Respecting Each Other's Cultures and Backgrounds: Week of November 18, 2022

 

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

Greetings from Israel, where Dr. Melissa Vitek and I are wrapping up a trip where we have been providing lectures and workshops to optometry students at Hadassah Academic College Jerusalem. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with its distinguished president, Professor Bertold Fridlender, and to compare notes on the impact of the pandemic on higher education in both Israel and the United States. We have much in common!

Last weekend, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of our Looking Out For Kids fundraiser at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia honoring Lighthouse Award Leader Kovin Naidoo. Special thanks to NBC10 reporter Johnny Archer, Jacquie Patterson, Alexis Abate, Dr. Brandy Scombordi, Dr. Juliana Mosley Williams, our sponsors, faculty, staff, friends and family for creating together such an outstanding event. My personal thanks for your commitment and contributions – together we raised over $95,000 in vision and audiology support for children across the Philadelphia region! To read more about the evening, click here.

While we’ve been away, here are some other “goings on” at Salus: 

MSCO ADVENTURE: Salus Master of Science in Clinical Optometry (MSCO) 2023 international students spent a recent autumn morning hiking along the Wissahickon Park trails with other international students from Drexel University’s English Language Center (ELC). A group of more than 30 graduate and undergraduate students, faculty and staff from both universities celebrated the changing colors of the leaves, traversed shallow creeks and learned a bit about the history of the Wissahickon Valley in Northwestern Philadelphia. Read more about their adventure here.

THE ART OF OBSERVATION: A common communication capability came in quite handy recently when a group of 12 Salus PA students visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art to participate in a program called “The Art of Observation.” Click here to read more.

ANOTHER O&P ‘FIRST’: Hearing the words “first pour” for the first time might initially conjure up images of an after-work happy hour at a local watering hole. But for students in the inaugural Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) cohort at Salus University, “first pour” means something completely different in an academic context. Click here to learn more.

SALUS SOIREE: The Campus Activities Committee is hosting the 2022 Salus Soiree, "A Vivid Dream,” tonight at the Please Touch Museum from 8 to 11 p.m.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Over the course of my career, I have been deeply privileged to be able to travel and work in places all over the world. Across every culture and country, I am struck by the overwhelming decency, respect and dignity of the people I meet wherever I go.

At Hadassah Academic College Jerusalem, I was thrilled to be invited to lecture to a first-year optometry class of Arab, Israeli and Palestinian students. It was heartening to experience students’ genuine respect and appreciation of each other effectively bridging what could easily be fraught cultural, language and political differences. There’s a lesson here for all of us: it takes effort, time, skills and practice to treat each other with mutual respect, find common goals, exercise tolerance and open-mindedness, and it is achievable.

I am inspired by and grateful for the students, faculty and staff with whom I spent time with at Hadassah. It left me recommitted to the work we do at Salus to model for our patients, colleagues and students respect, collaboration, compassion and appreciation -- essential relational skills that build communities and strengthen societies.

As you prepare for the weekend, please try to find time to relax and unwind. The weather is turning a bit chilly, so when you do go out and about, be prepared for that. If you have not yet received your flu or Covid vaccine, please put that on your “to do” list as no one wants to see an uptic on either as we approach the holidays. To make it easier, we will have another booster event at Elkins Park on December 7 from 10:30 am-2:30pm in the gym. Look for the forthcoming email reminder. As we approach the holidays, I want everyone to be able to enjoy them!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, if I don’t have a chance to see you this coming week. Be safe, remain healthy and stay SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Celebrating Labor Day & The Importance of Casting Your Vote: Week of September 2, 2022

 

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

Greetings on a beautiful September morning from our Elkins Park campus where the Fall semester is well underway. Some of you have already had your first set of exams, which I’m sure were very successful!

As we end this week, here are some happenings around campus:

SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH: September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Please visit CPPD's Dr. Cristina Laracuente, along with new student trainees Andrew Jaskot and Janeyshka Ortiz, outside the cafe from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8. They will have awareness ribbons, snacks, and educational material for you.

O&P LAUNCH: Salus University’s Orthotics and Prosthetics program has officially launched! Read more here about our wonderful ribbon-cutting ceremony highlighting our new labs.

TAIWAN STUDENTS VISIT: We were delighted to welcome students from Chung Shan Medical University (CSMU) in Taichung, Taiwan, who spent most of July on our Elkins Park campus learning about our health science programs. Read more about their visit here.

ABOUT OUR AMBASSADORS: Our Salus University Ambassador Program is a select group of students across all programs who represent our University. In this podcast, we talk with Emaree Stone ‘25OD and Madison Gates ‘23SLP, who share their rewarding experience of being Salus Ambassadors.

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL WINNERS: Melissa Padilla, MPH ‘13, (June 29, 1966 – May 29, 2022) who recently passed away, made a distinctive contribution to the growth of Salus University in so many ways. Her dedication and loyalty permeated everything she did – she was born to be a leader, a passionate learner, and an exquisite communicator. Read more about Padilla’s contributions to Salus and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) here.

After his graduation from PCO, Robert Bittel, OD ‘83 spent his entire career working in support of Pennsylvania optometrists. As chairman of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association’s Legislative Action Committee, Dr. Bittel played a key role in expanding scope of practice for Pennsylvania optometrists. Learn more about Bittel’s distinguished career here, as he is awarded a 2022 Presidential Medal of Honor. 

COVID BOOSTER SHOTS: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just approved the latest round of Covid-19 boosters that specifically target the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the virus, in addition to the original strains. The Pfizer booster will be available for everyone 12 and over, and the Moderna booster will be available for all aged 18 and over. The FDA recommends that people who recently received their initial vaccine or a booster should wait at least two months before getting the updated booster, as getting the new booster too soon could limit its effectiveness. I strongly encourage everyone to get the booster when you are eligible (at least 2 months after you received your last shot).

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we begin Labor Day weekend, I always like to remind people why we mark this holiday celebrating 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 and especially, Labor Day.

One more reminder: As election day approaches, it’s important that we all do our civic duty and vote. Preserving our democracy depends on this. If you are not registered to vote, please take the time do that in the coming weeks. Since all our professions are statutorily regulated, it’s important that we have a voice in selecting those who represent us. I will remind you again about this in the coming weeks, but please take this seriously. Thomas Jefferson said, “The government you elect is the government you deserve.” Thus the importance of taking the time to register and vote.

Have a great weekend. The weather is supposed to be fantastic, so get out and enjoy it! Please remember to socially distance, continue to follow CDC face mask guidelines, wash your hands frequently and remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be responsible, remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Condemning Racism and Hate: Week of March 19th, 2021

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

Good morning on a cold and sunny morning in Elkins Park. It’s also a sad day as we reflect on the killings that occurred in Atlanta last Tuesday and the increased violent attacks on people of Asian heritage around our country. As I stated yesterday, this is contrary to everything we believe at Salus as we condemn all acts of racism and hate on our campus and in society and we must continue to address the racial and social disparities we see in public health. With all that is going on around us, it’s helpful to spend some time on the positive things that our Salus community has been doing both on and off campus:

IMPACT HBCU: Black Eyecare Perspective, established by PCO/Salus alum Darryl Glover, OD ‘11, in partnership with Dr. Adam Ramsey, has worked toward the goal of obtaining 13 percent representation of Black ODs in the profession since its inception in 2019. To address the eyecare needs of Black Americans in an increasingly diverse society, Dr. Glover teamed up with fellow PCO/Salus alumni Jacobi Cleaver, OD ‘11, and Essence Johnson, OD ‘10 to create Impact HBCU, an initiative that links optometry school recruitment and admissions to students enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). To read Part 1 of this three-part series, click here.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus features Kelly Salmon, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CLT-LANA, NDC, an assistant professor in our Department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). Dr. Salmon has recently been involved in conducting admissions interviews with prospective SLP students, and one of the questions many of them ask are her impressions of the Salus program and what she believes makes the University unique. To find out what she tells them, just click here.

EXPANDING INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT: The Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) welcomed its first international cohort of students from Canada in the Spring of 2019, who enrolled in the Vision Rehabilitation Therapy program at Salus. The affiliation between Salus and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada – the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (VLRC-CNIB) - has proven to be a successful one. To read more, click here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Our next Where Are They Now profile features Amanda Kaufmann, MS ‘17, who pursued her dream of becoming a speech-language pathologist at Salus University and is now working with children at a private practice in Los Angeles, California.

AUDIOLOGY MENTOR PROGRAM: Session three of the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) mentor program will be held from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The program “Building Your Brand and Expanding Scope of Services” will feature a panel discussion and Q&A with leaders in Audiology on career mapping. For information, click here. 

TEI RESEARCH STUDY: The Eye Institute (TEI) is recruiting children ages 3 to 12 for a research study evaluating an investigational medication to help slow myopic progression (poor distance vision). Potential enrollees will receive a no-cost examination at The Eye Institute to determine eligibility. If the child meets the study requirements, they will attend up to 11 visits (about every six months) during the four-year study. If you or somebody you know is interested or if you have questions, please email Jasmine Campbell at jcampbell@salus.edu or call 215-276-6034.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Following the shootings in Arizona that claimed the lives of six people and almost claimed the life of Congresswomen Gabrielle Gifford, President Obama gave a speech in which he noted that, “at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized -– at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who happen to think differently than we do -– it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.” He went on to ask all Americans to "expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together." These words are just as pertinent today, maybe even more so. We are living in a world where the tolerance for people, ideas and ideologies different from ours has been deeply diminished. As healthcare providers, our “moral imaginations” should include our commitment to make it part of our mission to help bridge these differences, not through discourse, but through listening, respecting and exhibiting the empathy needed to effectively care for those who seek our help. Bridging these differences won’t be easy, especially now, when our country is so deeply divided. We have to start someplace and I can think of no better place than here, at Salus, where empathy, imagination and respect for others are bound together as we continue to provide quality and compassionate care for our patients and clients, wherever they may be.

As we approach this weekend, please take some time to reflect on the events of this week and remember those who were lost. Also, please take some time to recharge your own physical and mental batteries as you prepare for next week.

You are SALUS STRONG because of the high ideals and moral fortitude you personify and share with every patient and client interaction you have. Please continue to socially distance, wear your double mask and wash your hands frequently.

For those who would like more information about the challenges Asian Americans have been facing during the pandemic, here is a link from our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum www.apiahf.org

Tessler, H., Choi, M., & Kao, G. (2020). The Anxiety of Being Asian American: Hate Crimes and Negative Biases During the COVID-19 Pandemic. American journal of criminal justice: AJCJ, 1–11. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-020-09541-5

A Return to Campus: Week of December 13th, 2019

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

It’s great to be back on campus after spending the better part of ten days in China and Singapore with Dr. Vitek meeting with our alumni and new potential students.  While these trips provide a great deal of opportunity for us to tell folks about all the great things you’re doing here at Salus, it’s always great to be back home. 

Many thanks to our International Students for cooking up a wonderful holiday lunch on Wednesday.  There were foods from Saudi Arabia, China and yes, even the US!  

To kick off the holiday season, our faculty and staff will be decorating their office doors so they could compete in the annual door decorating contest across our Elkins Park and East Oak Lane campuses.  Judging will be done next week, so keep an eye out on our Salus social media platforms to see which doors won! 

I’d like to remind our faculty and staff to attend our annual Holiday Party on Friday, 20 December at 1:00pm in the Hafter Student Center. As usual, the event will include food, games, prizes, dancing, and Length of Service Award presentations.

I want to wish our students the best of luck as you finish up your finals!  I hope you all were able to take a break on Wednesday and enjoy some Pet Therapy time in the Learning Resource Center (LRC).  If you weren’t able to make it, keep an eye out around the next finals season as our staff at the LRC make sure to coordinate these sessions as an opportunity for you all to de-stress!

And how about those bagels? – Hopefully they gave you a much needed boost to get you through the day!

Next week, we will be hosting our bi-annual University Development Day and Faculty Social.  As some of you might know, our “UD Day” sessions serve as an opportunity for our faculty members across the University to become students for a day of workshops ranging in topics from team building to personal and professional growth. I look forward to learning from everyone’s sessions.   

The annual Army-Navy game will be played on Saturday at the Linc. So, if you’re going into the city, be aware there likely will be lots of traffic.

So as you get ready to head out for your well-deserved breaks, please stay safe and try to do something fun.  Wishing you all a very safe and happy holiday.

GO NAVY - BEAT ARMY!!!!

Mike   

Interprofessional Education

Having just returned from a trip to Singapore, China and Korea not only am I a bit jet-lagged but I'm also filled with many ideas on how we can capitalize on the great expertise we have at Salus to assist our Asian colleagues in advancing their professions. In Korea, for instance, there was a great deal of interest in both our optometry and occupational therapy programs. Optometry and occupational therapy is not practiced to the same level it is in the U.S. and those countries don't currently have the educational system in place to facilitate that. We have been extremely successful in bolstering optometric education in Europe, Israel, Scandinavia and Singapore by providing a master's level course in optometric practice. This has enabled these providers to practice at a much higher level than their legacy training provided them, which was often at the baccalaureate level.  We can do the same thing in Korea and potentially in China. I think these countries offer us opportunities to, once again, lead the way in increasing the scope of practice by providing a solid educational base to build upon. One other thought I'd like for all of you to ponder.  While I was overseas I thought about the interprofessional education we're providing and the interdisciplinary practice opportunities many of our students are afforded through their externships and other clinical rotations.  It may be time we start thinking about tweaking our international outreach model from one of a single profession to one that provides multidisciplinary care, thus leveraging all those great experiences our students are getting.  SOSH, for instance may evolve into SHSH - Student's Health Services to Humanity. Why not?  We work in an integrated health system so why not practice it?  Think about it. Salus students, I solicit your comments on this!  More to come......