Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends, Good morning from a rather balmy Chicago, where I am attending Optometry’s Meeting along with Dr. Melissa Trego, about 25 PCO students and other PCO and Salus staff. More about the meeting later in my Final Thoughts. On campus, students from every program are attending classes, labs, and in many instances, clinics.
Here are some recent developments:
THE FIRST OF MANY FIRSTS: Julie Quinlan, MPO, MS, CPO, ATC, likes a challenge, and she’s found a big one as the first faculty member hired for Salus University’s new Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program, scheduled to kick off in the fall of 2022. Read more about Julie here.
POST-BACC ROAD TO SUCCESS: When Kaylea Ellison, PBHS ‘22, got rejected from all the optometry schools to which she had applied, she described it as “gut-wrenching.” But it also strengthened her resolve to find another path to achieve her goal of becoming an optometrist. She then discovered Salus University had a post-baccalaureate program. Read more here about how the post-bacc program helped Kaylea.
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY GRANTS: The Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program at Salus University has received two grants that will be used to help students learn to care for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and acquired brain injuries. For details, click here.
PRIDE MIXER SCHEDULED: As Pride Month comes to an end, CPPD's Jana Walker will host a Pride Mixer from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 25, in the cafe on the Elkins Park campus. There will be snacks, karaoke, and trivia. Please stop by and say hello. This event is open to all who are interested.
PCO RECEPTION: Please join Dr. Trego and others from the university for PCO’S AOA Alumni and Friends Reception later this evening from 5:30 – 7:00 at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, Great Lake C. It will be a good chance to reconnect, relax and just enjoy the evening.
FINAL THOUGHTS: As I noted above, I am attending Optometry’s Meeting this week in Chicago. One of the main purposes of the meeting, other than to provide world-class continuing education, is for both the American Optometric Association and American Student Optometric Association to conduct their internal legislative business including: selection of next year’s officers and resolutions that organize the profession’s priorities for the year, and approval of the annual budget. There are speeches, lobbying for positions and democratic processes that determine the profession’s direction.
I am struck by how well the process works. Successes are built on compromise and an honest, often spirited discussion about important issues. It’s democracy working the way it should. This stands in contrast to what I see at the national level, which is polarized and relatively ineffective. I raise this not to be provocative, but to highlight that democracies are fragile. It’s important not to take what we have in our country for granted. Our democracy can be lost if we don’t pay attention to what’s going on around us.
As you prepare for the weekend, please try to reflect on this because as healthcare providers, what happens to our democracy directly affects how we can provide the care we are so well trained to do. Sadly, those who need our care the most will often be most affected.
Please be safe, stay hydrated when out in the heat, watch out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG.
Mike
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