it or not, it takes courage to wear it, because there are higher expectations.”

-

RYAN NEWELL, D.O.

Other speakers during the ceremony included Robert Holstein, D.O., chair of the WVSOM Board of Governors; Manuel Ballas, D.O., president of the WVSOM Alumni Association; and Linda Boyd, D.O., the school’s vice president for academic affairs and dean.

In recognition of the opioid crisis that has especially impacted rural Appalachia, members of the class received the medication Narcan before the ceremony

Class of

to carry with them in case they encounter an overdose victim. Narcan is a brand of naloxone, a drug that can block the effects of opioids and potentially prevent the death of someone who is experiencing an overdose.

Before leading students in reciting an oath of commitment, Boyd told the aspiring physicians that while medical school will be more demanding than previous goals they have accomplished, she hopes the next four years will leave time for students to have periods of rest and to lean on the support of their families. She assured the class that time flies in the midst of rigorous study.

“I am committed to creating a kinder and gentler medical school experience during which you can work hard, learn a lot, but have enough breaks so that you can retain your humanity and spirit,” she said. “I know it’s hard to believe now, but I guarantee that these next four years will go by quickly and that before you know it, we’ll be gathered here for you to receive your degree and begin your careers as osteopathic physicians.”

2026

“Work hard, Class of 2026, but also remember to take care of yourselves. Take care of your mind, body and spirit as you go through your studies. Have a vision for yourself. See yourself as the osteopathic physician that you will become,” Nemitz said.

Two WVSOM alumni recognized in Health Care Hall of Fame

TTwo WVSOM alumni can add their names to West Virginia Executive magazine’s Health Care Hall of Fame.

Catherine “Mindy” Chua, D.O., Class of 2001, and Tom Takubo, D.O., Class of 1999, along with eight other health care professionals, were inducted to the hall of fame during an awards program in February in Charleston, W.Va. Each award recipient’s story can be found in the Winter 2022 edition of West Virginia Executive

It was the third year the magazine honored individuals who have had an impact on health care in West Virginia. Each year, WVSOM alumni and administrators have been honored. Previous winners include Christopher “Dino” Beckett, D.O., and Craig Boisvert, D.O. This is the first time WVSOM has had two recipients in the same year.

WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., paid tribute to Chua and Takubo, as well as the other recipients at the awards ceremony.

“You are the true health care heroes on the front lines every day,” Nemitz said. “The challenges of the past two years have tested all of us, and all the inductees honored today are inspirational in their dedication to serving others.”

Chua said she was humbled to be recognized.

“I see that Dr. Boisvert was a recipient last year. He is someone who I remember was very committed to both his patients and to the field of osteopathic medicine,” Chua said of the recognition. “There is a lot of conversation right now about imposter syndrome, and I sometimes look around myself and feel just that. To say that I’m deeply honored would be an understatement. I hope that I can continue to live up to this honor by providing excellent care to and leadership for our community.”

Chua is the chief medical officer and incident commander at Davis Health System. She shares the honor of “hall of famer” with Takubo, who is an owner and partner at Pulmonary Associates of Charleston and is majority leader of the West Virginia State Senate. Takubo has been recognized as bringing the most advanced lung diagnostics system to West Virginia. In late 2022, Takubo joined WVU Health System as executive vice president of provider relations.

He said his successes throughout his career may not have been possible without the guidance of other physicians.

“There have been so many great clinicians that I have had the privilege of learning from and continue to learn from,” Takubo said. “I would only hope that those who have shared their knowledge and insight feel just as honored by this award knowing that their contributions have played a significant role in helping fellow West Virginians.”

The Health Care Hall of Fame seeks nominations for individuals who have had a positive influence in the state, whether by starting a unique business to meet a need, developing medical devices to improve treatment, acting as a trailblazer in the profession, leading efforts to treat underserved populations or finding new ways to address West Virginia’s health issues. The health care heroes can serve on the front lines as doctors and nurses or work behind the scenes in roles such as researchers, entrepreneurs or volunteers.

Takubo said he is not surprised that two WVSOM graduates were recognized, since WVSOM has long produced outstanding physicians who practice throughout the state.

“It is no surprise WVSOM graduates are doing great things. In fact, I suspect an entire volume could be dedicated to our graduates alone. Everywhere you go, WVSOM graduates are changing the landscape of health care in the Mountain State and providing promising legacies for generations to come,” he said.

Chua shared Takubo’s sentiment, saying that because people perceive WVSOM as a small school, it often does not get as much recognition as “the big guns.”

“When you look at the percentages of allopathic and osteopathic doctors in the state and compare that to the percentage of the same achieving this honor, it does speak volumes as to the quality of doctors graduating, and more importantly, the commitment of those graduates to the communities we serve,” Chua said. “From its inception, the goal of the school was to provide quality doctors to serve in the rural, underserved areas of West Virginia, and this is validation that they are achieving that mission.”

SUCCEEDING IN MEDICAL SCHOOL: HOW FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS MAKE IT

Being a first-generation college student can be challenging, but nearly every WVSOM class includes medical students who were the first member of their family to complete a higher education degree. Here, five students from WVSOM’s Class of 2023 join three D.O.s who graduated in May 2022 in sharing their stories of being first-generation students. They discuss what inspired them to attend medical school, talk about obstacles they faced and how they overcame them, and offer helpful suggestions for future students from similar family backgrounds. The takeaway? As one student said, “Never let adversity or hardship be an excuse to not pursue something you want.”

1st GENERATION

HEATHER REEVES, D.O. CLASS OF 2022

HOMETOWN: TERRE HAUTE, IND.

“There are two big obstacles for firstgeneration students that other students may not have to face: the financial aspect and overcoming the judgments of others. Sometimes friends, family members and even teachers would express concerns for my journey to medical school. Initially it was hard to hear, but eventually I realized my abilities don’t lie in the opinion of others. The journey to medical school is not an easy one, [but] you can get anywhere in life if you put in the hard work. Take it day by day. Believe in yourself. Finally, take care of your mental health: Take a day off, go outside, and go easy on yourself.”

DANIEL HULSE, D.O. CLASS OF 2022

HOMETOWN:

MUD LAKE, IDAHO

“From the start of my journey into medicine, I didn’t know what to expect. Imposter syndrome is a real thing, and I felt like I was still just an Idaho farmboy, and I wasn’t sure I had what it took to make it through medical school. My wife and I had to research every step of the application process because it was uncharted territory. Together we read books, listened to podcasts and attended admissions seminars. It was a terrifying and exciting time. I recommend shadowing physicians early to see what medicine is all about and to get letters of recommendation. Learn to study efficiently, and just keep working. Things will work out.”

MICHAEL BROWN, D.O. CLASS OF 2022

HOMETOWN:

BRANDYWINE, MD.

“Growing up, my family called me ‘Dr. Mike’ because of my fascination with the human body. I went to college because I wanted to play baseball, [but] in my freshman year, I suffered a life-altering injury and had surgery on my shoulder. As my college years were winding down, I realized my passion was being a student. I’ve always enjoyed learning, no matter the subject, so I decided to commit myself to medicine. My advice is to not be afraid to seek advice. Many students are hesitant to reach out to those who have gone before. Don’t be. Work hard, expect adversity, be resilient and never give up. Most importantly, find joy in the journey.”

THAO ENGLERT, CLASS OF 2023

HOMETOWN: WICHITA, KAN.

“I grew up in a rural village in Vietnam. I didn’t attend formal schooling until I moved to America when I was 13. Because of that, I developed a drive to pursue as much education as I could. It was a gift, and I wanted to make the most of it. I had no mentor to ask about college, where to go or how to get in. I competed in scholarship competitions and was able to pay part of my [undergraduate] tuition with that money and worked to pay off the rest. Working during college was the best thing I ever did. I gained relationships, skills and mentors I couldn’t have had otherwise. Never let adversity or hardship be an excuse to not pursue something you want.”

CAMERON BROWN, CLASS OF 2023

HOMETOWN: ASHBURN, VA.

“I attended college for photography and graphic design. After two years, I switched to biology because it was the only class in my general education courses I enjoyed. Soon after, I took anatomy and physiology and fell in love. I had hair down to my shoulders, I skateboarded regularly and my academic standing was not turning heads, but I called my parents and said, ‘I’m going to try to go to medical school.’ There was a pause, then a chuckle, and then the word ‘What?’ I laughed, and we talked about my decision. My parents said, ‘We’re here for you, so do what you want to do.’ To anybody who is interested in attending medical school, I say go for it. If it makes you happy, there’s no reason to let anything stand in your way.”

ANNE REIS, CLASS OF 2023

HOMETOWN: COLBY, WIS.

“I decided at a young age that I wanted to become a doctor. As an undergrad, I worked more than 70 hours a week for an entire summer after my freshman year and still couldn’t afford the next semester. I decided to join the Army to help pay for school, and at first my family was not supportive of my decision. After a couple of years of being in the Army Reserves and a year away from graduating, they eventually supported me and were encouraging throughout the application process. I’m a Health Professions Scholarship Program student, and my family was relieved that I had help paying for medical school.”

SARA SPEAKMAN, CLASS OF 2023

HOMETOWN: PASADENA, MD.

“Every kid dreams of a job that seems impossible, such as being an astronaut or a movie star. My dream was always to be a doctor. I had to figure out a lot for myself. My parents have always been supportive of my goals, but they lacked personal experience. Throughout medical school, they’ve provided me with a lot of emotional support, which has been invaluable. They’re always there to lend an ear, even when they have no idea what I’m talking about. I never knew anyone who wanted to become a doctor or who was a doctor, so it felt impossible. Every step of the way I had to push my doubt aside. And it worked.”

VICTORIA PERUSKI, CLASS OF 2023

HOMETOWN: BROWNSTOWN, MICH.

“My mother is an immigrant from Poland, and my father was born here but is Polish as well. Neither of them received a formal education, and they both supported my pursuing higher education. Ultimately, it was my brother who inspired me: He struggles with developmental difficulties, and it inspired me to learn more about his condition to help him and others. Being a first-generation student can give you feelings of imposter syndrome, and there are times you feel guilt for those you ‘left behind.’ At the end of the day, it’s helpful to reframe your mindset to the idea that you are leaving to help those back home, and that you deserve to be here. You were accepted for a reason, just like everyone else.”

Zambian copper miners, Canadian gold miners and workers from Australia, Colombia, Finland, India, Poland and the United States who travel underground in search of natural resources such as coal, diamond, magnesium and potash participated in the rescue-themed contests.

WVSOM assisted MSHA with INTERNATIONAL MINES RESCUE COMPETITION

When miners from eight nations came together in Beaver, W.Va., to test their ability to respond to emergencies, WVSOM was there to help. The state’s largest medical school provided scenario design, staffing and stateof-the-art educational technology for the first aid portion of the event.

The International Mines Rescue Competition took place Sept. 11-16 at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy, operated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Hundreds of miners and other industry personnel attended the previously biennial competition, delayed since 2018 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the event’s first aid competition, WVSOM exclusively partnered with MSHA to provide human-patient simulators — lifelike robotic devices that serve as stand-ins for living patients — and programmed them to mimic victims of an accident caused by a compressor blowing up, resulting in an electrical fire. As judges looked on, competitors in a warehouse-like building on the academy’s campus known as “Blue Falcon” raced to save lives.

The scenario was designed by Angie Amick, who coordinates the human-patient simulator program at WVSOM’s Clinical Evaluation Center; Abigail Frank, D.O., WVSOM’s assistant dean for graduate medical education; Janet Hinton, WVSOM’s director of rural outreach; and Mark Waddell, D.O., a WVSOM associate professor of clinical sciences. Waddell, who also served as an assistant to the first aid judges, said the scenario was created with real-world situations in mind.

“These are based on things miners across the world have experienced over the years,” Waddell said. “They’re a way to help people practice so that their skills are ingrained in both their muscle memory and their cerebral memory, allowing them to give proper care and not panic when adrenaline takes over.”

Amick explained that the scenario required teams to assess the situation and determine the best course of action to quickly and effectively respond to four simulated patients.

“One victim had an injury to the left lower leg that caused an arterial bleed. Another sustained an electrical burn that entered through the hand and exited through the shoulder. One [portrayed by a human] was walking wounded and had a nail to the eye. The last was decapitated by a piece of flying metal,” Amick said. “Teams had to palpate pulses, correctly apply a tourniquet to stop the bleed, perform CPR and defibrillate a

patient to get his heart rhythm back, and secure the foreign object in the eye of the walking patient and keep him from going into shock.”

Teams of seven members each were scored based on speed, hazard assessment, use of protective equipment, delegation of responsibilities and other factors in addition to the correct treatment of each patient. The use of humanpatient simulators allowed judges to evaluate details that would otherwise be difficult to measure, such as the depth and rate of CPR compressions.

Despite the gruesomeness of the staged disaster — a scenario that required about two gallons of simulated blood per day — there was room for tenderness and empathy, too. Vernus Sturgill, an MSHA assistant district manager who served as a co-lead first aid judge, said it was fascinating to observe how teams from different cultures responded to the deceased “patient.”

“Some of the teams treated this person with such respect. They put his hard hat back on, they covered him up,” Sturgill said. “They were reassuring the simulators and talking to them as if they were live people. They had so much compassion and sympathy for their patients. It was amazing to see.”

Other events in the competition included firefighting, a rope rescue and written theory assessments. Zambian copper miners, Canadian gold miners and workers from Australia, Colombia, Finland, India, Poland and the United States who travel underground in search of natural resources such as coal, diamond, magnesium and potash participated in the rescue-themed contests.

But Sturgill pointed out that the International Mines Rescue Competition isn’t just about winning. It’s also about education.

“Training is one of the main reasons we host these simulations,” Sturgill said. “When we talked with teams afterward about what they did right and what they did wrong, a lot of them told us that they weren’t taught that way in their country or they didn’t have such advanced equipment. So this is a learning experience for them.”

Link Self, superintendent of the National Mine Health and Safety Academy, agreed, pointing out that WVSOM’s contribution of human-patient simulators was essential to the competition’s operation.

“We wanted the first aid competition to be as real as possible, and we were familiar with WVSOM’s simulation program,” Self said. “The school helped make it one of the most realistic competitions these teams have been to. It gave them a chance to hone their abilities and engage in friendly competition. It was fun to watch their expressions as they worked. When one of the mannequins’ eyes opened, it startled one of the team members so much that he jumped back. He wasn’t used to seeing a mannequin that can open its eyes, or bleed, or have a pulse.”

That was the case for Danny Plante, a member of the Goldex Agnico Eagle Mine team, which traveled from Québec, Canada, to participate in the competition.

“The mannequins made this very realistic,” Plante said. “They gave us the feeling that it was really happening, which gave us a sense of pressure, but it was a good pressure — the kind that helped us push the limits of our experience. The judges gave us excellent feedback. They said we did well overall, but they also showed us the problems we need to solve in order to get better.”

WVSOM’s Hinton said she was impressed by the teamwork and dedication the miners displayed. She also was pleased that the event allowed WVSOM to give back to MSHA after years of the two organizations collaborating to instruct students in the school’s Rural Health initiative, which gives aspiring rural physicians firsthand experience with some of West Virginia’s leading industries.

“It was an honor to be able to help MSHA with the competition, because they’ve helped us for many years,” Hinton said. “They’ve allowed us to set up simulations in the National Mine Health and Safety Academy’s lab to prepare students before we take them underground in actual coal mines.”

Carol Richmond, an MSHA visual information specialist, said at least 600 people visited the National Mine Health and Safety Academy for the event, including competitors, translators, observers, MSHA’s own personnel and individuals from other organizations who helped stage the competition.

Waddell said events like this are an important way for miners to keep their rescue skills sharpened so that if a disaster occurs, casualties can be minimized.

“It was great to see people come together to use lots of different skills to make this a success, and to see teams from all over the world have a platform where we can learn from each other,” he said. “Miners have seen [accidents] happen to their friends, and they know it can happen to them. So they have a very real interest in being as competent as they can."

CHRISTOPHER PANKEY, PH.D., WVSOM assistant professor of physiology

SAMANTHA DEMARTINO, Class of 2025 student

WVSOM was one of only 156 universities and colleges — and the only osteopathic medical school — in the world to be recognized by Exercise is Medicine for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus in 2022.

The medical school earned a silver level designation from Exercise is Medicine On Campus (EIM-OC), a program created by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association. Exercise is Medicine is grounded on the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral to the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care.

Christopher Pankey, Ph.D., a WVSOM assistant professor of physiology, was approached in fall 2021 by two first-year medical students who were interested in incorporating the program at the Lewisburg, W.Va., medical school.

Campuses with silver distinctions engage students, faculty and staff in education initiatives and make movement part of the daily campus culture. Pankey said at WVSOM, those goals were achieved by campus committees and clubs, such as the Culinary Medicine Club, which teaches students nutritional information through cooking demonstrations and other activities.

Class of 2025 student Samantha DeMartino, one of the students who introduced the program at WVSOM, said she wanted to bring the program to campus to help future physicians better understand exercise physiology.

“Exercise would be the No. 1 prescribed treatment if it came in a pill form, yet 50 percent of physicians do not consult their patients on the benefits of exercise due to the lack of discussion of exercise in medical school education,” DeMartino said. “Aside from being a way to treat cardiovascular disease and diabetes, exercise is extremely beneficial for many clinical populations.

Boxing is one of the best exercises for patients with Parkinson’s disease to improve brain and motor function, weightlifting allows stroke patients to regain confidence and independence, and cancer patients are now being recommended to exercise as a ‘prehabilitation’ to build strength before starting chemotherapy and radiation. Exercise is the most versatile treatment and should be prescribed to every patient.”

DeMartino hopes to make WVSOM students aware of the benefits of exercise so they

can incorporate that knowledge into future physician-patient encounters.

“WVSOM and osteopathic medicine are focused on the philosophy of using the body to heal itself. Exercise strengthens the body to combat, prevent and treat diseases,” she said.

The Exercise is Medicine program is a natural fit for osteopathic medicine, which focuses on a whole-person approach to treating patients, Pankey said.

“Students interested in osteopathic medicine already incorporate osteopathic tenets that fit really well into this program,” he said. “These tenets teach that the body is a unit and it has self-healing properties. We can amplify those self-healing properties through physical activity and exercise.”

Program enthusiasts like DeMartino are pursuing an elective for WVSOM students that would include activities such as estimating patients’ optimum heart rates to use for an exercise prescription, discussing different exercises to benefit specific populations and getting into the gym to apply these concepts.

DeMartino said it is also important to maximize relationships with campus clubs that are already supporting Exercise is Medicine without knowing it. For example, the Fit Kids program provides engaging activities for elementary-aged children in the community; Health Yeah! committee members provide nutritional education opportunities to community members; and the WVSOM chapter of the Lifestyle Medicine Club aims to educate members about the evidence-based practice of helping individuals and families adopt health behaviors that affect quality of life and emphasize how to incorporate nutrition and lifestyle-based preventive medicine into healing modalities.

Robyn Stuhr, vice president of Exercise is Medicine, said program members are thrilled to recognize campuses that make movement a part of daily culture.

“These campus programs are nurturing future leaders who will advance a key tenet of Exercise is Medicine: making physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in health care,” she said.

Of the 156 campuses recognized in 2022, 73 received a gold designation, 60 received silver and 23 received bronze. In 2023, WVSOM will go for gold, Pankey said, by incorporating physical activity vital signs, or PAVS, with its

partner Robert C. Byrd Clinic. Gold status includes implementing a referral system and routine physical activity evaluations by health care providers.

“Exercise has immense benefits for a variety of clinical presentations,” Pankey said. “We live in an area at the epicenter of the obesity epidemic and the associated comorbidities. We have a huge opportunity to make a difference. By implementing physical activity prescriptions, we could make an impactful change in the community, which is a great way to serve West Virginia and our institution’s mission in an area we are passionate about.”

In addition to identifying patients who perform less than 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity, a referral system from the clinic would be implemented to connect patients with local exercise specialists trained in individualized exercise prescriptions for different diseases and conditions, making it easier for physicians to discuss exercise with patients and making it easier for patients to start exercising, DeMartino said.

Another goal DeMartino has to allow WVSOM to achieve gold status is to incorporate PAVS into students’ clinical skills classes and into the computers at the school’s Clinical Evaluation Center in order to flag inactivity.

“I am hoping between the new elective and including PAVS in WVSOM’s curriculum, more physicians will feel comfortable talking about and recommending exercise,” she said. “I am hoping if our future physicians don’t feel comfortable prescribing exercise, they can still identify which patients will benefit most and refer them to an exercise specialist or exercise physiologist.”

DeMartino is passionate about the Exercise is Medicine program and believes it is an important way to extend treatment options beyond pharmacological treatment.

“I believe most students came to WVSOM because we wanted to find a treatment method that best suits our patients, which includes osteopathic manipulative medicine but should also include exercise as medicine. Exercise improves quality of life and decreases mortality and morbidity,” she said. “When patients inquire about health advice and physicians don’t recommend exercise, it is unlikely the patient will make it a priority. Exercise is a less invasive treatment with fewer side effects and should be considered a first-line treatment for most patients.”

WVSOM introduced VIRTUAL VIRTUAL REALITY REALITY

educational component

SimX virtual reality technology takes simulation to a new level. What I love is that you can see the entire environment, the hospital room, the patient and, very importantly, the family members.”

LINDA

“The

-

BOYD, D.O., WVSOM’S VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND DEAN

WWhen you think of virtual reality, images of video games and 3D movies might be the first thoughts to cross your mind. But the technology also is expanding its reach into educational environments.

Medical students at WVSOM have a new method of learning patient scenarios, one that uses a headset and hand controllers in a virtual reality simulation.

WVSOM was the first medical school in the state to purchase SimX virtual reality medical simulation, according to Jenny Patton, WVSOM’s electronic health record manager, who helped facilitate the introduction of the learning tool at the school.

“Virtual reality cuts costs and enables distance learning. With SimX, instructors, learners and observers can work from different locations and join in virtual reality to work through the same cases using virtual patients,” Patton said. “Currently, SimX is the only system that also lets you run in-person multiplayer cases together in your simulation and communicate just as you would in real life.”

In July 2021, WVSOM purchased six virtual reality headsets, with the ability to run three different case scenarios at a time with up to six participants. Other institutions and organizations that use SimX technology include the Mayo Clinic, the Ohio State University, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New York University, Purdue University, Pennsylvania State University, the U.S. Air Force and Stanford University, among others.

Patton said she has been suggesting the use of virtual reality in the school’s curriculum for nearly 10 years, and was happy the school pulled the trigger on moving toward incorporating these tools into the curriculum because of virtual reality’s flexibility.

“We will be able to simulate any environment, any case scenario or diagnosis, and any patient type, whether it be pediatric or adult. Utilizing virtual reality in health care education will assure that the curriculum can be updated and implemented efficiently,” Patton said. “Virtual reality simulation sets up anywhere, which means instructors can integrate it into lectures, small group sessions and even send students home with headsets so they can work together in multiplayer simulation scenarios facilitated by an instructor remotely. The technology allows students to immerse themselves in the most realistic clinical environment possible.”

Faculty and students tested the technology during simulation experiences in September 2021 at the school’s Clinical Evaluation Center, where simulation is at the forefront of medical education. Some treated a simulated patient who had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, while others handled a more complex case involving a

pediatric patient who collapsed during physical exercise class and who entered ventricular tachycardia, where participants were later expected to resuscitate the patient.

WVSOM student Andrew Green participated in two different virtual reality demonstrations. He said he didn’t think the simulations were a substitute for working with human-patient simulators yet, but can present a realistic experience for how students should interact with patients.

“Before we get out on rotations and we are put more into the reallife scenarios, this can give us additional practice without having to coordinate the use of standardized patients,” he said.

Patton said virtual reality simulation has the capability to provide environments that human-patient simulators can’t. For example, students can be placed in an environment where they triage a patient in a helicopter or are on a street treating patients from a mass-casualty car explosion. In virtual reality, the patient can move around, show expressions, move extremities, wiggle their toes or fingers or puff out their cheeks.

“The technology automatically recognizes when vitals, like blood pressure or pulse, are assessed, when the correct dose of medication is administered and when procedures or tests are completed. SimX utilizes an EHR [electronic health record] in the cases as well, so you can view the patient history, medications and allergies along with active orders, labs and imaging results,” she said. “When students order medication, labs, imaging or other procedures, the EHR will automatically update those orders during the case scenario. Ultrasound can also be incorporated into this technology.”

With the purchase of SimX technology, the variety of case scenarios runs the gamut from routine clinic visits to multi-trauma cases, and from basic assessments to postoperative ICU cases. More than 150 scenarios, more than 30 different environments and more than 300 tools and procedures can be incorporated into the virtual reality technology, Patton said.

Another advantage to the technology is that it provides reporting and debriefing tools that allow educators to track student performance. The reports show which critical actions were performed and which weren’t, along with time stamps for each action performed.

Linda Boyd, D.O., WVSOM’s vice president for academic affairs and dean, understands the importance of simulated health scenarios in medical education. She said she is excited that WVSOM continues to implement alternative learning methods for its future physicians.

“The SimX virtual reality technology takes simulation to a new level. What I love is that you can see the entire environment, the hospital room, the patient and, very importantly, the family members,” Boyd said. “In one case, the family member became anxious about their loved one feeling poorly and, by seeing that, the ‘doctors’ in the simulation could talk to the patient’s family and reassure them that their loved one was being cared for. Since medicine is much more than just giving the right drugs and doing the right tests, being able to interact in a realistic and complex scenario is valuable for medical students learning their craft.”

JAMES W. NEMITZ, PH.D.

WVSOM PRESIDENT NAMED A ‘SHARP SHOOTER’

The annual designation recognizes West Virginians who stand out in their respective fields, actively participate in community service, achieve philanthropic endeavors and make an effort to move the Mountain State forward.

Nemitz was among 10 professionals who were inducted as Sharp Shooters during a reception in May in Charleston, W.Va.

“President Nemitz embodies everything this award stands for,” said Kensie Hamilton Fauber, publisher of West Virginia Executive. “Not only does he lead a major medical school in West Virginia, but he also gives back to his community and our state in so many ways.”

“It’s an honor to receive this award on behalf of my work for WVSOM,” Nemitz said. “I’m humbled to have had the privilege of working with this institution for the past 35 years and to help lead it into the future. We’re celebrating our 50th anniversary this year, and I couldn’t be happier about the progress we’ve made over the years.”

WVSOM is the largest medical school in the state, with 800-plus students and about 300 employees. The school

has a statewide presence with seven regional campus sites in Lewisburg, Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Bridgeport, Wheeling and Martinsburg. This combined activity throughout the state results in an economic impact of more than $130 million for West Virginia.

Nemitz has worked at WVSOM for more than three decades and became the school’s seventh president in 2018.

“We celebrated our 45th commencement and we graduated 197 students,” Nemitz said. “Our graduating students had a 99 percent match for their residencies, and 46 of them are staying in West Virginia to provide health care for our residents. The credit for this goes to our outstanding team at WVSOM, and I look forward to our continuing efforts to serve the state of West Virginia.”

WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., was named a Class of 2022 Sharp Shooter by West Virginia Executive magazine.

CCardiovascular disease is the nation’s leading cause of death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one U.S. resident dies every 34 seconds from diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels. In the past 15 years, research has emerged showing that individuals with asthma have a higher likelihood of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Today, that correlation is well-documented, though science hasn’t yet identified why asthma is a risk factor. Dovenia Ponnoth, Ph.D., a WVSOM associate professor of pharmacology, has for several years focused her research efforts on the mechanisms underlying the association of airway diseases with the development of cardiovascular complications and on attempting to identify preventive therapies, including new therapeutic targets. Ponnoth recently received a $11,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her research.

“We’re trying to identify receptor targets called bitter taste receptors and learn what they do when they’re activated, in terms of their role in asthma,” she said. “As their name suggests, these receptors help us to sense when something tastes bitter, but they’re not only on our taste buds and in our gastrointestinal tract; they’re also found in the heart, blood vessels, lungs and airways, where their function in health and disease is not fully understood. Certain drugs are known to activate them. We will expose mice to allergens to generate an asthma response, then give them different doses of a bitter taste agonist to see whether it improves the asthma.”

In order to examine the role the taste receptors play, a group of research specimens must be genetically altered. This is done by a collaborator of Ponnoth’s using a state-of-the-art gene-editing technology known as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats).

“CRISPR allows us to go inside genes and make cuts and changes. My collaborator has used it to generate mice that have two particular alterations in these receptors. My role is to look at how the alterations affect the mice in terms of asthma. I will compare them with mice with unaltered genes and look at how the effects of the treatments match up,” Ponnoth said.

Earlier in 2022, Ponnoth was awarded a $50,000 NIH West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence equipment grant to purchase a flexiVent lung function measurement platform that will allow her to conduct this and other ongoing research.

A flexiVent lets researchers measure the degree to which lung function is compromised as a result of asthma. Ponnoth is using the device to examine the effect certain medications have on difficulty in breathing.

“The flexiVent allows me to study changes in lung resistance and compliance associated with asthma as well as to test potential drug therapies,” she said. “The data generated by the flexiVent correlates clinically with human lung function, and will also be used to advance preliminary findings related to decreased lung function that occurs with aging, the mechanisms associated with those alterations and the effects of natural dietary supplements to improve outcomes.”

Ponnoth said that in addition to identifying the role bitter taste receptors play in asthma, she hopes the research will help lead to the development of new, targeted medications to more effectively treat asthma in humans.

“There are lots of drugs on the market to treat asthma, but there are people who are resistant to them,” she said. “We’re looking for alternate therapies and ways to prevent heart disease in asthmatics. Given that there is a subsection of people who are at much higher risk for cardiovascular disease than normal, it’s important to study asthma and ways to treat it.”

In addition to her research, Ponnoth teaches pharmacology, neuropharmacology and endocrine courses at WVSOM. She said that since joining the school in 2020, she’s been pleased with the way WVSOM allows her to balance her interests in being a scientist and an educator.

“I love teaching, I love my lab and I’ve made progress in my research. I’m getting things done. It has been great for my career goals to have such a supportive environment around me,” she said.

RESEARCH

“We’re trying to identify receptor targets called bitter taste receptors and learn what they do when they’re activated, in terms of their role in asthma.”

- DOVENIA PONNOTH, PH.D.

When Talal El-Hefnawy, M.D., Ph.D., joined WVSOM this past summer as the school’s new assistant vice president for research and sponsored programs, he knew that research and scholarly activity has become increasingly important to the success of osteopathic medical students.

“The COMLEX became pass/fail in 2022, so today’s students are not going to be judged on the score they get on board exams. They’re going to have to take part in extracurricular activities, and research is a big part of that,” El-Hefnawy said. “Five or 10 years ago, research was not on the horizon for our accrediting organization, COCA (the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation), but now it has become a core component. Fortunately, WVSOM has been doing research all along, and we’re strong in it, but I think we have to approach research with a different view.”

El-Hefnawy has been involved with research for much of his professional life. After earning an M.D. degree from Zagazig University Medical School in Cairo, Egypt, he received clinical training in ophthalmology, surgery and OB-GYN at Turku University Hospital in Turku, Finland, and a Ph.D. degree in endocrinology from the University of Turku Medical School, studying under one of the world’s top reproductive endocrinologists. After briefly practicing ophthalmology in Finland, he entered a postdoctoral fellowship at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., helping to cement his focus on academia.

“I never returned to clinical practice,” he said. “I loved academia and research, and I’m still doing that today.”

El-Hefnawy has had faculty positions at Florida Gulf Coast University, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. He served as director of research at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, where he helped repurpose a 320,000-square-foot corporate office building into a state-of-the-art holistic health research facility.

That experience aligns with WVSOM’s own longterm goal of developing a research institute, he said.

“We hope to expand our research facility, and I have experience in establishing, from scratch, a major research institute,” he said. “I’ve had great conversations with the president, with the dean and with Dr. Ed Bridges [WVSOM’s vice president for administration and external relations] about the potential of collaborating with other institutes, including international opportunities, to give our students more chances to participate in research, whether on site or remotely. We have to think outside the box and look at all the possibilities, from community-based medicine to clinical

medicine to translational medicine. We have to expand in order to help students.”

Early steps in expanding WVSOM’s research effort could include establishing a regional or national research conference, likely focused on disease prevention, then utilizing the conference as a platform to launch a medical journal.

“Our students sometimes struggle with publishing their work. What if we had a journal and we had contributors to it from our conference? That’s my hope,” he said.

El-Hefnawy’s own research combines two fields of study, bridging endocrinology and cancer research by examining the mechanism through which endocrine-disrupting chemicals act within the body to increase the risk of disease. The currently accepted theory is that the chemicals bind to a receptor that serves as a receiver for the hormone. El-Hefnawy’s research seeks to challenge that idea.

“We are trying to develop new theories for how these chemicals impact our lives,” he said. “Do they play on your body’s ability to fix itself or rid itself of unwanted substances? We are also investigating whether environmental chemicals can direct the liver to generate harmful byproducts during the process of ridding the body of the unwanted chemicals, and whether those intermediate byproducts — not the original environmental chemicals — could create a bigger health problem.”

He believes it’s important to engage students in the same sort of critical thinking his research requires — particularly at an osteopathic medical school, where aspiring physicians are taught to step back and examine the whole person, not just the symptoms.

“I tell students who join me in the lab, ‘Do the experiment knowing that I might be wrong. Do it the way you want, analyze the data the way you want, and challenge my hypothesis.’ In the future, when they see a patient who has been treated conventionally for 10 or 15 years and it’s not working, I want them to be able to challenge the standard of care and say, ‘What am I missing?’”

In addition to continuing his own research while at WVSOM, El-Hefnawy will lecture on the physiology of the heart. Still, he said, most of his attention will go to his role leading the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs through what he hopes will be a critical period of expansion.

“I was hired to support the research initiative, and that’s what I plan to do,” he said. “My research is important to me, but my priority is the institutional work of helping others, of building the research office to be a good resource for faculty and students.”

RESEARCH

“Do the experiment knowing that I might be wrong. Do it the way you want, analyze the data the way you want, and challenge my hypothesis.”

- TALAL EL-HEFNAWY, M.D., PH.D.

PLANNED GIVING

MAKE WVSOM A PART OF YOUR LEGACY.

CHARITABLE BEQUESTS

You can designate in your estate plans that a percentage or a set dollar amount from your estate will be left to the WVSOM Foundation. Please get in touch with WVSOM for suggested language to include in your will to ensure WVSOM receives your support.

RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS

Retirement accounts are subject to income and possible estate taxes. This may make them more valuable to charities than heirs, as 501(c)(3) organizations do not pay income or estate taxes. You can name the WVSOM Foundation as a beneficiary to your 401(k), 403(b) or IRA. To make this official, you must sign a form supplied by the firm that administers your retirement account in addition to the WVSOM Foundation Planned Giving form.

REAL ESTATE

Gifts of real estate can provide incredible value to the WVSOM Foundation. If you would like to gift a secondary home, rental property or land to the WVSOM Foundation, please let us know.

OTHER ASSETS

You can gift annuities, charitable lead trusts and other income-generating assets to the WVSOM Foundation. Give us a call to talk about these options.

Thank you for supporting students during WVSOM’s first 50 years. Here’s to their success during the next 50 years.

CRYSTAL BOUDREAUX, PH.D.

‘40 UNDER 40’ HONOR

Crystal Boudreaux, Ph.D., an associate professor of microbiology at WVSOM, was selected as a “Generation Next: 40 Under 40” honoree by The State Journal, which covers news about business, government, education, health care and related topics throughout West Virginia.

The publication’s Generation Next program pays tribute to young professionals who work to make the Mountain State a better place to live, raise families and conduct business. Boudreaux was one of 40 West Virginians recognized during a June 16 awards ceremony at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont, W.Va.

Boudreaux, who received WVSOM’s Outstanding Faculty Award in 2020, teaches first- and second-year medical students about infectious disease, with a focus on virology. She has spent years researching cellular host factors that assist in rotavirus replication, and her laboratory team works to improve vaccinations and develop new antiviral treatments.

She also directs WVSOM’s Just Say KNOW program, designed to introduce ninth- through 12th-graders and recent high school graduates to science- and medicine-related concepts. The annual camp is free to attend and is hosted on WVSOM’s Lewisburg campus and virtually.

Boudreaux said that as an educator, she is driven by the desire to see students achieve their goals.

“I want to see them succeed, whether it’s a medical student whose end point is becoming a physician or a high school student trying to find an undergraduate program or career they’re interested in,” she said. “And I love being part of a team. If you can inspire people to make advancements, to use their individual expertise to reach a common goal, then you inevitably achieve what you set out to do.”

This is a critical time to promote the importance of science and medicine to the public, she said, especially given the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boudreaux has numerous research publications to her credit and has been awarded multiple research grants, including, in 2020, a $300,000 West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Major Research Project Award for her project “The Role of AMPK Pathway Intermediates in Rotavirus Pathogenesis,” which examines human proteins that allow viruses to infect the body.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences with a minor in chemistry from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., and a Ph.D. degree in viral immunology from Mississippi State University. Before joining WVSOM in 2017, Boudreaux served as a postdoctoral research associate at the Carillion Research Institute and School of Medicine in Roanoke, Va.

“Now more than ever, we need to be articulate and communicate in a way that can transcend different communities. We need to bridge the gap between community and health and make sure we’re reaching people effectively,” Boudreaux said.

NEW HIRES

LINDA ARNOLD, MBA, M.A.

Interim Vice President for Integrated Marketing and Chief Communications Officer

Linda Arnold started working at WVSOM on Aug. 30, 2021. She has a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Arts degree in counseling from Marshall University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from West Virginia University. Arnold is a syndicated columnist, psychological counselor, certified wellness instructor and keynote speaker, and is the founder and former CEO of a marketing communications company.

TALAL EL-HEFNAWY, M.D., PH.D. Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs

Talal El-Hefnawy, M.D., Ph.D., started working at WVSOM on July 11, 2022. He received an M.D. degree from Zagazig University Medical School in Cairo, Egypt, followed by clinical training in ophthalmology, surgery and OBGYN at Turku University Hospital in Turku, Finland. El-Hefnawy received a Ph.D. degree in physiology (endocrinology) from the University of Turku Medical School. He served as director of research at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and associate professor at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also has had faculty positions at Florida Gulf University and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, among other institutions.

PAM DEWILDE, D.O.

Assistant Professor of Osteopathic Principles and Practice

Pam deWilde, D.O., started working at WVSOM on Oct. 25, 2021. A graduate of Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, she completed an osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine residency at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center. deWilde has a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Delaware and a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences from MCP Hahnemann/Drexel University. Prior to medical school, deWilde worked as a registered nurse and teacher.

JANE DAUGHERTY-LUCK, D.O.

Regional Assistant Dean, Statewide Campus Northern Region

Jane Daugherty-Luck, D.O., started working at WVSOM on May 16, 2022. She is a graduate of Alderson Broaddus College and WVSOM. After a residency at Meridia South Pointe Hospital, Daugherty-Luck worked as an emergency medicine physician for more than 25 years in Ohio, Kansas and West Virginia. She is board certified in emergency medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

CAMERON FELTY, D.O.

Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences

Cameron Felty, D.O., started working at WVSOM on July 18, 2022. He received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine followed by clinical training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Felty completed a forensic pathology fellowship at the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office in Ohio. He is a graduate of Morehead State University.

EMILY BOOTHE, D.O. Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences

Emily Boothe, D.O., started working at WVSOM on July 25, 2022. She has worked as a psychiatrist for the Behavioral Health Pavilion of the Virginias since 2017. Prior to graduating from WVSOM and completing a residency at Wake Forest University’s Department of Psychiatry, Boothe received a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. She specializes in perinatal mental health and is board certified in psychiatry and lifestyle medicine.

MATTHEW WILLIAMS, PH.D. Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Matthew Williams, Ph.D., started working at WVSOM on Aug. 13, 2022. He has a Ph.D. degree in medical science with a concentration in medical microbiology and immunology from the University of Florida College of Medicine. Williams has a Bachelor of Science degree in honors biology from West Virginia University, with a minor in applied and environmental microbiology. He previously taught in the WVU Institute of Technology’s biology department. He will continue his research focus of human probiotics at WVSOM.

KATHERINE CALLOWAY, D.O., MPH Regional Assistant Dean, Statewide Campus South Central Region

Katherine Calloway, D.O., started working at WVSOM on Aug. 29, 2022. She graduated from Wake Forest University and Boston University School of Public Health before earning a D.O. degree from WVSOM. Calloway has a history of work in international locations such as Kosovo, Mozambique, Rwanda and Honduras. She worked as a physician at Cabin Creek Health Systems, as medical staff at Charleston Area Medical Center, as a clinical assistant professor for WVSOM and as an inpatient care physician for HospiceCare.

PHILLIP JONES, D.O. Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences

Phillip Jones, D.O., started working at WVSOM on Sept. 10, 2022. Prior to graduating from WVSOM, he completed a master’s degree in biotechnology and a bachelor’s degree in biology from West Virginia State University. He completed a cytopathology fellowship and clinical training in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Medical Center’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, as well as a residency at the University of South Dakota. Prior to medical school, Jones was a member of the biology faculty at West Virginia State University. He worked as a pathologist and served as an assistant professor at Marshall University.

EMILY THOMAS, D.O., FACP, FACOI Medical Director of Clinical Evaluation and Simulation

Emily Thomas, D.O., rejoined WVSOM on Sept. 26, 2022. Thomas, a WVSOM alumna and former clinical sciences faculty member, is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and of the American College of Osteopathic Internists. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University before attending WVSOM. Thomas was a hospitalist with the Veterans Administration Medical Center and a physician member of the Veterans Health Administration Medical Advisory Panel for Pharmacy Benefits.

TIMOTHY GARROW, PH.D. Associate Dean for Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences

Timothy Garrow, Ph.D., started working at WVSOM on Oct. 10, 2022. He completed a Ph.D. degree in comparative biochemistry at the University of California-Berkeley, where he also completed postdoctoral research. Garrow has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science and an M.S. degree in nutrition from the University of California-Davis, as well as an M.S degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he spent 23 years in a faculty role before being awarded professor emeritus status. Most recently, Garrow was director of the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker, M.D., School of Medicine master’s degree program in biomedical sciences.

IRENE SMAIL, PH.D. Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Irene Smail, Ph.D., started working at WVSOM on Nov. 14, 2022. She received a Ph.D. degree in anthropology from Arizona State University and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. Smail has an M.A. degree in anthropology from Arizona State University and a B.A. degree in classics and classical humanities from the University of WisconsinMadison. Her research examines the dental functional morphology of primates to better understand their ecology and evolution.

WALTER WITRYOL, M.D. Associate Professor of Osteopathic Principles and Practice

Walter Witryol, M.D., started working at WVSOM on Dec. 5, 2022. He earned an M.D. degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science degree in humanities from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed an internship in internal medicine at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine-Sinai Hospital. Additionally, Witryol completed a residency in osteopathic neuromuscular medicine at Eastern Connecticut Health Network-Manchester Memorial Hospital. He has worked in private practice and has taught in osteopathic programs at multiple institutions.

DAWN ROBERTS, ED.D. Associate Dean for Multicultural and Student Affairs

Dawn Roberts, Ed.D., started working at WVSOM on Dec. 19, 2022. She received an Ed.D. degree in educational leadership from Liberty University, an M.A. degree in sociology, higher education from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in human resources/consumer economics from the University of Delaware. Additionally, she has certificates in inclusive and ethical leadership; diversity, equity and inclusion; teacher of English to speakers of other languages; and a postbaccalaureate certificate in the nonprofit sector. Roberts has more than 15 years of experience as a student affairs leader, most recently as director of student affairs, wellness, diversity, equity and inclusion at the American University of Antigua College of Medicine.

KRISTIE BRIDGES, PH.D.

WVSOM FACULTY MEMBER RECEIVED

NATIONAL AWARD FOR BOARD EXAM CONTRIBUTIONS

Passing national board exams allows medical students to advance to the next step of their journey toward becoming a physician. The rewards for those who create the exams might be less obvious, but crafting exam questions — or “item writing,” as the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) calls it — is a critical part of the medical education process.

Kristie Bridges, Ph.D., a WVSOM faculty member, received the COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year award for 2021.

The award is one of several presented annually by the NBOME, the independent organization that provides competency assessments for osteopathic medical licensure and related health care professions. Bridges is one of hundreds of physicians and educators who serve on the organization’s osteopathic National Faculty, a group that contributes to COMLEX exams as well as to the specific content achievement tests (COMATs) provided to all osteopathic medical students in order to progress in their studies and ultimately receive licensing.

Bridges, who chairs WVSOM’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, has been contributing to COMLEX exams since 2014. She said she is thankful for being recognized by the NBOME and enjoys being involved with exam creation.

“It’s an honor to have a national organization acknowledge your work,” Bridges said. “Serving with NBOME has been a wonderful learning experience and an opportunity to grow as an educator. The inclusion of a diverse group of faculty in the development of national board exams benefits everyone and promotes continuous improvement in quality and relevance. I’m pleased to be involved in that process.”

Besides item writing, NBOME National Faculty members review, edit and revise exam content prior to testing as well as afterward.

The NBOME Licensure Assessment Services Department nominated Bridges for the award, citing her high volume of items for the exam as well as her dedication to creating well-constructed items in the competency domains of practicebased learning and improvement and systems-based practice. Practice-based learning and improvement refers to the ability to evaluate current practices and research evidence and apply

this information to the continuous improvement of patient care. Systems-based practice involves demonstrating awareness of the larger context of health care, and identifying resources to maximize the health of individuals and of the community at large. Those areas of medical education represent two of the seven core competencies students are expected to master during medical school.

“The core competencies are the basis of medical education, the skills necessary for students to develop in order to become caring and compassionate physicians who excel in their field. This exam determines whether students can move forward in the process of becoming a physician, so it’s crucial that it’s a high-quality exam,” she said.

WVSOM students take the COMLEX Level 1 at the end of their second year, the COMLEX Level 2 at the end of their third year, and the COMLEX Level 3 during graduate medical education. COMATs, which assess students’ knowledge in specific biomedical and clinical disciplines, are taken at various times during osteopathic medical school.

Raeann Carrier, Ph.D., WVSOM’s director of the Office of National Boards and Exam Center and a NBOME National Faculty member since 2009, said that while WVSOM has several biomedical and clinical faculty members involved in various stages of COMLEX exam development, Bridges’ recognition is well deserved.

“The topic areas to which Dr. Bridges contributes are difficult ones to address in the COMLEX testing format, which makes drafting fair and appropriate questions a challenge. Her ability to identify relevant material, draft thoughtful and accurate questions, and to have them accepted as written, or with little editing, is impressive,” Carrier said.

JOSEPH CINCINNATI, D.O. TROY FOSTER, D.O.

Alumni establish $200,000 ENDOWMENT for student scholarships

For two WVSOM Class of 1992 alumni, giving back to the school that led them to build a successful orthopedic practice means commemorating the late wife of an educator who inspired them.

WVSOM alumni Joseph Cincinnati, D.O., and Troy Foster, D.O., of the Martinsburg, W.Va.-based Valley Health Center for Orthopedic Excellence, established a $200,000 endowment through the WVSOM Foundation. The endowment will fund the Patricia Louise McClung Nemitz Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of the late wife of WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D. Patricia, known by most as “Patty,” passed away in 2009 of complications from multiple sclerosis.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to a WVSOM student in good academic standing who has demonstrated strong character and dedication to their community. Preference will be given to students who earned an undergraduate degree from Cincinnati’s alma mater, Concord University, or Foster’s alma mater, West Virginia University. Preference also will be given to students from Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties in West Virginia.

The physicians said the endowment’s goal is to help decrease the financial burden of future medical students and to retain residents of West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle to serve as local physicians.

“The price of medical school is much higher than when we were students, and we know that today’s young doctors are accruing a lot of debt,” Cincinnati said. “We want to help people from the Eastern Panhandle in the hope that they will come back to the area and work here.”

Nemitz was a relatively new WVSOM professor specializing in neuroanatomy in 1988 when Cincinnati and Foster arrived at the school as first-year students. The two aspiring physicians — Cincinnati, a native of Oak Hill, W.Va., and Foster, from just outside Pittsburgh, Pa. — became friends, and both were heavily influenced by Nemitz’s teaching.

“He didn’t just tell you, he showed you,” Foster said. “In anatomy lab, he would come and sit down beside you and do a dissection. He would get the textbook and show you the ‘normal’ and then show you the pathology in a cadaver. He was always available to help, no matter when you needed him.”

Cincinnati said he personally benefited from the way Nemitz taught a notoriously difficult topic.

“Neuroanatomy is one of the hardest subjects in medical school. It was still hard, but Dr. Nemitz explained it in ways we could understand it. He didn’t talk down to you,” Cincinnati said.

In the 1980s it was common for professors and students to socialize outside the classroom, and Nemitz was among the members of the WVSOM community Cincinnati and Foster befriended, spending time together at school functions such as pig roasts and athletic activities such as flag football and basketball games. It was through these events that the pair met Patty, who also welcomed Cincinnati into the

Nemitz home for dinner during his time in medical school.

Nemitz had left a teaching position at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., to return to his wife’s hometown of Lewisburg and take a job at WVSOM following Patty’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis so that she could be close to her family.

“Patty had a lot of energy, and she was always smiling,” Foster said. “Dr. Nemitz was a gloating husband. He was always commenting on what a wonderful person she was. He still talks about her today.”

When Cincinnati and Foster approached the WVSOM Foundation about making a gift, they were determined to name the endowment after Nemitz’s late wife.

“I told Dr. Nemitz, ‘If it wasn’t for her, you wouldn’t have been in Lewisburg. You would never have taught us, and you wouldn’t have been there to make us what we are today.

Maybe the person who’d have been teaching instead wouldn’t have been good enough to teach me, and I may not have made it through school.’ So I credit Patty for that,” Cincinnati explained.

Foster said he appreciates that WVSOM admitted him as a student.

“WVSOM takes chances on students,” he said. “When I was applying, my grades were fine, but I didn’t have organic chemistry, and I would have had to wait a year. It was just a timing thing. WVSOM went out of their way to accept me once I met the school’s criteria. And once I got in, I never had a problem academically.”

After graduating from WVSOM, Cincinnati and Foster completed residencies at Doctors Hospital in Massillon, Ohio, then worked at City Hospital (now known as Berkeley Medical Center) in Martinsburg before creating the Center for Orthopedic Excellence. The two orthopedic surgeons built a strong practice by recruiting top-quality physicians and by making themselves known in their community. When local sporting events or 5Ks took place, the practice sponsored them. When a hospice facility was constructed nearby, Cincinnati and Foster made substantial donations. And when Berkeley County’s

high schools hosted Friday night football games, center employees were on the sidelines — a tradition that continues to this day.

“We’re community-minded. We’ve been here for a long time,” Foster said. “People come to us because they know our names.”

The duo also owns Tri-State Surgical Center, which performs orthopedic surgery, foot and ankle surgery, ophthalmologic surgery, general surgery, endoscopic procedures and pain management procedures and which at one time was the state’s only privately owned multispecialty surgery center.

In early 2022, Cincinnati and Foster sold the Center for Orthopedic Excellence to Valley Health System, which also now owns a share of the surgery center. Cincinnati and Foster plan to continue to practice at both facilities. The sale of the thriving business they built together is part of what allowed the physicians to create an endowment at WVSOM, though the idea had been in the works for several years.

Today, the Center for Orthopedic Excellence has four D.O.s as providers, and plans to add a fifth — also a WVSOM graduate — in 2023.

Nemitz said he is thankful for a monetary gift that will assist medical students for many years to come.

“I’m filled with gratitude and humility for Drs. Cincinnati and Foster’s gift to WVSOM in memory of my dear wife, Patty. I’m so proud of what they have accomplished in their careers, the care they provide their patients and for giving back to WVSOM students,” he said.

Foster said the endowment is ultimately a way of giving back to the school that helped the pair succeed, and to a state that is in great need of physicians to ensure the future health of its residents.

“The hope is that we can support students who may not otherwise have the financial means to attend medical school, to help give them a start,” he said. “We want to play our part in creating a strong medical workforce in West Virginia.”

Alumna’s pediatric career inspires FAMILY TRADITION OF PHILANTHROPY

Deena Obrokta, D.O., a WVSOM alumna and longtime donor to the school, was never afraid to speak her mind. As a nontraditional student in WVSOM’s Class of 1994, one particular incident in her gross anatomy lab left her classmates in shock.

“Dr. [James] Nemitz was an anatomy professor and my advisor,” Obrokta said. “I had the highest grade in the class in anatomy, but I somehow missed out on the brachial plexus, the network of nerves that go down your arm. I said, ‘This isn’t making sense,’ and Dr. Nemitz said, ‘Well, it’s obvious you didn’t understand it.’ I looked at him and said, in front of the class, ‘It’s obvious you didn’t explain it correctly.’ Everybody’s mouths dropped open. I couldn’t believe I said it, but I did.” That fearlessness has served Obrokta well in her career as a pediatrician for the past 25 years, the last seven of which have been at Liberty Pediatrics, a division of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Newport News, Va. At times, being a physician requires discussing things that aren’t easy to talk about — or that challenge conventional wisdom.

“I think the reason my patients like me is that I tell them, ‘This is the way it is and this is what you have to do.’ For example, a few years ago, everything was about reflux, and pediatricians in my area were prescribing babies Zantac, which doesn’t make sense medically because spitting up is a mechanical problem. I had a mom tell me that her friend’s baby was on medication, and I said, ‘Listen. Spitting up is not a medical problem, it’s a laundry problem.’ Zantac is now off the market, so thank goodness I said what I did, because it was the truth,” Obrokta said.

Obrokta was born and raised in northwestern Pennsylvania, and spent 20 years as a dental hygienist before entering medical school. While attending West Virginia’s West Liberty State College to upgrade her associate degree in dental hygiene to a bachelor’s degree, a WVSOM recruiter asked her if she’d considered medical school. She hadn’t, but when her former husband told her she couldn’t do it, she knew WVSOM would be part of her future.

“It gave me additional initiative to do it,” she said. “I also knew that as a nontraditional student, I wouldn’t have the burnout a lot of students have after going through all the competition to get into medical school. And it was great. I was totally fascinated with learning. I’d leave class and I couldn’t wait to get back the next morning. Sometimes I felt

stressed because both my sons were in college and one was playing football, so I was traveling on weekends. But it all worked out.”

When Obrokta earned her degree from WVSOM, it was her son T.J. Obrokta, who had graduated from the West Virginia University College of Law just two weeks prior, who served as his mother’s hooder. The family would eventually become generous donors to WVSOM.

A tragedy inspired Deena Obrokta to establish the school’s Olivia Claire Obrokta Pediatric Award, which recognizes a student who is committed to serving in a pediatric specialty. Her granddaughter, who was born prematurely, passed away at the age of five days.

“Olivia was born at 23 weeks, which was right on the edge of viability,” Obrokta said. “It was heart-wrenching. I decided to establish the scholarship to help remind people about prematurity. I’m pleased that I was able to do it, and I know the recipients have been grateful.”

T.J. Obrokta is president and CEO of the Columbus, Ohiobased Encova Insurance, formerly BrickStreet Insurance,

whose charitable arm created an endowment at WVSOM in 2016 that funds the largest annual scholarship awards through the school’s WVSOM Foundation. Since the 201718 academic year, the endowment has awarded $393,000 to 52 students. Combined with an initial donation from the BrickStreet Foundation and interest earned from that donation, the company has enabled the WVSOM Foundation to provide $993,000 to 73 students.

Deena Obrokta said the lessons she imparted to her children about philanthropy ring true to a physician who has spent a quarter-century caring for people in what can be the most vulnerable period of life. She remains interested in giving back to the school that gave her the training needed for a successful career in pediatrics.

“During my rotations, I ran circles around students from other schools because of the education I received at WVSOM and the willingness of the professors to work with us,” she said. “It’s important for me to give back because of what the school gave to me, which was the ability to take care of babies and children for 25 years.”

1978

Naomi Wriston, D.O., M.S., FAOCOPM, was named presidentelect of the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine.

1983

Gregory Burnette, D.O., was appointed to serve another term as a commissioner for West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources.

1985

Thomas Gibbs, D.O., is medical director of New Day Recovery, a drug addiction treatment center in the Warren-Youngstown area of Ohio.

William J. Martin, D.O., is medical director of anesthesiology at Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital in Elkin, N.C. He previously served as an assistant professor of anesthesiology and pain management at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Lorenzo Pence, D.O., received the Association for Hospital Medical Education’s John C. Leonard Award. Pence also is president-elect of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago, a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for the Chicago region’s health leaders to convene, collaborate and contribute to the city’s health.

1986

Gail Dudley, D.O., retired from practice.

Teresa Kilgore, D.O., accepted a position as an outpatient primary care internal medicine provider with Medical University of South Carolina Health-Midlands in Columbia, S.C.

Roland Powers, D.O., retired from OB-GYN practice after 31 years in Jacksonville, Fla. Powers delivered more than 5,000 babies and performed more than 600 robotic surgeries during his career. He and his wife, Marta, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2023.

David Proctor, D.O., entered his 23rd year in correctional medicine. He is employed by Wexford Health Sources.

1988

Richard Durham, D.O., FCCP, retired from practice in pulmonary/critical care and sleep medicine on June 1, 2022.

1990

David Bennett, D.O., is director of the emergency department at Dignity Health in Goodyear, Ariz. Bennett celebrated his 30th year as an emergency physician and his 20th year of marriage to his wife, Nancy.

Marianne Herr-Paul, D.O., is developing lectures on the osteopathic cranial medicine approach of Beryl Arbuckle, D.O., a teacher of her father, Paul W. Herr, D.O.

1992

Steven Kent Jameson, D.O., retired from practice on June 30, 2022.

1993

Jonathan Mitchell Cook, D.O., FAAFP, received the 2022 Family Medicine Physician of the Year Award from the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians. In addition to caring for patients at his Athens, Ga., practice for nearly 19 years, Cook has been a clinical associate professor with the Augusta University/ University of Georgia Medical Partnership campus in Athens and

the Department of Family Medicine at the Augusta University/ Medical College of Georgia in Augusta for 10 years.

1997

Forest Arnold, D.O., FIDSA, was promoted to professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Kentucky’s University of Louisville.

Lori Tucker, D.O., became chief executive officer for physician services of SancusMed, a consultancy that serves and supports health care providers who are under disciplinary review. The organization also advises educational and medical institutions on peer and quality review best practices and program requirements, including National Provider Data Bank reporting.

2000

Erica Barringer, D.O., created and was named director of the Perioperative Optimization Clinic at Huntington Internal Medicine Group, an outpatient facility of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va.

Kimberly Spurlock, D.O., FACP, joined Charleston Area Medical Center as primary care medical director and employee wellness physician.

2003

Daniel Timmerman, D.O., was elected to a three-year term as a county commissioner for Salem County, N.J., starting Jan. 4, 2023.

2010 Park Bateson, D.O., is osteopathic program director and associate program director of the family medicine residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Horizon in Farrell, Pa.

Jessica Hott, D.O., received the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Immunization Champion Award for 2022. Hott is ambulatory medical director of West Virginia University Medicine’s Eastern Campus in Martinsburg, W.Va.

2011

David Bulbin, D.O., became program director for the rheumatology fellowship at Geisinger Medical Center in Montour County, Pa., on July 1, 2022.

Dillon Stein, D.O., received the Cunniff-Dixon Foundation’s Early-Career Physician Award for providing exceptional endof-life care. Stein is medical director for Butler Health System’s Division of Palliative Care in Butler County, Pa.

2012

James Brock, D.O., joined National Jewish Health for Kids in Denver, Colo., as a full-time pediatric pulmonology faculty member and assistant professor of clinical pediatrics.

2013

Brittany Smirnov, D.O., relocated to the greater Washington, D.C., area and joined Fuchs Dermatology in Falls Church, Va. She also published “Subtle Periorbital Edema and Hyperkeratotic Papules in a Woman of Color” in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology and was named a patient care hero by the American Academy of Dermatology.

2014

Micaela Weaver, D.O., was listed in the Association of Women Surgeons 40 Under 40 Outstanding Women Surgeons and was inducted into the Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons. Weaver is a breast oncology surgeon with Care New

England Health System in Rhode Island and a clinical instructor of surgery and OB-GYN at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

2016

Meredith Bentley, D.O., is associate program director for the psychiatry residency at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va.

2017

Michael Ebbert, D.O., is the only sports neurologist practicing in the state of West Virginia. He works with the Concussion Clinic at West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in Morgantown, W.Va.

2018

Rebekkah Brown, D.O., signed a contract to return to Charleston Area Medical Center after completion of her fellowship to work with the center’s residency program as a general adult and forensic psychiatrist.

ENGAGEMENTS/MARRIAGES

2013

Alexander Torres, D.O., married Megan Torres on Nov. 5, 2022. He deployed as a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s Critical Care Air Transport Team and is helping the Air Force create the Tactical Medical Augmentation Team to bridge gaps in medical care and increase the ability of front-line operators to achieve their mission, serving as concept officer in charge and medical director.

2017

Miles Medina, D.O., married his wife, Erryn, on Oct. 14, 2022.

2018

Kathleen Woods, D.O., married Kevin Kearney on Oct. 8, 2022.

Emily Zagorski, D.O., is engaged to Dan Butler. The pair plan to marry in April 2023.

BIRTHS

2010

Park Bateson, D.O., welcomed a daughter, Scarlett LewisBateson, on Sept. 23, 2021.

2010 and 2011

Terry Banaszak, D.O., and Missy Leutz, D.O., welcomed a second child, Samantha Grace, on May 9, 2022.

2011

Holly Hill-Reinert, D.O., and Shawn Reinert, D.O., welcomed a daughter, Pyper Olive Reinert, on Oct. 18, 2022.

2011 and 2012

Dave Williams, D.O., and Natalie Williams, D.O., welcomed a son, Cody, on Oct. 2, 2022.

2012

Colleen Fox, D.O., and her husband, Dan, welcomed a third child on Nov. 18, 2022.

Timothy Snow, D.O., and his wife, Caroline, welcomed a son, Sterling James Snow, on Nov. 4, 2021.

2014

Jennifer Calafato, D.O., and Zach Bosley, D.O., welcomed their first child, Cass Burnette Bosley, in February 2022.

2015

Allison Sutherland Holstein, D.O., and her husband, Shawn, welcomed their second child, Maxwell Lewis Holstein.

2016

Meredith Bentley, D.O., welcomed a daughter, Magnolia Kate, on April 20, 2022.

2017 and 2018

Derek White, D.O., and Elizabeth White, D.O., welcomed their first child, Eden Grace White, on Oct. 25, 2022.

IN MEMORY OF 1980

Randal Neale Huff, D.O., passed away Oct. 8, 2022. Huff practiced pediatrics with Euclid Pediatrics Practice in Mentor, Ohio, for 25 years, and with the Cleveland Clinic for nearly 10 years.

1981

Allan Gant, D.O., of Richwood, W.Va., passed away June 1, 2022. Gant practiced as a family physician in West Virginia’s Boone and Nicholas counties and was a Vietnam veteran who received a U.S. Navy Commendation Medal With Valor and a Purple Heart.

Kendall Wilson, D.O., passed away Sept. 28, 2022. Wilson was a former WVSOM faculty member and a former member of the school’s Board of Governors. He practiced in Lewisburg, W.Va., specializing in osteopathic manipulative medicine, and treated patients with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Alderson, W.Va.

1983

M. Bryan Reynolds, D.O., of Brooksville, Fla., passed away Jan. 7, 2022. Originally from Charleston, W.Va., Reynolds practiced in West Virginia, Ohio, Texas and Florida and was employed by Access Health Care.

1985

Lawrence Leone, D.O., of Rotonda West, Fla., passed away July 2, 2022. Leone was a family practice physician in Crawford County, Ohio, for 33 years, and medical director of Avita Home Health and Hospice in Galion, Ohio, for 27 years. Leone also served as medical director for several assisted living, nursing and rehabilitation facilities.

1989

Rajesh Vinod Patel, D.O., of Washington Island, Wis., passed away April 17, 2022. Patel was medical director for the Washington Island rescue team before establishing a private practice in Eufaula, Ala. He served in the U.S. military during the Persian Gulf War and received an Army Commendation Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars.

1990

Charles “Chuck” Bradac, D.O., of Wheeling, W.Va., passed away June 11, 2022. Bradac established a private family medicine practice in Bellaire, Ohio, where he served the community for 27 years.

2019

Philip Su, D.O., passed away March 1, 2022. Su was active with service trips as a WVSOM student and was a resident physician at the time of his passing. He was married to Jacqueline Sun, D.O., WVSOM Class of 2019.

GIFTS TO WVSOM

LIFETIME GIVING LEADERS

President’s Council Donors

$100,000+

Drs. Michael and Cheryl Adelman

Drs. David and Bonita Barger

Charles Davis, D.O./Davis Eye Center Inc. James Harless

Ray Harron, M.D./Harron Foundation

John Manchin II, D.O./Manchin Clinic Roland Sharp, D.O. Marlene Wager, D.O. Lydia Weisser, D.O. Gary and Joanne White

BUSINESSES

Encova Foundation of West Virginia Greenbrier Hotel Corp. Hildegard P. Swick Estate Hollowell Foundation Inc. National Osteopathic Foundation West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association WVSOM Alumni Association

Abdollatif Ghiathi, D.O. Drs. Robert and Rachel Hunter

William McLaughlin, D.O. Michael Nicholas, D.O. Thomas and Diana Obrokta Patrick Pagur, D.O., and Billie Wright, D.O. Mr. and Mrs. David Rader Carole Stookey

Drs. Andrew and Tiffany Thymius Mrs. John Tirpak

Harold Ward, D.O. Dr. and Mrs. Badshah Wazir/ Spring Hill Cardiology

BUSINESSES Humana Maier Foundation Inc.

Patron Donors $25,000-$49,999

Founder’s Club Donors

$50,000-$99,999

Christopher Beckett, D.O. Sean Brain and Jandy Hanna, Ph.D. Joseph Cincinnati, D.O. James Deering, D.O., and Jodi Flanders, D.O. Troy Foster, D.O.

Manuel Ballas, D.O. Catherine Bishop, D.O. Craig Boisvert, D.O. Jeffery Braham, D.O.

Drs. Edward and Kristie Bridges Clyde Brooks III, D.O. Cathy Dailey, D.O.

Steven Eshenaur, D.O./Haven, Ltd.

Ahmed Faheem, M.D. Allen Finkelstein, D.O.

Mr. and Mrs. Lawson Hamilton

J. Robert Holmes, DDS Dr. Gregory and Penny Jarrell

Samuel Muscari Jr., D.O. James Nemitz, Ph.D. Deena Obrokta, D.O./Liberty Pediatrics

Lorenzo Pence, D.O. Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Rubin/ Carmel-Greenfield Charitable Trust

Rosa Stone, D.O.

Dr. Peter and Sharon Stracci

Lori Tucker, D.O. Drs. Rafael and Letetia Villalobos Lewis Whaley, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Charleston Area Medical Center Health Education and Research Institute

City National Bank

Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation

Greenbrier Valley Medical Center

Highmark Inc.

Highmark West Virginia OVP Health Inc.

Robert C. Byrd Clinic Inc.

Smith, Kline & French Laboratories

Truist Corporation (formerly BB&T)

West Virginia Emulation Endowment Trust

West Virginia State Medical Association Alliance

Dean’s Circle Donors $10,000-$24,999

David Allen, D.O.

Heather Antolini

Michael Antolini, D.O.

Hal Armistead, D.O., MHSA, and Amelia Roush, D.O.

Helen Baker, Ph.D.

Jonathan Beyer, D.O.

Walter Boardwine, D.O.

Lois Bosley, D.O.

David Brown, Ph.D.

Paul Conley, D.O.

Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Deem

Dr. and Mrs. Clifford Evans

Dan and Marilyn Evans

Robert Flowers, D.O.

Robert Foster, D.O.

John Garlitz, D.O.

Marla Haller, D.O., and U.S. Navy

Master Chief Paul Haller, D.O.

John Hibler, D.O.

Robert Holstein, D.O.

Susan Ketchem

Cynthia Mayer, D.O.

Richard McClung, DDS

Andrew McLaughlin, D.O.

Dodi Montgomery

Karen Montgomery-Reagan, D.O.

Stephen Naymick, D.O.

Abdul Orra, D.O.

Susan Painter, D.O.

Pete Palko III, D.O.

Drs. Bruce and Millie Petersen

Ronald Smith, D.O.

Alan Snider, D.O.

Robert Stanley, D.O.

Drs. Russell and Sally Stewart

Andy Tanner, D.O., and Dewayne Duncan

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Trent

Drs. Phillip and Leah Triplett

Thomas White II, D.O.

Naomi Wriston, D.O., FAOCOPM

BUSINESSES

Bailey & Wyant PLLC

Jackson Kelly PLLC

Little General Stores

MAG Mutual Foundation Inc.

MAKO Medical Laboratories

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

Peoples Bank

Raleigh General Hospital Terracare Inc.

WVSOM Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice

West Virginia State Medical Association

West Virginia University Medicine — West Virginia United Health System

ZMM

Benefactor Donors $5,000-$9,999

O.J. Bailes, D.O. Randall Belt, D.O.

Robert Blok, D.O., and Rae Godsey Jr., D.O.

Linda Boyd, D.O.

Richard Burdeaux Sr., D.O.

Cynthia Butler, D.O. Craig Chambers, D.O. James Chambers, D.O. Michael Chambers

Elizabeth Clark, D.O. David Crandall, D.O.

David Cummings, D.O. Linda Eakle, D.O.

Richard Foutch, D.O. Jon Furbee, D.O.

Thomas Gilligan, D.O. Ray Greco II, D.O.

Donald Gullickson II, D.O. Lisa Hrutkay, D.O.

Buddy Hurt, D.O. Afeworki Kidane, D.O.

Stanley Lloyd, D.O.

Gretchen Lovett, Ph.D.

Kathleen Maley, D.O.

Malcolm Modrzakowski, Ph.D.

Andrea Nazar, D.O.

Stephen and Cynthia Olson

Dallas Petrey, D.O. Ryan Runyon, D.O. Gary Sajko, D.O.

GIVING

Michael Shrock, D.O. Sophia Sibold, D.O. Jan Silverman, D.O. Clinton Sloan, D.O. Linda Smith

George Triplett, D.O. Noel Weigel, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Astorg Auto of Charleston Bank of Monroe

Boone Memorial Hospital Mason & Barry Inc. MedExpress Urgent Care Meritus Health

Monongalia Health System Inc. Rainelle Medical Center United Bank

Sponsor Donors $2,500-$4,999

David Apgar, D.O. Patricia Arnett, D.O. Edward Brennan II, D.O. William Browning Jr., D.O. Brande Carpenter John Carvalho J.P. Casher, D.O. Zachary Comeaux, D.O. Christi Cooper-Lehki, D.O. Michael Cope, Ph.D. Charles and Jean Cornell Allison Evans-Wood, D.O. Lawrence Fabrizio, D.O. Monte Finch, D.O. C. Gallops, D.O. Kathy Goodman, D.O. Bruce Gorby, D.O. Michael Grillis, D.O. Lisa Hannen

Raymond Harron, D.O. Ray Hayes, D.O. Ralph Hess III, D.O. Drema Hill, Ph.D. Holly Hill-Reinert, D.O. Brant Hinchman, D.O. Mark Hrko, D.O. James Kohari, D.O.

Gregory Lagos, D.O.

Forrest Lane Jr., D.O.

James Lebolt, D.O.

Dominick McLain, D.O. Richard Meadows, D.O. Satish Menon, D.O. William Minor, D.O. William Moore, D.O. Rebecca Morrow, Ph.D. David Nicholas, D.O. Kara O’Karma, D.O. Sherry Phillips

Bonita Portier, D.O.

Angelo Ratini, D.O.

Roi Reed, D.O.

Steven and Sharon Rubin

Randall Short, D.O.

Jason Shull

Jessica Shull

Stefanie Shull

Albert Smith Jr., D.O.

Julia Spradlin, D.O. Scott Spradlin, D.O. Natalie Stepputat

Tamejiro Takubo Jr., D.O. Robert Vass Mark Waddell, D.O. Shannon Warren Jennifer Wildpret, D.O. Samuel Yates, Ph.D. Sherri Young, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Cartledge Foundation Inc.

Grant Memorial Hospital

Greenbrier Valley Board of Realtors

HospiceCare

The Huntington National Bank

Jim Lively Insurance

Marshall Health

Nora Roberts Foundation

Pallottine Foundation of Huntington PracticeLink

Professional Business Products

West Virginia Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians

Associate Donors

$1,000-$2,499

Robby Aliff, J.D.

Patrice Bauserman

Leslie Bicksler

Charles Bou-Abboud, M.D.

Thomas Brandt Jr., D.O.

Dan Breece, D.O.

Leslie Buchanan, D.O.

Gregory Burton

Marilea Butcher

Mark Byrge, D.O.

Joseph Calvert, D.O.

John Cavell, D.O.

Noah Childers, D.O.

Heidi Clark, D.O.

Shawn Clark, D.O.

James Cooper II, D.O.

Suzanne Courtney, D.O.

Michael Coyle, D.O.

Carmen Damiani, D.O.

Jane Daugherty-Luck, D.O.

Jason Dees, D.O.

Mark Dodd, D.O.

Diane Duckworth, D.O. Richard Durham, D.O.

John Ellison, D.O.

Zouheir Fares, D.O.

Christopher Flanagan, D.O.

Darla Gallentine, D.O.

Christy Garcia

Georgette George Bradley Goad, D.O.

Sharon and William Hall

Patricia Hamilton

Tim Holbrook

Alice Hollingsworth

Randal Huff, D.O.

Jamette Huffman, D.O.

Kristy Huffman, D.O.

Elizabeth Isaac

Dainty Jackson, D.O.

Ben and Renda James Anthony Johnson, D.O.

Brandon Johnson, J.D.

Anna Jolliffe, D.O.

Charles Kirkland, D.O.

Howard Lafferty Jr., D.O.

Maple Landvoigt, M.D.

Clay Lee, D.O.

Josalyn Mann, D.O.

William Martin, D.O.

William Martin, Ph.D.

Amelia McPeak, D.O.

Ernest Miller Jr., D.O.

Janice Miller, D.O.

Karen Miller, J.D.

Gary Mitchell

Mark Mitchell, D.O.

Frederick Morgan, D.O. John Myer

Catherine Noone

James Paugh II, D.O.

Robert Pepper, D.O., FAAFP Rebecca Perry, D.O. Mary Pozega, D.O. Michael Pyles, D.O.

Melinda Ratini, D.O. Thomas Richardson, D.O. Madonna Ringswald, D.O. Thomas Shackleford, D.O.

Rameen Shafiei, D.O. John Sheridan, D.O. Victoria Shuman, D.O. Stephen Shy II, D.O. Linda Smith, D.O. Shannon Sorah, D.O. Robert Thiele, D.O. Emily Thomas, D.O. Kimberly Tieman

Maria Tranto, D.O. Ryan Waddell, D.O. Jeanne Wahl, D.O.

Kathryn Wallington Freeland Kenneth Warner Winter Wilson, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Camden Clark Memorial Hospital Carson and Criddle LLC (PostNet)

Family Medicine Foundation of West Virginia Frederick Health Hospital Inc.

Greenbrier Medical Arts Pharmacy

Reynolds Memorial Hospital St. Joseph’s Hospital

Friend Donors $500-$999

W. Anderson, D.O. Linda Arnold

Marshall Barker, D.O. Beth Been, D.O. Crystal Boudreaux, Ph.D. Kristina Brown, D.O. Kaitlyn Brunner, D.O. Barbara Cortez, D.O. Diane Cutler and Dan Williams Christopher Daniel, D.O. Matthew Deitz David Deuell, D.O. David Dietz

Marina Diioia, Ph.D. M. Dillard, D.O. Roderick Doss, D.O. Gail Dudley, D.O. Robert Eaton, D.O. Michelle Endicott, D.O. Peter File, D.O. Kathy Fry, M.S. Mitchell Fuscardo, D.O. Jesamyn Fuscardo Marshall, D.O. Eleonora Grey, D.O. Michael Harron, D.O. Karen Hausler

Mark Jeffries, D.O. Eugene Jeffus Robin King-Thiele, D.O. Thomas Kleman

Lianna Lawson, D.O. Wesley Lockhart, D.O. David Marshall, D.O. Eric McClanahan, D.O. Donette Mizia Karthik Mohan, D.O. John Mooney Bobbi Morgan Ryan Newell, D.O. Robert Olexo, D.O. Cynthia Osborne, D.O.

David Pickering, D.O. Roland Powers Jr., D.O. Glenn Roberts, D.O. Deborah Schmidt, D.O.

Eric Schneider, D.O. Sharon Shelton, D.O. Jonathan Stanley, D.O. Don Swift II, D.O.

Leo and Lynette Toomajian

Kimberly Triplett, D.O. David “Monte” Ward

Colleen Wells, D.O.

Christopher White, D.O. David Whitmore, D.O. Tracy Wilkerson, DDS Karen Wines

Russell Winter

James Wright, D.O. Mahmoud Younis Lisa Zaleski-Larsen, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Assurant Inc. Country Road Realty LLC Suttle & Stalnaker PLLC WVSOM Department of Biomedical Sciences

Supporter Donors $250-$499

Robert Beaty

David Bennett, D.O. Timothy Bess

William Bohannon, D.O. John Buckland, D.O. Alicia Carlos, D.O. Jonathan Cook, D.O. Lisa Costello, M.D.

Cerisia Cummings, D.O. James Dietz

Joseph Durkalski, D.O. Richard Eades

Christopher Edwards, D.O. Joy Elliott, D.O. James Endicott, M.D. Thomas Gibbs, D.O. Jenifer Hadley, D.O.

James Harman, D.O.

Tommy Holbrook II, D.O.

Muhammad Husainy, D.O.

Herbert Hutchison

Andrew Ickes

Tharon Jack Drew Kagan

Scott Keller, D.O.

Cindi Knight

George Lambros Jr., D.O.

Corinne Layne Stuart, D.O. Wendy Lee, D.O.

Laura Liles, D.O.

Machelle Linsenmeyer, Ed.D.

Michael Massey, D.O.

Brian McDevitt, D.O.

Aaron McGuffin, M.D.

Susan Medalie, D.O.

Laura Miller, D.O.

Marshall Newbern, D.O.

Joule O’Connor, D.O. Laura Oleson

David Oliver, D.O. Marilyn Perry, D.O. Aiman Rauf, D.O. Victoria Roane

Randy Shemer, D.O. Karen Snider, D.O. Shawn Stern, D.O.

Michael Warlick, D.O. Marta Wayt, D.O. Christopher Wood, D.O. Terry York, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Civitas Hospitality Group LLC Princeton Community Hospital

Caduceus Donors

$50-$249

Maeve Archibald

Shinichi Asano, Ph.D.

Claudia Banner

Bruce Barger, D.O. J. Bauman, D.O. Dianna Bearse, D.O. Marie Bechtel

Lisa Bennett

Marc Benson, Ph.D. Charles Bibbee

Kathleen Bors

Chad Brady, D.O. Cindy Brandt

Scott Brown, D.O.

Connie Calvert, D.O.

Raeann Carrier-Krajacic, Ph.D.

Jocelyn Chang, D.O. Lorraine Ciarfella

Pete Cooper

Jonathan Craun, D.O. Nicholas Dasovich

Martha Davis

Matthew Davis, D.O. Ronald Dawson

Salvatore DeFilippo, D.O. Nicole Dotson

Theresa Dyar, D.O.

Grace Falbo, D.O.

Catherine Feaga, D.O. Cheryl Ferrebee

David and Olgusha Forrest Charles Friedman Jr.

Catherine Gestrich, D.O. Carl Goldberg

Zachary Halsey, D.O. John Happel, M.D. Holly Hardesty

Jacob Harmon, D.O. Richard Harris, D.O.

Lillian Harry, D.O. Karen Hauster

Byron Haworth Jr., D.O. Haylee Heinsberg

Rhonda Hughes

Ernest and Sharon Jacobs

Scott Keffer, D.O.

David Kim, D.O.

Evonne Krushansky, D.O.

Diane Kwitoski

Hang Le, D.O.

Margaret Leef

Linda Lemmon

Antonio Licata, D.O. Kelly Lonergan

Jon and Christine MacQuilken

Deanna Mangieri-Ross, D.O. Victoria Marcus

Laura Marple

Miles Medina, D.O. Gregory Molter, D.O. Christine Moore, D.O.

Fara Movagharnia, D.O. Robert Murphy

Mary Norris

Steve Obermeyer

Katrina Ostermann, D.O. Jeremy Parsons, D.O. Ed Pasternak, D.O. Wayne Pottmeyer

Julianna Quick Kimberly Ransom

Victor Rendon, D.O. Lance Ridpath

Daniel Rossi, D.O. Roy Russ, Ph.D. Barbara Sanders

Judith Schaffer, D.O. Adele Schweller, D.O. Jeffrey Shawver

Caspia Sheppard

Laura Sheppard

Chad Sisk, D.O. Eric Snider, D.O. Karen Sparks

Lois Spencer

Andrea Stark, D.O. Carol and Steve Szer Billie Toler, D.O. William and Marsha Uhler Mark VanBuren

Lisa Vaughn, D.O. Rachel Wallace, D.O. Junyu Wang, D.O. Peter Ward, Ph.D. Larry Ware, MBA, CPA David Webb, M.D. John Wherthey Jr., D.O. Daniel Whitmore, D.O. Donald Williams

Carla Wilson

John Wilson, DVM/ Wilson Properties LLC Robert Wiseman

David Wray, D.O. Nina Yokochi-Funkhouser, D.O. Harry Young Jr., D.O. Jawad Zafar, D.O.

BUSINESSES

Greenbrier College Alumnae Association Network for Good New York Life Insurance

WVSOM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEW LIFE MEMBERS

Aug. 5, 2021, to Nov. 10, 2022 2004 2005 2008 2011 2012 2013 2013 2015 2018 2018 2019 2019 2022 2022 2022

Maxen Baumgardner, D.O. Tara Mitchell, D.O. Albert “Rick” Fogle, D.O. Eleonora Grey, D.O. Zachary Henry, D.O. Kristine Brown, D.O. Jeremy Parsons, D.O. Gurlal Baidwan, D.O. Tara Braithwaite, D.O. Brittany Streets, D.O. Audreanna James, D.O. Victor Rendon, D.O. Adriana Dinatti, D.O. Kacy Harmon, D.O. Jason Miller, D.O.

CAMC and the WVSOM:

Serving the health care needs of West Virginia for 50 years

As a leading medical education and academic research institution, CAMC has proudly partnered with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine for decades to advance the education and training of physicians who are dedicated to serving our rural communities. We honor the WVSOM for a half-century of exceptional medical education leadership that has shaped and transformed the landscape of health care in West Virginia.

The Evans Family

Land Rover Charleston 7 Dudley Farms Lane Charleston, WV 25309 304 746 0500

LandRoverCharleston.com

50 YEARS

Dr. Art and Missy Rubin

WVSOM Class of 1979

Congratulations on WVSOM’s 50th anniversary!

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. and Mrs. Robert B. Holstein

Rae Godsey, D.O., MBA, Humana Group Medicare Chief Medical Officer, and Rob Blok, D.O., FAOAO, Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Spine Surgeon Class of ’99

anniversary!

Steven and Sharon Rubin