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

Remembering Our Veterans: November 11, 2022

 

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

Greetings from our Elkins Park Campus where our students, faculty and staff are busy with classes, labs and clinics. Our Chestnut Hill satellite clinic has a new façade that looks professional and inviting. The private practice pilot that we’ve initiated there is off to a strong start thanks to the great work of our faculty and staff! In addition to what’s happening on campus, here are other items of interest:

LOFK IS HERE! Join us for our Looking Out For Kids charity fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 12th at the National Constitution Center. If you haven’t purchased tickets, please consider going to our website here to help us provide healthcare for children in need.

AAO CONFERENCE FOLLOW-UP: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University was front and center at the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) “Academy 2022” centennial celebration recently in San Diego. Fifteen Salus faculty and six residents presented posters, four faculty gained AAO fellowship, 14 faculty gave presentations, two faculty gave symposium lectures and two faculty delivered Grand Rounds. Read more about the conference here.

O&P PERSPECTIVE: Check out this podcast with Amber Lewis ‘25OP, a first-year student in the inaugural Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program at the University. She gives us insight on the program and why she chose Salus O&P. Click here for details.

SALUS SOIREE: This year’s Salus Soiree is scheduled from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia. Semi-formal attire is requested. All students and guests must be fully vaccinated and show proof of vaccination or provide a negative test taken within 72 hours of the event. Contact the Student Council for details and tickets.

30 YEARS AND COUNTING!: Congratulations to our Orientation & Mobility and Blind and Visually Impaired (VRT) programs celebrating 30 years of approval from the Department of Education! We are so proud to be home to these nationally distinguished programs!

SELF-CARE BAG: Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) counselors Janeyshka Ortiz-Flores and Andrew Jaskot will see you outside the cafe from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14. Stop by their table to say hello and collect a self-care bag.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Yesterday marked the 247th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Here in Philadelphia, on November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution establishing the Continental Marines. Since that time, Marines have distinguished themselves defending our freedoms around the world. During my 33-year Navy career, I had the privilege of serving with the Marine Corps for almost a third of that time.

Today, we recognize all veterans as we celebrate Veterans Day. World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. Fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany, went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” Originally designated Armistice Day by President Wilson, November 11 commemorates the armistice that began that day. In 1954 Congress changed the name to Veterans Day to recognize all veterans. 

While on active duty, we observed Navy and Marine Corps birthdays and Veterans Day by participating in cake-cutting ceremonies and attending a few veteran’s events. As a retired Navy veteran, I think of these days a bit differently. I appreciate how lucky we all are to have men and women who place their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we have, such as election day last Tuesday. They do this while being held to the highest of standards, professionally, ethically, and morally. Core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment have been the moral and ethical compass that have guided the men and women in uniform for 247 years.

As healthcare professionals, we have much in common with all who serve in our armed forces. We, too, commit our time and energies to serve others. Most importantly, as healthcare professionals, we are also guided by an ethical and moral compass – one that emulates that of our Navy and Marine Corps – Honor, Courage and Commitment.

As we celebrate Veterans Day, think about how we can leverage our own commitment to conduct ourselves with honor, to exercise the courage to denounce actions that are counter to our democratic values, and to do what’s right for our patients, clients, and those around us.

-Mike

Congratulations New Grads: Week of October 14, 2022

 

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

Greetings on a beautiful fall morning from our Elkins Park campus. It’s been a busy week at Salus. On Wednesday, we celebrated our newest class of physician assistants with our Long White Coat ceremony. Yesterday, our 125th commencement at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia launched our latest group of graduates with inspirational remarks given by Admiral Tom Cullison. We look forward to watching our graduates spread their wings as they leave our nest. Check out our website in the coming days for stories on both of those events.

In other campus news:

THE FIRST OF MANY ‘FIRSTS’: The inaugural class of the new Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program at Salus University recently had its first patient experience in a didactic setting. And, its relevance wasn’t lost on the students. Read more about this unique experience for our O&P students here.

CLASS OF 2022-23 RESIDENT: As a child, Taral Patel, OD ‘22, ‘23 Resident, liked going to the eye doctor. As a youngster with eye issues, she needed to see an optometrist every year, and each time she went, it was a good experience. Read more here about Dr. Patel’s journey to becoming an optometrist and continuing her quest to learn as one of our current group of residents.

O&M GRANT: The University’s Orientation and Mobility (O&M) program received a grant from the Reader's Digest Partners for Sight Foundation to support its internship programs. Read more here about what that means for our O&M students.

STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS: As the cost of higher education skyrockets, I know many students are worried about paying off their loans. The Bennett Career Services Center will be hosting an event on Student Loan Forgiveness & Non-Traditional Employment Options on Thursday, October 20th on the Elkins Park campus, room S300 from 6:00PM – 7:30PM. They be featuring several government, non-profit, military, etc. programs that offer student loan forgiveness. Don't miss your chance to learn about these life-changing programs!

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS: I want to remind everyone about our upcoming Looking Out For Kids charity fundraiser on 12 November at 6:30 PM. This year’s event will be head at the National Constitution Center where we will be honoring Professor Kovin Naidoo with our Lighthouse Award. If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, please consider going to our website here to help us provide healthcare for children in need.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s been a great week! I want to once again wish all our graduating professionals the very best of everything as they leave Salus and begin their new and exciting professional careers.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. It’s going to be a pretty one, so try to get out and enjoy some of the early Fall colors. If you already haven’t, please schedule your Covid and Flu vaccines. CDC is predicting an upsurge of both as we approach winter, and I want to be certain that we have as much protection as possible.

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

-Mike

Our Shared Commitment With You: Week of July 1st, 2022

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

Good morning on a steamy first day of July from our Elkins Park campus. In addition to our normal cadence of classes, labs, and clinics this week, we were delighted to welcome our newest cohort of international students from Taiwan and the Board of Directors from the Sunday Breakfast Club, a leadership organization advancing civic dialogue in the region.

Here are some recent developments:

ADAPTIVE SPORTS DAY SUCCESS: Our first Adaptive Sports Day last weekend was a huge success. The daylong event, held at the Hafter Student Community Center, welcomed disabled community members to participate in a host of activities, including yoga, seated volleyball, a mobility obstacle course, adaptive golf, tennis, pickleball and wheelchair basketball. We also introduced the community to our new Orthotics and Prosthetic program, which welcomes our first students this fall. Click here to read more.

AVOIDING BURNOUT: Check out the first of a two-part series titled “Practicing Wellness as a Graduate Student: Avoiding Burnout” on our website. This first part reveals why burnout is important to address, identifies the stages of burnout and offers tips for mitigating burnout. Read more here.

HELPING HER COMMUNITY: Thahira Kallumurikkal, AuD ‘22, an audiologist at Abu Dhabi Health Services Company's (Seha) Oud Al Touba Diagnostic & Screening Center in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, has played an important role in spreading awareness and support about the pandemic in her community. In fact, she's written a book about it. Click here to read more.

SUSSMAN SCHOLARSHIP: The family of Naomi Sussman, MS ‘12, who passed away in 2018, has generously created the Naomi Sussman Scholarship, which offers an annual award to a student studying Low Vision Rehabilitation (LVR) or Orientation and Mobility (O&M) at Salus University. Read more here about this special alum and her love of the Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) program at the University.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As some of you know, my wife and I have been raising a Seeing Eye Dog, Godiva, for the past 20 months. Yesterday, we dropped her off at “college” to begin her formal education at The Seeing Eye. The entire process from meeting Godiva when she was seven weeks old to now has been a true labor of love. It also represents a commitment to preparing her to serve others. I see this commitment as a parallel to what we do at Salus. While we don’t get students when they’re seven weeks old, we do get most of you right after you’ve finished college – ready and eager to learn your new professions. This new relationship represents a shared commitment between you and your Salus family. A big part of our responsibility, much like we have done with Godiva, is to prepare you to adjust to the many different situations that you will encounter professionally and even sometimes personally.

Often, issues that you may not think are directly related to your specific professions but have significant public health implications are addressed either here in my weekly updates or in your classes. Two such issues that touch all of us are gun violence and the most recent Supreme Court decision reversing Roe v Wade. Other than the COVID-19 pandemic, these two public health issues are, in my opinion, the defining public health issues of our generation. Take time to sift through the media hype and truly understand the short- and long-term ramifications of these two public health challenges. Read multiple sources before passing judgment, and more importantly, before giving advice to your future patients – because they trust your guidance. Brian Zuckerman, our legal counsel, will be leading a discussion on the legal basis behind the Supreme Court decision and its impact on reproductive rights laws later this month. It’s an important opportunity to learn more.

All of our professions provide meaningful opportunities to help others. To do that effectively, we need to understand and to be articulate about the public health issues of our day.

As you prepare for the long 4th of July holiday weekend, please keep those in military service and veterans in your thoughts. Let’s especially keep in mind those in the Salus family who have family and friends who serve, and for all families and peoples who wish to be free.

Please stay hydrated, wear sunscreen when outdoors and continue to follow CDC masking guidelines. If you are not feeling well, test yourself to ensure you haven’t contracted COVID. Take some time over the weekend to think about your commitment to your patients and how you are would address questions concerning the issues I’ve discussed above.

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

Mike

Coping With Stress: Week of June 24th, 2022

 

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

Greetings on a cool summer morning from our Elkins Park campus, where earlier this week, twelve students began our Summer Enrichment Program thanks to a grant from National Vision, Inc. These students will be on campus for 4-weeks preparing to start our optometry program in August. We are excited to welcome them!

Here are some items of interest:

ADAPTIVE SPORTS DAY: Salus University will host its first Hanger Clinic Adaptive Sports Day from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park campus. This event, for anyone with limb loss, orthotic bracing or mobility changes, and their supportive family and friends, is a great way to introduce the community to our new Orthotics and Prosthetics program that will welcome its inaugural class this fall. For details click here.

NEW ASCO PRESIDENT: Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Trego, dean of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University, for assuming the presidency of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) at its conference last week in Chicago.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: June is Scoliosis Awareness Month, and when our first students arrive in the fall of 2022 to learn in the new Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program at Salus University, they will be very much aware of what scoliosis is and taught how to effectively treat it. Read more here.

A NOTABLE FIRST: When Suha Almusa ‘22 O&M, graduates in the fall from the Orientation and Mobility (O&M) program at Salus University, it is believed she will be the only female certified O&M specialist in her home country, Saudi Arabia. Read more about Suha’s journey here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I want to revisit a discussion about stress, particularly for our students. Even in the midst of the summer semester, many of you still feel the stress associated with being a professional student. There’s a great deal going on around us, and there’s also much to learn in a relatively short period of time. I want you to know that you’re not alone – not at all. If you’re having difficulty with a specific subject, I can pretty much guarantee that some of your classmates are experiencing the same challenges. I remember my first year at PCO, way back when, 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. Most of my classmates were feeling the same way. The biggest difference between then and now is that there is even more material to learn in each of our programs! Your deans, program directors and faculty all realize the stress you may be feeling. While there is no simple answer and everyone copes with stress a bit differently, here are some suggestions that have served me well over the years:

Stay focused on your studies – Keep up with your learning and try not to fall behind. Not only is focusing on school a great break from focusing on what’s going on in the world, it’s also a way to progress in your life while everything else seems like it’s on pause.

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!), exercise, eat breakfast, etc.

Get enough sleep – This may seem like “mission impossible,” but the better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind will be at handling things that come your way including 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 around us that you can go and safely walk around in nature that will help to calm your mind while getting physical exercise.

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 – 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 want you to succeed. If you remain focused, healthy and optimistic, you will. We have skilled counselors in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) who are also 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.

As you prepare for this warm summer weekend, please think about how you are managing stress. Remember to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and a facemask indoors and outside, informed by your personal risk assessment (CDC guidance can help you decide), and continue to look out for one another to remain SALUS STRONG! See you all next week!

Mike

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

Half Way There: Week of October 27, 2017

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

It’s been another busy week here at Salus with the weather finally turning cooler and mid-terms upon many of our students.  

I’d like to congratulate Jamie Maffit, MS, COMS, CLVT who has been the coordinator of the University’s Orientation and Mobility (O&M) program for several years, has now assumed the role of Program Director. We’re all very excited for this and are looking forward to more great things from Jamie and the O&M program.

As student engagement and extracurricular activities on campus have expanded over the last few years, we have seen the establishment of more student organizations that help to enhance student life. Two recent additions officially began earlier this month, with similar goals of welcoming and educating the Salus community about the populations they serve. The Salus chapter of Hillel was introduced through the event “Sushi in the Sukkah” providing free sushi to attendees in celebration of the Jewish festival of Sukkah. Whereas the Salus Sexuality and Gender Alliance opened its membership to anyone interested in learning about the LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex) communities that face disparities in health and access to healthcare services. We welcome these diverse student groups to campus.  

On Monday, I was invited by the American College of Healthcare Executives to participate in a very interesting roundtable discussion that centered on value based care and the future of healthcare delivery in the country. I was joined by several CEOs of local healthcare systems, Accountable Care Organizations, insurance providers and non-profit organizations.  As you might imagine the discussion took us all over the map when it came to what we thought the Affordable Care Act might evolve into - if it survives at all. While there was much conjecture about future healthcare policy, everyone agreed that the only real way to begin to lower healthcare costs was to recognize and address some of the root causes of our current situation. Clearly, many of the social determinants of health include poverty, nutrition, getting enough exercise; adequate housing and having a safe environment to live are key factors in obtaining good health. When one’s life expectancy can be measured by zip codes in cities such as ours, addressing these social determinants is key to “moving the needle”. Addressing such maladies as obesity, diabetes and hypertension will be difficult unless significant cultural and behavioral changes are made by a significant percentage of our population. So, while we didn’t solve any problems, it was in a way, refreshing to have these leaders around the table to have a candid discussion on healthcare and where the focus really needs to be. To our students who are preparing to become part of the healthcare system, it will become even more incumbent upon you to integrate mitigation strategies to address many of the issues I’ve mentioned. As you already know, you won’t be able to do this alone. This will require an integrated approach to healthcare that involves many of those professions we teach here at Salus in addition to behavioral health, nutrition and others. It’s a challenging, yet exciting time to be in healthcare and it will be up to your generation to begin to “move the needle” in the right direction. Looking back on the discussions, I hope that you are having similar discussions in your circles as this will affect your practices well into your new careers.

It’s always nice to see what other academic institutions in our region are up to as we are always looking to explore strategic academic relationships that benefit our students and programs. On Wednesday, we hosted representatives from the University of Scranton on our campus. They have very strong science and pre-medical programs. And, we are looking forward to visiting their campus in the near future to determine where we can help each other out with articulation or other types of agreements.  

Please remember our Looking Out for Kids charity fundraiser is on Saturday, November 11 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. I recently heard from a student at one of the schools we currently serve. There was a young man who we determined needed glasses and after he received his new prescription, we received the following note: 

“I just wanted to tell you about my trip to Salus University today…Wedens, Marlene and I went to pick up Wedes' new glasses. He was thrilled! He also spoke more in the hour we were together than I've heard him say in a while. He put the glasses on and said "It's like I've come back to earth!" I was wondering where he's been, if not on earth, but he assured me he was exaggerating. We walked outside the building and he said, "It's like I haven't seen these trees in 100 years!"  - pretty funny. He also asked me when he could get Lasik, but I told him I wasn't sure there were Lasik scholarships. Everyone at Salus was wonderful and patient…they also made him feel super comfortable. I told him we kind of look like twins, he apparently doesn't see the resemblance.”

It’s stories like this one that help to make our Looking Out for Kids charity and initiative such a unique, important and rewarding service we provide to our surrounding communities. We cannot do this without the help of those who are willing to contribute to this charity. Our annual fundraising event is the only event we hold that raises funds to support this. Our corporate sponsors have been extremely generous but we really need more. If you know people who might be interested in the great work our faculty, staff and students are doing to change the lives of underprivileged children everyday, please let them know about this work and maybe they can help us provide good vision to more children in need.  

Along the same lines, I’d like to thank all of the PCO faculty and students who participated in the annual Give Kids Sight Day last weekend.  It was a great success and not surprisingly, the fantastic work of our PCO faculty and students was not only greatly appreciated but clearly recognized by all those involved, especially the patients.

On this note, I’ll wish everyone a safe and restful weekend.  Be careful out there on Sunday as I understand we’re in for quite a wash out.  

Mike

Busy Week at Salus

This has been an unbelievably busy and fun week at Salus. On Monday, October 12th, 327 students from our Doctor of Optometry, Doctor of Audiology, Clinical Optometry, Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology degree programs celebrated the first of many professional milestones – receiving their white coats in a ceremony attended by over 1500 friends, family, staff and faculty. Symbolically and in reality, the white coat represents the beginning of the transition from layperson to healthcare professional – the hard earned rite of passage into the health sciences.

Additionally, the keynote address, delivered by Mr. James Hindman, a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist and author, provided our students and their families with a personal testament to the importance of inter-professional education. Mr. Hindman, an age-related macular degeneration patient, has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of this disease and is now dedicated to using his resources to help improve the lives of others who have this disease through philanthropy and education. Each student received his book, Was Blind, But Now I See.  Mr. Hindman left us with a quote from one of his college professors that I believe all of our students will remember, "If you reach for the stars you’ll never come out with a handful of mud." 

On Friday, Danne Ventura from Essilor was on campus to present the Essilor Optometry Bowl trophy to Nicole Rist, our senior who won this prestigious academic contest for Salus/PCO during Optometry's meeting last June.  It was a fun event acknowledging not only Nicole's accomplishment but also Essilor's commitment to optometric education. 

Concurrently, during Salus Time our College of Education and Rehabilitation presented a blindness and low vision orientation and mobility workshop for the University community. I think a high point was watching our Provost and VP of Clinical Services traverse a hallway with blinders on and a cane. It's not as easy as it looks!  I think everyone walked away from that session with a new appreciation for what it must be like to not have functional vision.