Week of January 10, 2025

Dear Salus Students, Faculty, Residents and Staff,

 

Happy New Year!  Hope you are rested and ready for the new semester! As we enter 2025, it is a great time to celebrate the achievements of our students, faculty, alumni, and staff:

 

THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Throughout 2024, Salus at Drexel University’s students, faculty, alumni and staff attained numerous goals and experienced many accomplishments. Check out this month-to-month look at the year’s most interesting stories. Click here for details.

 

O&P AWARD: Benjamin Jolley ‘26O&P recently won first prize at the New Jersey American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (NJAAOP) conference in the student poster division for his study on “Enhancing Clinical Interprofessional Competence of Salus Healthcare Students through an Immersion-Level Interprofessional Education Experience,” which he co-authored with Virginia Muthard, CPO/L, FAAOP, assistant professor in the Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) department, Salus at Drexel University. Read more here.

 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The career of Kurt Moody, OD ‘83, FAAO, spanning four decades, includes 12 U.S. and international patents in contact lens design. As he looks ahead, he’s preparing for the next chapter, which includes retirement and the launch of his own consulting company. Click here to read more.

 

The Power and Importance of Advocacy in Advancing Our Professions

 

Advocacy is critical in advancing the scope of practice across healthcare professions, ensuring practitioners can operate at the highest levels of their training. A recent development in optometry demonstrates the significant impact of such efforts: Congress passed the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This legislation ensures optometrists within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are compensated at the same scale as their physician colleagues, recognizing their contributions to comprehensive eyecare for veterans.

 

This achievement highlights the importance of collective advocacy and collaboration in expanding the professional scope of practice and ensuring equity within healthcare systems. The American Optometric Association – of which our Salus optometry students are members (through AOSA), and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), have led the way on this effort. At Salus, professionals across all programs are trained to the highest levels and often serve in systems like the VA, where such advancements benefit both practitioners and patients. As many of you know, this is a cause for which I have personally advocated over many years at the national level. Advocacy continues to be a key driver in shaping the future of healthcare professions and enhancing their impact on the communities they serve.

 

In closing, it’s going to be a cold, wintery weekend, so if you plan on venturing out, please be mindful of road conditions and the weather.

Mike

Remembering Mother's Day This Sunday: Week of May 10, 2024

 

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where students are finishing up final exams today and preparing for commencement, clinical rotations or graduation. Here are some things I hope you will find of interest:

INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION: The Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus was a hub of collaboration recently as Physical Therapy (PT) students from Arcadia University joined first-year students from the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Occupational Therapy (OT) programs at Salus to learn how to work together for the benefit of their patients. Read more here.

BEP SIGNING DAY: Darryl Glover, OD ‘11, co-founder, Essence Johnson, OD ‘10, chief visionary officer, and Jacobi Cleaver, OD ‘11, chief program officer of the Black Eyecare Perspective (BEP) recently hosted a signing day for the organization’s Pre-Optometry Club members who have gained acceptance into a school or college of optometry, as well as recognize any student who will be entering optometry school the following academic year. Click here for details.

ACCEPTED STUDENT DAYS: Salus hosted three Accepted Student Days this year, which attracted more than 110 accepted students and about 200 guests from across all programs. To find out more, click here.

INVEST PHILLY PANELIST: Thomas Beeman, PhD, LHD, MBA, USN (ret.), a member of the Board of Trustees at Salus University, served as a panelist on one of three panels at the recent “Invest: Philadelphia 2024” conference. Among the topics Dr. Beeman discussed was “Action plan: Initiatives underway in Philadelphia’s eds and meds sector to create positive outcomes for students and patients.” Click here to read more.

ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS WITH DeSALES: Yesterday morning several of us ventured up to DeSales University in Center Valley, PA where we toured their beautiful campus and signed articulation agreements establishing a pipeline from their excellent science programs into PCO and our Orthotics and Prosthetics program. We’re excited to welcome DeSales students into our programs. Special thanks to Dr’s O’Sullivan and Caldwell and Monica Scirrotto for taking the lead on this.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day. This very special day, with a connection to Philadelphia, was first conceived by Anne Reeve Jarvis prior to the Civil War who created “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” to help teach young mothers how to care for their children. It wasn’t until 1908, through the efforts of her daughter, Anna Jarvis, that led to Mother’s Day being named an official holiday by President Wilson in 1914. Ms. Jarvis worked with John Wanamaker (of Wanamaker Department Stores fame) to obtain funding to have a Mother’s Day celebration at a church in Grafton, West Virginia. At the same time, thousands of people attended a Mother’s Day event at Wanamaker’s in Philadelphia. As they say, the rest is history, which you can read more about here.

As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, I’d like to recognize the wonderful contributions that all our Salus moms have made to Salus, your professions and those you all serve. Thank you for what you do every day to provide a world-class education to our students and the best care available to our patients and clients.

To every member of our Salus community – have a safe, fun and relaxing Mother’s Day! Even Salus's Mother Goose (seen below) is preparing to celebrate with her new goslings! To all preparing to enjoy some well-deserved time off, clinical rotations or walking across the stage at the Kimmel Center, take some time to reflect on all the wonderful lessons our mothers have taught us over the years. Be safe, look out for one another and come back next week SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Addressing Our Spiritual Health: Week of February 16, 2024

 

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

Good morning on this bright, crisp, windy morning in Elkins Park. I just returned from attending the annual meeting of the Society of Federal Healthcare Professionals in Maryland where I had the opportunity to listen and participate in discussions with our nation’s federal healthcare leaders. I took the liberty of discussing one presentation, in particular, from Dr. Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General of the United States, in my Final Thoughts section that I thought we would all benefit from. While I was gone our campus has remained busy and vital between classes, labs and clinical activity. One distressing piece of news to note is the mass shooting in Kansas City, which has put a bit of a damper on things as we mourn the loss of a young lady and all those people, mostly adolescents, who were wounded during this senseless act of gun violence. It needs to stop!

Here are some other, certainly more uplifting things, I hope you will find of interest:

SALUS LOVE STORY: It started off with a toque and ended up with Akirta Sran, OD ‘20, and Brendan Connors, OD ‘20, getting married backwards and without a ring. And along the way, four attempted marriage proposals got delayed on account of rain, just to add another level of uniqueness to a love story that started at Salus University. Read more about this unique wedding tale by clicking here.

SLP CAREER OFF TO A GOOD START: In only seven months since graduating from Salus University’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program, Sultana Abdur-Raheem, MS ‘23, has begun to form a budding career as a speech-language pathologist. Click here to read more about how her career is progressing.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT — O&P: An aspect unique to the Salus University Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program is the integrated 18-month clinical residency, where students are immersed in O&P clinical practice and research. Not all graduate O&P programs include an integrated residency, which sets the Salus program apart. Read more here.

PTE CHAPTER RECOGNIZED: This past January, the University’s Delta Mu chapter of Phi Theta Epsilon (PTE), the national honor society for occupational therapy (OT) education, was recognized in the national PTE “Scroll & Pen” newsletter for scholarly work. Click here for details.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Earlier this week, while attending the annual meeting of the Society of Federal Health Professionals, I had the opportunity to hear US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy discuss the importance of spirituality. In addition to physical and mental health, he suggests it is equally -- or some would suggest, more important to pay attention to our spiritual health. Dr. Murthy breaks down spiritual health into four areas: belonging, purpose, awe and inspiration, and service.

We are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. Across multiple college visits, Dr. Murthy has found a very high percentage of today’s college students who report being lonely most of the time. While people congregate together, very few feel a sense of belonging, which he attributes to excessive social media, smartphone and other technologies that can isolate people, even when they are physically around others. Belonging to groups, clubs, or other ways of doing things in groups helps to mitigate some of the situations that can cause loneliness.

Closely connected to this is feeling a sense of purpose in life. It can be as simple as routinely participating at a soup kitchen to working to solve civic issues in one’s community. The third aspect of spirituality is awe and inspiration. This can be elicited by walking in nature taking in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The fourth, and possibly one of the most important facets of spirituality, is that of service, doing something for others. Volunteering to help with setting up a party, assisting friends or siblings through hard times are examples of acts of service. Service can be closely related to purpose, which is defined by The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley as “an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world.” Serving as a healthcare provider certainly would check both boxes, as would many other professional and social endeavors that enable us to actively participate in causes larger than ourselves.

Whether we realize it or not, feelings of tiredness, stress and even occasional hopelessness and despair are understandable due to classes, schedules, exams, family challenges, our merger and conflicts happening around the world. By paying attention to and nurturing spirituality, we can better manage our feelings and concentrate on what’s most important to each of us individually.

If you want to learn more about the importance of spirituality, I encourage you to check out Dr. Murthy’s recent “House Calls” where he discusses this in-depth with Dr. Lisa Miller, a psychologist who has worked on this for many years.

As you prepare for this weekend, I encourage you to think about Dr. Murthy’s advice and how you might begin to incorporate some of his ideas into your daily routines. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Remembering Pearl Harbor: Week of December 8, 2023

 

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

Good morning on this beautiful, clear, crisp Fall day! It’s been another busy week on campus as students complete final exams and clinical rotations and faculty start to prepare grades and do all the things that come with the end of a semester.

As things begin to wind down around campus, here are some items I hope will be of interest to you:

FAMOUS PATIENT: When Charles Klein, OD ‘67, arrived at the Pennsylvania State College of Optometry (PSCO) in 1963, with long hair, not unlike many young people who were embracing the youth movement of the time. The Philadelphia area was becoming a hotbed of political and civil change, with a vibrant emerging folk music scene. Dr. Klein’s long hair didn’t escape the notice of University president Lawrence Fitch, OD ‘36. Click here to find out what creative solution Dr. Fitch found to Dr. Klein’s long hair, as well as who Dr. Klein’s first eventually famous patient would be during his clinical training at the University.

WHAT’S NEW IN SLP: In our latest podcast, we catch up with Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, director of the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program at Salus. Bob updates us on what’s new in the SLP program and at the Speech-Language Institute (SLI). Click here to listen to the podcast.

YOUNG ALUMNI: Check out this question-and-answer session with one of our “Young Alumni,” Jonah Casella, OD ‘22. Click here for details.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Eighty-two years ago today, following the December 7th surprise attack on our Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his speech to Congress with this now famous line, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” That surprise attack claimed the lives of 2,403 service members and civilians. Another 1,178 people were injured in the attack. Two U.S. Navy battleships – the USS Arizona and the USS Utah were also permanently sunk, and 188 aircraft were destroyed.

There were many American heroes at Pearl Harbor. Doris Miller, an African American Sailor, served on the USS West Virginia. Like most African Americans in a segregated U.S. Navy, Miller was assigned to non-combat related duties such as a cook. That didn’t stop him from taking over an unmanned gun deck on the West Virginia to shoot down enemy planes, taking out at least one Japanese fighter and possibly more. His actions were depicted in the movie Pearl Harbor. Miller was passed over for the Medal of Honor by then Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, who opposed Black sailors serving the United States in any combat role. Miller was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism. The Navy has since named a destroyer-escort in honor of Doris Miller.

According to the National World War II Museum, 418,500 American military and civilians lost their lives in the war. Worldwide, 15 million military service members and over 45 million civilians were killed over the course of the war. This was the price of freedom in the 1940’s.

The human toll and atrocities associated with World War II are almost incomprehensible. Hopefully, never to be repeated.

In his 1905 publication The Life of Reason, George Santayna famously observed, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” As healthcare professionals and global citizens, we too must keep these lessons in mind. With all that is happening in the world today, combined with the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia, the lessons of the past become even more relevant.

Our call to action is to learn from the past, honor heroes, such as Doris Miller, whose selfless courage we strive to emulate, and to exercise tolerance, respect and positive influence on all whom we touch as healthcare providers, educators and researchers. Remember the human price that has been paid to protect democracy from anarchists. We have a sacred responsibility to preserve that through our actions.

As you prepare for the weekend, I hope your studying for finals goes well and that you take some time to reflect on the sacrifices of all who have given us the opportunities to study, work and care for others. Stay safe, continue to look out for others and come back next week SALUS STRONG! Happy Chanukah to our Jewish students, faculty and colleagues and friends!

-Mike

Celebrating Our Graduates: Week of October 20, 2023

 

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

It’s been another busy week at Salus. In addition to classes, labs and clinicals, we had the great pleasure of celebrating the Fall class of 2023 with the traditional Long White Coat Ceremony on Monday evening followed by Tuesday’s 127th commencement ceremony at the Kimmel Cultural Center in Philadelphia. It was a day of transition for our graduates from being full-time students to healthcare professionals, healers, teachers, rehabilitation specialists, researchers and lifelong learners. Congratulations to all our graduates! There’s nothing more fun than seeing our graduates taking pictures in the middle of Broad Street wearing the academic regalia and holding their diplomas with City Hall in the background! To read more about the ceremony and the Physician Assistant Studies program’s Long White Coat ceremony, click here.

Here are some other items I hope you will find interesting:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS: We’re getting closer to our annual Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity fundraiser. Tickets are still available for the event at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Switch House at The Battery in Philadelphia. You can purchase your tickets here. Click here to learn more about the LOFK story, how it all began and how it has grown over the years.

THEIA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: For her efforts in helping young optometrists advance their careers, Minal Patel, OD ’10, has been named a 2023 Theia Award of Excellence winner for mentoring by Women in Optometry, a group that provides women with a platform to share their experiences and exposure to a national audience including other ODs. Congratulations Dr. Patel. Click here to read more.

CERAMICS OR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY? There were times when Gianna Maria Bates ‘25OT wanted to apply to graduate school for clay and ceramics. A graduate from Arcadia University in 2023 with a double major in psychology and ceramics, she was looking for a profession where she could combine her love of art with something in the medical field. So, how did she settle on pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy at Salus University? Find out by clicking here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I reflect on this week’s commencement and long white coat ceremonies, I appreciate the advice that our commencement speaker, retired rear admiral and gastroenterologist Colin Chinn gave to our graduates, which is applicable to all of us. His guidance, along with a few of my own observations shared at our white coat ceremony, have been helpful in navigating our careers:

Establish a work-life balance for yourself. It’s not all about the work. Prioritize your life in such a way that you can put family and significant others first.

Set your sights high, establish lofty goals for yourself - without such goals, your full effectiveness is often not fully realized.

You’ll be surrounded by all sorts of technology but your focus must remain on patient, student or client. The technology is only there to help you collect data.

Never be satisfied with average performance. Just doing enough to get by doesn’t work, especially as a health care professional and educator.

Don’t be stymied by setbacks or small failures. Everyone meets challenges and obstacles. Those who achieve success over the long haul, press on regardless of intermediate failures. Expect the unexpected and move on.

Have confidence in your own abilities and play to your strengths.

Be honest. There is nothing in this world more important than the truth. It leads to credibility and trust, the bedrock of who we are as healthcare professionals and educators.

Probably the most important - Have fun!

With all that’s going on in the world, please take time to recharge and refocus on what’s important to you. Keep all those currently in harm’s way in your thoughts and prayers, and come back next week SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Helping You to Manage Stress: Week ok August 25, 2023

 

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

Good morning from our verdant Elkins Park campus where everything is vibrant and green helped by summer rains! It’s been a busy week around campus with all of our new students beginning lectures and labs and returning students heading back to clinics and didactic schedules. Our South Building construction project continues to make exciting progress as newly completed areas are already actively used by students, faculty and staff. Here are some other items of interest:

MOBILITY MEET UP: Salus University and the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center at The Eye Institute (TEI), recently celebrated Orientation and Mobility (O&M) interns, patients and support persons. Click here to read more about the “Mobility Meet Up.”

SEESHORE FEST PREVIEW: Seeshore Fest 2023, an annual event that raises money for the William Feinbloom Rehabilitation Center and Foundation Fighting Blindness, will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, in Dewey Beach, Delaware. Click here for details.

STUDENTS WELCOMED FROM TAIWAN: Salus University recently hosted its on-campus clinical education program in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). Three Audiology students and five SLP students from Chung-Shan Medical University in Taiwan attended the four-week certificate program enhancing their knowledge within the professions and getting an up-close look at graduate-level training in the United States. The program was coordinated through the Academic Affairs Division of Global, Interprofessional and Specialized Programming (GISP). Read more here.

OAT TEST PREP COURSE: The Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) is designed to assess candidates’ knowledge base and aptitude in several key content areas relevant to optometry school curriculum. Currently, no optometry program in the country offers a prep course for the OAT. But, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University is about to change that. Click here to read more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I mentioned during Orientation and White Coat ceremonies, there’s a great deal going on around us, and there’s also much to get accustomed to in school – between new schedules, new living environments, new subject matter to learn and working with new friends and colleagues.

I want you to know that you’re not alone. If you’re having difficulty with a specific subject I can guarantee that many of your classmates are experiencing the same challenges. For our first-year students, I can remember my first year at PCO, sitting in Dr. Lorraine Lombardi’s anatomy lectures trying to figure out how I was going to remember all that stuff. Throw in ophthalmic and physiological optics and my head was spinning. It took a little over a semester both to realize I had this and also that I wasn’t alone. Most of my classmates were feeling the same way. Your deans, program directors and faculty all realize the stress you’re experiencing. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out to any of them for help. While there is no simple answer and everyone copes with stress a bit differently, here are a few suggestions to help you through this that have served me well over the years:

Stay focused on your studies - Keep up with your studies and try not to fall behind.

Develop a routine you can stick to - Sounds basic, but it will make a world of difference. Get up, make your bed (now you’ve accomplished at least one thing!), do some exercise, have breakfast, etc.

Get enough sleep – This also sounds pretty basic and to some, maybe it seems like “mission impossible” but the better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind will be at handling things that come your way, to include stress. Prioritize sleep over other things and you’ll be more productive, resilient and attentive.

Get outside and enjoy the fresh air – There are so many places very close to campus you can go and enjoy nature that will help to calm your mind and present opportunities for some exercise at many levels. Alverthorpe Park is five minutes away!

Make sure you have what you need for the next day - Check the schedule, lay out your clothes, make your lunch, etc.

Use social media purposefully and not nonchalantly – Limit your screen time and refrain from posting for “likes” or for the sake of making the “best content”. Use social media to connect with some new classmates or the people you miss seeing every day.

We all understand how difficult these programs are. It’s important to remain focused, healthy and optimistic, which is the most difficult task. We have skilled counselors in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) who are there for you. I strongly encourage you to contact them, if you feel like you need to. All you need to do is make an appointment here.

Finally, Covid cases are once again on the rise, both nationally and in our region. It is prudent for us to be aware of this and take appropriate precautions, such as social distancing and consider masking around crowds, especially if you are immunocompromised or have a chronic disease.

If you are not feeling well, please stay home and test yourself for Covid before returning to campus. If you’ve been exposed to someone with Covid please follow CDC guidelines, which include masking for at least 5-days when around others and testing at the 5-day interval, even if you are symptom free, to ensure you do not spread the virus.

This is also a good time for everyone to think about getting their annual flu vaccine as flu season will be here before we know it.

As you prepare for the weekend, please try to get outdoors, enjoy the late summer weather and recharge mentally and physically as I want you all to remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

The Importance of Advocacy: Week of June 23, 2023

 

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

Greetings from Washington, DC, where I am attending Optometry’s Meeting, along with many faculty and students from PCO. It’s been fun reconnecting with old friends and colleagues. While we have been in DC, our campus has been humming along with summer classes and the construction project on the first floor of the south building progressing daily.

Here are some other items of interest:

MILITARY SCHOLARSHIP: After earning his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in 2018 from Penn State, Prince Denson ’25 OD, was still unsure what career he wanted to pursue. But he jumped when presented with the opportunity to pursue an Air Force Allied Health Professions scholarship while a second-year student at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. Click here to read more.

‘CITY AND SHORE’ EXHIBIT: A new exhibit “City and Shore” is on display at the D’Arrigo Family Gallery at the Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus. The two-person show features black and white photos taken in Philadelphia by John Benigno and color photos of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, taken by Eric Schaeffer. Click here for details.

INFLUENTIAL POST-BACC: Darryl Horn, PhD, FAAO, director of our Post-Baccalaureate program, says the program allows students to see more in-depth into what a profession offers. Designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree or working toward a second degree from an accredited institution, read here how the program is well-suited for career transitions.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Becoming a physician assistant (PA) first appeared on the radar of John Elkhoury, MMS ‘18, when he was a sophomore at Penn State University. That’s when he decided to pursue PA school. But life took a bit of a turn. After graduating in 2014 with two undergraduate degrees — in Psychology and French, Elkhoury applied to some PA schools but didn’t get accepted into any. Click here to find out how John’s journey eventually brought him to Salus University.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I noted above, I have spent a good part of this week attending “Optometry’s Meeting” in Washington, DC. With exceptional colleagues from the American Optometry Association (AOA) and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), we have been advocating for important optometric issues with congressional offices, Veterans Service Organizations and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Advocating for all our programs is one of the most important things I do to advance the professions we serve.

Over 1,000 members strong, Veterans’ Affairs (VA) optometrists provide the majority of comprehensive eyecare for veterans enrolled in the VA. To ensure the highest quality of care for our nation’s veterans, optometric scope of practice should follow the highest level established through the profession’s state licensing and educational training. Additionally, as a key member of the VA healthcare team, optometrists should also be eligible to compete for leadership positions alongside physician, dentist, and podiatrist colleagues.

Optometrists have a long and distinguished history of healthcare leadership in and beyond government, where they lead multidisciplinary healthcare teams comprised of physicians, nurses, dentists and other related disciplines. In doing so, Doctors of Optometry are fully aware of what is required to ensure safe, high-quality care while maintaining the highest standards of ethics, professional practice, jurisprudence and business objectives.

As the VA works to develop National Standards of Practice, we advocate for standards that enable optometry, and all of the professions we train at Salus, to practice at the highest level achieved through state licensure, regardless of VA location. This helps to ensure continuity of services throughout the VA, consistent access to high quality care throughout the VA system and increased provider satisfaction across the board.

All the professions that we train at Salus are statutorily regulated and trained to the highest scope of practice, with many represented in the VA health system. Every one of us needs to be an advocate. We do this by becoming active in our professional associations, understanding and becoming articulate in the issues, so we can discuss them objectively and effectively when given the opportunity.

The politics of healthcare are complex and often contentious. When debating scope of practice and assuming leadership roles organizationally, our patient’s best interest is an incisive guidepost for navigating difficult conversations. Remaining open and objective, informed and consistent in message are keys to moving the needle in the right direction.

As you prepare for the weekend, please think about how you can contribute to your profession’s advocacy initiatives so you can provide the highest quality, broadest scope of practice for your patients now and into the future.

Have a great weekend – be safe, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Importance of Great Customer Service: Week of June 9, 2023

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends, Good morning on yet another morning when the particulate matter in the air from Canadian wildfires is still very high. As we’ve tried to remain indoors, the campus has been busy with Summer semester in full swing. This week we welcomed about 30 Blindness and Low Vision students to campus for their in-person classes. Here are some other items of interest for you:

BIOMED STUDENT’S RESEARCH: Jacqueline Magnarelli ‘25PhD, IRB/IACUC administrator, is turning her own experience into a doctoral research project to determine the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and depression. Currently in the preliminary stages of her doctorate research, Magnarelli has a long road ahead of her, but is embarking on a journey she is passionate and excited about. Click here to read more about her efforts.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Tracy Matchinski, OD, Resident ‘96, FAAO, was a fourth-year optometry student at the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), when she had her first experience with a visually impaired patient in clinic. She realized she needed to know more about vision rehabilitation. And then, she got lucky. Click here to find out how.

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: Salus University is part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE), and we have an opportunity to support one of our consortium member institutions by attending the Juneteenth Celebration at Cabrini University from noon to 4 p.m. on Monday, June 19. Please see the attached flyer for the QR Code for registration.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I have been reading with interest a very insightful book by Philadelphia Business Journal columnist Stan Silverman entitled, “Be Different” that provides a trove of expert guidance for professional differentiation and leadership development. In his recent column, Stan describes a frustrating customer service experience and a set of questions and recommendations to prompt organizational improvement. My takeaway is this: disappointing customer service experiences are ones people tend to remember, especially in how they evaluate the company offering the service.

This past weekend, I had the opposite experience with a discount tire franchise. Heading to Virginia to attend a memorial service with my wife and close friend, we were sidelined by a flat tire enroute. After several phone calls, we found a Mavis Tire store. Thirty minutes later, we were back on the road. Unfortunately, fifteen minutes later, we experienced a second flat tire, which doomed the trip. As upset as we were about missing the service, we noted the customer service we received from Mavis. After bringing my car to my local dealership at 3:30 pm that afternoon, they replaced both tires for me in record time – by 10 am the next morning I had my car back. The quality of service that people receive, good or bad, creates a lasting impression.

As the incoming Commanding Officer of the Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan I was confronted with a range of patient complaints about our lack of service -- from difficulty getting timely appointments to less than friendly staff treatment. We developed a “Go the Extra Mile” customer service reward program. Within months, our hospital was recognized for providing outstanding customer service by the Tricare Management Agency based on a survey of our patients and providers.

Excellent customer service remains an important aspect of excellent healthcare. Patients and clients often associate quality customer service with quality care. How we treat our patients, staffs and our colleagues -- from their initial contact with the office and staff to the interaction they have with each of us, matters. Great customer service leads to better patient, client and provider relationships, improved compliance and better outcomes.

This week marked two important milestones in military history that shaped our world today – the Battle of Midway on 4 June and the D-Day landing on 6 June. Both played pivotal roles in defeating the Japanese and Nazis in World War II. Please take a moment to reflect on those who gave their all to ensure our freedoms and ability to live the lives we do in America.

Consider how you will provide outstanding customer service to all with whom you interact. Keep in mind that the fires in Canada might still affect our air quality into the weekend, so please take appropriate precautions to remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Embracing Change and Finding Your Cheese: Week of May 19, 2023

 

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

Good morning on a beautiful Spring morning from our Elkins Park campus. We look forward to welcoming our Board of Trustees on Monday for our quarterly board meeting and celebrating our newest graduates on Thursday during Spring commencement at the Kimmel Cultural Campus. Other things we’re celebrating:

HONORING THE NYMAN BROTHERS: Colleagues, friends and family gathered last weekend to honor the contributions of Neal and Jeffrey Nyman and the creation of the Nyman Brothers Legacy Scholarship at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University. Our own Susan “Dr. O” Oleszewski, OD ‘76, Resident ‘78, FAAO, provided an inside and humorous look at the legacy of the Nymans at PCO/Salus which was filled with “a little bit of truth, a little bit of fun and a lot of love.” To read the story and see the video of Dr. O’s presentation, click here.

LIGHTHOUSE AWARD WINNER: Speaking of Dr. Oleszewski, the foundress of our Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity initiative is being named the 2023 Lighthouse Award winner by our Alumni Association in recognition of her four decades of service to PCO/Salus. The Lighthouse Award is given to leaders who are beacons of light and sources of strength in the community in which they live, work, and serve above and beyond their occupations. She will be presented with the award at the annual event on Nov. 11, 2023. Congratulations Dr. O on a well-deserved honor! Read more here.

RENOVATION UPDATE: During the planning stages of our first-floor South renovation of our Elkins Park campus, project manager Amie Leighton, RA, LEED AP, realized the plans needed to be welcoming and accessible to the whole community. So, she reached out to Dr. Fabiana Perla, our Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) department chair, for some recommendations. Read more here about how BLVS’s expert suggestions improved the final design plans.

OFF THEY GO: The University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) hosted its externship celebration May 2 for current third-year students, who are moving to clinical sites across the country for the entirety of their fourth year. The reception is an annual tradition — complete with a champagne toast and chocolate covered strawberries — to properly send off the third-year Doctor of Audiology students to their externships. Click here to read more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As our discussions with Drexel unfold, I recently reread Dr. Spencer Johnson’s “Who Moved My Cheese,” a modern parable for managing change. The book describes 4 personas: Hem, a character fearful of change and reticent to embrace change; Haw, who is initially fearful but ultimately embraces change and realizes the great benefits of doing so; Scurry, a mouse that just simply runs off looking for opportunities without much thought; and Sniff, another mouse that is able to sniff out opportunities and capitalize on them as they are found.

I asked myself, “which of these characters am I?” The truth is all four personas exist in each of us simultaneously. Uncertainty and change can feel scary and difficult. It’s so much easier to fall into the regular patterns and habits we develop that form a sense of safety and security.

As we look into the future of healthcare higher education, change is accelerating. By anticipating and monitoring small changes, we can adapt more quickly and enjoy the excitement that can with change. Choosing this approach leads to greater happiness in the long run. What a relevant and important lesson to embrace while we contemplate our future.

To our students who are preparing to graduate next week, I encourage you to embrace the changes that inevitably are coming your way; get outside of your comfort zones and seize the opportunities that will present themselves, as you’ll know where they might lead. As we consider what a relationship with Drexel might look like, I encourage the rest of us to embrace the transformational possibilities that exist for our students, faculty and staff. Our cheese will move because change is inevitable. Let’s anticipate change together and capitalize on all the great possibilities that will come with finding new cheese.

Have a great weekend! I’ll be running the Upper Dublin Triathlon on Sunday so you know where I’ll be! Look out for one another, think about how changes in your lives can make you happier and come back next week SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Importance of Getting Outside and Enjoying Nature: Week of May 12, 2023

 

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

Greetings on a beautiful spring morning from Alexandria, VA. Our students have been busy preparing for the final weeks of the semester. It’s an extremely exciting time for our graduates and for students heading out to clinical rotations. In addition to this, here are other items of interest:

DR. APPEL RETIRES: Congratulations to Sarah Appel, OD ‘79, Resident ‘81, FAAO, AAO Diplomate, Low Vision Rehabilitation ’90, who officially retired this month as the director of the Pediatric Low Vision Services at The Eye Institute (TEI) and co-director of the Special Populations Assessment and Rehabilitation Center (SPARC) program for children with visual and developmental disorders. To read more about Dr. Appel’s substantial contributions to PCO/Salus over the course of her career, click here.

COMMUNITY HEALTH RESEARCH: The University’s first-year didactic Physician Assistant (PA) Studies students recently gathered in a classroom on the Elkins Park campus and presented the results of a semester’s worth of research and development related to vulnerable populations and their health needs for their Community Health course. Click here to read more about those projects.

ENDING UP IN THE RIGHT PLACE: Although the journey to Salus and the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) department for Megan Schafer, MS ’20, was a complicated one, she reflects on her experience fondly, confident that she ended up in the right place. Read more about her journey here.

MATCH DAY: The residency class of 2023-2024 is comprised of a highly motivated, diverse group of optometrists hailing from six different optometry schools or colleges with various experiences. Read more here about our annual Match Day.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Every week I suggest everyone get outside, enjoy the outdoors, rest, and recharge. This weekend, I’m taking my own medicine. Enjoy the view and have a great weekend!

-Mike

Addressing Gun Violence: Week of March 31, 2023

 

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

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

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

Here are some other items of interest:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• CDC’s Gun Violence Prevention website 

• Montgomery County Gun Violence Prevention Page 

• National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform 

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

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

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

-Mike