Addressing Gun Violence: Week of March 31, 2023

 

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

Good morning on a crisp, spring day from our Elkins Park Campus. Unfortunately, we began this week with the senseless loss of more lives to gun violence at a small Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the students and staff at The Covenant School.

To our PCO students completing Part I of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exam and others working on practicals and preparing for finals ahead of Spring Break next week, wishing you much rest over the break. More on both subjects in my final thoughts.

Here are some other items of interest:

SEPCHE HONORS CONFERENCE: Last Saturday we were privileged to host the annual Honors Conference of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE) consortium. Students from Arcadia University, Chestnut Hill College, Holy Family University, Neumann University and Rosemont College presented original, scholarly work, voice and visual art presentations to over 130 participants. What an exciting, transformative learning experience it was to collectively enjoy such impressive and talented work!

A RETURN TO IN-PERSON CE EVENTS: On Sunday we welcomed our first in-person Continuing Education event on campus since the pandemic began. Special thanks to Dr. Melissa Vitek and our DICE staff for organizing “Dynamic Duos” featuring Drs. Navpreet and Jaspreet Hehar, Dr. Carlo Pelino, Dr. Mohammad Rafieetary, Dr. Erin Draper and Dr. Deanna Yoder-Black. Over 100 OD’s attended this exceptional professional development.

DECADE OF SUCCESS: Although the Biomedicine program at Salus University officially started in late 2012 — recently marking its 10th anniversary — the foundation for the program was underway a few years earlier. Read more about how it evolved and the continued success it has enjoyed by clicking here. 

JOURNEY OF LEARNING: Seven months into her affiliated residency through the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and every day has been a learning experience for Kelsi Jones, OD, ’23 Resident. Read more about Dr. Jones’ journey here.

FROM MUSIC TO AUDIOLOGY: The path Michael Davenport, AuD ‘09, took to becoming an audiologist actually started with music. Find out how Dr. Davenport became a staff audiologist for the Veterans Administration for the past 26 years by clicking here.

CAPSTONE INFLUENCE: It was during a clinical rotation at a geriatrics practice that Lauren Bunnell, MMS ‘22, came up with the topic for her capstone project, inspired by her preceptor’s lecture on different types of dementia. Read more about Lauren’s project here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention lists firearm-related injuries as the leading cause of death in persons 1 – 19 years of age, surpassing motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death for this cohort

This failure to protect youth from this preventable cause of death only accentuates the magnitude of the public health emergency facing our country. Among 64 high-income countries and territories, according to the Institute for Health Data and Evaluation at the University of Washington, the United States ranks eighth out of 64 for homicides by firearm (age-adjusted). Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, two US territories, rank first and third on that list. 

In 2021, the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) recorded 48,953 firearm fatalities, the highest since the CDC began tracking these in 1981. Of these deaths, 85.8% of fatalities were male and 14.2% female. 25.8% of the fatalities were Black, non-Hispanic; 10.4% Hispanic; 60.5% White, non-Hispanic individuals. Of note, firearm suicide rates were highest among White non-Hispanic men aged 80 – 84 years. In 2021, rates of firearm homicides among Black individuals were 22.5 times higher than the year before. (Trends and Disparities in Firearm Fatalities in the United States, 1990 – 2021, JAMA, Public Health, 29 November 2022).

It is long past time for legislators and leaders to act in a non-partisan manner to help curtail this public health crisis. Recognizing that there is no single or easy solution to this epidemic, numerous studies highlight promising policies to reduce gun violence. Research published in JAMA (Firearm Laws and Firearm Homicides: A Systematic Review, January 2017) demonstrates an association between laws strengthening background checks or requiring permits to purchase firearms with reductions in rates of firearm homicides.

Actively addressing the social determinants of health at a local and national level, curtailing the relatively easy access to certain types of firearms, such as military assault-style weapons, and continuing to raise the awareness of this epidemic are key to beginning to solve the issue.

As current and future health care providers, we have responsibility to continue to call attention to this epidemic to our local and federal representatives and advocate for increased resources that can address behavioral health issues, stronger gun control laws, including universal background checks prior to all gun sales, a limit on magazine capacities and a ban of military assault-style weapons.

The more we can learn about this epidemic, the more prepared we will be to help to curtail it.

For further information, I suggest you check out the following:

• CDC’s Gun Violence Prevention website 

• Montgomery County Gun Violence Prevention Page 

• National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform 

I know I am not alone in feeling weary and heartbroken over the loss of so many to gun violence. And while it is easy to feel overwhelmed, knowledge and action are effective coping strategies. As you prepare for the weekend and a well-deserved Spring Break, consider what steps you will take as a citizen and neighbor, practitioner and professional, to better understand and address this public health crisis.

I also hope you will take the time to disengage from your normal work and study routines and find time to connect with nature, get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful spring colors. I look forward to seeing many of you upon your return in a week. For those celebrating Passover and Easter next week, I wish you a blessed and restful holiday.

In the meantime, stay safe, look out for one another and enjoy your time off so you can return SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Shaping the future Delivery of Integrated Healthcare and Healthcare Education: Week of March 24, 2023

 

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

Good morning from Chicago where I have been attending the annual meeting of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) along with John Gaal and Chaitali Baviskar. As always, the meeting attracts world-class experts from around the country addressing the most pressing issues affecting healthcare delivery in our country. I am energized by the wealth and exchange of ideas to improve what we do in patient care and education. In my final thoughts, I’ll share a little of what I learned here, particularly from remarks given by keynote speaker Dr. Fareed Zakaria, host of GPS for CNN Worldwide.

First, let me share some exciting happenings around campus:

LIVING THE DREAM: Maura Waldner, MMS ‘22, enrolled in the Salus University Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program with the ultimate goal of working in dermatology. Less than three months after graduation, she is living her dream. Click here to read more about her professional journey.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: A big fan of Greek mythology, Sarah Gosnell, MS ‘19, suspected Salus University might be a good fit. Salus is named for the Roman goddess of safety and well-being (welfare, health and prosperity). So, it was no surprise she ended up at Salus pursuing her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Read more by clicking here.

DYNAMIC DUOS EVENT: The Department of Continuing Education (DICE) at Salus University will be hosting its annual Dynamic Duos event on Sunday, March 26. This continuing education program is a synchronous, in-person event at our Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus. The program, COPE accredited for six continuing education credits, is designed to offer optometrists a comprehensive review of conditions impacting patient health and well-being. For more information on the event’s topics and to register, click here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: In our keynote session “What it Takes to Thrive Amid the Forces in Society, Economy and Culture that are Creating the Future,” Dr. Fareed Zakaria posited that our society is being fundamentally altered by the speed of technology development, nearly instantaneous communications though social media, and other means of information dissemination, and that these developments are playing a contributing role in the polarization of society. He observed that 20 years ago, most Americans received their news from 3 television networks. The content would generally be the same on each network, closely regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. Today, there are literally hundreds of ways people get their news online, with little scrutiny of accuracy, enabling viewers and listeners to choose news that aligns with their own opinions. That social media can amplify any viewpoint, irrespective of evidence or scrutiny, has led to proliferation of widespread misinformation. We saw many examples of this throughout the pandemic as we debated the efficacy of masking and safety of vaccines.

At the same time, the economy has been affected by many of these changes. Companies, such as Amazon and Facebook have leveraged these changes and have become outsized influencers in how we shop and communicate every day. Their impact on our culture and its evolution over time is significant and enduring.

This has direct implications for the way we communicate with our future patients and clients, and importantly, how they expect to communicate with us. Both are undergoing rapid change. The way we teach and prepare our graduates for their professions must also adapt to these forces.

And this is where things get really exciting. Teaching what have historically been lock-step programs in a more flexible, hybrid fashion; building on-ramps and off-ramps for students who work and raise families while pursuing training; enables us to prepare more graduates to address the growing need and demand for healthcare professionals. Embracing interprofessional education in a way not previously done – providing micro-credentials for students throughout their professional development, better prepares our students to learn continuously -- a habit requisite for excellence in comprehensive, integrated patient care. Expanding telemedicine across all our professions and learning to provide definitive care in more cost-effective ways improves access to better healthcare and improved health outcomes.

As we let go of old habits and beliefs, we can be an active contributor in shaping the future delivery of integrated healthcare and healthcare education. The changes we make forward our mission: advancing integrated healthcare through innovative education, research and clinical services.

As you prepare for the upcoming weekend think about what changes you can make to be an active contributor in the future delivery of integrated healthcare. For those observing Ramadan, I wish you an easy and restorative fast. To all, please continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Academic and Clinical Activities: Week of January 29th, 2021

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

Good morning from a rather frigid Elkins Park campus! I hope everyone is staying warm and safe. Even with the cold weather upon us, our campus has been a hotbed of activity between clinical labs, some face-to-face lectures, virtual teaching and learning and busy clinics. In addition to the academic and clinical activities occurring on campus, we’ve also been busy with other events.

ADVOCACY FOR COVID RELIEF & FINANCIAL AID EQUITY: As most of you know, Salus has been the beneficiary of the two prior COVID relief bills passed by Congress. Those additional funds have helped to offset student expenses as well as purchase PPE, Return to Learn and other COVID testing and help to offset our clinical income losses. New COVID relief legislation proposed by the current administration, CARES ACT III – The American Recovery Plan, currently does not include independent colleges and universities, such as ours. Along with other university & college presidents in our region, I have written to our Congressional delegation asking them to ensure our educational sector is included in the bill. Additionally, we have asked Congress to change the rules addressing Federal Student Aid to allow graduate students to compete for Pell Grants and low-interest student loans. Currently, both of these programs are open only to undergraduate students.

I have attached a sample letter you can feel free to personalize, in addition to links to contact information for your Congressional delegations. This is really important, so please take a few minutes this weekend to let Congress know how they can continue to help our students and institution get through this pandemic.

• U.S. Senator look up 
• U.S. Representative look up 

A CHAT WITH DR. J: I hope you had a chance to participate in the recent virtual chat with Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, our Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The session provided the opportunity for people to hear from and engage with Dr. J. in a conversation about the University’s DEI initiatives since she has come on board. Please feel free to reach out to her at any time with input and suggestions.

PARTNERING WITH OTHERS: After receiving an invitation to join the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE), Salus is now a member of the group of nine independent higher education institutions in the Greater Philadelphia region. We are the only graduate-level school in the consortium. The goal of the group is to facilitate collaboration and help improve the quality and efficiency of academic programming, student access, faculty development, institutional operations and community outreach through a wide range of shared activities, services, technology and information. You can learn more about SEPCHE here.

NEW PODCAST SERIES: We have a new podcast series that takes a look at what goes on behind the scenes during a typical day for a doctor at The Eye Institute. Check out the episode with Erin Kenny, OD ‘15, FAAO, Resident ‘16, chief of the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center, here.

DYNAMIC DUOS: Don’t forget to register for “Dynamic Duos,” a unique and comprehensive lecture discussion scheduled for Feb. 7. Topics and speakers include “Get to Know Your MIGS” with Dr. G. Richard Bennett and Dr. Andrew Meagher; “Stepwise Strategy to Optimize Ocular Surface Disease Outcomes" with Dr. Clark Chang and Dr. Brandon Ayres; “Medical Artificial Iris Implantation: Why, When and How” with Dr. Chang and Dr. Ayres; and “Expanding Scope of Practice: OCT to OCT-A” with Dr. Byung Josh Kim and Dr. Carlo Pelino. To register, click here.

WELCOME TO NEW BOARD MEMBERS: Please join me in welcoming three new members of the Salus Board of Trustees: Kate Kinslow is the Executive Vice President/Chief Integration Officer of Jefferson Health System. Emily Turner is Vice President of the Investment Management Division at Goldman Sachs in Philadelphia. Shannon Tornoe is founder/principal of Coast to Coast Insurance Brokers in Radnor, Pennsylvania. The time, energy and expertise our Board members brings to Salus makes us a stronger, more effective institution. Welcome aboard to all of our new members!

VIRTUAL ALE: Last month we held our Audiology Learning Experience (ALE) and for the first time, it was a virtual event. It is designed to expand awareness with undergraduate students about the audiology profession and the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program at the University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA). Read more about it at salus.edu/ALE2020.

TYPES OF HEARING LOSS: Not all hearing loss is the same. The type of hearing loss you have depends on what part of your hearing is damaged. Read more about the four types of hearing loss here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Who would have thought that back in March we’d still be in the throes of this global pandemic? Well, here we are, almost eleven months in with an end in sight. As the vaccine rollout begins, albeit, slowly, that light at the end of the tunnel we’ve talked about for months now, is getting a little brighter. Now is not the time to relax, but rather become even more vigilant with preventive measures. There are multiple new strains circulating around the globe, to include here in PA. The good news is that experts tell us the current vaccines will be effective against them. The bad news is that some of these strains might be up to 70% more transmissible.

Moving forward, it’s going to be extremely important to double down on social distancing, wearing your face mask and hand washing. Some experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, are recommending double masking when out in public, as it will be more effective than a single mask. At the very least, any cloth mask you wear should be two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric. And, of course, they’re only effective if worn properly, over your nose and mouth.

I know several of you have either received your first vaccine dose or are on the schedule to receive it. Once you are fully vaccinated, nothing you do now should change. While that may sound counterintuitive, until more people are vaccinated we must maintain the current course. I suspect (now don’t hold me to this) by late summer, we can begin to relax our precautions and slowly move toward some degree of normalcy. Until then, it is essential that everyone continues to social distance, wear a face mask (or two), and wash hands frequently. As an institution, we have weathered this storm extremely well, thanks to all of you following these guidelines. Let’s not let things slip now!

As we begin this very cold weekend, I encourage you to bundle up, soak up some vitamin D from the sun and get some fresh air. Continue to follow all of the COVID precautions and stay SALUS STRONG! 

Have a great weekend!

Mike