Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
It’s been another busy week on campus and in our clinics. Students continue to do their work in face to face classes, labs, clinics and also virtually. The fall weather has begun to transform our campus foliage with vibrant colors, which always looks beautiful. Fall is my favorite season, even in the midst of a global pandemic.
DR. GILDA CROZIER – REMEMBERED: As I shared with you earlier this week, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University lost one of its icons with the passing of Dr. Gilda Crozier. Our communications team has written a very informative article about Dr. Crozier that includes information about her funeral arrangements next week. Read the details at salus.edu/GildaCrozier.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FALL GRADUATES: Once again, congratulations to our fall graduates who are now ready to take on the world. It’s now time to take advantage of all that you’ve learned during your time at Salus and apply those skills to the patients and clients. To read more about our virtual ceremony that was aired Oct. 13, 2020, please go to salus.edu/FallCommencement2020.
NATIONAL PA WEEK: We continue to recognize National Physician Assistant Week. Like every healthcare professional, physician assistants (PA) have been put to the test as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out “A Day in the Life” of some of our PA students at salus.edu/PAweek. Students can also submit their own stories to be spotlighted on the University’s website and social media here.
MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS: Congratulations to two of our 2020 Presidential Medal of Honor Award winners, including Dr. Victor Hugo Bray, who you can read more about at salus.edu/VictorBray and Dr. Andrew Gurwood, who you can read more about at salus.edu/GurwoodAward. I’m proud of the work that Drs. Bray and Gurwood have done for this well-earned honor. The other 2020 award winners will also be featured with stories on our website in the coming weeks.
BLINDNESS AWARENESS MONTH: October is Blindness Awareness Month and according to the World Health Organization, there are 285 million people who are visually impaired worldwide, 39 million of whom are completely blind. You can read more about this here.
HAFTER STUDENT CENTER: The Hafter Student Community Center reopened last month with new capacity limits in place — a maximum of 15 people per one-hour workouts are now allowed, which also includes the use of the gymnasium. We all should continue to stick to our exercise routines the best we can during the pandemic, and with the fall weather quickly approaching, the Hafter Center is a great place for your indoor workouts. Read more about the protocols that are in place at salus.edu/HafterWorkout.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON STRESS: I want to address this last section specifically to our students. We all realize how much stress you are all under, especially those of you who are just starting your professional programs. There’s a great deal going on around us and there’s also much to get accustomed to in school – between new schedules, new living environments, new subject matter to learn and working with new friends and colleagues in a virtual environment. I want you to know that you’re not alone – not at all. If you’re having difficulty with a specific subject I can pretty much guarantee that many of your classmates are experiencing the same challenges. The difference is that you just don’t have the opportunity to “compare notes” as you would have if we were not living in a mostly virtual world.
For our first-year students, I can remember my first year at PCO, yes, way back when, sitting in Dr. Lorraine Lombardi’s anatomy lectures trying to figure out how I was going to remember all that stuff. Throw in ophthalmic and physiological optics and my head was spinning – and I was a pretty good student. It took a little over a semester both to realize I had this and also that I wasn’t alone. Most of my classmates were feeling the same way. The biggest difference between then and now is that we could easily share our concerns during lunch or in other social settings. That’s clearly more difficult now. Your deans, program directors and faculty all realize the stress you’re currently under. While there is no simple answer and everyone copes with stress a bit differently, I have some suggestions to help you through this that have served me well over the years:
Stay focused on your studies - Keep up with your learning and try not to fall behind. Not only is focusing on school a great break from focusing on what’s going on in the world, it’s also a way to progress in your life while everything else seems like it’s on pause.
Develop a routine you can stick to - Sounds basic, but it will make a world of difference. Get up, make your bed (now you’ve accomplished at least one thing!), do some exercise, have breakfast, etc.
Get enough sleep – This also sounds pretty basic and to some, maybe it seems like “mission impossible” but the better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind will be at handling things that come your way, to include stress. Prioritize sleep over other things and you’ll be more productive, resilient and attentive.
Get outside and enjoy the fresh air – There are so many places around us that you can go and safely walk around in nature that will help to calm your mind and present opportunities for some exercise at many levels.
Make sure you have what you need for the next day - Check the schedule, lay out your clothes, make your lunch, etc.
Use social media purposefully and not nonchalantly – Limit your screen time and refrain from posting for “likes” or for the sake of making the “best content”. Use social media to connect with some new classmates or the people you miss seeing every day.
We all understand what you’re going through as many of us are feeling some of the same stressors. As I’ve said many times, and still believe, the pandemic will eventually end. While it won’t be tomorrow or even by the end of next semester, but it will end. In the meantime, we all need to remain focused, healthy and optimistic, which is the most difficult task. We have skilled counselors in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) who are there for you. I would strongly encourage you to contact them, if you feel like you need to. All you need to do is make an appointment here.
Finally, all the weather apps are saying after Friday’s rain, it should be a nice fall weekend. I strongly encourage you all to get out and enjoy the good weather while we still have it. As the numbers of COVID-19 cases increase in Pennsylvania and in surrounding states, it’s even more important that you continue to practice the good prevention measures that have proven to be effective. Continue to wear your face mask when around others, practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. Remember what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!
Mike
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