Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
Good morning on a beautiful late-spring day in Elkins Park! Our campus has been humming with activity as we welcome our Blindness and Low Vision Studies students to campus for their summer semester, face to face classes and busy clinics. We’ve begun work on the planned renovation for the first floor of the South building that will re-energize our cafeteria and integrate other important student life and administrative functions into a welcoming, versatile, and inviting space. If all goes well, construction will begin this fall.
DICE UPDATE: Students from the University of Oulu, in Finland, recently spent two weeks on the University’s Elkins Park campus training in primary eye care. The training program is the result of a long-standing collaboration established by Melissa Vitek, OD ‘95, FAAO, dean of International and Continuing Education at Salus, and Robert Andersson, MSc ‘10, PhD ‘18, assistant professor. The Finnish optometrists are pursuing their master’s degrees at Oulu University and participating in this coursework helps them work toward that goal. Read more about their experience here.
DANGEROUS DECIBELS PROGRAM: Jenny Rajan, ‘09 AuD, CCC-A, FAAA, with the help of four students from the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) at Salus University, recently presented the “Dangerous Decibels” educational program to high schoolers in the Centennial School District. For details, click here.
HEARTFELT TRIBUTE: The Salus community honors the life and legacy of Melissa Padilla, who served PCO/Salus for 24 years and played a role in advancing our international and post-graduate program. Click here to read a heartfelt tribute to Melissa written by Anthony Di Stefano, OD ‘73, MEd, MPH, FAAO, FCOptom (Hon.), emeritus vice president of Academic Affairs and professor emeritus of Public Health at PCO/Salus.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Public health principles are designed to protect and promote health in all communities. As healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to help others realize that gun violence is a public health emergency that effects all of our communities. This was brought too close to home with last week’s shootings on South Street in Philadelphia.
If people would treat gun violence as the public health emergency it is, I believe we would begin to see effective, evidence-based gun control mitigation strategies, including legislation, much as we have done with alcohol and tobacco products. These measures protect the public’s health and do not restrict the use of these items from responsible adults. As you prepare for the weekend, try to reflect on this. It’s an issue that has reached a critical point in our country.
Please stay safe, look out for one another, remember to wear your mask both on campus and when around others off campus and stay at home if you’re not feeling well. Have a great weekend and remain SALUS STRONG!
Mike
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