Importance of Getting Your Booster Now: Week of December 10th, 2021

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

Greetings from a chilly Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week at Salus as we wind down the semester. Some students are already off-campus completing virtual final exams while others are still in clinic and doing practical exams in labs. In addition to all of this, here are points of interest for your review:

PODCAST SERIES: In part one of our new Biomedicine podcast series, we hear from Dr. Mitchell Scheiman, dean of Research and director of Graduate Programs in Biomedicine. He talks to us about the uniqueness of the Biomedicine program and how it can advance any healthcare career. Listen to it here.

BLIND TENNIS: Richard Feldstein, OD ‘62, has been playing tennis for more than 75 years. His love of the sport combined with his passion for helping people as an optometrist led him to Highland Park Tennis Club in Pittsburgh, a clinic teaching blind children and adults ages six to 80 to play tennis. Dr. Feldstein offers his consulting expertise at the Pittsburgh club where he's made significant contributions to a research project that now runs in conjunction with the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Read more about Dr. Feldstein's impact here.

O&M PILOT PROJECT: A pilot program developed and implemented by the University's Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) department in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, specifically for Vanderbilt’s on-staff Physical Therapists (PTs), provided Orientation and Mobility (O&M) skills-based training PTs could offer their patients. Read more about the extremely unique opportunity we are thrilled to offer with Vanderbilt here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Our latest Staff Spotlight features someone with whom I have the pleasure of working every day. After serving first PCO, and then the University for a total of 30 years, most of you already know Lisa Lonie, who serves as my executive assistant keeping the office running smoothly. She's the best! As you will see by clicking here, Lisa has many talents and interests!

MEET THE CAST OF THE COLLEGE TOUR: In our next profile on the cast of The College Tour, meet Ashka Patel '23OD. During the show's "Building Community" segment, Ashka described her experience providing care to patients in the University’s clinical facilities first and foremost and then at local elementary schools and abroad to places like Panama treating underserved populations. Read more about Ashka here.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today, Dec. 10 at 12:15 p.m. Kris Such will present on “Dementia & Adapting Testing Procedures to the Condition.” Click here to join the meeting.

FACULTY AND STAFF GIFTS: Don't forget to pick up your Salus hoodie sweatshirts and large Salus umbrellas for all (regular FT/PT) faculty and staff. Academic Affairs is giving out the gifts to faculty and academic administrative staff. Union and administrative staff can stop by the new Human Resources located on the 4th floor of the Breyer Office Park building at the Elkins Park campus to grab your gifts. Human Resources will also be at The Eye Institute (TEI) today to continue with distribution. 

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER: Help Pi Theta Epsilon, the Occupational Therapy honor society, meet their goal of raising $1,000 for OT research in the St. Catherine Challenge. You have a couple more days to participate in the holiday fundraiser by purchasing Gertrude Hawk Chocolates. Order your chocolates by Dec. 12 by placing your order here.

TOY DRIVE: The National Physician Assistant Student Society (NPASS) is asking for support with a Marine Toys for Tots Drive to support children in our community. Happening now through Dec. 13, they are seeking new, unwrapped toys to donate to local children. The drop-off location is a large, white Toys for Tots bin outside the cafeteria at the Elkins Park campus. Monetary donations can also be made via QR code available on the collection box. For more information, please visit https://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx.

FINAL THOUGHTS: We have been closely following the Omicron variant, especially the studies that have been looking at the efficacy of our vaccines. The most recent laboratory studies suggest that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, with a booster, offers good protection against the variant. Given Moderna is also an mRNA vaccine, many have suggested that it will perform similarly. Thanks to all who have already taken the initiative to get a booster. To our students, I strongly encourage you to get your booster prior to heading home for the holiday break. If you can’t, please get a booster while home prior to returning to campus in January. To Salus faculty and staff, now is the time to get your booster.

In addition to Montgomery County facilities, many nearby pharmacies provide boosters: 

• Yorktown Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• CVS
• Riteaid
• Walmart

Let’s aim to have everyone on campus “boosted” by February 1st. It’s the only way to ensure our health and safety as a campus community and stay ahead of these threats.

Between the Omicron COVID-19 variant, final exams, preparing for externships and everything else swirling around us, our stress levels are understandably high. Over the holiday break, I’d like to suggest that you use that time as a mental health respite. Take the time to mentally disengage, unwind, enjoy being with your friends and families, get outside, get some exercise (in anticipation of all the great food we’ll enjoy during the holidays), rest and recharge for the upcoming semester. As always, counselors in the Center for Personal and Professional Development are available to talk with students. For benefit-eligible employees, Unum has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing unlimited access to consultants by telephone ((800) 854-1446), in addition to other resources.

Many students have already left campus since some of our final exams are being administered virtually. While we take all appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, even if you are fully vaccinated with a booster, continue to wear a mask when around large groups, both inside and outdoors, socially distance when you can and wash your hands frequently. Remember, what you do off campus, even during the break, can directly affect all of us on campus.

Enjoy the weekend, especially Saturday, when the temperatures are supposed to get close to 70, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

A Thanksgiving Message: Week of November 19th, 2021

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

Good morning of the longest lunar eclipse (see below)in over 568 years from our Elkins Park campus. I was crazy enough to get up to see part of it, which was well worth the extra cup(s) of coffee! Even as the earth eclipsed the sun from the moon, our students, faculty and staff have been extremely busy administering and taking practical exams, sitting in both virtual and face to face lectures and providing world-class care to our patients and clients. Below are items of merit to share with you:

DISTINGUISHED CAREER: After half a century of excellence, Dr. Satya Verma is retiring at the end of the year. During his long and distinguished career at PCO/Salus, Dr. Verma has served in various capacities stacking accolades during his tenure. Read more about Dr. Verma’s storied career and future plans here and join me in wishing him fair winds and following seas as he prepares for retirement.

NEW DIRECTOR: Dr. Chad Killen has been named the new director of PCO/Salus’ On-Campus Residency Programs where he will oversee all residents at The Eye Institute (TEI) in Primary Care/Ocular Disease, Low Vision Rehabilitation/Ocular Disease, Cornea/Contact Lenses, Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease and Pediatrics/Vision Therapy. Currently, there are 12 on-campus residents. Congratulations, Dr. Killen! Click here to read more.

INSIDE AUDIOLOGY AND SLP, PART II: In part two of our latest podcast, we talk with Dr. Lindsay Bondurant, director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) and associate professor for Salus University's Osborne College of Audiology, and with Robert Serianni, chair, program director and associate professor for the Speech-Language Pathology program, about the audiology and speech-language pathology professions. Listen to the podcast here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight features Ruby Singleton, who has been with the University for 35 years in the Technology and Learning Resource Center Services department. Find out more about Ruby, what she enjoys about her job and what she does in her free time by clicking here. 

FLU SHOTS: Many of you probably have read about the flu outbreak at the University of Michigan. None of us would like to see that replicated here. If you have not already gotten your flu shot, please take the time to get it done prior to next week’s holiday. They are available throughout our region at most pharmacies as well as healthcare institutions.

ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING: As an unfortunate requirement of the times, the University will host an active shooter training for the Salus community from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, in the Toland Classroom at TEI. Philadelphia Police Detective Joseph Rovnan will lead instructor our training. He is nationally recognized as a subject matter expert in active shooter strategies, programs and response. Detective Rovnan will talk about safety both in and around the workplace, communications and tips for preventing, preparing and responding to situations including unauthorized visitors and threats to our Salus community. 

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: This week’s Audiology Grand Rounds begin at 12:15 p.m. today, Nov. 19. Kathleen McGovern and Maria Kirifides will present on “Cochlear Implantation Candidacy after Two Decades Without Sound Stimulation.” Click here to join the meeting.

FUNDRAISER FOR PHILABUNDANCE: Our chapter of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) is conducting a fundraiser for Philabundance from now through Dec. 1. Boxes are outside the cafeteria for donations of nonperishable food and drinks. The top 10 items most needed are: peanut butter and jelly, cooking oil, canned tuna or meat, canned fruits and vegetables, canned stew and soups, oatmeal/breakfast cereal, whole grain pasta, 100% juice, rice, and boxed non-refrigerated milk. Foods low in sodium and sugar, and free of high fructose corn syrup, are preferred. SOTA is also accepting money donations for the organization. 

STUDENT ACADEMY OF AUDIOLOGY FUNDRAISER: Stop by CycleBar, 1470 Old York Road in Abington, at noon Saturday, Nov. 20, to ride and raise money for the Salus chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) organization.

GRANT AWARDED: Anna Grasso, OTD, MS, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM, assistant professor and academic fieldwork coordinator in the Occupational Therapy (OT) program at Salus University, was recently awarded a subgrant in partnership with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP) to help low-income older adult homeowners in the Philadelphia area age in place. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program (OAHMP), which gave the project more than $824,000 to apply safety and functional home modifications and limited repairs to meet the needs of the local aging population. Read more about it here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday next week, COVID-19 cases have been increasing in certain parts of the country. Thankfully, our region is still doing pretty well. Thanks to the miraculous vaccines that have been developed, this year we can, once again, celebrate the holiday with friends and loved ones. If you do decide to travel during the holiday, please take appropriate precautions: know what the spread of the virus is where you are going, wear your facemask when appropriate and test yourself prior to returning to campus.

Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday when family and friends gather to recount the joys and blessings of the past year. I hope you use this time to take stock of the kindnesses we have shared; grateful for all that enriches our lives every day, even in the midst of the pandemic. With all that’s happening in our country and the rest of the world, we have much to reflect on, and also much for which to be thankful. During this challenging year, I offer thanks to our extremely dedicated faculty, residents, staff and trustees for your professional excellence, energy, compassion, enthusiasm in support of our students and our institution. You’ve accomplished so much, often without fanfare, but with great impact on our mission. It’s an honor and pleasure to work with such a committed group of professionals! I also thank our students for selecting Salus to pursue your chosen professions and for trusting us with your health and safety as we have navigated through the pandemic. You are the reason we’re here. We are extremely thankful.

As neighbors and friends pause to lend a hand to those in need, we are reminded of the indelible spirit of compassion and mutual responsibility. This spirit is alive and well here at Salus daily -- whether taking care of patients or clients in our Eye, Ear, Speech and Language or Occupational Therapy Institutes, caring for children in schools or serving clients in the many clinical settings we support. Salus people live the Thanksgiving spirit every day. I sincerely thank and admire you for that.

As we prepare for next week’s holiday, thank you for all that you do every day to make Salus the special place it is to learn, work and support our community.

Mike

Remaining Vigilant About the Pandemic: Week of November 12th, 2021

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

Good morning from a cool, soggy Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week with many of us catching up from a week away while attending the American Academy of Optometry’s annual meeting last week. I know that many of our students are preparing for finals and clinical practical exams which we recognize adds a little more stress to an already packed academic schedule. Please don’t hesitate to contact our counselors in CPPD who are ready to help support anyone who thinks it would be helpful. Below are some additional things I hope you’ll find interesting:

COMBINING FUN AND SCIENCE: According to Bre Myers, AuD ‘06, PhD ‘17, CH-AP, a lot of amusement park rides excite the vestibular system in very specific ways. That gave Dr. Myers an idea: Take her students to an amusement park and have them report on how they felt after riding the rides. Find out more about that went by clicking here.

INSIDE AUDIOLOGY AND SLP: In part one of our most recent podcast, we talk with Dr. Lindsay Bondurant, director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute and associate professor for Salus University's Osborne College of Audiology, and with Robert Serianni, chair, program director and associate professor for the Speech-Language Pathology program. They detail the audiology and speech-language pathology professions, how to know which one to choose, and how they work together in the healthcare field. Listen to the podcast here.

HOCKEY CHAMPION: Our very own David Meltzer, OD ‘02, FAAO, an assistant professor and clinical instructor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and a U.S. Army veteran, can add ice hockey champion to his resume. The team on which he plays, the Flyer Warriors, won the 2021 USA Hockey Warrior Classic recently in New Jersey. The tournament is the signature annual event of USA Hockey's Warrior program, which provides hockey access to nationwide teams of military veterans with VA-certified disabilities of at least 10 percent. Congratulations Dr. Meltzer! 

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: Our latest Students At Leisure (SAL) story features Angela Delfino ‘23OT. When Angela looks to break away from studies for physical exercise and mental stimulation, she goes all out. Whether it’s rock-climbing, yarn crafting or aerial circus. Read more about Angela here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight features Monica Scirrotto, our director of Admissions here at Salus University. Recently, much of her free time has been devoted to her seven-month-old daughter. Read more about Monica here.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today, Nov. 12, at 12:15 p.m. Jocelyn Jacob and Kathleen Wezensky will present on “Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Management in a Type II Diabetic.” Click here to join the meeting.

THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: During filming of The College Tour, Mohit Batra, OD ‘21, was a fourth-year student whose main goal upon his entrance to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) was to leave the school better than when he started. As student body president, he was able to do just that. Read more about Dr. Batra and his segment of The College Tour here.

TURKEY GIVE-AWAY: As has been our tradition for many years, as a way of saying, “Thank You” to our faculty and staff for all of your hard work, we will again be providing a free turkey, ham or tofurkey to all faculty and staff who would like one. Please sign up here by 4PM today to order one.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I go about my travels, I sometimes think I live in two different worlds – one at Salus where we have been diligent about getting vaccinated and wearing our face masks on campus and in our clinics – and one where many people are still refusing vaccination and more commonly, not wearing facemasks when out and about. This was once again accentuated in the news this week when a popular NFL star tried to rationalize why he wasn’t getting vaccinated.

The truth of the matter is that we are still very much in the throes of the pandemic (as evidenced by the recent increase in cases in many parts of the country) and to let our guard down now would be inconsistent with the way in which we’ve addressed our mitigation strategies to date. While numbers are currently trending in the right direction in our area in terms of numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, vaccination rates have slowed down considerably.

I am extremely happy and proud that our internal vaccination rate is about 98%, which speaks to everyone’s commitment to doing the right thing for themselves, their families and those we care for clinically. Our random testing program has yielded no more than a 1% positivity rate, which is well below what would be expected, which is great.

I am hopeful that sometime after the holidays the numbers will continue to trend in the right direction here and the CDC will be able to adjust the guidelines we currently follow. Until then, we’ll continue to stay our current course. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everyone’s cooperation! Like you, I cannot wait to get rid of these masks! But, until it’s safe, masked we will continue to be. For those of you who are eligible for a 3rd dose/booster vaccine, I strongly encourage you to get one as soon as you can. They are readily available through the county or most local pharmacies.

I hope everyone has a restful weekend. It won’t be long before the holidays are upon us. As you begin your planning, please keep in mind that what you do off campus will directly affect all of us on campus.

Please, remain vigilant, stay healthy, continue to look out for one another to stay SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Assuring Equitable Access with Equal Quality in Healthcare: Week of November 5th, 2021

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

The Importance of Teamwork: Week of October 29th, 2021

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

Good morning from a windy and cloudy Elkins Park campus where the leaves are falling everywhere and the weather definitely feels like Fall!

MSCHE: As I noted yesterday, we successfully completed our Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) site visit yesterday with no required follow-up issues and accolades on several of our academic and non-academic processes. This was truly a team effort which allowed us to display the best of Salus during this process! We are Salus Strong because of all of you! More about this later….

THE BATTLE AGAINST CANCER: Check out this story on how PCO/Salus alum Kailee Watson, OD ‘12, and her connections to the University played a major role in a young patient’s battle against cancer. Dr. Watson describes how the experience helped reinforce her decision to come to PCO/Salus. Read the story here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Our next Staff Spotlight is on Lindsey Cardillo, HRIS administrator in our Human Resources department. Lindsey says what she loves most about her job is interacting with the different employees and departments at Salus. Read more about Lindsey here.

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: Our next Students At Leisure (SAL) story features Ariella Erin Poon ‘24OD and the special way she commemorated the White Coat ceremony, which was virtual for her class because of the pandemic. Instead of dwelling on something that was beyond anyone’s control, Ariella made the most of it. Read how here.

ULTIMATE TREAT EVENT: Don’t forget about “The Ultimate Treat Event,” sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs, from noon to 1:30 p.m. today. Stop by the lobby table outside the cafeteria to pick up some Halloween treats, play trivia and have a chance to win some prizes.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today at 12:15 p.m. Jessica Heritage and Jenna Jalowiec will speak on “Hybrid Cochlear Implant Use for Hearing Loss Caused by Ototoxicity.” Click here to join the presentation.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s resident story features Chandni Patel, OD ‘21, ’22 Resident, whose personal experience with how her vision change in high school influenced her to become an optometrist. Read more about Dr. Patel here.

WALK4HEARING EVENT: The Salus University chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) recently participated in the Walk4Hearing, where it raised a total of $1,635 (tripling its original goal of $500). The proceeds will go to the Hearing Loss Association of America, an organization focused on advocating and providing educational programs for individuals with hearing loss.

THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: Continuing to spotlight the cast of The College Tour, meet Tavii El, MSOT ‘21, a Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at Salus, who became so enmeshed in student life while on campus that it only made sense for her to talk about Student Life during The College Tour segment. Read more here.

FLU SHOTS: It’s flu season and if you have not already gotten your flu shots, please take the time to get one this weekend. We want to keep everyone healthy!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Teamwork is integral to everything we do in healthcare. Organizationally, the importance of working together as a team is no less important. It’s been my experience that working together as a team provides opportunities for people to improve relations and professionally bond with one another over specific projects they undertake, besides accomplishing tasks more efficiently and effectively. Working through our Self-study and culminating with the site visit earlier this week, certainly provided us with these opportunities.

One other important result of working as a team is that members develop a greater sense of personal and professional accountability, as they don’t want to let their other team members down. We certainly exhibited all of these attributes as we worked through the MSCHE self-study process, in an exceptional way! We learned a great deal about ourselves that can be leveraged well into our future.

Each recommendation for improvement that was identified in our Self-Study presents opportunities for us to continually improve, which, ultimately is why we do all of this.

In the end, the fact that we had a successful MSCHE site visit comes as no surprise to me. Throughout my Navy and now academic career, I've had the good fortune to have served on several great teams, and the team we have at Salus is as good, if not better, than any of them. Whether it was how we transitioned to virtual teaching and learning at the beginning of the pandemic, created virtual commencement and white coat ceremonies, developed new relationships with local, state and national politicians or successfully worked through the MSCHE re-accreditation process, we have demonstrated we can operate as an effective team - I cannot thank you all enough for that! You are rock stars and together, make us the great institution we are today.

Have a restful and safe weekend - you all deserve it! Sunday is Halloween, so if you happen to go out trick or treating, please remember to wear your face masks when out and about (especially when indoors with lots of people around), wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. Stay safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Healthcare: Week of October 22nd, 2021

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

Good morning on a beautiful Fall morning from our Elkins Park campus! It’s hard to believe that October is almost gone with Halloween just a week away. As you will see below, our students, faculty and staff have had an extremely busy week between routine classes, both in-person and virtually, labs and clinics as well as some very special events:

MSCHE SITE VISIT: After countless hours were spent preparing our accreditation self-study report, we will host our site visit team virtually next week. Thanks to all who participated in preparing our self-study and to our steering committee and standard representatives who will be participating in question and answer sessions. You should all be very proud of your efforts in demonstrating how Salus meets its accreditation requirements. A special thank you to co-chair Brooke Kruemmling for leading our efforts.

NEW DEI SERIES KICKOFF: I hope you got a chance to attend or watch live-streamed on Instagram our new event series for the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, DEI Speaks! This series seeks to explore and share with the University community, diverse topics, speakers and events that will illuminate differences in cultural perspectives, sharpen understanding of interconnectedness, and provide educational enrichment of the highest quality. The inaugural event, co-sponsored by our very own Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), was held this week and featured Paula Harmon Boone, OD, Director of the National Optometric Association (NOA) “Visioning the Future” HBCU Mentorship Program and NOA Trustee for Region I, who talked about “Diverse Representation Matters in Healthcare.” 

COMMENCEMENT FOLLOW-UP: If you haven’t already had a chance, check our website for stories about last week’s commencement ceremony at the Kimmel Center, our Graduate Awards Luncheon and the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program’s Long White Coat ceremony and a feature on one of our legacy families.

SOCIAL MEDIA STAR: Shanae Johnson, an Admissions officer at Salus before leaving at the end of September, has always liked to cook. So TikTok videos were a way for Shanae to share some of what she learned about making her favorite dishes and recipes. And now, she’s a social media star. Read more about Shanae’s journey here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Caren Cremen, a digital communications specialist in our Communications department. Caren loves seeing student-generated content on our social media sites and part of her role is reaching out to students to share that content. Read more about Caren here.

SUPPORT THE SAA: Come support the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) at its “Dine and Donate” fundraiser from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at White Horse Coffee and Creamery, 700 W. Ave, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. 

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: Don’t forget about today’s Audiology Grand Rounds today at 12:15 p.m. Presenters Zachary LaBarth and Carleigh Leman will talk about the “Sudden Onset of Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and Hearing Loss." Click here to join the meeting.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s new resident feature is on Elizabeth Marunde, OD, ‘22Resident, who decided at an early age to become an optometrist. Read more about Dr. Marunde here.

MEDAL WINNER FEATURE: The final winner spotlight in our 2021 Presidential Medal of Honor series is John J. Fitzgerald III, DO, FACOG, associate director of the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program. Read more about Dr. Fitzgerald's honor in receiving the award and how much the recognition means to him here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I’d like to close this week’s update with both a thank you and a reminder. I’d like to take this opportunity to once again thank Dr. Paula Boone for spending the day with PCO students and faculty to share her story of success as a Black optometrist leading the charge to provide excellent eye care where ever she was. For those of you who didn’t have the opportunity to meet Paula, you really missed an opportunity to remind us how inequities in healthcare impact thousands of people annually. Her message spoke to the core of what we are trying to accomplish at Salus – expand opportunities for all people, but especially Black, Hispanic and other people of color to become healthcare professionals so they can help to alleviate some of the systemic challenges currently resident in American healthcare delivery.

Our current Summer Enrichment Program has been a great first step in providing opportunities for students to excel in our optometry program. I’d like to see this expanded, university-wide as we gain more insights into how effective this program has been. Thanks to a grant we received from National Vision, Inc. last year, we have been able to energize our current program. Working together, we need to garner additional support so we can effectively build upon the success this program currently enjoys. At Salus, we’ve always led the way with our innovative and progressive clinical programs and now I believe it’s our time to take the lead in providing additional opportunities FOR students of color, whose path to becoming a healthcare provider is challenging, at best. Let’s put our collective efforts together to help realize this goal.

As you prepare for the weekend, please continue to be vigilant with wearing your face mask, social distancing and washing your hands. Boosters have now been approved for all of the vaccines so, if you are eligible (and most of us are as healthcare providers, including our students), I would strongly encourage each of you to consider getting one.

Be safe, please continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of "Thinking Bigger": Week of October 15th, 2021

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

Greetings on a delightful Fall morning from our Elkins Park Campus. It’s been an exciting, fun and busy week for all of us, especially those who participated in the Physician Assistant Long White Coat ceremony and our first in-person commencement ceremony since the pandemic began in March, 2020! We had the opportunity to celebrate some members of the Class of 2020 as well as the Class of 2021 during the festivities as well as hear an extremely inspiring message from our honorary degree recipient, the Honorable Alison Beam, Acting Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Check our website for stories on the Kimmel Center ceremony, our Graduate Awards Luncheon and the Physician Assistant Studies program’s Long White Coat ceremony.

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY: We celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, a day that recognizes the milestones of being seen and heard and the continued strides for equity and respect, specific to the LGBTQ+ communities. The day allowed us to continue to raise awareness for individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, and combat the silence that often breeds homophobia and the hierarchy of sexual orientation and identity norms. National Coming Out Day originated 33 years ago with a march on Washington for lesbian and gay rights, and has been celebrated in all 50 states since 1990.

GRAND ROUNDS: Audiology Grand Rounds will be today (Friday, Oct. 15) at 12:15 p.m. The topic is “Navigating Patient Comorbidities and Subjectivity,” presented by Alexander Wozniacki and Luke Obenrader. Click here to join the meeting. 

IMPACT HBCU: On Tuesday evening Drs. Trego, Mosley-Williams and I had the opportunity to participate in Impact HBCU, where over 300 attendees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other undergraduate schools were able to learn about optometry, PCO, Salus DEI efforts, our Summer Enrichment Program and certain aspects of the optical industry. It was an informative and fun event!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: The Staff Spotlight this week is on Joe Noce, who works in the University bookstore. Joe has been playing in a classic rock/blues band for nearly 30 years. To read more about Joe, click here.

THE INSPIRATION CENTER: Join Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) at Salus University, as he moderates a podcast that focuses on The Inspiration Center, a community therapy organization in the country of Belize, where physical, occupational and speech therapists work with the families in Belize with children from birth through 16 years of age. He is joined by the students and the speech pathologists from the program who had the opportunity to cross borders to provide speech pathology care in areas of great need. Click here to listen.

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL WINNER: In our continuing series featuring the individual Presidential Medal of Honor winners for 2021, read more here about Reade Fahs, Chief Executive Officer of National Vision Inc. and a member of our Board of Trustees since 2017.

THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: In another continuing feature for us, “Meet the Cast of The College Tour,” we introduce you to Samantha Wereszczak ‘22PA. Samantha was a respiratory therapist working on the frontlines of the Medical ICU where she experienced working collaboratively with other healthcare disciplines, which is what initiated her decision to start her path at Salus to become a physician assistant. Read more about her here.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s new resident feature is on Bailey Ford, OD, ‘22Resident. Because she had such great experiences with her eye doctors, Dr. Ford wanted to be the best doctor she could be for her patients. She believed that pursuing a residency would ensure that, especially at PCO/Salus. Read more about Dr. Ford here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we celebrated our graduates on Tuesday, I was extremely pleased to hear that one of Secretary Beam’s recommendations to our graduates, as well as all of us listening, was to, “think bigger.” As she mentioned the challenges of “inequitable healthcare, stalled education, hungry families, oversubscribed mental health and unemployment,” Secretary Beam challenged us to use this “once in a lifetime experience” to take “preconceived, rigid constructs and turn them on their head”. Noting that the pandemic has exposed many of the challenges that have existed for a while but surfaced because everything was so stressed.

Let’s try to capitalize on Secretary Beam’s wisdom and challenge what many have always accepted as societal norms and work to develop creative and effective solutions that will serve to improve the lives of all those we are entrusted to care for. Much of that work starts here, at Salus. We are committed to working towards improving access to quality equitable healthcare for everyone. For example, ensuring those students that did have their education “stalled,” have good vision, hearing and important tactile skills to succeed, and screening and appropriately referring those we find have food insecurity or mental health challenges. The care we provide must be holistic, integrated and empathetic.

As I told our graduates on Tuesday, and Secretary Beam also noted during her remarks, they’ve all been given a great gift – and this is their time to transform all they have learned into something that will positively affect the lives of all those they will care for. While each graduate will confront these challenges differently, they all will be extremely successful. For those of us remaining behind, our gift will be to operationalize these lessons as we care for our patients and clients in all of our clinics, seek to innovate our programs to apply lessons learned during the pandemic and to continue to push the envelope of excellence in everything we do.

As you prepare for the weekend, please take the time listen to Secretary Beam’s comments on our website to hear them first hand. Continue to wear your face mask when around others, vaccinated or not, wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. When you have the alternative, I highly encourage you not to eat inside when going to restaurants or bars. Take advantage of the nice weather while we have it! Remember, what you do off campus really does affect all of us on campus. Have a great weekend. Be safe, be smart, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of Practicing Mutual Respect: Week of October 8th, 2021

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus on a very nice Fall morning. The campus has been extremely busy between welcoming guests, conducting interviews and holding in-person classes and labs. On Wednesday, we had the honor to host Dr. Kim McCurdy, the Bureau Director of Post-Secondary and Adult Education for the Pennsylvania Department of Education where we had the opportunity to show her around our Elkins Park campus and tell her all about Salus. Here are some other things that are happening that you might be interested in:

BACK AT THE KIMMEL!: We’re looking forward to being back at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia for commencement next week at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12. (A reminder that the Kimmel Center requires proof of vaccination to enter the building.) Read more about our keynote speaker Alison Beam, Acting Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, here. The day before commencement on Monday, Oct. 11, we will have the Fall Graduate Luncheon starting at noon at Presidential Caterers. The evening before commencement, we will also have the PA Long White Coat ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center. 

SAFE ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPING: Let me add my voice to the reminder we got from our Department of Technology and Learning Resources about October being Cybersecurity Month. The United States Cyber Security & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has posted a helpful list of tips and tricks to keep us all safe with our online holiday shopping. Please take a moment and read these tips and tricks here. 

MEDAL WRAP-UP: Coming off our Presidential Medal and Alumni Association awards ceremony last week, I’d like to draw your attention to three stories on our website. First, the story on the ceremony itself, which you can read about here. Then, a story on the recognition we gave to longtime Board of Trustees chair Jo Surpin, which you can read here. And finally, a feature on one of the 2021 medal winners, Dr. Sarah Appel, which you can read here. Once again, congratulations to all of our winners.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s staff spotlight features Jackie Todaro, who works in the Osborne College of Audiology. To read more about Jackie, click here.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s new resident feature is on Anthony Boyd, OD, ‘22Resident, who discovered his love for optometry when he started working as an optometric technician at a private practice. What he didn’t immediately realize was that accepting the technician job was “the moment” that would solidify his future. Read more about Dr. Boyd here.

RETURN TO GUATEMALA: Nine students from the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program and one from the Occupational Therapy (OT) program, along with two PA faculty members, were in Guatemala from Aug. 21 through Aug. 29, our first mission trip since the pandemic started. To read more about this great experience for our students, click here. 

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next virtual Audiology Grand Rounds will be today (Oct. 8) at 12:15 p.m. Jenna Putnam and Courtney Luikert, both from the Class of 2023, will present on “Hidden Hearing Loss.”

FINAL THOUGHTS: It is an understatement to say that the past 19 months have been extremely challenging and stressful for all of us. I also recognize that the normal demands of learning new professions, teaching, providing clinical care and even challenges in our personal lives can occasionally lead to additional stress. These stressors can cause people to behave in ways they normally would not, sometimes manifesting in disrespectful interactions between people.

We have always been committed to equity, inclusion and providing a respectful environment to teach, learn and work at Salus and I want that to continue to be the norm, as it’s been a hallmark of what we believe.

Most recently, however, I have seen or experienced several examples of where stress may have gotten the better of people, with respect for one another or differences of perspective not being regarded. We often talk about being an institution that teaches how to cure, and in so doing, we also teach how to care. I would hope that we can transfer those values of cure and care in all that we do — with our patients and clients, of course, but also in our encounters with one another. We can all benefit from being more mindful in our communication and interactions, considering how it will impact our community members. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves”. We all should take these words to heart in our daily interactions.

If you are feeling stressed and would like to talk with one of our counselors, students can make appointments on the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) page on our website. Faculty and staff, can contact Human Resources. For those benefit eligible employees, Unum has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides unlimited access to consultants by telephone, in addition to other resources.

As you prepare for this weekend and the busy next week with Fall commencement and other associated activities, please try to reflect on the importance of mutual respect, care and concern for one another.

Enjoy the good weather. When you go out and about, please remember that what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. So, please wear your face mask when going inside and if you’re around large numbers of people outside. Be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Building Resilience: Week of October 1st, 2021

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

Greetings on a rather crisp Friday morning! It’s been another busy week, both on and off campus, for many of us. I just returned from two days in Harrisburg and one day in Washington, DC, where I had the honor of presenting Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree for her extraordinary work in helping to keep all Pennsylvanians safe during the pandemic, followed by a meeting with Senator Jake Corman where I had the opportunity to discuss the importance of all of our professions practicing to the highest limits of their training. The last leg of my trip in DC I participated in a meeting addressing Veteran’s health issues, which was extremely interesting. In addition to my travels, below are some important things I’d like you all to be aware of:

GIVING WEEK: Join us for our third annual Salus Giving Week, Oct. 4-8, 2021, by supporting funding for student scholarships, capital improvements, and community outreach. With your donation of any size, we can make sure that we continue providing high quality education to all of our students and serve our neediest communities. In addition, for our employees, your gift can be a one-time donation or you can choose to contribute via payroll deduction and spread it out over time. The employee campaign dovetails with Salus Giving Week. If you submit a donation form by Thursday, Oct, 7, you will be entered for a chance to win one of three prizes: Apple TV; Facebook Portal; or Frameo Digital Photo Frame. For more information, click here.

FREE DEPRESSION SCREENINGS: CPPD is offering free, brief depression screenings on Thursday, October 7 (National Depression Screening Day) from 10-3 in W-300C with Dr. Tami April-Davis.

CLOSING IN ON COMMENCEMENT: A reminder that fall commencement is right around the corner — at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12 — and we’ll be back at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts for the ceremony. Our guest speaker and honorary degree recipient will be Alison Beam, Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health. Check our website for details.

O&P DIRECTOR ON BOARD: J. Chad Duncan, director of our new Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program, has arrived on campus and is hard at work on the details of building the program from the ground up. He comes to us from Northwestern University in Chicago where he was the director of the Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) program at the university. The Northwestern P&O program is the oldest and one of the most distinguished programs in the country. Read more about Dr. Duncan here.

WELL-DESERVED HONORS: It was a pleasure to see everyone and honor Presidential Medal and Alumni Association award winners from the past two years earlier this week at Morris Arboretum. Aside from commencement, this is my favorite ceremony, and we were able to do it face-to-face this year. Our staff is so special, they work hard on behalf of the students and patients and they all deserve the recognition that they’ve gotten. We also honored longtime Board of Trustees chair Jo Surpin. Look for stories about the ceremony and Jo on our website next week.

MEDAL WINNER FEATURE: Speaking of which, we’ll be featuring all the 2021 Presidential Medal winners in separate stories on our website over the next few weeks. Leading off is Giri Sundar, MPHil, PhD, CCC-A, FAAA, who drew the biggest laughs of the evening when she described being told that she was a medal winner. Read more about Dr. Sundar here.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: Get to know one of our newest residents, Wayne Tan, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident, who was born in the city of Guangdong, Kaiping China, and immigrated to Baltimore, Maryland, when he was 10 years old. Coming to America at that age was challenging for Dr. Tan as he had to assimilate to a whole new culture. Find out more about his journey to PCO/Salus here.

SLP PODCAST, PART TWO: Join Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Salus University, in part two of a podcast Q&A as he speaks with an externship supervisor and a student, now an alum, that she's worked with. Read more or listen here.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds at The Eye Institute (TEI) will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 8. The topic will be "Myopia Control Update" with Dr. Nicholas Gidosh. Click here for more information.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I’d like to spend just a few minutes talking about resilience. Resilience is the ability to effectively cope with adversity and bounce back from challenges we’re presented with. We are now 18+ months into a global pandemic, with the end many months away, many of you have just begun your professional training and the vast majority of you reading this have been working through multiple scenarios to assure we can both teach and learn under very stressful conditions. While you all have been rock stars as we’ve navigated through all this, there has been a toll. Hence, the importance of building and maintaining our resilience to remain healthy, both physically and mentally. I have a few suggestions for you that I’ve learned through experience, articles written about it and talking to experts who have found ways of dealing with long-term stress.

Many experts suggest practicing mindfulness. There is evidence that suggests that practicing mindfulness mediation can increase your resilience by training your mind not to continuously reflect on those things causing stress but rather on the good things that surround you such as concentrating on positive relationships, thinking about plans for the future and finding ways to deal with difficult challenges in your life.

Another way to build resilience is to establish a core group of friends you can feel comfortable discussing what’s on your mind in a “safe space”. Having a group like that has really helped me as I’ve maneuvered through the pandemic. Along with this, try to develop a routine that allows you to eat healthy foods, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find a group supports each other to develop these resilience building habits. Finally, try to remain optimistic. It’s amazing how a positive attitude can change the way you react to things. Sometimes, it’s not easy, but it’s well worth the effort!

As you prepare for the weekend, try to reflect on some of the things you can do to build and maintain your resilience. It’s going to be beautiful outside, so I encourage you to take advantage of this great weather. As you’re doing this, please remember to wear your face mask when around others, vaccinated or not and try to socially distance when you can. Be safe, be resilient and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of Taking Care of Yourself: Week of September 17th, 2021

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

Good morning! It’s been another busy week on campus and in our clinics! The weather has even cooperated as it’s getting cooler again! In addition to our normal campus activities, here are some other things that I hope will be of interest to you:

PAYING IT FORWARD: Kathy Foltner, AuD ‘02, knows firsthand the value of scholarships. Now, Dr. Foltner is eager to ease the financial burden for future Salus University audiologists through an endowed scholarship for students in the University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA). Read more about Dr. Foltner’s generous gift here.

FACULTY FOCUS: Korey Patrizi, OD, Resident ‘21, joined the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University faculty in July 2021. Read more about Dr. Patrizi’s desire to find and fit in with her “people” and the feeling of comfort she experienced during the interview process at PCO/Salus here. 

MSCHE SELF-STUDY: Thanks to the hard work of many of our faculty, staff and Board members, our MSCHE self-study has been submitted. The final copy will be posted on Blackboard if any members of our University community would like to see all the processes, procedures and policies that are involved in running our university in accordance with accreditation standards.

RANDOM COVID TESTING: If you have been selected to be tested this week, you will have received an email asking you to pick up your home testing kit from security at either Elkins Park or TEI, depending upon where you are assigned. Please ensure you remember to do that!

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: Her first love is optometry, but Olivia Burger ‘22OD has discovered that while healthcare providers are passionate about the fields of healthcare in which they practice, they can also have passion for other activities. In Olivia’s case, it’s concert photography. Click here to find out how she got interested in photography and what famous artists she’s photographed, all while pursuing her dream to become an optometrist.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: This week marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month — Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 — where we celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from the Americas (North, Central and South), the Caribbean and Spain. There are lots of ways to acknowledge Hispanic Heritage Month, whether it’s engaging with books, films, documentaries or live programming related to Hispanics and Latinos and their history in the United States. At Salus, we are choosing to highlight a few of our Hispanic/Latino alumni. The offices of DEI, Communications and Institutional Advancement are collaborating to feature some of our alums during this month. Keep an eye on the University's social media outlets for the Hispanic Alumni Highlight campaign in the coming weeks. 

MEET THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: While filming The College Tour segment focused on Career Flexibility, Jaqueline Wiafe ‘24AUD was a first-year Doctor of Audiology student. During her time on camera, she educated the audience about the various career settings and the flexibility achieving a degree from Salus University affords its graduates. To read more about Jaqueline’s experience, click here.

SLP PODCAST SERIES: The latest in our podcast series is titled “SLP Q&A: From Externship to Clinical Fellowship, Part 1,” featuring Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Salus University, as he speaks with externship supervisor Joanna Smith and one of our recent graduates, Rebecca Ritsick, MMS ‘21. Click here for the podcast.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Optometric Grand Rounds will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 24. Dr. Kelly Malloy will speak on “Getting to the Heart of the Matter.” For more information about that, click here. Audiology Grand Rounds will be held today at noon. Taylor Fisher and Sarah Gallagher (AUD 23) will be presenting Hyperacusis and Other Symptoms after a Traumatic Brain Injury. Click here to listen in.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I know all of you are getting into your normal routines by now. I want to take a few moments to once again remind you about the importance of taking care of yourselves - not just physically, but also mentally. Getting out for some exercise, eating healthy foods and just taking “brain breaks” every once in a while can be helpful tools to relieve stress and just allow you become more effective learners. It’s not lost on any of us that we’re still in the midst of the pandemic, which just adds another layer of stress to everyone in the University community. If you feel like you would like to talk with someone about ways to relieve some of that stress I highly encourage you to seek out our fantastic behavior health counselors in the Center for Personal and Professional Development. You can begin the appointment process here. It’s not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of great self-awareness to reach out. Similarly, for faculty and staff, Human Resources can help you contact similar expertise if you desire. 

As we approach the weekend, please be cognizant of the fact that what you do off campus can affect all of us on campus. Please wear your face mask when around others not in your normal social network; certainly, when you go to the grocery store and other places where the large numbers of people can congregate and try to restrict your dining out to outdoor venues. Have a great weekend - be safe, be smart, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Rebounding After the Storm & Labor Day Weekend: Week of September 3rd, 2021

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where we were very lucky in that we did not sustain any damage from the storms Wednesday evening. We know that several of our students, faculty and staff members were directly affected by the storms and want them to know that we are here to help and will continue to stand by to assist as needed. Students may contact either Dr. Jim Caldwell in Student Affairs (jcaldwell@salus.edu) or CPPD (see below) if they need assistance, and faculty and staff should contact their dean, program director or Human Resources. I know I speak for everyone when I say thank you for your flexibility yesterday as we rebounded from the storms. On a much lighter note, below are some things that I hope you will find both interesting and informative:

A WHO’S WHO PATIENT LIST: If you’re unaware of the fascinating experience that David Meltzer, OD ‘02, FAAO, had before joining our faculty in January 2019 as an assistant professor and clinic instructor, you should really check out this story. Dr. Meltzer had some famous — and infamous — patients during his time as an optometrist and captain in the U.S. Army. Find out more here.

MSCHE UPDATE: Thank you to all who sent in comments on our self-study draft. And a big thank you to our steering committee and working group members who are furiously working to finalize the self-study for submission. We look forward to our virtual site visit the last week of October and reaccreditation.

NEWEST STUDENT GROUP: A group of Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) students have formed Salus Students Promoting Awareness in the Community about Education and Rehabilitation Services for People with Visual Impairments (SPACERS), one of the University’s newest student groups on campus. Read more about the group here.

CONNECTING TO CPPD: You might be wondering how to best connect with the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD). It’s currently operating virtually, so contacting counselors by email is the most efficient way to meet. The virtual office hours are as follows: Monday: Bob O'Brien, MS, ATR, LPC, (robrien@salus.edu) 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesday: Tamara April-Davis, PsyD (tdavis@salus.edu) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday: Tamara April-Davis, PsyD (tdavis@salus.edu) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Molly Marcus, PsyD (mmarcus@salus.edu) 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday: Tamara April-Davis, PsyD (tdavis@salus.edu) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday: Bob O'Brien, MS, ATR, LPC, (robrien@salus.edu) 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you are interested in meeting with a counselor please email the counselor who has office hours available. CPPD is open Monday through Friday. To learn more about CPPD and each of the counselors click here.

FOCUS ON NEW RESIDENTS: In our ongoing feature introducing the Resident Class of 2022 to the Salus community, this week’s focus is on Crystal Liu, OD ’21, ‘22Resident. A recent graduate of PCO/Salus, she is back at PCO/Salus for her residency. To read more about Dr. Liu, click here.

SLI PODCAST: Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Salus University, moderates a podcast that focuses on the services provided at the Speech-Language Institute (SLI). He is joined by a pediatric SLI client, a student working with that client and the supervisor overseeing the care of the client. Click here for details.

PEDIATRICS LAB: Now that we are masked and back face-to-face on campus, our Physician Assistant (PA) Studies students had a chance to examine some youngsters recently in our Pediatrics Lab. This type of experiential learning is where the students get to practice taking histories and performing physical exams on children. Read more about it here.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Optometry Grand Rounds will be at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10, titled “The Systemic Benefits of Cataract Surgery” with Dr. Carlo Pelino. Click here for more information. Audiology Grand Rounds are scheduled for later today from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m., where you can learn from a case study about a Patient Experiencing Fluctuating Hearing Loss with Menstrual Cycle. Click here to join.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Glenn Roedel, who works in the Network and Security Services Department. Find out more about Glenn, who has worked at the University for 30 years, by clicking here.

PUBLISHING HIGHLIGHTS: Congratulations to Lauren Sponseller, PhD, OTD, MSOTR/L, M.Ed, chair of our Occupational Therapy (OT) Department, who has recently had two articles published. The first, in collaboration with Salus OT graduates, is titled “Occupational Therapy Considerations for New Mothers” (L. Sponseller, L. N., Pereira, O., Schaffer, N., & Miller, H. 2021) in Special Interest Sections (SIS) Quarterly Practice Connections; the second is “Infusing Women’s Health Into Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education” (Podvey, M., Lichtman, E., Sponseller, L., Picard, M., & Reaume, C., 2021) also in SIS Quarterly Practice Connections.

FINAL THOUGHTS - LABOR DAY WEEKEND: 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. This is why we have this coming Monday off. I hope everyone enjoys their 3-day weekend that is honoring American workers.

Many people across our country and other places around the world are suffering a great deal due to the recent storms, fires, earthquakes and other world events. Let’s ensure we keep those people in our thoughts as we go about our daily activities.

Have a great weekend. I hope that the waters in the city and surrounding areas begin to recede quickly and roads are cleared so we can get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather that’s predicted for the weekend. Please remember to wear a face mask when around others, socially distance, wash your hands frequently, and remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be responsible, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of Taking Care of Yourself: Week of August 6th, 2021

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

Good morning from a sunny and bright Elkins Park campus where we are, once again, all wearing masks, whether we’re fully vaccinated or not in accordance with the latest CDC guidance. As always, the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and patients remain our top concern. Even with the increased precautions, our incredibly talented faculty, student body and staff continue to move things ahead, both on and off campus as we prepare for orientation our White Coat Ceremony and the start of Fall classes. Here are some things you might find of interest:

LVR ACCREDITATION: Congratulations to Salus University’s Low Vision Rehabilitation (LVR) program, in the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS), for being the first program of its kind to achieve accreditation from The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER). Read more here.

MEET THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: In the first of a series, we meet the Salus cast of The College Tour, a TV series produced by Emmy-nominated and multi-award-winning producers featuring individual episodes on colleges and universities across the country. A film crew from The College Tour spent a week at the University’s Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus in early March to capture its specialness. This week we feature Kelly Malloy, OD ‘96, Resident ‘97, FAAO. Click here to read more.

WELCOME BACK: The international mixed cohort that was on campus in April is back again starting today (Aug. 6) for Advanced Studies workshops/labs over the next two weekends and Controlled Patient Care during the weekdays. Their in-person activities culminate on Aug. 20 with White Coat ceremony.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: We’re showcasing some of the great staff members who work at the University in a social media series called “Staff Spotlight.” Some of these will also turn into expanded feature stories on our website. We kicked off the series with Bonnie Taylor from the Institutional Advancement department. Learn more about Bonnie here.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds will be at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 13, titled “We All Know What Dr. Meagher’s Gonna Talk About . . . Glaucoma” with Dr. Andrew Meagher. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: As the progress we have made in fighting the pandemic has most recently reversed course, our levels of stress, fear and uncertainty as we begin this month have undoubtably increased. We continue to face important decisions about how to keep the University community, our families and those patients we care for as safe as possible. While we often think about the toll on our physical health, we often neglect our mental health, which is equally important. As most of you know, the World Health Organization defines health as, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This pandemic has certainly tested that definition as it applies to all of us.

As we prepare to start our Fall semester, I want all of us to take an accounting of our total health and see what we can do better to ensure we are addressing our mental health needs. For many, that might entail looking at your nutritional, exercise and daily sleep routines. Instead of reaching for that donut, maybe you should think about some healthy snack foods such as fruits or nuts and consider adding something to your normal exercise routine such as a short jog or walk? How many hours of sleep are you getting each night? As the semester gets busier, sleep often becomes a casualty of unsuccessful time management. Most experts recommend at least 7 hours of sleep per night for us. While you may not be able to do all of these things, just hitting some of them will make you more productive and feel better.

Even when doing “all the right things,” sometimes we just need someone to talk with who can listen to our concerns, fears and frustrations. To that end, for our students, we have a very engaged and effective counseling service in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) which I encourage you to access, if needed. There’s no shame in reaching out - it’s no different from asking your PCP why your foot hurts. For our faculty and staff, Human Resources has places for you to turn as well. For those benefit eligible employees, Unum has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides unlimited access to consultants by telephone in addition to other resources. For all employees not enrolled in our health plan, your health insurance companies will have mental health resources you can access as well.

I suspect the pandemic will continue to throw challenges our way. I can assure you that we will continue to carefully monitor the situation and make necessary changes in how we conduct our business based on CDC recommendations as well as local conditions. As more people get vaccinated, the better things should get over time. In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to look out for each other and do what’s necessary to balance our educational mission with keeping everyone healthy and safe. That means, continuing to wash our hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, not coming to campus or clinics if you’re not feeling well and wearing your facemask when around others, even if you’re fully vaccinated and socially distance when you can. Also, please remember that the deadline for everyone to be fully vaccinated is next Friday, August 13. If you are not completely vaccinated by that time (2 weeks following your last dose of the vaccine), you will be required to submit proof of a negative test prior to coming onto campus.

Enjoy the weekend and please reflect on what I’ve written, especially as it applies to your mental well-being. I hope to see everyone on campus remaining healthy and SALUS STRONG!

Mike