The Importance of Voting to Preserve our Democracy: Week of November 3, 2023

 

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

Good morning on this crisp Fall morning from our Elkins Park campus where our everyone has been busy between classes, labs and clinics. Our first floor renovation project is all coming together nicely, albeit a couple of months late, as construction crews begin to put the finishing touches on the project. Just yesterday (of course the coldest day of the semester, so far) our patio furniture was delivered and set up. I’m hoping for some warmer weather next week so folks can get out and enjoy it! Here are some other items that I hope you will find of interest:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS: Our annual Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity fundraiser is just one week away and 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 ticket here. Click here to learn more about the LOFK story, how it all began and how it has grown over the years. And click here to read more about Johnny Archer from NBC10, the emcee for the event.

CHER CAREER FAIR: Our College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER) will have a career fair from 3 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, in the Hafter Student Community Center. There are 23 employers scheduled with positions open for occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists (including CFY) nationwide – these are not just employers from Pennsylvania. If you have not already pre-registered, please do so here. Contact the Bennett Career Services Center with any questions.

BLVS AWARDED TWO GRANTS: Salus University’s Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) has been awarded two five-year grants from the U.S. Department of Education to support the preparation of two of its programs - Teachers of Children with Visual Impairments (TVI) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) professionals. Read more here.

O&P FACULTY FOCUS: For her entire life, Jacalyn Harris, MPO, CPO/L has watched her father Chris Sickels, an amputee, go through various iterations of his prosthesis. This experience sparked Jacalyn’s interest in the engineering involved in artificial limbs. Learn more here about our newest faculty member in the Orthotics and Prosthetics department.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME TO END: Remember to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night. Daylight Savings Time ends at 2AM Sunday 5 November. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Our democracy and the right to vote are more fragile than most realize. On Election Day this coming Tuesday, November 7th, we get to exercise a core tenet of our democracy: to vote for candidates who closely align with our values and beliefs. To ignore this responsibility minimizes the sacrifices of thousands who gave their lives so we and others can be free.

Think about the issues that impact our freedoms including: the right to vote, the elimination of racism and discrimination, and respecting everyone’s individual rights. These issues directly impact the care and treatment of the people and communities we serve. Choosing candidates who will work to ensure equal access to high quality healthcare and healthcare choices advances the work we do every day to improve health outcomes.

As you consider for whom you will vote, check candidate voting records that can help predict how candidates will vote in the future. Remember that social media posts tend to represent opinions rather than facts. Verify facts using multiple sources before taking a position. Today’s world has become more dangerous, divisive and polarized. Electing leaders who best represent your values and beliefs helps ensure the integrity of our democracy.

It's going to be a bit colder this weekend so if you go out and about, please plan accordingly. Covid is still out there, as the flu, so please take appropriate precautions. If you haven’t gotten your Covid and flu vaccines yet, please put that on your “to do” lists.

Be safe, continue to look out for one another and come back next week SALUS STRONG, prepared to vote on Tuesday, 7 November!

-Mike

Vote Next Week: Week of November 4, 2022

 

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

Good morning on this beautiful Fall morning where our Elkins Park and East Oak Lane campuses have been buzzing with activity. We are nearing completion of minor renovations to The Eye Institute that will improve the patient check-in process and flow. And, of course, we are watching the Phillies, Eagles and Union!

Here are some other items of interest:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS: We are excited about our upcoming Looking Out For Kids charity fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. This year’s event will be held at the National Constitution Center where we will honor 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.

VACCINATION EVENT: On Wednesday, Nov. 9 from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center gym Salus will host a vaccination event, in collaboration with Walmart Pharmacy, that will provide the new bivalent COVID booster as well as the Flu vaccination.

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION: This Sunday, Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. there will be the "Excellence in Education” annual conference in tribute to the late Dr. Joseph C. Toland, a PCO graduate and professor with more than 40 years of service. His avid support of optometric education and residency training have shaped how we practice optometry. Salus University extends our deepest respect and gratitude to Dr. Toland. In his honor, all proceeds from this annual event will directly benefit our residency program. Click here for more information, and here to register.

OT FACULTY FOCUS: Being in on the ground floor of establishing Salus University’s Occupational Therapy (OT) department was a memorable time for Caitlyn Foy, DOT, MOTR/L. Read more about Dr. Foy’s role in that here in this week’s Faculty Focus.

RESIDENCY CLASS OF 2023: Ryan Keenan, OD ‘22,’23 Resident, knew he wanted to get into healthcare when he entered college and explored several professions through volunteer opportunities. Now he’s one of our residents and he says his residency is everything he expected. Read more about Dr. Keenan here.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME TO END: Remember to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night as Daylight Savings Time ends at 2AM Sunday morning. We all get an extra hour of sleep!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Last week I wrote about the imperative of exercising your right and responsibility to vote for your candidate of choice on election day. Our democracy, and the right to vote, are more fragile than most realize. Your vote helps ensure that your voice is heard.

The day is now upon us: Tuesday, Nov. 8th. If you have not filed your mail-in ballot, please make time to vote!

As you consider for whom you will vote, check candidate voting records that can help predict how candidates will vote in the future. Remember that social media posts tend to represent opinions rather than facts. Verify facts using multiple sources before taking a position.

The weather is going to be amazing this weekend! Try to get out and enjoy it while we still have it! As you go about your activities over the weekend, please remember CDC masking guidelines and be cognizant of your surroundings at all times. If you haven’t already been vaccinated with the new COVID bivariant vaccine and flu vaccine, please try to register for our campus event or get them at your local pharmacies. It’s the safe and responsible thing to do.

Be safe, remain vigilant and stay SALUS STRONG!

Exercising Your Right To Vote To Preserve Our Democracy: Week of October 21, 2022

 

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

Good morning! It’s a beautiful, cool Fall morning in Elkins Park where I hope everyone is as energized as I am! With our commencement ceremony in the rearview mirror, our planning for the Spring is underway with lots to do between now and then! Planning for the renovation of the first floor, south building is nearly complete. I can’t wait for construction to begin! Here are some other items of interest:

A DAY OF PRIDE: Eighty-eight graduates from our Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) and the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER) received master’s and doctorate degrees at our 125th commencement ceremony last week. Click here to read more about the special day.

‘COVID CLASS’ GETS ITS LONG WHITE COATS: The 47 students in the Salus Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Class of 2022 walked into the Hafter Center for their Long White Coat ceremony Oct. 12 to the strains of “Celebration,” the 1978 hit by Kool and the Gang. The “COVID Class” as it was known was ready to finally celebrate. Click here for more about the ceremony.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCACY: Salus student Weilong Li ‘23PA understands his impact on future generations of Physician Assistants (PA) and is using his personal platform to advance the PA profession. Read more about his efforts here.

CLASS OF 2022-23 RESIDENT: Since she was little, Allison Raff, OD ‘22, ’23 Resident, knew she wanted to be a doctor. While an undergrad student at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, she learned about different professions and decided she wanted to have a specialty. Now she’s one of our residents. Read more about Dr. Raff’s journey here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Exercising our right and responsibility to vote is core to a functional democracy, and especially critical now, as a woman’s right to choose, health equity, gun control, economic stability, national defense and other consequential issues are hotly debated. Every one of the professions we train at Salus is statutorily regulated. Because of this, it is extremely important to understand where candidates stand on scope of practice issues, as well as all the other issues, no matter what profession you serve.

As we approach election day, I anticipate the ads we see will become more frequent and negative. I strongly encourage you to seek out multiple, reliable, unbiased sources of information when deciding for whom to vote. The U.S. government has a helpful guide with resources for making informed choices. Likewise, candidate voting records can predict how candidates will vote in the future. Social media posts tend to represent opinions rather than facts. I try to keep this in mind and verify facts using multiple sources before taking a position.

If you have not yet registered to vote, it’s not too late. In Pennsylvania, the deadline to register to vote is October 24th. If you decide to vote by mail or require an absentee ballot, it must be requested by November 1st and received by November 8th in order for it to be counted.

As you prepare for the weekend, get out and enjoy the Fall colors, which should be peaking around here. If you haven’t yet gotten your COVID bivariant booster and Flu shot, please get those scheduled as soon as you can. I’d like to ensure that we’re fully protected as we get closer to the holidays. Stay safe, remain healthy and stay SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Building Resiliency: Week of October 30th, 2020

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

Greetings from a rather soggy and cool Elkins Park. It’s been another busy week at Salus with many of our students preparing for exams, continuing with their virtual and in-person classes and labs and seeing patients in clinic.

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL RECIPIENTS: Congratulations to two more Presidential Medal of Honor recipients, Fern Silverman, EdD, OTR/L, and Neal Nyman, OD, BS. Dr. Silverman originally came to Salus in 2013 during the Occupational Therapy (OT) program’s infancy and then three years later helped launch the Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy (OTD). Read more about Dr. Silverman here. Dr. Nyman, a well-respected clinician who easily imparted knowledge to his interns and residents alike, greatly expanded the way PCO approached both ethics and patient-doctor communications prior to his retirement in 2019. Read more about Dr. Nyman here.

AUDIOLOGY STUDENT PANEL DISCUSSION: Earlier this month, Katie McGovern ‘23AUD, was one of three student panelists to participate in the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) discussion titled “Office Hours: Don't Get Spooked by Grad School Applications.” Read about Katie’s experience here.

DR. J HAS ARRIVED!: Salus will have its own “Dr. J.” starting Nov. 1 when Juliana Mosley, PhD, officially starts as the University’s inaugural Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Read more about Dr. Mosley here.

LGBTQIA+ MONTH: To recognize LGBTQIA+ History Month, the Communications Department sat down with the Sexuality & Gender Alliance at Salus (SAGAS). Sean Lewis ‘23OD, president of the LGBTQIA+ organization at Salus, and Camille Menns '21OT explained how to be a better ally. View Camille’s full interview here. View Sean’s full interview here.

VISION THERAPY PROGRAM: Salus University and the Academy of Ophthalmic Education are presenting “A Comprehensive Foundational Program in Vision Therapy: A 100-Hour Program Model,” featuring the first live webinars with Q&A and 70 hours of theory/didactics. Online lectures begin Nov. 5 and go through May 2021. The program is for optometrists and vision therapists interested in incorporating or enhancing binocular vision diagnosis and treatment in their practice. It has been endorsed by COVD (College of Optometry in Vision Development) and meets the 100- hour requirement for fellowship to COVD. For more information, click here.

JOSEPH C. TOLAND CE PROGRAM: The Dr. Joseph C. Toland 30th annual Excellence in Education conference will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Topics and speakers will include:

• Glaucoma Myth Busters & IOP Adjusters with Alissa Coyne, OD, FAAO and Andrew Meagher, OD, FAAO
• Real World Applications of Emerging Technologies and Treatments with Leslie O’Dell, OD, FAAO
• Dry Eye and the Surgical Patient with Leslie O’Dell, OD, FAAO
• Contact Lens Troubleshooting with Nicholas Gidosh, OD, FAAO
• Myopia Control Updates with Nicholas Gidosh, ID, FAAO

For more information and to register, click here.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY: When celebrating Halloween, whether you have a hearing impairment or not, keep several safety tips in mind. Trick-or-treating in the dark can make it more difficult to see certain things and also to hear in your surroundings. Read more about that here. Halloween is also a time for spooky costumes. For some, cosmetic contact lenses are the perfect accent to their festive and ghoulish attire. However, according to our own experts and other health officials, wearing these cosmetic accessories can come with a price and people are warned to steer clear of these potential dangers. Read more here.

VOTE: Voting is the one essential responsibility we all have to ensure our democratic process endures. If you have not already dropped off or mailed in your election ballot or if you plan to vote in person, please ensure you plan ahead as lines likely will be long on election day. No matter what your political leanings, please cast your vote!

FINAL THOUGHTS - BUILDING RESILIENCY: We are entering the ninth month of working through the challenges and taking advantage of some of the opportunities presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic. As an institution, thanks to the hard work of all of you – faculty, students and staff – we have come through this reasonably well, to date. You have pivoted to online teaching and learning, conducted labs and clinics in a somewhat restrictive environment and continued to make progress towards the completion of your professional degrees. This hasn’t been easy for anyone, but together we have overcome many hurdles along the way together. One of the silver linings of this public health emergency has been our ability to provide online continuing education to a much broader audience and improve our ability to teach and learn virtually. Along with this, I also believe we have all been building our resiliency along the way.

Gever Tulley, a writer and entrepreneur suggests that, “persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.” I couldn’t agree more. We’ve all been working together over the course of the past nine months doing exactly that! As healthcare professionals, I believe that building resilience is an important part of our professional growth. No matter what profession you are part of, you will always be faced with situations that require strength and resilience to succeed. The stress we are feeling now is normal and while it may sound like a cliché, it will make us all stronger and more resilient in the long run.

This doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to help alleviate the stress associated with all this. Changing your daily routines, socializing virtually with friends and loved ones or in small groups outdoors, getting outside to exercise or just taking a walk to enjoy the fall colors are all helpful activities. Additionally, both students and faculty should make an extra effort to talk with each other about how you are doing and how you are feeling. Looking out for each other is essential. I also know that each of your programs, as well as Student Affairs, are working on ways to help reduce stress levels. Learning coping skills is all part of all of our professional growth. And, take it from me, you never stop learning those.

As we work our way through the pandemic, events surrounding the upcoming election, social and racial unrest on top of the stress caused by the high workloads you all are encountering in your programs, please reflect on the words of Helen Keller who said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” It’s not easy nor is there a simple formula for all of this – nothing worth doing is. I can assure you that we are all in this together and we will work with you. When we come out on the other end, whenever that will be, we all will be stronger and more resilient. Lean on each other, lean on us and if you feel you’d like to speak with a counselor, you can always make an appointment with our experts at CPPD or through Human Resources.

The rain should stop later today and it should be a nice, cool Halloween weekend. If you decide to go out and partake in Halloween festivities, please continue to social distance, wear your face mask and wash your hands frequently. What you do off campus affects all of us on campus.

Be safe, take some time to relax and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Plan to Vote: Week of October 23rd, 2020

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

Good morning from Elkins Park where our faculty, students and staff continue to work hard to teach, learn and support our health science educational mission. It’s been another busy week on campus as we successfully navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic and providing virtual and in-person classes and labs in addition to delivering our optometry, audiology and speech-language pathology clinical services.

VOTING PREPARATION: Election Day is a little more than a week away and voting is underway in many parts of the country. In Pennsylvania, mail-in ballots can be dropped off at many locations around us. As we approach November 3rd, I highly encourage all of you who have not already either mailed in or dropped off your ballots to begin to plan ahead. No matter where you go on Election Day, lines will be long either voting in person or dropping off a ballot. More than likely, voting will take longer than in previous elections which certainly can impact your academic or clinical schedules. As a courtesy to others, please notify the school of your intentions ahead of time so no one has to cover your shift or you miss a required assignment that could have been rescheduled prior. We want everyone to have the opportunity to vote.

DEI LUNCH AND LEARN: The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee will host a Lunch & Learn event at noon Wednesday, Oct. 28, featuring Janet LaBreck, who was the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration under President Barack Obama and co-founder of Synergy Consulting Partners. That group is dedicated to creating positive change within organizations and systems, with a commitment of full inclusion for individuals with disabilities. The link for the remote access will be sent via email prior to the event.

IMPORTANCE OF PRONOUNS: International Pronouns Day, celebrated earlier this week, seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace. Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Being referred to by the wrong pronouns particularly affects transgender and gender nonconforming people. Together, we can transform society to celebrate people’s multiple, intersecting identities.

STUTTERING AWARENESS DAY: Stuttering Awareness Day raises awareness in our own communities and joins with other organizations to educate the public and reach those who stutter who still feel alone and isolated. The Speech-Language Institute (SLI) of Salus University offers comprehensive evaluation services and treatment plans for stuttering. To read more about “Stuttering Facts vs. Myths,” click here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: There is arguably no more important civic duty than exercising your right to vote. Given the challenges that our country is currently experiencing, this is especially true this year. So please make arrangements to either vote by mail or in person. If you do vote in person, please remember we still are in the middle of a pandemic and you will need to take appropriate precautions that include wearing your face mask, socially distancing while standing in lines and washing your hands when you’re done.

Finally, it's going to be a relatively nice weekend, so please try to get out and enjoy some of the nice fall weather. The leaves are reaching peak and it’s a great stress relief to get out and enjoy the nice weather. Remember, if you feel like you’d like to talk to one of our CPPD counselors you can make an appointment here.

Please continue to socially distance, wear your face masks, wash your hands frequently and keep in mind that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be smart, remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

PA Week and Giving Week: Week of October 9th, 2020

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

Greetings from a chilly, but very nice Elkins Park campus. Our students have been busy with mid-terms, labs and clinics. As always, it’s energizing to see our world-class faculty interacting with our talented students. As you can see from the length of this update (I apologize), there’s lots going on! SUMMER 

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM GIFT: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University announced this week that National Vision Inc.’s America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses will be the sole sponsor of its Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program. The goal of the program is to increase underrepresented students of color in the optometric profession. Totaling $300,000 through a five-year commitment, it is the largest sponsorship Salus has received to date, in support of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. To read more, go to salus.edu/SEPdonation.

FALL COMMENCEMENT: While we wish we could celebrate the successes of our Fall graduating students in person, once again the pandemic has forced us to conduct a virtual ceremony, which will be aired on Tuesday, 13 October at 2 p.m. State Senator Art Haywood is our keynote speaker and honorary degree recipient. You can access the ceremony here. That morning, I will be also be broadcasting a live message to our graduates via Instagram Live at 9 a.m.

NEW ONLINE CE LIBRARY: Melissa Vitek, OD ‘95, FAAO, director of the Department of International and Continuing Education, has been working with instructors and collecting online continuing education lectures since June. The University’s website now includes a designated section titled “Asynchronous CE Library” that links to these recorded lectures. To read more about our asynchronous CE library, go to salus.edu/OnlineCElibrary.

UPCOMING CE EVENT: Our next Continuing Education online event will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 14. Titled “SLP in a Virtual World — Assessment and Intervention Across the Life Span.” Presenters will discuss how many speech-language pathologists have had to pivot from face-to-face interactions to exclusively remote service provisions. For more information, click here.

ACT 31 & OPIOD CE: The Department of International and Continuing Education at Salus University will be hosting ACT 31 Mandated Child Abuse Awareness, Recognition and Reporting and Opioid Education online, synchronous offerings. To register, click here.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Erin Draper, OD ‘09, Resident ‘10, FAAO, who joined the PCO/Salus faculty following her residency at TEI in 2010. Read more about Dr. Draper at salus.edu/ErinDraper.

GIVING WEEK: Today is the last day of our annual Giving Week. Our goal is to get to 100 donors, no matter what the amount. This year’s Giving Week is dedicated to student scholarships, capital improvements and community outreach. There’s still time to jump in so just click here to get you to the site.

PA WEEK: Today marks the last day of Physician Assistant (PA) Week, in honor of the first graduating PAs from Duke University. Of note, October 6th was also the birthday of Dr. Eugene Stead, the profession’s founder. He would have been 112! This PA Week is especially significant as it falls during a global pandemic. PAs have stepped up in major ways, including serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. Whatever their specialty or setting, they have put their health at risk every day to care for their patients. The theme of this week’s celebration is, “PAs are Essential.” There’s no doubt that PAs have not only proven themselves as flexible, adaptable, and collaborative – but also essential to healthcare and to the patients they serve.

VOTING: As November 3rd gets closer it’s imperative that everyone who is entitled to vote is registered and has already made the decision to either order a mail-in ballot or vote in person. As I have been doing, below is information to assist you in performing the most important duty we all have as Americans – TO VOTE!

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it. If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know the location and times your polling place will be open. You can find that by accessing the PA voter website here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As you’ve seen in the news, many people in higher levels of our government have contracted COVID-19. Without going into a political discourse about this, the fact that so many people, who are so closely monitored, some on a daily basis, could contract this disease illustrates how easily it can be spread. This can be a deadly and dangerous disease, and it’s imperative not to minimize its potential impact and follow current guidelines that have, to date, been keeping us all healthy and safe.

Because we’ve been at this for over seven months, some people are developing what the media has termed Coronavirus Burnout and Pandemic Fatigue. With the onset of nicer Fall weather, the start of school and the holidays on the horizon, it’s easy to forget we’re still in the middle of a public health emergency that has already claimed over 212,000 American lives. Of note, while the U.S. has only 4% of the world’s population, we account for 21% of the 1 million deaths worldwide. As the richest country with the most sophisticated health system in the world, this represents a distressingly huge failure in our response to the pandemic.

Across our country, to include Pennsylvania, COVID rates have been rising because many are not following prescribed guidelines. As healthcare professionals, we must set the example for others. That means continuing to social distance, wearing a cloth face mask when around others and frequently washing our hands. This is not rocket science, nor is it an expression of political affiliation – it’s just good public health prevention measures. Even when we have access to reliable and affordable testing, these measures will still form the backbone of our prevention measures.

As you prepare to enjoy the great weather this weekend, I strongly encourage you to get out and enjoy the changing leaves and cooler temperatures. Practice good public health prevention measures wherever you go and remember what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus!

Be safe, be smart, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

COVID Alert PA App: Week of October 2nd, 2020

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where the trees are starting to turn colors and it’s really starting to look like fall outside. There’s been lots of activity on campus this week and even last weekend as students began to learn new clinical skills in all of our professions. It brought back painful memories watching our optometry students learn retinoscopy using schematic eyes as well as thoughts of how technology has really changed over the years to help augment that. It was much more fun to watch our OT students meander around the building with wheelchairs and other mobility devices! So, here’s what’s happening:

COVID ALERT PA APP: The State of Pennsylvania just released a new app, COVID Alert PA, that will use Bluetooth technology to alert a person when they have come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. You just need to go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to get it. The app runs on iPhones that support iOS 13.5 and higher, and Android phones running Android 6.0 and higher. According to the PA Website, users can help fight COVID-19 by opting to tell the Department of Health, through the app, how you are feeling daily and whether you have any COVID-19 symptoms. If you do have symptoms, the app will give you information on what to do. This tool helps you track your own symptoms within the app, and you’ll get public health information based on your responses. The app also can provide timely alerts if you’ve had a potential exposure to someone who tested positive for the virus. I’ve already downloaded as have everyone living in our house. I strongly encourage all of you to sign on. To learn more about this go here.

STRESS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT GROUP: Salus alumni, Olivia Cheng, MSOT '18, and current Salus Occupational Therapy (OT) students, Gina Inglese, '20OT, and Elisabeth Van Horn, '20OT, set out to help their fellow healthcare workers by creating a stress management support group to help during this uncertain time. You can check out their podcast here.

NEW DAY IN THE LIFE SERIES: Check out our “Day in the Life” series featuring second-year OT student Kristen Hasse, '21OT. Read more here. Also, our “I Chose Salus” series this week features Optometry student Stephen Shalamanda, '24OD. Read more about that here.

PEI AND SLI PODCAST: Lindsay Bondurant, PhD, CCC-A, director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) and Bob Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, chair of the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) department, did a 30-minute podcast during the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (PCOM) Virtual Wellness Fair Sept. 26. Dr. Bondurant spoke about the services provided by PEI and the role of audiologists. Bob gave an overview of services provided by the Speech-Language Institute (SLI). The session was live and included questions from attendees.

InfantSEE LAUNCH: Launched in 2005, InfantSEE, a public health program managed by Optometry Cares — The American Optometric Association’s Foundation — is celebrating 15 years of service, providing assessments to more than 150,000 infants. InfantSEE optometrists provide comprehensive infant eye assessments between six and 12-months of age free of charge regardless of family income or access to insurance coverage. The Eye Institute (TEI) at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University is proud to be a participating provider of this national program.

SALUS CUP COMPETITION: The Hafter Center has updated its annual Salus Cup to accommodate the current situation. Teams are comprised of classmates within their respective academic programs. Faculty, staff and residents are on an additional team together. Ways to receive and lose points during the Salus Cup: 

• Make a reservation for a workout block (+1)
• Attend your workout block reservation (+1)
• Sign up via PTMinder for a livestream class (+1)
• Participate in a livestream class (+1)
• Miss your reserved workout block time without canceling (-1)

Points will be added up at the end of each week and the team with the most points at the end of the week will receive one Salus Cup point. The team with the most Salus Cup points at the end of October wins. For clarification or more information, contact the Hafter centers trainers.

VOTING: The right to vote is the cornerstone of our American democracy. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as we read about potential disruptions to the voting process, it is imperative that you plan ahead. If you’re planning to vote by mail, these are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know the location and times your polling place will be open. You can find that by accessing the PA voter website here.

FLU SHOTS: If you haven’t already gotten your flu shots, it’s not too late. I strongly encourage all of you to get your flu shots, especially this year. We’ve been working with Temple Health to ensure it’s as easy as possible. This will be a drive-through event that will be staged in the parking area closest to Township Line Road. The next dates the flu shots will be available on campus are as follows:

• 10/9: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• 10/16: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• 10/23: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Please dial 215-517-5000 option 1. Any staff member can take your information over the phone to register you, but we were told that you should ask for Korliy and Kaila.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As the nicer fall weather becomes more inviting to do things outdoors, it’s imperative we all remember we’re in the midst of a pandemic. While it’s clearly safer to do things outdoors, it’s still extremely important to practice social distancing and wear a cloth face mask when around others, yes, even outdoors, if you cannot maintain a safe distance of at least six feet. As the weather gets colder, things will begin to move indoors, which presents even more risk of airborne exposure to the virus. If you do decide to venture into a restaurant or other eating establishment, please ensure that it is well-ventilated and there is ample distance between you and the other patrons. A recent CDC MMWR (Morbidity, Mortality Weekly Report) study found that for new COVID-19 positive patients over 18 years old, 42% of them reported dining at a restaurant, including indoor, patio and outdoor seating. It’s not too much of a stretch to assume that indoor venues present a greater risk than outdoor venues, simply due to diminished ventilation. Either way, it appears we assume a greater risk participating in these types of events. According to the CDC risk stratification, the more an individual interacts with others, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The risk of COVID-19 spread increases in a restaurant or bar setting as follows:

• Lowest Risk: Food service limited to drive-thru, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick-up.
• More Risk: Drive-thru, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick-up emphasized. On-site dining limited to outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
• Even More Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
• Highest Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart.

I’m not suggesting you don’t go out and enjoy yourselves – but if you do, please be aware of the risks involved and do everything you can to mitigate those risks. Finally, the weekend looks to be nice so do get out and enjoy yourselves. Continue to social distance, wear a cloth face mask when around others and wash your hands frequently. Also, please remember that what you do off campus will directly affect all of us on campus.

Be safe, have some fun, be responsible and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Happy Fall: Week of September 25th, 2020

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

Happy Fall and greetings from a little get-away off campus. While I’ve been gone most of the week, several events have been happening around campus, in addition to our in-person and on-line classes, labs and clinics.

QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING: On Monday, many of us participated in what was the second time our Board of Trustees met virtually. As has been our practice, the meeting provided our all-volunteer board an update on all of the things our fantastic faculty and staff have been doing in response to the pandemic and also our initiatives surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion and many other more academically focused success stories.

DEI EVENTS: The University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee held an important and informative Lunch and Learn this week on the topic of “Interest Conversion in a Time of Pandemic and Police Brutality: How COVID and Growing Authoritarianism Provide an Opening for Solidarity.” The featured speaker was Tim Wise, one of the most prominent and anti-racist writers and educators in the United States. We look forward to continued dialogue around diversity, equity and inclusion within the Salus community. If you were not able to attend and would like to view the recording, please check your email from the DEI Committee for instructions.

GRAND ROUNDS: Today’s Grand Rounds will be presented by Dr. Tracy Offerdahl on the topic “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics Update.” For more information, click here.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD: In order to help maintain transparency and keep everyone informed, today we will be launching our COVID-19 dashboard that will inform our entire university community of the number of people who have tested negative and positive since we began tracking this several months ago. Of note, due to the continued unavailability of a reliable and affordable daily testing alternative for our entire community, we continue to rely on self-reporting of symptoms and/or potential exposure through our screening process to keep our community safe. Isolation, self-quarantining and private testing is utilized to clear infected (actual or probable) individuals for a return to campus.

VOTING INFORMATION: National Voter Registration Day was earlier this week. If you're not registered yet, now's the time! Click here for more information and to make sure you’re registered.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Gabriel Fickett, OD, FAAO, one of our newest assistant professors at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and The Eye Institute (TEI). Dr. Fickett has extensive experience fitting specialty contact lenses for adults and children with corneal disease, post penetrating keratoplasty, keratoprosthesis, aphakia, and ocular trauma. Read more about Dr. Fickett at salus.edu/GabrielFickett.

FALL COMMENCEMENT: Pennsylvania State Sen. Arthur L. Haywood III — who represents the Fourth District, which includes parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia counties — will deliver the keynote address at the University’s 121st Commencement ceremony, scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. The pandemic hasn’t dampened Sen. Haywood’s enthusiasm for delivering what he and I believe to be an important message to Salus graduates. Read more at salus.edu/SenArtHaywood.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we approach this weekend, I’d like to wish our Jewish colleagues a “good fast” as they prepare to observe Yom Kippur, which begins on Sunday evening. I’d also like to take a moment to remind everyone to ensure that they have registered to vote in the upcoming presidential election. The outcome of this election will affect us all for generations, so, no matter what your political leanings are, it’s my strong conviction that we all have both a personal responsibility and obligation to vote.

Finally, while I probably don’t need to remind anyone of this, we are still in the midst of a deadly pandemic. No matter what you hear or see in the media, this a real public health emergency and we, especially as health care professionals, need to continue to serve as examples and practice social distancing, wear a face mask when around others and wash our hands frequently. Also, please remember, when on campus, the only place you are permitted to eat is in the cafeteria or tent we’ve set up outside that space. Also remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus!

Have a great weekend. I hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy this nice Fall weather. Be safe, be smart and remain Salus Strong!

Mike

Last Days of Summer: Week of September 18th, 2020

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

I’d like to wish everyone a virtual good morning from our Elkins Park campus. We’re starting to feel a little fall weather, which has been a welcome change from the muggy days of summer – although I suspect we have a few more of those in our future. The campus and clinics have remained busy with our first year students getting into their academic strides both in class and labs and others fully embracing their clinical experiences at TEI, PEI and SLI. I really enjoy seeing the gleam in their eyes what I have the opportunity to walk through these clinics. Of note, I used to see smiles, but that’s a bit difficult with everyone wearing masks.

DIVERSITY LUNCH AND LEARN EVENT: The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee will host a Lunch & Learn event at noon Wednesday, Sept. 23, titled “Interest Convergence in a Time of Pandemic and Police Brutality: How COVID and Growing Authoritarianism Provide an Opening for Solidarity.” The featured speaker will be Tim Wise, one of the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States and host of the podcast, “Speak Out with Tim Wise.” The event will be held remotely and log-in information will be sent out prior to the event.

NEW SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR DIVERSITY: I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Juliana M. Mosley has accepted our offer to serve as our inaugural Special Assistant for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Dr. Mosley has 20-plus years of experience in education, most recently, she served as the Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations Officer at Chestnut Hill College. She previously held several positions in higher education as Vice President for Student Affairs at Lincoln University, Edward Waters College, Marygrove College, and Philander Smith College; the Director of Multicultural Affairs at John Carroll University; the Executive Assistant to the President at Kentucky State University; and High School Business Teacher in the Houston Independent School District. Dr. Mosley earned a PhD in Educational Leadership and MA in Curriculum and Teacher Leadership from Miami University of Ohio, and BS in Business Education from Ball State University. Please welcome her to our Salus community.

SURGEONS GENERAL ROUNDTABLE: Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas School of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion are sponsoring the screening of the documentary Open Season: Racism and Health Disparities, the Two Deadliest Diseases in America. This film is designed to shed light on the current state of emergency and inspire people to go beyond their perceived limitations and become more active participants in what the future of America can be. It will be followed by a LIVE roundtable featuring several former Surgeons General of the United States as they discuss the problem of racial inequity in healthcare and how it can be addressed. You can register for that here.

PANEL ON VOCATIONAL REHAB: Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, for an engaging discussion on the topic of employment and vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are visually impaired. Panelists include key stakeholders, such as employees, vocational rehabilitation counselors, blindness and low vision practitioners, transition coordinators, and parents. Register here.

CLINICAL GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds at The Eye Institute will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Dr. Tracy Offerdahl will present on the topic: “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutic Update.” For more information, click here.

NEW DEAN OF CHER: Welcome to James Konopack, PhD, our inaugural dean of the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER), whose first day was Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. Dr. Konopack — who earned his PhD in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — comes to us from the School of Business at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he was associate dean. His skills will be a tremendous asset to the new college and I look forward to working with him. Read more about Dr. Konopack at salus.edu/JamesKonopack.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Erin Jenewein, OD, MS, an assistant professor, clinical educator and the coordinator for the Pediatric and Vision Therapy residency. She also serves as principal investigator for the CHAMP Study, a myopia control study; and principal investigator for the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). Read more about Dr. Jenewein at salus.edu/ErinJenewein.

JEWISH NEW YEAR: This evening the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur begins. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the Jewish New Year and marks the beginning of ten days of introspection and repentance that culminates with Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. Please join me in wishing our Jewish colleagues and friends a Happy and Healthy New Year.

VOTING REMINDER: As I’ve noted in multiple updates, voting is the thing all Americans can do to ensure the preservation of our democracy. Not only is it a right and privilege, but also a responsibility that should be taken very seriously. With the possibility of postal delays, it’s extremely important that if you plan to vote by mail, you plan ahead. Here are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know where your polling place is. For those of you who might be interested in becoming a poll worker for the November election, you can get more information by going to the VotePA website here. No matter what your political affiliation or how you decide to cast it, please vote - it’s a privilege that we tend to take for granted and many have made the ultimate sacrificed for us to exercise.

FINAL THOUGHTS: There has been much in the news about the fires out west, the hurricane down south and continued debates about the efficacy of wearing a face mask. As we begin this last weekend of summer, please keep those affected by the fires and storms in your thoughts and prayers. As healthcare providers, we need to rely on the science that forms the bedrock foundation for all we do. Face masks are probably the most effective preventive tool we currently have until an effective vaccine is broadly distributed. To that end, please ensure you wear your face mask when around others, both inside and outside, continue to practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. If you’re not feeling well, stay home and talk with your healthcare provider.

Like many institutions, a couple of people within our Salus community have tested positive over the course of the last several months. Because people have been following protocols closely, working in small groups and practicing all the appropriate preventive measures, these have remained isolated and contained. Let’s keep it that way!

Take some time to get out and enjoy the cooler weather this weekend while practicing preventive measures. Remember, what you do off campus will directly affect us all on campus. Be responsible, be safe, remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Labor Day Weekend: Week of September 4th, 2020

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

Greetings from a very busy Elkins Park campus. Our students continue to participate in limited face to face (actually mask to mask) classes, labs and clinics. It’s energizing to see all the activity on campus!

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds at The Eye Institute (TEI) is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Dr. Patrick McManamon will present a program titled “IOL: Insight on Lenses.”
 
CONTINUING EDUCATION EVENT: On Sunday, Sept. 13, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. a synchronous online CE event titled “Current Advancements in Comprehensive Optometric Care” will be presented. I’m looking forward to presenting “Public Health Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic — A Look Back and the Road Ahead” As the final lecture of that day. I’ll be preceded by an all-star group of faculty and guests. Click here to see the full panel.
 
WELCOME NEW FACULTY & STAFF:  We have two new members of our Salus community I’d like to welcome: Nicholas Jones has joined us as Research compliance coordinator; and Gabriel Fickett, OD, is an assistant professor at PCO.
 
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY AGREEMENT: Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) recently partnered with Hampton University, one of the nation’s leading historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), to offer a new articulation agreement to address the underrepresentation of Black students in optometric education and healthcare professions. Paula Harmon Boone, OD, director of the National Optometric Association (NOA) “Visioning the Future” HBCU Mentorship Program and NOA trustee, helped initiate and lead the effort. Mirroring the goal of the NOA’s mentorship program to address the lack of diversity among optometry students, the partnership was established to give students who successfully complete a Bachelor of Science degree at Hampton a pathway to earn a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree at Salus PCO. Under the agreement, students enrolled in the program will receive both financial and academic assistance from the NOA, advisement from the Pre-Health program at Hampton and mentorship from a Salus PCO faculty advisor. We are so proud to have entered into this agreement.  
 
HAFTER CENTER OPENING: We’re scheduled to reopen the Hafter Center on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Some things to keep in mind: the basketball/volleyball court will not be available; the track will be open and you will need a reservation to use it, with physical distancing regulations in place. For additional details about scheduling your workouts, please refer to your latest Hafter Happenings newsletter. 
 
FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Kimberly Edmonds, MS, CCC-SLP, a clinical educator who supervises first-year students in SLI. Read about how she tries to incorporate music in her teaching at salus.edu/KimberlyEdmonds.

VOTING: Voting is an integral part of our American democracy. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as we read about potential postal delays it’s imperative that you plan ahead if you’re planning to vote by mail. Here are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know where your polling place is. For those of you who might be interested in becoming a poll worker for the November election, you can get more information by going to the VotePA website here. No matter what your political affiliation or how you decide to cast it, please vote - it’s a privilege many have made the ultimate sacrificed for us to exercise.

FINAL THOUGHTS - LABOR DAY WEEKEND: As we approach Labor Day weekend, I always like to remind people why we celebrate this holiday, which celebrates the greatest workers in the world – American workers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday. So, there you have it. This is why we have this coming Monday off. I hope everyone enjoys their 3-day weekend and especially, Labor Day.

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

Mike

Welcome Back: Week of August 28th, 2020

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

Good morning from a warm and muggy Elkins Park!

WELCOME BACK! - I’d like to welcome back all of our students returning to campus – I recorded a welcome video stressing the importance of our Safety Strategy and what will be accessible on campus during this fall semester. While I won’t win the academy award for the video, I encourage all of you to check it out. 

FACULTY FOCUS - This week’s faculty focus features Bisant Labib, OD ‘14, Resident ‘15, FAAO. Learn more about why she believes humor has the ability to transform any negative situation or emotion into a positive one. It’s well worth the read!

N95 MASK DONATION - Salus recently received a much-needed donation of more than 285 N95 masks from Medical Students for Masks – an organization dedicated to protecting frontline healthcare workers. Read more at salus.edu/PPE-Donation.

OUR NEW FACULTY MEMBERS - We have a couple new faculty members I’d like to welcome to the Salus Community: Eileen Hunsaker, MS, CCC-SLP, recently joined the University as director of Clinical Education for the SLP program and Chad Killen, OD ‘19, Resident ‘20, who became a PCO instructor. 

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT DAY - This morning, we’ll conduct a virtual faculty-wide Development Day from 9-11:30 a.m. Please join in on Blackboard Collaborate.    

VOTE! – As the country prepares for the presidential election this coming November, I want to ensure everyone has a chance to vote, no matter what your political affiliation is. If you’re going to vote by mail, which I encourage, given the pandemic, I urge you to get your mail-in ballot early so it will be counted. Here are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1.    Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.

2.    Fill out the application completely.

3.    Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.

4.    When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week we all were witness to yet another shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake. This time in Wisconsin. I am again angered and dismayed by the event and that our nation once again finds itself reeling from the tragic shooting of a Black man by police, as three of his children looked on. Mr. Blake, who is now paralyzed as he fights for his life, is just the latest in a long line of Black men and women who have been shot and severely wounded or killed by police.

We continue to stand with all those who demand justice, equality and accountability for Black lives in our country – lives like those of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Denise Hamilton, Earnest Lacy, and Sylville Smith. I want to reiterate what our DEI committee noted in their email yesterday encouraging all members of the Salus community to check on each other, and especially on our Black students, friends, and colleagues. Ask questions such as “How are you feeling? What do you need from your us – your classmates and colleagues?” We will fully support our Black students, faculty and staff and try to use this tragedy to come closer together as a Salus community, not get pulled farther apart. 

On a much more positive note, this weekend should be pretty nice, so please take some time to relax, reflect and get outside. Remember to continue to socially distance, wash your hands frequently and wear a face mask when around others. Also, please remember that what you do off campus effects all of us on campus, so please be vigilant. This pandemic, while it seems to be lasting a lifetime, will end - we just need to stay on top of things until it does.

Stay safe, be smart and remain Salus Strong!

Mike

State Representative Visits Salus: Week of October 26, 2018

Good morning from a cold morning in Elkins Park!

It’s been another great week at Salus. Here are some of our highlights:

On Monday, we hosted State Representative Marcy Toepel at our Elkins Park campus. We had the opportunity to discuss all of our programs, but concentrated on why the legislature needs to update the current optometric scope of practice laws to reflect what’s being taught at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and other optometry programs around the country. After a great discussion and tour of our facility, where Melissa Trego, OD, PhD, dean, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, had the opportunity to show Representative Toepel our virtual reality training lab first hand. I think Rep. Toepel came away with a renewed appreciation of what optometrists can and should be doing to care for their patients. These visits are important to ensure our legislators understand the high quality and comprehensive education our students receive, not just in optometry but in every profession we train. It’s also a great opportunity for elected officials to learn what services Salus provides to our local communities - often at no cost to the people we serve.

NBC-10 news spotlighted our School Vision Program, our doctors and students while they conducted screenings at McCloskey Elementary School in Philadelphia just the other day. TEI resident Dr. Ryan Kern and a team of third year optometry students did an excellent job showcasing the great work that we do through our school screening program.

Congratulations to Mitchell Scheiman, OD, PhD, director, Graduate Programs, Biomedicine and his team at New Jersey Institute of Technology for winning two of three Auggie Awards – the most recognized industry virtual reality awards in the world.  The awards were given for two projects - Excellence in collaborative projects between industry and academia and the most impactful breakthrough and honoring a Women XR Laureate. Congratulations Mitch!

The American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) will hold its annual Optometry Cares 5K run/walk on Sunday, October 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at Alverthorpe Park in Abington, Pa. All proceeds will benefit the American Optometric Association’s Optometry Cares foundation. Please try to get out there to support this great cause.

Our annual Looking Out For Kids (LOFK) charity fundraiser is only a week away! If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, it’s not too late. This year’s event is being held at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue which is a beautiful venue in a great location. If you can’t come, please consider donating on our website.

Finally, there’s been a good bit of distracting and distressing news this week about politics, mail bombs, general discord and the geopolitical fallout from the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. With all this swirling around us, it’s helpful for all of us remain mentally and morally focused on our mission at Salus – advancing integrated health care through innovative education, research and clinical services. Our students have enough to do between studying and going to class and labs and our faculty and staff are constantly working to ensure our students receive the best education possible in addition to ensuring the patient care provided in our clinics is nothing less than excellent. While it’s extremely important to be aware of the current events, it’s imperative for you to focus on our patients, clients and the education that will enable you to help others well into the future. 

The one thing that you all can do is to vote – no matter what your political affiliation is, that’s the one way we have, as Americans, to clearly express our opinion and desires as to how our government works. Tuesday, November 6 is election day. Mark it on your calendars and ensure that you either have an absentee ballet if you’re not going to be around or get to a polling place. Every vote counts, so please ensure you plan your time to exercise your constitutional right to choose who represents us.

On that note, I’ll close wishing everyone a safe and restful weekend. It looks like we’re going to have a nor’easter starting tonight, so please be careful if you’re going out and about. 

Mike