Managing Stress In Your Life: Week of June 2, 2023

 

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

Greetings on a beautiful June morning from our Elkins Park campus. With summer session well underway, there is nothing better than seeing students relaxing and studying pondside in the cool shade along with our resident family of geese! Construction on the first-floor renovation project has been moving along and we are beginning to see the open spaces that we will enjoy when our dining and gathering spaces are complete. It is exciting!

Here are other items of interest:

OT DEEP DIVE: In our latest podcast, Tara Schumacher, an assistant director of Admissions at Salus, talks about the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program including tips and tricks for applying. Click here to read more.

CONGRATS NEW GRADS: Last week we celebrated our 126th commencement at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and sent our graduates off with inspirational remarks given by Dr. Ala Stanford. We look forward to watching our graduates spread their wings as they leave our nest. Click here to read more about this year's commencement.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: It was Sam Farrand's, MS '17, mother-in-law who suggested that he consider going into speech therapy. That turned out to be great advice. In 2015, Farrand entered the inaugural Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program and hasn't looked back since. For more, click here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I reflect on our commencement ceremony last week, our future merger with Drexel, current national and international events, it’s incredible to consider how much is going on simultaneously. The level of stress generated by any one of these events is significant. Taken concurrently, the mental and emotional stress on our bodies increases appreciably.

While each of us has developed coping mechanisms for stress, the “wear and tear” of repeated exposure to stress has immediate and long term impacts on our bodies and brains. It’s imperative that we rigorously and deliberately work to mitigate stress to the best of our abilities. Some suggestions that have worked for me over the years include the following:

Develop a morning routine that’s sustainable - Sounds basic, but it makes a world of difference. Get up, make your bed (now you’ve accomplished at least one thing!), get some exercise, have breakfast, etc. 

Develop good sleep habits – We need sleep to remain healthy and fit. This may seem like “mission impossible,” but the better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind will be at handling things that come your way. Prioritize sleep over other things and you’ll be more productive, resilient and attentive. Minimize screen time prior to going to bed as that can adversely affect sleep.

Get outside and enjoy the fresh air – There are so many places around us that you can go and safely walk around in nature that will help to calm your mind and present opportunities for some exercise at many levels.

Eat a healthy diet – Studies have found that eating hyper-processed foods and added sugars will add to perceived stress levels. Try to eat a balanced diet consisting of whole foods, protein, fruits and vegetables and pass on that extra bowl of ice cream or chocolate chip cookie.

Take a time-out – If you’re working on something or just feel a bit overwhelmed, take a minute or two to take a “brain break” and think about something enjoyable such as getting outside or your last fun vacation.

Start writing in a journal – Capture positive things that happen during the day and write them in a journal. Over time you’ll accumulate many positive experiences that will help you through challenging times when you look back on these journal entries.

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 new classmates or the people you miss seeing every day.

Stress affects all of us in different ways. Some stress in our lives is beneficial, as it helps us to focus and perform at a high level. When stress levels supersede that threshold, that’s when people start to exhibit symptoms. Try to stay ahead of the stress power curve!

For our students, skilled counselors in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) are always available to assist with more advice on how to handle stress. All you need to do is make an appointment here. For faculty and staff, please contact your insurance provider who can provide mental health expertise.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the nice weather. Please remember to stay hydrated and use sunscreen when out and about. Continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Embracing Transitions: Week of May 5, 2023

 

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

Good morning and Happy Cinco de Mayo! It’s been another busy week at Salus with our students preparing for finals, upcoming commencement and new clinical rotations. We’ve had therapy dogs in the Learning Resource Center, bagels in the morning to help jump start the day, and the symphony of construction as work continues on our first floor renovation. Here are some other items of interest:

A HIGHER LEVEL: Yasmin Battat, AuD ‘09 wanted a higher level of training where she could attain more in-depth knowledge about her profession. So, she enrolled in the distance learning program in audiology at what was then the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) School of Audiology. Read more about Dr. Battat’s journey here.

ACCEPTED STUDENT DAY: Salus University’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) programs hosted their inaugural accepted student days this past weekend. Students had the opportunity to visit the Elkins Park campus, tour the facilities, meet faculty, and interact with prospective classmates. Accepted student day was first offered for PCO students last year, but has since expanded to include the Audiology, SLP, O&P and Physician Assistant Studies (PA) programs.

OT CONFERENCE: Five Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program (OTD) students and two Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) students attended the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri from April 19 to April 23. SOTA officers Lexi Hunn MSOT ‘24, and Mia Nicolosi, MSOT ‘24, represented Salus at the annual Assembly of Student Delegates meeting, and Caityn Foy, DOT, MOTR/L, OTD program director, hosted a Salus University expo table and talked to prospective MSOT and OTD students.

AAPI HERITAGE MONTH: Monday marked the start of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month), recognizing the challenges faced by Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians and their vital contributions to the American story. May is significant to the AAPI community for two reasons. On May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrant arrived in the United States. More than 20 years later, on May 10, 1869, the first transcontinental railroad was completed, largely due to the project's more than 20,000 Chinese workers.

FINAL THOUGHTS: On Tuesday evening, I was delighted to help “send off” our 3rd year Audiology students who are preparing for external clinical rotations. I always enjoy this ceremony, as I encourage our students to take full advantage of the learning that will challenge them clinically and academically, and that will help them build confidence in what they’ve learned at Salus. This got me thinking about transitions, and how at this time of the year many of our students are preparing to transition to their next stage of training or into professional practice opportunities.

Transitions can be exhilarating and exciting, and they can also feel uncomfortable, challenging and scary. Over the course of my 33-year career with the Navy, I transitioned a number of times to positions with increasing responsibility all over the world. Each transition helped me grow professionally and intellectually by getting me out of my comfort zone and forcing me to confront new ideas and situations. Some transitions were harder than others. As I reflect on all of them, the ones in which I learned the most were the ones I approached with an open mind, grace and ease—allowing myself not to know everything, reaching out when I had questions, and giving myself the space to make mistakes and learn from them.

Every day and every interprofessional and interpersonal encounter presents an opportunity to embrace change in the way we look at things, communicate and respond. Over their years of education and clinical training at Salus University, our students are being shaped by our faculty and staff to become exceptionally prepared healthcare professionals, educators and researchers. Each step along the path is a transition presenting students with challenges and opportunities that contribute to their professional formation.

As we continue our discussions with Drexel, our faculty and staff have been thinking about what a transition could look like if an integration moves forward. Like other transitions, this presents great opportunities, and it can also feel stressful, because the status quo will change over time. In healthcare and higher education, where our worlds intersect, change is the norm. This can feel difficult and destabilizing. Having been through a lifetime of significant transitions, I want you to know that I appreciate what you may be feeling. As you have questions, please reach out to me or our leadership team. We can navigate this together.

I cannot stress enough the importance of flexibility and agility as conditions in our industry change. These changes require transitions from the way we currently think to new ways of thinking that are more encompassing, collaborative and more complex. That’s the goal of the integration with Drexel: providing us with the opportunity to shape and evolve the future of our current programs in a way that we could not envision independently.

Marcus Aurelias, the famous stoic, once said: “The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” In every transition I have encountered, I have asked myself, “What am I learning about my response to change, and how can I grow from this experience?” This question has helped me see the opportunity for positive growth that is always there, if I look for it.

As you start your weekend, try to reflect on the transitions you’ve experienced and the learning that has come out of them. Congratulations and best of luck to our audiology as well as our other students heading to clinical rotations. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

The Importance of Human Connection: Week of February 17, 2023

 

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

I write this week’s update with a very heavy heart as we keep in our thoughts and prayers Michigan State University students who were killed and injured earlier this week and the entire MSU community in the wake of the terrible tragedy. These heinous acts of violence have become all too commonplace throughout our country. Confronting this public health epidemic must be front and center in discussions with our local politicians and policy makers.

We also keep in our prayers and intentions all who have been impacted by the devastating earthquake along the Turkish Syrian border. Please refer to my February 11th LinkedIn post for more information and donation links.

SALUS SOULMATES: Mike Guerriere, MMS ‘18, and Alexandra (Adolph-Gothier) Guerriere, MMS ’18, were in the same Physician Assistant (PA) Studies class when they met. They started out as friends, but then he shoveled her car out of the snow and that led to romance. Click here to read more about Salus University’s featured Valentine’s Day couple.

LGBTQ+ SAFE SPACE TRAINING: Back by popular demand, Stan Kimer will provide a two-hour training session via Zoom on Friday, Feb 24. from noon to 2 p.m. The main subjects covered will include basic terms and definitions, LGBTQ+ history, being an ally, understanding key LGBTQ+ issues and struggles, and understanding and supporting the “coming out” process.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION: Andrea Tyszka, OTD ‘18, OTR/L, SIPT, and Anna Grasso, OTD, MS, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM, presented a poster at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) international conference in Paris highlighting an innovative model of fieldwork that the Salus Occupational Therapy (OT) department utilized during the pandemic. To read more, click here. 

COMMUNICATIONS ON A ROLL: Congratulations to our Office of Communications for achieving two awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and two CUPPIE awards from the College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals (CUPRAP), in the categories of marketing/advertising outdoors and long-form story. So great to see their work recognized! 

DREAMSCAPES EXHIBIT: The newest art exhibit, titled “Dreamscapes,” featuring the work of Kathy Robinson and Jenn Hallgren, is now available to see through March 24, 2023, at the D’Arrigo Family Gallery located inside the Hafter Student Community Center on Salus University’s Elkins Park campus. Click here for a preview.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week I am attending the annual meeting of the Society of Federal Health Care Professionals, AMSUS, in which our U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has highlighted the epidemic of loneliness, despair and pessimism about the future of our country, and the importance of human connection. Especially among children, social media exposure has fostered feelings of loneliness, isolation and sadness. When people experience togetherness, this raises optimism and creativity. When they experience belonging, their lives are stronger, richer, and more joyful.

Dr. Murthy identifies four strategies that mitigate and directly address the root causes of the crisis. These include:

1. Spend quality time each day with the person(s) you love. This could be as little as 15 minutes with those for whom you care most. 
2.  When talking with someone, give them your full, undivided attention with eye contact and active listening.
3. Embrace solitude through meditation, art, music, prayer, and time spent outdoors.
4. Help and accept help from others. Service is a human connection that helps to remind all of us of our value and purpose in life. Simple acts such as checking on neighbors, seeking advice or smiling at a stranger make us all stronger.

As healthcare providers, we are a vital part of this solution. Giving our patients and students our full attention with kindness, care and respect; limiting the use of social media, especially among our children; spending quality time with family and friends; taking time for self-care; helping and accepting help from others; are all important steps we can take to foster connection and belonging as an antidote to isolation, depression and sadness. While political vitriol, gun violence, social unrest and general pessimism dominate the headlines, the fullest majority of society is comprised of good people doing good things.

Sometimes we need to be reminded of this -- and all that we can do individually and collectively, in and beyond the clinic and classroom, to build a stronger, richer and more creative society.

As we approach this weekend, please take time to reflect upon the strategies that Dr. Murthy shared with all of us so we can all become better connected and in the long-run, better providers for those we care for. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remains SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

The Importance of Being Proactive: Week of February 3, 2022

 

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

Good morning on a brisk Friday from our Elkins Park campus where all of our students, faculty and staff have been busy with classes, labs and clinics. Special thanks to our volunteer Board of Trustee members for their insights and participation at our Board meeting earlier this week. We deeply value their expertise and guidance. In addition, here are some other items of interest:

NEW SAFE ZONE LOGO: We are excited to introduce our new LGBTQ+ Safe Zone logo (see attached). Salus employees who complete one of the upcoming, two-hour "Safe Zone" trainings may wish to display the emblem in their office space to signify completion. Trainings are available virtually Feb. 24 and April 18. Registration information will be emailed in the coming weeks.

PA AND OT PANEL DISCUSSION: The Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program faculty, along with PA and Occupational Therapy (OT) students, will present a panel discussion titled "Learning the Challenges of Healthcare Access through a Medical Service Lens: Salus PA & OT Student Experiences in Guatemala,” at noon today, Feb. 3, in Room S-300. Go to cerbgistration@salus.edu to register.

COMMUNICATION TIPS: Please join CPPD's doctoral student trainees Andrew Jaskot and Janeyshka Ortiz-Flores for a communication “tips and tricks” tabling event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, outside the café. Students are encouraged to stop by to chat with the counselors, receive more information about communication styles in relationships, grab some treats, and receive more information about the 

CPPD. BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Wednesday marked the beginning of Black History Month commemorating and celebrating the history, accomplishments, leadership, and lives of Black Americans. Dr. Mosley-Williams sent out this week a powerful reflection that I encourage you all to read.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week a friend reminded me of a quote attributed to President John F. Kennedy: “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

Good leaders, and those of us in healthcare, always need to be proactive. The way we do this at Salus is through scenario planning, a modeling exercise that systematically explores alternative futures in healthcare and higher education, in order to formulate strategies to address potential developments.

For example, while we could never have predicted a global pandemic, our scenario planning enabled us to respond effectively. One of our scenarios identified the need to expand hybrid education. As part of our strategic plan, we invested heavily in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate this. This investment allowed us to pivot to on-line teaching and learning over the course of a weekend when the pandemic hit.

As we emerged from the pandemic, we embarked on another round of scenario planning. While this evolution validated many of the findings from our last round, it also pointed to the importance of developing sustainable partnerships and affiliations with other institutions. Given the current landscape in higher education, we are proactively nurturing collaborative relationships with many schools, and in particular our consortium partners, to develop well-defined pathways from community colleges to our programs.

As healthcare providers, we develop differential diagnosis lists to provide the best possible care for patients as conditions and symptoms evolve. This is a form of scenario planning – exploring a range of potential treatment courses so that we are better prepared for the unexpected. As students, you also need to be thinking proactively about managing your time to effectively study for national board exams. When I was a student, we “budgeted” several hours a week just to stay on top of things – something I highly recommend. 

As we get ready for the weekend, please think about the importance of being proactive in all that you do. By planning ahead, you’ll be able to prioritize what’s important to you personally and professionally, because you will spend less time reacting.

Have a great weekend – Stay warm as it’s supposed to be extremely cold. Be safe, remain COVID vigilant, continue to watch out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis: Week of December 2, 2022

 

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus. It’s a nice crisp December morning here, reminding us that winter is nipping at our heals! Even with the colder weather outside, things are heating up inside as our students and faculty prepare for final exams and new and exciting clinical rotations. In addition to all that’s happening on campus, here are some other areas of interest I hope you will read about:

NEW NSSLHA BOARD: The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)’s chapter at Salus University welcomes a new executive board; Stevie Goldman ‘23SLP, as president, Alyssa Dallmer ‘23SLP, as vice president, Jess Kusters ‘23SLP, as treasurer and Emily Steinslofer ‘23SLP as secretary. The purpose of NSSLHA is to support students within the communication sciences and disorders professions as they prepare for their future careers. Read more here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Healey Miller, MSOT ‘21, ‘23OTD, focuses on people. But after coming out of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she was wondering what career path she was going to take. She then decided to attend Salus University to pursue OT as her career. Read more here about what Healey’s doing now.

FACULTY FOCUS: The path to Salus University has taken Maria Boka, MSPAS, PA-C, to quite a few different places. Click here to find out what route she took to become one of the newest members of the faculty in the University’s Physician Assistant Studies program.

SWANKY SOIREE: The annual Salus Soiree, held Nov. 18, attracted approximately 225 students — all transported to the museum from the University’s Elkins Park campus in four school buses — all dressed to the nines and ready to party. Read more about the evening here.

VACCINATION EVENT: We will host a vaccination event Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center gym. In collaboration with Walmart Pharmacy, the event will provide the new bivalent COVID booster as well as the flu vaccination. Registration is required. Attached is an information sheet with registration information and a list of documents that you will need to bring with you.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Today I wanted to highlight recent research on gun violence, the connection between social determinants of health and this growing epidemic, and local and federal efforts to address it. As I have before, I want to be sure this public health emergency remains on our radar. The more we can learn about this epidemic, the more prepared we will be to curtail its impact on the patients we serve and the broader society.

New data released on Tuesday from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) looks across 32 years of national data and is the first of its kind to track firearm fatality trends over time by intent, demographics and geographics. The findings are striking: 

• Men account for the overwhelming percentage of fatalities over time (86% male vs 14% female);
• White, non-Hispanic individuals (61%) comprise the largest share, followed by Black, non-Hispanic (26%), and Hispanic (10%) individuals;
• Males had higher rates of suicide and homicide compared to females, with the highest rates of firearm suicides among White men aged 80-84;
• The sharpest rise in maximum rates of firearm homicides over time has occurred among men aged 20-24 with Black fatality rates rising 22 times higher (up to 142 per 100,000) and Hispanic fatality rates rising 3.6 times higher (up to 23 per 100,000) compared to White men (up to 6 fatalities per 100,000 persons aged 30-34 years).

Importantly, the data shows over time the increase in gun fatalities from west to southeast over the past three decades:

Figure 1: Trends and Disparities in Firearm Fatalities in the United States, 1990-202

JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(11):e2244221. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.44221

I draw your attention to this, as just yesterday, I gave a lecture to students on the effects of social vulnerability on diabetes. Check out the slide below:

Figure 2: Effects of Social Vulnerability on Diabetes. Lecture, 1 December 2022. 

What we see when we compare the maps is this: Socioeconomic status, lowered health outcomes and homicides follow the same geographic patterns. Disparities in health outcomes follow disparities in economic income, access, and stability.

Mounting evidence shows the array of promising responses that make a difference in addressing this complex public health issue:

• Firstly, stronger state policies designed to reduce firearm violence are effective in reducing firearm fatalities (JAMA, Firearm Laws and Firearm Homicides: A Systematic Review, 2017).
• This week I attended a Leadership Breakfast hosted by State Senator Art Haywood in which gun violence was discussed by several experts. They included the establishment of Nightly Street Teams to build relationships with shooters and victims; deploying mental health and social service providers to deliver services to shooters, victims, and their family members; sponsoring frequent job fairs for neighbors in high crime areas; increased police presence and weekly block cleanups. Systemic approaches that strengthen community support while attending to the root causes of gun violence are effective.
• A growing number of resources also address gun violence prevention and related supports. Check out the following:
• CDC’s Gun Violence Prevention website
• Montgomery County Gun Violence Prevention Page
• National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

As current and future health care providers, we have a responsibility to continue to call attention to this epidemic with our local and federal representatives and to advocate for our patients’ increased resources that improve access and equity in health outcomes.

As you prepare for the weekend, please take some time to think about how you can have an impact on the gun violence epidemic in our region. Change will take time but unless we make the efforts now, nothing will improve.

Please be safe, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Vote Next Week: Week of November 4, 2022

 

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

Good morning on this beautiful Fall morning where our Elkins Park and East Oak Lane campuses have been buzzing with activity. We are nearing completion of minor renovations to The Eye Institute that will improve the patient check-in process and flow. And, of course, we are watching the Phillies, Eagles and Union!

Here are some other items of interest:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS: We are excited about our upcoming Looking Out For Kids charity fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. This year’s event will be held at the National Constitution Center where we will honor Professor Kovin Naidoo with our Lighthouse Award. If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, please consider going to our website here to help us provide healthcare for children in need.

VACCINATION EVENT: On Wednesday, Nov. 9 from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center gym Salus will host a vaccination event, in collaboration with Walmart Pharmacy, that will provide the new bivalent COVID booster as well as the Flu vaccination.

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION: This Sunday, Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. there will be the "Excellence in Education” annual conference in tribute to the late Dr. Joseph C. Toland, a PCO graduate and professor with more than 40 years of service. His avid support of optometric education and residency training have shaped how we practice optometry. Salus University extends our deepest respect and gratitude to Dr. Toland. In his honor, all proceeds from this annual event will directly benefit our residency program. Click here for more information, and here to register.

OT FACULTY FOCUS: Being in on the ground floor of establishing Salus University’s Occupational Therapy (OT) department was a memorable time for Caitlyn Foy, DOT, MOTR/L. Read more about Dr. Foy’s role in that here in this week’s Faculty Focus.

RESIDENCY CLASS OF 2023: Ryan Keenan, OD ‘22,’23 Resident, knew he wanted to get into healthcare when he entered college and explored several professions through volunteer opportunities. Now he’s one of our residents and he says his residency is everything he expected. Read more about Dr. Keenan here.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME TO END: Remember to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night as Daylight Savings Time ends at 2AM Sunday morning. We all get an extra hour of sleep!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Last week I wrote about the imperative of exercising your right and responsibility to vote for your candidate of choice on election day. Our democracy, and the right to vote, are more fragile than most realize. Your vote helps ensure that your voice is heard.

The day is now upon us: Tuesday, Nov. 8th. If you have not filed your mail-in ballot, please make time to vote!

As you consider for whom you will vote, check candidate voting records that can help predict how candidates will vote in the future. Remember that social media posts tend to represent opinions rather than facts. Verify facts using multiple sources before taking a position.

The weather is going to be amazing this weekend! Try to get out and enjoy it while we still have it! As you go about your activities over the weekend, please remember CDC masking guidelines and be cognizant of your surroundings at all times. If you haven’t already been vaccinated with the new COVID bivariant vaccine and flu vaccine, please try to register for our campus event or get them at your local pharmacies. It’s the safe and responsible thing to do.

Be safe, remain vigilant and stay SALUS STRONG!

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

Welcoming Our Entering Class: Week of August 12, 2022

 

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

Good morning from Elkins Park where the weather finally has gotten a little cooler! We are thrilled to welcome our entering class next week and to open our new Orthotics and Prosthetics lab on Monday!  

Here are a few items of interest: 

NEW O&P LAB: The result of a lot of hard work and planning is finally here. Please join us at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15 for the ribbon-cutting and opening of our new Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) lab. The event will include a tour of our Activities of Daily Living Lab. Both are located on the fourth floor of the West building of our Elkins Park campus. To RSVP for the ceremony, click here. To read more about the new O&P lab, click here.

LIGHTHOUSE AWARD WINNER: Kovin Naidoo, BSc, BOptom, MPH, OD ‘95, PhD, DHL (Hon), Global Head: Advocacy and Partnerships, OneSight EssilorLuxxotica Foundation, has been selected as the Lighthouse Award recipient for our 15th annual “Looking Out For Kids” charity fundraiser. Check out the story on Dr. Naidoo here.

SUMMER ART EXHIBIT: We are excited to showcase the work of the Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists (MCGOPA) in our D’Arrigo Family Gallery at the Hafter Student Community Center on our Elkins Park campus of Salus. Click here for more information.

THE PATH TO AN OT CAREER: Upon graduation, Alexis Long ’23 OT, hopes to pursue a career in pediatric care. But just like her undergraduate career, where she was open to any and all opportunities, the unexpected twists and turns in her academic journey have made Alexis eager to see where her Occupational Therapy career takes her. Read more here.

MONTCLAIR VISITORS IMPRESSED: A group from Montclair State University in New Jersey visited Salus University recently to tour the campus and hear more about the various health science programs Salus offers. And, many of them came away impressed with what they saw and now considering Salus as a graduate school option. Read more about their experience here.

WHITE COAT CEREMONIES: Next week we’ll recognize our students with White Coat ceremonies for all three colleges. This annual ceremony represents the transition from student to professional in training as first-year students receive the symbol of their profession – the white coat. Recipients from all of the University’s clinical specialties -- Optometry, Audiology, Physician Assistant Studies, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology and for the very first time, Orthotics and Prosthetics degree programs, will be honored. Look for stories and photos of the events on our website.

ERRATA: Apologies to Dr. Radhika Aravamudhan and the OCA staff, where we mistakenly labeled the Osborne College of Audiology - PCA – We all know it is OCA!

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I noted earlier, next week will be a busy week on campus because it’s Orientation Week, when our new students have the opportunity to meet representatives from our Salus student service departments, clinical facilities and external organizations providing helpful resources to them during their time at the University. We’ll also acknowledge all who helped bring our new Orthotics and Prosthetics program to life. Please try to participate in as many of these events as you can.

As we start this new, exciting and hopefully, normal school year, please keep in mind: we’re all in this together. For our students, our sole mission is to ensure your success as you learn and embrace your new professions. To our world-class faculty and staff, thank you for all you do every day to prepare and support our students. As everyone gets ready for the upcoming week, please be mindful of your physical and mental health and what you will do to protect and enhance both.

Have a great weekend - the weather should be perfect! Be safe, continue to follow CDC masking guidelines, wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. I look forward to welcoming all to our SALUS STRONG campus next week!

Mike

Salus Weekly Update: Week of July 22nd, 2022

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

Good morning from a very hot and muggy Elkins Park campus. This is a far cry from the weather I was experiencing just yesterday in Iceland where the high temperature was 52 degrees! I wanted to call your attention to a few things that might be of interest to you:

THE TEI EXPERIENCE: Check out the second part of a two-part Q&A with the 2021-2022 Residents of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and their on-campus residency experiences at The Eye Institute (TEI) during their first official year of being a Doctor of Optometry. Click here.

O&P FACULTY UPDATE: Welcome to Virginia Muthard, CPO/L, FAAOP, the newest addition to our Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) faculty. She comes to Salus after a year of teaching orthotics in the Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics (MSPO) program at the University of Pittsburgh. Read more about Virginia here.

‘OPENING EYES’ VOLUNTEERS: A group from PCO/Salus participated in the “Opening Eyes” program for athletes who competed in the New Jersey Special Olympics, held recently at The College of New Jersey in Ewing Township. Over two days, 12 students from PCO/Salus screened 268 special Olympians and provided glasses and sunglasses for 350 individuals. Click here to learn more about their experience.

INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION: Salus University and Brandywine River Museum of Art have created accessible programming for visitors with autism and sensory-processing disorders. Over the past five years, the project has blossomed into an interdisciplinary collaboration that not only includes the University’s Occupational Therapy (OT) department, but the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) departments as well. Read more about the initiative here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: It is going to be close to 100 degrees, sunny and humid this weekend. Please ensure that you stay hydrated and try to restrict your outdoor activities to times when it’s relatively cooler outside such as early in the morning or early evenings. Also, please keep in mind that cases of COVID have been on the rise nationally, and we’ve not been immune in our region. Remain vigilant in taking the appropriate preventive measures when you’re out and about by following CDC masking guidelines. Remember, if you’re not feeling well, rule out COVID with a self-test before you interact with others. 

Have a great weekend - stay cool, be safe and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Doing the Right Thing: Week of July 8th, 2022

 

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

Good morning on a beautiful July day from our Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week at Salus with our summer semester just about half done. Our students and faculty have been engaged in lectures, labs and clinics in addition to fieldwork and externships around the country. Here are some additional things you might find interesting:

CSD OPEN HOUSE: Our Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) open house is set to welcome all this Monday, July 11, at our Elkins Park campus. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect and engage with current students and renowned faculty, tour our campus and state-of-the-art clinical facilities and learn to navigate the application process.

BLAUSTEIN AWARD WINNERS: Wayne Tan, OD ‘21, Resident ‘22, on-campus resident at The Eye Institute (TEI), along with Tina Choe, OD ‘20, Resident ’22, off-campus resident, have been named the Bernard Blaustein Residents of the Year for the residency class of 2022 by the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University. The award is named for Bernard Blaustein, OD ‘67, FAAO. For six years, from 2003 through 2009, Dr. Blaustein managed the On-Campus Residency Programs. In addition to educating students at PCO, he spent time as chief of the Optometry Service at the VA Medical Center in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and in private practice before retiring in 2018. To read more, click here.

OT FIELDWORK: Check out our latest podcast featuring two, second-year occupational therapy students, Xin Song and Michelle Berg, who are completing their fieldwork at the Occupational Therapy Institute (OTI) of Salus University. They talk about the unique clinical and management skills that they've gained, and how they'll utilize them in their future healthcare careers. Click here for details.

QUIZ BOWL CHALLENGE: April Mishley ‘23 OD knew that she had to be lightning-quick to compete in the Quiz Bowl at the annual meeting of the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA). To find out how April did, click here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Over the course of this last year, I’ve been reading the works of the Roman and Greek Stoics, and in particular, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the Roman philosopher and playwright Seneca and slave turned philosopher, Epictetus. What stands out in their work is their contagious optimism and regard for truth and honesty. Here’s a segment that I thought is particularly germane, given current events including today’s horrid assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“Never shirk the proper dispatch of your duty, no matter if you are freezing or hot, groggy, or well-rested, vilified or praised, not even if dying or pressed by other demands. Even dying is one of the important assignments in life and, in this as in all else, make the most of your resources to do well the duty at hand.” -- Marcus Aurelius on Duty and Circumstance

This passage underscores that no matter what circumstance you are confronted with, doing the right thing is generally a clear and intuitive choice. While morality is often complicated and sometimes the difficult path to take, it’s important to take the high road, remember your overall mission, no matter what may be happening around you.

Whether global incidents like the most recent shootings in Highland Park, the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs or today’s dreadful assassination of Prime Minister Abe, or daily occurrences such as your next set of exams or suffering a flat tire on the way to campus, they all have an impact on your daily life. It’s hard to compartmentalize some of these things, but keep in mind that your duty, even under these arduous circumstances, is to remain focused on those skills that you are learning or teaching to help improve the lives of others. That is what we must do – our current and future patients and clients expect no less.

As you prepare for the weekend, please remember to follow CDC masking guidelines, stay hydrated and look out for one another. I’m getting ready to depart on a short vacation but will try to reach out from where I’ll be next Friday. Stay safe, stay smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Passover, Easter and Ramadan: Week of April 10th, 2020

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

Good morning from home where I, like most of you, have been working over the past several weeks. I hope that this week’s update finds everyone healthy and safe during these very uncertain and unsettling times.

April is Occupational Therapy month and we would like to take this opportunity to thank and celebrate all those OTs who are currently on the front lines, several who are working with COVID patients, fighting this pandemic, along with many of our other colleagues. 

We recently signed an articulation agreement with Immaculata creating a pathway for undergraduate students to enroll in several advanced degree programs to include audiology, optometry, occupational therapy, and physician assistant. To learn more about this, please click here.

We’ve continued our advocacy for additional assistance from the Federal government by writing to our local Congressional delegation to ensure they understood the very unique requirements our students. We are strongly advocating that graduate students be treated the same as undergraduates, making low interest federal student loans available to them and asking for low interest Perkins loans be re-instituted for graduate students.

Last week I announced that the Pennsylvania Ear Institute would begin to see emergency patients only. This week we saw our first couple of patients; one adult whose issue was handled "curbside" so that they didn't need to physically come into the clinic and the other, a two-year-old who needed earmold impressions so that he could get new earmolds ordered for his hearing aids. Needless to say, both were very grateful we could provide these services. The staff is strictly following CDC guidelines for any of these interactions. 

As I mentioned on Monday, Passover, Easter and Ramadan remind us that our life here on earth and our work at Salus takes on a special meaning during this health crisis. Being able to care for and give unto others while sheltering in place and wondering when all this will end is in our blood at Salus.   Your positive attitudes and professional demeanor will help get you through this. As I’ve said many times, this will all end eventually and we will all have learned a great deal about ourselves and others. We will be more resilient and wiser.  We are SALUS STRONG, which give us an edge no one else has. 

Finally, many of you may have seen the announcement from Governor Wolf closing all K- 12 schools until the end of the academic year. That specific mandate does not directly apply to us. We are not permitted to resume in-person instruction or reopen our campus until the closure of non-life sustaining businesses is lifted by the Governor. I wish I could tell you when that will happen, but as I’m certain you realize, it will be dependent upon the trajectory of the pandemic. I’m hopeful it will be sooner rather than later. I can assure you, as soon as we get the green light from the state, we will start moving forward with our plans to incrementally open the campus. We will continue to monitor this with the hope that we’ll be able to return to face to face training soon. Right now, I know faculty is planning on programs continuing with online training through the summer semester. 

Tanis and I wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and hopeful holiday weekend. Try to get out and enjoy some of the sunshine, of course, wearing your masks and practicing social distancing at all times! Be safe and stay healthy!

Mike