Addressing Stress In Our Lives: Week of February 24, 2023

 

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

Good morning on a beautiful winter morning from our Elkins Park campus. It’s been another very productive and busy week on campus. On Wednesday we were honored to host Rosemont College President Jim Cawley along with their academic leaders to work on pathways for Rosemont students to gain admission to Salus. It was exciting to hear the abundance of great ideas and to see relationships being built. In addition to all these activities, here are some other items of interest:

WELCOMING AN INTERIM PROVOST: Dr. Gerard (Gerry) O’Sullivan will be joining Salus University as Interim Provost effective March 1, 2023. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in higher education. We are thrilled to have him join our team!

NEW BOT MEMBERS: We are delighted to welcome Eskedar Getahun, Daniel Liberman and William McCune to our Salus University Board of Trustees effective January 2023. Collectively they bring tremendous experience and expertise. We are so excited to have their leadership. Read more about them here.

SAFE ZONE TRAINING: The first of two Safe Zone Training sessions, hosted by the University’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the DEI committee, will be held today from noon to 2 p.m. The second session will be on April 18. All are encouraged to attend. Click here to register and for more information.

CAPSTONE CHALLENGE: For her Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Capstone Project, Chrislyn Cabonilas, MMS ’22, chose the topic “Can hormone replacement therapy decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease in women?” Click here to find out what she discovered.

LEARNING STYLE SCREENING: Please stop by the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) at W300B, C, E for a learning style screening event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb 27. Screenings are brief and free. Walk-ins welcome. Students are encouraged to stop by to chat with the counselors and receive more information about counseling services and learning styles. Two goodie bags will be raffled off to those who stop in and fill out a screening form.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Today our city mourns the loss of Temple Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Once again, our community has been rocked by senseless gun violence. Our hearts and prayers are with Officer Fitzgerald’s family, colleagues and the Temple University community.

Last week I wrote about the epidemic of loneliness, despair and pessimism about the future of our country, that was cited by the Surgeon General, and the importance of human connection. I believe the tragic death of Officer Fitzpatrick and many other violent acts -- that we hear about almost daily, find their roots in the Surgeon General’s concerns.

Everyone in our Salus community is acutely aware of stress, whether it be from our busy schedules, family issues or everything else swirling around us in the world. To that end, I want to remind you of some strategies and tools that help:

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.

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. If you have children, limit their use of social media and monitor it frequently.

Develop a routine you can maintain - Sounds basic, but it makes 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 – The better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind are at handling things that come your way including stress. Prioritize sleep and you’ll be more productive, resilient and attentive. 

Get outside – There are so many places around us that you can go and safely walk around in nature to clear your mind and get some exercise.

Make sure you have what you need for the next day - Check the schedule, lay out your clothes, make your lunch, etc.

These strategies support focus, health and optimism, which is the most difficult task. We have skilled counselors in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) who are there for you. All you need to do is make an appointment here.

As we prepare for the weekend, this up-and-down weather will be leaving us much colder on Saturday and then warmer on Sunday. Try to get out and enjoy the fresh air! Be safe, continue to remain vigilant concerning the prevention of COVID and other illnesses which are still going around so you can remain SALUS STRONG! Have a great weekend!

-Mike

Addressing the Gun Violence Public Health Crisis: Week of May 20th, 2022

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where preparations for our upcoming commencement ceremony at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts are in full swing! We’ve begun our summer semester, so there is still quite a bit of activity on campus between our international students and residential students in classes, labs and clinic.

Here are some items of interest:

SERVICE LEARNING: For years — with a few years off due to the pandemic — students in our Physician’s Assistant program, which emphasizes experiential and service learning, have volunteered at the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA) of Philadelphia. Read more here about their experience this year.

BLVS PILOT PROGRAM: Salus University’s Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) department has partnered with the Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Service Foundation (NEPALSF) for a pilot program bringing quality services to northeast Pennsylvania. The program will provide up to five Salus BLVS students with a stipend to do a semester-long direct service internship in northeastern Pennsylvania, with the ultimate goal of attracting students to jobs in that area after graduation. Read more about it here.

CONTROLLED PATIENT CARE PROGRAM: The MSCO (Clinical Optometry with an Advanced Studies Certificate Degree Program) students are on campus this week for their Controlled Patient Care (CPC) program. During this program, students have the opportunity to examine patients with unusual and rare eye conditions while under the supervision of Salus instructors. Robert Andersson, MSc ‘10, PhD ‘18, is serving as their lead instructor. They are also working with Carlo Pelino, OD ‘94, FAAO, and Luis Trujillo, OD ‘09, Pediatric Resident ’12, in the CPC program.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week two more mass shootings across our country resulted in eleven people killed and seven people wounded. These incidents bring the total of mass shootings in the U.S. to 198 this year. The public health emergency of gun violence across our country has only gotten worse over time. I will continue to keep this at the forefront of our thoughts, because it impacts us as healthcare providers, and because it affects nearly every segment of our society. 

While gun violence remains a complex and challenging public health epidemic, we can take steps to address it. Mental health support and stricter controls on who can purchase guns, remain central to what many experts believe can begin to address the issue. As healthcare providers, we can bring our medical experience to actively engage our legislators, who control both funding for many community-based mental health programs and legislation. Standing by and admiring this problem, without being vocal and engaged, only perpetuates the issue.

As you begin your weekend, please consider what steps you will take to address this public health menace that plagues our communities. Together we can make a difference.

Enjoy the sun, stay hydrated as temperatures soar into the 90’s and wear sunscreen in addition to your face masks. Remember, the pandemic is still very much with us, even with the increased heat.

Stay safe, stay smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Assuring Equitable Access with Equal Quality in Healthcare: Week of November 5th, 2021

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

Greetings from sunny and rather cool Boston, MA, where I, along with many of our PCO colleagues have been attending the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry. It’s nice to be back to an “in-person” format – of course with everyone wearing masks indoors. PCO/Salus has been well-represented at this meeting with many of our faculty and PCO alumni presenting lectures and posters. In addition to attending the meeting, I’d like to make you aware of several other important activities also going on around campus: 

STRESS MANAGEMENT: According to the American College Health Association, prior to the pandemic, 66 percent of graduate students reported “above average” stress. I suspect the pandemic has increased that number significantly. While many students experience stress, those in graduate school experience a unique set of pressures that may lead to a higher level than ever before. Here at Salus, we are very much aware of that. To help, Dr. Molly Marcus of the University’s Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) will be stationed outside the cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, to offer additional resources for stress management. Please try and stop by and pick up some tips and goodies.

COVID-19 3rd DOSE/BOOSTER SHOTS: We had approached Yorktown Pharmacy about coming to campus to provide 3rd dose/boosters but given their current staffing and the differing time frames and type of vaccines needed for the community, they are not able to provide 3rd dose/boosters on campus. They are encouraging our Salus community to get their boosters by making an appointment through their website. If Yorktown is not convenient for you, I suggest you go to the Montgomery County vaccine website and schedule your 3rd dose/boosters through them. Both options work very well. I strongly encourage you to get your 3rd dose/booster if you’re eligible.

CONVERGENCE INSUFFICIENCY STUDY: Backed by a $3.7 million grant from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Mitchell Scheiman, OD, PhD, Dean of Research and professor in the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University and an expert on convergence insufficiency (CI), will be part of a multi-institutional team seeking to establish guidelines that will help clinicians diagnose and treat concussion-related CI. To read more about the study, click here.

‘BEE THE OT’: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Brandi DeVeaux, MS, OTR/L, CLT, affectionately known as “Bee the OT.” She joined the Occupational Therapy (OT) Department just before the fall 2021 semester as an associate professor. To read more about Brandi, click here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Did you know that in addition to her experience and expertise in DEI, she’s a dancer and a movie buff? Read more about “Dr. J.” here. 

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH: November is Native American Heritage Month. The observation is marked to recognize and pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. We honor the more than 500 tribal nations, their care, concern, and cultivation of this land, recognizing their position as the indigenous peoples of America.

DIWALI: Yesterday began the five-day celebration of Diwali, “Festival of Lights.” Celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains globally, this holiday marks a period of new beginnings and triumph over darkness. Happy Diwali, peace and blessings to you and your family.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today, Nov. 5, starting at 12:15 p.m. Gabriela Rachmaciej and Halle Rouser will present on “Single Sided Deafness and Cochlear Implant Success.” Click here to join the meeting.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s resident profile features Kevin Feng, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident, who decided to follow in his aunt’s career footsteps and become an optometrist. Read more about Dr. Feng here.

THE RETURN OF THE SOIREE: After a hiatus because of the pandemic, Salus Soiree is back. The soiree is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12, on the Spirit of Philadelphia. Students will board from 7:30 to 8 p.m. and cruise from 8 to 11 p.m.

NOA HONOR: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University was officially presented with the National Optometric Association (NOA) 2021 School of the Year award during the University’s inaugural DEI Speaks event hosted on campus last month. The award was originally announced at the NOA’s recent 51st convention, which took place virtually earlier this year. Read about it here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The plenary session at this year’s Academy meeting featured Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, former president of Spelman College and author of the bestselling book, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria”, Dr. Leslie Walker-Harding, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington and Senior Vice-President for Seattle Children’s Hospital, Dr. Marcela Frazier, a member of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Medicine’s Pediatric Division and Dr. Edward Jones, President of the National Optometric Association. While there were many salient points made during the conversation, a couple of points really hit home. One related to unconscious bias, which are social stereotypes we all have about certain groups of people that form outside one’s own conscious awareness. It was pointed out that we all hold unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups. These biases originate from our tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing people into certain groups. As healthcare providers, it is essential that we all recognize this as a potential blind spot, so we are not unconsciously providing inequitable care or contributing to substandard care to certain groups.

The second point which was exceptionally striking to me was the shift we have seen in our country’s population from being predominantly white back in the 1950’s to now, where we are much more racially/ethnically diverse and projected to be majority people of color by 2045. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, white persons constituted 88.6 percent of the total population in 1960 and 89.3 percent in 1950. In 2018, according to U.S. Census data, the percentage of the U.S. population that is white has dropped to about 60% (partially due to changes is racial/ethnic classifications), with the Census Bureau projecting that more children of color than white children will be born this year. Further, people of color accounted for 92% of the U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2018, with Latinos comprising just under half of the nation’s overall growth. The patients that our new graduates will be caring for will come from much more diverse ethnic backgrounds. As we live through this change in our nation’s demographics it becomes increasingly more important to be aware of not only the changes that are occurring but the biases, we bring with us. As we strive to ensure equitable access to high quality health care, we also must be working diligently to ensure that equity remains our goal for all in current and future care. It’s easy to say, but I would suggest to you, based on history, much more difficult to execute. Thus, the importance of being acutely aware of our social blind spots as we navigate these relatively uncharted waters.

I hope everyone has a nice, restful weekend. Please, if you’re out and about, wear your face mask when around others, certainly indoors when not at home, wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. Remember, what you do off campus, directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be smart and stay SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of Practicing Mutual Respect: Week of October 8th, 2021

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus on a very nice Fall morning. The campus has been extremely busy between welcoming guests, conducting interviews and holding in-person classes and labs. On Wednesday, we had the honor to host Dr. Kim McCurdy, the Bureau Director of Post-Secondary and Adult Education for the Pennsylvania Department of Education where we had the opportunity to show her around our Elkins Park campus and tell her all about Salus. Here are some other things that are happening that you might be interested in:

BACK AT THE KIMMEL!: We’re looking forward to being back at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia for commencement next week at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12. (A reminder that the Kimmel Center requires proof of vaccination to enter the building.) Read more about our keynote speaker Alison Beam, Acting Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, here. The day before commencement on Monday, Oct. 11, we will have the Fall Graduate Luncheon starting at noon at Presidential Caterers. The evening before commencement, we will also have the PA Long White Coat ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center. 

SAFE ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPING: Let me add my voice to the reminder we got from our Department of Technology and Learning Resources about October being Cybersecurity Month. The United States Cyber Security & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has posted a helpful list of tips and tricks to keep us all safe with our online holiday shopping. Please take a moment and read these tips and tricks here. 

MEDAL WRAP-UP: Coming off our Presidential Medal and Alumni Association awards ceremony last week, I’d like to draw your attention to three stories on our website. First, the story on the ceremony itself, which you can read about here. Then, a story on the recognition we gave to longtime Board of Trustees chair Jo Surpin, which you can read here. And finally, a feature on one of the 2021 medal winners, Dr. Sarah Appel, which you can read here. Once again, congratulations to all of our winners.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s staff spotlight features Jackie Todaro, who works in the Osborne College of Audiology. To read more about Jackie, click here.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s new resident feature is on Anthony Boyd, OD, ‘22Resident, who discovered his love for optometry when he started working as an optometric technician at a private practice. What he didn’t immediately realize was that accepting the technician job was “the moment” that would solidify his future. Read more about Dr. Boyd here.

RETURN TO GUATEMALA: Nine students from the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program and one from the Occupational Therapy (OT) program, along with two PA faculty members, were in Guatemala from Aug. 21 through Aug. 29, our first mission trip since the pandemic started. To read more about this great experience for our students, click here. 

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next virtual Audiology Grand Rounds will be today (Oct. 8) at 12:15 p.m. Jenna Putnam and Courtney Luikert, both from the Class of 2023, will present on “Hidden Hearing Loss.”

FINAL THOUGHTS: It is an understatement to say that the past 19 months have been extremely challenging and stressful for all of us. I also recognize that the normal demands of learning new professions, teaching, providing clinical care and even challenges in our personal lives can occasionally lead to additional stress. These stressors can cause people to behave in ways they normally would not, sometimes manifesting in disrespectful interactions between people.

We have always been committed to equity, inclusion and providing a respectful environment to teach, learn and work at Salus and I want that to continue to be the norm, as it’s been a hallmark of what we believe.

Most recently, however, I have seen or experienced several examples of where stress may have gotten the better of people, with respect for one another or differences of perspective not being regarded. We often talk about being an institution that teaches how to cure, and in so doing, we also teach how to care. I would hope that we can transfer those values of cure and care in all that we do — with our patients and clients, of course, but also in our encounters with one another. We can all benefit from being more mindful in our communication and interactions, considering how it will impact our community members. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves”. We all should take these words to heart in our daily interactions.

If you are feeling stressed and would like to talk with one of our counselors, students can make appointments on the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) page on our website. Faculty and staff, can contact Human Resources. 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.

As you prepare for this weekend and the busy next week with Fall commencement and other associated activities, please try to reflect on the importance of mutual respect, care and concern for one another.

Enjoy the good weather. When you go out and about, please remember that what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. So, please wear your face mask when going inside and if you’re around large numbers of people outside. Be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

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

New CDC Guidelines on Masks and Social Distancing: Week of May 14th, 2021

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

Good morning from a very sunny and nice Elkins Park campus. It’s been an extremely quiet week around campus as we are between semesters. While student and faculty have been getting some much needed rest, other activities have been taking place. Late yesterday, the CDC changed their guidelines regarding the wearing of face masks for fully vaccinated people. I address this in my “Final Thoughts” below.

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH: It's Mental Health Month and I can't think of a better time to discuss the hardships our students have faced throughout the course of the pandemic. For more than a year, we've all been handling an added dose of stress from the unrelenting nature of the situation. Click here to read about how Robert O’Brien, MS, ATR, LCP, a counselor in the University’s Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), and his fellow counselors have continued to help students weather tumultuous times combined with the challenges of graduate school.

MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION: One of our newest student organizations is the Salam Salus Muslim Student Association and I had the personal opportunity to address students face-to-face again, something I sincerely miss and enjoy. I hope the group's first meeting that was held in-person April 30 was the curtain opener to more on-campus student events as COVID-19 health guidelines begin to loosen and capacity limits increase throughout the state. Read more about our gathering, where we were masked and socially-distanced, here.

SPRING COMMENCEMENT: Speaking of student events, the Class of 2021 will also experience a memorable Commencement. The University's 122nd Commencement will be a hybrid celebration, including both in-person Graduate Recognition Events on Tuesday, May 25 and Wednesday, May 26 as well as a University-wide virtual Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 27 at 2 p.m. The in-person recognition events are college-based and times vary. You can access the full schedule of events, FAQs and the livestreams at salus.edu/virtualcommencement. Read about our keynote speaker Congresswoman Madeleine Dean and our honorary degree recipient Robert E. Horne, who retired as vice president and dean of Student Affairs at Salus in 2012. Dean Horne will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during virtual Commencement.

ONGOING PODCAST SERIES: Join Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Salus, as he speaks with the clinical education director and four current students about their collaboration with the ReMed Brain Injury Group at the University's Speech-Language Institute. Click here to listen.

RESIDENTS DAYS: Looking ahead, Dr. Shital Mani, director of the Off-Campus Residency Program and Dr. Bhawan Minhas, director of the On-Campus Residency Program, will host the sixth annual Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus Residents Days next week on Thursday, May 20. Lectures will cover a wide range of topics including glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmic conditions, anterior segment, posterior segment, low vision, contact lens, peri-operative care, pediatrics, vision therapy and traumatic brain injury. The event will be livestreamed and you can sign up here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Many of you have likely seen the new CDC guidelines published yesterday that were quickly adopted by Pennsylvania. Based on real-world, scientific studies, the new guidance states that fully vaccinated individuals (14 days after receiving their last dose) can “resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” This is great news and yet another reason to get your vaccination, if you already haven’t. It also suggests that we have turned a corner on the pandemic.

Accordingly, we are amending the Salus Safety Strategy to follow CDC’s updated guidance and provide that all people on the Elkins Park campus WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED will no longer be required to wear a facemask or physically distance. Vaccination status will be measured according to the self reporting system. We will rely largely on your personal ethics, but will also conduct spot checks to ensure everyone complies. If anyone not wearing a mask has not self-reported being vaccinated, we will consider this a 1st violation and that person will receive a warning. A 2nd violation will result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal/termination. Face masks and physical distancing will still be required in all of our clinical areas. To view the new CDC guidelines, click here.

It’s also important to note that it is perfectly acceptable for people to wear their facemask, even if they are fully vaccinated. Please do what is within your comfort zone, understanding that for some it will take time to adapt to yet another new normal, which is perfectly okay.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you will still be required to wear a face mask and physically distance on the Elkins Park campus. I encourage you to talk to friends and other trusted information sources that can address any concerns you may have about getting vaccinated so you will feel more comfortable getting that extremely important jab.

This change is what everyone has been hoping for - so please, if you’re not yet vaccinated, take the initiative to get it done.

As you prepare for what looks like a very nice weekend, please continue to wear your face mask indoors if you are not vaccinated, socially distance and wash your hands frequently. Also, as you go out and about, it appears several businesses will still require masks to be worn inside, whether you're fully vaccinated or not. So, please be sure to adhere to local rules. 

Be safe, stay smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Gun Violence is a Public Health Emergency: Week of March 26th, 2021

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

Good morning from our nation’s capital where I am here to attend the bi-annual meeting of the Department of Veteran Affair’s Special Medical Advisory Group meeting, of which I am a member. One nice advantage of being down in DC for the meeting is I get to jog along the National Mall and around many of the monuments, which was a nice treat this morning. The cherry blossoms are even starting to bloom! While I’m down here, there is much happening around campus:

DEI FORUM ADDRESSING PERSPECTIVES ON RACISM & HATE FOR ASIAN AMERICANS: I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Mosley-Williams for organizing a very informative and timely panel discussion that focused on the most recent violence against the Asian American population in our country. Very special thanks to forum panelists Salus Board member Joyce Koh, JD; Salus partner, Ken Wong; and Chestnut Hill College professor and psychologist, Bindu Methikalam, PhD for your very personal insights and thoughts. For those who did not have a chance to see this, please click here and insert the following password: mFUZkbp5 to access the recording of the session.

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP: An historic number of women at Salus University have taken on top leadership positions. They sit on the President’s Council and the Board of Trustees. They all have come ready to help lead Salus and its clinical facilities. In honor of Women’s History Month, meet a few of the University’s women in leadership. Click here to read more. 

LIGHTHOUSE AWARD WINNER: This year’s recipient of the Looking Out for Kids 2021 “Lighthouse Award” is TD Bank. We are thrilled to honor the bank with this award. Our relationship is more than just one of a business association, as the bank has genuinely become partners with us on many fronts. To read more about the bank’s commitment to Salus and its communities, go here. The University’s 14th annual LOFK fundraiser, held virtually this year, will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 1. To purchase virtual tickets or VIP reception boxes online, visit our website here.

LENA START GRANT: Salus University’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology has been awarded a one-time grant from the LENA Foundation to Launch LENA Start, a parent program that uses regular feedback from LENA's "talk pedometer" technology to help increase interactive communication in order to close the early-talk gap, improve school readiness, and build stronger families. Read more here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: This week’s Where Are They Now features Emily Swavely, MS ’17, who now works as a speech therapist at an elementary school in the Owen J. Roberts School District in the Pottstown, Pennsylvania, area. To read more, go here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I read the paper, listened to the news and walked around Washington last evening, I could not get the thoughts of the most recent gun violence out of my mind. While, unfortunately, this is nothing new in our country, it is something that must be addressed. While there are myriad causes for this epidemic that include mental health conditions, poverty, and many of the social determinants of health, there are some things that can and should be done to make it more difficult for those who shouldn’t have firearms to get one. In our country, just this year alone, there were 107 mass shootings (defined as 4 or more victims), 122 people killed, 325 injured, for a total of 447 total victims, including the shooters in some instances.

According to a recent New York Times article, guns account for over 40,000 deaths annually in the U.S. This includes homicides, suicides and accidents. While gun violence, such as mass shootings and other homicides tend to get all the press attention, the fact remains that over 50% of these deaths are from suicide. No matter how you look at it, deaths attributed to guns represent a public health emergency.

If you compare the U.S. to other developed countries (see chart), you will find, not surprisingly, that the number of guns that are civilian-owned directly relate to the number of gun deaths. What stands out is just how many more guns are owned in the U.S. compared to other developed countries. If we are to begin to curb this very disturbing trend, we need a multi-pronged approach that includes funding for mental health initiatives, enhanced suicide prevention initiatives, enacting effective gun control laws such as universal background checks, barring people with a history of mental illness and domestic violence from purchasing guns and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines for starters. I raise this issue not to make a political statement, but rather to raise your awareness as healthcare professionals. Gun violence is a public health emergency. We all have a responsibility to recognize it as such and to do what we can to influence public policy to help turn this around.

As you think about all this, I hope you can get out and enjoy some of the good weather we’re having. Please stay safe, continue to wear your double face mask when around others, socially distance and wash your hands frequently.

You are SALUS STRONG because of your commitment to helping others improve their lives.

Mike

COVID Alert PA App: Week of October 2nd, 2020

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where the trees are starting to turn colors and it’s really starting to look like fall outside. There’s been lots of activity on campus this week and even last weekend as students began to learn new clinical skills in all of our professions. It brought back painful memories watching our optometry students learn retinoscopy using schematic eyes as well as thoughts of how technology has really changed over the years to help augment that. It was much more fun to watch our OT students meander around the building with wheelchairs and other mobility devices! So, here’s what’s happening:

COVID ALERT PA APP: The State of Pennsylvania just released a new app, COVID Alert PA, that will use Bluetooth technology to alert a person when they have come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. You just need to go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to get it. The app runs on iPhones that support iOS 13.5 and higher, and Android phones running Android 6.0 and higher. According to the PA Website, users can help fight COVID-19 by opting to tell the Department of Health, through the app, how you are feeling daily and whether you have any COVID-19 symptoms. If you do have symptoms, the app will give you information on what to do. This tool helps you track your own symptoms within the app, and you’ll get public health information based on your responses. The app also can provide timely alerts if you’ve had a potential exposure to someone who tested positive for the virus. I’ve already downloaded as have everyone living in our house. I strongly encourage all of you to sign on. To learn more about this go here.

STRESS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT GROUP: Salus alumni, Olivia Cheng, MSOT '18, and current Salus Occupational Therapy (OT) students, Gina Inglese, '20OT, and Elisabeth Van Horn, '20OT, set out to help their fellow healthcare workers by creating a stress management support group to help during this uncertain time. You can check out their podcast here.

NEW DAY IN THE LIFE SERIES: Check out our “Day in the Life” series featuring second-year OT student Kristen Hasse, '21OT. Read more here. Also, our “I Chose Salus” series this week features Optometry student Stephen Shalamanda, '24OD. Read more about that here.

PEI AND SLI PODCAST: Lindsay Bondurant, PhD, CCC-A, director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) and Bob Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, chair of the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) department, did a 30-minute podcast during the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (PCOM) Virtual Wellness Fair Sept. 26. Dr. Bondurant spoke about the services provided by PEI and the role of audiologists. Bob gave an overview of services provided by the Speech-Language Institute (SLI). The session was live and included questions from attendees.

InfantSEE LAUNCH: Launched in 2005, InfantSEE, a public health program managed by Optometry Cares — The American Optometric Association’s Foundation — is celebrating 15 years of service, providing assessments to more than 150,000 infants. InfantSEE optometrists provide comprehensive infant eye assessments between six and 12-months of age free of charge regardless of family income or access to insurance coverage. The Eye Institute (TEI) at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University is proud to be a participating provider of this national program.

SALUS CUP COMPETITION: The Hafter Center has updated its annual Salus Cup to accommodate the current situation. Teams are comprised of classmates within their respective academic programs. Faculty, staff and residents are on an additional team together. Ways to receive and lose points during the Salus Cup: 

• Make a reservation for a workout block (+1)
• Attend your workout block reservation (+1)
• Sign up via PTMinder for a livestream class (+1)
• Participate in a livestream class (+1)
• Miss your reserved workout block time without canceling (-1)

Points will be added up at the end of each week and the team with the most points at the end of the week will receive one Salus Cup point. The team with the most Salus Cup points at the end of October wins. For clarification or more information, contact the Hafter centers trainers.

VOTING: The right to vote is the cornerstone of our American democracy. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as we read about potential disruptions to the voting process, it is imperative that you plan ahead. If you’re planning to vote by mail, these are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know the location and times your polling place will be open. You can find that by accessing the PA voter website here.

FLU SHOTS: If you haven’t already gotten your flu shots, it’s not too late. I strongly encourage all of you to get your flu shots, especially this year. We’ve been working with Temple Health to ensure it’s as easy as possible. This will be a drive-through event that will be staged in the parking area closest to Township Line Road. The next dates the flu shots will be available on campus are as follows:

• 10/9: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• 10/16: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• 10/23: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Please dial 215-517-5000 option 1. Any staff member can take your information over the phone to register you, but we were told that you should ask for Korliy and Kaila.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As the nicer fall weather becomes more inviting to do things outdoors, it’s imperative we all remember we’re in the midst of a pandemic. While it’s clearly safer to do things outdoors, it’s still extremely important to practice social distancing and wear a cloth face mask when around others, yes, even outdoors, if you cannot maintain a safe distance of at least six feet. As the weather gets colder, things will begin to move indoors, which presents even more risk of airborne exposure to the virus. If you do decide to venture into a restaurant or other eating establishment, please ensure that it is well-ventilated and there is ample distance between you and the other patrons. A recent CDC MMWR (Morbidity, Mortality Weekly Report) study found that for new COVID-19 positive patients over 18 years old, 42% of them reported dining at a restaurant, including indoor, patio and outdoor seating. It’s not too much of a stretch to assume that indoor venues present a greater risk than outdoor venues, simply due to diminished ventilation. Either way, it appears we assume a greater risk participating in these types of events. According to the CDC risk stratification, the more an individual interacts with others, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The risk of COVID-19 spread increases in a restaurant or bar setting as follows:

• Lowest Risk: Food service limited to drive-thru, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick-up.
• More Risk: Drive-thru, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick-up emphasized. On-site dining limited to outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
• Even More Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
• Highest Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart.

I’m not suggesting you don’t go out and enjoy yourselves – but if you do, please be aware of the risks involved and do everything you can to mitigate those risks. Finally, the weekend looks to be nice so do get out and enjoy yourselves. Continue to social distance, wear a cloth face mask when around others and wash your hands frequently. Also, please remember that what you do off campus will directly affect all of us on campus.

Be safe, have some fun, be responsible and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Optimistic in the Midst of a Crisis: Week of April 3rd, 2020

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

It’s finally starting to look like spring in Elkins Park. Even with our shelter in place order in effect, I try to get to campus at least once a week to check on those few essential personnel who are there to assure our campus remains safe and our IT systems remain up and running.

What struck me this last time on campus, amid all the chaos and discouraging news about the pandemic, our pear and cherry trees are blooming, the daffodils and tulips are coming out of the ground and there was an air of peace and tranquility around our campus. In addition to taking a photo, I couldn’t help but stop and think how lucky we all are to be able to work, learn and come to a place that teaches others to heal while surrounded by a soothing environment. I couldn’t help but feel optimistic and encouraged by the sprouting of new life all around, even in the midst of this crisis.

The experts tell us things are going to get worse before they get better. It may be several months before we regain some sense of normalcy and even that will be different. Major events will be cancelled because bringing large groups together will be dangerous for many months out. Media will report the worst news, and sometimes even report about the good things people do to help each other. While all this is happening around us, it’s extremely important to maintain focused on our goals and those people closest to us. It’s also important to do everything you can to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. The physical part is the easiest one – social and physical distancing, washing our hands and staying at home. The mental part, well, that’s a little more difficult. Many of us are having a hard time sleeping. That’s perfectly normal during stressful times. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation makes everything seem worse and really does a job on our mental health. Our counseling team has put together several resources that I encourage all of you to check out.

On the home front, congratulations to Dr. Satya Verma who has been named to the National Optometry Hall of Fame. Dr. Verma will celebrate his 50th year on the PCO faculty in 2021. I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this honor than Satya. To read more about Dr. Verma’s impressive career (and how we always mess up his birthday) click here. Dr. Verma is supposed to receive his award at the upcoming Optometry’s Meeting in June.

Finally, I want to end today’s update with a message of hope. Winston Churchill said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. I know it’s difficult to see this now, but some good things will come out of this crisis. We will be smarter, more resilient, and will have learned to cope under difficult circumstances. I can’t help but think of those who lived under the threat of being bombed every night, not knowing if they’d live to see the next day during World War II. We will see the next day - and many more to follow. It’s important to maintain a positive attitude, look out for one another and continue to follow all the appropriate health guidelines. Your education will continue, our patients will return to our clinics and we will smarter, stronger and more thankful for the simple things surrounding us.

Atached is a photo of the USNS Comfort as she steamed into New York Harbor earlier this week. She serves not just as a floating hospital, but a symbol of caring and hope. When I saw that I felt a sense of pride – proud of the way we take care of our own. That’s what you’re all training to do – take care of others. Be proud, be brave and be safe.

Enjoy your weekend of social distancing and take note of the good things we all have. There still is much to be thankful for.

Mike

Greetings from Atlanta: Week of March 6th, 2020

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

Greetings from Atlanta, where it’s been raining since Monday and I have ordered wood from Home Depot to begin building an ark! I saw a peek of the sun before sunset last night which was very encouraging! Hopefully, today will be much nicer. Many of us are here for the annual meeting of the Southern Educational Congress of Optometry (SECO), which has been a great meeting, so far! Several of our faculty are lecturing which, of course, raises the quality of the meeting logarithmically! Before you ask, we’re all routinely washing our hands, using hand sanitizer and not getting too close to one another. 

Last Saturday I was honored to commission one of our students, Payton Burke ’21AUD, into the Army in a special ceremony that was attended by her family, friends, classmates and administrators. Payton has been a fantastic student leader and the Army is getting a real winner. I think any of the Services offer our students a very unique opportunity not only to serve our country, but also to really learn how to practice their professions. I encourage as many as are interested to look at this as an option. It’s a great way to serve and learn.

Many of you have heard that Salus has partnered with National Vision to advance optometric education by developing a pilot program focused on training students on conducting remote eye exams utilizing high-tech equipment and real-time secure HD video conferencing. The technology enables optometrists to see patients remotely in locations that do not have a doctor or when the doctor is not available. What makes this relatively easy is that we’re leveraging a very robust system that has been in use for a while up and down the east coast. While we realize that this may be considered somewhat controversial by some, we feel strongly that we have the responsibility to expose our students to the most up-to-date practice models available and telemedicine is already making inroads across many locations across the country. Just think how this technology can be leveraged for populations in the inner cities or rural areas that don’t have routine access to high quality eye care.  Our goal is to ultimately place some of these remote-care modules in Federally Qualified Health Centers and even busy rural practices across Pennsylvania. 

We will be hosting our annual Scholarship Reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Hafter Student Community Center. Please join us as we recognize the generosity of our scholarship donors and celebrate the achievements of the recipients.  

Please mark your calendars to attend the Salus University Leadership Forum from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, April 3, in Room S305A on the Elkins Park campus. The event will feature a panel of Pennsylvania legislators and members of the Salus Community. The program will include a question and answer format on several topics, including leadership skills; mentorship experiences; career path choices; gender-specific challenges; achieving goals; and community service and support.  For more information and to register please go to our website here. 

If you’re attending the Southern Educational Congress of Optometry (SECO) meeting this week, please join us for our Alumni and Friends reception from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, March 6, at the Omni Atlanta Hotel, Ballroom 1. 

This week’s Mental Health Minute discusses how to handle the stress surrounding the proliferation of the COVID-19 virus. The linked article, “How to Manage Your Anxiety about Coronavirus”, was sent to me by one of our faculty members who was helping her son complete a current events assignment for school. I thought it should be shared with everyone. 

As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 virus, up-to-date guidance will be maintained on our website here. As a reminder, please continue to: 

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Then wash your hands immediately.
• Routinely wash your hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds. You can use an alcohol-based (60% or greater) hand sanitizer if you cannot access soap and water, but you need to use copious amounts and still rub your hands for 20 seconds.
• Stay home if you’re sick and do not travel so you do not spread germs to coworkers, patients or others.
• Take flu antivirals, if prescribed by your doctor. 

I hope you all have a great weekend. Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour Saturday night as we begin Daylight Savings Time this weekend! Stay safe, try to check our website or the local news periodically for any updates on COVID-19 and look out for one another.

Mike

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19: Week of February 28th, 2020

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

Good morning from a very chilly Elkins Park. It’s been another busy week at Salus with many of us getting back into the swing of things following a very successful continuing education event in Aruba last weekend. 

As we hear more about the proliferation of the COVID-19 virus worldwide, I wanted to have a short discussion about that this morning. As the director of the CDC mentioned earlier this week, it’s just a matter of time before we confront the virus more directly in the U.S. While this sounds extremely ominous and clearly is something we need to be paying very close attention to, we also need to remember that there are steps that we can take and share with others, that will help to minimize the risk of spreading or catching the virus. Clearly, not traveling to areas that have known disease, such as China, Japan, Italy and some other places, is paramount at this point. Infectious disease experts remind us that the most important thing we can do personally is to practice good hygiene, such as routine hand washing. Although the CDC believes the immediate risk of the virus to the American public is relatively low, they do have some specific recommendations we all should be following. They include:

• Ensure you get a flu vaccine
• Take everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, such as routinely washing your hands with soap and water
• If you’re sick, stay home so you don’t spread germs to coworkers or patients
• Take flu antivirals, if prescribed by your doctor

For those of you actively involved in patient care, you need to be on the look-out for people who recently traveled from China, Italy, Japan or other affected areas and have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms. If you encounter a patient with an acute respiratory infection, especially those who have recently traveled to affected areas, you must follow the CDC’s guidelines, found here to ensure we can minimize exposure to yourself, other providers, staff and patients. For more information and to keep up-to-date with this, I recommend you routinely check the CDC’s COVID-19 website. We also have a link on our website that can be accessed here. As healthcare providers we have a responsibility to stay up to date with the latest factual information that will help to keep us informed and also help to dispel any rumors and falsehoods that tend to develop during these events.

Given the previous discussion, this might be a good time to discuss our Mental Health Minute. All this talk about potential pandemics, on top of the usual challenge you have just trying to stay ahead in school, creates stress. Some stress is good, but there comes a time when we all need to ask for some help. The National Institute of Mental Health has a very good website addressing this which I would encourage you to access. If you need to access our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), their office is located on the 3rd floor of the West building in Suite W-326. Counselors are available Monday-Friday and can be reached for appointments at 215-780-1315 or 215-780-1534. You may also email a counselor individually.

Closer to home, please take the time to check out the story about the Kraskin Family Legacy on our website. Dr. Jeffrey Kraskin, a classmate of mine at both undergraduate school and PCO, comes from a long line of optometrists in the Washington, D.C. area. Read about how his family’s practice has been operating for three generations and the impact it has had on the profession of optometry.

The Sexuality and Gender Alliance at Salus (SAGAS) asked me to pass along that they have a meeting from noon to 1 p.m. today in room W111 where they’ll discuss upcoming events and there will be elections for the new e-board. If you're interested in running for a position (president, vice president, treasurer, secretary) submit a letter of intent to sagas@salus.edu. 

After studying for their boards, our PCO Class of 2021 got to exhale a bit and attend “EyeBall 2020” at the end of January before they head off to their clinical externships in March. Check out some of the class awards that were presented and the great photos from “A Night on the Red Carpet.” 

Salus has partnered with Widener University to offer a certificate in Healthcare Management program for both students and alumni. The online four-course, 12-credit program is expected to accommodate up to 10 students and is scheduled to kick off in the fall. For more information, email careerservices@salus.edu or gel@widener.edu. We’re also preparing to work with The Erivan K. Haub School of Business at St. Joseph’s University will offer several different options for our students and alumni to gain business and finance acumen either during your time at Salus or beyond.  You’ll hear more about this in the very near future.

Grand Rounds at The Eye Institute from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. this morning, will feature Dr. Lucinda Kauffman, who will speak on “Diabetic Retinopathy in Youth and Young Adults” and Dr. Kelly Seidler, who will talk about “Visual Disturbances”.

Finally, many of us will be in Atlanta next week to attend the annual meeting of the Southern Educational Congress of Optometry (SECO). We’ll be hosting an Alumni and Friends reception at the Omni Hotel from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. We hope that anyone attending SECO can join us for this fun opportunity to reconnect with classmates and faculty from PCO. I hope to see many of you there!

Remember that this is a Leap Year, so tomorrow will be 29 February, not 1 March! For those of you with a birthday, anniversary or other significant event tomorrow - I hope you enjoy your once in every 4 year celebration :-).  Have a great weekend and please continue to monitor our website and the news to follow what’s happening with the COVID-19 virus.  Stay safe, stay warm and look out for one another. 

Mike

Greetings From Sunny Aruba: Week of February 21st, 2020

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

Greetings from sunny Aruba! We’re here, along with 30 optometrists and their families, of which 28 are PCO alumni, for our CE by the Sea event. The event was planned as a special opportunity for PCO alumni and other optometrists to relax and escape the winter weather – although our winter here in the Northeast hasn’t been that bad so far – while earning continuing education credits. The goal of the program is to bring optometrists together from all over North America for lectures on various topics and research, offered by our world-class faculty, as well as provide a great opportunity to renew old friendships and acquaintances. The meeting is off to a great start thanks to the hard work and great planning by Kate Braemer, Jacquie Patterson, Dr. Melissa Vitek and Natalie Standig. I can’t wait to hear the lectures starting tomorrow morning!  Put it on your calendar for next year. 

Today’s Mental Health Minute addresses your eating habits.  Just as important as the obvious things such as avoiding drugs and alcohol, eating a healthy diet is one of the top mental health tips for everyone to follow. That’s because what you put into your body, will affect your mood. Chemicals that regulate moods such as happiness, anger, anxiety, and depression are also found in your brain and other parts of your body. The healthier the food and drinks you consume, the better regulated your mood will be and the better your body will be able to release the chemicals that make you feel good. A night of drinking beer and taking shots, followed by a pizza binge at midnight is going to make you feel awful, physically and mentally. Eating healthy meals that include fruit and vegetables each day will offer positive benefits.

This is a reminder to submit nominations for exemplary students, staff, and faculty for our annual Salus Awards Gala. Nominations are closing this Saturday, Feb. 22. After this date, nomination forms will no longer be accessible. Also, please be aware that when you are filling out your nominations, you should be providing descriptions on why you are voting for a specific individual or organization. Submissions without descriptions will not be put on the voting ballot. You may go back and resubmit your answers if necessary. If you have any questions, please contact Monae Kelsey or the Campus Activities Committee. You can find the links below for both students/student organization nominations, and faculty/staff awards nominations:

• Students and Student Organization Nominations

• Faculty and Staff Nominations

The introduction of electronic medical records into the doctor’s responsibilities has challenged healthcare providers to find a way to keep the focus on the patients. There is a concerted effort in every College to make sure students across the University take care of the patients first and their EMRs sometime after that. Mike Morsch interviewed a few of us to get our thoughts on EMRs. Check out this story on how and why we’re emphasizing patient-centric care here at Salus.

Finally, while I’m not exactly sure what the weather is going to be there this weekend, I do want to remind everyone to try and get out and get some exercise and enjoy some fresh air.  Be safe, take care of one another and try to relax! See you on campus Monday morning!

Mike