Midwestern University is committed to educating our students to become part of the next generation of health-care professionals. In addition to serving our students, the University is an important partner in the communi-ties of Downers Grove, IL and Glendale, AZ, and the surrounding areas. Recently, the University commis-sioned a comprehensive, independent analysis by Applied Economics, a specialized economics consulting firm, to determine its current and ongoing economic impact in these communities.

The study revealed that Midwestern University has had a far-reaching effect on job creation, business development, personal income, tax revenues, and construction expen-ditures in the local economy. In Illinois, the University had an economic impact of over $364.6 million on the DuPage County economy in the fiscal year 2014. In Arizona, Midwestern University had an economic impact of over $423.2 million on the Maricopa County economy during the same time period. Through the continued

President’s Message .....2

Faculty, Staff, and Student Research and Activities Update .........3

Research ......................5

Administration Updates ........................6

Faculty News ................8

Campus Events ............8

Student Activities ......11

Photo Gallery ............16

Vital SignsT h e n e w s b e a t o f M i d w e s t e r n U n i v e r s i t y

DOWNERS GROVE, ILGLENDALE, AZwww.midwestern.edu

Midwestern UniversityTomorrow’s Healthcare Team

Inside

Winter 2016

Continued on page 2

Midwestern University: Making a Powerful Impact on Our Community

The Multispecialty Clinic in Downers Grove expands service to community with the new Eye Institute.

By Alexandra Pierre-Bez, DMS-III (CDMA), ASDA Community Service CoordinatorStudents, faculty and staff from the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona spent a Saturday morning at the Midwestern University Dental Institute for the annual Super Sealant Saturday event, providing free preventive dental care to children between the ages of four and 18. Students from all four classes participated by educating young patients on the importance of oral hygiene and providing necessary care to help prevent tooth decay.

Over 290 patients had the opportunity to be screened and receive cleanings, fluoride varnish treatment, and molar sealants. CDMA students reviewed oral health instruction with patients and their families after treat-ment, and supplied goody bags with oral hygiene items and instructions for patients to continue their care at home.

Student organizations from Midwestern University, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona hosted tables outside of the clinic with crafts and games for entertainment. Face painting, mini golf, a basketball game, and other activities were available for families before or after their appoint-ments. Home Depot also had a craft table for visiting children, and a deejay played music for all to enjoy.

CDMA Delivers Free Dental Care to Kids

The Eye Institute is the most recent addition to the Multispecialty Clinic in Downers Grove. The Eye Institute provides comprehensive family eye care for the community and a wide range of glasses and contacts. Licensed optometrists and certified opticians offer primary vision care and specialty services for contact lenses, ocular prosthetics, low-vision, vision therapy, and pediatric vision care.

The Eye Institute houses exam rooms, classrooms, specialty care areas, and optical retail services offering a wide selection of eyeglasses and contact lenses at competitive prices. As a full-service eye and vision clinic, the Eye Institute provides comprehensive eye exams and eye disease diagnosis and treatment.

Eye Institute Opens at Downers Grove Multispecialty Clinic

2 Vital Signs midwestern.edu

growth of our academic programs and the development of our two campuses, Midwestern University’s economic impact will continue to have positive repercussions throughout many industry sectors.

The study also found the University’s positive impact on the communi-ty extends well beyond the financial data. The Midwestern University Clinics on both campuses offer affordable outpatient healthcare and comprehensive treatment options for the community while providing an important educational experience for many of our students.

Midwestern University faculty members also conduct numerous research projects to help expand our scientific knowledge about health and medicine. These studies have earned financial support from agen-cies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the American Medical Association Foundation, the American Heart Association, American Physical Therapy Association, and others.

Perhaps the most significant contribution to the community is the thousands of service hours Midwestern University students, faculty and staff members participate in each year. Improving the lives and

health of others through service has always been a vital piece of our campus philosophy. “At Midwestern, service is not an elective course, but rather an integral part of the educational experience shared by students, faculty, and staff,” said Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., President and CEO of Midwestern University. “Service to others is not considered secondary to our mission of educating outstanding healthcare professionals, but rather it is a key component of a student’s academic preparation.”

Midwestern students spearhead a wide range of community service projects throughout the year, such as health fairs, health lectures, health awareness seminars in schools, medical care for homeless, and physicals for high school athletes. In addition, longstanding ser-vice projects such as Cuts for Kids, Halloween Fest, Super Sealant Saturday, the Seaspar Valentine Dance, and the Guatemala Medical Mission reflect just some of the ways Midwestern students, faculty, and staff give back to the community every year.

The independent economic impact report not only confirms that Midwestern University is a significant economic engine in our com-munities, it also verifies the vital contribution our students, faculty, and staff make each day to improve our lives of our neighbors and those in need.

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

The Midwestern University Board of Trustees conducts an annual Board meeting and retreat where they focus on our mission, academic outcomes, and strategic plans. This year, we are focusing on one part of our mission that often gets overlooked, which is our commitment to service. We will highlight our many important service initiatives as part of the “Walking the Path of Service to Others” theme for the meeting. As a healthcare institution, our emphasis on service to others is a key component of our mission to prepare future professionals who understand their role in supporting and caring for others.

Our University community benefits from the daily work of critical departments that have a mission of service to others. As examples, you only have to look at the mission statements of key departments to understand their importance to the University’s vitality and functioning. If you reflect on the departments you interact with often, Information Technology, Human Resources, Student Financial Services, Communications, Campus Operations and all others, you will see teams of individuals working together to fulfill our mission of service. These critical areas support our academic and clinical programs. You only have to walk our beautiful campuses and see landscapers working to make us proud of our grounds, see security officers helping a student with directions, and watch a librarian assisting a student with a computer search to understand fully the value of service. Indeed, everyone who is a part of our campus community benefits from our mission of service.

As you read this edition of Vital Signs, you will learn more about our mission outcomes in the area of service. So many student organizations are serving individuals and other not-for-profit organizations in our communities. Many of our faculty serve in leadership roles in professional organizations and collaborate their research with other faculty around the globe who share in their passion for intellectual inquiry. Faculty and staff also serve on critical governance, admissions, and a host of other committees that provide much needed service to others.

I wish to thank all of you for your service to others. We would not be the strong, committed, and well-respected institution within our communities without your service to Midwestern University and all of us.

Dr. G.

President’s Message

Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D.President and

Chief Executive Officer, Midwestern University

Community (continued from front cover)

3Vital Signs

Faculty, Staff, and Student Research and Activities Update

APPOINTMENTS, AWARDS, AND GRANTS

Aimee Cruz, CPS-II (CHS-Downers Grove), is the chair-elect for the Illinois Psychological Association’s Graduate Section (IPAGS).

Joshua Eastham, DMS-IV (CDMI), received the prestigious Schweitzer Fellowship. As part of the fellowship, he will work to expand “Right from the Start,” a project which incorporates education about making healthy lifestyle choices and developing good health habits into the curriculum at J.R. Tibbott Elementary School in Bolingbrook.

Nancy Fjortoft, Ph.D. (CCP), Dean and Professor, Chicago College of Pharmacy, was named associate editor of the American Journal of Pharmacy Education.

Vanthida Huang, Pharm.D, BSPHM, FCCP (CPG), Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, was nominated and selected by her peers to receive the Society for Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) 2015 Distinguished Service Award. Per SIDP, “The intent of this honor is to recognize an

outstanding and sustained service to the Society. The award is given only when a particularly noteworthy candidate has been identified as providing outstanding contributions to the Society or ensuring the advancement of its goals that far exceed the usual devotion of time, energy, or material goods. The award is not an annual award per se. It is awarded when there are truly outstanding candidates nominated.”

Kevin King, D.D.S. (CDMI), Assistant Professor, Dental Institute, is the recipient of the 2015 American Dental Association District Advocate Award. The award recognizes faculty or school administrators who have shown a commitment to dental students and organized dentistry. Dr. King also received the Pierre Fauchard Distinguished Dentist Citation and was honored by the U.S. House of Representatives who bestowed upon him a service proclamation that was read into the congressional record by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly.

Len Koh, O.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., FAAO (AZCOPT), Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs, et al., received the Dr. Lester Janoff Award for Writing Excellence from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) for their article “Blended Learning in Optometric Clinical Procedures Instruction,” published in the Winter/Spring 2014 Edition of the ASCO journal Optometric Education.

Robynne Lute, M.S. (CHS-Downers Grove), Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of Training, Behavioral Medicine, is the Chair of the Marketing and Branding Committee for the Primary Care Behavioral Health Special Interest Group.

Milena McLaughlin, Pharm.D., M.Sc., BCPS, AAHIVP (CCP), Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice, was named a member of the American Academy of HIV Medicine’s inaugural Pharmacist Committee.

John O’Hara, CPS-I (CHS-Downers Grove), was selected to serve as the Illinois Psychological Association’s Graduate Section (IPAGS) Midwestern University liaison.

Zina Peters, CPS-I (CHS-Downers Grove), was selected as the American Psychological Association’s Minority Fellowship Program’s summer 2015 Intern. She spent the summer quarter in Washington, D.C., working with initiatives in behavioral health and health reform: children, youth, and family issues; reducing disparities; and other issues. Ms. Peters was also chosen as the APA’s Minority Fellowship Program’s Predoctoral Policy Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Program Fellow through a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

David Rolf II, D.M.D., M.S., FACD (CDMA), Professor, was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Dentists (ACD) at the ACD Annual Meeting and Convocation in Washington D.C. in November. Membership in the ACD is by nomination and invitation only. Dr. Rolf was also reappointed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) to serve a one-year term as a Curriculum Site Visitor for Predoctoral Dental Education Programs. The Commission on Dental Accreditation accredits dental schools and programs including advanced dental education programs and allied dental education programs in the United States.

Christie Schumacher, Pharm.D., BCPS, CDE, BC-ADM, BCACP (CCP), Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, is now a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP).

Evelyn Schwalenberg, D.O. (AZCOM), Associate Dean, Clinical Education, was nominated and elected as a Member-at-Large of the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) Board of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

Sean Serluco, CPS-III (CHS-Downers Grove), was awarded the top prize for poster presentations at the Illinois Psychological Association’s Annual Convention in Skokie, IL for the poster “Empathy and Healthcare: Assessing and Comparing Empathic Attitudes among Osteopathic Medical Students.”

Timothy Todd, Pharm.D., FPPAG (CCP), Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, was named co-chair of the Board Recertification and Program Development for the Pediatrics Pharmacy Advocacy Group (PPAG).

Donna M. Weglarz, M.S. (MWU), Assistant Director of Institutional Research, received a certificate in Educational Research Methodology from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Volkmar Weissig, Sc.D., Ph.D. (CPG), Chair, Pharmaceutical Science, was elected as the Inaugural President of the World Mitochondria Society at the 5th World Congress on Targeting Mitochondria in Berlin, Germany.

The following appointments were made at the American Association of

Colleges of Pharmacy annual meeting in National Harbor, MD:

Jacob Gettig, Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS (CCP), Assistant Dean, was appointed Immediate Past Chair, Continuing Professional Education Section;

Karen Nagel-Edwards, Ph.D. (CCP), Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, was appointed Chair, Pharmaceutics Section;

Continued on page 4

Vital SignsThe news beat of Midwestern

University is published and distributed free to faculty, students, and staff.

E D I T O R I A L S T A F F

Dana Fay, Director of Communications

Karen Mattox, Assistant Director

of Communications

WRITING: Jill Blair-Smith,

Tony Johns

DESIGN: Joanne Davidauskas,

Chad Worth

Submissions of news items, story ideas, letters and corrections can be made via electronic mail or U.S. postal service to:

DOWNERS GROVE CAMPUS

Jill Blair-Smith, jblair@midwestern.edu

Vital Signs 555 31st Street

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GLENDALE CAMPUS

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Read the Vital Signs online at: http://www.midwestern.edu/

Community_and_Media.html

4 Vital Signs midwestern.edu

Ana Quinones-Boex, Ph.D., M.S. (CCP), Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, was appointed Secretary, Social and Administrative Sciences Section.

Timothy Todd, Pharm.D., FPPAG (CCP), Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, was appointed Chair-Elect, Pediatrics Special Interest Group.

Carrie Sincak, Pharm.D., BCPS, FASHP (CCP), Assistant Dean and Professor in Pharmacy Practice, graduated from Academic Leadership Fellows Program (ALFP); and Dr. Sincak participated in the Walmart Scholar and Mentor program.

PRESENTATIONS, SPEECHES, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Susan Cornell, Pharm.D., CDE, FAPhA, FAADE (CCP), Associate Director, Experiential Education, presented “Special Situations in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes” at the Louisiana Society of Health System Pharmacists meeting in New Orleans, LA; “Management of Special Situations in Inpatient Hyperglycemia: Case Studies in Actions” at Venture Community Memorial Hospital in Venture, CA; and “Maximizing the Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Our Patients with Type 2 Diabetes” at the Tennessee Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN. Dr. Cornell, et al., presented “Maximizing the Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Our Patients with Type 2 Diabetes” and “Case Studies in the Use of GLP-1 Agonists in Type 2 Diabetes Management: An Individualized Approach to Patient Care” as part of the ASHP Advantage webcast; and “Recognizing and Responding to Serious Safety Concerns with Subcutaneous Insulin” at the ISMP webcast.

Francis J. DeAsis, MS-I (CCOM), presented “Primary Obesity Surgery Endoluminal” at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Chicago, IL.

Kyle K. Henderson, Ph.D. (CCOM), Assistant Professor, Physiology presented, “T3 or D3: A Question for Heart Failure Management” at the symposium on Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy at the Chicago Research Network Symposium at the University of Chicago. Additionally, Osteopathic research with Kurt P. Heinking, D.O. (CCOM), Professor and Chair, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, was presented at the American Academy of Osteopathy meeting by Cyrus Haselby, MS-IV (CCOM) and Jillian Smith, MS-I (CCOM). This presentation highlighted the use of an interferometer to measure cranial motion and was awarded third place in the poster competition in Louisville, KY.

Karen Farrell, Psy.D., ABPP (CHS-Downers Grove), Professor and Director of Clinical Training, et al. presented “A Remedy for the Internship Supply and Demand Problem—State Association Development of Consortia;” “Chronic PTSD and Complicated Grief in Wards of the State and Detained Adolescents? Group Treatment;” and “The Presence of Shaming in Interactions between Heterosexual Partners: Conflict Avoidance, Conflict Escalation and Conflict Resolution” at the American Psychological Association’s (APA) annual convention in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Farrell, Clinton Lewin, CPS-III (CHS-Downers Grove), Marniece Gordon, CPS-IV (CHS-Downers Grove), Samantha Snyder, CPS-IV (CHS-Downers Grove), et al. presented “Relationship between Trauma, Neurobiology and Attachment: Relational and Affective Sequelae” at the Illinois Psychological Association’s annual convention in Skokie, IL.

Arthur Freeman, Ed.D., Sc.D. (CHS-Downers Grove), Professor, Clinical Psychology, presented “Discussion: Demonstration of Two Psychotherapy Approaches with One International Client” and “Straddling Allegiances: A Client-Centered Therapist Does Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) on a Dare and for Science” at the APA’s annual convention in Toronto, Canada.

Medha Joshi, Ph.D. (CCP), Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, presented “Targeted Delivery of Tumor Antigens to Dendritic Cells for Efficient Vaccination” at the La Crosse BioResearch Forum in La Crosse, WI.

Lori Kemper, D.O. (AZCOM), Dean, participated as an invited panelist in the Phoenix Business Journal Health Care Roundtable.

Mary Ann Kliethermes, Pharm.D. (CCP), Professor/Vice Chair, Pharmacy Practice, presented “Transforming Practice with the Patient Centered Care Process” to the Collaborative Education Institute, Iowa Pharmacist Association in Coraville, IA.

Golzar Kouklan, CPS-III (CHS-Downers Grove), chair of the Illinois Psychological Association of Graduate Students (IPAGS) and an Illinois Psychological Association Council Member, moderated a panel on “Psychodynamic Approach When Working with Children and Adolescents” at the Illinois Psychological Association’s annual convention in Skokie, IL.

Richard Ney, Ph.D., ABPP (CHS-Downers Grove), Associate Program Director and Professor, attended the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Door County Summer Institute 2015. Also in attendance were Rebecca Sewell, CPS-I, Helen Alex, CPS-I, Jordan Cart, CPS-I, Amanda Harris, CPS-I,

Sarah Hecht, CPS-I, Amanda Jedloe, CPS-I, Meghan Kennedy, CPS-IV, Elaine Mares, CPS-I, Brooke Matheus, CPS-I, Edessa Mirzapolos, CPS-I, John O’Hara, CPS-I, Terrence Partee, CPS-I, Roshni Patel, CPS-I, Mary Rizzo, CPS-I, Sarah Sugas, CPS-I.

John B. O’Hara, CPS-I (CHS-Downers Grove), et al. presented the poster “Leukoariosis Update: When White Matter Changes Really Matter,” at the National Academy of Neuropsychology’s 35th Annual Conference in Austin, TX.

Erika Olney, VMS-I (CVM), presented the poster “Evaluation of the Immunogenicity of Lanzhou Trivalent Reassortant Rotavirus Vaccine in the Gnotobiotic Pig Model” at the Merial - NIH National Veterinary Scholar Symposium at UC Davis in Davis, CA.

Daniel M. Reck, M.S.Ed., Associate Registrar, et al., presented a session about managing organizational change at the national conference of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in Baltimore, MD.

Kara Roman, M.M.S., PA-C (CHS-Downers Grove), Associate Program Director, Physician Assistant Program, presented “A Crash Course in Pediatric Rash” at the American Academy of Physician Assistants meeting in San Francisco. CA.

Ann M. Sauer, Ph.D., ABPP (CHS-Downers Grove), Acting Program Director and Associate Professor, participated in the panel, “Looking Within: How Do Personal and Situational Dynamics Interact with Ethics?” at the Illinois Psychological Association’s annual convention in Skokie, IL.

Diana Semmelhack, Psy.D., ABPP (CHS-Downers Grove), Professor, presented “The Interactive World of Severe Mental Illness: A Foundation of Creativity” at the American Institute of Medical Education, in Santa Fe, NM.

David Shoup, D.O. (AZCOM), Clinical Assistant Professor, OMM, presented “Performing Arts Medicine: Osteopathic Principles in Music Medicine” and “Workshop: An Osteopathic Approach to the Injured Instrumentalist” during the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) program at the 120th Annual American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Osteopathic Medical Conference and Exposition (OMED 15) in Orlando, FL, in October.

Volkmar Weissig, Sc.D., Ph.D. (CPG), Chair, Pharmaceutical Science, was an invited speaker at the Drug Discovery and Therapy World Congress 2015 in Boston, MA, where he presented “Specific Delivery of Drugs to Mitochondrial Targets: Manipulating Mitochondrial Functions” and chaired the session concerning “Drug Delivery and Targeting” which involved 11 speakers.

Faculty, Staff, and Student Research and Activities Update continued from page 3

5Vital Signs

David J. Green, Ph.D. (CCOM), Assistant Professor, Anatomy, was part of a team to make a groundbreaking discovery of a new spe-cies of human relative that was announced by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), the National Geographic Society, and the South African Department of Science and Technology/ National Research Foundation (DST/NRF).

The new species, Homo naledi sheds light on the origins and diver-sity of our genus and appears to have intentionally deposited bodies of its dead in a remote cave, a behavior previously thought limited to humans. The initial discovery was made in a cave known as Rising Star in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, some 30 miles northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dr. Green was part of the team of researchers who travelled to Johannesburg to work on the project. Dr. Green analyzed the fossil scapulas (shoulder blades) discovered at the site. “This work is the culmination of a great effort by dozens of people to recover more than 1,500 bones from the cave site,” said Dr. Green, who worked in the Wits University research vault with other scientists studying fossil remains from the site.

“We concluded that the shoulder was extremely apelike, as is much of the upper limb. This indicates adaptations to climbing, which is very surprising in light of the presence of lower limb characteristics that suggest a commitment to bipedal locomotion. We will be sub-mitting a supplementary paper outlining more detailed descriptions and comparative analyses of the upper limb material very soon,” Dr. Green explained.

Dr. Green shared information about his findings as part of the Calumet Roundtable cable television broadcast. The broadcast is available on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/user/Calumetroundtable.

Downers Grove Faculty Member Contributes to Discovery of New Species

Dr. Weissig was also an invited speaker at the International Mitochondrial Mini-Symposium in Strasbourg, France, presenting “Drug and DNA Delivery To and Into Mitochondria,” and served as co-host and co-chair of the 6th World Conference on Targeting Mitochondria in Berlin, Germany where he presented “Delivery of Biologically Active Molecules to Mitochondria.”

These presentations took place at American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting in

National Harbor, MD:

Nancy Fjortoft, Ph.D. (CCP), Dean and Professor, Chicago College of Pharmacy, presented “Joseph T. DiPiro Excellence in Publishing Workshop,”

Paul O’Donnell, Pharm.D., BCPS (CCP), Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice, presented the poster “Use of Performance Based Assessments in a Clinical Skills and Simulation Center,”

Timothy Todd, Pharm.D., FPPAG (CCP), Associate Professor; Pharmacy Practice, et al., presented “Sowing the Seeds of Peds: Designing a Pediatrics Elective,”

Robin Zavod Ph.D. (CCP), Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, presented the poster “Student Pharmacists’ Knowledge and Self-efficacy Levels in Recommending Commonly Used Over-the-Counter Vitamin Supplements,” Dr. Zavod, et al., participated in a panel discussion, “Considerations in Publishing: Guidance and Panel Discussion with Pharmacy Journals,” and presented “Writing your Scholarly Teaching (ST) and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Narrative,” and “New Faculty Program: Basic Skills for Becoming Effective Reviewers.”

As part of the MWU Community Health Lecture Series, the following Glendale faculty have presented recently at the

Glendale Library-Foothills Branch:

Pedro Chavez, Ph.D. (CHS-Glendale), Professor, Biomedical Sciences, “Plants that Pose a Danger to Your Pets and Other Animals.”

Christopher Lowe, O.D. (AZCOPT), Assistant Professor, “Should You Be Tested for Glaucoma?”

Charles Vetri, Ph.D. (CPG), Assistant Professor, “Looking to Nature for Drug Leads.”

Melissa Flint, Psy.D. (CHS-Glendale), Associate Professor, Clinical Training, “Holiday Stress and the Blues.”

STUDENT GROUPS AND UNIVERSITY AWARDS

The Midwestern University Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) received its charter. More than 80 percent of veterinary students at the College of Veterinary Medicine have joined the chapter, giving them a vote in the Student AVMA House of Delegates.

The Midwestern University chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) on the Downers Grove Campus earned the highest honor possible from the national organization. The Midwestern chapter earned the NSSLHA Gold Chapter Honor for its significant contributions to both the Association on a national and local level, and to the discipline of human communication sciences and disorders.

Research

Dr. Green (left) works in a unique lab at the Wits University in South Africa on the Homo naledi research project with Enquye Negash, a graduate student at George Washington University.

6 Vital Signs midwestern.edu

Midwestern University faculty, staff, and students, as well as friends and supporters throughout Arizona, have a new way of show-ing their support thanks to new specialized license plates, which are available from the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (ADOT-MVD). The new plates can be procured online at www.servicearizona.com or at MVD offices and authorized third-party offices Valley-wide.

Each Midwestern University license plate costs $25 and is renewable annually, with $17 from each sale used exclusively to support student scholarships. The plates can also be personalized for an additional $25 annual fee. The plates feature the Midwestern name, seal, and compass on a field of University blue.

“Our student scholarship programs have always benefitted greatly from generous community support,” said Kathleen H.

Goeppinger, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Midwestern University. “We are very grateful to both ADOT and to the legislature that we could create a new av-enue to augment scholarship funds, and also allow our friends and family to show their pride in our wonderful University.”

Administration Updates

Midwestern University’s College of Health Sciences is pleased to announce the addition of a master’s degree program in Speech-Language Pathology and a doctorate-level completion degree program for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (D.N.A.P.) completion degree program is offered as a full-time (one-year) or part-time (two-year) curriculum designed for working CRNAs. The program features a diverse curriculum including coursework in leadership, healthcare policy, ethics, research, and process improvement, along with advanced nurse anesthesia practice, and leverages the collabora-

tive multidisciplinary environment at the University to encourage a team-oriented healthcare focus. The first class of 12 students will matriculate in fall 2016.

The Speech-Language Pathology program offers a two-year Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Speech-Language Pathology and will matriculate its first class of 40 students in the fall of 2016. Clinical facilities for the Speech-Language Pathology program are slated to open at the Midwestern University Multispecialty Clinic in Glendale in early 2016.

CHS-Glendale Announces Two New Degree Programs

MWU, ADOT Partner on License PlateThe new Midwestern University license plate raises money for student scholarships

Research

As future healthcare providers, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) students learn about biomechanics and how the body’s structure and function are interrelated. Biotensegrity extends that concept to include the functional relationships between muscles, bones, fascia and even cell membranes. With this in mind, a pair of CCOM students wanted to determine whether a peripheral change in body posture could change pulmonary function.

Second-year CCOM students Amanda Lindenberg and Sara Twiehaus sought out the expertise of Kurt P. Heinking, D.O., Department Chair, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, and Kyle K. Henderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Physiology. After formalizing a central hypothesis during a spring research elective, they applied for Internal Review Board (IRB) approval to determine how body position can affect pulmonary function in healthy subjects.

Both students were awarded Kenneth A. Suarez Summer Research Fellowships to pursue their research during the summer in Dr. Henderson’s laboratory. During this time, they optimized pulmonary function testing, applied techniques for assessing single and multi-joint range of motion, evaluated structural asymmetry, and diagnosed sacroiliac dysfunction. Ms. Twiehaus also learned how to assess strain patterns in connective tissue to determine how they might influence the mechanics of breathing. Ms. Lindenberg and Ms. Twiehaus continued their research into the fall and summarized their data for a research presentation at the American Osteopathic Association’s

Medical Conference in Orlando, FL. This national meeting high-lights medical education and the latest basic science and osteopathic research.

At this meeting, more than100 research posters were presented and Ms. Lindenberg was awarded first place for her presentation on, “Does Pulmonary Function Change with External or Internal Rotation of the Extremities?” Ms. Twiehaus will present her strain pattern data at the upcoming American Academy of Osteopathy meeting. Both students hope to pass on their research project to a new set of medical students who can examine the effect of body position in older subjects and subjects with restrictive pulmonary disease.

CCOM Research Awarded First Place at OMED

CCOM students Sara Twiehaus and Amanda Lindenberg collaborated on an award-winning research project.

7Vital Signs

Midwestern University is pleased to announce that the Midwestern University Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institute (MWU/OPTI) has been granted Initial Accreditation as a Sponsoring Institution by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) under the ACGME’s Single Accreditation System for graduate medical education and training in the United States.

Graduate medical education (GME) in the United States is transitioning to a single accreditation system to simplify and strengthen postdoctoral training. GME programs in osteopathic and allopathic medicine currently exist as separate systems, each of which has its own unique strengths. The SAS has been developed to enable much greater collaboration be-tween osteopathic and allopathic medicine while providing more residency training opportunities for graduating medical students. The SAS will eventually allow allopathically-educated physicians to receive training in osteopathic principles.

MWU/OPTI currently sponsors 14 osteopathic residency and fellowship programs in the Southwestern United States. Now that it has received ACGME Initial Accreditation, MWU/OPTI will be permitted to sponsor AOA-accredited internships, residencies, and fellowships as they make the transition to ACGME accreditation. In the future, MWU/OPTI also plans to develop new graduate medical education training programs that will be approved to accept os-teopathic (D.O.) and allopathic (M.D.) medical school graduates into its sponsored programs.

The Midwestern University Foundation has launched a new loan program for its graduate health professions students, which will reduce costs to borrowers and help them better manage their educational debt.

Through the Glendale Industrial Development Authority and the Illinois Finance Authority, the Midwestern University Foundation has issued $30 mil-lion in tax-exempt revenue bonds to create this innovative program. The loans will be available exclusively to third- and fourth-year students in the University’s graduate programs of dental medicine, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary medicine, and the health sciences on both campuses. These loans will have no origination fees for the students and offer a lower fixed interest rate (currently 6%) than that available to stu-dents who borrow funds from the Federal Direct Student Loan Grad Plus Program.

“This private student loan program is one way that Midwestern University is working to find solutions to providing less-expen-sive borrowing options for our students,” emphasized Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Midwestern University.

Standard & Poor’s has rated the Foundation’s Senior bonds for this pro-gram as “AAA,” based on the Foundation’s strong track record in the student loan business. The Foundation has backed up its lending performance by contracting with MeasureOne, an independent firm, to analyze the loans of students who attended Midwestern University between 1995 and 2015. The historic low default rate of Midwestern graduates has resulted in the favorable bond ratings for the Foundation.

This private student loan program is one important way that Midwestern University is working with its students to reduce their debt burden. The University’s Office of Financial Aid provides a series of programs to educate students about strategies to limit their borrowing while they are in school. The University offers Financial Literacy Scholarships to recognize students who are successful at debt management, as well as many privately funded scholarships that are awarded to students for community service and academic excellence.

Administration Updates

The College of Veterinary Medicine recently purchased two new simulation units that utilize haptic technology to simulate the feel of cow and horse organs.

The Haptic Cow and Horse make it possible for users to suspend their disbelief and make touching and palpating virtual objects highly realistic. In addition, because the animal’s organs are visible on a computer monitor, instructors can see exactly what the student is doing and direct their movements, something that is not possible with a real animal.

“In Large Animal Practice, there are fewer mentoring opportunities, so it is really important that students are so well-trained and confident that they are what we call ‘Day One Ready,’” explains Clemence Chako, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVIM, Assistant Professor of Food Animal Medicine and Surgery at the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Although we have cattle and horses on our campus, they are not sufficient for all the students, who have no prior large animal experience to practice rectal palpation technique without compromising the animal’s well-be-ing. The haptic simulators provide opportunities for students to practice their technique while reducing the frequency with which our live animals undergo palpation.”

Haptic, or force feedback, technology lies at the core of the Haptic Cow to create a virtual bo-vine reproductive tract, positioned within a seemingly empty fiberglass model of the rear half of a cow. The Haptic Horse gives a virtual representation of a horse’s abdomen and offers students the opportunity to learn how to carry out a systematic examination of the abdomen of a normal horse, as well as on those who are suffering from colic such as dilated loops of the small intes-tine (twisted gut), a pelvic flexure impaction (constipation), or displacements of other parts of the colon. Both the Haptic Cow and Horse have a range of conditions the students can learn about and that can be replicated at the touch of a button.

“Thanks to Haptic Cow and Horse,” says Dr. Chako, “we are able to begin teaching these tech-niques from our students’ first year of study. Elsewhere, it is left to the clinical years or, alterna-tively, an elective would be offered to a limited number of students. Our students have given the systems a very positive evaluation, as they enabled them to virtually feel the organs just after they learned the anatomy. Not only do they spatially experience where the various organs are, they get a feel for the texture too – all before they try this on a live animal.”

CVM Purchases State-of-the-Art Simulators

Veterinary students view the results of “virtual palpation” using the College of Veterinary Medicine’s new Haptic Horse simulator.

MWU/OPTI Receives Accreditation to Offer SAS Residency Programs

New Private Loan Program Available for Third- and Fourth-Year Students

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The Midwestern University Clinical Psychology Programs from both Downers Grove, IL and Glendale, AZ were exhibitors at the American Psychological Association’s Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada. The programs came together in an effort to enhance awareness and recruiting for both campuses.

Arthur Freeman, Ed.D., Sc.D., Professor, Sarah Getch, Ph.D. (CHS-Downers Grove), Assistant Professor, Esperanza Anaya, Ph.D. (CHS-Downers Grove), Assistant Professor, Angela Breitmeyer, Psy.D., Assistant Professor (CHS-Glendale), Clinton Lewin, CPS-III (CHS-Downers Grove), and Shirley Yang, CPS-III (CHS-Glendale), staffed the booth, meeting people and spreading the word about Midwestern University.

Clinical Psychology Programs Join Forces in Canada

Glendale clinical psychology student Shirley Yang staffs the Midwestern booth at the APA’s Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada.

By Melanie Violand, D.P.M., FACFAS (AZPod/CHS- Glendale), Director of Podiatric Postgraduate EducationMidwestern University faculty recently had an opportunity to participate in Healthy Athletes at the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, CA.

The Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program offers health services and information to athletes in dire need. In the process, Special Olympics has become the largest global public health organization dedicated to serving people with intellectual disabilities.

Healthy Athletes currently offers health examinations in seven areas: Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNfitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (better health and well-being), Healthy Hearing (audiology), MedFest (sports physical exam), Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes (vision), and Special Smiles (dentistry). Officially launched in 1997, Healthy Athletes organizes its events in a welcom-ing, fun environment. Its events educate athletes on healthy lifestyle choices and identify problems that may need additional follow-up.

David Jenkins, D.P.M., FACFAS (AZPod/CHS-Glendale), Professor, Melanie Violand, D.P.M., FACFAS (AZPod/CHS-Glendale), Director

Special Olympics Athletes Receive Screenings from MWU Faculty

Dr. David Jenkins (second from right, back row) worked with a group of multinational volunteers to provide care for Special Olympics athletes.

Faculty News

of Podiatric Postgraduate Education, and Alicia Feis, O.D. (AZCOPT), Assistant Dean, participated in the Healthy Athlete Screenings. It was very exciting to participate in such an extraordinary event, working with athletes and colleagues from all over the world.

The total number of Healthy Athlete Screenings was 18,258 athletes, while Fit Feet provided 4,638 screenings, and Opening Eyes provided 3,261 screenings.

Campus Events

More than 75 children and their parents and guardians par-ticipated in the 13th annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day event on the Downers Grove Campus. The children received Midwestern University “hero” shirts and spent the day learning about many types of heroes in the healthcare community.

Some of the special guests for the day included members of the Downers Grove Fire Department who gave demonstrations about their uniforms, equipment, practices, and safety tips. Volunteers from several campus departments and the College of Health Sciences helped make the day a success.

Take Children to Work Day Showcases Healthcare Heroes

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Campus Events

The annual eight-day Health Careers Institute for High School Students camp held on the Glendale Campus offered 48 local high school students first-hand experience of the inner work-ings of healthcare careers, from OMM labs to suturing and venipuncture to full “Code Blue” emergency scenarios with simulated patient mannequins.

Kyle Pipkin, MS-II (AZCOM), and his Midwestern peers who volunteered to be mentors for the camp, are not too far removed from an age when they were making decisions about their own futures. “We were all at that level of education at one point, not knowing what we wanted to do but excited to learn,” he says. “Volunteering for the Health Careers Institute helps remind us why we’re here.”

Mr. Pipkin says that, as a teenager, he did not have the kind of direct, hands-on learning op-portunities that the HCI attendees had, which is why he appreciated giving these students an experience of a lifetime. “You can read as many pamphlets and flyers as you want, but it doesn’t give you an idea of what medicine is really like. Having mentors you can talk to and relate with on a personal level helps to give you direction if you decide on medicine as a career.”

Midwestern student mentors assist high school students in identifying vertebral structures during the Health Careers Institute camp.

MWU Students Become Teachers for Local High School Students

Academic, healthcare, business, and community leaders from around the Valley of the Sun joined together at Midwestern University’s Glendale Campus for the the annual Bright Lights, Shining Stars gala, which raises scholarship funds for University students.

Sandi Ernst Perez, Ph.D., Vice President of Communications and Community Benefit for Delta Dental of Arizona, received the 2015 COMET (Community Outreach: Motivating Excellence for Tomorrow) Award, which recognizes her outstanding service to the oral health and welfare of children and adults.

In addition to the COMET Award, Dr. Goeppinger presented the 2015 Shooting Star Award to Mr. Scott Bohall for his commitment to the local community

"The Midwestern University Bright Lights, Shining Stars gala is truly a community event bringing many friends of the University together to share in our growth while providing scholarship monies for our health-care students. Our award recipients this year are wonderful examples of generosity and service within our community,” said Dr. Goeppinger.

Spirit of Service scholarships were also awarded to Darren Chugg

By Amanda Gill, MABS-I (CHS-Glendale)The College of Health Sciences SGA hosted an event on the Glendale Campus, in partnership with a local non-profit organization, Lanee’s Legacy. Students and volunteers came together in the evening in

honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day to help put together care packages to be delivered to hospitals for families who have experience loss or whose newborns who have poor prognoses. The boxes included baby-care items such as washes and lotions, as well as remembrance journals, photo albums, a CD of carefully

selected songs, and packets of forget-me- not seeds.

Over 80 students came out to help assemble boxes. The CHS SGA made a donation which included baby wash and lotion, washcloths, journals, and 100 seed packets to Lanee’s Legacy.

Community Leaders Honored at Bright Lights, Shining Stars Gala

Arthur G. Dobbelaere, Ph.D., Midwestern University Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; COMET Award winner Sandi Ernst Perez, Ph.D., Vice President of Communications and Community Benefit for Delta Dental of Arizona; Shooting Star Award winner Scott Bohall, Owner, Treasures Custom Jewelers; and Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., Midwestern University President and CEO.

from the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (CDMA); and Anna Darbonne-Bjørndal, Christina Derenge, Alexxandria Meneses, and Shirley Yang from the College of Health Sciences (CHS-Glendale) Clinical Psychology Program.

CHS Hosts Remembrance Day for the Loss of Infants

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Campus Events

By Andrew Browar D.D.S. (CDMI), Assistant Professor, Dental MedicineThe College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (CDMI) hosted the third of an ongoing series of Interprofessional Grand Rounds. The session focused on a patient with symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorder (TMJ) with a variety of complicating systemic concerns. Students from the Downers Grove Campus explored topics including anatomy, TMJ imaging, differential diagnosis, polypharmacy, osteopathic perspectives, behavior modification, and physical therapy.

The program was presented in the classic Grand Rounds format, where a patient record of interest is selected from the CDMI Dental Institute, and content specialists were called upon to present short 10-minute vignettes on topics specific to this patient’s condition. The patient’s case was presented by CDMI students: Brian Weinberg DMS-IV, Anthony Nguyen, DMS-IV, Linsie Landa, DMS-III, and Stephen Capiotis, DMS-III. Presenting faculty included: Frank Serrecchia, D.O. (CCOM), Course Director; Phillip Kopf, Ph.D. (CCOM), Assistant Professor, Pharmacology; David J. Green, Ph.D. (CCOM), Assistant Professor, Anatomy; Reji Mathew, M.D.S. (CDMI), Assistant Professor, Dental Institute; Charles Patterson, D.D.S., M.S., M.B.A. (CDMI), Assistant Professor, Dental Institute; Arthur Freeman, Ed.D., Sc.D. (CHS), Professor, Clinical Psychology; and Janey Prodoehl, PT, Ph.D. (CHS-Downers Grove), Associate Professor, Physical Therapy. The Grand Rounds wrapped up with a summary of care by the student team and then

CDMI Hosts Interprofessional Grand Rounds

CDMI students helped present a patient’s case at the interprofessional Grand Rounds.

Over the summer, students from the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona conducted a two-weekend American Student Dental Association (ASDA) Pre-dental Simulation Course on the Glendale Campus.

Coordinated by Class of 2018 ASDA representatives Chelsey Allen, DMS-II, and Jenna Gazzola, DMS-II, a team of 12 student volunteers and 16 CDMA faculty hosted 80 pre-dental students over two weekends. Attendees were given guided tours of the Midwestern University Dental Institute, practiced impressions and working with models, worked with CAD-CAM technology, learned about dental anatomy and waxing, and more. CDMA students and faculty also presented seminars on preparing for dental school and basic dental techniques, and conducted open panels with attending students.

The annual ASDA Pre-dental Simulation Course is now in its seventh year at Midwestern University.

CDMA Students Teach Course for Pre-dental Students

the panel of experts responded to questions from the audience. Lex MacNeil, D.D.S. (CDMI), Dean, College of Dental Medicine, concluded the Grand Rounds by recognizing the student teams who participated in this session and in the previous Grand Rounds as well.

“Midwestern University’s Grand Rounds is a great venue to promote awareness of interprofessional practices and to facilitate excellent col-laborative patient care,” said Preetha Kanjirath, B.D.S., M.D.S., M.S. (CDMI), Associate Dean, Dental Medicine. Topics for previous sessions included “The Diabetic Patient with Oral Disease” and “The Special Needs Patient with Oral Disease.”

CDMA faculty hosted 80 pre-dental students at the Pre-dental Simulation Course on the Glendale Campus.

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Student Activities

First-year students from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) took a much-appreciated break from their didactic coursework to participate in a joint lab with second- and third-year optometry students from the Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT).

The student-led lab, supervised by Anette Gawelko, D.O., and Katherine Mitzel, D.O., AZCOM Clinical Assistant Professors, and Kaila Osmotherly, O.D. (AZCOPT), Assistant Director, Clinical Rotations, gave the D.O. students an opportunity to examine the outer and inner structure of the eye with slit lamps and ophthalmoscopes, as well as practice eye dilation.

“For the first few weeks of the year, our first-years are getting lectured and bombarded with didactic work. They really enjoy having the chance to do practical lab work,” says Dr. Gawelko.

Melissa Schiffer, OS-III (AZCOPT), appreciates the opportunity to put her studies and skills to work in a teaching environment. “It is a different challenge to teach. It really helps me to solidify and be sure of what I have learned while I help the students learn as well,” she says.

The lab is one of several collaborative initiatives between Midwestern University’s healthcare programs inspired by the University’s One Health Initiative, which encourages interdisciplinary cooperation in order to train students to provide complete patient-centered care.

By Katie Cho, MS-II (AZCOM)This year, a total of six AZCOM students were selected to participate in the GE-National Medical Fellowship Programs in Phoenix, AZ, and Seattle, WA.

The GE-National Medical Fellowship Programs are dedicated to improving healthcare systems in underserved communities by increasing underrepresented minority providers. Their goal is to increase provider knowledge, cultural competency, and quality of services by providing scholarships and sponsoring students for service-learning opportunities.

The Primary Care Leadership Program (PCLP) offers medical, nursing, and physician assistant students an opportunity to expose themselves to primary care settings, get clinical exposure, and participate in quality improvement projects for clinic sites. PCLP is an application-based summer program with affiliations with numerous community health centers across 11 states and offers a stipend of $7,000 for six weeks.

Though AZCOM students have been the only participants to this point, nursing, podiatry and physician assistant students of every race and ethnicity are encouraged to apply for future programs. The experience ensures expansion of competency in healthcare operations and encourages of learning through interprofessional care.

The following AZCOM students were selected to participate in the programs:

• Takema Cox, MS-II, Adelante Healthcare, Phoenix, AZ

• Timothy Ellis, MS-II, Adelante Healthcare, Phoenix, AZ

• Morolake Odumosu, MS-II, Adelante Healthcare, Phoenix, AZ

• Gina Robinson, MS-II, Adelante Healthcare, Phoenix, AZ

• Katie Cho, MS-II, International Community Health Service, Seattle, WA

• Herman Lee, MS-II, HealthPoint, Seattle, WA

By Ed Evans, B.B.A., M.A., CP (CHS-Glendale), Program Director, Cardiovascular ScienceTwo students from the Glendale Cardiovascular Science Program distinguished themselves in life-threatening situations recently.

Matthew Dopps, CVS-II, was traveling on an inter-state and witnessed a rollover crash where a driver was pinned underneath her car. Mr. Dopps and two bystanders righted the car and removed her from the vehicle, whereupon he quickly realized that the driver was bleeding out from her brachial artery. He quickly applied pressure to stop the bleeding until the patient could be stabilized – a measure which medical authorities say saved her life.

Recent graduate Matthew McCarty from the Class of 2015 also came to the rescue in an emergency, when he and his wife, traveling to a lake for a vacation, came upon a runner experiencing cardiac arrest. Unable to find a pulse, Mr. McCarty immediately began CPR and maintained resuscitation efforts until paramedics arrived and were able to transport him to the hospital where Mr. McCarty works.

Both of these gentlemen represented the best instincts and skill in uncontrolled emergency environments and are a tremendous credit to their program and the University.

AZCOM, AZCOPT Partner in Interdisciplinary Lab

Ngoc Le, OS-II (AZCOPT), right, supervises Derek Pan, MS-I (AZCOM), as he examines the outer eye of Jacob Park, MS-I (AZCOM), using a slit lamp in the Glendale Hall Optometry Lab.

AZCOM Participates in GE-National Medical Fellowship Programs

Perfusion Students Put Skills to Work in Emergency Situations

CDMA Students Teach Course for Pre-dental Students

CDMA faculty hosted 80 pre-dental students at the Pre-dental Simulation Course on the Glendale Campus.

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By Derek Chinn, MS-II (AZCOM)The enthusiasm of student and faculty volunteers involved with the Health Outreach through Medicine and Education (H.O.M.E.) program at Midwestern University remains strong.

Led by students of various health professions (medical, pharmacy, dental, physician assistant, and clinical psychology) and faculty mentors who graciously dedicate their time outside of the classroom and office, H.O.M.E. has continued its ongoing efforts to serve under-privileged communities around the Phoenix area by providing free weekly health clinics and educational workshops for residents at local homeless shelters, including Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), Vista Colina Emergency Family Shelter, and UMOM New Day.

Faculty director Michelle Mifflin, D.O. (AZCOM), Assistant Professor, announced that the organization has collected over 100 cases of donated medical samples which will be distributed to sister service organizations, including Justa Center, Circle the City, and DOCARE, among others.

Due to high demand from students to participate, H.O.M.E. president Aaron Rochester, MS-II, and members of his leadership team have elected to diversify the organization’s efforts by recruiting coordi-nators from physical therapy, optometry, veterinary, biomedical, cardiovascular perfusion, and nurse anesthesia programs. H.O.M.E is also always on the lookout for additional involvement from faculty volunteers of all disciplines.

By Haley Broth, OTS-II (CHS-Downers Grove)The Midwestern University Community Health Fair is an annual event that allows students from all academic programs to interact with members of the Downers Grove community in order to spread awareness about health and wellness. This year, mem-bers of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) spoke with community members about mental well-being and daily life balance. This topic is well within the scope of occupational therapy practice because an individual’s mental health can directly impact

their ability to participate in their meaningful daily activities.

The SOTA booth provided opportunities for community members to reflect on how they maintained mental balance through the “Five Steps to Mental Well Being” that include:

• connecting with others• being active• learning new things• giving to others• being mindfulIndividuals were also prompted to choose a card with a specific “life motto” written on it,

one that they felt they embodied in their daily life or one that they wished they could work on. One of the most popular cards chosen was “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” SOTA members then discussed with them ways that they could attempt to make changes in order to achieve that life motto and overall mental well-being.

One theme that was expressed throughout the day was that mental well-being doesn’t necessarily mean that an individual feels 100 percent balanced at all times. Rather, mental well-being is about recognizing when life feels unbalanced and having the tools and strategies to work through stressful times.

Student Activities

Student-run H.O.M.E. Program Seeks to Expand Homeless Outreach

Jerome De Vera, MS-II, and fellow medical students complete patient charts after performing a full physical exam.

SOTA Members Promote Mental Wellness at Health FairStudents from all Colleges on the Downers Grove Campus volunteered at the annual Community Health Fair.

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Student Activities

By Ashley N. Czworniak, MS-II(CCOM)

Chagas disease, asthma, and parasites are diseases that disproportionately affect chil-dren in the rural communities of Honduras. This summer, I was part of an initiative aimed at reducing their incidence. In true osteo-pathic fashion, my group targeted prevention by building home health infrastructure. Eight different families in the city of San Lorenzo had their homes renovated to include a ce-ment floor, shower, latrine, chimney stove, and water storage unit. I left Honduras with a sense of accomplishment that I have never felt before. I boarded the plane home with new knowledge, new ideas for community health promotion, new friends, and best of all, a deep appreciation for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Undoubtedly, there was something magical about the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that served as worksite snacks each day. But what about Honduras could make such a humble food so spectacular? Sure, the blazing sun warmed the bread until the peanut butter was even gooier and more delicious than nor-mal. Nevertheless, that wasn’t what day after day left me in awe of this lunchtime classic.

Each day, after we finished digging our last trench or laying the last brick, a few students and I would use the remaining bread, peanut butter, and jelly to whip up some of the sticki-est, goopiest, PB&J sandwiches I have ever seen. Then, once our hands were stained with jelly and the last piece of bread was used, we went around handing out the sandwiches to the men, women, and children whom we worked next to all day. One might even think that the look of gratitude we received as we handed out each sandwich was what made them so remarkable. Indeed, I will never forget those grateful smiles. But, what blew me away was that nearly every time someone received a sandwich, whether it was a whole one, half of one, or a measly quarter, they turned to the person next to them, broke the sandwich in half and shared.

For eight days, I was part of this cascade of generosity, and bearing witness to it made me want to pour more of myself into every-thing I do and everything I am. Undeniably, that is what I love most about Honduras. There, more than anywhere I have ever been, the people affirm something I believe in my bones: there is always more to give. In Honduras, I am free to be the compulsive

giver that I am. I can give completely and perhaps even recklessly. There is no unwel-come word of caution against giving too much of myself. There is no rolling of eyes from the skeptics who say I am naive to think I can save the world. What these skeptics don’t under-stand is that I am not trying to save the world. I am simply trying to spruce up the place, even if it means doing it one peanut butter and jelly sandwich at a time.

Pharmacy Students Advocate for ProfessionChicago College of Pharmacy (CCP) students from the Downers Grove Campus chapter of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) visited the Downers Grove Village Hall to hear the Honorable Martin T. Tully, Mayor, proclaim the month of October as American Pharmacists Month. In honor of this month, the stu-dents promoted their profession by calling the public to “Know Your Medicine. Know Your Pharmacist.” The proclamation went live on local cable television, reaching additional members of the community with this message.

The chapter also organized an advocacy event in downtown Chicago inviting students from other pharmacy programs to join them. Students from Roosevelt University and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science gathered with Midwestern University APhA-ASP members to educate the public about how pharmacists can improve patient care.

Participants also addressed misconceptions about pharmacists and informed individuals about the various services pharmacists offer as an integral part of the healthcare team, including medication therapy management, immunizations, and much more. In addition, students also encouraged the public to support the “Pharmacists Provide Care” campaign, which will recognize pharmacists as healthcare

professionals by the Social Security Act and enable patient access to Medicare B services.

“During the American Pharmacists Month advocacy event, I was able to raise awareness for the profession by educating the public about all of the services that pharmacists provide,” said Emily Le, PS-I (CCP). “Pharmacists are one of the most easily accessible healthcare professionals, and yet we do not have provider status. By granting provider status, we, as pharmacists, will be able to increase healthcare accessibility for those who cannot afford it.”

Students gather in Chicago to advocate for the pharmacy profession.

PB&J with a Tall Glass of Affirmation: Reflections from Honduras

A boy sits with his family and enjoys his share of some extra sticky PB&J.

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Student Activities

Students from the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (CDMI) visited the John Tibbott Elementary School in Bolingbrook to share the “Lessons in a Lunchbox” oral health program with first, second, and third grade classes. The “Lessons in a Lunchbox: Healthy Teeth Essentials and Facts About Snacks” is an oral health literacy program designed to empower children and their families with the proper knowledge about routine dental care, oral health maintenance, good dietary choices, and more using a “dentally designed” lunchbox.

The presentation was part of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship community service project provided by CDMI fourth-year student Josh Eastham. Mr. Eastham, along with fellow fourth-year dental students Harlean Ahuja, Josef Schwartz, Branden Goetsch, and Ryan Helgerson, provided the oral health program for the 340 attendees in a group assembly and then went to individual classrooms to distribute the lunchboxes and explain their use.

According to Mr. Eastham, “the students were ecstatic about the assembly. I do not think I have ever seen anyone, kids or adults, get so excited about oral health. In the assembly, there were videos shown about brushing and flossing which all of the kids seemed to enjoy.” In the classrooms, Mr. Eastham and the other CDMI students provided oral health education and answered questions

in both Spanish and English. “The students were extremely excited about their new lunchbox,” Mr. Eastham said.

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship is a nonprofit organization dedicat-ed to improving the health of vulnerable people now and for the future. The prestigious fellowship program encourages graduate students to become lifelong leaders in service.

By Krista Shutvet, OTS-II (CHS-Downers Grove)The Midwestern University Student Occupational Therapy Association (MWU SOTA) second-year students on the Downers Grove Campus began their school year with the energizing Disability Pride Parade in downtown Chicago.

The Disability Pride Parade is an event that celebrates differences and recognizes the pride people have in who they are, whether or not a disability is part of that. The mission statement for the Disability Pride Parade em-phasizes the need “to change the way people think about and define ‘disability’; to break down and end the internalized shame among people with disabilities; and to promote the belief in society that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can take pride.”

MWU SOTA proudly supports the mission statement for disability rights, with the belief that the internalized shame that one may feel by having a disability, and the stigma that often exists for these individuals, is unjust

and can be detrimental to an individual’s feelings of self-worth and quality of life.

At the Disability Pride Parade, MWU SOTA students, faculty, and friends marched alongside adults and children both with and without disabilities. The parade spanned from the Harold Washington Library to the Daley Plaza where the parade concluded with a plethora of white tents and booths from sup-portive organizations, several musicians, and speakers for those celebrating disability pride.

This year’s parade was especially exciting because it marked the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which afforded individuals with disabili-ties a range of basic civil rights and prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability.

At the end of the parade route in Daley Plaza, MWU SOTA hosted a children’s booth. At the booth, we offered activities such as bowl-ing, face painting, temporary tattoos, and craft supplies for making a visor or personal-ized banner. Children and adults of all ages enjoyed playing the games, getting “made up” with face paint and tattoos, and having the chance to explore their creativity with crafts.

This uplifting event allowed MWU SOTA the opportunity to show its support for disability rights, provide fun activities for individuals, and to promote occupational therapy.

Dental Students Provide “Lesson in a Lunchbox”

Participating in the event were (from left) Larry Williams, D.D.S., Assistant Professor, CDMI, and CDMI students Josef Schwartz, Harlean Ahuja, Joshua Eastham, Branden Goetsch, and Ryan Helgerson

Children and their families enjoyed the games, face painting, crafts, and other activities coordinated by members of the MWU SOTA organization.

OT Students Show Support at Disability Pride Parade

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Student Activities

By Dalila Masic, PS-III (CCP)The Veterans Affairs Learning Opportunity Residency (VALOR) Clinical Pharmacy Internship Program allows two second-year pharmacy students to experience the various roles that a clinical pharmacist has in a health-system setting that focuses on veterans, active duty members, and their dependents. As one of the 2015 Pharmacy VALOR Interns at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in Chicago, IL, I was involved in a wide array of clinical interventions to improve patient care.

Throughout the internship, I developed a first-hand understanding of how pharmacists play an integral role in the management of various disease states in both the ambulatory care and acute care settings. Not only did I apply

my didactic knowledge directly to the clinical pharmacy setting, but I was also able to use and develop my clinical judgment.

By working together with clinical pharmacy specialists in ambulatory care, I was able to assess and take care of patients with condi-tions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. I was also readily en-gaged in anticoagulation therapies in patients with atrial fibrillation and a history of a venous thromboembolism.

Some of my daily tasks included in-person visits and phone calls with veterans regard-ing their warfarin and target-specific oral anticoagulant (TSOAC) therapies. I played an active role in educating patients on the importance of adherence to these medica-tions to avoid risks of bleeding or thrombosis.

I counseled veterans on making important lifestyle decisions while on warfarin, such as having a consistent vitamin K intake and re-fraining from excessive alcohol consumption. I also regularly monitored patients’ lifestyle changes and made dosing adjustments to warfarin regimens based on INR results and patient reported symptoms of bleeding or clotting. Additionally, I was able to provide an educational in-service on peri-procedural management of TSOACs to the Primary Care department.

Overall, this experience allowed me to serve those who have served our country. I hope to continue developing my clinical knowledge within the VA and the federal healthcare setting.

By Ian Stock, MS-II (CCOM), Treasurer, University Student SenateOver the past four years, the Syrian civil war has ravaged a once prosperous nation and caused more than six million people to flee its borders. As the nations of the world attempt to help these victims of violence, it is always challenging to meet their immediate needs. The Syrian refugees not only seek safety, but also a new home.

The University Student Senate decided that we could do something to help. We felt that raising money to try to help the Syrian refugees was a logical step because the spirit of serving and giving is a very large part of every program at Midwestern University. The Senate voted to donate the money to a local charity called RefugeeOne, which helps sup-port refugees new to Chicago. One important reason the Senate decided to support this group was that it provides a range of classes to help refugees become a valuable part of the community.

With the help of the College Councils, students, faculty, and staff, we raised more than $1,500. To put that in perspective, that is enough money to provide one month of housing and English classes for a refugee. The University Senate is extremely proud of this accomplishment and wishes to thank every-one who contributed. We have come together and helped a family affected by violence find hope and a chance at a new life; that is indeed a great gift.

Internship Aids Veterans, Provides Pharmacy Experience

Student Senate Participates in Syrian Refugee Relief Effort

Dr. Amanaki, Tonga’s Chief Dental Officer, engages CDMA students with facts and figures from his homeland during a presentation on the Glendale Campus.

CDMA Provides Services and Technology to TongaAs part of an annual goodwill mission to the island nation of Tonga, the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (CDMA) donated a much-needed state-of-the-art CEREC CAD/CAM milling machine that allows local dental practitioners to create crowns for patients for the first time.

CDMA faculty and students traveled to Tonga in November to provide clinical services and train the island’s dental professionals in current techniques. According to 2013 statistics, Tonga offers 40 doctors per 100,000 people, but only 10 dentists. There are no dedicated dental training facilities in Tonga. To supplement its population’s dental care, Tonga welcomes visiting groups of dentists and dental students from countries such as England, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to help train local practitioners and provide clinical services.

Tonga is comprised of 172 islands, 36 of which are inhabited, in an area of 362,500 square miles in the Pacific Ocean. The last monarchy in the Pacific islands, Tonga became a democratically-elected government in 2010. Tonga’s health services include four hospitals, 15 health centers, and smaller clinics on the outer islands.

At the end of September, Dr. Amanaki Huufiftaleletu Fakakovikaetau, Chief Dental Officer for Tonga, spent a week visiting and observing Midwestern University dental students and faculty in Glendale. The Australian-educated Dr. Amanaki capped his visit with a presentation that gave his audience a better understanding of Tonga’s medical practices and challenges.

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Katie Riesenberg, DMS-IV (CDMI) provides care for a veteran as part of the first DuPage County Veterans Stand Down. Fourth-year dental students, under the guidance of CDMI faculty, were able to provide care to 30 patients during the Stand Down.

The Midwestern University Speech-Language Pathology Program and the Midwestern University Chapter of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association (NSSLHA) sponsored the 7th Annual Walk for Children with Apraxia. The MWU team raised $2,255 support to children and families on their journey with apraxia.

Alex Pierre-Bez, DMS-III, speaks with local news to promote Super Sealant Saturday, a student-run event that provides free dental care to kids ages four to 18.

The Arizona School of Podiatric Medicine assisted in the Special Olympics Arizona’s first-ever foot screening event in the Navajo Nation in September. From left to right: Jesse Thompson, Special Olympics Arizona Manager; Dr. McQueen Suen (AZPod 2011); David Jenkins, D.P.M., FACFAS, Professor; Jeffrey Page, D.P.M., Program Director and Associate Dean; Dylan Kaumaya, PMS-II; Melanie Violand, D.P.M., FACFAS, FAPWH, Director of Podiatric Postgraduate Education; and Dr. Rachel O’Connor (AZPod 2010).

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