Addressing Gun Violence In Our City: Week of October 7, 2022

 

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

Good morning from Seven Springs, Pennsylvania where Dr. Trego and I are attending the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association. It’s cool and crisp here with the leaves already starting to change! While I travel, clinics, labs and classes all are going strong. We’ve also been preparing for next week’s commencement festivities, where we will celebrate the accomplishments of the Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2022, as well as graduates from OCA and OT, Biomedicine and BLVS.

Here are some things that I hope are of interest to you:

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: We are excited to welcome Rear Admiral Thomas R. Cullison, who will be our commencement speaker for the University’s 125th ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. RADM Cullison will also receive the Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters. A mentor to me for many years, RADM Cullison will motivate and educate all of us! I look forward to introducing him to all of you! To read more, click here.

GIVING WEEK: Join us for the annual Salus Giving Week, ending October 8, by supporting student scholarships, capital improvements, and community outreach. Your donation enables us to prepare emerging health professionals and to serve communities in the Philadelphia region. For more information, click here.

CENTER STAGE: When Kim Edmonds, MS, CCC-SLP, is not busy working with the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Post-baccalaureate in SLP programs at Salus University, she and her husband Ryan Edmonds, OD ‘10, spend their free time at the Forge Theatre. Recently, the pair was involved in a production of Xanadu, based on the Universal Pictures cult classic movie. Read more about it here.

GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR GRADS: Carleen Dumas, MS ‘18, co-owner and director of My Child’s Therapy, not only likes hiring Salus graduates for her business, but she has been a valued partner to our SLP department and now provides externship opportunities for current master’s SLP students. Click here to read more.

A BIG FIRST: When Luz Figueroa, AuD ‘22, graduated from the Salus University Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) in the fall, she became OCA’s first and only MSc in Clinical Audiology graduate to date from Ecuador. Read more about her here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This past week I was in Detroit as part of the Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchange (GPLEX). The group, sponsored by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, is designed to have civic leaders visit another city, in this case Detroit, to learn what they have done to make their city a better place to live.

In 2013, Detroit was the only major city in the United States to declare bankruptcy. Since that time, Detroit has emerged as a stronger, more resilient city by building partnerships and leveraging philanthropy through trust and hard work. One of the key themes that emerged from our meeting was that crisis, in this case bankruptcy, was the forcing function to propel Detroit in the right direction.

As we considered the parallels in Philadelphia, we recognized that we, too, have a crisis we should be rallying behind – not bankruptcy, but gun violence. By August, over 322 people have been killed and over 1400 injured due to gun violence in Philadelphia. Most recently, a 14-year-old boy was killed in Roxborough and 4 others wounded in gun-related violence. This is a public health crisis of remarkable magnitude. It is a call to action for our city leaders, local industry, healthcare and academic institutions.

While there are no simple solutions to the issue, the first step is recognizing it as a major crisis. Many of the social determinants of health -- including food insecurity, inaccessible healthcare, poor housing, crime, poverty, unemployment, contribute to the epidemic, in addition to social unrest and systemic racial discrimination. The pandemic likely contributed to this most recent uptick in gun violence, but make no mistake about it, this has been a long-standing problem that has not been adequately addressed over time. Exacerbating this has been the opioid epidemic, a long-standing challenge impacting many of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable populations.

As healthcare providers, we need to be acutely aware of and to take steps to make a difference through the direct service we provide to our patients, civic and professional advocacy, and voting for leaders who will prioritize violence prevention and safety net supports for vulnerable populations. Until key decision makers and others in our community are willing to address this issue head-on, much like Detroit has addressed many of its issues following their bankruptcy, we are not going to see much progress.

As you begin your weekend, please think about how we can help address the gun violence epidemic Philadelphia is currently experiencing. In addition to greater advocacy at state and local levels for increased access to quality healthcare, helping to fight food insecurity in our region, what else might we do individually and collectively to impact this issue? I look forward to hearing from you.

As you ponder this question, please remain safe, continue to follow CDC masking guidelines when out and about, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Greetings from Germany: Week of October 4th

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

Greetings from Germany where I’ve been relaxing a bit after last Sunday’s Berlin Marathon. The marathon was an amazing experience, even with the rain and cool weather.  I finished the race within the time my coach had predicted, so I was happy. I felt pretty good up until mile 19, which is about par for the course. I’m thrilled it’s all behind me and now it’s off to the next challenge – whatever that may be! 

More importantly, around campus next week marks our first-ever Salus Giving Week. The event is designed to encourage alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends to come together to promote the importance of philanthropy and giving back to our Salus community. Gifts of any amount make a difference each and every day in the lives of our students. Our goal is to achieve 100 gifts in one week.  If you’d like to participate to helping us achieve our goal, please reach out to Kim Blodgett, director of Annual Giving (kblodgett@salus.edu) or visit salus.edu/givingweek  

Throughout Giving Week, to help spread the word about philanthropy at Salus, students will be able to participate in a 10 question scavenger hunt, where the answers can be found on either the Elkins Park campus or at salus.edu. Students who complete the scavenger hunt by the end of Oct. 11 will be entered for a chance to win in the gift card raffle. So, students, keep an eye out for more information on Monday.

Next week, the Office of Institutional Advancement will be hosting two ice cream parties to celebrate PCO’s Founder’s Day, commemorating 100 years since PCO actually opened its doors on Spring Garden Street. The first party will be held at The Eye Institute (TEI) Cafe on Monday from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., and the second in the Hafter Student Community Center on Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Please come and join in the celebration and enjoy some cake and ice cream! 

Prior to the ice cream party on Monday, I will be fulfilling a promise we made to one of our most dedicated, talented and cherished faculty-alumni, Dr. Bernie Blaustein. When Dr. Blaustein retired, I announced that an exam room in TEI would be dedicated in his name.  I’m excited to say that Room 301 in TEI will now be named in his honor to highlight the impact Dr. Blaustein had on TEI, PCO and Salus to students, faculty and our patients.

As some of you probably know, next Thursday is World Sight Day! In conjunction with the holiday, we will be hosting a morning press conference to announce the release of the first-ever Handbook on Blue Light. Targeting the eye care and consumer electronics industry, “How to Save Your Eyes in the Digital Age” was written by optometrists, ophthalmologists, and electronics display specialists from Healthe. This event will also include the announcement that Healthe and Salus have agreed to conduct joint research for inclusion in the second edition of the handbook, slated for release in 2020. Please feel free to attend. The event will be held in the Bennett Lounge from 10:00-11:00 a.m.  Stop by early for a light breakfast and refreshments as well. If you’re interested in attending, please register here.

Next Friday is the final day to participate in the Speech-Language Institute’s (SLI) Back to School Book Drive. Children’s books (infants through teens) will be donated to the libraries of the Philadelphia Head Start and Charter Schools where our Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) students are participating in externship rotations. Books can be dropped off in Bob Serianni’s office (W330) or at SLI directly (N2100). 

Finally, it looks like the warm weather is behind us so get out and enjoy the great fall weather this weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone on campus this Monday! Have a great weekend – stay safe and look out for one another!

Mike

Heading to Germany: Week of September 27th

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

I’m sending this update out a day early because I’m preparing to get on an airplane bound for Germany in a couple of hours. We’ve packed a bunch of things into this short week!

On Monday we hosted our quarterly Board of Trustee meeting on campus. It’s always extremely rewarding to be able to share all the great things that our students, faculty and staff are doing with our Board as well as listen and learn from their observations and recommendations. We’re really lucky to have such an engaged Board of Trustees.



On Tuesday, I spent the day at Capitol Hill participating in Senator Bob Casey’s Higher Education Roundtable. The meeting provided us a forum to discuss key issues affecting higher education in the Commonwealth. I had the opportunity to bring up several issues that I felt would be beneficial to our students. This is what I shared with the group:

1. Federal Student Loan structure is dysfunctional and contributary to our current student loan crisis. Many of our students are graduating with $200K student loan debt. This is exacerbated by relatively high interest rates for Federal loans and the fact that interest starts to accrue once the promissory note is signed as opposed to having interest deferred until graduation or shortly thereafter. The Federal Government really should not be profiting off these loans.
2. As part of the government sequestration, origination fees were placed on federal loans which reduce the net amount a student receives when loans disburse to the school. The student is responsible for repaying the gross loan amount, so they are responsible for repaying money (and interest on those funds) which they never receive. The rates are currently 1.062% for Unsubsidized Loans and 4.248% for PLUS Loans and will drop by only fractions of a percent for loans first disbursed on or after October 1, 2019. Students in most of our programs rely heavily on PLUS loans to fund their education and incur several hundred dollars in fees each year.
3. Congress needs to consider adding graduate students to Pell eligibility. We’re not sure why the Federal government draws a distinction between undergraduate and graduate education in this instance, especially if we’re trying to ensure a diverse student body has the financial means to pursue the health science professions, law and other similar endeavors.
4. Scope of Practice. Our providers should be able to practice at the levels at which they are trained. Pennsylvania’s scope of practice laws limit optometry to the point where many of our graduates leave the state to practice in neighboring states so they can practice full scope. Additionally, audiology is currently not recognized by CMS as an independent profession, thus requiring referrals in order to be reimbursed. Each of our professions are regulated with their scopes limited by archaic rules and regulations. If we are truly going to improve access and quality and decrease costs, professions must be allowed to practice at their highest levels. This is currently not the case. 

As you might imagine, this list spawned a great deal of discussion with everyone around the table that these were issues that Congress and others needed to address now. We’ll see what happens!

Earlier today, I participated in the Special Medical Advisory Group for the Veteran’s Health Administration. While I can’t go into detail, it proved to be an interesting morning discussing programs that will greatly benefit our Veterans in the near future.

Starting next week, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) will be seeing patients at The Eye Institute (TEI) on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PEI will be providing comprehensive hearing services including evaluations, tinnitus and cerumen management and hearing aid fittings and repairs. Integrating our care is paramount to everything we do. This is a great first step in the right direction! Thanks to the staff for making this happen.

If you remember from one of last month’s updates, low vision patient, Heather Napolitano recently held her annual fundraiser, SeeShore Fest, as a way to advocate for people with low vision issues. Based on her experiences with Dr. Kenny at the William Feinbloom Center, Heather listed The Eye Institute (TEI) as one of the beneficiaries of SeeShore Fest 2019 - and yesterday, Heather stopped by TEI to present the check. Thank you so much to Heather for advocating for TEI!

This week, we are saying goodbye to one of our beloved security guards, Greg Barnes. Greg is retiring after 19 years of looking out for the welfare of others. Thank you for your service in helping to keep our campus safe, we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Today, some of our Salus staff and students are out in Cherry Hill providing vision screenings to homeless veterans at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recurring event “Stand Downs”. This is such an important cause to be involved with and I’m so proud of the members of our Salus community who volunteer time and again to give back! We are also participating in the Arcadia Health & Wellness Fest today and the Chestnut Hill Fall for the Arts Festival on Sunday! Be sure to check out our University and Health calendars for more information on upcoming events.

If you’ve gone by the Hafter Center recently, I’m sure you’ve noticed the ongoing construction for our new Sensory Garden that will be completed by next summer. To read more about what’s to come with the project, check out salus.edu/sensorygarden.

Finally, I think it’s going to be another nice few days around here, so I encourage you all to get out and enjoy the nice Fall weather. Weather for Berlin is supposed to be partly cloudy, with some rain and about 62 degrees. Perfect running weather! By the time most of you wake up on Sunday I should be well into the 26.2-mile marathon course in Berlin. Should be “fun”! Truth be told, I’m really looking forward to the beer and pretzels (and sports massage) afterwards! Be safe, have fun and look out for one another!

Mike

Centennial Tour in North Carolina: Week of September 13th

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

Good morning. It’s been another very busy week at the University. Classes are in full swing, as I know folks are getting ready for their first sets of exams and practicals.  While all this has been happening on campus, Drs. Eckert, Trego and I, along with Jacquie Patterson, our interim VP for Institutional advancement, have been hosting Centennial Tour receptions in Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina.  We really enjoyed connecting with alumni from those areas and really appreciate the effort our alumni have made to get to these events.  What a great opportunity to bring people up to speed on the great things going on here on campus!

Our Centennial Tour continues and I look forward to next week’s event in Harrisburg. Visit salus.edu/centennial-tour for more information or to register.  

Every year, early September marks the beginning of our University’s school hearing and vision screening programs. From now until June, our students, clinical staff and faculty will be going out to various schools across the School District of Philadelphia in order to provide screening services to children. During the 2018-2019 academic year, our teams were able to provide vision screenings to over 4,200 children and hearing screenings to over 3,500 total students. This is an incredible feat and your efforts don’t go unnoticed! We are proud of all of you and all that you give back to the community. We wish you all the best of luck in the new academic year.

We couldn’t do any of the above, if it wasn’t for the funds we’re able to raise through our Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity. I’m excited to announce that Rosemary Connors, Emmy award-winning anchor and reporter from NBC10, will be joining us again to host the University’s annual LOFK charity fundraiser event. This year’s event will be held on November 2 at the Hilton in Philadelphia on City Avenue. For more information, please visit salus.edu/lofk

As you might recall, last month, 21 students from our Students in Optometry Service to Humanity (SOSH) program, led by Laine Higa, OD, went on a week-long mission trip to Panama to bring medical eye care to those in need. To read more about their trip and hear from our students themselves, visit salus.edu/panama2019 

Fall is one of our busiest seasons for community events! Check out Salus’ upcoming events at salus.edu/sept-oct-events for more information about where our faculty, staff and students will be representing Salus.   

Finally, it looks like it might be a nice weekend, so I encourage you all to get out and enjoy the weather.  I, for one will be starting my marathon taper with a 13-mile run (which seems short after last weekend’s grueling 18.1 mile jaunt).  Be safe and look out for one-another!

Mike

Salus Scoop: Week of September 6th

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

Good morning! We’ve been spared the wrath Hurricane Dorian in Elkins Park, but many of our colleagues down south and in the Bahamas were not as lucky. I ask that we keep all those affected by the storm in our thoughts and prayers.

It’s been another busy week on campus between students getting into their routines, conducting an orientation program for a prospective Board of Trustee member, hosting a State Representative and of course, preparing for the SALUS SCOOP.

On Wednesday, we had the pleasure of providing a Salus Board orientation program to prospective Board of Trustee member Joyce Koh. Ms. Koh brings a vast knowledge of corporate, business and finance law to our Board. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Beasley School of Law at Temple University. We look forward to seeing her at the upcoming September board meeting and officially welcoming her in January. 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting State Representative Matt Bradford, who is the Democratic Chairman of the State House Appropriations Committee. We discussed our work in the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Norristown, which is in his district,  our plans to integrate tele-health initiatives in FQHC’s in the city and elsewhere, how we provide free screenings in Philadelphia and Montgomery County public schools and how these initiatives positively impact the Commonwealth, as well as each profession we serve.  Following a tour of our Elkins Park campus, Rep Bradford spent time at The Eye Institute learning about how we have impacted the local community through our direct patient care services, community outreach and charitable care to both Philadelphia and Montgomery County residents.  These visits are so very important as we hope to gain support for scope of practice legislation and potential financial support from the Commonwealth. Keeping fingers crossed on both accounts!

I’d like to thank Anne Lotz, past President of the Kiwanis Club, for recently presenting Dr. Brandy Scombordi with a generous donation of $1,000 for the University’s Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity. The money was raised as a part of the Jenkintown Sunset 5K Run that was held in early June. Thank you to the Kiwanis Club and everyone else who helps to make LOFK possible!  For more information about Looking Out For Kids, please visit salus.edu/LOFK. 

As always, our Salus faculty, staff and students are keeping busy with various events throughout the community. Next weekend, Salus will be participating in a Citywide Health Fair at the Heart of Worship Restoration on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., and the Jenkintown Festival of the Arts on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. If you’re in the area, stop by and visit the Salus table.

Speaking of upcoming events, don’t forget about Salus Scoop later today! Stop by the lawn in front of the Hafter Center from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for food trucks, entertainment, prizes and for the chance to pie a professor!

Just a reminder to all new students – if you haven’t tried to schedule an appointment at either The Eye, Ear or Speech-Language Institutes, please get this done. It’s really important for you to see how your colleagues practice as well as to experience what each type of exam is like.  It won’t be too long before you’re in the clinic and come across a patient needing services other than those you’re providing in your particular specialty, but may benefit from those offered by your colleagues and classmates in our other clinics.  Think inter-professionally and interdisciplinary – because that’s the way you’ll practice when you leave here.

Well, tomorrow is my last scheduled “long run” (17 -miles) before I begin the big taper for the Berlin Marathon on 29 September.  I will be so happy when this is done!  I don’t suggest anyone tries this craziness, but the weekend will be nice, so I do encourage you all to get out and enjoy the good weather. Be safe, have some fun and come back energized to hit the books or whatever you do on Monday!   

Mike

Labor Day Weekend: Week of August 30th

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

Good morning from a sunny and pleasant Elkins Park (I really like being a weather person). It’s been a fantastic week at Salus.  All of new and returning students are back on campus, so the parking lot is full and you can feel the positive energy as soon as you walk through the doors. 

We received more good news concerning accreditation this week, as the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) informed us that our OT program received a 7-year accreditation based on their recent site visit. Kudos to Dr. Lauren Sponseller and her OT faculty and staff for getting this done!

We talk a lot about patient-centric care at Salus and the difference we make in people’s lives. This week, I’d like to share a story in connection with the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center at The Eye Institute (and yes, we have permission to talk about it). Heather Napolitano began losing her vision seven years ago due to a retinal disorder.  Because she was having such difficultly seeing things with standard glasses, her physician recommended that she visit Dr. Erin Kenny, chief of the Feinbloom Center. Dr. Kenny was able to fit Heather with specialty sunglasses and a hand-held telescope that made it possible for her to watch her daughter dance on stage at her recital.  Shocked that it took seven years for her to hear about Feinbloom’s services for low vision patients, Heather decided to become an real advocate for the Center.  In 2015, Heather and her husband co-founded a fundraiser called “SeeShore Fest”, held annually at the Starboard Restaurant in Dewey Beach, Del. The event previously raised money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and this year she included the Feinbloom Center as a beneficiary. SeeShore Fest 2019 was held this past weekend and raised $14,557 for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and The Eye Institute. We’d like to thank Heather for being an advocate for Feinbloom and thank Dr. Kenny for going the extra mile for all of her patients. Read more at salusuhealth.com/seeshore-fest.

Time for some fun on campus - Come out and attend Salus Scoop next Friday! There will be food trucks, games and prizes. The event will be hosted in front of the Hafter Center from 1-3 p.m. 

Speaking of fun, the second stop on our Centennial Tour was this Tuesday in Cherry Hill, NJ. It was great seeing some of our NJ alumni and friends. Next stop, New Haven, Connecticut on Thursday, 5 September! Remember to visit salus.edu/centennial-tour to check out the schedule and see if we’re coming to a town near you!

I’d like to thank all of our volunteers who attended State Representative Steve McCarter’s Senior Fair at Keneseth Israel yesterday. When Dr. Eckert and I walked over to see how things were going, the parking lot was full and the room was packed!  Lots of interest in our audiology, SLP and optometry services.  It’s so important to attend community events like this and give back to our community. If you ever have questions about participating or volunteering for various community events, email communications@salus.edu. 

Finally, as we approach Labor Day weekend, I always like to remind people why we celebrate this holiday, which celebrates the greatest workers in the world – American workers.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.  By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.  So, there you have it.  This is why we have this coming Monday off.  I hope everyone enjoys their 3-day weekend and especially, Labor Day. 

Be safe, have some fun, if you drink, please do it responsibly and don’t drive and use plenty of sunscreen.  Also, please keep our friends and colleagues who are might be in the path of Hurricane Dorian in your thoughts and prayers.  Have a great weekend!

Mike

Welcome New Students: Week of August 16th

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

What a great week it has been with our new students on campus! Again, welcome to all of you. I’d like to thank everyone for all of their hard work and planning that made this week so special with a special call out to all those student and faculty volunteers and the Student Affairs and Admissions staffs for putting it all together. I look forward to today’s White Coat ceremony and watching as our first-year students receive their white coats as we celebrate the transition to becoming healthcare professionals at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts at 2 PM.  

 

This week, 21 members of the University’s Students in Optometric Service to Humanity (SOSH) along with Drs. Laine Higa and Navpreet Hehar, traveled to Panama in order to provide comprehensive eye exams to the community. Hosted by the Panamanian Kiwanis Club, the trip allows students to provide humanitarian vision care to individuals who have never had eye exams before (see photos that are attached).  I participated in this when I was a student and it is a life-changing experience.

On a similar note, Jeanne-Marie Pennington, MSPAS, PA-C, assistant professor for the Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program will be accompanying seven PA students and two students from the Occupational Therapy (OT) Program on Saturday to Guatemala for a mission trip. This year’s sponsor is Hearts in Motion, a non-profit organization that has served in Guatemala for over 35 years providing quality medical care and assistance in the development of social programs to improve health, education and welfare of people in the community. We extremely proud of our faculty and students for their humanitarian efforts. I wish them safe and happy travels!

 

Next week, I’m excited to do some traveling of my own - although not as far – to New York City for our first of many Centennial Tour stops. In celebration of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) and its 100-year history, we are thrilled to be hosting a series of alumni and friends events in 16 cities over the next three months. For more information, visit salus.edu/centennial-tour.

 

Also next week, faculty members across the Salus community will gather for our bi-annual University Faculty Development Day. The two-day event is an opportunity to provide professional development opportunities, important group discussions, and the chance to connect with fellow colleagues. I’d like to thank those who helped organize this event and I look forward to attending. 

On Thursday, August 22, Salus University Health will be one of over 100 sponsors at the School District of Philadelphia’s Back to School event at the School of the Future. The event is designed to help Philadelphia area students and their families as they prepare to return to school. As one of the most popular and well attended events that Salus sponsors, the Office of Communications is still looking for volunteers. If you’re interested and available anywhere from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., please email communications@salus.edu.

Given recent events, I believe it is fair to say that we are in the midst of a public health crisis.  According to the most recent report on gun violence from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, our country has the 28th-highest rate of deaths from gun violence in the world.  If you include suicides in those data, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 39,773 gun-related deaths in 2017 which equates to 12 deaths per 100,000 people with approximately 60 percent attributed to suicide and about 37 percent to homicides.  These numbers represent the highest rate of firearms deaths in the U.S. since the mid-1990’s.  Military-style semi-automatic weapons have been used in many of these shootings. And just this week, in our own City of Philadelphia, 6 policemen were injured and hundreds of rounds of ammunition was fired by a lone gunman being served a narcotics warrant.    

Despite a 2017 Quinnipiac University poll finding that 94% percent of the public supports certified background checks for all gun sales, depending on where and how you attempt to purchase a gun, certified background checks are not universally required.  For example, even the Federal gun statute exempts unlicensed sellers from having to perform certified background checks. 

As healthcare professionals, I believe we have an obligation to weigh in on this public health crisis.   If like me, you believe that our gun control laws need to be changed, I encourage you to contact your local and federal representatives and advocate for stronger gun control laws,  including universal background checks prior to all gun sales, a limit on magazine size and a ban of military assault-style weapons.  If you disagree, I fully respect your right to do so and welcome your participation in this essential debate. 

In closing, I again want to welcome our new students and those current students returning to campus. It’s going to be a nice weekend, so I encourage you to get out and enjoy some of the local scenery. Be safe, look out for one another and have fun!

 

Mike

Centennial Tour Launch: Week of July 26th

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

Good morning! Temperatures have moderated a bit which has been a very welcome change!

As we end this week, I’m excited to announce the launch of the public phase of the University's fundraising campaign in celebration of its founding College, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO). Originally announced at the Centennial Gala in April, Focus on the Future: The Centennial Campaign aims to raise $5 million by the end of 2020 in order to provide scholarship and other academic support to our students, healthcare support to our region, and allow us to continue to impact and influence the future of health care delivery, education and professional practice well into our next 100 years.  In support of the public phase and in celebration, the University’s Office of Institutional Advancement has created a national series of events – entitled Centennial Tour – which officially announces Focus on Our Future: The Centennial Campaign in 16 cities over the course of 90 days. To learn more and check out the Centennial Tour stops visit our website by clicking here. 

On campus, our Audiology Summer Workshops are wrapping up this weekend with a “Hearing Conservation in Music and Industry” workshop. Check out this testimonial from an AuD student who attended the first session...

It’s that time again to visit the Learning Resource Center (LRC) for Pet Therapy! On Wednesday, 31 July, from noon to 1 p.m., therapy dogs from Comfort Caring Canines will be in the LRC, so stop by if you can!  I know you’ll relax immediately after petting these dogs!

As we approach finals weeks, be on the lookout for our bagel breakfast mornings at the LRC, that will be coming up shortly. That’s a new Salus tradition, brought to you by the Office of Institutional Advancement, that has really taken off! 

Good luck to those of you who are starting your finals next week. I know that some of you won’t be taking finals until the following weeks, but I wish you all successful studying as you prepare.  Take some time to give your brain a break this weekend and make sure you’re eating healthy and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated.  It’s going to be sunny, so don’t forget the sunscreen if you’re laying outside studying – or whatever. Have a great weekend - be safe and look out for one another.

Mike

Stay Cool: Week of July 19th

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

Greetings from a hot and humid Elkins Park! It’s been another busy week on campus, even with the heat! Good luck to all those taking their mid-terms today!

Salus recently welcomed our new Safety and Security director, Carlos Rodriguez. With more than 14 years of experience in law enforcement, Carlos has worked for 11 years in higher education as a supervisor/administrator for Campus Public Safety. Be sure to give him a warm welcome when you see him around campus! Read more at salus.edu/carlos.

Later this summer, thanks to the work of several of our faculty and staff members, we will break ground on an outdoor Sensory Garden Environment that will be used as a teaching and clinical tool sometime late next semester! The garden will add value to the teaching and learning environment for each of the seven programs within the University’s College of Education and Rehabilitation (CER), as well as provide strategic outreach for children and adults within the local community who have sensory deficits. The garden, which will be located in the front of the Hafter Center will really add a great deal to our campus. Read more at salus.edu/sensorygarden.

This month, The Speech-Language Institute (SLI) celebrates its four year anniversary! Since opening its doors, SLI has served both adults and children with a wide variety of speech, language, communication, feeding and swallowing disorders at no cost to our clients. We are so proud of SLI's dedicated staff and passionate students and I look forward to many more successful years of caring for clients at this important clinic. Read more at salusuhealth.com/celebrating-4-years.

Congratulations to the Osborne College of Audiology on the successful completion of their Cerumen Management educational session on Tuesday and the standardized patient workshop on Wednesday. Both were extremely successful! Changes to the Tuesday learning lab session allowed for the students to work in smaller groups with more faculty and to have three hours of intense hands-on training. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their ears and to our OCA faculty and students for their great job in executing these important clinical and academic exercises. 

I'd like to wish Renee Campbell a happy retirement! Renee has worked as a Patient Service Representative at The Eye Institute for over 30 years. While we're sad to see her go, we are also excited for her as she starts this new chapter in her life. Good luck Renee! Read more at salusuhealth.com/renee-campbell.

In light of the most recent political discord that has been prominent in the news and on social media I want people to know that we at Salus strongly value the diversity and inclusion of people from all nationalities, religions and beliefs that have helped to shape America into the greatest democracy the world has seen. Immigrants form the basis of our society and have enriched our country throughout our 243 years. Consequently, we are melting pot of cultures and ideals. That must be celebrated and not denigrated.

Finally, just a reminder that the weather guessers are telling us to expect record breaking heat this weekend with temperatures approaching 100+ on Saturday. To that end, please ensure you are well hydrated, especially if you’re doing outside activities. Try to stay cool and beat the heat! Look out for one another and be safe.

Mike

Fourth of July: Week of July 5th

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

I’m sending this update out a couple of days early since I’ve missed the last couple of weeks and we have the 4^th of July holiday tomorrow. It’s good to be back in the saddle after taking a couple of weeks off. 

I’d like to welcome our incoming PCO Accelerated Scholars students who started their orientation this week and also our incoming optometric Residents. This year’s Resident class represents one of our largest and the most academically diverse group we’ve had with graduates from many fantastic optometric programs from across the country represented.  It was great to meet all of you!

Many of our students have started taking their mid-term exams this week which has made for a really quiet campus.  The summer semester will be over before we know it!

I’ve been asked to remind all of our students that the second floor of the Learning Resource Center is considered the “quiet” floor.  If folks need to discuss things in groups, please use the first floor or the networking rooms as opposed to having discussions upstairs.

Last month, the Philadelphia International Airport unveiled their newest year-longexhibit titled, “Philadelphia: A Global Medical HUB Since the 1700s”. The new display was created to celebrate the region’s historical medical firsts from Colonial America to today’s world-renowned reputation. In the display, Salus University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) is acknowledged for being the first school in the U.S. to offer a 4-year Doctor of Optometry degree. Split into a then-and-now format, the other part of the display describes PCO’s transition to Salus University and its expansion to what we are - and what we provide today. Check it out in Terminal A-East on your next trip! You can also read more about it at salus.edu/PHL.

On June 13th we lost one of our oldest and highly accomplished alumni, Dr. Morey Powell, who passed away at the age of 104. Read more at http://salus.edu/morey-powell.

Next Tuesday, Dr. Mary Jo Thomas will be presenting her Thesis Defense titled, “Breast Cancer Among African American Females with Type 2 Diabetes at The Eye Institute of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry” in W400 at 1pm. - 3pm. We hope you will stop by and support Dr. Thomas.

As I mentioned, tomorrow is Independence Day. Like many of you, I hope to spend part of this 4th of July holiday celebrating our nation’s birthday with family and friends. For me, this holiday just doesn’t seem complete without picnics, parades, fireworks, and the John Phillip Sousa marches many of us listened to since childhood.  As much as we each enjoy the traditions, our nation’s Independence Day is, most of all, an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of being an American. The Declaration of Independence makes it clear that being an American is about much more than the place we call home. It’s a deeply felt commitment to higher principles: liberty, equality, opportunity, and self-governance.  As health care providers, it also inspires the spirit of caring and respect for others – even if they don’t see the world the same way we do. As we approach this year’s holiday, please take some time to reflect on all the positive things we have in the United States that have enriched our lives and have given us the opportunities to help enrich the lives of others.

Have a wonderful 4^th of July and upcoming weekend. Stay safe, have fun, use lots of sunscreen, stay hydrated and come back ready to hit the deck running next week!Mike

Congratulations to the Class of 2019: Week of May 22nd

All,

Last night we began celebrating the accomplishments of many of you with the recognition of those who completed their Optometry Advanced Studies certificates. Congratulations to all those who met the requirements! Thus begins our few days of celebration! 

Today we have the Awards Luncheon followed by the Occupational Therapy program's Capstone Presentations at 5:00 p.m. in the Hafter Center and then the “big event” tomorrow afternoon.  

Graduation should be a time of celebration and pride – for our students, their families, significant others and our faculty and staff. But it also should be a time of reflection – on what’s next, how fortunate you all are to be able to help others and to finally to thank those who helped get you here.

As we prepare to launch our newest group of Salus graduates I want to extend the University’s congratulations and thanks to all of our students, faculty and staff on attaining this significant accomplishment. As you’ll hear during the commencement ceremony, graduation marks the first step you’ll take as a healthcare professional. You’ve all embarked on extremely exciting and rewarding careers and your ability to help people improve their lives is a real gift; one that needs to be cherished, honed and continually nurtured. It’s our hope and expectation that you take full advantage of all that you’ve learned during your time at Salus and apply those skills with the utmost care and sensitivity to those patients and clients you will care for.  

As I’ll remind you on tomorrow, you’ll be surrounded by all sorts of technology to assist you in doing your jobs. It will be important to remember that these technologies are adjuncts to finding the best ways to care for your patients and clients.  Remember, to treat your patients and not the technology! 

Finally, when you chose healthcare as a profession you’ve also chosen professions requiring a commitment to life-long learning. Salus will always be your academic home and I want you to think of us that way. Never stop asking questions, challenging your assumptions and sharpening your skills. We’ll all be there to help you continue to succeed. Congratulations on a job exceptionally well done – we’re all very proud of you!

MHM

Centennial Celebration Weekend - Week of April 26th

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

Greetings from Elkins Park and the beginning of our Centennial Celebration weekend! I can’t believe it’s actually here!

Tonight, at 6:00 p.m., at the Science Institute, we celebrate the achievements of 35 professionals who have made significant contributions to their professions, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Salus University. It’s going to be a very special weekend that kicks off our celebration that goes through the weekend.

Concurrently, on Friday night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. the AOSA Quiz Bowl will be happening in the Hafter Center. All students and faculty are welcome to attend, and those who do will receive two drink tickets and food. Second year optometry students will compete and the winner will go on to represent PCO in the national ASOA Quiz Bowl competition at the Optometry’s Meeting in June 2020.On Saturday, we’ll begin the day with free optometric continuing education on the Elkins Park campus at 8:00 a.m. sponsored by Physician Recommended Nutraceuticals. Drs. James Deom and Thomas Kislan will be discussing a practice guide to build a sustainable, medically focused practice to capitalize on the changing landscape in eye care.

At 10:00 a.m. the Salus Alumni Board will hold its annual meeting in room S301 on the Elkins Park campus. I’ll be giving an update about all the great things that are happening at the University and we’ll hear about plans for the coming year. All alumni are invited and encouraged to attend.

Campus tours of both Elkins Park and TEI in East Oak Lane; and PEI and SLI Open Houses will begin at 10:00 a.m. and go until 1:00 p.m. At 12:30 p.m., there will be the Presidential Medal of Honor Plaque Unveiling at the Hafter Student Community Center.

In additional to all the other things going on Saturday morning, Salus - PCO faculty and students will perform comprehensive eye exams at the VSP® Chester, Pa. event. Community service is in our DNA – and this is yet another example of how we care for those in need.

Now, that’s a busy morning! The BIG EVENT, the Gala, celebrating 100 years of Pennsylvania College of Optometry’s legacy, starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing and the Essilor Luxottica “After Party” starts at 9:30 p.m. 

View Weekend Schedule

This will be a great weekend of events to celebrate the College’s 100 years, and a great kickoff to the next 100 for the entire University.

As a prelude to this weekend’s events, on Tuesday, I was interviewed by Rosemary Connors from NBC10, who will also be hosting the Gala. Here’s a link to the interview if anyone’s interested.

Needless to say, it’s going to be an action-packed, fun weekend. I hope everyone has the opportunity to participate in any or all of the festivities. We’ve got a great deal to be thankful for and to celebrate. The Pennsylvania College of Optometry pretty much defined how optometry is practiced today and will continue to do so well into the future. That’s something to celebrate!

Have a great weekend. I hope to see many of you at the functions both on and off campus.

Mike

Graduation Is Right Around the Corner: Week of April 18th

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

Greetings on a beautiful Thursday from Elkins Park. My update is a day early this week due to the holiday schedule. 

Last Friday, students and staff participated in the inaugural Health Fair conducted by the LeVine Backstretch Clinic, which is operated at the Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa., as part of the horse racing facility. Salus had the largest group of participants with 21 volunteers and conducted 78 vision screenings and 28 hearing screenings. It was a great turn out. 

Renovations are under way at The Eye Institute at Chestnut Hill – last week new auto-phoropters were installed. Other renovations will include new signage, remodeling of the front desk area and a renovation of the pre-screening area. 

I can’t believe it, but our Centennial Gala is only a week away! Catch up on some more PCO history with this story on Melissa Trego, OD’04, Resident ’09, PhD, PCO dean. 

Finally, with so much swirling around in the news these days, between the horrible fire at Notre Dame Cathedral and the release of the Mueller Report, it’s easy to forget that this weekend should be one of reflection and celebration. On Friday evening our Jewish colleagues and friends will begin to celebrate Passover, commemorating the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. At the same time, our Christian colleagues and friends will be observing Good Friday and then celebrating Easter on Sunday. Both of these holidays represent a time to reflect with family and friends how lucky we all are to be able to observe these holidays together in a country that was founded on the premise of religious freedom and equality. 

I hope everyone takes some time this long weekend to take a break from all the news around us and concentrate on what’s most important – family and friends. 

Be safe, get some exercise and come back next week ready to move into the final stretch as our semesters begin to come to a close. Graduation for many is just around the corner! 

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to all those celebrating these holidays!

Mike

SLP Capstone Presentations: Week of April 5th

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

Greetings from a cold and rainy Elkins Park. What happened to Spring??? The campus has been a little quieter than usual since some of our programs are on their Spring break.

Earlier this week I attended the annual meeting of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) in Harrisburg. The most important issue they are working on, in my opinion as it pertains to us, involves potential changes to federal financial aid programs and how ultimately loans will be paid back. We (Salus) have been very strong advocates for deferral of interest accrual until after graduation as well as expansion of shortage area loan forgiveness programs that include all of our professions. I’m not overly optimistic we’ll see quick changes, but my plan is to be the “squeaky wheel” since very few are raising these issues. 

Yesterday, students from the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program presented their capstone project posters to a good size crowd in the Hafter Center, including Dr. Eckert and I. The work was fantastic and really a reflection of all the hard work both the students and faculty mentors put into these projects over the course a semester. Well done!

We’re less than a month away from our Centennial celebration. Dr. Jeff Nyman and I were interviewed by Monica Cryan from PHL17, who just happens to be Dr. Pagani’s daughter, earlier this week and I had the pleasure of being interviewed yesterday by Patty Jackson from WDAS (105.3), which was lots of fun. Both interviews centered on PCO’s heritage and the commitment we have had to our community over the past 100 years. So, I hope this helps to motivate you to purchase your tickets for the Gala. There’s still some time. Just click here to get your tickets.

Next week many of us will be in Washington, DC to help the American Optometric Association educate several Congressional leaders about optometry and some of the national legislative issues that affect how we all practice. I’m always excited about participating in these events and even more excited that our students will be engaged, which is so very important.

I hope everyone has a safe and restful weekend and has a chance to get out and enjoy some of the early buds and flowers. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate!

Mike