Welcome New Students: Week of August 27th, 2021

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from a warm and rather steamy Elkins Park campus that has been buzzing with activity since our new and returning students have arrived on campus. It has been wonderful to see our parking lot filled (although not everyone shares my joy in this) and smiling eyes filling every other seat in many or our classrooms. Here are some things that I thought might be of interest to you as you read through this update: 

ORIENTATION WEEK HIGHLIGHTS: Last year for the first time, Orientation Week was a hybrid experience for students — mostly virtual with some on-campus elements of small groupings based on programs, practicing social distancing and mask-wearing rules established to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. But this year, everybody was back in-person, masked and mostly vaccinated. And what a great Orientation Week it was! Click here to read more about it.

WHITE COAT EMOTIONS AND EXCITEMENT: The annual White Coat ceremony, which capped off Orientation Week at the University, had a bit of a twist this year. Because there was no face-to-face ceremony last year due to COVID-19 protocols, this year’s event featured five separate White Coat ceremonies over a two-day period Aug. 19-20. It reminded me of running a marathon and having fun in the process. Read more about this special event for students and their families here.

COVID UPDATE: I am very happy to report that as a campus community we are more than 96% vaccinated. In addition to those who are required to test weekly (approved exemptions and others), we will be commencing a routine testing program in the upcoming weeks. This will allow us to “check the health” of our Salus community over time, allowing us to make adjustments, as needed. To that end, I want to thank everyone for strictly adhering to our masking policy and getting vaccinated and ask that when you sit in the cafeteria, you socially distance yourselves so that there are no more than four people at any table. All these efforts will keep us all healthily and safe in the long run!

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS: Antonio Martinez Barrera considers the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University the perfect place to continue his dream of becoming a licensed optometrist in the United States. Antonio was among the international students we’ve had on campus recently as he pursues a Master of Science (MSc) in Clinical Optometry degree through the University’s Department of International and Continuing Education (DICE). Read more about his journey here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Carlos Rodriguez, Director of the Department of Safety and Security at the University. You’ll notice that Carlos always leaves the door to the Security office open so that students, staff and faculty can feel free to interact with any member of the security team. To read more about Carlos, click here.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEI: Check out the latest podcast with Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, the special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), as she talks about how important it is for the University to have a DEI Committee on campus. Click here for details.

NEW RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Class of 2022 new Resident Spotlight features Dr. Liana Ferreira, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident. Read about how her mother, a nurse practitioner, helped fuel Dr. Ferreira’s decision to pursue a career in healthcare. For the full story, click here.

ARTWORK RETURNS TO GALLERY: After months of having been bare, the wall of the D’Arrigo Family Art Gallery outside of the Bennett Lounge within the Hafter Student Community Center is once again alive with spectacular artwork. An exhibit titled “Textures” was installed Aug. 3, 2021, and will be displayed through September. It features the work of Elynne Rosenfeld, the gallery’s curator, and local artist Rhea Dennis. Check it out next time you’re in the Hafter Center. Read more about it here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I again would like to welcome all our new students to campus. We are thrilled that you’ve entrusted your professional education to us. You won’t be disappointed! A great deal of thought and planning has gone into preparing for your arrival this semester with much of the credit belonging to our fantastic faculty and staff here at Salus. I want to publicly acknowledge their efforts throughout the pandemic, as they have worked to ensure all our students receive the best professional education possible. While Superman was faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings at a single bound, he is no match for our faculty who were able to pivot from face-to-face teaching and learning to a totally virtual environment over the course of a single weekend last March. They are incredible and I believe you will see that, firsthand, as you begin or continue with your academic and clinical endeavors this semester.

I’d also like to thank Dr. Jim Caldwell and his very talented and energetic team for their herculean efforts in flawlessly organizing both our Orientation program and the five White Coat ceremonies that culminated orientation week. In addition to this, Dr. Caldwell and his team also organized our vaccine and testing tracking programs which are now in place.

As you begin this semester, I’d like to remind you about the importance of taking care of yourselves, both physically and mentally. That means eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. While I realize everyone will have busy schedules I want you to think about now how you’re going to prioritize these things into your busy professional lives. For our new students, I strongly encourage you to get into those good habits now – they will be much easier to maintain later. If any of you are feeling a bit overwhelmed this first week, know that it’s not unusual, as the pace here is probably much greater than it was in undergraduate school. If you feel you need to reach out and talk with someone, please don’t forget about our counseling center in the Center for Personal and Professional Development. You can easily make an appoint to speak with any of our counselors by hitting this link. It’s okay to reach out when you think you need some help – believe me, you are not alone!

We’ve made it to the weekend – so I encourage you to get out and enjoy some fresh air and get some exercise. As you go out and about, please remember to wear your face mask when around others and to continue to wash your hands frequently. Be safe, look out for each other and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

A Sincere Thank You to Students, Faculty and Staff: Week of August 20th, 2021

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from a very busy Elkins Park campus where we celebrate the conclusion of an extremely informative and event-filled orientation week with four White Coat ceremonies starting at 9 a.m. today! Yesterday we had the honor and pleasure of “cloaking” second year optometry and audiology students with their white coats to get us started. I’d again like to welcome all of our new students to Salus – It was great to see all of you during our opening session and then again during your program-specific sessions. I look forward to getting to know as many of you as possible through your tenure at Salus. In addition to orientation week events, here are some other things that may be of interest to you:

BEST EYE DOCTORS: PCO has a significant number of graduates on the recently released "Newsweek America's Best Eye Doctors 2021 List of Optometrists.” Included in the criteria for selection were doctors who had earned the most respect from their peers in three categories: the quality of care they provide, the continuity of care and the quality of the technology they use in their practices. Click here to read the list and see which PCO/Salus doctors were included. Congratulations to those selected and thank you for helping the University have a Salus Strong showing on the national stage.

SLP TRACK ADDED TO POST-BACC: Kimberly Edmonds, MS, CCC-SLP, a clinical educator who supervises first-year students in their clinical practicum in Salus University’s department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), has been named coordinator of the Post-baccalaureate program in Health Sciences, SLP concentration. Read more about Kimberly and the SLP track in Post-bacc here.

BLVS SUMMER RESIDENCY PROGRAM: BLVS students were in full learning mode in their specialties — Education of Children with Visual Impairments (TVI), Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT), Orientation and Mobility (O&M), or Low Vision Rehabilitation (LVR) — during the Summer Residency Program on campus. Read more about what this summer’s students have been learning here.

SPOTLIGHTING TWO STAFF MEMBERS: This week’s Staff Spotlights focus on two Salus staffers: Tami April-Davis, who works in the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD); and Allie Levitt, who works in the Registrar’s office. To learn more about Tami and her role, click here. To learn more about Allie and her role, click here. 

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: Our next Students At Leisure (SAL) story features Umar Mahmood ‘22OD, the self-proclaimed “Optometrist With the Nice Kicks.” For Umar, high-end sneakers have become more than a fashion statement. They've become a pretty lucrative side business. Read more about Umar and his side interest here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I want to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated faculty and staff for initially pivoting us from face to face teaching and learning to a virtual format, pretty much overnight, to preparing for this semester’s opening where we can once again enjoy teaching and learning in person. I’d also like to sincerely thank all of our new students for choosing Salus and entrusting us with your professional education for the next two to four years. You’ve worked hard for the unique opportunity to positively affect the lives of others and I strongly encourage you to maintain your focus as you progress through your respective programs. Your future patients and clients will deserve nothing less. The pandemic has clearly exposed the fact that many of our underserved communities faired far worse than others. As we look to solve the issues of health equity, costs and quality, you will be the ones to help develop the solutions that effectively address these issues. That work starts here at Salus.

As we continue to navigate through this fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic I want thank all of you who have gotten vaccinated to date. As a university community, as of yesterday, I am happy to report we are over 92% vaccinated! Vaccination is our only way out of this so the more folks that take the jab, the better off we all are!

As you all know, the Delta variant of the virus is more contagious and potentially more virulent. This is why it’s so important that we all strictly adhere to the Salus Safety Strategy to help keep us all healthy and safe. While I know everyone is supposed to be wearing a facemask, it’s also important to ensure you and your classmates are wearing it correctly - covering your nose and mouth. Otherwise, it’s pretty much useless. In addition to wearing your face mask, please continue to maintain the habit of washing your hands frequently and try to socially distance when you can, understanding that in some lab and clinical settings, that may be difficult.

We’re all in this together. Even with all of the preventive measures we’re taking, there likely will be post-vaccination infections, given the characteristics of the Delta variant. If you are not feeling well, please stay home. If you suspect you might have COVID, either because of the symptoms your manifesting or you’ve been exposed to someone who has, please follow the steps recommended by the CDC (including not returning to a Salus Facility until the CDC criteria to discontinue home isolation are met) in consultation with your health care provider and state and local health departments. Faculty and staff staying home due to symptoms shall notify their supervisor. Students staying home due to symptoms shall notify their program and Student Affairs at saffairs@salus.edu.

As a team, we will get through this just fine. There will be setbacks along the way, but if we strictly follow all the preventive measures we’re taking, they will be minimal and mild. I’m excited about starting this semester and hope you all are as well. Just remember where we were a year ago - My sincere hope is that we don’t have to go back to where we were but can look forward to better days ahead.

I hope you can take some time to enjoy the upcoming weekend. Please continue to keep those in harm’s way in Haiti and Afghanistan in your thoughts.

For those of you new to the area, I encourage you to do some exploring as Philadelphia and our Montgomery County areas have some great places to enjoy nature, learn more about our history or just plain hang out. Please remember, if you do decide to go to a restaurant or bar, you are much safer outside than inside and what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. No matter where you go, if you do go indoors, please wear your face mask! So be smart, be safe and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Preparing to Welcome Our Entering Class: Week of August 13th, 2021

Students, Faculty, Residents, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from a hot and steamy Elkins Park campus where we are preparing to welcome over 370 incoming students to campus next week! This will be the most students we’ve had on campus since March, 2020 when we had to shut down due to the pandemic. We have been working diligently to ensure the health and safety of our new and returning students, and our faculty and staff. Starting today, our vaccine requirement becomes effective for all students, faculty and staff. Unless students, faculty or staff are fully vaccinated, have an approved medical or religious exemption or have a negative Covid test, they will not be permitted on campus or in our clinics. I am hopeful that you all have taken this seriously and have complied with this important policy. While much time and work has been concentrated on the upcoming Orientation week, here are some other things that I hope will be of interest to you:

THE RETURN OF SEP: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University recently welcomed a cohort of 14 PCO/Salus Doctor of Optometry applicants to its recently relaunched Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), renamed the Robert E. Horne SEP as a tribute to its founder. This year, the program’s recruitment efforts placed special emphasis on Black and African American students who are historically underrepresented in health science. Read more here.

ORIENTATION WEEK: As I noted earlier, next week will be a busy week on campus because it’s Orientation Week, where new students have the opportunity to meet various representatives from Salus student service departments, clinical facilities and external organizations that can provide helpful resources to students during their time at the University. Check our website for details.

WHITE COAT CEREMONIES: Next week, we’ll recognize our students with White Coat ceremonies for all three colleges. This annual ceremony represents the transition from student to professional in training as first-year students will receive the symbol of their profession – the white coat. Recipients from all of the University’s clinical specialties include students from the Optometry, Audiology, Physician Assistant Studies, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology degree programs will be honored. Look for stories and photos of the events on our website.

NEW RESIDENT PROFILE: This week’s new Resident profile features Kiera Jeschke, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident. After completing her residency, Dr. Jeschke hopes to work in the neuro-ophthalmic field in a hospital setting, but she hasn’t closed any doors yet. To read more about Dr. Jeschke, go to salus.edu/KieraJeschke.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s been a long road as we’ve navigated through the pandemic and pretty much everyone is ready to be done with it. Just because we’re starting to welcome students, faculty and staff back to campus in large numbers doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods - on the contrary, more than ever, we need to keep our guard up. It’s imperative that we continue to exercise important preventive measures such as masking, frequent hand washing, social distancing when possible and be prepared to pivot as conditions change. We were one of the first groups of local universities to require vaccines for all of our students, faculty and staff to ensure that we could create a safe “bubble” for all of us. Now, most institutions, to include the Federal government and Armed Forces, are following suit for the same reason. Models done by Yale University and others have concluded that vaccination coverage is the most powerful tool available to achieve a safe college environment. We have added an extra level of protection by closely following the CDC’s recommendation for masking for everyone when indoors.

I realize you’ve heard this before but it’s worth repeating - If you are not yet vaccinated, please, get it done now - we are relying on everyone to contribute to our success. Every vaccinated individual at Salus represents a solid link in our protection chain. Those who are not vaccinated are our weak links which present a risk to everyone - especially themselves. As we prepare to start this new, exciting and clearly unprecedented school year, I want everyone to keep in mind that we’re all in this together. For our students, our sole mission is to ensure your success as you learn and embrace your new professions. To our world-class faculty and staff - thank you for all you have done to prepare us for a successful re-opening and great school year. As everyone prepares for this upcoming week, please be mindful of both your physical and mental health and what you will be doing to protect and enhance both. Have a great weekend! Be safe, continue to wear your face masks, wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone to our SALUS STRONG campus next week!

Mike

The Importance of Taking Care of Yourself: Week of August 6th, 2021

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from a sunny and bright Elkins Park campus where we are, once again, all wearing masks, whether we’re fully vaccinated or not in accordance with the latest CDC guidance. As always, the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and patients remain our top concern. Even with the increased precautions, our incredibly talented faculty, student body and staff continue to move things ahead, both on and off campus as we prepare for orientation our White Coat Ceremony and the start of Fall classes. Here are some things you might find of interest:

LVR ACCREDITATION: Congratulations to Salus University’s Low Vision Rehabilitation (LVR) program, in the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS), for being the first program of its kind to achieve accreditation from The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER). Read more here.

MEET THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: In the first of a series, we meet the Salus cast of The College Tour, a TV series produced by Emmy-nominated and multi-award-winning producers featuring individual episodes on colleges and universities across the country. A film crew from The College Tour spent a week at the University’s Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus in early March to capture its specialness. This week we feature Kelly Malloy, OD ‘96, Resident ‘97, FAAO. Click here to read more.

WELCOME BACK: The international mixed cohort that was on campus in April is back again starting today (Aug. 6) for Advanced Studies workshops/labs over the next two weekends and Controlled Patient Care during the weekdays. Their in-person activities culminate on Aug. 20 with White Coat ceremony.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: We’re showcasing some of the great staff members who work at the University in a social media series called “Staff Spotlight.” Some of these will also turn into expanded feature stories on our website. We kicked off the series with Bonnie Taylor from the Institutional Advancement department. Learn more about Bonnie here.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds will be at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 13, titled “We All Know What Dr. Meagher’s Gonna Talk About . . . Glaucoma” with Dr. Andrew Meagher. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: As the progress we have made in fighting the pandemic has most recently reversed course, our levels of stress, fear and uncertainty as we begin this month have undoubtably increased. We continue to face important decisions about how to keep the University community, our families and those patients we care for as safe as possible. While we often think about the toll on our physical health, we often neglect our mental health, which is equally important. As most of you know, the World Health Organization defines health as, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This pandemic has certainly tested that definition as it applies to all of us.

As we prepare to start our Fall semester, I want all of us to take an accounting of our total health and see what we can do better to ensure we are addressing our mental health needs. For many, that might entail looking at your nutritional, exercise and daily sleep routines. Instead of reaching for that donut, maybe you should think about some healthy snack foods such as fruits or nuts and consider adding something to your normal exercise routine such as a short jog or walk? How many hours of sleep are you getting each night? As the semester gets busier, sleep often becomes a casualty of unsuccessful time management. Most experts recommend at least 7 hours of sleep per night for us. While you may not be able to do all of these things, just hitting some of them will make you more productive and feel better.

Even when doing “all the right things,” sometimes we just need someone to talk with who can listen to our concerns, fears and frustrations. To that end, for our students, we have a very engaged and effective counseling service in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) which I encourage you to access, if needed. There’s no shame in reaching out - it’s no different from asking your PCP why your foot hurts. For our faculty and staff, Human Resources has places for you to turn as well. For those benefit eligible employees, Unum has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides unlimited access to consultants by telephone in addition to other resources. For all employees not enrolled in our health plan, your health insurance companies will have mental health resources you can access as well.

I suspect the pandemic will continue to throw challenges our way. I can assure you that we will continue to carefully monitor the situation and make necessary changes in how we conduct our business based on CDC recommendations as well as local conditions. As more people get vaccinated, the better things should get over time. In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to look out for each other and do what’s necessary to balance our educational mission with keeping everyone healthy and safe. That means, continuing to wash our hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, not coming to campus or clinics if you’re not feeling well and wearing your facemask when around others, even if you’re fully vaccinated and socially distance when you can. Also, please remember that the deadline for everyone to be fully vaccinated is next Friday, August 13. If you are not completely vaccinated by that time (2 weeks following your last dose of the vaccine), you will be required to submit proof of a negative test prior to coming onto campus.

Enjoy the weekend and please reflect on what I’ve written, especially as it applies to your mental well-being. I hope to see everyone on campus remaining healthy and SALUS STRONG!

Mike