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
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