lecom connection summer 2011

THE

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic MedicineL E C O M| | | | ONNECTION

SUMMER 2011

LECOM ranked No. 3 among primary care medical schools; 63rd overallpage 29

Coffee Culture

opens in Eriepage 42

Alumnus Stephen Bell, D.O., continues spirit of service page 14

Meet the Deans page 6

Class of 2015 alumni open pharmacy in Edinboro, Pa.page 15

www.LECOM.edu

John M. Ferretti, D.O.

The mission of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is to prepare students to become osteopathic physicians, pharmacy practitioners and dentists through

programs of excellence in education, research, clinical care and community service to enhance the quality of life through improved health for all humanity.

Mission Statement

Message from the President

When the Board of Trust-ees of Millcreek Community Hospital founded the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in the early 1990s, it became the 16th college of osteopathic medicine in the nation. Since that time, the tenacious efforts of fac-ulty, staff and students alike have propelled LECOM to its place as the largest educa-tional institution of its kind.

LECOM instills the val-ues of leadership excellence, not solely in educational training, but also through community presence. It is without doubt that LECOM is viewed as a leader in edu-cation, but as the partner-ship between LECOM and Millcreek Health System has grown strong, we have emerged as a leading health-care asset in the Erie com-munity, as well as in all of the communities in which we have laid cornerstones.

In addition to the first-rate medical and pharmacy schools LECOM has opened in three U.S. cities, next year LECOM will open its first School of Dental Medicine in Bradenton, Fla. The tre-

mendous growth of LECOM is one of the top entrepre-neurial success stories in the nation.

To what can LECOM attribute this success? In a word — “Leadership.” Lead-ership is comprised of many attributes: integrity, self-disci-pline, purpose, preparedness, common sense and compas-sion. Leaders are not born; rather, they are made through hard work, sacrifice and de-termination.

LECOM recognizes that leadership centers upon build-ing a community of leaders at all levels of society. By gifting the fundamentals of leader-ship to our physicians and pharmacists — and in a few years, our student dentists — they will not only have the ability to lead themselves, but to pass on this same gift to others. A good leader earns the confidence and trust of others; however, a great leader inspires people to build confi-dence within themselves. We, at LECOM, hope to create great leaders.

We acknowledge and cel-ebrate leadership at LECOM, for it is essential to fuel pas-sion, to value others, and to create a sense of progress through which we may con-front issues and challenges. We accept challenges and we face them so that we may feel the victory of purpose. Just knowing that the difference

between the impossible and the possible lies only with in-dividual determination.

LECOM is proud of its faculty, staff, students and alumni who live to lead. Leaders inspire others to grow in responsibility and in skill. I am encouraged each day by those around me who accept leadership roles and exude leadership qualities simply by doing their jobs in a dependable way and by encouraging others to share in attaining a worthwhile vi-sion. Here at LECOM, we understand leadership is not a one-day activity; rather, it is a constant commitment to excellence. One cannot em-phasize enough the impor-tance of perseverance, service and reliability.

Leaders give their best in whatever task they under-take. At LECOM, we seize upon every opportunity to offer encouragement, for it is like oxygen to the body. We know that the will to win is worthless if one does not possess the will to pre-pare. We understand that ev-eryone faces challenges and problems, while success lies in dealing with challenges promptly and thoroughly. We find success through service to others, not at the expense of others. Knowing that we can make a differ-ence in this world is a great motivator that instills within

us the willingness to lead. In this uncertain future

of healthcare turmoil, of eco-nomic strife, of directionless political leaders, I urge all of you to challenge yourself to lead all the days of your life. Halfheartedness never won a battle. I dream of the intrepid few who take the next step instead of worrying about the next thousand steps.

This issue of the LECOM Connection honors the noble principle of leadership — a principle that each student hones through protracted hours of study and tireless determination; an awareness that in order to lead others, one must often be willing to go forward alone; and the realization that leaders shape their own frontiers, seeing challenges as opportunity in-stead of roadblocks.

As I recall the humble be-ginnings of LECOM — as a once wistful idea that crossed the minds of a few dreamers as they envisioned the fu-ture — I am reminded that all who have accomplished purposeful victories have kept their aim high, fixing their gaze upon a seemingly impossible goal. And, despite obstacles, they have perse-vered, stopping only until success is reached. For this is the code of leadership, this is the mission of LECOM, and this is the heart of LECOM scholars.

“A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are for.” — John A. Shedd, Salt from my Attic, 1928

Lake Erie College of

Osteopathic Medicine1858 West Grandview Blvd.

Erie, PA 16509814-866-6641 www.lecom.edu

The LECOM Connection invites you to contribute to our publication. If you have news of alumni

achievements, research or student activities, please contact the Communications Department, at (814) 866-6641, or e-mail [email protected].

John M. Ferretti, DOPresident

Silvia M. Ferretti, DOProvost, Senior Vice President and

Dean of Academic Affairs

Hershey Bell, MD, MS (Med Ed)Vice President of Academic Affairs and

Dean of School of Pharmacy

Pierre BelliciniDirector of Communications

Michael PolinAssistant Director of

Communications and Marketing,Bradenton

Michael J. Visnosky, EsqChairman of the

Board of Trustees

Robert George, DOAssociate Dean of Academic Affairs,

Bradenton

Sunil S. Jambhekar, PhDAssociate Dean

for Bradenton Operations

Allison SeibEditor & Designer

Rebecca DeSimone, JDChief Writer

Rob MackoContributing Writer & Photographer

ON THE COVER

06 Meet the Deans of LECOMMeet the Deans: (L-R) Robert Hirsch, D.D.S, dean of the School of Dental Medicine; Hershey Bell, M.D., dean of the School of Pharmacy; John M. Ferretti, D.O., president and CEO; Silvia Ferretti, D.O., provost, senior vice president and dean of academic affairs; and Robert George, D.O., associate dean of academic affairs in Bradenton, Fla.

THE CONNECTIONL E C O M| | | | Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

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24

Clinical Care

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34

ON THE COVER

Legislative DaysPharmacy students travel to Pa. and Fla. state capitals

Dressing the PartFirst-year students receive first white coats of their careers

Making HeadlinesLECOM ranks high in U.S. News & World Report

Business SavvyErie students present entrepreneurial ideas

Community Service

Research

Contents

Clinical Care

Education

05 Feature Story LECOM’s legacy of leadership thrives

06 Administration Leaders ‘First In Leadership’ — Dr. Silvia Ferretti 08 ‘The Organizer’ — Dr. Robert George 10 ‘As Dedicated As’ — Dr. Hershey Bell 12 ‘New Leadership With’ — Dr. Robert Hirsch

14 Alumni Leaders 14 Alumnus’ LECOM spirit alive today 15 Class of 2005 alumni open pharmacy

16 Wellness Center Leaders Center’s new director a ‘team player’ Member services manager shines in role

18 Student Leaders Pharmacy student pushes for legislation Transplant recipient joins national board 19 Medical student recognized by ACOFP 20 Pharmacy leadership elective excels

20 Community Service 22 LECOM sponsors hockey award $5,300 donation given to Cancer Society

4 | LECOM CONNECTION | SUMMER 2011

23A mission trip overseas

LECOM Sports Medicine Director Patrick Leary, D.O., shares his recent trip to Honduras.

30 Physicians turn out for PC2011

More than 170 physicians attended the 2011 Primary Care Conference at Peek ‘n Peak.

42 MCH unveils library’s new look

A donation made by Erie resident Kirk Steehler, D.O., on behalf of his parents helped fashion this larger Millcreek Community Hospital library.

24 Education 28 Rho Chi initiates 27 students, School of Pharmacy dean 29 Clinical Care 30 Third Annual Pharmacology Seminar held in Erie 31 Colby Foundation teaches students compassion 32 Three RX students take 1st at OTC contest Students travel to Seattle for competition 33 Medical students compete in Primary Care Olympics

34 Research 35 The 2011 Research Yearbook is on its way

34 The Community is Our Campus Generation Rx founder honored in Florida 35 Students represent LECOM at Pirate Fest 36 LECOM presents donation to Community Health Net Students remember World AIDS Day 37 LECOM holds parties for Erie BayHawks Integrative Medicine Club helps plant a garden 38 Congressman Buchanan visits Fla. pharmacy Pharmacy students volunteer at food bank 39 Seton Hill military students don uniforms Medical students participate in ‘D.O. on the Hill’ day 40 LECOM Wellness Fair attracts crowds at mall 41 Kids encouraged to adopt healthy habits at fair Students perform screenings at a senior health expo 42 LECOM Updates Coffee Culture franchise to open soon 43 2011 Student Scholarship Auction approaching

44 Student Notes

46 Faculty Notes

46 Alumni Notes

47 In Memoriam

|Feature|Contents

SUMMER 2011 | LECOM CONNECTION | 5

|Feature|

From collegiate growth, to a dental school ground breaking and a recently published economic report, it is difficult to overlook the impact that the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has had in Pennsylvania and Florida.

Now, as LECOM ap-proaches its 20th anni-versary year — a testa-ment to its longevity as a leader in healthcare education— it is apro-pos that this issue of the LECOM Connection highlights leadership and those who have played a hand in the College’s con-tinued success.

LECOM has many times over proven to be a trailblazer in healthcare education since opening its doors in 1993 as the nation’s 16th osteo-pathic medical college. Twelve colleges of osteopathic medicine have followed suit, bringing the total to 28 colleges (34 cam-puses). In 1997, LECOM’s charter class graduated with only 40 students. LECOM has since grown into the largest osteopathic medical college in the U.S., with more than 2,800 medical, pharmacy, post baccalaure-ate and master of science students enrolled between its three campuses.

Not only has LECOM continued to hold its top spot as the largest osteopathic medical college to date, it is estimated that class sizes at LECOM will continue to grow exponentially, bringing the total number of graduating students to nearly 900 in 2016, including its first class of dental medicine graduates.

This year the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) released a report stating that applications to osteopathic medical colleges had increased by 6 percent in recent years. As LECOM con-tinues to expand its class size, statistics sug-gest that application submissions to LECOM have followed this same trend. Of the 13,147 applications received by the American Asso-ciation of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOMAS), LECOM received more than half (8,482) of those applications, which helped set a new record for enrollment appli-cations to osteopathic schools. This was a 24 percent increase for the College.

Compared to other osteopathic schools, LECOM takes the lead in various other av-enues, as well:

1. LECOM is one of the most afford-able osteopathic medical colleges — tuition at LECOM is the lowest among all private os-teopathic medical colleges for both in-state and

out-of-state students. When including public institutions, LECOM ranks fourth in offering the lowest tuition among these schools for in-state students; ranking second in lowest tuition

for out-of-state students.2. LECOM continues

to match curriculum pro-grams to varying learn-ing styles of students. LECOM is the only os-teopathic medical school to offer five unique pathways — Lecture-Discussion, Independent Study, and Problem-Based Learning, as well as

the three-year, accelerated Primary Care Scholars and

Physician Assistant pathways, which allows students to be trained

in fewer academic years. LECOM students also receive more in-

tensive training than students from most oth-er osteopathic medical schools. Our students log more than 1,000 hours of basic sciences in-class study, as well as nearly 800 hours of clinical sciences study. They average 40 weeks of study in the first two years, with 48 weeks spent in training in their final two years with LECOM.*

3. LECOM offers state-of-the-art facili-ties that are frequently updated to match the growing needs of our students. The College expanded its main campus in Erie in 2002. LECOM also opened a branch campus in Bradenton, Fla. in 2004, and a satellite cam-pus at Seton Hill University in 2009. The College is currently expanding its Erie campus to offer added security for its students, faculty and staff. And, in 2012, the College antici-pates the opening of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Florida, which will attract some of the nation’s brightest future dentists.

LECOM’s impact transverses healthcare education, as well. This year, Tripp Umbach, a research analysis company, helped LECOM to publish its “Driving America’s Healthcare Economy” economic impact report. In it, Tripp Umbach states that LECOM has had a total operational impact on the U.S. economy of more than $328 million, while also directly and indirectly impacting the Pennsylvania economy by $225 million, and Florida with $66 million in 2010. In the Greater Erie Area, those impacts have supported nearly 1,000 jobs, while generating $136 million for the city. In Florida, LECOM supports more than 160 jobs.

In this issue, LECOM is proud to show-case some of its influential leaders who have helped the College reach the status as one of the most innovative, and preeminent of all os-teopathic medical colleges in the U.S.

LECOM’s legacy of leadership thrives

LECOM completed a year of visits by ac-creditation teams representing the governing bodies responsible for professional education in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and dental medicine.

All three LECOM campuses hosted inspec-tors who evaluated the college, its academic programs and operations. Many administrators and staff devoted countless hours preparing for the site visits, ensuring that the visitors had all of the information they needed.

LECOM was more than ready for this challenge. The medical, pharmacy and dental programs received high marks from inspectors who visited the college. As a result, LECOM received accreditation from the American Den-tal Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation, the American Osteopathic As-sociation (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

The ADA Commission on Dental Accredi-tation granted the LECOM School of Dental Medicine an initial accreditation, which allows the dental school to begin recruiting and ac-cepting students, hiring faculty members and preparing for the start of classes in 2012.

The AOA Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation granted LECOM con-tinuing accreditation status. This is given to colleges that meet or exceed the accreditation standards. The accreditation is good for seven years. The next AOA site visit will be in fall of 2017.

The ACPE gave the LECOM School of Pharmacy a full six-year accreditation, which is the maximum recognition that can be given to a pharmacy school. It is a mark of meeting the established qualifications and educational stan-dards through initial and follow-up visits.

LECOM administrators applauded the work of all administrators, faculty, students and staff who planned for and participated in the site visits. Their commitment to excellence was acknowledged and rewarded through the suc-cessful accreditation process.

More information on accreditation is avail-able at http://lecom.edu/pros_about.php.

The College leads in growth, academics & innovation among U.S. osteopathic schools

* Source: www.AACOM.org

LECOM programs receive high marks in accreditation


urvivors often become leaders. Perhaps this transformation occurs as a result of an innate abili-ty to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obsta-cle, or perhaps there are countless reasons known only to more providential designs how those who have triumphed over adversity find the ability to answer the call of leadership.

Such is the case with Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., who many know as the Provost, Senior Vice Presi-dent and Dean of Academic Affairs at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pa.

As a young girl who overcame serious head trauma, Dr. Silvia found herself drawn to the un-derlying philosophy of restoring the body. Her early experiences with rehabilitation ignited within her a firm desire to heal broken bodies and to re-vive fractured spirits.

After receiving her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medi-cine in Philadelphia, Pa., and completing her internship at the Hospital of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine with a residency in Physical Medicine Rehabilitation at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Dr. Silvia established a thriving practice in rehabilitative medicine and physical therapy. Her calling centered on helping those afflicted with disabilities and life-changing injuries by restoring a sense of normalcy to their lives. The philosophy of that mis-sion would come to underscore the focus of her life’s work.

Dr. Silvia readily admits that she had no desire, plans nor grand designs to become the first woman dean of an osteopathic medical col-lege. She did not seek the positions she now holds as provost and dean.

Though her great success as an active- and re-nowned-leader of osteopathic medical education have ensued, Dr. Silvia was immensely content in operating her rehabilitation practice. In the grand scheme of things, Dr. Silvia had a much bigger calling.

Life, in many ways, is about roots — from where one starts and from where one learns, to the way that knowledge can be carried forth to others. Dr. Silvia brought to LECOM her vast understanding of the substantive philosophies of rehabilitative therapies, and she began to ap-ply those theories to the practical application of educating physicians.

She examined the ways that her work in re-habilitation completely centered on the patient. With that paradigm in mind, Dr. Silvia de-termined that the same application should be

brought into practice with the student as the focus, thus defining the lynch pin of student-centered pathways. This concept remains un-changed as Dr. Silvia remains ever true to that principle. Her undying passion to provide students with all of the “tools” needed to succeed in the field of medicine paralleled her mission in rehabilitative training to restore the whole person.

Such passions are observed throughout LECOM campuses as Dr. Silvia seeks to blend the harmonies of mind, body and spirit into a uni-fied influence to advance the success of each student. To that end, visual amenities throughout each campus reveal Dr. Silvia’s love of art and ar-tifacts. Tributes to local and community history permeate the buildings, reflecting her desire to create a museum of memorabilia honoring both

Shortly after opening the College, the first group of LECOM leaders — (L-R) Michael J. Visnosky, Dr. Dennis Agostini, Dr. John M. Ferretti, Mary Eckert and Dr. Silvia Ferretti — meet to discuss its progress.

In honor of National Osteopathic Medicine (NOM) week, Dr. Silvia gets a snap shot with an actor dressed as Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, the ‘father’ of osteopathic medicine.

Erie Mayor Joyce Savocchio presents Dr. Silvia and Mary Eckert, president and CEO of Millcreek Community Hospital, with a City of Erie Proclamation, announcing National Osteopathic Medicine week in the city.

Dr. John M. Ferretti and Dr. Silvia welcome Congressman Phil English, who stopped by LECOM in support of medical education in Pennsylvania.

1993 1996 1997 2000 2005 2008 2009 2010

S

Provost, Senior Vice president & Dean of Academic AffairsFirst In Leadership

Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O.


local history and medical sciences. Her attention to detail in affording mag-

nificently designed college facilities — build-ings painted in soothing colors and maintained to spotless perfection — are conducive to pro-viding students with a calm and clean learning environment that enhances the educational ex-perience. The implementation of a LECOM dress code supports the principle that the best work of a scholar is called forth from a positive self-image imbued with the highest standard. Such augmentations enrich the campus experi-ence, advance the comprehensive success and develop the mind of each LECOM student.

Dr. Silvia has never lost sight of her modest beginnings. Growing up in the heart of “Little Italy” in Erie, she recognized the need for af-fordable education. She has always believed that no person should lose sight of his or her dream because of financial constraints. So moved and motivated was Dr. Silvia about this point that she, along with her brother, John M. Ferretti, D.O., championed the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund, which raises thou-sands of dollars each year for students, allow-ing a countless number of them to attain their dreams of becoming physicians or pharmacists.

Dr. Silvia’s abundant and impressive chronicle of notable achievements — both in medicine and in education — are a testa-ment of her leadership. Moreover, they are a testament to the principles that she dis-covered in youth — ideas fostered by fam-ily, stirred by her own personal challenges, and strengthened by her tireless determina-tion and will. Enumerating the awards and honors bestowed upon Dr. Silvia would un-duly discomfit this humble educator, which results in the inclusion herewith of only

two recent mentions of her work with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council of Deans and of her recent receipt of the 2011 Dale Dodson Leadership Award presented by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Through the steady and determined tasks of consistent fortitude and unflagging patience, Dr. Silvia has guided LECOM to its estimable position as the largest medical college in the nation, which offers the best in healthcare education at a reasonable cost.

Her work in service extends to the boards of multiple charitable organizations in state and nationally; and she supports a bevy of private causes and faith-based initiatives. Dr. Silvia is an unabashed leader who personifies the qualities that are at the epicenter of lead-ership — integrity, determination, purpose, adaptability, common-sense and compas-sion.

For those who believe that obstacles are insurmountable, Dr. Silvia M. Ferretti has advanced the standard that they are not.

Dr. Silvia and Erica Shatzer, director of travel at LECOM, take a break at the 2008 LECOM Student Scholarship Auction.

LECOM Trustee Kevin Colosimo congratulates Dr. Silvia and President and CEO John M. Ferretti, D.O., who were among 24 other finalists nominated for the “Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year” award.

1993 1996 1997 2000 2005 2008 2009 2010

The owners of the Erie BayHawks called Dr. Silvia to center court just before tip-off for the team’s season opening home game. Steve Demetriou and Owen McCormick presented Dr. Silvia with a framed BayHawks team jersey.

LECOM Provost Silvia Ferretti, D.O., receives the 2010 Dale Dodson Award from Anthony Salvagni, President of the AACOM Board of Deans during the April 15, 2011 awards ceremony in Baltimore, Md.

During the Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2000, Dr. Silvia, along with the Board of Trustees, line up for a photo.

At the AOA conference in San Francisco, Deborah Lee-Sanko, Dr. Silvia, and Dr. John Ferretti inform visitors who stop by LECOM’s booth about LECOM’s success, including its recent growth in Florida.


LECOM's 'Organizer'

obert George, D.O., currently serves as the associate dean of academic affairs at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Fla. He is a graduate of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and he is certified in emergency medicine and Family Medicine.

For more than 30 years, Dr. George served as medical director and director of medical education of Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. From 1971 to 2001, he was instrumental in overseeing the Ohio facility, a position that Dr. George credits with bringing him to this point in his career. Prior to taking his current position in 2003 as associate dean of LECOM’s Bradenton campus, he spent 18 months as director of medical education at St. John’s Health System in Detroit, Mich.

Dr. George interestingly notes that, as dean, he graduated LECOM’s first Bradenton class on June 8, 2008, an event that took place exactly on his 40th wedding anniversary. He and his wife, Goldie, were married in 1968, and they have three adult children: Michael, Mark and Michelle. Michael holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University

of Akron. He is the director of contracting and provider support services at Summa Healthcare in Akron, where he is also a firefighter. Mark is a physician’s assistant for an osteopathic dermatologist in Birmingham, Ala. Michelle teaches fourth grade at Bath Elementary School in Akron.

An evident enthusiasm is effervescent as Dr. George discusses his work with LECOM. Dr. George demonstrates that all achievement is an amalgam of time, patience and dedication, which is derived from a good day’s work. He notes that this exuberance and purposeful belonging at LECOM is present across the board,

supported by the fact that most of the original 15 founding faculty are still part of the LECOM family.

“That says a great deal about a school,” said Dr. George, explaining that there is typically a high turnover rate in medical education institutions. “It is a gratifying commentary about an organization to see the longevity of the original members who are still active and on board after all this time. If someone needs assistance in a certain area, it matters not what position is held, folks simply roll up their sleeves and pitch in to help.”

Dr. George instructs Class of 2008 medical student James Skorczewski Jr., D.O., who practices OMM on his peer, Abbey Faruzzo, D.O.

Dr. George walks through an ER rounds simulation with Class of 2008 medical students Liana Rodriguez, D.O., and Christopher Hummel, D.O., at the Lakewood Ranch Hospital.

Dr. George presents the American Osteopathic Association Mentor Award to faculty member Larry Bunnell, D.O.

Dr. George welcomes LECOM guest speaker State Rep. Bill Galvano during Constitution Day.

2004 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010

R

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Robert George, D.O.


In recogni-tion of a lifetime of service to his community as an osteopathic fam-ily physician and as a leading voice for the osteopath-ic profession, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) pre-sented Lake Erie College of Osteo-pathic Medicine Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Robert J. George, D.O., FACOFP, with the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation took place during ceremonies held at the ACOFP 2011 Annual Conven-tion in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. George is the eighth recipient of the award, which recognizes an individual who demonstrates outstanding career-long service to patients, to the profession of osteopathic family medicine and to the ACOFP. Selec-tion of the recipient is made by the ACOFP Board of Governors.

“For the past 12 years, Dr. Robert George has worked to develop our profes-sion’s certification examinations and policies, through his service with the American Os-teopathic Board of Family Physicians, where he now holds the position of vice chair of the Board of Governors, said ACOFP Presi-dent George T. Sawabini, D.O., FACOFP. “Dr. George has given more than four de-cades of service to the profession, including exemplary service as a leader and educator.”

Throughout his career, Dr. George has been an active leader within the osteopathic

profession — at both the national and state lev-els — serving as ACOFP Presi-dent, treasurer and member of the Board of Governors, as well as president of the Ohio So-ciety of ACOFP. In addition, he has served as president of the Academy of Os-teopathic Direc-tors and Medical

Educators and as treasurer for 12 years of the Osteopathic Political Action Committee of the American Osteopathic Information Association. Dr. George has become most well-known as his role as an educator. He has served as Di-rector of Medical Education, Medical Direc-tor and Family Medicine Residency Director at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital in Ohio, and he was Director of Medical Education at St. John Detroit Riverview Hospital before joining LECOM.

His passion for education can also be seen in his volunteer commitments, particularly in his work with the American Osteopathic Association where he has served on the Committee on Postdoctoral Training Intern Subcommittee, Committee on Continuing Medical Education, the Task Force on OMT and Certification and Credentials, the Bureau of Conventions and the Bureau of Profession-

al Education, which he leads as chairman.

Dr. George knows all about “pitching in;” he is, for all intents and purposes, “the organizer” at LECOM Bradenton. He is heavily involved with the American Osteopathic Association. He also serves on several federal committees dealing with health issues, of which he has experience chairing meetings and convention organizing. Dr. George is a regular organizer for the annual LECOM Auction. He and his wife enjoy purchasing items for the auction and sponsoring a table at the yearly dinner gala. They also relish in motivating their guests to “bid high and bid often” for a good cause.

In countless ways, LECOM’s faculty influence the lives of the people whom they touch. Dr. George is one of LECOM’s unwavering standard leaders, and he has demonstrated that his organizational skill and his animated persistence are the twin sisters of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time — but, together they comprise the unsurpassed mission and commitment to excellence that LECOM seeks to fulfill every day.

Dr. George hoists the Dean’s Challenge Cup won by LECOM at the FSACOFP conference in 2008.

Dr. George receives the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association’s Presidential Achievement Award. Dr. George is pictured with Christy Nolan, D.O., Class of 2010.

2004 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010

Dr. George congratulates Fatima Imtiaz, D.O., LECOM Class of 2011, on receiving a $5,000 scholarship at the 2010 Florida Osteopathic Medical Association Conference.

Dr. George honored as ACOFP 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

ACOFP President George Sawabini, D.O., and Kenneth Heiles, D.O., present Dr. Robert George, D.O., with the ACOFP 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. George talks about LECOM’s arrival and its history in Florida at the Anna Maria Island Rotary Club.


As Dedicated As..

s the dean of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, vice president of the Department of Academic Affairs, clinical professor of family medicine, esteemed lecturer, distinguished fellow, and a man whose resume prevails with accomplishments and awards, Hershey S. Bell, M.D., M.S. (Med Ed.) — the only physician dean of a pharmacy school — brings an interprofessional education focus to the forefront of medical instruction.

For many, a career is a calling. Commonly, careers develop as one remains on a singular occupational path, and while on that path, does quite well to advance. At times, careers resemble long-standing marriages where passion is exchanged for comfort, security and predictability in an uncertain world.

Dr. Bell’s career is something different entirely — he has discovered not just a career, but his passion — that with all his heart, he has given himself to fully. It has been said that the world needs “dreamers” and “doers;” but, most importantly, the world needs dreamers who are doers. Dr. Bell is such a man.

Beginning his life in Toronto, Canada, Dr. Bell later matriculated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in 1982. Completing his family medicine residency

at the University of Toronto and at Duke University, he achieved board certifications both in the United States and Canada.

His distinctions are many, serving as a Duke University National Faculty Development Fellow; a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians; writing extensively in his field of expertise; and receiving his Master of Science in Medical Education degree from LECOM. In 2009, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine named Dr. Bell one of 12 charter members of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators. Also in 2009, Dr. Bell was named as the recipient of the John M. and Silvia Ferretti

Distinguished Teaching Award. He also received the William D. Miller AACOM Leadership Award for making outstanding contributions to advancing the osteopathic profession.

Engaged in the practice of “full-service” family medicine for more than two decades, Dr. Bell has brought strength, courage and confidence to his practice. Working in Flemington, N.J., in the oldest family practice residency program in the nation, Dr. Bell committed his work to patient care and teaching. Still to this day, he exudes a caring and calming demeanor that seems at once to reassure and resonate not only with patients, but with students,

During a two-week long Medical Applications of Science and Health (MASH) program, Dr. Bell walks two high school students through the process of a physician’s exam.

While representing LECOM at an AACOM conference, Dr. Bell discusses the College’s success with Michael Murphy, D.O., an AOA Trustee.

As the former director of the Master in Science in Medical Education program, Dr. Bell instructs students at the Erie Bayfront campus.

Dr. Bell and Lynn McGrath, MSN, CRNP, present a check to Patty Stubber, executive director of Northwest Area Health Education Center.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

AHershey S. Bell, M.D.

Vice President of Academic Affairs & Dean of the School of Pharmacy


faculty and staff, as well.Perhaps it is this nature that has driven

Dr. Bell to his life-long focus of writing medical literature. He has contributed numerous articles, which range from competency-based educational topics to physician-patient relationship publications. His studies in the field of competency-based education have even received international recognition.

With his work garnering much acclaim, Dr. Bell was selected to serve as part of a team that developed the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Competencies. Beginning in the mid 1980s, Dr. Bell introduced the concept of “physician competency,” which focuses on how physicians and patients interact. In 1997, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine developed core competencies for family medicine. In 2003, the “Bell Model” was adopted at the national level of the American Osteopathic Association to teach such educational methods to osteopathic physicians as they learn to minister to the needs of patients.

Having hailed from outside the United States, Dr. Bell evinces a natural affection for his birth country, as well as a strong reverence for former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the Toronto Maple Leafs; however, Dr. Bell still beams with pride when he speaks of the U.S.

“I have a deep respect for the United

States, and particularly for the opportunities it provides,” said Dr. Bell. “I don’t believe any country other than the United States could have allowed people like John Ferretti and Silvia Ferretti to accomplish the great things they have accomplished. And, the opportunities that have been offered to myself and my family have been extraordinary. I view myself as a grateful recipient of the American way of life, and especially grateful that the American way of life can accept a

Canadian such as myself.”Dr. Bell is married to his wife of 26

years, Marianne. The couple has three children — Nicholas, 21; Andrew, 17; and Audrey, 12. Nicholas is a sophomore at William and Mary. He plans to study in Wales, Great Britain, next term. As an enthusiastic teenager, Andrew excels in mathematics, art and debate. The youngest, Audrey, is a hardworking sixth-grade student. The family’s homestead is located in Fairview, Pa.

In addition to 27 pharmacy students, Dr. Bell was initiated into the Gamma Tau Chapter of the Rho Chi Society. Kim Burns, R.Ph., J.D., left, presented Dr. Bell with the honor. Andrew Grimone, Pharm.D., gave the keynote speech during the ceremony. (More on ceremony, page 28).

Dr. Bell greets Class of 2012 pharmacy student Kathleen Kelly, right; her father and MCH Patient Safety Officer, Marty Kelly; and her mother, Liz.

Former AACOM Board Chair Michael Adelman, D.O., J.D., presents Dr. Bell with the 2010 Miller Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Osteopathic Medical Profession.

Dr. Bell; Associate Profes-sor Kim Burns, R.Ph., J.D.; and Director of Institutional Assessment and Accredita-tion Matt Cettin, MSHE, help raise money for the scholarship fund by golfing in the MCH Golf Classic.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Dr. Bell welcomed the new class of 140 pharmacy students to LECOM during the School of Pharmacy two-day orientation held in August.

Dr. Bell briefly spoke at the 2011 White Coat Ceremony, where 140 pharmacy students and 270 medical students received coats.

Hershey S. Bell, M.D.


he Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert F. Hirsch, D.D.S, as dean of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine. It is anticipated that the School of Dental Medicine will open in 2012.

While conferring the position of dean often occurs in accordance with great pride in recognizing the achievement of its LECOM faculty, it is with an especially venerable acknowledgment that this position is bestowed. The proficient and unsurpassed excellence observed in the performance of Dr. Hirsch as a faculty member is deserving of the highest recognition and gratitude.

Dr. Hirsch explains that he is one of the only deans in the country — there are 58 accredited schools — whose entire career was not spent in academia. “I feel that this gives me a unique perspective on dental education, one that fits the LECOM philosophy of primary care being so important,” said Dr. Hirsch. “Our curriculum is designed to give our students almost twice the patient contact hours compared to most dental schools.”

Dr. Hirsch is confident that through LECOM’s design, students will be better prepared to tackle private dental practice immediately after graduation; whereas, other graduates need at least one year of post-graduate practice to become better prepared. Dr. Hirsch notes that the dental profession is facing a period of transition where the idea of health professionals possessing more cross training meshes with the educational goals of LECOM. The dental program will offer integrated education covering the basic sciences in small Problem-Based Learning (PBL) groups for the first two years.

Previously, Dr. Hirsch held faculty and administrative positions at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University School of Dentistry and the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. He is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University where he received both his BA and his DDS degrees.

Operating his private dental practice in Erie, Pa., for more than 20 years, Dr. Hirsch views the area — one that he feels is a great place to live and work — as a valued and beloved community centered on family.

Dr. Hirsch invests his research with dental education models and into studies of improvements that seek to advance dental care, healthcare and hygiene. As dean of the LECOM Dental School, Dr. Hirsch will move forward with innovations in dental education that include hands-on pragmatic experiences

in practice management. Dr. Hirsch notes that many dental schools exhibit a deficiency in teaching practice management and that educational dearth has been a noticeable short-coming frequently mentioned as a top concern in alumni surveys.

As a leader in dental education, LECOM’s curriculum will offer an enhanced opportunity for students to observe and to practice their management skills, while applying their knowledge at the very outset of their program study. With this integral augmentation to the curriculum, students gain a fuller perspective of operational aspects of dental medicine while recognizing the way such training will become an essential part of a successful career.

At LECOM, it is a verity that excellence is not viewed as a skill; rather, it is seen as an attitude that encompasses an unlimited and constant ability to improve the qualities that one has to offer. Such is the standard of LECOM across all of its disciplines. Therefore, when one of its faculty members distinguishes himself in supreme accomplishment of this attitude, it is incumbent of LECOM to mark this achievement and to welcome him as dean.

T

2011

New Leadership WithDean of the School of Dental Medicine

Robert F. Hirsch, D.D.S.


Administrators and trustees from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine joined with local, state and federal leaders to launch construc-tion of a new building for the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

Work has begun on the state-of-the-art 100,000 square foot, two-story facility just 500 feet north of the current LECOM Bradenton campus. The construction is underway on 36 acres along Lakewood Ranch Boule-vard and 44th Avenue, with the work on schedule for the opening of the School of Dental Medicine in July 2012.

Conceptually, the structure houses two facilities under one roof, the dental school and a patient clinic.

“LECOM recognizes that dentists have become an integral team player in improving the health of their patients. The role that they play in preven-tive medicine corresponds with the osteopathic principals of total health care as taught by the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the School of Pharmacy,” said LECOM President and CEO John M. Ferretti, D.O.

The dental school features a 7,000 square-foot Learning Resource Center to provide print and electronic resources for every academic pro-gram, 23 Problem-Based Learning (PBL) small group classrooms, and a 55-station simulation lab on the first floor. Two lecture halls, each seating more than 250 students, are located on the second floor. Each lecture hall will feature the latest in smart classroom technology, and the entire build-ing will have wireless computer access.

The clinic utilizes 40,000 square-feet (20,000 square-feet on each floor). This 115-chair dental patient clinic is equipped with the latest tech-nology that helps maximize learning opportunities for students under the guidance of faculty members. The dental clinic will be staffed by faculty and students who will be able to treat up to 600 patients per day, provid-ing dental health care for many people who are currently unable to receive dental care.

Innovation will take place in the classroom through the PBL curricu-lum, an approach that challenges students to learn though patient cases that provide the context for acquiring knowledge and understanding ba-sic medical science. Dental students will begin their PBL study alongside

medical students.Award-winning architects Fawley Bryant have been charged with the

building’s design. Fawley Bryant has designed projects such as: Energy Court Center in Sarasota and the City Centre Complex in downtown Bradenton.

Construction of the school will be handled by Willis A. Smith Con-struction Company. Willis A. Smith Construction Company has built the Ringling College of Art & Design Student Center, the State College of Florida Graphic Technology Arts Building and the Florida State Univer-sity Ringling Museum of Art Asolo Visitors Service Center.

The inaugural class of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine will have 100 first-year students. Within four years, the school will enroll 400 students.

Dr. Hirsch was among the LECOM faculty speaking at the Manatee County Tiger Bay Club. Pictured are (L-R): Tiger Bay Club President Gregory Porges; LECOM Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Robert George, D.O.; School of Pharmacy Associate Dean for Clinical Education Julie Wilkinson, Pharm.D.; and Dr. Hirsch.

2011

LECOM School of Dental Medicine Dean Dr. Robert Hirsch, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Michael Visnosky, LECOM President and CEO John Ferretti, DO, Rep. Bill Galvano and President of the Florida Dental Association Dr. Larry Nissen break ground on the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

LECOM breaks ground for dental school

Dr. Robert Hirsch speaks at the Manatee County Tiger Bay Club’s March meeting.

Dr. Hirsch speaks during a press conference announcing the LECOM School of Dental Medicine.

LECOM introduces its new logo for the School of Dental Medicine.

An artist’s rendering of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine, scheduled to open in July 2012.

Robert F. Hirsch, D.D.S.


|Alumni Leadership|

LECOM encourages its students to remain true to the duality of service and leadership that embody the heart of the College’s mission during their years spent here and well into their healthcare careers.

Alumnus Stephen Bell, D.O., is just one such graduate who has continued making LECOM proud as he epitomizes the spirit of volunteerism and service, as well as being a role model of leadership.

As an associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, Dr. Bell has continued teaching those who are the future of American medicine.

Dr. Bell’s service goes beyond education — he was recently elected to a position with the Monroe County Board of Commissioners in Michigan. A man of principled leadership in both his life and career, Dr. Bell is active in his church, local government and in the Republican Party.

“As healers, we see and care for people as individual human beings in the context of their families and communities, not merely as abstract demographic populations,” said Dr. Bell. “As osteopathic physicians, we can and should further cultivate the empathy and integrity that guides our daily patient care, applying it to the benefit of our larger communities.”

Dr. Bell attended the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, obtaining his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in 2002. He continued his medical education at Henry Ford Hospital in Wyandotte, Mich., where he completed an internship. Dr. Bell received further training during a residency in Internal Medicine at Oakwood Southshore Medical Center in Trenton, Mich., where he was chief resident.

Medicine was Dr. Bell’s second career; he spent the first several years of his academic career in the humanities. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of California at Irvine. He later traveled to Western Washington University in Bellingham to

obtain his master’s

degree in ancient and medieval history and teaching credentials

in history, English and social studies. Dr. Bell then journeyed to the small,

northwest Washington town of Lynden where he worked as an educator in the Lynden High School District and coached track. There, he was honored with the award of “Hurdles Coach of the Year.” It was during a track and field sports medicine conference in the fall of 1996 that this teacher realized his calling was in medicine.

Dr. Bell has continued to be active within professional organizations germane to his practice, maintaining active memberships in the American College of Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Internists, American

Osteopathic Association, Michigan Osteopathic Association, the American Society of Hypertension and in U.S. Amateur Boxing, which trains athletes for the U.S. Olympic team.

This interest in becoming involved is nothing new, as Dr. Bell was vice president of LECOM’s chapter of the Christian Medical and Dental Association during his time in Erie. He was invited to join the board of the Wayne County Osteopathic Medical Association several years ago, currently holding the position of president.

Dr. Bell now serves on the medical staff at Mercy Memorial Hospital System in Newport, Mich., where he practices primary care internal medicine and bariatric medicine in two separate medical clinics: Newport Internal Medicine and Great Lakes Weight and Wellness, both of which he owns and operates.

True to the mindset of osteopathy, Dr. Bell remains physically active, and he boasts many interests, including operating two clinics and volunteering as a ringside physician for underprivileged youth in both southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio. Dr. Bell supports the development of these young men and women who are learning important life lessons as amateur boxers, training for well-known tournaments, such as the Silver and Golden Gloves. As a practicing Christian, he also plays an active role in his local church, where he and his family attend regularly.

The Bell family is comprised of his wife, Michelle, and four small boys, ages 8, 5, 3 and 6 months.

Alum keeps LECOM spirit of service alive

Stephen Bell, D.O., Class of 2002, often attends and lectures at the annual LECOM Primary Care conferences held at Peek ‘n Peak Resort in early March. In 2011, Dr. Bell lectured on weight management and obesity.

The Bell family: (L-R) Dr. Bell; Callum,

4; Alex, 6; Willem, 8; Andrew, 6

months; and Michelle Bell.


Months of planning and hard work have finally paid off for Rebecca Wise, Pharm.D., and Paul Berke-bile, Pharm.D., graduates of the LECOM School of Pharmacy Class of 2005, who have opened their own business together — Lakeside Health Mart Pharmacy. They celebrated with a grand open-ing this year in Edinboro, Pa.

During an open house, Dr. Wise and Dr. Berkebile proudly cut the ribbon outside the pharmacy com-mencing a tour of the pharmacy by community mem-bers and representa-tives from the local community who had a chance to talk to the new business owners. Dr. Wise and Dr. Berkebile both worked in retail pharmacy set-tings before decid-ing to branch out on their own.

LECOM phar-macy students also took part in the grand opening festivities by educating customers about adult immunizations, which are offered at the pharmacy, and poison prevention. LECOM pharmacy students will complete clinical rotations at the pharmacy under the direction of Dr. Wise and Dr. Berkebile, who are also adjunct clinical faculty members at LECOM.

As LECOM graduates, the pharmacists know they are role models for current students. “Hopefully we’re setting the best ex-ample,” said Dr. Wise.

She is excited to give back to her alma mater. “We’re going to take on the education of LECOM students,” she said. “We’re also going to give them lectures on management, on business

ownership and re-lated topics.”

“We had a lot of strong ties through the LECOM program to the healthcare community, and we want to contin-ue that,” Dr. Berke-bile added. He said their emphasis will be on providing quality health care.

Dr. Berkebile said they will de-velop relationships with patients and physicians. “My value is not saying, ‘yes that prescrip-tion is ready to go,’” Dr. Berkebile said. “It’s looking

at drug interactions, different disease states that patients have, alerting them to issues and possibly alerting physicians to issues that I see.”

While many LECOM School of Pharmacy graduates work in retail settings, clinical settings or hospitals, it is very unique to have two gradu-ates go into business on their own. Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S., dean of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, said he is grateful that Dr. Wise and Dr. Berkebile will work with LECOM.

“They’re obviously very appreciative of the education that they received, and as educators themselves, they want to become a part of the educational mission,” Dr. Bell said. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity for a new kind of partner-ship for our school.”

Lakeside Health Mart Pharmacy is unique and innovative in several ways. There is a sepa-

rate waiting room with a children’s play section, an area to view educational videos, and a gift shop offering items from local artists and businesses. These amenities are located away from the pharmacy to insure patients have privacy when picking up their prescriptions.

Pharmacists can talk to customers in a separate, private pa-tient counseling room. The pharmacy uses green products and adheres to environmentally-friendly practices. Lakeside Health Mart Pharmacy offers home delivery anywhere in Erie and northern Crawford counties. They will also conduct free month-ly public health information seminars at the pharmacy. For more information, contact the pharmacy at (814) 734-8500.

LECOM alumni open pharmacy in Erie County

Paul Berkebile, Pharm.D., and Rebecca Wise, Pharm.D., cut a red ribbon to mark the grand opening of the Lakeside Health Mart Pharmacy in Edinboro, Pa. Looking on in the background is a group of LECOM School of Pharmacy students and Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S., dean of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, right.

Dr. Wise and Dr. Berkebile, 2005 LECOM School of Pharmacy graduates, decided to open their own pharmacy to serve the health care needs of Edinboro.


|John M. & Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness & Wellness Center Leadership|

What better way to guide a department of employees than to have been in their shoes before? As the new member services man-ager at the John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, Rachel Hunter’s experience working at different levels and positions at the Center has paid off.

Starting in February 2009, a month prior to the Center of-ficially opening to the public, Hunter was hired with the status of “part-time plus,” meaning she was guaranteed 30 hours in member services, as well as 10 hours of life guarding each week. After five months, Hunter was brought on full time. Only three months later, in November, Hunter was promoted to member services supervi-sor. Surrounded by a whirlwind of promotions in less than two years, Hunter has now stepped into the position of member services manager.

“The environment here is wonderful,” said Hunter, who is grate-ful to have been given so many opportunities at the Center. “It’s very easy to work in this environment because everyone wants to be here. Being in the health and wellness field, everyone who works here is a positive person; it’s very exciting to work around that.”

Hunter, who radiates with positivity herself, said — when asked what makes a good leader — that she hopes to be a helpful guide, is some-one who is always there when her staff needs her, and most importantly, is someone who sets an example.

“I think it’s important to lead by example,” said Hunter. “It’s important to stay positive, interact with the members on a daily basis, give them the information they need, be polite and go that extra

These words spoken by manager-turned-director Tyler Travis, who was promoted to executive director of the LECOM John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center in early March — illuminates one way he believes that you can rate the suc-cess of leadership and see how well staff come together as a team.

“What I encourage our staff to be — with everything they do, including how they work everyday — is to ‘stay hungry, stay focused and stay humble.’ I think if you have those three qualities with anything you do, you can have a successful team.”

As the Center’s former fitness manager, Travis developed this motto as a way to rally his employees to think as a unit — to stay hungry for the job, to stay focused on job-related responsibilities, and to stay humble if recognized. Getting his employees to think on the same page has proven beneficial in establishing a team atmo-sphere at the Center.

“I’m growing and learning a lot as I transition,” said Travis. “The

good news is that we had a pretty good foundation from the start, and we have a great team in place.”

As a fitness manager, Travis was bestowed the task of hiring all of the Center’s fitness specialists. The way his team came together un-der his supervision is one of the reasons Travis believes he was given the opportunity to interview for the director’s position.

“I really feel that with any leader, your scorecard is the result of how your team performs,” said Travis. “While a manager sets poli-cies and procedures, and develops systems to make things efficient, a leader knows how to connect with his team and understands that the team needs resources to be successful. My goal is to make sure each employee on our team has the resources and the support he or she needs to be successful.”

But as new executive director of the Center, what does Travis have in-store? He plans to lead his team to promote a stronger inte-gration of medicine and fitness, especially when it comes to refer-rals between the medical offices on the third floor and the Center’s clients. Travis also wants to see the already top-rate customer service continue being offered to clients by making their trips to the Center

Center’s new director a ‘team player’ as he“Stay hungry. Stay focused. Stay humble.”

Leading by Example: Center’s new members

Rachel Hunter, who has been stepped up to be member


step when helping someone.”

Despite being a self-described shy, reserved individual, it is no wonder that someone with as much ambi-tion and work ethic as Hunter has moved up the ladder so quickly. But humbly, she doesn’t give herself all the ku-dos — she also credits her predecessors with preparing her to take on her current leader-ship role, as well as previous roles.

“They have given

me so much education and so many resources on how to be success-ful,” said Hunter, who added that she will likely look back 20 years from now and remember the impact her former bosses have had in her career.

“Looking back on it now, Ken (Pasko) and Mike (Hyek) have given me so many opportunities to grow. For that reason, I think it’s important to give my staff individual projects so that they have that same sense of responsibility and purpose, while building up their own leadership skills, as well.”

With quite a bit on her plate, what does Hunter plan to accom-plish as member services manager? According to Hunter, not only is she focused on making sure her staff is well equipped to perform their responsibilities, but she hopes to create more programs and to maintain an atmosphere where the Center’s clients are satisfied. She also hopes to continue growing the Center’s corporate business membership base, as well as sustain membership retention, connect with members more efficiently, and to reach out to the community to let them know the John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center is committed to the Erie community.

“an experience,” rather than “just another trip to the gym.”

In addition, Travis also wants to see the Center’s functional movement screen test incorporated into a regular screening available to the Center’s clients. As a test that “grades” a person’s movement pattern, it is currently offered to basketball players on the NBA D-League Erie BayHawks team. By extending this screening to the Center’s clients, it would not only establish a foundation for members to realign their movement patterns, but would also be a holistic ap-proach that would decrease the risk of injury.

The center will continue offering its incoming fitness assessment to new members, as well as its more than 100 exercise classes, some of which include aerobics, cycling, yoga and Pilates. The John. M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness center also offers three pools; a gymnasium; modern locker rooms with saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms; and the Healthy Living Café.

focuses on staff, members’ experiences

services manager radiates in leadership role

Tyler Travis was promoted to executive director of the John M. & Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness & Wellness Center in March 2011.

an employee for two years, services manager in January.


You could say that first-year Seton Hill medi-cal student Manu Varma has a lot on his plate. Attending Problem Based Learning sessions and keeping up with his studies doesn’t leave much free time. But with what little free time he does have, Varma chooses to give back to a cause that’s close to him — kidney disease. Last De-cember, Varma, who is a kidney transplant recipient, was named to the board of the NephCure Foundation. At 29, he’s the youngest member on the board.

The NephCure Foundation is a national organiza-tion devoted to finding a cure for two specific types of kidney disease: Nephritic Syndrome (NS) and Focal Segmental Glomerularsclerosis (FSGS). These diseases primarily affect children and young adults.

Varma has spent more than half his life deal-ing with kidney disease. He was only 10 when he was diagnosed with renal dysplasia. Through-out his pre-teen and teenage years, Varma lived with the disease and maintained a fairly normal life. Any sense of normalcy changed during his senior year of high school when his condition worsened. Doctors eventually told him he would have to have a kidney transplant.

“I didn’t have to have kidney dialysis,” Varma said. “I had kidney failure over several years. It progressively got worse. I received the transplant before I needed dialysis.”

Varma, of Upper St. Clair, Pa., received his new kidney when he was an 18-year-old sophomore at the University of Michigan. “I was very lucky,” Varma said. “My dad was my kidney donor.” His father, Rajiv Varma, is a pediatric neurologist at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.

“Initially, it was brought up that my par-ents could be kidney donors. My mom very much wanted to be my donor and pursued the whole evaluation process,” Varma said. “Two days before, she had a final test of her renal arteries and it showed an abnormality in both so they said she couldn’t be my donor. My dad

on nationwideFirst-year SH

|Student Leadership|

“I live by the motto: ‘I like to make a differ-ence,’” said LECOM Erie pharmacy student Rebecca Bollinger, Class of 2012.

Bollinger’s impact has been felt here at LECOM and beyond. She is one of those stu-dents who seems to be involved in just about everything and willing to help out whenever need-ed. Through her involve-ment in the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) and other student organizations, Bollinger has fought for the rights of student pharmacists. She has also encouraged her peers to get involved in pharmacy issues and community service.

In early April, Bollinger attended the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Leg-islative Day in Harrisburg, Pa. She set up face-to-face meetings and visited with eight state legislators to talk about issues affecting pharmacy students and the profession.

One legislative bill in particular has spe-cial significance to her. State lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow pharmacy student interns to administer vac-cinations under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Some of the wording used in the bill is based on a policy proposal written by Bollinger, who submitted her proposal during the PPA Student Health Policy Fo-rum last October.

According to the Pennsylvania Pharma-cists Association, student pharmacy interns can give immunizations in 34 states. Bol-linger thinks Pennsylvania lags behind those states and thinks the current state law puts Pennsylvania pharmacy students at a disad-vantage.

“It puts us behind everybody else,” Bol-linger said. “If we want to go to one of the states where they do let students immunize, those students now have two or three years of immunizing experience where we have none. It’s not good for public health. It’s not good for our professional development.”

Bollinger spent this past year as APhA-ASP president-elect and will be the club’s president for the 2011-12 academic year. Bollinger has increased the number of club-sponsored activities and volunteer opportu-nities, as well as getting more students in-volved with APhA. In addition, she enlisted a group of 24 students to travel to Virginia for an APhA mid-year meeting and rallied 17 students to participate in the local AphA-ASP Patient Counseling Competition.

Bollinger was also selected to be an edi-tor for the magazine Student Pharmacist, a national publication that presents issues from a student’s point of view.

Bollinger recently received word that she was named a 2011 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Walmart Scholar. She received a $1,000 travel schol-arship to attend the AACP annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, in July.

Bollinger said her involvement in extra-curricular activities stems from the fact that she has a lot of ideas and the innate ability to get things done. “I don’t function well as a ‘fly-under-the-radar’ sort of person,” she said. “I constantly challenge the status quo, especially when I see something that I know could be better,” she said.

As a student leader, Bollinger has trav-eled to many pharmacy conferences across the region, state and country. She has done an exceptional job representing the LECOM School of Pharmacy by proudly explaining the three-year pharmacy program at the Erie campus and the high caliber of students that attend LECOM.

Erie R student lobbies for rightsRebecca Bollinger shares her passion about the pharmacy profession

Pharmacy student Rebecca Bollinger, Class of 2012, speaks to a shopper at the Millcreek Mall in Erie during the 2011 LECOM Wellness Fair. Bollinger hopes to spread her passion for the pharmacy profession, as well as bring about change in pharmacy law in Pennsylvania.

x


had to do the entire medical evaluation the day before the transplant operation,” he said.

Varma believes his unique background helps him as a board member. “It’s an interest-ing perspective,” Varma said. “I have been a patient, and many of the board members have children who have had kidney transplants.”

Varma has been a volunteer for the

NephCure Foundation since 2008. He served on the research committee, was a consultant for the foundation’s scientific programs, has written articles and worked on the organiza-tion’s website.

“Manu knows as much about chronic kidney disease as anyone I’ve ever met,” said Henry Brehm, executive director of the Neph-Cure Foundation. Brehm says Varma brings a variety of talents and perspectives to the board. “He’s been terrific from day one,” Brehm added.

The NephCure Foundation raises money to fund research grants, while seeking scientists to study kidney disease. Varma helps review sum-maries and research proposals that are submit-ted to NephCure. “What impresses me about Manu is how thorough his thought process is. He researches all possibilities,” said Brehm. “He cares. He’s really got a passion for results.”

Varma had his transplant at Children’s Hos-pital in Pittsburgh. Throughout his pre- and post-operative experience, Varma met many young patients with kidney disease, physicians and families. He said that his experience as a kidney transplant recipient played a major role in his decision to go to medical school.

Through his work at the NephCure Foun-dation, Varma is able to use his experience and talents to help other patients and families coping with kidney disease.

“Great leaders are people who set their own standards of excellence, and therefore, are never in competition with others,” said Benjamin Cox, a third-year medical student at the Bradenton campus. “They are always out to do their personal best, and in the process, help other people along the way.”

Cox has served as president of the Student Government Association, while also representing the College at the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP) and the American Osteopathic Association House of Delegates.

“I have always had a natural inclination toward politics, and leadership development is a personal interest of mine,” said Cox. “Volunteerism is fundamental to the devel-opment of the psyche of a physician. The mentors I have had in my life have always emphasized the importance of service.”

Cox has served the community well. He volunteers at Shepherd’s Hope Clinic — a free clinic for the medically underserved in Orlando, Fla. He also visited Haiti as part of the “Hope for Haiti” medical mission pro-gram.

“By definition, a doctor is a leader. Patients look to physicians for guidance,” said Cox. “Whether you currently practice leadership skills or not, ultimately you are going to be someone that people will look up to as a leader — so why not start now?”

Cox’s leadership prowess has led him to be honored by the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA) and the

American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP).

He received a $5,000 scholarship from the Osteopathic and Podiatric Foundation of Florida Hospital East Orlando during FOMA’s 108th annual conference. Cox is completing core clinical rotations at the hospital. The Foundation Award is given to students who attend osteopathic medical schools in Florida in recognition of exemplary academic achievement and leadership.

Scholarship candidates must submit two letters of recommendation, transcripts, a personal statement and curriculum vitae. The Florida Hospital East Orlando scholarship committee reviews all applications.

Cox was also awarded first prize in the ACOFP’s Namey/Burnett Preventive Medicine Writing competition for his paper titled, “Current Nutritional Considerations for Prevention of Cervical Cancer.” The paper was published in the April edition of The Osteopathic Family Physician journal.

The annual competition honors the best preventive medicine papers submitted by osteopathic medical students, interns, residents or fellows.

“I feel fortunate to have been honored with several leadership awards. It is nice to have hard work and leadership recognized,” said Cox. “For first- and second-year students who are thinking about assuming leadership roles but are not sure, my advice would be to just go with your instincts.”

Med student exemplifies a model leader

First-year SH student servesfoundation

First-year Seton Hill medical student Manu Varma, right, recently was named to the NephCure Foundation board, which is an organization devoted to finding cures for two specific types of kidney disease. Varma, who is a kidney transplant recipient, is shown with his father, Rajiv Varma, who is his kidney donor.

Third-year medical student Benjamin Cox, who stud-ies osteopathic medicine at the Bra-denton campus, was awarded first place in the American Col-lege of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) Namey/Burnett Preventive Medicine Writing competition. ACOFP President George T. Sawbini, D.O., FACOFP, presents Cox with his award.


What motivates students to take on high levels of responsibility? Why is there a dearth of leaders in the pharmacy profession?

Julie Wilkinson, Pharm.D., M.S., thought she would find out the answers to those questions and much more while teaching LECOM’s Leadership in Pharmacy class.

The two-credit elective course was developed so that students can engage in exploring their own po-tential for leadership within the pharmacy profession. Wilkinson said leadership is a topic that needs to be addressed in the curriculum for all Pharm.D. candi-dates.

“When we were first starting the Bradenton phar-macy program, local pharmacy leaders talked about a lack of interest in leadership among recent pharmacy grads,” said Dr. Wilkinson. “Part of the rationale for the course was to link leadership responsibility with the quality of patient care. There is a need for this skill in all pharmacist positions, not just those with

management or administrative responsibilities.”Students have taken a keen interest in leadership.

Four of Dr. Wilkinson’s students — Niyati Patel (P4), Michelle Taylor (P4), Stacey Caponi (P2) and Barbara Osei-Sraha (P2) — have had leadership-related arti-cles published in The Pharmacy Times.

“The elective enhanced my views on leadership. I realized that every pharmacist is in a leadership posi-tion,” says Caponi. “No matter if you are a staff phar-macist or community pharmacy manager, pharmacists are in charge of themselves, their technicians, interns and the patients. Leadership should begin in phar-macy school and continue into the practice setting.”

Caponi and Osei-Sraha coauthored a report on the importance of mentoring.

“Our article addressed how we can use mentoring to recruit lead-ers in the pharmacy profession,” says Osei-Sraha. “In our course, we learned that there is a shortage of pharmacy leaders, and through a mentorship program more leaders can be developed.”

|Community Service|

|Student Leadership|

Evolving Pharmacist: Bradenton

Julie Wilkinson, Pharm.D.

LECOM School of Pharmacy students joined with other student pharmacists from Pennsylvania and Florida to make their voices heard in their state capitals. The Florida Pharmacists Associa-tion (FPA) held its Florida Pharmacist Health Fair and Legislative Days from March 15-16 in Tallahassee, Fla. The Pennsylvania Phar-macists Association (PPA) Legislative Day was held on April 5, in Harrisburg, Pa. During the events, students spoke with lawmakers about the training student pharmacists engage in, while also empha-sizing the changes they are pushing for in current pharmacy laws.

“The main purpose of these events is to get pharmacy students and professionals from all over the state together as one voice,” said LECOM Erie student Matt Madurski. “We spoke with lawmak-ers about different legislation and issues that are currently being discussed in the state legislatures to see if we could influence them.”

LECOM Bradenton faculty members Fallon Enfinger, Pharm.D., and Stephanie Peshek, Pharm.D., accompanied 18 stu-dents to the Florida event. The group was comprised of fourth-year student Janine Manning; third-year students Kamlesh Christian, Sanjay Kohli, Leah Williams, Pinang Balsara, Rochelle Forsyth, Sara Lammers, Kunal Kunani and Danilo Solis; second-year students Melinda Buchanan, Jessica Mayoz, Jon Francisco, Natalie Johnson, Po-An Lu and Anthony Sanchez; and first-year students Henry Tsang, Tolulope Akinbo and Monica Yu.

The students met with their local legislators — Sen. Michael Bennett (Bradenton), Rep. Greg Steube (Bradenton), Rep. Doug Holder (Sarasota) and Rep. Betty Reed (Tampa) — and sat in on an appropriations committee meeting. They also volunteered at a health fair, providing blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and body composition screenings for the public.

Students were also briefed on current issues facing phar-macists by lobbyists and executives from the FPA and Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists. Currently, some of the hot button issues include proposals to allow pharmacy interns the ability to give immunizations, expanding the number of im-munizations pharmacists can give, and supporting the controlled substance database to prevent the abuse of prescription drugs. The FPA has opposed a proposed requirement to have Medicaid prescriptions filled by mail-order, which would eliminate the

Pharmacy Legislative Day: LECOM

LECOM Pharmacy students from the Erie campus who participated in Legisla-tive Days included, from right: School of Pharmacy Dean Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S.; Rebecca Bollinger; Arthur Malahimov; Kelsey Laks; Denise Traficante; Matt Madurski; Brooke Spino; Amanda Sommer; Erika Gould; Megan Groshner; Arpit Mehta; and Assistant Professor Bojana Stevich, Pharm.D., M.S.


Evolving Pharmacist: Bradenton

Second-year students Stacey Caponi, left, and Barbara Osei-Sraha coauthored a report on the importance of mentoring in pharmacy.

Students engage in leadership elective

relationship that patients have with their community pharmacists.

The LECOM Erie contingent that traveled to Harrisburg was made up of sec-ond-year students Arpit Mehta, Denise Traficante, Rebecca Bollinger, Erika Gould, Arthur Malahi-mov, Kelsey Laks, Megan Groshner, Brooke Spino and Amanda Sommer; and first-year stu-dent Matt Madur-ski. Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S., dean of the LECOM School of Phar-macy, and Assistant Professor Bojana Stevich, Pharm.D., M.S., also attended the event.

PPA Legislative Day gave students an opportunity to meet with elected officials about issues important to students and the pharmacy

profession. LECOM students set up a booth that explained the amount of training a student must go through before becoming a pharmacist.

“Many legislators didn’t realize we get doctorate degrees,” said LECOM student Rebecca Bollinger. “They didn’t know pharmacists can do residencies just like physicians can do.”

LECOM students attended face-to-face meetings with Erie-area lawmakers and legislators from their hometowns. “We were able to meet with them one-on-one,” Madurski said. “We had their undivided attention, and they seemed to be genuinely interested in what we were saying.”

Students shared news about the LECOM School of Pharmacy with lawmakers and told them how the School has become a model for pharmacy education and professional education. They also encour-aged lawmakers to pass legislation that they believe will benefit student pharmacists and the pharmacy profession.

The student pharmacists are pushing for three key changes in law. First, they want to prohibit insurance companies from requiring mandatory mail-order medications. Some companies force patients to fill prescriptions by mail instead of giving them the choice to visit a community pharmacy.

Secondly, student pharmacists support a bill that would set uniform standard procedures for pharmacy audits.

Thirdly, student pharmacists are pushing for the right to administer vaccinations under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. As it stands now, only practicing pharmacists in Pennsylvania can give im-munizations. Thirty-four states allow student interns to provide immu-nizations. Students also want lawmakers to remove the age restriction, which does not currently allow pharmacists to give vaccines to anyone under the age of 18.

Pharmacy Legislative Day: LECOM student pharmacists travel to state capitals

Third-year pharmacy students Kunal Kanani and Ka-mlesh Christian speak to legislators in Tallahassee, Fla. about keeping their cholesterol in check.

Patel and Taylor’s article focused on leadership being a key ingredient to owning an independent pharmacy. They say that in order to get the most out of a successful pharmacy practice, students will have to rely heavily on their leadership and management skills. By using these resources, students will have the confidence to meet the challenges that come with being an independent phar-macist.

Dr. Wilkinson is proud that her students have writ-ten papers that are of high quality and relevant for pub-lication. She says that the class is not just about being a supervisor, but making a positive impact in any work setting.

“For many years there has been a shortage of phar-macists. People chose high-paying positions without much administrative responsibility,” she says. “Now that the environment is more competitive, it’s important that new pharmacy graduates show a maturity and willing-ness to take on challenging roles.”


LECOM sponsors women’s hockey award

Relay raises $5,300 for American Cancer Society

The top NCAA women hockey players took to the ice in Erie for the Frozen Four Championship, and LECOM was a integral part of the welcome for the players. The college was a major sponsor of the championship and the main sponsor of the Patty Kazmaier Memo-rial Award given to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey.

When asked by local women’s hockey sup-porters to sponsor the award, college admin-istrators felt strongly about promoting wom-en’s sports in the community. This also gave the college the opportunity to put LECOM Sports Medicine in the spotlight since our physicians have taken an expanded role in col-lege and professional sports health care in Erie.

During introductions at the award cer-emony, USA Hockey Foundation President Ron DeGregorio recognized LECOM for sponsoring the 2011 award. DeGregorio rec-ognized LECOM Provost Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., for her leadership at the nation’s largest medical school.

Wisconsin Badger Meghan Dugan won

the Kazmaier Award. The award is given in honor of the late Patty Ka-zmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League defenseman at Princeton University from 1981-86. To win the award, Dugan surpassed Mercyhurst College player Megan Agosta, a star of the 2010 Olympic gold medal winning Canadian team.

In accordance with the College’s enthusiasm for community service, students from the Erie campus recently donated $5,363.45 to the American Cancer Society. They raised the money during LECOM’s annual Relay For Life event held at the John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center in February.

LECOM students more than doubled the amount they raised in 2010 as more than 150 students from the LECOM College of Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Post Baccalaureate Program participated in the event. They collected money in pledges from family members and friends and through online donations at relayforlife.org.

“It was really wonderful seeing everyone show up and participate,” said outgoing SGA First Vice President Erin Brennan, who was one of the event

organizers. “They were very enthusiastic. The students took time out from their studies to support a great cause.” In fact, some first-year medical students had a test the following Monday and carried study materials with them as they walked around the track.

Students presented a check to Kelley Spaeder, community income development specialist of the American Cancer Society. Spaeder, who has worked with LECOM students at Relay For Life events over the past several years, said she was impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication the students showed. “This was a banner year for them. They did a really good job,” she said. “They got involved, were energized and raised a huge amount of money for us.”

Spaeder said all of the money raised will stay in Erie County. “We think it’s great. It’s going to help us with all our patient services, our education and prevention detection messaging.”

TOP: LECOM students presented a check for $5,363.45 to the American Cancer Society after raising the money at a Relay For Life event. Pictured are: (L-R) Nikhil Mohan, SGA president; Craig Van Tassel; outgoing SGA president; Kelley Spaeder, American Cancer Society community income development specialist; Erin Brennan,

outgoing SGA first vice president; and Nilam Patel, SGA first vice president.

LEFT: More than 150 medical, pharmacy and Post-Baccalaureaute Program students walked in the Relay For Life event.

USA Hockey Foundation President Ron De-Gregorio presents a team jersey to LECOM Provost Silvia Ferretti, D.O. Also pictured are: (L-R) Patrick Leary, D.O., director of the LECOM Sports Medicine program, and USA Hockey Communications Manager Christy Cahill.

|Community Service|


The villagers came from miles around. They sat in wooden pews amidst the oppressive heat, wait-ing for a chance to relieve their chronic pain. The venue was a modest church in Tela, Honduras, a small city in the northern part of the country along the Caribbean Sea. While the natives waited, vol-unteers screened them and asked about their pain. At the end of their wait, several dozen doctors, nurses and volunteers were on-hand, ready to help ease their suffering.

LECOM Director of Sports Medicine Patrick Leary, D.O., was one of the physicians who an-swered the call to help. He and the other medical professionals were there to administer a rejuvenat-ing injection therapy called prolotherapy. Dr. Leary traveled to the Central American country with two LECOM Sports Medicine fellows: Andrew Mar-tin, D.O., LECOM Class of 2007, and Craig Chappell, D.O. They spent nearly two weeks in Honduras in early March as part of a philanthropic mis-sion trip to provide these treat-ments to the Honduran people.

“It’s mostly 30 to 70, 80- and 90-year-olds that have worked with machetes in the fields and have wrist problems and back problems,” said Dr. Leary. “It’s a very poor country. Rheumatoid arthritis runs rampant down there. Most of these folks just have over-use injuries or are people who have been in automobile accidents that really don’t have any health care.”

Prolotherapy is a process that involves injecting the area where the ligament en-ters the bone with a dextrose-based solu-tion. Dr. Leary said these are very vulnerable areas. He said prolotherapy treatments will cause damaged tissue to become inflamed; the inflammation then stimulates healing.

“I think the body’s natural ability to heal itself is to inflame,” Dr. Leary said. “When the first thing we try to do is to take Advil or Ibuprofen to eliminate the inflammation; I think we short-circuit the body’s ability to heal itself.”

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical meth-od used to treat chronic neck, back or joint pain. Doctors will give a patient multiple injections in a certain part of the body to ease pain in that specific area. Dr. Leary said the concept of pro-lotherapy is to get the body to respond naturally within its own immune system.

This is the third time that Dr. Leary has traveled to Honduras with the Hackett Hemwall Foundation. The organization, based in Madison, Wis., specifically promotes prolotherapy.

Two other groups of 30 people, also affiliated with the Hackett Hemwall Foundation, worked in two other cities in Honduras.

The clinics were open to anyone in the village, with the native people paying a modest fee to receive treatment. Physicians were assisted by translators who helped the villagers communicate. Some of the patients would receive 40 or 50 small injections with a two-inch long needle. It may sound like a painful procedure, but Dr. Leary says the reward is relief from chronic pain. “They’re very thank-ful,” he said. “They come back; they come back in droves. They come back the next year and

say ‘oh yeah, I had this done last year and it felt so good,’ and ‘I feel so much better.’”

Dr. Leary estimates that he treated roughly 150 people during the two-week visit. He said the experience is not only rewarding for him, but also his fellows who were able to learn about prolotherapy and interact with physicians from all over the world.

“It’s a skill set that they can leave here with; their ‘bags of medical tools’ are much broader and bigger now,” Dr. Leary said. “Wherever they go, they’re go-ing to know that there is an appropriate time and place for prolotherapy.” He said trips like this one also help LECOM attract high quality physicians for sports medicine fellowships.

“We can advertise that part of our teaching cur-riculum is prolotherapy,” Dr. Leary said. “By the time our fellows go down there, between Dr. Greg Coppola and myself, they have quite an experience with pro-lotherapy and injection therapy in general.” Dr. Leary said the fellows also participated in daily medical lec-

tures and learned from experts from all over the world.In addition to Honduras, Dr. Leary has traveled to Chile and Santiago

to treat athletes during weight lifting competitions. He has also visited nu-merous locations across the United States and Canada for various sporting events, athletic competitions and workshops.

Bringing health care to Honduras

LECOM physicians of sports medicine, Andrew Martin, D.O., left, and Patrick Leary, D.O., director of sports medicine, visit with Brian McDonagh, M.D., a surgeon from Chicago, Ill., during their two-week stay in Honduras.


With the commencement of each New Year comes the hope for a fresh start, and a desire for a new beginning. For first-year medical and pharmacy students at LECOM, the New Year has an additional meaning. As a symbol of trust between the physician/pharmacist and the patient; a symbol of compassion; and a symbol of the purity of the healthcare professional’s purpose, the White Coat Cer-emony signifies the first celebrated milestone in a LECOM student’s career.

LECOM celebrated White Coat Ceremonies on three separate days — Jan. 22, 2011, in Bradenton, Fla.; on Jan. 29, in Erie, Pa.; and on Feb. 12, in Greensburg, Pa. — with a total of 542 medical students and 257 pharmacy students receiving their white coats.

Not only are these annual ceremonies special to the first-year students because they receive their first profes-sional coats, but the ceremonies also offer the opportunity for first-years to get motivated as alumni step up to the stage to share their experiences and inspirational messages.

In Bradenton, 1999 LECOM graduate Trent A. Mas-cola, D.O., clinical director of Aston Gardens Assisted Living Facility, spoke about hope as he addressed medical students; and Laurence Namdar, Pharm.D., Class of 2010, a community pharmacist for CVS Caremark Pharmacy, noted the key role pharmacists play in caring for patients.

As for keynote speakers in Erie, Paula Miaczynski, D.O., 1997 LECOM graduate, spoke to the medical students, while Jeffrey Nowak, Pharm.D., Class of 2005, spoke to pharmacy students about the importance of up-holding values, ethics and trust.

In Greensburg, medical students were welcomed by 2006 LECOM graduate Garrett Clark, D.O., who cur-rently is a Medical Associates of Erie physician. Dr. Clark told students the desire to care for and serve mankind is the “highest calling.”

Both campuses in Erie and Greensburg were also greet-ed by Alice J. Zal, D.O., president of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA), who formally greeted students and told them that they will be valuable assets throughout their medical careers. POMA donated both the white coats and stethoscopes to medical students.

799 LECOM students receive white coats

LECOM Erie Class of 2013 pharmacy student Carrie Nolan requests a photo with School of Pharmacy Dean Hershey Bell, M.D.

White Coat Ceremonies


Medical students from the Class of 2014 in Erie, Pa., received their white coats and stethoscopes, which were donated graciously by the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medicine Association (POMA) on Jan. 29, 2011, at the Warner Theater.

LECOM Erie medical students (L-R) Kiran Bojedla, Robert Borowski, Kelli Bowser and Sarah Boyce receive their white coats on stage.


Find more White Coat photos on @ facebook.com/1LECOM.



At LECOM’s campus in Greensburg, Pa., 108 medical students received their white coats on Feb. 12, 2011, at the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center. White

coats and stethoscopes, which were received during a previous ceremony, were donated by the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association. Guest speakers

LECOM BRADENTON

CLOCKWISE, TOP LEFT: Medical student Joey Leary, center, Class of 2014, gets a photo with his parents, Patrick Leary, D.O., LECOM director of sports medicine, and Linda Leary. TOP: Trent Mascola, D.O., LECOM Class of 1999, right, gave the keynote speech at the 2011 White Coat Cer-emony held in Bradenton, Fla. Pictured with Dr. Mascola are: (L-R) William Silverman, D.O.; FOMA President Linda Delo, D.O.; AOA President Karen Nichols, D.O.; Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Robert George, D.O.; Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs Silvia Ferretti, D.O. BOTTOM LEFT: School of Pharmacy Class of 2014 students Phuong Nguyen, left, and Marialis Kirk shine with LECOM pride.



included: Alice J. Zal, D.O., president of POMA; and Garrett Clark, D.O., Class of 2006, a Medical Associates of Erie physician.

LECOM Seton Hill

LECOM ERIEBELOW: Primary Care Scholar Pathway students pose with Professor of Family Medicine Richard Ortoski, D.O. Pictured are: (front, L-R) Nicole Daignault, Lindsey Mellot, Kevin Kwolek, Amie Coffman and Candace Okupski; (back) Holly Barth, Andrew Slane, Richard Curren, Dr. Ortoski, Michael Luca, Edward Ellis, Allan Zhang and Travis Ewing. RIGHT: Paula Miaczynski, D.O., LECOM Class of 1997, served as keynote speaker for the LECOM Medical School White Coat Ceremony. Pictured with Dr. Miaczynski are: (L-R) Alice J. Zal, D.O., POMA president; Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOM provost and senior vice president; and John M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOM president and C.E.O.

First-year LECOM Seton Hill medical student Garrett Britton takes a moment to pose with his proud mother, Bonnie.

First-year Seton Hill students: (L-R) Daniel Bender, Kinsey Bernhard and Arvind Bhasker excitedly receive their white coats.


The Gamma Tau Chapter of the Rho Chi Society inducted 27 students from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy into its membership during a ceremony on Sat-urday, Feb. 19, 2011, at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pa. LECOM School of Pharmacy Dean Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S., was also initiated into the honor society.

Andrew Grimone, Pharm.D., clini-cal pharmacy manager at Saint Vincent Health System in Erie, gave the keynote address. He inspired the new inductees to become leaders in the pharmacy profes-sion. Dr. Grimone, a graduate of the Uni-versity of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, told the student pharmacists that their patients will come to them for trust and guidance.

“For many years the pharmacy pro-fession has been recognized as one of the most trusted professions,” Dr. Grimone said. “People look to us because we give them advice. I think it’s important to en-trust that message of honesty and integrity upon all of the students that will go out

and practice pharmacy.”Hsin Li, one of the inductees and in-

coming Rho Chi president, said becoming a member of Rho Chi was one of the goals he set for himself when he came to phar-macy school.

“I wanted to excel academically,” Li said. “I wanted to really push myself. I’m glad that I accomplished that.”

Rho Chi recognizes individual aca-

demic achievement and encourages high standards of leadership, professionalism, conduct and character in all of its mem-bers.

Dr. Grimone said the inductees should be proud of their accomplishments. “These students are the ones that have proven by their academics and other requirements that they are truly the elite and at the top of their class,” said Dr. Grimone.

|Education|

LECOM’s Rho Chi chapter inducted new members at Erie’s Bayfront Convention Center on Feb. 19, 2011. The new members include: (Front row, L-R): Agata Boggs, Kelly Shaw, Jennifer Shaffer, Ling Ivy Chen, Christopher Cotton, Kaitlyn Fagan, Jessica Ledwich, Donna Mott, Kim Thuc Pham, Karey Tyler, and Raey Taye. (Back row, L-R): Harry Aldrich, Milos Blagojevic, Zachary Bouchat-Friedman, Megan Cody, Ashley Dawson, Matthew Flint, Hsin Li, Joshua Miller, Brandon Wilds, Riley Williams II, and Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S., dean of the LECOM School of Pharmacy. Not pictured from the Class of 2011: Skyler DeBlasio, Rachel McCoy, Chi Le, and Katie Krise; Class of 2012: Charles Clendenin and Roy Fornwalt II.

Society inducts 27 LECOM students, S.O.P. Dean

Hsin Li, left, incoming Rho Chi president, pre-sented a gift basket to Andrew Grimone, Pharm.D., for giving the keynote speech at LECOM’s Rho Chi ceremony.


|Clinical Care|

U.S. News & World Report ranks LECOM in top 3 of best medical schools for primary care

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine made a considerable jump in the ranks of the U.S. News & World Report Best Medical Schools issue. The college moved from No. 100 to No. 63 among the leading primary care medical schools.

In terms of the percentage of graduates who go on to primary care residency programs, LECOM ranks third in the nation with 67.4%. Only the Michigan State College of Osteopathic Medicine and West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine have a higher percentage. LECOM, with a larger graduating class, continues to produce more primary care physicians than any other medical college.

Between its campuses, LECOM attracts the highest

number of applications to osteopathic medical schools; and this year, LECOM’s application rate grew at the highest rate (24%) among osteopathic medical colleges. Nearly 10,000

applicants apply to LECOM’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medical degree programs at campuses in Erie, Pa., Greensburg, Pa., and Bradenton, Fla. The College accepts 504 students per class.

Innovative, student-centered pathways and affordable tuition attract these large numbers of applicants. LECOM student success rates for passing the COMLEX licensing exams are among the nation’s highest. The College also offers two, three-year pathways to earning the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree in primary care.

Largest U.S. Medical Schools:LECOM — 1,862

University of Illinois — 1,395Indiana University, Indianapolis — 1,288

Wayne State — 1,262Drexel — 1,082

Michigan State — 1,068

73.8%

79.4%

Primary care ranking

#1

#2

#3

LECOM ranks No. 63 among all medical schools

67.4%

Osteopathic medical colleges with the highest numbers of graduates who pursue primary care residencies in the U.S.


2011 Primary Care Conference — Peek ‘n Peak

3rd annual Pharmacology CME SeminarLECOM hosts an annual pharmacology seminar in Erie for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician

assistants who need CME credits. This year, physicians and specialists spoke on a range of topics, some of which included: HIV, dermatology, oncology, cancer, STDs and women’s health.

RIGHT: Mark Kauffman, D.O., director of the Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway and clinical associate professor of family medicine, lectured on cancer screenings of the colon. BOTTOM LEFT: More than 25 healthcare professionals attended the day-long seminar, earning 8 CME credits. TOP LEFT: Sharon Thompson, Ph.D., professor of nursing at Gannon University, lays out the CME certificates for participants.

This year’s Primary Care Conference went off without a hitch, with approximately 170 physicians attending this three-day CME event. This year, guest speakers touched on topics, such as: sports medicine, geriatrics, weight management, infections and depression. Physicians were also offered opportunities to meet with various pharmaceutical and healthcare representatives throughout the conference. Physicians whose families attended were treated to a family night with prizes, a silent auction and magical entertainment. LECOM’s Primary Care Conference does not only offer 20 CME credits for physicians, it offers a place for LECOM graduates to reconnect and network.

ABOVE: Anthony Ferretti, D.O., (left) and Gregory Coppola, D.O., discussed sports medicine. TOP RIGHT: The Esther J. Fucci Art Auction, which featured pieces like these, raised $26,190 for the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund. BOTTOM RIGHT: Richard Ortoski, D.O., LECOM professor of family medicine, brought a few of his Primary Care Scholar Pathway students to the conference.

|Clinical Care|


Colby Foundation’s message to students:

This is the message that resonated through the lecture halls of each of LECOM’s three campuses as Starla Cassani made an impas-sioned plea to LECOM medical students about the importance of organ donation.

Starla and John Cassani, D.O., expe-rienced unimaginable grief when their 14-month-old son, Colby, died tragically in 1993. They turned their grief into hope when they made the decision to donate his organs. In 1995, Starla and John founded the Colby Foundation in their son’s mem-ory. The foundation raises awareness about the importance of organ and tissue dona-tion. They are now visiting medical schools like LECOM to share their story with future physicians.

The Cassanis spoke to LECOM medi-cal students in Bradenton on February 9; Erie on March 17; and Seton Hill on March 18. In 2008, LECOM received a $12,000 endowment for the Colby Foundation to fund a lecture series that educates medical students about organ and tissue donation. Each LECOM campus will receive $4,000 annually. LECOM is one of six osteopathic medical schools chosen for the Colby Cas-sani Endowed Lecture series.

The Cassanis hope their visits will make a powerful impact on students before they become physicians. “It is our hope that you will talk to your patients prior to a crisis about organ and tissue donation,” Starla Cassani said.

Edward Faber, D.O., LECOM Class of 2003, also spoke to LECOM students. Dr. Faber performs bone marrow transplants for cancer patients at the University of Nebras-ka Medical Center in Omaha, Neb., where he also serves as an assistant professor of on-cology and hematology.

“The students will be involved with transplant patients at some point in their medical careers,” Dr. Faber said. “A lot of times when I see patients for an initial evalu-ation, they will go back and schedule an ap-pointment with their primary care doctor and ask them for their opinion.” Dr. Faber said he always calls a patient’s family physi-cian and their oncologist when considering

bone marrow transplants, which involves in-fusing stem cells into bone marrow.

Starla Cassani’s emotional story of Col-by’s death brought some students to tears. She said Colby was left alone in a bathtub by a babysitter and slid under the water. The tragedy occurred while the Cassanis were vacationing in the Caribbean. They rushed home to Reno, Nev., where they were able to spend a few days with Colby in a pediatric intensive care unit before he died. The couple decided to donate Colby’s organs after a physician asked them if they would consider such a difficult request.

Starla Cassani said the physician who approached them about donating Colby’s organs was courageous, since organ do-nation wasn’t as common in 1993 as it is today. Many healthcare providers didn’t know how to bring up the delicate sub-ject. Today, most states have designated re-questors who are trained to talk to families about organ donation during a crisis, she said.

“In the midst of my worst nightmare, I was given some hope,” Starla Cassani told the students. “I was given a little bit

of control.” The decision to donate Colby’s organs gave the Cassanis some comfort in their time of grief. “Colby was a hero. He got to save three people’s lives.”

Colby’s liver went to a two-year-old girl in Sacramento, Calif., his kidneys were donated to a 27-year-old man from Pitts-burgh, Pa., and his heart was transplanted into a five-month old boy named Brayden from Grand Junction, Colo.

The Cassanis first met Brayden when he was 3 years old. Starla Cassani recalled how Brayden gave her a precious gift during that visit. “He asked me to listen to his heart,” she said. “What can you say after hearing that? It was a truly profound moment.” The Cassanis have visited with Brayden and his family on many occasions since then.

LECOM students were touched by the Cassanis’ story and said it personal-ized the topic of organ donation. “As soon as she started speaking, the entire lecture hall went silent. We were just drawn to her story,” said second-year student Tracy Espiritu. “She gave us another viewpoint for us to understand what our patients and their families may be going through.”

John Cassani, D.O. and Starla Cassani, present a check from the Colby Foundation to Robert George, D.O., LECOM associate dean of academic affairs in Bradenton, Fla.

|Clinical Care|


Erie pharmacy students take 1st in state eventA team of second-year Erie School of Pharmacy students took home

top honors at the Fifth Annual Pennsylvania Student Pharmacists Self-Care Championship sponsored by the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA). All seven pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania competed at the PPA’s Mid-Year Conference in Harrisburg, Pa. LECOM’s winning team was made up of Kim Thuc Pham, Kevin Long and Riley Williams.

Winning the competition was a major accomplishment for the LECOM students. It was the first time LECOM has ever won the Self-Care Champi-onship. The students had to showcase their knowledge of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and home remedies to win the competition.

During the fast-paced “Jeopardy”-style competition, points were award-ed for correct answers and deducted for incorrect responses. The trio from LECOM was trailing until the final round of competition. Pham, Long and Williams brought home a trophy and each received a $50 prize for their efforts.

“The design of this competition, requiring quick recall of product information, demonstrates the dedication of these students to master OTC product information,” said Mary Ray, Pharm.D., LECOM’s di-rector of experiential education and assistant professor of pharmacy.

“This is particularly impressive given the fact that it has been nearly a year since they have had coursework specific to OTC products.” Dr. Ray said a solid knowledge of OTC medications will allow students to properly advise patients during their future careers.

In addition to Dr. Ray, LECOM assistant pharmacy professors Justin Scholl, Pharm.D., and Maryann Scholl, Pharm.D., attended the competi-tion and cheered the team on to victory. Hershey Bell, M.D., M.S., LECOM School of Pharmacy dean; assistant pharmacy professors Elliott Cook, Pharm.D., and Randy Heemer, Pharm.D., and Millcreek Community Hos-pital resident Abbey Power, Pharm.D., helped the LECOM team prepare.

LEFT: LECOM School of Pharmacy students (L-R): Riley Williams, Kevin Long and Kim

Thuc Pham, all Class of 2012, proudly

accept their trophy after winning the 5th

Annual Pennsylvania Student Pharmacists Self-Care

Championship in Harrisburg, Pa.

Two LECOM School of Pharmacy students participated in the National Patient Counseling Competition in March. The com-petition was held during the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) national meeting in Seattle, Wash.

Vanessa Ray, Class of 2013, LECOM Erie, and Shilo Bremser, Class of 2012, LECOM Bradenton, earned spots in the national event by winning local competitions held in Erie and Bradenton. The student pharmacists also won all-expense paid trips to Seattle. Ray and Bremser competed against 120 pharmacy students from around the country.

Bremser said participating in the patient counseling competition taught her how to communicate with patients more effectively. “I learned to counsel patients in a lim-ited amount of time by presenting the most important information to them about their medication in a way that they could understand,” she said. Bremser added the les-sons she learned in preparing for the competition will help make her a better pharmacist.

Ray said she had a wonderful time in Seattle and was able to visit several attractions in-cluding the Space Needle, Pike Place Market and Safeco Field — home of the Seattle Mariners. She also spoke to many pharmacists and industry professionals during the annual meeting, saying that it was a good networking opportunity. As for the competition itself, Ray said, “Although I didn’t win, I feel like it was a great experience and opportunity for me.”

The goal of the APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition is to encourage student pharmacists in their efforts to become better patient educators. The competition reflects changes that are taking place in the pharmacy profession. It also promotes the professional development of student pharmacists and reinforces the role that pharmacists have as health care providers and educators.

Students test their pharmacy knowledge in Seattle

|Clinical Care|


Promoting primary care with olympic gamesEight teams of LECOM

Erie medical students and residents competed in the 2011 Primary Care Olympics, which were held in March.

The teams tested their physical skills in six areas: basketball free throw, cycling, golf, abdominal crunches, running and swimming.

Organized by Primary Care Department Director Richard Ortoski, D.O., the olympics promote well-ness and student interest in primary care practice. Ninety students and physicians from the MCH residency programs participated at the LECOM John M. & Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center.

Grouped in teams, students supported their teammates from the sidelines as they race head-to-head in the swimming competition of the Primary Care Olympics.

LEFT: Mark Kauffman, D.O., clinical associate professor of family medi-cine, joins in the cycling competi-tion. RIGHT: Erin Bren-nan, OMS2, stretches with the other teams before the olympics begin.

First — Gold Second — Silver Third —Bronze

Silver medalists from the Class of 2014 are: (L-R) Ken Heidle, Garrett Caldwell, Jerome Barron, John Baker, Diane Szarflarski, Erica Scheiffen, Tony Cleland, Ray Melder and Shamus Reimold.

Gold Medal winners from the Class of 2013 are: (L-R) Sean McLean, Rhett Ketschke, Ben Biswell, Adam Biedney, Craig Van Tassel, Tyler Smith, James Franz, Matt Szymaszek, Zach Kuptcha and Ben Grandy.

Bronze medalists from the MCH Orthopedics Residency are: (L-R) Warren Kiegen, Brian Jarris, Dan Lucas, Dan Cowley, Hans Joseph, Mike Corum, Tim Violente, Joe De-Witt and Nick Violente. Not shown is Dr. Anthony Ferretti.

|Clinical Care|


|Research|

When does a pharmacy student become a radio DJ? When hosting an internet radio show to drive new business to their pharmacy. That was one of the creative ideas LECOM students came up with as a way to make an independent pharmacy stand out from the crowd. The project was one of the business models unveiled during a poster presentation event at the Erie campus.

Students from the LECOM School of Pharmacy Class of 2012 showcased their business skills and ideas in the atrium. Second-year students in the Pharmacy Practice Management class worked together to create mock business plans as part of a class project.

Arpit Mehta’s group formulated a business plan for an independent pharmacy that uses an internet radio show to reach new customers and bring in new business. Mehta said the idea is to launch a radio show where customers could call in and talk to pharmacists about their medications and other health-related concerns. In order to complete the project, Mehta’s group talked to five independent pharmacies in Erie, Pa., and several local radio stations.

“It was a great experience, because we now have an idea of what it takes to open a new pharmacy and to encourage new customers to come to the pharmacy,” Mehta said. They learned that it can be challenging for independent pharmacists to compete with the larger chains, so they have to offer extra, valuable services in order to attract loyal customers.

Eighteen groups explored a wide range of pharmacy business models; topics included: opening an independent pharmacy; community service projects; and using new media to market and promote their pharmacy businesses and services. The assignment required students to think outside of their comfort zones and work as a team to develop realistic business plans

Associate Professor Kim Burns, R.Ph., J.D., the course coordinator, said the poster presentations were the third and final step in a three-part project. Students had to submit a written business plan, pitch

a presentation to a panel of faculty members and fashion posters illustrating their ideas.

“This is an active learning experience for the students,” said Dr. Burns. “After graduation, some of them might be pharmacy owners or may have to incorporate some business aspects into their practice; the pharmacist’s role is not just a clinical one.”

Erie Pharmacy students unveil Business Plans

The Community is our CampusSchool of Pharmacy students in Bradenton recognized Dr. Kenneth Hale, of Ohio State University and founder of Generation Rx. The goal of the Generation Rx Initiative is to enhance the public’s understanding of medication safety issues, in general, and those relating to prescription drug abuse. LECOM pharmacy students have presented the Generation Rx initiative to high schools in Manatee County. Pictured are: (L-R) Shinelle Pierre, P2, Rebecca Nelson, P3, Dr. Kenneth Hale and Jaclyn DeCrosta, P3.

Generation RX founder honored


In fact, two LECOM School of Pharmacy alumni from the Class of 2005 recently opened an independent pharmacy in Edinboro, Pa. Rebecca Wise, Pharm.D., and Paul Berkebile, Pharm.D., are the owners of Lakeside Health Mart Pharmacy.

Milanka Petrovic led a group that created a business plan called “Smart Start.” They created a mock, non-profit program that teaches antibiotic resistance education to second graders in Erie County. They made coloring books for students and pamphlets for parents, and they came up with a plan to involve chain pharmacies in the educational outreach.

“It helped us work together,” said Petrovic. “We all had to make certain compromises and sacrifices with each other to complete the project successfully,” Petrovic said.

First-year pharmacy students were required to attend the poster presentation and had a chance to ask project leaders questions. It gave the first-year students some good ideas for next year when they will have to come up with their own pharmacy business projects.

Erie Pharmacy students unveil Business PlansStay Tuned:

LECOM Research Yearbook

coming soon!Faculty and staff are currently collaborating

to edit the 2011 LECOM Research Collective Yearbook.

The Research Yearbook, which is published every two years, features updates from more than a dozen LECOM faculty members who direct or assist privately-sponsored laboratories with the help of LECOM students.

The research found in this publication highlights 15 topics, some of which include: disease states, infections, body functions, parasites, cellular studies, studies of the brain, public health and drug studies.

The Research Yearbook documents LECOM’s continual effort to enhance osteopathic medicine and medical research, as well as fulfill LECOM’s own mission to enhance the quality of life.

TOP: Hershey Bell, M.D., School of Pharmacy dean, talks to second-year pharmacy student Milanka Petrovic about her poster presentation.

BOTTOM: LECOM pharmacy students from the Class of 2012 presented their business plans to faculty members and fellow stu-dents at a recent poster presenta-tion event.

The Community is our Campus

In Bradenton, Megan Sterling, OMS1, and Jonathan Gumer, OMS1, let the public know about LECOM during Pirate Fest, an annual street fair held outside of McKechnie Field, the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

LECOM steps up to the plate


LECOM observed World AIDS Day with ceremonies and displays at each of its campuses. Students, faculty and staff at each site were encouraged to wear red, with nearly 150 participants between the Erie and Bradenton campuses. TOP: The Christian Medical Club in Seton Hill observed World Aids Day with a poster presentation. Pictured are: (L-R) club advisor Karen Benedum, M.D., project organizer Maryann Salib, and club President Hope Kummant. LEFT: Students in Bradenton lined up to form a large red ribbon.


Erie Community Health Net (CHN) celebrated the grand opening of its new pharmacy at the Daniel S. Snow, M.D., Health Center, 1202 State St., in Erie, Pa. The addition of the pharmacy offers the Erie Community a complete circle of care, including the already established medical, dental, oral surgery, behavioral health counseling, HIV/AIDS medical services, “Health Care for the Homeless” program and vision service. LECOM President and CEO John M. Ferretti, D.O., presents a check to CHN CEO John Schultz and pharmacist Jeff Nowak, Pharm.D., LECOM Class of 2005. The pharmacy’s hours are: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

LECOM presents donation to underwrite cost of pharmacy education services

Remembering ‘World AIDS Day’


As a sponsor of the Erie BayHawks D-League NBA team, LECOM wants the team to feel like part of the family. TOP: The Erie BayHawks enjoyed an early Christmas dinner at the LECOM John M. & Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center since the team was on the road in Iowa on Christmas Day. The BayHawks received small gifts from LECOM’s own Mrs. Claus (played by Executive Assistant to the President, Helen McKenzie) and Dr. Silvia Ferretti. BOTTOM: BayHawks players took a tour of the College in March, including making a stop in the OMM lab where Patrick Leary, D.O., clinical professor of family medicine, talked to the team about osteopathic medicine in relation to sports medicine. LECOM also treated them to a pizza party.

Members of LECOM’s Integrative Medicine Club in Bradenton assisted fourth- and fifth-grade students at the Center for Education Montessori School to plant a garden. LECOM is partnering with the Center on its Edible Schoolyard Program. Students who participated include: (L-R) Jason Meeks, OMS1; Logan Dellinger, OMS1; Center for Education volunteer Patricia McKeithan; Stefanie Johnson, OMS2; and Dennis Gilroy, OMS1. Center for Education Montessori students, pictured in the front row, are: Anna Fleece, Samantha Scholl, Erik Polin and Nathan Fleece.

Club shows off green thumb


LECOM sees BayHawks as part of the family



Congressman Vern Buchanan (center) toured the Community Pharmacy of Sarasota recently, meeting with Kimberly Chmielewski, executive director of Community Pharmacy of Sarasota, and Hershey S. Bell, M.D., dean of the LECOM School of Pharmacy. Located in Nokomis, Fla., the Community Pharmacy of Sarasota County is dedicated to providing completely free medication and professional pharmaceutical care to the uninsured and working poor. Pictured are: (L-R) Dr. Bell; Kimberly Chmielewski; Heather Trinkala, P4; Congressman Buchanan; Jason Besser, P4; LECOM Associate Dean for Curriculum Julie Wilkinson, Pharm.D.; and LECOM faculty member Katherine Tromp, Pharm.D.

Bradenton club lends a handStephanie Patrick, P2, left, and Doan Nguyen, P3, separate canned food items at the Meals on Wheels Food Bank of Manatee County, which provides stock food items to more than 20 non-profit organizations that distribute food to needy individuals and families in the community. Other members of LECOM’s Kappa Epsilon Pharmacy fraternity also volunteered their services at the food bank by boxing up food staples.

Congressman visits Community Pharmacy


The Community is our CampusCongressman visits Community Pharmacy

LECOM Erie and Seton Hill students participated in “D.O. Day on the Hill,” which took place at the Hart Senate office building in Washington, D.C., on April 7, 2011. The students who attended, included: (L-R) Rebecca Mokhiber, OMS1; Christina Giblin, OMS1; and Tyler Bates, OMS1; were photographed in front of Senator Barbara Mikulski’s office. As natives of Maryland, Mokhiber, Giblin and Bates participated in this event, which allows for medical students and practicing D.O.’s to visit with their state representatives in Congress and discuss with them the ideals and principles supported by osteopathic medicine.

Second-year medical students from Seton Hill decided that they wanted to collectively display their patriotism for the nation by dressing in full-military attire for their final mock board exam. Pictured are: (L-R) Hy Pham, Derek Larson, Alexander Kirkpatrick, Jessica Warneke and Sally Corey.

Pride on display

‘D.O. on the Hill’ Day



LECOM Wellness Fair a success!More than 70 LECOM medical and pharmacy students and LECOM residents in Erie came together for a one-day Wellness Fair at the Millcreek Mall in Erie, where student displays and demonstrations could reach multitudes of the Erie community. Tables were

lined up in two of the mall’s concourses, displaying information on disease states, heart health, cholesterol prevention, women’s health, prescription medication questions, nutrition, immunizations, skin diseases and blood pressure screenings. BOTTOM ROW, LEFT:

Pictured are: (L-R) second-year pharmacy students Brenda Cheung, Rong (Cecilia) Li, Modanoon Young and Thuy Tram Nguyen. CENTER: First-year medical student Tracy Espiritu mans the OMM table with Scott Morris, who works on School of



Pharmacy Dean Hershey Bell, M.D. RIGHT: First-year pharmacy students (L-R) Kelcey Noble, Sarah Swanson and Carrie Nolan helped at the Pediatric Club’s Kid’s Korner, where children were invited to participate in educational activities.

Alicia Barnes, OMS1, takes a blood pressure screening at the Gulf Coast Senior Expo in Sarasota, Fla.

LECOM medical and pharmacy students in Bradenton participated in ‘Healthy Kids Day’ at the YMCA. Healthy Kids Day encourages families to ‘Put Play in Their Day’ during a free, fun-filled day that in-cludes interactive games, engaging and creative family activities, and health giveaways to encourage children and families to adopt behaviors that support a healthier lifestyle. First-year medical students Paul Sojo, Samantha Mousset, Christopher Ng, Alan Mashraghi and Ryan Tucker were on hand to represent LECOM during this YMCA event.


LECOM’s Coffee Culture opens in Erie, Pa.Erie’s newest coffee house has opened on Peach Street and the café is

already busy with customers eager to try out the tasty menu. LECOM opened the Coffee Culture Café and Eatery on Peach Street at 7 a.m. Monday, July 25.

Right after the doors opened, patrons were lining up to try the coffee, baked goods and breakfast sandwiches made fresh in the café kitchen. The restaurant offers comfortable seating in a warm, inviting atmosphere, where customers can spend time meeting friends or coworkers, surfing the web, reading or just relaxing with some friends.

Coffee Culture is designed like a “European Café” with granite table and counter tops. The upscale interior makes the restaurant unique. There is a “soft seating” section with leather chairs, a fire place and a flat screen TV.

The menu includes specialty coffees, a variety of soups, salads, specialty panini sandwiches, pizza and wraps. Customers can also enjoy their bever-ages and meals outside on a covered patio.

Coffee Culture bakes fresh daily on premise offering muffins, pastries, scones, croissants, cookies and serving upscale gourmet cakes and apple tarts.

LECOM has hired veteran restaurant manager Neil DiSanti, who will direct the daily operations of the facility and employ up to 30 people.

The College remodeled the student center at 5761 Peach Street to ac-commodate the 65 seat restaurant which is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to Midnight on Friday and Saturday.

While the restaurant is open to the public, students will continue to have secure access to the south side of the building. The renovations allow the stu-dents to take advantage of the private space to study, hold club and student government meetings and social activities.

Coffee Culture & Eatery is located at 5761 Peach St., Erie, Pa. Business hours are: Sunday-Thursday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Satur-day from 7 a.m. to midnight. The cafe can be reached at (814) 860-3310.

LECOM students and Millcreek Com-munity Hospital resi-dents have a new place to study. The Wallace and Charlotte Steehler Memorial Library opened in early March on the second floor of the hospital.

The new library was named in honor of the late Dr. Wallace and Charlotte Steehler thanks to a $40,000 donation from Kirk Steehler, D.O.

“I’m grateful to Dr. Steehler in stepping forward and naming the library in honor of his parents,” said Mary Eckert, Millcreek Community Hospital president and CEO. Dr. Wal-lace Steehler was one of the founders of the former Doctor’s Osteopathic Hospital in Erie, but also worked at Millcreek Community Hospital.

“I felt that my dad and my mom had given so much to the commu-nity, and I felt that it was important for them to be recognized in some way,” said Dr. Steehler, who is currently an ear, nose and throat specialist

in Erie.“I was looking for

something like this to honor my parents, and Millcreek Community Hospital has been so kind,” Dr. Steehler con-tinued. “It’s just really an honor that they are allowing me to do this.”

After seeing the final product, Dr. Steehler was impressed with the results. “It’s a stunning improvement for the li-brary and a wonderful addition to the hospital.”

“It has enhanced services for the students

with regard to additional computers and much better space,” said Eck-ert. “The old library was rather cramped in a corridor right off the main hospital hallway.”

The library is one of the many renovations completed on the second floor, which is devoted to medical education. The improvements on the second floor also include new conference rooms, meeting rooms and medical education offices.

|LECOM Updates|

MCH unveils new medical library

LEFT: Millcreek Community Hospital President and CEO Mary Eckert, left, and Deborah Lee-Sanko, executive director of LECOMT, right, thank Kirk Steehler, D.O., who gave a $40,000 donation toward remodeling the MCH library in honor of his parents. RIGHT: The old library was 700 square feet, while the new library is 2,500 square feet — more than triple the size. The new library was designed by Silvia Ferretti, D.O., LECOM provost, senior vice president and dean of academic affairs. It contains 800 books, 65 journal subscriptions, 250 audiovisual offerings and 12 computers.


LECOM Student Scholarship Fund

Auction 2011

LECOM Student Scholarship Fund

Auction 2011

Saturday, November 5, 2011Saturday, November 5, 2011

Company NameContact NameAddressCity, State Zip

LAKE ERIE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE1858 West Grandview Blvd. Erie, Pennsylvania 16509

(814) 866-6641 www.lecom.edu

T h e L E CO M S t u d e n t Scholarship Fund helps d e s e r v i n g s t u d e n t s manage the high cost of medical and pharmacy school.

Save the DateLECOM

Student Scholarship FundAuction 2011

SaturdayNovember 5, 2011

We invite you to join us at the Bayfront Convention Center on this new special night for a “Holiday Celebration.” Come and bid on your choice of many fabulous items. Enjoy excellent

service as the Bayfront Convention Center serves a signature dish for the event created by

Executive Chef David Robbinson.

a

Mail to:LECOM

1858 W. Grandview Blvd.Erie, PA 16509

Kathleen KellyPharmacy Class of 2012

“The generosity of the donors to

the LECOM Scholarship

Fund is greatly appreciated, as

it has allowed me to work

toward achiev-ing my dream of

becoming a suc-cessful pharmacist in a more affordable way.”

“I want to let you know how thankful I am for being awarded the Academic Excellence Scholarship. The past two years at LECOM have been wonderful, and although they do involve some of the most stressful and mentally tiresome periods of my life, I can honestly say that they are also the greatest learning experiences I have ever had.

Sean Larner

Medical Class of 2012 ”

For more information on the events: Erie (814) 860-5148 | Bradenton (941) 782-5927

LECOM BradentonStudent Scholarship Fund

Dinner & Auction GalaSaturday

October 15, 2011

LECOM Erie


Class of 2011Nathan Aardsma, D.O., took second place and won a $200 prize in the 2011 UPMC Hamot Research Day Oral Presentation held in April.

Kevin Dankert, D.O., co-authored an article published in the March 2011 issue of The AAO Journal (American Academy of Osteopathy). The article was titled, “Evaluating the perception of motion in medical students, residents, and physicians.” Craig Chappell, D.O., LECOM Sports Medicine Fellow, was the article’s primary author.

Ronak Gor, D.O., published several articles in the December 2010 and April 2011 editions of the Journal of Pediatric Urology. Over the past two years, he has been published in the journal five times as either the primary author or co-author. He also came in first place and took home a $300 prize in the 2011 UPMC Hamot Research Day Poster Presentation in April.

James Lamberg, D.O., was se-lected as LECOM’s 2010-2011 Student D.O. of the Year. He also led a group of LECOM students that cre-ated an iPhone application called “OMM Guide.” The app is a free medical resource for osteopathic medical students and residents. The app was released on Dec. 15, 2009, and has been downloaded more than 50,000 times.

John Leuenberger, D.O., was elected to the board of the Student American Academy of Osteopathy/Postgraduate American Academy of Osteopathy (SAAO/PAAO). He will serve as a liaison between students and residents, oversee the Student Mentor Program and develop new ways to recruit new members to the PAAO.

Lucas McCaffrey, D.O., married Laura Wolfe, D.O., on June 11. They are both starting an internal medicine residency at Winthrop Univer-sity Hospital in Long Island, N.Y.

Kathleen Pitterle, D.O., completed a sports medicine rotation this spring at the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Sports Medicine Clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was the first LECOM student selected for the rotation. She worked with Olympic athletes, physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists. She is currently enrolled in an internal medicine/pedi-atrics residency at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

Class of 2012Ali Abtahi, OMS4, received the Nils Pfenning Diversity Award from the Centers for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE). He wrote an essay titled, “Motorcycles and Music,” which is geared toward increasing organ donor designa-tion and awareness in the Erie area. Abtahi hopes to pursue a general surgery residency and organ

transplant fellowship.

Rebecca Bollinger, P3, attended the PPA’s Fourth Annual Government Relations Advocacy for Student Pharmacists (GRASP) program in February in Harrisburg, Pa. She was one of 21 pharmacy students from across Pennsylvania to attend the conference. Participants learned about legislative side of the pharmacy profession and the regulatory process.

Jed Duensing, OMS4, won first place and a $500 prize in the Eighth Annual Natural Supple-ments Research Competition in January in San Diego, Calif. The conference was sponsored by the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. His poster presentation abstract — “The effect of L-carnitine on lipoprotein levels and its role in cardiovascular disease therapy” — was also pub-lished in the Journal of Alternative and Comple-mentary Medicine.

Rochelle Forsyth, P4, was named as a Trustee for the Florida Pharmacy Association in Tal-lahassee, Fla. She is the first LECOM School of Pharmacy student to serve on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Erika Gould, P3, traveled to India in February with Devon Swancer, P3. They gave polio vaccines to approximately 2,000 children. They also helped volunteers and laborers build a dam in a remote village to improve irrigation and crop yields. The trip was organized by Rotary International.

Celestine Ichoku, P3, spoke at a Black His-tory Month event at East High School in Erie. As a Nigerian-born American, he spoke about African-American history from a native African perspective. He told the audience that education is the key to success in America, adding that there are many opportunities for African-Ameri-cans to succeed in this country.

Kunal Kanani, P4, received a $3,000 scholar-ship from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation. He was one of 58 phar-macy students nationwide to receive a NACDS scholarship.

Kelsey Laks, P3, attended the PPA’s Fourth Annual Government Relations Advocacy for Stu-dent Pharmacists (GRASP) program in February in Harrisburg, Pa. She was one of 21 pharmacy students from across Pennsylvania to attend the conference. Participants learned about legislative side of the pharmacy profession and the regula-tory process.

Gina Petrakos, OMS4, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Sun Coast Osteopathic Foundation in Largo, Fla.

James Toldi, OMS4, co-authored a poster, The Use of Venting Slit Sutures as a Modification of Glaucoma Drainage Implants to Prevent Early Postoperative Hypertension and Hypotony.” He

presented the poster in May at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology national conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.Amy Wilds, P4, received a $500 Medco Health Solutions Scholarship from the Florida Pharmacy Foundation. In applying for the scholarship, she wrote a 300 word essay, “The Advantages of Providing Patient Care with a Pharmacy Benefit Management/Mail Service Pharmacy Setting.”

Class of 2013Adam Allan, OMS3, was awarded a $1,000 schol-arship from the Sun Coast Osteopathic Founda-tion in Largo, Fla.

Liza Brown, OMS3, received a $1,000 scholar-ship for the 2011-12 academic year from the Blake Medical Center Auxiliary in Bradenton, Fla.

Caroline Davis, OMS3, received a $500 scholar-ship from the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA). She was honored with FOMA’s Student Leadership Award at the FOMA convention in Weston, Fla.

Michael Groover, OMS3, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Colorado Springs Osteo-pathic Foundation.

Matthew Hallanger, OMS3, presented “Recogni-tion and Field Management of Traumatic Brain Injuries” to the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team.

Colton Hutton, P2, attended the PPA’s Fourth Annual Government Relations Advocacy for Student Pharmacists (GRASP) program in Febru-ary in Harrisburg, Pa. He was one of 21 pharmacy students from across Pennsylvania to attend the conference. Participants learned about legislative side of the pharmacy profession and the regulatory process.

Dustin Paul, OMS3, spent six weeks in India on a medical mission in the summer of 2010. He went with members of St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia. He worked six days a week at a clinic at St. Gregorios Hospital in Paru-mula. He traveled by elephant through the jungle to help patients in need of medical attention. As the only medical student in the group, he talked to Indian physicians about osteopathic medicine and osteopathic manipulative therapy. After leaving In-dia, Paul spent two weeks in Nicaragua on another medical mission.

Class of 2014Kinsey Bernhard, OMS2, Ben Bumgarner, OMS2, Rachel Johnson, OMS2, Florence Lee, OMS3, Maryann Salib, OMS3, and Amit Sharma, OMS2, have been working with older adults at the Greensburg YMCA. The students use interactive exercises and show seniors ways to look up accurate health information online. The teaching materials were developed by the National Institute on Aging.

Jill Eysaman, OMS2, co-authored an article that was published in the February 2011 issue of Clini-cal Pediatrics. The article was titled, “Screening obese students for acanthosis nigricans and other diabetes risk factors in the urban School Based Health Center.”

Dr. Lamberg displays the iPhone App ‘OMM Guide.’ Gould, left, and Swancer provided

vaccines to 2,000 Indian children.

|Student Notes|

Paradisus Palm Real ResortPunta Cana, Dominican Republic


Kimberly Feltner, OMS2, received a $250 scholarship from the Advocates for FOMA at the FOMA convention in Weston, Fla.

Jonathan Forbes, OMS2, spoke to first- and second-year students at LECOM Seton Hill and to the Evidence Based Medicine Club in March about the research he did as a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University. The title of his presentation was, “Innate Immunity: Characterizing Activity for Therapeutic Applica-tions.”

Steven Phillips, OMS2, has been named a 2010-2011 Albert Schweitzer Environmental Fellow. He will provide 300 hours of service to

improve the health of students with autism spec-trum disorders at the Presley Ridge Day School in Greensburg. He will teach students how to make healthy decisions about diet and exercise.

Matthew Ray, OMS2, co-authored an article published in the Fall 2010 issue of the Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy. The article was titled, “Death: A New Legal Per-spective.” Ray wrote about current trends in bioethics, and researched historical definitions and criteria regarding death.

Upali Ranasinghe, OMS2, was awarded the Dr. Bruce Hudson Memorial $2,500 Scholar-ship from the Blake Medical Center Auxiliary

in Bradenton, Fla.

Sarah Turner, OMS2, recently published an article on an online publication at antimicrobe.org. The article was titled, “NDM-1 — The Newest Recruit to the Army of Beta-lactamases.” She collaborated with LECOM Seton Hill faculty members Timothy Mietzner, Ph.D., and Ja’Nean Reay, Ph.D.

Jessica Tyler, OMS2, co-authored an article that was published in the March 24, 2011 edition of Cancer Prevention Research. The article was titled, “Aspirin and Low-Dose Nitric Oxide-Donating Aspirin Increase Life Span in a Lynch Syndrome Mouse Model.”

Continuing Medical Education ConferenceLECOM Primary Care Update

Paradisus Palm Real ResortPunta Cana, Dominican Republic

Monday, Sept. 12, to Thursday, Sept.15, 2011Earn up to 20 Category 1-A CME Credits

For more info., visit lecom.edu/phys_cme.php; call (814) 866-8121; or e-mail [email protected]

|Upcoming Events|August 11 — Millcreek Community Hospital 2011 Golf ClassicAugust 15 — School of Pharmacy classes beginAugust 22 — School of Pharmacy classes begin in BradentonSeptember 12-15 — LECOM Primary Care Update, CME Conference in Punta CanaOctober 1 — White Coat Ceremony at LECOM Seton HillOctober 15 — LECOM Bradenton Student Scholarship Fund Dinner and Auction GalaNovember 1 — Alumni Dinner at the 2011 AOA Osteopathic Medical ConferenceNovember 5 — LECOM Erie Student Scholarship Fund AuctionJanuary 28, 2012 — White Coat Ceremony at LECOM BradentonFebruary 11, 2012 — Medical White Coat Ceremony at LECOM ErieFebruary 18, 2012 — Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony at LECOM ErieMarch 2-4, 2012 — Primary Care 2012 Conference


Class of 1998Frank Fatica, D.O., Erie, won a new Apple iPad in a drawing to benefit the 2010 LECOM Student Scholarship Fund. Everyone who made a donation was eligible to win the prize.

Class of 2001Brian Pollock, D.O., has been named the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at Summa Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He joined the hospital in March 2010 after serving for six years on the Board of Graduate Medical Education at South Pointe Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.

Class of 2002Jeffrey Lee, D.O., has joined the staff at Silver

Cross Hospital in Joliet, Ill. He is board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation. He main-tains at office with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago at Silver Cross Hospital.

Class of 2003Henry Ess, D.O., is a member of the critical care team in the intensive care unit at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, N.H. He is board certified in internal medicine and works as a hospitalist. He also co-chairs the hospital’s pharmacy and thera-peutics committees.

David Fedor, D.O., is on the critical care team in the intensive care unit at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, N.H. He is board certified in internal medicine and critical care. His clinical interests are in blood transfusions and transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI).

Class of 2004Eric Milie, D.O., was re-elected to the board of trustees of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association (POMA). He is chairman of POMA District 7, which includes Erie, Crawford, Warren and McKean counties. He is a clinical as-sistant professor of internal medicine at LECOM and a physician with Medical Associates of Erie.

Mark Silver, D.O., has joined the staff of Advo-cate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill., where he specializes in internal medicine. He completed his residency at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. His office is in Chicago.

Class of 2006 Anna Dumont, D.O., Erie, is a fellowship-trained primary care sports medicine special-

|Alumni Notes|

Hershey Bell, M.D., LECOM School of Pharmacy Dean, and Matthew Cettin, LECOM Director of Planning, Institutional Assessment, and Accredi-tation, had their manuscript “Medical Student Learning Competency: A survey of 25 osteopathic medical schools” accepted for publication in Fam-ily Medicine, the official journal of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. In April, Dr. Bell visit-ed the Oklahoma University School of Community Medicine in Tulsa as a member of the “Beyond Flexner Advisory Committee” administered through the George Washington University School of Public Health.

Kimberly Burns, R.Ph., J.D., gave a presentation titled, “The Pharmacists’ Responsibilities When Dispensing Opioids” at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) annual meeting in Seattle, Wash., in March. She also served on the APhA House of Delegates on behalf of the American Society of Pharmacy Law.

Elliott Cook, Pharm.D., spoke at the Pharmaceuti-cal Pollution Task Force meeting at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, Pa., in April. It was sponsored by the LECOM School of Pharmacy, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, and State Rep. John Hor-naman. Dr. Cook talked about the proper ways to dispose of unwanted medications.

Bertalan Dudas, M.D., Ph.D., had an article published in the June 2011 edition of the Neuro-peptides Journal. The article is tilted, “A putative morphological substrate of the catecholamine-influenced neuropeptide Y release in the human hypothalamus.” He collaborated on the article with Laam Ko, D.O., Class of 2008; Giorgio Rotoli, D.O., Class of 2011; and Walter Hu, post baccalau-reate administrative assistant.

Irv Freeman, Ph.D., J.D., vice president for LECOM at Seton Hill, was named secretary of the Greensburg Community Development Corpora-tion. The GCDC works with businesses, institu-tions and organizations in Greensburg, Pa., to foster economic development and community improve-ments in the city.

Mark Kauffman, D.O., M.S. (Med.Ed.), has published the COMLEX Level 2-PE Review Guide

and the “Colorectal Cancer Screening Update,” which has been approved for publication in the Osteopathic Family Physician journal. He will also lead the Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway at LECOM, which will be implemented in the fall of 2011.

Christine Kell, Ph.D., published an article in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Associa-tion, March 2011 supplement. She and Richard Ortoski, D.O., authored the article, “Anal Cancer and Screening Guidelines for Human Papillomavi-rus in Men.”

Randy Kulesza, Ph.D., was published in the June 2011 International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience. The article is titled “Air pollution is associated with brainstem nuclei pathology and delayed brainstem auditory evoked potentials.” He presented “Auditory Brainstem Malformations in Autism” in January at the Autism Research Institute’s Think Tank in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Kulesza also came in third place at the Presque Isle Half Marathon in March.

Timothy Mietzner, Ph.D., recently published an article in the online publication, antimicrobe.org. The article was titled, “NDM-1 – The New-est Recruit to the Army of Beta-lactamases.” He collaborated with LECOM at Seton Hill faculty member Ja’Nean Reay, PhD, and Sarah Turner, Med ’14, Seton Hill.

Philip Miller, D.O., has received his board cer-tification in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.

James Moore, DMA, director of recruitment, made presentations outlining LECOM’s history, accomplishments and new School of Dental Medi-cine during the four regional conferences of the National Association of Advisors of the Health Pro-fessions (NAAHP) in March and April. He served on a panel discussing admissions procedures at the National American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Convention in Arlington, Va., in March, and he served as a presenter at the Intermountain Pre-Med Conference in Provo, Utah, in May.

Ali Moradi, M.D., has been reappointed to a

three year term as a member of the Health Promotion Disease Prevention and Health Care Delivery Review Committee of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. He was appointed a Fellowship Research Proposal Reviewer for the AOA Council on Research. Dr. Moradi also reviewed abstracts that were submitted for the 139th Annual American Public Health Association meeting.

Richard Ortoski, D.O., has been named a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.

Stephanie Peshek, Pharm.D., was interviewed and spotlighted in the Pharmacy Practice Managers section of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) website. It was a two-page profile detailing her educational and professional background, qualifications and accomplishments. Ja’Nean Reay, Ph.D., recently published an article in an online publication at antimicrobe.org. She collaborated with LECOM at Seton Hill faculty member Timothy Mietzner, Ph.D., and Sarah Turner, OMS2.

Jeremy Sivillo, registrar, received an award and Battalion Coin from the United States Armed Forces Health Profession Scholarship Program (HPSP) Recruiting Battalion in February. Sivil-lo was recognized for his support and assistance in taking care of LECOM HPSP students.

Mark Terrell, Ed.D., presented a seminar to the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biol-ogy at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont., Canada. He also organized and chaired a symposium — “Research in Anatomy Education” — at the American Association of Anatomists Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2011.

Nina Zaveri, Ph.D., has joined the faculty of the LECOM Bradenton College of Medicine. She has a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Ohio State University. She spent 14 years in the pri-vate sector working in the areas of neurophar-macology and molecular and cellular biology.

|Faculty Notes|


ist at Tri Rivers Surgical Associates at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pa. It opened in April and provides musculoskeletal care to patients in Slippery Rock, Grove City and New Castle. The facility has on-site digital radiography, fluoroscopy and electrodiagnostic services.

Class of 2007Joshua Kentosh, D.O., is serving active duty with the United States Navy. He is currently em-ployed in a dermatology residency at the National Navy Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Jennifer Vandevelde, D.O., was recently featured in a story in the Akron Beacon in Ohio. The article focused on her work with robotic-assisted surgeries at Akron Summa Hospital. Dr. Vande-velde and her husband, Nicholas, live in Akron with their son, Vincent.

Class of 2008Shawn Adkins, Pharm.D., is the pharmacy manager at Walgreens in Brevard, N.C. He is

married to Pinar Polat Adkins, Pharm.D. They live in Fletcher, N.C.

Pinar Polat Adkins, Pharm.D., works as a phar-macist at Park Ridge Health in Fletcher, N.C.

Shalia Gupta, D.O., is working at Northwest Indiana Neurological Associates in Munster, Ind. She is board certified in neurology and psychiatry. She completed her neurophysiology fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Mich.

Nnecka Nzegwu, D.O., is enrolled in a fellow-ship in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

Class of 2009Paul Been, D.O., was named Chief Emergency Medicine resident at Akron General Medical Center in Akron, Ohio. His duties will include scheduling, administrative work, and coordinat-ing weekly educational conferences for residents.

Kevin Kotar, D.O., has been selected to serve as

Chief Resident of Policy for the UPMC St. Mar-garet Family Residency Program in Pittsburgh.

April Smith-Gonzalez, D.O., took first place in the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association’s Resident Research Poster Competition. Her poster explained how hypertension medications play a role in the treatment of complicated migraine headaches.

Class of 2010Eda Cristina Abuchaibe, D.O., won second prize in the Florida Osteopathic Medical Asso-ciation’s Resident Research Poster Competition for the poster describing a missing chromosome in an unusual case of an aortic Sinus of Valsalva rupture.

Ahed Salamen, Pharm.D., is a co-owner of compounding pharmacy Clark Professional Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. It is one of only five pharmacies in Michi-gan to receive accreditation from the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB). He lives in Novi, Mich., with his wife and son.

Silvia M. Agresti Ferretti, 92. The recent passing of Silvia M. Ferretti, the beloved mother of LECOM President John M. Ferretti; Academic Affairs Dean and Provost Silvia M. Ferretti; and Anthony Ferretti, D.O., assistant dean of clinical ed-ucation, saddened the entire LECOM Family. The resultant outpouring of care, concern and support throughout the community was reflected through countless memorial gifts to the LECOM Student Scholarship Fun to honor the life of Silvia M. Ferretti.

The more than $50,000 received by the scholarship fund in memory of Silvia M. Ferretti will make the calling of medicine and the promise of a healing hand a reality for many students who otherwise would have found their dreams unrealized.

Silvia M. Ferretti continues to live through the legacy of students who will reach others with their gifts; students who will give hope to the afflicted; and students whose curative skills will better the lives of those whom they touch. The hand of Providence who called home his daughter, Silvia, will hold her presence ever near us and keep her motherly love with us for generations to come.

As time brings reflection, and with it memories, each memory becomes a treasure. The legacy created in tribute to Silvia M. Ferretti will keep those treasures of her life alive, and it will make them a part of the tapestry of all that is LECOM.

|In Memoriam|

Class of 1997Nicholas DePizzo II, D.O., 42, died April 18, 2011, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was board certified in family practice and shared a practice with his father in Youngstown. Dr. DePizzo was an avid runner who completed his first marathon in 2009 in Chicago. He was a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the Ohio State Medical Association and the Mahoning County Medical Association.

Class of 2011Jennifer Lee LaRue, 28, died October 20, 2010. She was a medical student at LECOM in Erie who would have gradu-ated this year with the Class of 2011.

Class of 2013Jacob Daniel Fowler, 22, of Riverview, Florida, died June 27, 2011. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Jacob was currently a third-year student at LECOM Bradenton and was eager to begin serving people in his hospital rotations beginning in July. He was past vice president of the LECOM Christian Medical Association and was dedicated to serving others. He is survived by his wife, Diana Rivera Fowler; his parents, Bill and Patty Fowler; and his brothers, Matthew and Zachary.

1858 West Grandview Blvd. Erie, Pennsylvania 16509(814) 866-6641 www.lecom.edu

Dr. Tursi poses with his poster at

the 2011 POMA Conference/

Alumni Dinner in

May.

Dr. Tursi and his mother, Marie, attend-

ing the POMA formal dinner.

lecom connection summer 2011

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