Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
Greetings from a sunny, hot and humid Elkins Park. Summer certainly has arrived!
It’s been getting busy around campus with our Audiology, Optometry and Physician Assistant students on campus working on clinical lab assignments. It’s really great to see folks working and learning on campus again! To that end, I want to remind everyone that, while it may appear things are getting back to normal, we’re far from it given the recent increase in COVID-19 cases across the country. We need to remain vigilant in practicing our preventive measures both on and off campus, which includes wearing a face mask, maintaining appropriate social distancing when possible and frequent hand-washing. I’m empowering everyone on campus to become a prevention deputy. If you see anyone, and I mean anyone (including me), walking around without a face mask, or with a face mask not covering both their nose and mouth, please politely remind them that they need to have it on correctly to protect all of us. We’re in this together and together we will get through this! Here’s a link to an interesting article related to the steps we’re taking to help assure everyone “plays by the new rules”
On Tuesday, we’re going to celebrate the 46-year career of Dr. Joel Silbert at The Eye Institute by dedicating an exam room in his name. Dr. Silbert, who served as a PCO professor and director of the Contact Lens Program and former chief of the Cornea and Specialty Contact Lens Service at TEI, has decided to call it a career. He officially retires June 30, 2020. Joel leaves a legacy of excellence through those students, residents, faculty and staff that have been lucky enough to have been taught by him over the years. There aren’t too many people who can say they’ve helped to mature an entire profession, but that’s exactly what Dr. Silbert has done through his mentorship, research, clinical acumen and academic accomplishments nationally and internationally. He truly set the bar high for all of us who were lucky enough to be his students and in doing so helped to develop generations of optometrists who have built upon his work over the years. Please join us in celebrating Dr. Silbert’s career and retirement as we live stream the dedication ceremony on Salus University’s Instagram on Tuesday, June 30 at noon. The ceremony will conclude with an unveiling of a plaque on exam room 503 at TEI, followed by Dr. Silbert’s remarks.
The Faculty Focus story this week is on Rebecca Blaha, AuD, PEI lead audiologist, clinical preceptor and OCA assistant professor. She has had a variety of interests in her lifetime — including playing the flute, salsa dancing, and powerlifting. Read more here.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee's first Lunch and Learn on Allyship, will be held on July 8 from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. The goal is to welcome faculty, staff, and students for a discussion on moving from Allyship to Advocacy. Look for a BB Collaborate link that will include login info and password for that important event soon.
Bhawan Minhas, OD, FAAO, director of PCO’s On-Campus Residency Programs, recently announced that Chad Killen, OD ‘19, Resident ‘20, Low Vision Rehabilitation resident at The Eye Institute (TEI), and Jessica Vickery, OD, Resident ‘20, Ocular Disease/Specialty Contact Lens resident at Mid Atlantic Cornea Consultants in York, Pa., are the recipients of the Bernard Blaustein Resident of the Year Award for the Residency Class of 2020. Read more about that here.
Since it’s both Cataract Awareness and National Dysphagia Awareness Month, recent articles on salusuhealth.com contain useful information for you and your patients.
June is LGBTQ Pride Month and this year celebrates Pride’s 50th anniversary. Of note, 4.5% of U.S adults identify as LGBTQ and a little over 8% of millennials identify themselves as LGBTQ+. Historically, according to a story on ABC news, in 1969, the Stonewall Inn was part of a Greenwich Village gay scene that remained largely underground. At the time, showing same-sex affection or dressing in a way deemed gender-inappropriate could get people arrested, and bars had lost liquor licenses for serving such people. Some gay nightspots simply operated illegally. A one-time horse stable in adjoining buildings, the Stonewall was a divey, unlicensed spot with darkened windows, black-painted walls and a doorman who scrutinized would-be patrons through a peephole. But it also had a popular, pulsating dance floor that attracted a diverse, largely young crowd. The police raid in the wee hours of June 28, 1969, stirred a sudden resistance, as patrons and others outside the bar hurled objects at officers. Protests followed over several more days and led to new, more extensive LGBTQ activist groups than the U.S. had seen before. During more normal times, festivals, parades and other events on the last weekend in June commemorate the Stonewall uprising and the beginning of a national movement.
For those of you who have been on campus this week, you might have seen a photographer walking around earlier in the week taking pictures of members of our Salus community. Thank you to all of our student, staff and faculty volunteers who helped make it such a great experience. You’ll probably see these pictures on our website soon.
Finally, it’s going to be a hot summer weekend. Please remember to keep hydrated, maintain physical and social distancing, wear your face mask and wash your hands frequently. The last thing we want to see happen here is for us to look like some of the other states that are clearly trending in the wrong direction. So be safe, be smart, have fun and be Salus Strong!
Mike
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