Salutations Masthead 2011 

    
April 2014     
In This Issue
AAA:Dr Chaiken and Dr Di Stefano Honored
Vision Rehabilitation Therapy Symposium
Two Programs Accreditation Upgraded
CER "Reunion"
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______________
 WE SALUTE
  

The Salus University community warmly welcomes its newest members: 

  

Jerry Bevans, Maintenance Technician
  

Melissa Cherry, PA-C, MMSc, CDE

Assistant Professor,

Physician Assistant program

  
Abby Jacobsen, MS,PA-C, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant program 

MarLee Vause, PA-C, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant program 
  
   
The Salus University community offers sincere congratulations to the following members:
 
Robert M. DiSogra, AuD '03, who presented an original research paper on over-the-counter tinnitus relief products at the 25th annual meeting of the American Academy of Audiology in Orlando, FL. He also presented a case during Adult Grand Rounds and participated in a panel discussion on the future of the profession of audiology.
 
James W. (Jay) Hall III, PhD, OCA adjunct, who received the American Academy of Audiology Presidential Award for his contributions to the AAA and the profession.
  
Jessalyn Mayer  '14OT and Praveen Philip '14OT, who presented a poster entitled, "Deep Brain Stimulation Combined With Occupational Therapy: Improved Independence in Patients with Parkinson's Disease" at the American Occupational Therapy Conference in Baltimore MD last month.  
  
Nicole Rist '16OD, who won the PCO Trivia Bowl Challenge earlier this month and will represent PCO at the 2015 American Optometry Association's annual conference. In June, Nicole will cheer on Kelsey Moody '15OD, who is this year's contestant. Kelsey's dad is Dr. Kurt Moody '83.
 
Jane Scaccetti, University Trustee, on being honored for her many accomplishments by Temple University at their annual Acres of Diamonds gala this month.
________________
SPECIAL EVENT
AT THE AOA
  
Alumni and friends are invited to celebrate in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center!
  
June 27, 2014
7:30 p.m.
  
Support the University's community outreach programs while you visit with former classmates and colleagues.
  
  
__________________

ATTENTION ALUMNI

 

Liberty Mutual offers Salus graduates special alumni rates for car and home insurance.

 

For information

Contact your local

Liberty Mutual office;

call 888.239.4971; or

visit

 

Client Number: 118669. 
AAA: Dr. Chaiken is Audiology Alumna of the Year; Dr. Di Stefano Honored     

Last month the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) held its annual AudiologyNOW! meeting in Orlando, FL and the University's Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) held its Open House for alumni, faculty and students in attendance.

     At the open house event this year two awards were presented. The Alumni Association's Audiology Alumna of the Year Award was presented to Rita Chaiken, AuD '03, who is president of Atlanta Audiology Associates and an OCA adjunct faculty member. A Special Recognition Award was presented to Anthony F. Di Stefano, OD '73, MPH, MEd, vice president of Academic Affairs for his "profound influence...in the transformation of this Institution."

      Dean Victor Bray welcomed alumni, students and faculty to the reception. Althea Rhoden-Grey, AuD '07 made the introduction for Dr. Di Stefano and Amanda Marchegiani, AuD '10 introduced Dr. Chaiken. Past Alumni of the Year awardees, Dr. Gail Gudmundsen '02, past member of the University's Board of Trustees and the award's first recipient, and Dr. Robert DiSogra '03,  the 2013 awardee, were among the attendees at the ceremony.

Salus Co-Sponsors National Vision Rehabilitation Symposium

 

Earlier this month the University's College of Education and Rehabilitation (CER) co-sponsored a Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) symposium to address the challenges being faced by the profession entitled, "VRT: Strategic Planning and Advisory Symposium" with Vision Serve Alliance, which represents private and non-profit blindness agencies.

     Salus University is one of only six universities in North America to offer a VRT degree program and the only institution to offer both low vision therapy and vision rehabilitation degrees. The last wide-scale symposium to discuss the profession's challenges was held about six years ago, according to symposium organizer and Salus VRT program director, Ms. Lachelle Smith, MS (third from left, back row). VRT educators and providers, as well as executive directors/CEOs of 501(c)(3) national nonprofits that provide services to people with vision loss, participated in the two-day event in Elkins Park.    

     Symposium participants were from Northern Illinois University; Hunter College; Western Michigan University; University of Montreal; Veteran's Administration; University of Massachusetts-Boston; the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind (AER); the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP); the American Council for the Blind (ACB) and the Office of Vocational and Rehabilitation Services/Bureau of Blindness and Visual Impairment (OVR/BBVS).

     Discussion topics included differences in urban and rural treatment methods; vision deterioration in a population that is living and working longer; the scope of the VRT professional; universal teaching concepts and the higher number of returning vets requiring vision rehabilitation.  

Two Programs Awarded Accreditation

The University's Physician Assistant and Occupational Therapy programs have each received important accreditation status upgrades.

     The Physician Assistant program was granted seven-year continuing accreditation status in March by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC- PA). The next ARC-PA review date for the Salus program is March 2021.

     The Occupational Therapy program received full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) earlier this month.

Salus Students Take First - Again!

  

Students from the University's Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) won the 2014 Student Trivia Bowl competition at the American Academy of Audiology's annual AudiologyNOW! conference, held in Orlando, FL in March. Not only did Salus OCA win for the second year in a row, this year's team had the highest score in the history of the Trivia Bowl - including faculty and other audiology teams. Congratulations to Class of 2015 students  Brendon Boudwin, Jonathan Brittian, Jamie Guinan, Jaymee Levine, Lyndsey Spencer, Elizabeth Swartz and Brittany Viniarski.

     Pictured above with the champions are Dr. Jonette Owen (back row, left), Salus OCA assistant professor, Gus Mueller, PhD (front row, left) and Jerry Northern, PhD (front row, right).  Both Dr. Mueller and Dr. Northern are distinguished audiologists and are the founders of the AAA Trivia Bowl. According to Dr. Owen, this year's repeat Salus OCA victory was also historic because it was the 25th anniversary of the Trivia Bowl and the last year Drs. Mueller and Northern would host it, as they announced their retirements after the event.

Optometry Preceptor Fair
 

The University's PCO Preceptor Fair was held on April 13 at the Hafter Student Community Center. The purpose of this annual event is to offer second-year students the opportunity to meet and talk with preceptors who teach and mentor optometry students at their workplace during their clinical rotations, which begin in the third quarter of their third year and continue through their fourth year. Locations include private practice, hospitals and Veterans Administration Medical Centers among others. More than 90 students attended this year's event.

     The fair was developed by PCO Externship Program director, Dr. Maria Parisi '85 and associate director, Dr. Satya Verma '75. According to Dr. Parisi, "Feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive." The 2014 Preceptor of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Richard Fricke of White River Junction, VT.

       Some preceptors traveled from Montana and Florida, while others were more local. Preceptors in attendance were Dr. John Burrell '92; Dr. Joseph Cercone '88; Dr. Kendra Dalton; Dr. Richard Fricke; Dr. Jonathan Hamilton; Dr. Jean Jung; Dr. Gary Kirman '86; Dr. Leslie O'Dell '03; Dr. Greg Scimera and Dr. Lanelle Williams. Dr. Parisi thanked each of the preceptors saying she is "extremely impressed with our preceptors and the externship education our students are receiving."   (photo credit: Jamie Lindsay)