Gun Violence is a Public Health Emergency: Week of June 10th, 2022

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

Good morning on a beautiful late-spring day in Elkins Park! Our campus has been humming with activity as we welcome our Blindness and Low Vision Studies students to campus for their summer semester, face to face classes and busy clinics. We’ve begun work on the planned renovation for the first floor of the South building that will re-energize our cafeteria and integrate other important student life and administrative functions into a welcoming, versatile, and inviting space. If all goes well, construction will begin this fall.

DICE UPDATE: Students from the University of Oulu, in Finland, recently spent two weeks on the University’s Elkins Park campus training in primary eye care. The training program is the result of a long-standing collaboration established by Melissa Vitek, OD ‘95, FAAO, dean of International and Continuing Education at Salus, and Robert Andersson, MSc ‘10, PhD ‘18, assistant professor. The Finnish optometrists are pursuing their master’s degrees at Oulu University and participating in this coursework helps them work toward that goal. Read more about their experience here. 

DANGEROUS DECIBELS PROGRAM: Jenny Rajan, ‘09 AuD, CCC-A, FAAA, with the help of four students from the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) at Salus University, recently presented the “Dangerous Decibels” educational program to high schoolers in the Centennial School District. For details, click here.

HEARTFELT TRIBUTE: The Salus community honors the life and legacy of Melissa Padilla, who served PCO/Salus for 24 years and played a role in advancing our international and post-graduate program. Click here to read a heartfelt tribute to Melissa written by Anthony Di Stefano, OD ‘73, MEd, MPH, FAAO, FCOptom (Hon.), emeritus vice president of Academic Affairs and professor emeritus of Public Health at PCO/Salus. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: Public health principles are designed to protect and promote health in all communities. As healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to help others realize that gun violence is a public health emergency that effects all of our communities. This was brought too close to home with last week’s shootings on South Street in Philadelphia.

If people would treat gun violence as the public health emergency it is, I believe we would begin to see effective, evidence-based gun control mitigation strategies, including legislation, much as we have done with alcohol and tobacco products. These measures protect the public’s health and do not restrict the use of these items from responsible adults. As you prepare for the weekend, try to reflect on this. It’s an issue that has reached a critical point in our country.

Please stay safe, look out for one another, remember to wear your mask both on campus and when around others off campus and stay at home if you’re not feeling well. Have a great weekend and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Addressing Stress: Week of June 3rd, 2022

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

Good morning on this summery morning in Elkins Park. We are transitioning to summer on cue with Memorial Day weekend already in the rearview mirror! Even as summer approaches, our campus has been busy with students attending classes, labs and clinics. As our Chestnut Hill clinic undergoes a cosmetic face lift, operations have temporarily shifted to The Eye Institute. Kudos to Dr. Maria Parisi, Mr. John Gaal, Mr. Chris Esposito and Mr. Rick Echevarria and their staffs for making this happen quickly and seamlessly! 

Here are some other items of interest for you:

COMMENCEMENT WRAP-UP: Our 124th commencement ceremony was held last week at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. It was wonderful to be back at the Kimmel face-to-face. Graduates and attendees were inspired by Admiral Michelle J. Howard, the first African American woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy, former Vice Chief of Naval Operations and a shipmate and personal friend of mine. We also heard encouraging words from Courtney Bernhardt, MS ‘22, who delivered our graduate commencement address. For details on the festivities, click here.

HOUSE DEMOCRATIC SOUTHEAST DELEGATION VISIT: Earlier this week we had the honor of hosting members of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Southeast Delegation at the University. This gave us the opportunity to help educate regional legislators about our programs and how we are training the next generation of healthcare providers for the Commonwealth.

CHALLENGING ROAD TO PhD: Speaking of commencement, be sure to read the story on Brianna Brim, PhD ‘22, MOT, OTR/L, CPAM, CLIPP, our director of the Occupational Therapy Institute (OTI), who overcame several personal challenges to graduate with a PhD from the University’s Biomedicine program. Congratulations, Dr. Brim! For details, click here.

RAM EXPERIENCE: PCO/Salus Doctor of Optometry students recently volunteered to serve in the Remote Area Medical (RAM) group’s mobile medical clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia for two consecutive days. The event allowed several of our students to use their expertise to assist families and individuals who have been without eye care for years. Read more about it here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we transition into summer, take the opportunity to get out and enjoy some of the great recreational sites in our region. The Schuylkill River Trail, Fairmount Park and the trail systems right here in Montgomery County provide verdant greenspaces to jog, bike and enjoy nature. Coming off a stressful semester of classes, labs and clinical assignments, one of the best destressors is getting exercise and spending time in the great outdoors.

From all that we’re hearing in the world about the war in Ukraine, inflation, mass shootings, social unrest, in addition to all the “stuff” we have do in normal daily routines, it’s no wonder our stress levels are high. Only you know how stress affects you. To that end, I strongly encourage you to address head on what might be your stress triggers. Talking through some of these things with friends, family members or other confidants about what’s on your mind is extremely helpful. If you would like to speak with a professional, our CPPD counselors are always available to students and our health insurance providers can arrange for counseling sessions for faculty and staff. We are living in what the Chinese proverb labels “interesting times.” We will get through all of this with a little help and support from those around us.

Have a great weekend – make some time to relax, regenerate and destress. Go see the new Top Gun movie – my contacts tell me it’s fantastic and very realistic. It certainly will take your mind of things for a couple of hours!

In the meantime, also remember that COVID numbers are high in our region, so please remember to mask up when on campus and around others off campus, socially distance and wash your hands frequently. If you’re not feeling well, please stay home. We want you to remain SALUS STRONG as you continue to look out for one another.

Mike

Memorial Day Remembrance: Week of May 27th, 2022

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

I’d like to congratulate all our graduates once again and take the opportunity to thank Dr. Jim Caldwell, Ms. Shannon Boss, Ms. Alexis Abate, Mr. Carlos Rodriguez, and their staffs as well as all of our Salus volunteers for making yesterday’s commencement ceremony so special for everyone who attended. Also, special thanks to our Salus Board members who attended, Dr. Bob Owens who represented our Alumni Association Board and to Courtney Bernhardt for her inspiring Graduate address. I think everyone who was lucky enough to hear Admiral Howard’s remarks will remember her lessons on teamwork, leadership and commitment to excellence. I least I hope so!

As we approach this Memorial Day weekend, it’s important to remember that throughout our history, starting with the American Revolution, through the horrible devastation of the Civil War, through World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan, more than a million American Servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice to help secure the absolute blessings of liberty for the United States and our allies globally.

I ask you all pause to remember those who gave their last measure of full devotion so we could enjoy the ceremonies like yesterday’s graduation and all those other freedoms our democracy enables. Memorial Day is not just about sales and a long weekend. With our fast and busy lifestyles, many traditions have been lost over the years that neglect to remind us of this truly important Day of Remembrance.

Originally established in 1868, Memorial Day serves as a day to remember those that died while serving and protecting our nation. To that end, please take a moment to remember those brave and honorable women and men who gave their lives so we all could be free and if you know a person serving on Active Duty or is a Veteran, please thank them for their service.

Have a great weekend. Stay safe, keep wearing your mask when around others, social distance when you can and look out for one another to remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Congratulations to Our Graduates: Week of May 25th, 2022

To all of our graduates:

As Salus prepares to launch you - our newest group of Salus graduates - I want to extend the University’s congratulations on attaining this significant accomplishment!

As you will hear during the commencement ceremony, tomorrow marks the completion of the first, truly significant step you all have taken to become a member of our healthcare ecosystem. You are ready! You’ve all embarked on extremely exciting and rewarding careers and your ability to help people improve their lives is a real gift, one that needs to be cherished, honed and continually nurtured. It is our hope and expectation that you’ll take full advantage of all that you’ve learned during your time at Salus and apply those skills with the utmost care and sensitivity to those patients and clients you will care for.

As I’ll remind you tomorrow, you’ll be surrounded by all sorts of technology to assist you in doing your job. It will be important to remember that these technologies are adjuncts to finding the best ways to care for your patients and clients. Remember to treat your patients and not the technology.

Finally, when you chose healthcare as a career, you’ve also chosen a profession requiring a commitment to life-long learning. Salus will always be your academic home! Never stop asking questions, challenging your assumptions and sharpening your skills. We’ll be there to help.

Congratulations again on a job exceptionally well done. We’re all very proud of you.

One additional note about tomorrow’s ceremony. As you all know, the Kimmel Center requires all of us to show proof of vaccination and to be masked inside. I also ask that, as an additional precaution, if you have a home test available to you, you test prior to the ceremony.

Thank you!

Mike

Addressing the Gun Violence Public Health Crisis: Week of May 20th, 2022

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where preparations for our upcoming commencement ceremony at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts are in full swing! We’ve begun our summer semester, so there is still quite a bit of activity on campus between our international students and residential students in classes, labs and clinic.

Here are some items of interest:

SERVICE LEARNING: For years — with a few years off due to the pandemic — students in our Physician’s Assistant program, which emphasizes experiential and service learning, have volunteered at the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA) of Philadelphia. Read more here about their experience this year.

BLVS PILOT PROGRAM: Salus University’s Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) department has partnered with the Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Service Foundation (NEPALSF) for a pilot program bringing quality services to northeast Pennsylvania. The program will provide up to five Salus BLVS students with a stipend to do a semester-long direct service internship in northeastern Pennsylvania, with the ultimate goal of attracting students to jobs in that area after graduation. Read more about it here.

CONTROLLED PATIENT CARE PROGRAM: The MSCO (Clinical Optometry with an Advanced Studies Certificate Degree Program) students are on campus this week for their Controlled Patient Care (CPC) program. During this program, students have the opportunity to examine patients with unusual and rare eye conditions while under the supervision of Salus instructors. Robert Andersson, MSc ‘10, PhD ‘18, is serving as their lead instructor. They are also working with Carlo Pelino, OD ‘94, FAAO, and Luis Trujillo, OD ‘09, Pediatric Resident ’12, in the CPC program.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week two more mass shootings across our country resulted in eleven people killed and seven people wounded. These incidents bring the total of mass shootings in the U.S. to 198 this year. The public health emergency of gun violence across our country has only gotten worse over time. I will continue to keep this at the forefront of our thoughts, because it impacts us as healthcare providers, and because it affects nearly every segment of our society. 

While gun violence remains a complex and challenging public health epidemic, we can take steps to address it. Mental health support and stricter controls on who can purchase guns, remain central to what many experts believe can begin to address the issue. As healthcare providers, we can bring our medical experience to actively engage our legislators, who control both funding for many community-based mental health programs and legislation. Standing by and admiring this problem, without being vocal and engaged, only perpetuates the issue.

As you begin your weekend, please consider what steps you will take to address this public health menace that plagues our communities. Together we can make a difference.

Enjoy the sun, stay hydrated as temperatures soar into the 90’s and wear sunscreen in addition to your face masks. Remember, the pandemic is still very much with us, even with the increased heat.

Stay safe, stay smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Remembering Those We've Lost During the Pandemic: Week of May 13th, 2022

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

Good morning on a gray, temperate morning from Washington, DC, where I am attending a meeting of the Society of Federal Health Professionals as a member of their Board of Trustees. Around Salus, things are beginning to wind down as many of you have completed finals and practicals and are preparing for externships, clinical rotations, or graduation. Either way, it’s an exciting time!

This week brings one, particular story to highlight:

DICE HOSTING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Our Department of International and Continuing Education is excited to host our sixth cohort of students in our MSc Clinical Optometry with an Advanced Studies certificate degree program. Our MSc students are participating in controlled patient care sessions and hands-on Advanced Studies workshops. Content areas include Binocular Vision and Vision Therapy, Contact Lens, and Vision Impairment and Rehabilitation. When complete, we look forward to celebrating with them Spring Commencement.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Yesterday, our nation reached a million, tragic deaths from COVID-19. Today’s message honors the memory of our fellow Americans and the families and communities whom they have left behind.

On Thursday, I had the privilege of attending a lecture by Dr. Anthony Fauci at the Philadelphia College of Physicians. I’d like to share some of what I learned with you. First and foremost, Dr. Fauci suggests we will be living with COVID for many years. Over time, as new vaccines and treatments become available, this disease will be something we manage, rather than eliminate. Evidence is compelling: vaccines have proven to be the #1 tool in reducing hospitalizations and death. By some estimates, the deaths of 234,000 Americans could have been prevented had they been vaccinated. 

Fauci also highlighted vaccine inequity. The disparity between vaccine rates in high income, developed countries (approaching 70% and higher) compared with less developed nations (averaging about 15%) is stark, and also, preventable. Until developed countries provide greater access to vaccines, we will continue to see variants with the potential to evade current immunity.

On the treatment side, several promising drugs are very effective antivirals and adjunctive treatments. All of these will continue to decrease death rates from COVID.

Dr. Fauci, along with many experts, believes that COVID will likely become more like the seasonal flu. Our toolbox has grown since 2020: vaccines are safe and extremely effective; new treatment options are also very safe and appear to work well. As healthcare providers, we need to know as much as we can about COVID, how to prevent it, and how to treat it, if necessary.

In full disclosure, I recently won the “COVID lottery” and firmly believe that if I was not fully vaccinated and boosted, I would have suffered a more serious case. I am grateful to have gotten away with a two-day head cold.

As we prepare for the weekend, let’s remember and honor the memory of our loved ones and fellow Americans whose lives have been lost to this terrible pandemic. We can all do more to prevent future deaths both here and abroad.

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

Mike

Potential Health Implications of Roe v. Wade Reversal: Week of May 6th, 2022

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

Good morning on a rather gray Friday from Elkins Park. As I walked around the campus yesterday, I noted many of our students completing or preparing to take their final exams and our guests from Oulu University in Finland enjoying their patient care experiences in our Clinical Procedures lab. This time of the year is always busy for both students and faculty and an extremely exciting time for those preparing for commencement in just a few short weeks. It’s one of my favorite times of the year.

Here are some things which I hope will interest you:

PROJECT MYVISION: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and its clinical facility, The Eye Institute (TEI), recently partnered with STAAR Surgical, a leading developer and manufacturer of implantable lenses and companion delivery systems for the eye, to launch Project MyVision, a charitable lens-based refractive surgery program. Read more here.

SPECIALIZED TRAINING: A warm welcome to our students from the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, who are spending two weeks on campus in a specialized training course in primary eye care. The cohort is participating in controlled patient sessions that include a variety of patients with eye conditions that are not typically seen in their native country. Robert Andersson, MSc ‘10, PhD ‘18, is serving as their lead instructor. Dr. Alissa Coyne, Dr. Lynn Greenspan and Dr. Nick Gidosh will also provide specialized lectures and workshops in the topic areas of lasers, traumatic brain injury and myopia control respectively.

QUIZ BOWL WINNERS: Congratulations to the winners of the PCO/Salus 2022 Quiz Bowl, April Mishley ‘23OD and Fayaz Vizam ‘24OD. I’ve heard they were thrilled to participate in their first Quiz Bowl and even more excited about their winning performances. Click here to read more about their experiences.

PET THERAPY: Although the pandemic has put a hold on the event for a few years, five dogs from Comfort Caring Canines (CCC) Therapy Dogs Inc., visited the Learning Resource Center (LRC), ostensibly to allow students, faculty and staff a chance to get up close and personal with the animals in an effort to relieve some stress and anxiety before finals week. For details, click here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week we learned from a leaked document that the Supreme Court will likely move to reverse Roe v Wade, a landmark decision of almost 50 years ago (January 22, 1973) in which the court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected a pregnant woman’s right to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. As healthcare professionals, we need be cognizant of the impact on our patients and their families. If it occurs, the reversal will again transform the landscape of women’s reproductive health in our country. Reducing access to reproductive healthcare would exacerbate existing disparities in maternal health outcomes. For women who lack access or the means to travel to another state providing access, this can potentially result in unsanctioned or self-administered medical procedures which often lead to poor health outcomes including death. It is extremely important for us to understand the psychological and physiological ramifications to ensure we can do what’s necessary to support our patients in the most professional and efficacious way possible.

As you prepare for the weekend, get the rain gear ready as tonight and tomorrow are supposed to be rainy and cool. Also, don’t forget that Sunday is Mother’s Day! Please continue to mask up when out and about, much like we’re doing on campus. Socially distance when you can and continue to wash your hands frequently. This most recent Covid wave is projected to peak sometime around mid-May so we need to stay on top of all of our preventive measures.

Stay safe, remain healthy and continue to be SALUS STRONG!

Mike