patients at the Sood Center in Linwood and reconstructive surgery patients through his affiliation with Shore Physicians Group at their surgical division in Somers Point. Valerie G. Vilbert, DO, Downingtown, PA, was named one of Pennsylvania Medical Society’s 2018 Top Physicians Under 40.
2013
David A. Ciaccia, DO, Matthews, NC, was inducted into Central Montco Technical High School’s Distinguished Alumni Association. Dr. Ciaccia specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of South Florida Medical Center in Tampa. Scott D. Glassman, PsyD, Cherry Hill, NJ, associate director of MS in Mental Health Counseling, clinical associate professor, PCOM, was featured on 6 ABC discussing the psychology behind Netflix’s show “The Push” on February 28, 2018. Dr. Glassman was also interviewed for an article in The DO titled “Beating the Blues If You Don’t Match” (March 5, 2018). Dr. Glassman wrote articles for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Is It Time to Look Away? Health Effects of Watching Violence in the Media” (March 14, 2018) and “How to Stay Positive in a Negative World” (June 4, 2018). On July 9, 2018, Dr. Glassman discussed his program, A Happier You, on Sirius XM’s “Dr. Radio.” A Happier You was also the subject of an article on the AOA’s website titled “Program Teaching Patients Happiness Skills Aims to Improve Participant Health” (June 21, 2018). Taryn M. Reichard, DO, Harrisburg, PA, joined the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania. Dr. Reichard is board-certified in anesthesia and perioperative medicine and pain management. Crystal C. Tidwell, DO, Santa Rosa Beach, FL, was named Best Pediatrician in Northwest Florida Daily News’ “Finest on the Emerald Coast.”
2014
Lauren D. Inners, DO, York, PA, joined WellSpan Orthopedics in Hanover.
TAYLOR BRANA, DO ’17 Creating Happy Docs, One Podcast at a Time by Meghan McLaughlin
When Taylor Brana, DO ’17, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, reached his third year at PCOM, he was in a rut, stressed and lacking a sense of balance. So he had conversations with physicians to find out what kept them fulfilled, happy and motivated. What resulted from these conversations was the idea for a one-of-a-kind podcast, The Happy Doc, that today has over 3,000 listeners. As a gymnast at Temple University during his undergraduate years, Dr. Brana came to PCOM in the best mental and physical shape he’d ever been in. As medical school progressed, however, he spiraled into the unhealthiest he’d ever been. He saw several of his classmates feeling the same way and attributed it to the stress of medical school. It wasn’t until Dr. Brana was in his third year clinical rotations that he realized his negative feelings were not isolated to medical students; physicians had them, too. “When I asked a doctor at my first medical rotation what got her excited about work and she told me that she was excited for her next days off, it was very impactful,” recalls Dr. Brana. After some brief research, Dr. Brana learned that 50 percent of physicians report having at least one symptom of burnout (Mayo Clinic 2014) and that the number of physician suicides is more than twice that of the general population (Medscape 2018). “I realized that while medical students and doctors tend to be perfectionists, we often wind up taking care of everyone but ourselves,” says Dr. Brana. Not wanting to get stuck in a negative cycle, Dr. Brana made a change. He embarked on his own version of “self-care” by getting in touch with physicians who seemed to truly love what they were doing. After a few conversations, Dr. Brana realized that these stories were too powerful to keep to himself. “When you listen to conversations and speak with doctors who are happy, it expands your ability to take action and craft your life in the way that you want,” explains Dr. Brana. “PCOM instilled in me that we need to think ‘big picture.’ Solving an issue like physician burnout won’t happen by talking about it in private. To expand and make change, we need to improve and increase our voice.” As Dr. Brana began his fourth year at PCOM, The Happy Doc podcast was born. “In the beginning, I didn’t know what I was doing, but I went for it,” recalls Dr. Brana. “There were some people who advised me not to put myself out there creatively because it could affect my residency prospects, but many people encouraged me to continue it because there’s not really another podcast like it.” Today, The Happy Doc has recorded over 50 episodes. Even as Dr. Brana transitioned into his psychiatry residency at Einstein Medical Center, the podcast has continued to grow and improve. “I knew that transitioning from my light fourth-year medical school schedule to residency would make it challenging to keep up with the podcast, so I put together a team, including some of my friends from PCOM, to help with each piece of the puzzle,” says Dr. Brana. “Within a month, we developed a process to streamline production so The Happy Doc could continue while I was in residency.” While Dr. Brana admits that balancing the podcast with his residency is challenging, he finds it extremely rewarding. “I think listening to the podcast makes you realize that there are many paths to carving out your life that you didn’t think existed,” says Dr. Brana. “Once you hear all of these stories, it opens your mind to make you feel less trapped. If one person listens to an episode and it expands their mind, that’s what this is all about.” Richard M. Pescatore, II, DO, Sicklerville, NJ, wrote an article for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Medical Mystery: Headaches That Needed More Than Pills to Resolve” (April 8, 2018). Luther D. Quarles, IV, DO, Jacksonville, FL, joined Ascension St. Vincent’s Primary Care in Jacksonville, FL.
2015
Emma C. Atherton-Staples, DO, Rome, GA, joined the
Floyd Primary Care network in Rockmart. Dr. AthertonStaples also works with Heyman HospiceCare and Floyd’s palliative care department. In her new role, she leads hospice clinical staff in developing patient care plans. She also recently graduated from the Floyd Family Medicine Residency Program. Jessica N. Brumfield, DO, Moultrie, GA, was featured in Colquitt Regional Medical
Center’s Resident Spotlight in May. Dr. Brumfield is currently completing her residency with Georgia South Family Medicine Residency Program. Kenneth H. Burk, DO, De Leon, TX, joined Muleshoe Area Medical Center as a family practice physician. Tara B. Churilla, DO, Roaring Brook Township, PA, and her husband, Thomas Churilla, MD, were featured in an article titled “Medical School Graduates DIGEST 2018
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