Achieving New Heights

Congratulations to all winners at the Student/Faculty Award Ceremony, hosted by the Student Government Association.

• A.T. Still Award for Excellence in Teaching: Dr. Christopher LaFontano

• Fighting Prairie Dog Award: Dr. Ian George and Dr. Elizabeth Moffett

• William Osler Award for Excellence in Teaching: Dr. Ian George

• Outstanding PCM Faculty: Julie Kasperski, MSc

• Clinical Medicine Award for Outstanding PCM Faculty: Dr. Ann Trawick

• Clinical Medicine Award for Outstanding Skills and Assessment: Sarah Neguse, MS, PA-C

• Expository Instructor Award: Whitney Lambarri, MS, PA-C, and Dr. Joel Roberts

• Student Club Advisor of the Year: Dr. Susan Carter and Dr. David Ross

• Staff Member of the Year: Dr. Zeerak Haider

• Administrative Member of the Year: Amy Maupin

• Unsung Hero Award: Chuck Leary

• Student Organization of the Year: AMWA and SNMA

• Student of the Year: Elizabeth Kuge and Zoe Roth

• A.T. Still Student Award: Nicole Wong

• Student Congeniality Award: Mercedes Harvey, Jack Strickland and Talia Gergely

• Student Service Award: Elizabeth Kuge and Deandra Kuruppu

• Clinical Faculty of the Year: Dr. Dale Woodbury

• Academic Faculty of the Year: Dr. Chris Edwards

• Faculty Rookie of the Year: Dr. Michele Coleman

• Faculty Student Advocate Award: Dr. Nena Mason

• Clinical Education Faculty of the Year Award: Dr. Andrew Nigh

• Staff Member of the Year: Bryan Walker

• Helping Hands Award: Lynne Stephenson, MEd

• Backbone Award: Vie Van Noy, MS, and Terry Meyer

• Staff Rookie of the Year Award: MaryAnn Maher

• Clinical Education Staff of the Year Award: Dawnett Hann

• RVU Student of the Year: Telyn Peterson

• Fellow of the Year: Taylor Yancey

• Student Researcher of the Year: Nathan Balkman

• “Above & Beyond” Award: Rachel Leavitt

• Most Impactful Student: Mikala Russell and Paul Yang

• Most Compassionate Student: Ryan Braumann and Trevar Dahl

• Community Involvement Award: Manuela Marin Salcedo and Madelaine Khosti

• Terrific Tutor Award: Lindsay Ellson

• Congeniality Award: Edwin Davis and Will Byrne-Quinn

RVU has named Walter Buck, PhD, Professor of Structural Medicine, and Michael Tieman, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery, Emeriti Chairs of the Department of Structural Medicine and the Department of Specialty Medicine, respectively. For thirteen years, Dr. Buck has served on the RVU faculty as Chair and Course Director in the Department of Structural Medicine. During his time at RVU, Dr. Buck has made significant contributions, many of which are now woven into the fabric of the University’s academic programs and student life. He retired in July of 2020. Dr. Tieman came to RVU in 2012 and later accepted the position of Professor in the Department of Specialty Medicine. Dr. Tieman also worked with the Department of Clinical Education and has taken on the additional role of Director of the Student Advisory Program in the Department of Student Affairs, as well as coordinator of the Pet Therapy Program at RVU. Read about their accomplishments at RVUblog.com.

Danielle Coleman, OMS III, co-wrote an article in the July/August issue of Colorado Medicine Magazine, titled, "Bent, but not broken: The 2020 medical student experience." In the article, she (along with University of Colorado student Jacob Leary) wrote about how the COVID-19 pandemic challenged expectations of medical students, while bringing to light the serious nature of health disparities.

Chasity Edwards, Assistant Director of the Office of Simulation in Medicine and Surgery, earned a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) credential from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The comprehensive CHSE credential covers educational design and healthcare simulation principles.

Jing Gao, MD, Associate Professor and Director of Ultrasound, was among the 10,000+ participants of the COVID-19 Meets Ultrasound webinar, a joint effort by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the Chinese Ultrasound Doctors Association. Dr. Gao, along with other experts, discussed the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, and the protection of medical personnel during the pandemic from a global perspective. Watch it here: https://live.polyv.cn/splash/1359667.

Beatriz Linn, MD, Staff Physician at Rocky Vista Health Center, received the annual Award for Excellence in Teaching by the residents in the HealthONE Internal Medicine Residency Program. Jennifer Badolato, Director of Practice Management, said of Dr. Linn: "Her dedication to the education and excellence in medical leadership and devotion to helping others while increasing public awareness of preventive medicine are among her many attributes. Dr. Linn’s untiring commitment does not stop with her commitment to medicine—she is truly vested in the future of the residents."

David J. Park, FACOFP, FAAFP, Vice President and Campus Dean of RVUCOM-SU, participated in the American Gastroenterological Association's Call to Action Conference on Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH), representing the ACOFP. This event brought together gastroenterologists, hepatologists, endocrinologists, and primary care providers to improve diagnosis and management of NASH.

Thomas N. Told, DO, FACOFP dist., Dean of RVUCOM, was awarded the Presidential Award of Excellence, an honor bestowed upon one faculty member per year. He was awarded for his dedication to osteopathic medical education. As part of a team that informed RVU’s founding owners, he helped them see the vision for serving the Mountain West and its rural communities. Dr. Told was integral in the creation of tracks and special programs, simulation initiatives, and new programs.

Dr. Told was also awarded with the first-ever MSBS Super Supporter Award. “Without his guidance, expertise, and constant support, this program would not be what it is today,” said Dr. Francina Towne. "[He] has been an integral part of the MSBS Program from its inception."

Cole Zanetti, DO, MPH, Co-Director of the Digital Health Track, recently served as a key expert for The Economist's Intelligence Unit (EIU) on the report, "Reinvigorating Value-Based Health Care (VBHC): Exploring the Role of Technology Innovation." The EIU conducted a research program to explore the intersection of VBHC and technology.

The RVUCOM-SU chapter of the Student Association of American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (SAACOFP) was honored with the 2020 Program of Excellence Award: Clinical Skills Development by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). "I can’t speak highly enough of the student leaders involved in this group’s ongoing success and recognition at the national level," said Dr. Ben Wilde. "In the three years since the RVUCOM-SU SAACOFP’s inception, [the student leaders] have quickly established a pattern of success. I’m thrilled to see that, as they have focused on personal ways to build up their peers and serve this community, their efforts have earned more widespread recognition, praise, and respect."

Alexander Knippenberg, OMS III, Emily Gudvangen-Sherwood, OMS III, and Tess Schultz, OMS III, were selected to receive the Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation scholarship for their third year of medical school. Students are chosen for the CSOF scholarship based on their demonstrated leadership, academic achievement, motivation, and service to their community.

Andrew Black, OMS III, Emily Gudvangen-Sherwood, OMS III, Jessica McArthur, OMS III, and Tess Schultz, OMS III, were selected to receive the Denver Osteopathic Foundation scholarship. Each student exhibited a passion for providing osteopathic medicine to a certain demographic or specialty: rural, female, underserved, and pediatric patients, respectively.

In the May/June Issue, Dellvin Nguonly, OMS II, wrote an article titled, "Finding comfort in a 'village' through the pandemic." He described the comfort of feeling like part of village within the Cambodian culture and equated it with finding a village during the pandemic among loved ones and peers.

In the July/August Issue, Theresa Sanborn, OMS III, wrote an article titled, "Medicine: Gains and losses in meaning." She wrote of how the pandemic exacerbates the feeling of isolation which is already present in medical school. She also described how the state of public health has blended into medical life in unexpected (and somewhat informative) ways.

The American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) club at RVU was honored as Student Club of the Year by the ACOP. "[RVU's ACOP club] is one of our newest clubs and this year, they blew us away with their commitment to their community and to educating their students," wrote Roxanne Waggoner and Kali Sanford, ACOP Student Trustees. "Over the year, they held nine educational events, seven community service events, [and] had incredible student involvement in volunteer projects and research."