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Physician Assistant program celebrates 20 years of success
 | | The College of Health Professionsl celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Physician Assistant program on July 10. A reception drew PA students, alumni, faculty and staff. |
The university's physician assistant program celebrated 20 years of growth and service with a reception on July 10. Approximately 100 guests attended, including currently-enrolled students and College of Health Professions faculty/alumni and staff. Wendy Rheault, PT, PhD, longtime dean of CHP, hailed the success of the Master of Science program in physician assistant practice, which has graduated more than 800 professionals. Accredited in 1991, the program graduated its first class in 1994.
PAs provide care to millions of Americans in a variety of settings: offices, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities in a wide range of medical specialties. They have joined the faculty of PA programs around the country and are leading the profession at the state and national level.
Under Dr. Rheault's leadership, the PA program doubled in size as it focused on the interprofessional team model of care. Dr. Rheault, who will take on the duties of provost for the university effective Aug. 1, will be succeeded by Dr. Jim Carlson, current CHP vice dean and associate vice president for clinical simulation. Dr. Carlson earned an MS in physician assistant practice from RFUMS in 2001 and became the university's first PhD in interprofessional health care studies in 2012.
Michel Statler, MLA, PA-C, associate professor and acting chair/program director for the department, thanked Rheault and Patrick Knott, PhD, PA-C, former director and longtime professor in the PA program who now serves as the university's vice president of strategic enrollment management. She also cited the dedication and commitment exhibited by the PA faculty and staff and praised PA students, current and past.
"Your passion for your new profession and the level of enthusiasm you bring is what inspires us to do a better job," Statler said. "You have been and always will be our best ambassadors."
Guests received a picture frame commemorating the event, compliments of the PA Class of 2014.
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The Sinai Urban Health Institute is hosting a summer internship program for eight CMS students, each assigned a mentor and undertaking a research project. The students are learning about public health, epidemiology, and research. Now in its second year, the SUHI internship includes a variety of workshops, lectures, and field trips to broaden student exposure to diverse health issues and improve their research skills. CMS SUHI interns have been published in the journals Stroke, Diabetes Care, and the Journal of Urban Health. Interns are: Victoria Hoch, Brittany Hunter, Karen Huynh, Blair Jones, Maralee Kanin, Kristen Lang, Chris Molitor, and Lana Moy.
- Olsi Gjyshi, MD/PhD '17, delivered an oral presentation titled "Manipulating Host Signaling for Pathogenic Purposes: How KSHV Induces the Master Transcription Factor Nrf2 to Mediate De Novo Infection" at the 29th annual MD/PhD Student Conference held July 18-20 in Keystone, CO. Conference organizers also awarded a $1,000 travel stipend to Gjyshi, who works in the microbiology and immunology lab under the guidance of Bala Chandran, PhD.
- Jessica Loweth, a postdoctoral fellow working in the laboratory of Marina Wolf, PhD, professor and chair of the department of neuroscience, was awarded a five-year, $1 million NIH grant to study the question, "Do Cocaine and Chronic Stress Converge in the Basolateral Amygdala?"
- Sandra Larson, PhD, MSN, CRNA, APN, department chair and program director for nurse anesthesia, received a one-year, $37,454 NIH grant for the RFUMS Nurse Anesthesia Program Student Support Initiative, secured in collaboration with the offices of Sponsored Research and Institutional Advancement, for a study titled "The Impact of an lnterprofessional Care Model on Professional Practitioners and Patients with Diabetes."
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Alliance for Health Sciences News
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- DePaul Pathways students are attending summer orientation and registration sessions each week during July and August at DePaul's Lincoln Park campus. RFUMS faculty and students also are attending sessions to answer questions and offer perspective on their experiences. Speaking to students and parents are: Dr. Lecia Apantaku, CMS associate professor of surgery; Dr. Michael Zdon, CMS professor of surgery and critical care; and Dr. Jeanette Morrison, associate professor of the department of medicine, also spoke with new students and their parents. Tom Mullenix, an incoming medical student and DePaul alumnus, advised the incoming students on how to be successful at DePaul and gain admission to medical school.
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- Daniel Peterson, PhD, director of the university's Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and professor in the department of neuroscience, is quoted by the Courier-Journal in Louisville, KY, in a story on stem cell advances.
- Nicholas Leader, CMS '17, who in May visited Peru on a global health service trip along with his girlfriend, Shivani Sockanathan, CMS '17, was the subject of a July 9 feature story in auburnpub.com.
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Gallery -- Events and Community Outreach
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- Arthur Levine, MD '64, was named Petersen Chair at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine - the first endowed dean's chair in the school's 128-year history.
- A campaign to honor Ed Helm, MD '76, with the Edward G. Helm Endowed Chair dedicated to diversity in medical education is underway at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
- Dennis Frisch, DPM '82, will moderate a webinar titled "Working Together to Manage Diabetes: Tools and Strategies for Pharmacy, Podiatry, Optometry, and Dentistry" on Aug. 18. The program is sponsored by the NIH-funded National Diabetes Education Program.
- Joyce Pastore Fiedler, MD '92, is a recipient of the Florida Governor's Veterans Service Award. Fiedler joined the U.S. Air Force in 2002 and has served deployments to Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Afghanistan. She is currently in the Flight and Operational Medicine Flight Commander at Eglin Air Force Base, near Valparaiso, FL. She plans to retire from the military in October and work as a physician in Florida.
- Mitesh Patel, MD '92, was named vice president of medical affairs at Woodland Healthcare in Woodland, CA.
- Mildred Olivier, MD '88, secretary of the CMS Alumni Association Board,will be featured in a mini e-book series, "Women Game Changers."
- Two CMS graduates are featured in "Code Black," an award-winning documentary about one of the nation's busiest emergency departments - Los Angeles County General Hospital. Jamie Eng, MD '09, works in the ER under the Emergency Medicine Administrative Fellowship sponsored by Emergent Medical Associates and the department of emergency medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. She recently earned a master's in medical management from the USC Marshall School of Business under the fellowship. Arash Kohanteb, MD '10, MS '06, is a fourth-year senior emergency medicine resident physician at LA County+USC Medical Center. The film, which was shot, written and directed by a former LA County ER doctor, premiered in New York City on June 20 and will be released in cities across the United States through August. A June 26 review by the Los Angeles Times pictures Dr. Eng at work.
- Chicago Medical School alumni gathered for annual summer cook-outs held July 13 in Chicago and July 19 in Los Angeles, CA. Alumni across decades, representing a wide variety of medical specialties, mingled with current and incoming medical students. The Chicago event was held at the Wilmette home of Lecia Apantaku, MD '81, CMS assistant dean for faculty talent recognition and enhancement and Frank Apantaku, MD/PHD '84, CMS clinical assistant professor of surgery. The gathering in California was hosted by Kathryn and Carey B. Strom, MD '80, at their home in Beverly Hills. Dr. Strom is vice president of the CMS Alumni Association Board and president of the Southern California CMS Alumni Chapter.
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Advancement and Community News
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- The university recently hosted the annual National Youth Leadership Forum: Careers in Medicine Program. High schools students from around the country visited RFUMS June 24 and 26 and July 8 and 10 to explore RFUMS medical and health science professions. The university helped design a curriculum, in conjunction with the forum, that sends students to medical schools throughout the country for hands-on medical and health care activities, true-to-life medical simulations and unique and stimulating role-playing exercises with peers and medical experts. About 150 students were introduced to the interprofessional culture at RFUMS through faculty and student presentations on health professions including podiatry, pharmacy, radiology and essentials in clinical reasoning. They also participated in "Patient Day," a clinical training session, anatomy lab session and a Q&A with medical students, in addition to a "Careers in Health Care" admissions presentation.
- The North Chicago Fire Department generously provided CPR and AED certification training to participants of the INSPIRE summer research program on July 2. The certification is an important life skill but it's also an opportunity to obtain an industry-recognized credential that can open doors to more advanced experiences in the health care industry. INSPIRE is an eight-week program designed to create pathways for Latino high school students into higher education and health or research careers. The program offers real-life workforce experience, academic guidance and support, applied research opportunities, family engagement, career exploration, and one-on-one mentoring.
- Medical and non-medical volunteers are being sought for Kids 1st Health Fair, which has provided free immunizations and other health services to low-income Lake County children since 1993. RFUMS is a longtime sponsor of the event, providing volunteer students, faculty and staff. The fair, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 6 at Miguel Juarez Middle School, 201 N. Butrick St., Waukegan, is transitioning under new federal guidelines that call for routine preventative care and treatment to be provided through medical homes. Learn more and register to volunteer. University employees who plan to volunteer are asked to complete mandated reporter online training and sign an acknowledgement form. Upon completion, please forward the documentation to the Office of Human Resources for future reference.
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We want to hear from you. | |
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Your comments and suggestions are highly valuable as we strive to continually provide excellent service and support to the RFUMS community. Email judy.masterson@rosalindfranklin.edu.
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