wvsom winter magazine - 2013

WVSOM MAGAZINE • WINTER 2013 1

a publication of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

Winter 2013

Caring for Rural West Virginians

2 WVSOM MAGAZINE • WINTER 2013

WVSOMCAMPUS STORE

Order ONLINE: www.wvsom.edu/aboutWVSOM/campus-store

CONTACT: Cindi Knight 304.647.6299

[email protected]

Gifts for the graduate


This Issue: Rural Medicine

Sections

AdvertisingP. 2 Bookstore

P. 4 WVSOM Faculty Open Positions

P. 17 Greenbrier Valley Medical Center and Davis Health System

P. 21 The Greenbrier

P. 23 Raleigh General Hospital and Vein Health Solutions

P. 24 AccessHealth and Charleston Area Medical Center

P. 34 Woolpert Design and Bailey & Wyant, PLLC.

P. 55 Dermatology Center, Inc. and Wooton Law Firm

P. 66 Lewis Glasser Casey & Rollins, PLLC. and Gail Feinberg, D.O. and Howard Feinberg, D.O.

P. 67 Ream Properties, Cancer Treatment Centers of America and Gillespie’s Flowers & Productions

. Winners at OMED poster session

. OMM clinic

. Heart of the Holidays

. Research day

. Students raise money

. Grand Affair

. Candlelight vigil honors victims

. NHSC Scholars

, Mitch Cook named president. Outstanding female leader. Dr. Lagos confirms phenomenon . Graduate recognized in rural medicine. MSOPTI House Staff Day . Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar. Class Notes. Tucker receives award

. GMS reunion 2012 — 200 years

. 2012 contributors

. Farewell thoughts from director

SCHOOL NEWS

CONTENTSP. 35

P. 41

P. 51

P. 64

P. 61

P. 63

STUDENTS

. New hires

. News

P. 47 FACULTY & STAFF

ALUMNI

GIFTS TO WVSOM

. News from WVOMA

P. 50 WVOMA

G.M.S.

FOUNDATION

P. 6

P. 18

P. 22

P. 25

P. 26

P. 28

Rural Medicine { featured story }

WVSOM Sweethearts

WVSOM Urology residents best in nation

Program aims to address, reduce pediatric obesity

It’s a Wrap! - Abracadabra

Class of 1983 steps up to the challenge

. Employees and graduate’s work is published

. Childhood obesity and diabetes CME

. New school flag

. Health awareness day

. Open house

. Employees, students collected food

. Opioid conference

. Holiday season celebration

. HLC accreditation

. Happy birthday to Dr. Sharp

. Campus store increases digital offerings

. MSOPTI partners with Mon General

. AOA honor

. The Greenbrier House is gone


From the President

Michael Adelman, D.O., D.P.M., J.D.

This year, WVSOM matriculated 75 first-year students from West Virginia — a new high mark in our efforts to serve the state of West Virginia and the health care needs of its residents. Studies show that having roots in an area is a primary contributor to a physician’s determination of where to practice. WVSOM remains committed to bringing bright, qualified students from within the state to WVSOM for their medical education.

Many of you know that recruiting challenges have eroded access to care in many rural communities. Nationwide, nearly one in 10 rural counties has no primary care physician. In the state of West Virginia, 47 out of 55 counties contain Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations for primary medical care. It has been a critical issue in recent years and it’s poised to get worse as up to 27 percent of rural primary care physicians in the U.S. approach retirement age, at the same time that thousands of new patients are being added to the ranks of the insured.

A 2004 Health Affairs analysis demonstrated that states with a higher proportion of primary care doctors had better care and improved health outcomes. In an effort to bring a greater level of care to underserved areas, all three of the state’s medical schools are using grant monies for Rural Health Initiatives to expand training in rural areas. This issue’s cover story on rural medicine highlights just a few of the programs WVSOM is engaged in to better serve our rural population.

While there are significant challenges around this issue, there is reason for optimism as well.

I am constantly encouraged by the reports I receive from WVSOM graduates practicing around the state, throughout

OUR MISSION STATEMENTThe mission of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is to educate students from diverse backgrounds as lifelong learners in osteopathic medicine and complementary health related programs; to advance scientific knowledge through academic, clinical and basic science research; and to promote patient-centered, evidence based medicine. WVSOM is dedicated to serve, first and foremost, the state of West Virginia and the special health care needs of its residents, emphasizing primary care in rural areas.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marilea Butcher

MANAGING EDITOR Denise Getson

DESIGNER/COORDINATOR Erica Bell

PHOTOGRAPHERS Karen AyersPat Bauserman

WRITER Tiffany Wright

CONTRIBUTOR Scott Holstein, Photographer Rich McMahan, Photographer

a publication of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

the nation and even overseas. There is a passion to serve at the heart of the WVSOM community that is having a profound impact on patient care.

As you browse through these pages, please take a look at the stories of CAMC’s osteopathic urology residency under the supervision of James Tierney, D.O., Class of 1980, as well as the article on important cancer research results from Class of 2008 graduate Rachel Lagos, D.O. We know many of you are creating legacies of excellence in your individual areas of practice and research. We congratulate you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with updates on your work.

In other news, the Capital Campaign continues to break new ground. By securing the new Student Center clock tower, WVSOM’s Alumni Association has created an engaging way for every WVSOM graduate to be part of enhancing WVSOM’s campus for future generations. I hope all of you will find a way to participate in this exciting effort.

As always, please don’t hesitate to call, write or drop in the next time you are in the neighborhood. We want to hear from you. We want to know you better. We want to hear your ideas for how WVSOM can be better. I can be reached at 304.647.6200 or [email protected] with any questions, comments or just to say ‘hello.’

Warm regards,


Rural Medicine: Problems & Solutions

FEATURED

Nationwide, there’s a need for family doctors. This need is even greater in rural, underserved areas. Studies show that when there’s a strong frontline of primary care physicians seeing patients, the cost of health care is lower and outcomes are better. In predominantly rural West Virginia, there is growing concern about the issue.


The Need for Rural Physicians The April 2010 issue of Academic Medicine reported that “Among the most enduring problems in rural America is the shortage and/or maldistribution of physicians. Despite continued federal and state efforts to increase the number of physicians in rural areas, disparities between the supply of rural and urban physicians persist.”

In a study of clinically active M.D. and D.O. physicians who graduated from medical school between 1988 and 1997, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine was cited as the No. 1 school in the nation graduating physicians who practice in rural areas*.

Exactly two years later, the same publication published a study** which focused specifically on U.S. medical

schools graduating physicians between 1991 and 2005 who practiced in rural, urban and economically distressed areas of Appalachia. More than 24 million people live in Appalachia, which encompasses parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and all of West Virginia. Once again, WVSOM ranked at the top of schools contributing the most graduates to the primary care physician workforce in Appalachia’s rural areas – which begs the questions:

“What is the school doing right?” and“What more could we be doing?”


professionals or are medically underserved. The study examined the density of physicians, physician’s assistants, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and dental hygienists per 10,000 people in the state, compared to the national average. Not only are these 50 counties underserved by medical professionals, but the demand for providers will increase if more than 300,000 new state residents become insured under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“West Virginia residents need strong primary care physicians committed to providing high quality, patient-centered care,” Crawford said. “WVSOM has developed several initiatives to help ensure that patients in the most at-risk, hard-to-reach places are able to receive the medical services they need.”

Rural Health Initiative (RHI)One WVSOM program achieving early high marks is the Rural Health Initiative.

Janet Hinton, the Rural Health Initiative Program Coordinator, described the program. “Our mission is to enhance the rural primary care curriculum at WVSOM in order to produce graduates uniquely qualified to practice medicine in underserved areas of West Virginia,” she said.

A Commitment to Rural Medicine It’s right there in the mission statement for everyone to see.

“WVSOM is dedicated to serve, first and foremost, the

state of West Virginia and the special health care needs

of its residents, emphasizing primary care in rural

areas.”

“The school takes those words seriously,” said Patricia Crawford, Director of WVSOM’s Rural Outreach Program and Co-chair of the WV Rural Health Association Workforce Project. “WVSOM is working hard to be part of the solution. If you look at WVSOM graduates from the classes 1978 – 2008 who are practicing in West Virginia, 78 percent are practicing in primary care specialties

and 51 percent are practicing rural care.”

That’s the good news.

Of course, there’s more to the story. The “2012 Health Care in West Virginia: A Workforce Analysis” from the West Virginia Rural Health Association and the Rural Health Research Center indicated the state continues to lack medical coverage in remote areas. The association reported that 50 out of West Virginia’s 55 counties have a shortage in health care

WVSOM IS DEDICATED TO SERVE, FIRST AND

FOREMOST, THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

AND THE SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF ITS

RESIDENTS, EMPHASIZING PRIMARY CARE IN

RURAL AREAS. ~ WVSOM mission


Currently, four students from the Class of 2013, 17 students from the Class of 2014, and 12 students from the Class of 2015 have been admitted into the RHI program, which provides students with a financial stipend, physician mentoring and multiple rural immersion experiences throughout the year.

Jessica Wilson, WVSOM Class of 2014, is a participant in the RHI program. She’s very clear on her future plans to practice rural medicine in West Virginia. A native of Moorefield, W.Va., she was seriously injured in an auto accident when she was 16. Told she might spend the rest of her life in a wheel chair, she began three years of intensive treatment to regain the use of her legs. The support of her family and friends, her school and the health care providers treating her made a profound impact.

Studies show that one of the biggest predictors of practicing in a small town is coming from one. If it’s unusual for students from big cities to practice in a rural area, it may be due to misconceptions about what making that choice means. In reality, doctors in rural areas often report greater personal and professional satisfaction than their counterparts in large cities, and they report a better work-life balance.

To give students an idea of what life as a rural family doctor is really like; rural medicine programs

send students to small communities for a portion of their time in school. At WVSOM, a minimum of three clinical rotations take place in a rural environment. Students receive hands-on, one-on-one experience working with physicians and patients.

“WVSOM third- and fourth-year students completed a total of 1,816 rural rotations during the 2011-2012

academic year,” Hinton said.

In addition, participants in the Rural Health Initiative received additional exposure to contexts specific to West Virginia, like visiting a timber/logging operation or taking a guided tour of a coal mine. The goal is to demonstrate the realities of daily life in the mountain state and how these environments can impact population health and treatment.

According to a review published in the March 2008 issue of Academic Medicine, in following 1,600 rural program graduates over three decades, 53 to 64 percent of graduates continued to practice in rural areas after completing their rural immersion experience.

“RuRal West ViRginia is my home,” she said. “the people in these communities i consideR family. as a physician, i Want to gain theiR tRust and deVelop a Relationship With them, Which i feel Was the eaRliest Role of a physician and should still be tRue today. RuRal West ViRginia made me Who i am and i Want to giVe back.”


The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) offers multiple programs to assist physicians:

1. There are a limited number of full scholarships for students who will repay their debt with two to four years of primary care service in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

2. The NHSC Loan Repayment Program offers multiple levels of funding after graduation, based upon the need of the community in which a provider works, as defined by the HPSA score.

a. Graduates may receive up to $60,000 tax-free, on top of their salary, for two years of full-time service or four years of half-time service in a qualified rural location or public health clinic upon completion of their residency. Typically, these are sites with HPSA scores of 14+.

b. Graduates may receive up to $40,000 for two years of full-time service or four years of half-time service in a qualified location, typically a site with a HPSA score of 0-13.

3. The NHSC Student-to-Service Program allows students in their last year of medical school to apply for a tax-free loan repayment program that offers up to $120,000 for three years of full-time service or six years of half-time service upon completion of a primary medical care residency. With continued service, eligible providers may be able to pay all their student loans.

Many states, including West Virginia, will help repay a portion of debt for primary care practitioners who practice in underserved areas. According to the Higher Education Policy Commission, graduates can receive up to $10,000 in forgiveness for each year of service in a shortage field like family medicine or other primary care specialties or by practicing in an underserved area.

There is also a $20,000 one-time cash award which medical students can apply for during their fourth year of school. To qualify, graduates must complete an in-state primary care residency (family medicine, internal medicine, OB-GYN, pediatrics, psychiatry or internal medicine-pediatrics). Upon completion of residency, recipients practice for two years in an underserved area of the state within an outpatient, primary care setting. Typically, these are sites with a primary care HPSA score or a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic.

Physicians who are willing to go where they’re most needed can often receive substantial assistance from the government in paying back their loans.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

1 2 3 4 5

1 in 5 U.S. residents live in a rural area.


Bringing Better Health to Rural CommunitiesAccording to the Bureau of Health Professions of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), while 1 in 5 U.S. residents live in a rural area, only 9 percent of doctors practice there. The shortage of primary care doctors in rural areas has been an issue for several decades, but it is poised to get worse.

“Unfortunately, there is no single site that lists primary care openings for physicians – but we know those job openings are increasing exponentially,” said David Brown, Ph.D., a professor and Director of Rural Recruitment and Retention at WVSOM. “The school is actively involved in matching graduates with rural sites around the state that have a need for quality health care.

We’re the facilitators, creating connections that lead to win-win situations for both the physician and a community.”

He shares one success story of a graduate completing her commitment to the U.S. Navy and interested in returning to practice family medicine in West Virginia.

“She reached out to the school for assistance and we were able to put her into contact with multiple facilities that had a need. Upon her return to civilian life, she’ll be joining a medical practice near Princeton where she grew up.”

Brown expanded on the challenges facing recruitment into rural primary care.

“We’re trying to change the belief that you can’t make a good living in rural primary care. In fact, with the assistance of the NHSC

or the West Virginia state loan repayment programs, primary care can be a very affordable path to a rewarding medical career. We’re constantly telling our students that you can afford primary care.”

And for out-of-state students who have even greater school loan debt?

“Many students come to West Virginia and fall in love with our state. These programs are central to the success of keeping these doctors here and establishing them in rural practices,” he said.

Early IdentificationEarly identification of students with a rural focus is one area of active development. Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, WVSOM is piloting a pre-osteopathic

9%of doctors practice in rural areas.

According to the Bureau of Health Professions of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

“MANY STUDENTS COME

TO WEST VIRGINIA AND

FALL IN LOVE WITH OUR

STATE. THESE PROGRAMS

ARE CENTRAL TO THE

SUCCESS OF KEEPING

THESE DOCTORS HERE AND

ESTABLISHING THEM IN

RURAL PRACTICES.”


medicine track with Concord University. Students who enter the program must express an overall desire to become an osteopathic physician and must identify WVSOM as their first choice for pursuing a medical education. Students may apply to the program at the end of their sophomore year if they meet specific academic requirements. Once accepted, they receive mentoring from a WVSOM faculty member along with greater exposure to the work of primary care osteopathic physicians in the state.

“A faculty mentor will be matched to each student to monitor and encourage their science progress,” said Malcolm Modrzakowski, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Affiliated/Sponsored Programs. “Students will also attend a summer program on the WVSOM campus in order to deepen their understanding of osteopathic medicine and the requirements of medical school.”

Another area of attention is identifying students at the high school level who want to work in the health care field or who need more information regarding job opportunities in their home state. WVSOM’s Rural Health

Initiative is active in this area, creating a pipeline of activities for Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) members around the state, as well as other students from the WV GEAR UP program (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) or Upward Bound. WVSOM’s Statewide Campus associate deans are a critical asset to this effort, speaking to students in their geographic area about health careers and the path to becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

Furthermore, WVSOM’s annual High School Mini-Med helps area students experience some of the day-to-day realities of providing medical care. Through

the engaging presentations of second year medical students about systems of the body and life in medical school, participating teens begin to understand the rigors and rewards of a health care career.

Andrea Nazar, D.O., is a professor in Clinical Sciences and the faculty advisor for the Mini-Med School program at WVSOM. The program began in 2009 as a four-day program for community members to educate them on the systems of the body and how to achieve better health. Participants listened to brief lectures presented by second-year medical students then worked in small groups with hands-on exposure to anatomic specimens or robotic patient simulators. The community Mini-Med School program continues to be held every spring. However, the program was so successful that it’s now additionally offered as a one-day immersion experience for high school students.

“The high school program is beneficial not only because it educates young people about health care and wellness, but it can bring to light untapped potential in these students. It’s remarkable to see them suddenly engage with a subject or begin to understand that a career in health care – even becoming a physician – is within the realm of possibility for them,” she said.

The most recent High School Mini-Med was held December 1. Students from several area high schools arrived on WVSOM’s campus looking timid and cautious. After time spent with their enthusiastic instructors, they became more animated.

In one exercise, a young high school student used a programmable stethoscope to listen to “Harvey,” one of the male patient simulators. He quickly distinguished the ‘lub-dub’ of a healthy heart from the syncopation of an irregular heartbeat. His biggest grin came, however, when he put the stethoscope to his chest and listened to his own reassuring heartbeat.

During a break for lunch the visiting students had an opportunity to chat informally with

“the high school pRogRam is beneficial not only because it educates young people about

health caRe and Wellness, but it can bRing to light untapped

potential in these students.”


the white-coated med students. When asked what they plan to study in college, the answers were varied.

The students are assured these undergraduate degrees provide a fertile foundation for careers in medicine.

One of the Mini-Med organizers, second-year student Matthew White, encouraged the visitors in his closing remarks.

“If you’re unsure about what work you want to do, consider a health care field. There are many career opportunities now, as well as in the future. Open yourself to the possibilities.”

Classmate and co-organizer Sharon Parker agreed.

“We put you in small groups for your instruction because, in health care, everyone works together for the well-being of the patient. Whether someone is a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or a physician assistant, each person plays an integral role. Wherever you think you might fit, in terms of your skills

and your interests, you can be sure there’s a need.”

Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH)When there is a shortage of primary care physicians, more is demanded of other health care providers to help fill the gaps. Nurses, physician assistants – even trained volunteers – can be a bridge between a medical problem and the solution.

WVSOM’s Center for Rural and Community Health offers several programs and tools to

Engineering

Psychology

BiologyExercise Physiology


help improve the health of West Virginians and facilitate access to quality care.

One program gaining momentum is the Community Health Education Resource Person (CHERP) training.

“It’s a structured program of education that sets the standard for grassroots outreach to improve a community’s nutrition, physical activity levels and overall health and wellness.”

There are six educational tiers in the program including wellness specialist, health promotion specialist, disease prevention specialist, disease management specialist, mental health specialist and personal health counselor. Each trainee can choose his or her intended level of achievement

and advance through each level of training, as desired.

Thanks to a grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation plus a Community Transformation Grant, funded through the WV Bureau for Public Health by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as support from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, the training of CHERPs continues to expand around the state. Level 1 trainings (wellness specialist) have been held in Berkeley, Cabell, Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas, Raleigh and Wood counties. Level 2 trainings (health promotion specialist) have been held in Greenbrier and Wood counties.

“One of our challenges is educating physicians and health organizations about how to use the CHERPs to support their community service and outreach,” Miller said. “We keep a registry of qualified CHERPs. If an individual or health care provider needs someone to provide

assistance, they can contact us and we’ll connect them to a trained health worker in their area.”

The services a CHERP can provide are varied. Examples include: helping patients prepare to provide medical history forms, interviews with providers, understanding lab reports, providing informal peer counseling, assisting community members to transition through the health care system and providing additional outreach activities that help community members be engaged and informed.

“Improving health literacy among the population of West Virginia is integral to improving health,” asserted Miller. “In a study of more than 1,500 Appalachian adults, between 57 percent and 79 percent of participants had the self-perception that they were in good or great health, when in fact they had at least one disease condition, symptom or poor health behavior. The first step to creating positive change is recognizing that there’s a problem. This is one area where the Community Health Education Resource Person (CHERP) can be effective. The CHERP has trusted relationships with friends and neighbors in the community. They understand the cultural context in which a person has developed a distortion about his or her health. Consequently, their efforts to create healthier behaviors may be more influential than the same messages coming from someone in a white coat.”

Kim Tieman is the Health Program Officer for the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, an independent foundation with

“With this pRogRam, We’Re WRiting an entiRe cuRRiculum to tRain community health WoRkeRs in the aRea of health and Wellness,” said Wayne milleR, ph.d., pRogRam diRectoR of the centeR.


the mission to encourage human development in West Virginia through strategically-placed charitable resources.

“We’re glad to be a partner with WVSOM’s Center for Rural and Community Health,” she said. “The Benedum Foundation has an emphasis on creating improved health care delivery systems in West Virginia, strengthening the public health infrastructure and promoting community-based health solutions. As the CHERP program grows and matures, it can have a big impact on the region’s health.”

Funding IssuesHundreds of millions of dollars in rural health cuts were narrowly avoided when Congress passed the last-minute “fiscal cliff” legislation late in the night on New Year’s Day. The president signed into law legislation that reinstates critical Medicare reimbursement payments to more than 850 rural hospitals nationwide, while also preventing cuts

to rural primary care physicians and rural ambulance providers. The bill reinstated the Medicare Dependent Hospital program and the Low-Volume Hospital adjustment, allowing many rural facilities the ability to remain open and caring for patients.

While numerous rural medicine programs were saved from the ax, the future is far from rosy. Many of the rural payments were extended for only one year. Belts continue to tighten just when more citizens are poised to enter the primary care system as they are added to insurer rolls under the Affordable Care Act. Combine that with a boomer generation of retiring physicians and the fact that fewer than 4 percent of recent medical school graduates say they intend to start their careers in rural areas or small towns and it’s easy to view the glass not just as half-empty, but as draining dry.

Nonetheless, there remains not only hope, but often relentless enthusiasm for the cause of rural medicine.

Primary care and family medicine are receiving renewed attention from a

number of U.S. medical schools that walked away from these specialties years ago in order to focus on more glamorous or lucrative areas of medicine. And for schools like WVSOM where primary care has always been the focus, there is a renewed interest in family medicine and a growing pool of qualified applicants who voice a clear propensity for a rural practice and the lifestyle it offers.

“There are individuals out there who have a true calling to heal others,” Crawford stressed. “When you find the person with the values and the sense of mission to serve, then we want to do everything we can to match them to a community that needs their talents.”

What Next?Everyone agrees the health care landscape is changing – and fast. In the next few years, patients can expect changing practice and payment models, expansion of chronic care rates, continued aging of the population with the associated health care demands that come with that, plus a new wave of demand for primary care physicians and a shortage of the same.

“One of the things we’re doing to improve the quality of rural health care is working with primary care residents to augment their skills with new training that will benefit them in a rural care practice,” Crawford said. “With stipends for rural leadership fellowships, we’ve expanded the training for men’s health, women’s health, chronic disease management, geriatrics and advanced trauma life support.”

Lane Holbrook, D.O., WVSOM Class of 2009, received the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training in his last year of residency. Shortly after receiving his certification


in Charleston, he received an unexpected opportunity to put his training to good use.

“It was an awful weather day with rain and snow,” he recalled. “I pulled into a restaurant parking lot to pick up a quick biscuit for breakfast and I could see people standing around a cinder block wall that had collapsed. I knew something wasn’t right, so I parked and walked over to investigate. Two delivery men had been injured when the wall fell. I was surprised how the ATLS training kicked in immediately. My brain started going through a mental rolodex of all the things I needed to check and I was able to quickly assess and begin providing treatment to the individual who was most at risk.”

That was the first time his ATLS training was called into service, but not the last. You know those scenes in the movies where a pilot comes over the loudspeaker and asks passengers if there’s a doctor onboard? It happened earlier this year when Holbrook was on a flight home from Florida.

“The pilot asked anyone with medical training to please press the flight attendant call button,” Holbrook said. “One of the passengers was unresponsive. Since I was the only one who pressed the call button, I was asked to assess his condition. People might be surprised how often these situations come up in real life,” he continued. “I’ll always be grateful to my instructors at WVSOM who prepared me. You truly never know when you’re going to be on-call.”

Since 2005-06, there have been 25 residents and eight newly-placed rural physicians who have participated in the rural leadership fellowship program. Twenty-three separate physicians have participated, with eight residents participating multiple years, as a resident or as a newly-placed physician. Of these 23 physicians, only three are currently practicing in out-of-state locations (rural New York State, Alabama and Pennsylvania).

“Many of these physicians were recruited and retained at community-based health centers,” Crawford summarized. “And all but two are practicing in a designated rural county.”

“These communities depend upon doctors who are committed to providing excellent primary

care,” she said. “Whether it’s a rural hospital, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or a free clinic, it is vital that we keep these rural network facilities open. In addition, we need infrastructure improvements in those areas, like access to technology. We cannot create telehealth opportunities with a remote specialist if there’s inadequate cell service or Internet reception.”

Ambassadors for Rural Health CareThe April 2012 issue of Academic Medicine described the Appalachian region of the United States as perceived to possess “rugged

geography, scenic beauty, a unique value system, serious economic challenges and inadequate health care.”

Part of that “unique value system” is an enduring commitment to helping one’s neighbors. Perhaps that, more than anything else, is cause for optimism when examining the

challenges of rural medicine.

“I believe there is a renewed spirit of collaboration growing among West Virginia organizations working to improve health and health care conditions in this state,” said Lorenzo Pence, D.O., Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. “Each contributor brings different strengths to a shared vision of a healthy West Virginia. WVSOM will never stop striving to put outstanding primary care physicians in underserved areas, but we’re not alone in these efforts. When you have so many committed groups working to create excellence – working to help our neighbors – you’re bound to see results.”

He paused for a moment, pondering the path that has brought WVSOM to this point in its history.

“WVSOM was established 40 years ago because our founders saw a need for primary care physicians who would be holistic and patient-centered in addressing the health care needs of the state’s rural population,” he reflected. “We’ve never wavered in that mission. And it is our graduates, then and now, who remain the best ambassadors of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

*Which Medical Schools Produce

Rural Physicians? A 15-Year Update

(Frederick Chen, M.D., MPH,

Meredith Fordyce, Ph.D., Steve

Andes, Ph.D., and L. Gary Hart,

Ph.D.), Academic Medicine, Vol. 85,

No. 4 (April 2010) 594-598.

**Which U.S. Medical Schools

Are Providing the Most Physicians

for the Appalachian Region of the

United States? (Helen H. Baker,

Ph.D., MBA, Donald E. Pathman,

M.D., MPH, James W. Nemitz, Ph.D,

Craig S. Boisvert, D.O., Robert

J. Schwartz, M.A., and Lance C.

Ridpath, M.S.), Academic Medicine,

Vol. 87, No. 4 (April 2012),

498-505.


WVSOM Sweethearts at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. (Or is that the smell of latex and formaldehyde?) At any rate, in honor of Valentine’s Day, it seemed appropriate to recognize a few of the WVSOM sweethearts who have captured each other’s hearts over the years. Read in their own words how Cupid’s arrow found them …

Love is in the air

MEMORIES


Sally Robertson and Russ Stewart, Class of 1979“I was one of four women in our class, which had 42 students. We were the second class to graduate. We were married at the end of our third year in a small ceremony in White Sulphur Springs. We were on one month clinical rotations at the time. Russ had just finished a primary care rotation in Rich Creek, Va., and I had just completed a one-month family practice rotation in western Tennessee. I drove 12 hours straight to get back to Lewisburg for the wedding the next day.

It was a small ceremony with about 10 people in attendance. Gwen Clingman made our wedding cake (chocolate) and wouldn’t take a penny for it. True to her generous character, she said it was her wedding gift to us.

We had a one night honeymoon at the Greenbrier State Forest and it was the night that the clocks got turned back one hour. The day after the wedding, Russ drove on to Carson City, Mich., and I left for Point Pleasant, W.Va.

We were separated for one month until our senior year began on June 1 of that year. We were together during our senior year, our internship and for the 32 years we’ve been in practice in West Virginia.”

Hal Armistead, Class of 1981, and Amy Roush, Class of 1982“I met my future wife in the parking lot of WVSOM in 1978. I was aware of the tall blonde in the freshman class, but we hadn’t actually chatted prior to that fateful day in the parking lot.

She liked my car (a bright yellow Capri). I had attended the University of Southern California when I bought the car in 1973. I had the USC sticker in the back window and it was a stick shift. So she walked up to me in the parking lot and introduced herself by asking, ‘Did you go to USC or just your car?’ Assuring her that we both had been on campus, our relationship continued from there.

Now looking back, I can see that I was an after-thought. She just wanted to drive my car! (Fortunately, after 31 years, she drives her own car now.)”


Robin King and Bob Thiele, Class of 1995“We met my first year ... his second.

I thought he was cool (he was) ... He thought I was square (I was).

He wore pants that didn’t match his shirt (ever), and I could still fit in

stretchy pants and wear Big ’90s hair ...

He took me to the Hobnobbery and fed me Long Island Ice Teas and we listened to ‘Ramp Supper’ play ...

The next thing you know he was taking the TA position with OMM, and we were graduating in the same year ... and married now for 18 years.”

Sarah Steele and Dave Killeen, Class of 1998“We met in Kirksville, Mo., at Truman State University, in our sophomore year of college.

Dave sat across the room from me in our Spanish I class; he asked me out on a date before we knew each others’ names.

After our first round of block exams at WVSOM, we spent the weekend at Pipestem State Park and Dave asked me to marry him. We got married after second year, one week after board exams, on the WVSOM campus. Lots of faculty and classmates attended and participated in our wedding. We will always think of the folks at WVSOM

as our extended family. We’ve been together now for 22 years, and married for 16.”

Andrew Thymius and Tiffany Kitts, Class of 1998“We were in the same organic chemistry class at Concord College. A golfing friend suggested I ask Tiffany out on a date. ‘She’s a great girl. You should go for it,’ he said. So I did.

Tiffany applied to WVSOM first and was accepted. I followed and we ended up in the same class year.

In our first year, we took a trip across the country, camping in national parks. It took us 30 days. We made it to the Pacific Coast Highway, saw the ocean and turned around. On the way back, we stopped in Las Vegas and had good luck. While Tiffany was preoccupied, I snuck off with the winnings and purchased an engagement ring.

My plan was to propose at sunset on the rim of the Grand Canyon. I had my timing off and we ended up hiking around longer than I’d planned while I was waiting for the sun to set. Finally, I proposed and she said ‘yes.’ We got married while we were still in medical school and had our first son before graduation. We have three boys.”


Adrienne Coopey, Class of 2001, and Dave Pucci, Class of 2004“The night Dave and I met really started that day. I was on one of my first rotations at Catawba Hospital, the psychiatric facility near Roanoke. It was maybe a Wednesday and my friend, Angela, was trying to convince me I had to come to Lewisburg that night. I was trying really hard to be a good student and I was enjoying the rotation. (Foreshadowing — I am a child psychiatrist.) Angela insisted that I be there.

She was throwing the ‘First Cut’ party for the first-year students and there happened to be this guy she knew I would be interested in meeting. Despite my objections, I drove to Lewisburg when I got off work. Angela rented the drafty farm house on Fairview Lane. I enjoyed any excuse to hang out with Angela and she always threw a good party.

Finally, more than fashionably late, Dave showed up — straight from the gym — sweaty gym shorts and all! I agreed with Angela’s

assessment. Now I do believe Dave would have gone home early if Dr. Nemitz hadn’t given him a ride downtown to join the party. So we have him to thank.

Now, we have a house, two jobs and two kids.”

Tad Lucas, Class of 2003, and Jessica Geimer, Class of 2004“We met at the Brier Inn. I saw her walk in and I told my friend, ‘I’m going to marry her.’

Of course, it took some persuading on my part.”


AWARDS

WVSOM urology residents best in nation

If the quality of urological care in southern West Virginia has improved in recent years, you may want to bestow some of the credit to the Charleston Area Medical Center and Dr. James Tierney, chairman and program director of urology.

“CAMC’s osteopathic urology residency started in 2006,” said Dr. Tierney, Class of 1980. “It has undoubtedly helped us to serve West Virginia and bring quality urology care to the area.”

The program has attracted high quality residents — so successfully, in fact, that for three successive years, one of CAMC’s urology residents has received the national Urology Resident Achievement

Award. The prestigious award is presented annually by the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons to a urology resident in the country who demonstrates exceptional clinical ability, patient/resident manner, resident/staff relationships and resident/community involvement.

Recent honorees include (2012) Cordell Davis, D.O., WVSOM Class of 2008, (2011) Faith Payne, D.O., Class of 2007, and (2010) Sam Deem, D.O., WVSOM Class of 2004. Dr. Deem’s urology practice is now based at CAMC and Dr. Payne recently joined Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley. Upon completion of his urology chief year, Cordell Davis, D.O.,

will begin a tour of duty with the United States Air Force.

Tierney expanded on what makes the CAMC residency so impactful.

“CAMC is very supportive,” he said. “Everyone works hard to hire the right people and to get the right residents into the program so they become the right doctors to serve West Virginia. In short, we pay attention.”

Paying attention is paying off for the residents and for the patients under their care.

“I will be forever grateful for my time at CAMC in the urology residency program,” Dr. Deem said. “It offers a diverse education including all

aspects of urologic care with the latest in cutting edge surgery and management of urologic disease. The diverse faculty and strong support from CAMC make it unique in all aspects of residency training when compared to similar programs, both osteopathic and allopathic, in other institutions.”

Dr. Payne offered similar praise for the program.

“I had the privilege to be trained by some of the top surgeons and medical doctors in the country,” she said. “The urological surgery program is innovative and progressive. The result is graduates are better trained and equipped to provide the most state-of-the-art treatment.”

“CAMC offers a well-rounded residency,” Tierney concluded. “The doctors who come here receive broad clinical exposure in a 1,000-bed hospital system. This includes kidney transplants through our Cleveland Clinic affiliation, research projects and articles, which the residents develop, along with community service. These residents are not only good doctors, but good citizens.”


Program aims to address, reduce pediatric obesity

For nearly a decade, CARDIAC Boot Camp has provided families with ways to prevent childhood obesity by incorporating fun activities for children and educational advisement to their parents.

Jill Cochran, Ph.D., formed CARDIAC Boot Camp in 2004, as an intervention for Robert C. Byrd Clinic patients that were identified as high risk for cardiovascular disease. The camp started with students from the West Virginia Rural Health Partnership Program who served as teachers for the children and WVU extension services helping parents learn ways to prepare healthier foods.

“The rates of obesity in children have risen significantly along with co-morbid conditions that were usually seen only in adult populations,” Cochran said. “Very few programs across the state deal with obese children who already have pre-diabetes, hypertension and other obesity-related diseases. This program is designed for them and their families.”

The camp is typically a six-week summer program, with monthly sessions occurring throughout the winter. In the evenings during

the camp, the RCB Clinic is transformed into an activity place for children and a learning environment for their parents. It is just as important to educate parents as well as provide children with healthy activities in order for the program to continue its success. Participants are encouraged to learn how to incorporate healthy eating into their daily routines. In addition to healthy food, the camp promotes exercise, self-motivation and general family fun.

Debbie White and her 10-year-old daughter have been involved in the program for about two years.

“I’m always concerned about my child’s health and I’m going to do whatever I can to encourage a better and healthy lifestyle for her,” she said.

For White, one of the most beneficial aspects of the program is getting educated about healthy food choices.

“I like learning about the importance of healthy meals and meal planning. As parents we do a lot of fast food options because we are busy encouraging our kids to play sports.

But the program teaches you how to make healthier choices,” she said.

One improvement White would like to see is participation by more families.

“I think it’s an excellent program but I wish a lot more people would attend and find a way to fit this into their schedule because the kids really benefit from it,” White said.

Cochran would like to see the same results.

“The one thing that is lacking is participation from the families. We call and invite more than 50 families each month, but participation is small. However, the ones who attend gain knowledge and skills in changing behaviors,” she said. “Even if one family makes a change toward healthier behaviors, it is worth it to us.”

The program continues to attract experts in the nutrition and medical fields. In addition to Cochran, the program includes a registered dietician, master’s level exercise physiologist, the WVU Extension Service and clinical research professors from WVSOM.

CHILDREN’S NUTRITION


It’s a Wrap!“Abracadabra,” the children’s television series hosted by WVSOM President Michael Adelman, D.O., D.P.M., J.D., has just completed its second season of taping.

Combining magic, ventriloquism and original music with important lessons about health, nutrition, exercise, safety and science, the show continues to capture the hearts of young viewers.

“WVSOM’s Healthy Children’s Initiative reflects our commitment to help a younger generation of West Virginians make good choices in their lives,” Dr. Adelman said. “The West Virginia Public Broadcasting crew and our valued sponsors have joined us in this very important mission.”

This season, the Abracadabra set enjoyed visits from several sponsors, as well as local performers like the Dueling Fiddlers. The show features a recurring cast of characters – Salty the pirate, Daisy the gardener, Professor Science and Nastini. All gained

ABRACADABRA

facebook.com/abracadabrapbs

Young children, ages 4 to 10, will enjoy playing and learning on the show’s website at www.abracadabra.org

The show airs on WV PBS from 8:30 to 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

popularity this season, but the true star of the show is Joey.

“When we take Joey into schools to entertain kids, he’s treated like a rock star,” Dr. Adelman said. “He’s greeted with cheers and deafening applause. It’s a wonderful feeling to see how he’s connecting with our target audience.”

West Virginia elementary students received good news recently when West Virginia University’s CARDIAC program documented a reduction in childhood obesity rates over the past year for kindergarteners through fifth graders. Only second graders in their study experienced a slight increase, of one point to 24.5 percent.

“The kindergarten obesity rate declined from 17.5 percent to 13.6 percent compared to the prior school year,” said James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., a professor and Vice President for Administration and External Relations at WVSOM. (He plays recurring character, Professor Science, on the television show.) “I think this reflects the work of organizations throughout the state that have made health and wellness for young people a top priority. We hope that parents are also becoming more involved in encouraging good habits.”

All involved in the show’s production agree this is no reason to think a corner has been turned in childhood obesity.

“There’s still much to do to create a positive and enduring change in eating and exercise behaviors,” Dr. Adelman added. “We believe this show can contribute as one of multiple efforts statewide aimed at creating healthier West Virginians.”

WATCH THE SHOW

CONNECT WITH US

Mike with Joey and Duk. Nastini (Brook Bibb) is up to his old tricks for Season Two.

The Dueling Fiddlers bring their dynamic personalities – and a wide range of musical talents – to the Abracadabra set.

The show features a talented cast of young performers — Allison, Max, Megan, Hanna, Timothy, Jordyn, Katie, Jonathan, Rachel, Cate, Jed, Ashley, Elias, Amelia, Breanna and Kaycee. (Some of the child actors are not pictured.)

Sharon Hall, president of Charleston Area Medical Center’s Health Education and Research Institute, another of the show’s loyal sponsors, assists with a magic trick on the show.

Dr. Austin Wallace, president of The West Virginia Mutual Insurance Company, makes a guest appearance on Abracadabra. West Virginia Mutual (WVMIC) has been a sponsor of the series since its inception.

Heather Antolini, a member of WVSOM’s Board of Governors, visits the set.


Class of 1983 steps up to the challenge

Wanting to be part of WVSOM’s future, alumni from the Class of 1983 have made a $10,000 financial contribution to the Clinical Evaluation Center expansion, part of the school’s Capital Campaign.

“There was a group of us at the 40th anniversary reunion waiting to get our photo taken and Millie (Petersen), out of the blue said ‘why don’t we buy a room?’,” said David Barger, D.O. Upon returning home to Tennessee, Dr. Barger began reaching out to classmates seeking financial assistance for the effort.

With help from the Alumni Association and WVSOM Foundation, Dr. Barger was able to get in touch with fellow classmates via email and direct mailings. Fifteen people from the Class of 1983 agreed to participate. With the money raised, the class has secured the robot control room.

Dr. Barger did not think twice about financially contributing to the growth of the school. For him, it’s a small way to show how appreciative he is of the education he received at WVSOM. He said it would be nice for all the graduating classes to “challenge” each other to get involved.

“When you think of everything the graduates have received in return for what the school provided us, it’s a small payback.”

Shannon Warren, director of alumni relations, said there are four classes actively working together as a group to purchase a room in the CEC — 1972, 1982, 1983 and 1990.

“I think it’s a great way for the classes to get involved,” Warren

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN



said. “We don’t have a prize per se for the winning class, but this helps to get things started and the rooms secured. The capital campaign gives individuals and classes a way to be recognized in WVSOM’s future.”

Capital campaign donors who want to secure a room in the Clinical Evaluation Center can spread the payments out over 3-5 years. Currently 30 spaces in the CEC have been secured.

For former students like Dr. Barger, watching the growth of the WVSOM campus over the years brings a feeling of astonishment and pride.

“It’s extraordinary to see what has become of the school,” he said. “There’s no comparison. To think of what we had for anatomy and lectures and looking at what is on campus now — it’s completely different.”


STUDENT GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE ROOMS (2) $20,000 (each)STUDENT GOVERNMENT OFFICES (4) $20,000 (each)STUDENT COPY CENTER $10,000TOWER $250,000DINING LOUNGE & FOOD COURT $125,000OPEN STUDENT STUDY LOUNGE $100,000QUIET STUDENT STUDY LOUNGE $100,000CAMPUS STORE $100,000STUDENT RECREATION LOUNGE $75,000

The new Student Center will be the focal point of the campus. Graced with a soaring clock tower,

the center will feature both open and covered decks on the first and second floors along with a rooftop terrace. It will house a café and a 1,000-seat meeting hall, plus a media center that can

be divided into smaller rooms. There will be open space, as well as smaller, quiet areas, with

natural light designed to provide students with an enhanced study environment.

FIRST FLOOR:

Donor secured

student Center DonorsClock Tower …................................................. WVSOM Alumni AssociationOpen Student Study Lounge …...................... Lori Tucker, D.O.Large Prefunction ........................................... Dino Beckett, D.O.Entry Lobby ..................................................... David & Martha RaderStudent Copy Center ...................................... Brian DeFade, D.O.President’s Reception Parlor ......................... Andrew Thymius, D.O. & Tiffany Thymius, D.O.Student Recreation Lounge ........................... Patrick Pagur, D.O. & Billie Wright, D.O.


SECOND FLOOR:

LARGE CONFERENCE HALL WITH STAGE $500,000PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION PARLOR $75,000

We welcome everyone who has a love for WVSOM and a vision of its future impact to be a part of the construction of these two important facilities. Gifts of every amount are valued, and there are many prestigious naming opportunities for organizations and individuals who desire to leave a lasting legacy in health care education or to honor the memory of a loved one.

To discuss a gift opportunity, please contact: Dr. Michael Adelman at 304.647.6200 or [email protected] Jim Nemitz at 304.647.6368 or [email protected] Butcher at 304.647.6367 or [email protected] Shannon Warren at 304.647.6382 or [email protected] Cooper at 304.647.6374 or [email protected]

GIFT info

LARGE PREFUNCTION $50,000TERRACE $25,000ENTRY LOBBY $25,000SMALL PREFUNCTION $20,000


Clinical Evaluation Center expansionCurrently, the Clinical Evaluation Center contains 19,000 square feet of space. It houses 24 standardized patient labs, six robot simulation labs, six ACLS labs, medium and large classrooms, and a variety of smaller conference rooms and offices. Our expansion will add more than 17,000 square feet of space and include a robotic birthing center, a robotic emergency simulation lab, six new robot simulation labs, a new simulation control room, nursing offices and a grand meeting hall.

Grand Conference Hall ............................. $50,000Robotic Birthing Center ............................ $40,000Emergency Simulation Lab ...................... $40,000Robot Lab .................................................. $35,000Reception Area ......................................... $35,000Standardized Patient Lab ........................ $25,000Large Classroom ....................................... $25,000Task Trainer Room .................................... $20,000ACLS Lab ................................................... $15,000Medium Classroom .................................. $15,000Nurses Treatment Area ............................ $10,000Small Group Conference Room ............... $10,000Standardized Patient Control Room ........ $10,000Robot Control Room ................................. $10,000Robot Viewing Room ..................................$5,000Office Space .............................................. $5,000Office Suite ................................................ $10,000Staff Lounge ............................................. $5,000

ADDITIONAL NAMING OPPORTUNITIES1st Year Lecture Hall ........................................ $250,0002nd Year Lecture Hall ....................................... $250,000Main Building Lecture Hall 1 .......................... $100,000Main Building Lecture Hall 2 .......................... $100,000

Donor secured


Grand Conference Hall John Manchin II, D.O.Emergency Simulation Lab Charles Davis, D.O.Robot/Birthing Center Manuel Ballas, D.O. & Kara O’Karma, D.O.Large Classroom Lewis Whaley, D.O.Medium Classroom Drs. Cheryl & Michael AdelmanACLS Room 1 Robert Hunter, D.O.ACLS Room 2 James Deering, D.O., & Jodi Flanders, D.O.Nurse’s Treatment Area A.S. Ghiathi, D.O.Office Suite Thomas White, D.O.Standardized Patient Control Room Dr. and Mrs. Lorenzo PenceSmall Conference Room 2 Class of 1979Small Conference Room 3 Class of 1982Small Conference Room 4 R. Alan Spencer, D.O.Small Conference Room 5 Jim Nemitz, Ph.D.Small Conference Room 6 Hal Armistead, D.O., & Amy Roush, D.O.Small Conference Room 7 Class of 1990Small Conference Room 8 Randy Blackburn, D.O.Robot Control Room Class of 1983Robot Viewing Room John Lackey, D.O.Office 1 Chris Flanagan, D.O. Sophia Sibold, D.O. Shannon Sorah, D.O.Office 2 Allen Finkelstein, D.O.Office 3 Carmen Damiani, D.O.Office 4 Naomi Wriston, D.O.Office 5 David Allen, D.O.Office 6 Dr. & Mrs. O.J. BailesOffice 7 Cathy Dailey, D.O.Office 8 Eloise Hayes, D.O.Staff Lounge Dr. & Mrs. Art RubinTBD Michael Nicholas, D.O.

We THANK every individual who has made a commitment to the

Capital Campaign.

Clinical evaluation Center donors


Board approved school flagOn January 12, WVSOM’s Board of Governors approved the design of a school flag.

“Most institutions of higher education have an official flag,” said President Dr. Michael Adelman. “The flag is not purely decorative, but a representation of the school, our values and the community we serve.”

The staff of Asclepius symbolizes the healing arts and has evolved to become the dominant symbol for professional health care organizations in the United States, including the profession of osteopathic medicine. One survey found that 62 percent of professional health care associations used this mark as their symbol. The original Hippocratic Oath began with the invocation “I swear by Apollo the Physician and by Asclepius ...”

Just as the WVSOM seal places the school’s geographic location and service commitment among the rural mountains of West Virginia, so does the new flag, pulling forward this image and giving it greater prominence.

Look for the new flag to be proudly displayed the next time you’re on campus.

SE-AHEC announces childhood obesity and diabetes CMEThe Southeastern Area Health Education Center (SE-AHEC) will host a Continuing Medical Education event from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday, March 15 in WVSOM’s Alumni Center.

The title of the CME is “Childhood Obesity and Diabetes: Assessment, Prevention and Treatment.” CEU credits are available for physicians, nurses, physician assistants and social workers.

The registration fee is $65. Participation is free for full-time students, medical residents and WVSOM faculty and staff.

“More than 30 percent of West Virginia children between the ages of 10 and 17 are overweight,” said Angela Alston, executive director of SE-AHEC. “And obesity-linked type 2 diabetes has hit a record high nationwide. There is both a human and an economic cost to this crisis. We hope this CME can be the catalyst for new thinking and earlier intervention by health care providers.”

Each of the five AHEC centers in West Virginia (Central, Eastern, Northern, Southeastern and Southern) has the unique mission of graduate and health professions education, K-12 health career activities, and the provision of continuing education to health professionals throughout the state.

SCHOOL NEWS

WVSOM employees and graduate’s work is published

Jessica B. Smith, D.O., WVSOM Class of 2012, Lance C. Ridpath, MS, and Karen Steele, D.O., FAAO, have been published in the December 2012 issue of American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) Journal. The article title is: “A research protocol to determine if OMM is effective in decreasing pain in chronic pain patients and decreasing opioid use: Brief report”.

The article can be found on page 38 in the AOA Journal.

MORE info


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Health awareness day offered free screeningsIn honor of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s statewide “Day to Serve” proclamation, WVSOM introduced a Community Health Awareness Day with free adult health screenings at the Clinical Evaluation Center.

Participants received free vision, hearing, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and dental screenings. In compliance with national health guidelines, individuals were also eligible for blood sugar and cholesterol screenings. Men were eligible for rectal and prostate screenings while women were eligible for breast, pelvic and pap smear screenings.

Andrea Nazar, D.O., professor of clinical science and medical director for WVSOM health screenings, organized similar events in the past, but this was the first time the school offered one complete day of free health screenings simultaneously to adult men and women which follow new national guidelines.

All health screenings were provided by medical students at the school under the supervision of qualified physicians.

Open house brought potential applicants to campusWVSOM hosted a Fall Open House for potential students interested in attending medical school.

About 105 visitors met with first- and second-year WVSOM students and faculty members, received a presentation on Osteopathic Principles and Practice, toured the gross anatomy lab, learned about robotic patient simulators, toured the Clinical Evaluation Center and received information about admissions, the Rural Health Initiative and financial aid.

Danny Seams, WVSOM admissions counselor, said when applicants visit the WVSOM campus they are more likely to matriculate as medical students.

“On campus recruiting events are much more effective than recruiting on the road, over the phone or by email,” he said. “I can talk to someone until I’m blue in the face describing the facilities, curriculum, how great our faculty and students are and how wonderful the town of Lewisburg is. However, they and their families have to see it themselves in order to make a sound decision on whether they want to spend four years with us.”

WVSOM employees, students collected foodWVSOM faculty, staff and students came together to gather food to feed local families after news that the Lewisburg/Fairlea Food Locker was running extremely low near the Thanksgiving holiday.

The WVSOM Pathology Club helped organize the event by placing collection bins around campus. Club President Evan Stern estimated that between 8,000 and 10,000 non-perishable food items were donated by members of the WVSOM community in less than a week of the notice.

“I am amazed at the support I was given by both the students and staff in such a short amount of time,” he said. “They are amazing and part of what makes WVSOM such an awesome place.”

The food was donated to the Lewisburg/Fairlea Food Locker at the Old Stone Presbyterian Church.

Belinda Evans, student program advisor, said she was overwhelmed by the generosity of the WVSOM community.

“The moment the information came into my office I sent a shout out to the students and within an hour the organization of this food drive had begun,” she said. “I’m very proud of our students and the employees jumped on board as usual. They are a wonderful bunch of people to work with.”


SCHOOL NEWS

WVSOM celebrated the holiday season with variety of eventsWVSOM students, faculty, staff and administrators enjoyed the holiday season with a variety of events that allowed the WVSOM community to come together and celebrate the Christmas season.

One of the first events, the holiday luncheon, gathered WVSOM employees at the alumni center for a holiday feast of turkey and traditional side dishes. The luncheon gave co-workers the opportunity to catch up with one another during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Employees also showcased their Christmas spirit by decorating their office doors. They were encouraged to incorporate the 40th anniversary theme in keeping with the year’s celebration.

The winners of the door-decorating contest were:

First place — Donna Tolbert

Second place — Ken Miller and Todd Trent

Third place — Carrie Lawrence and Susan Griffith; Debbie Hughes and Rebecca Smith; Chris Breeden and Mike McDade; and Tricia Hoover and Tabitha Pack.

Special recognition was given to — the GME department, Joyce Martin, Tina Richmond, Vickie Roane, Holly Hardesty, Charlie Brown and Charity Richmond and Jeffrey Shawver.

Winners were announced during the annual hallway holiday party, hosted by Drs. Cheryl and Michael Adelman, Dr. Jim Nemitz and Dr. Lorenzo Pence. Snacks and treats were available to students who wanted to de-stress from class and studying and to employees who wanted a break from the workday.

Three chocolate Santa figurines were raffled. The winners were: Dr. Kristie Bridges for faculty; Ross Knowles for students; and Jason Thomas for staff. Employee Linda Meadows also received hot cocoa from Starbuck’s.

The holiday festivities continued with a quad holiday party and a holiday breakfast reception at the library.

WVSOM shed light on prescribing opioids WVSOM provided perspective on prescription pills through a continuing medical education conference that took place at the end of September on campus.

“Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: Balancing Safety and Efficacy” was offered to physicians, dentists, nurses, physician assistants and others who care for patients receiving opioid medications.

For years prescription drug use and abuse in rural areas has kept the state of West Virginia teetering at the top of many troubling lists. West Virginia is considered one of America’s most medicated states, with the state filling 17.7 prescriptions per capita compared to a national average of 11.5, according to Verispan, a health care information company. In West Virginia, prescription drug addiction, abuse and deaths involving opioid painkillers is more than twice the national average, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

These startling statistics are a primary reason why WVSOM administrators wanted to educate physicians about the importance of properly prescribing pain medication as well as being aware of when patients abuse these drugs.

The CME program provided current information on the scope of opioid prescription abuse in West Virginia, the proper protocols for prescribing opioids and the state’s prescription monitoring program to identify misuse or abuse. It also addressed areas of epidemiology, legal and regulatory issues and clinical strategies for managing difficult patient situations.

The program was endorsed by Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s office and supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Health care officials are not the only people interested in making a difference in the lives of patients in West Virginia.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has made prescription drug abuse the No. 1 health care priority in West Virginia.

In 2012, the West Virginia state legislature passed a law requiring all physicians to attend an approved opioid prescriber continuing medical education course in order to maintain their license to practice medicine.


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WVSOM granted candidacy status for HLC accreditationThe West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) continues to strive for excellence even when it is not required.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools granted WVSOM the status of candidacy for accreditation. Although HLC accreditation is not required of the osteopathic medical school, administrators said securing the voluntary accreditation is part of the school’s strategic plan in fulfilling its mission of educating lifelong learners.

“It’s important for people to know that we remain fully accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association,” said Jim Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s vice president of administration and external relations. “The HLC accreditation is another gold standard that we want to attain.”

Notification of the candidacy status comes three years after WVSOM’s Board of Governors decided to seek accreditation from HLC. The review involves a rigorous self-assessment process, a site visit by a team of distinguished educators and review of the site visit report by the HLC.

Although the candidacy term is typically four years, the institution may file for early initial accreditation after two years. School administrators will continue to work with HLC staff to ensure the school is on track to meet this goal.

Nemitz said that although the past couple years to obtain initial candidacy status have required hard work from all members of the campus community, having full accreditation from HLC will be a tremendous attribute for the institution.

“We are pleased to be affiliated with the HLC as a candidate for accreditation, and we look forward to working with the HLC to attain full accreditation in the future,” he said.

Helen Baker, the WVSOM professor coordinating the self-study process, said that she is delighted by participation from all areas of the college community.

“Our faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members all pulled together in helping WVSOM achieve candidacy,” she said. “We just need to keep up the good work.”

The Higher Learning Commission is the nation’s largest association overseeing higher education and accredits more than 1,000 colleges and universities in 19 states, including West Virginia.

WVSOM’s first president celebrated 105th birthdayDr. Roland P. Sharp entered the activity room at The Seasons in Lewisburg with a smile on his face and appreciation for those who came to celebrate his 105th birthday in early January.

His memory is just as sharp as it was the first day he served as the WVSOM president in the 1970s. He offered wishes for longevity to the senior citizens who reside with him at The Seasons.

“My best wishes to you all for a long and happy life — free of doctors,” he said.

This was a humorous piece of advice given by a man who has spent the majority of his life as a rural physician, WVSOM administrator, and, in his later years a person with a wealth of medical knowledge for the newest generation of medical students.

Before the guests toasted with ginger ale and the first piece of cake was sliced, WVSOM President Dr. Michael Adelman read a birthday greeting and proclamation to Dr. Sharp from West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.

On behalf of the mountain state, Tomblin wished Dr. Sharp a happy birthday, offered him continued health and happiness in the coming years and mentioned the many lives the physician has touched in the state.

Dr. Sharp was humbled by the attention, the recognition and the support shown by his friends.

“I’m happy to receive this,” he told the birthday guests. “This is the biggest crowd I’ve seen here. I guess this is what you get when you bring the monkey to the crowd.”

Although Dr. Sharp spent Jan. 4 with birthday balloons, cake and friends, his actual birthday is Dec. 30.


Campus store increases digital offeringsIncreasingly, medical students are requesting alternatives to heavy textbooks. After all, if they can purchase War and Peace in a downloadable e-reader version, why not Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine?

Medical textbooks have been “late to the game,” said Cindi Knight, WVSOM’s Campus Store Manager, “but every year we have more titles available.”

Digital Book World reports that e-reader adoption in the U.S. for leisure reading is estimated to be at 25 percent (60 million devices), but adoption of e-reader texts for academic purposes is advancing more slowly. This aligns with Knight’s assessment of digital purchases through the campus store.

“Right now, 10 percent of the students have gone purely digital,” Knight said. “About 80 percent of the students purchase a mix of hard copy texts and digital content, and another 10 percent only want to use books.”

The campus store offers numerous digital publications for first- and second-year students. And if digital versions of health science texts have been slow to market, publishers are now making up for it with enhanced interactivity.

“Digital versions offer a level of interactivity integral to how new generations of students want to learn,” Knight said.

For health sciences publisher, Elsevier, digital enhancements maximize features standard with new electronic devices, all designed to add value to the learning experience:

• Customized highlighting options encourage greater organization of information.

• Students can add their own notes to digital texts and share notes with classmates.

• Embedded media clips and magnification options provide closer examination of images, particularly valuable in learning anatomy.

• Interactive review features include questions and answers, as well as physician rationales.

• Key content can be called out and illuminated by experts.

“The students who are using the digital texts appear to love it,” Knight said. “It’s not a passive experience. The students can change fonts for readability, they can copy and paste, they can even search other books in the Elsevier library at the same time or do a quick reference check in a drug guide or lab manual.”

In addition to Mac or PC use, the majority of health sciences textbooks are available in digital versions for Apple iOS products (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) and Android devices. Some texts can also be used on e-reader platforms like the Kindle Fire.

With the release of its third edition, “Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine,” published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, became available as a digital version. While there are still a few textbooks not yet in e-reader form, Knight is confident all required reading will eventually be available digitally.

“Medical textbooks may release a new version every three to six years, depending upon the subject,” Knight said. “My expectation is that as texts receive content updates, they’ll receive digital formatting at the same time.”

And for students who continue to prefer a bound volume?

“We’ll continue to carry bound volumes, as long as the students and the faculty are purchasing them,” she said. “For some, it may end up being a financial decision. Not only can the digital books do more — they also cost less to own.”

SCHOOL NEWS


SCHO

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MSOPTI partners with Mon General for residency programMon General Hospital entered into a partnership with Cornerstone Care Teaching Health Center and Mountain State Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institutions, Inc. (Mountain State OPTI) to offer a family medicine residency program.

“With a projected shortage of primary care physicians in the north central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania region in the coming years, offering a family practice residency program at Mon General Hospital is a way to recruit new physicians to the area,” said Mon Health System president and CEO Darryl Duncan.

WVSOM is a central member of Mountain State OPTI, which was accredited by the American Osteopathic Association in June 1999.

“The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine is now the largest medical school in the state of West Virginia, graduating 200 physicians per year,” Duncan said. “They have an extensive network of residency sites throughout West Virginia. Until now, Mon General had been the largest hospital in the state that did not have a residency relationship with the school.”

Lorenzo Pence, D.O., WVSOM dean and vice president for academic affairs, said the need for more residency programs is vital because the state continues to lack medical coverage in 50 out of 55 counties.

“The demand for health care providers, including family physicians, will continue to grow, particularly if more than 300,000 new state residents become insured under the Affordable Care Act,” he said. “WVSOM remains committed to educating primary care physicians who will provide care in those underserved areas. The new family medicine residency program associated with Mon General is a huge step in the right direction.”

The family medicine residency program is funded by a federal Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) grant. It will begin on July 1, 2013. The three-year program is approved for 12 positions and can accept up to four qualified residents each year.

Two Mon General medical staff members, both graduates of WVSOM, will serve in leadership positions for the program: William Minor, D.O., will serve as the family medicine residency program director and Mary Edwards, D.O., will serve as the director of medical education.

WVSOM founder received AOA honorOscar J. Bailes, D.O., one of four founders of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) was honored as an award finalist for the American Osteopathic Association’s 2012 Mentor of the Year. He was one of five nominees feted at a reception and dinner in San Diego during the October 2012 OMED conference.

Bailes was nominated by Gail Feinberg, D.O., and Howard Feinberg, D.O. “Throughout his career in medicine, Dr. Bailes has encouraged numerous students to enter osteopathic medicine as their career,” Dr. Howard Feinberg said in his nomination. “He has tirelessly promoted osteopathic medicine in our communities and through his example brought honor, respect and distinction to our profession.”

Bailes was visibly moved by the event and eager to thank his supporters. “I am pleased to have received this nomination,” he said. “It is always an honor to be recognized and I continue to feel deeply grateful for my career in osteopathic medicine. If there are students I’ve touched through my years of teaching, I can guarantee they have also enriched my life in profound ways.”

A family physician, Dr. Bailes graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in 1952. Not only was he a founder of WVSOM in 1972, but he was a member of the administration of the medical school from 1973-1977. He currently lives and works in West Virginia, where he continues to teach manipulative techniques to students.


The Greenbrier House: Historic house gone, but not forgottenIf walls could talk, the recently demolished Greenbrier House might share stories of a manual laborer’s hard work on a local dairy farm, a WVSOM medical student’s late-night study group or a WVSOM graduate’s journey to start a family within its humble walls.

The two-story, beige siding house that used to sit at 312 Greenbrier Road in Lewisburg was built by the Moore family, who owned a dairy farm on the property. Dr. Catherine “Cat” Hayes, WVSOM Class of 1983, had a grandfather and great uncle who both worked on the dairy farm. Eventually the house was turned over to Hayes’ great uncle, Joe Hayes, and his wife Rose.

After Joe Hayes lived in the house, it sat empty for awhile. Meanwhile, Hayes was living in a house on the opposite side of campus. When a home was needed as a temporary residence for the new president, Olen E. Jones, the school offered to move Hayes to the house at 312 Greenbrier Road. She lived there for six years.

In the beginning, only the first floor was livable. Maintenance workers from the school renovated the upstairs for future student use. Hayes remembers it vividly.

“Many a morning I made a mad dash from the bedroom across the house to the bathroom,” she said. “I never knew when one of the men working on renovations upstairs would be coming down the open stairway.”

A milestone for Hayes took place while she was living in the house — her daughter, Casey, was born in 1988. Hayes said that during her pregnancy the maintenance workers grew fond of the child who had not even been born yet.

“When Casey arrived on April 14, after 15 hours of labor, there were maintenance crew members pacing in the front yard like expectant fathers,” Hayes said.

SCHOOL NEWS

When the renovations were finally complete, WVSOM began offering upstairs housing to students and Hayes became an unofficial housemother. During this time, graduates may remember that the house was dubbed “The Cat House.” The name stuck even after Hayes moved out. Subsequently, the school decided to have a contest to rename the house. “The Greenbrier House” was chosen and a sign was placed on the property. For many years, the house continued to provide temporary lodging for third- and fourth-year students doing clinical rotations at the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, but the accommodations left much to be desired.

Rather than undertake costly renovations, a decision was reached to tear down the dwelling and relocate the students to a nearby townhouse with improved amenities.

The house is gone now, but the memories remain, of pig roasts and par course workouts, student meetings and underground anatomy labs. Actually, one piece remains. The newel post near the entranceway to the house was saved. Hayes plans to repurpose the post into a floor lamp as a wedding present for Casey. It will serve as a memory of the many hands that touched it — from the rough calluses of dairy farmer Joe Hayes, to the baby smooth fingers of Casey and to the healing hands of countless osteopathic physicians who briefly anchored there during their journey through WVSOM.


STUD

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WVSOM students win first prize at OMED poster session At the AOA’s Osteopathic Medical Conference & Exposition (OMED) that took place Oct. 7-9 in San Diego, WVSOM students Matthew Copeland, OMS II, and Evan Stern, OMS II, earned a first place ribbon in the Research Abstracts and Poster Session for their work “The Cystine/Glutamate Antiporter Regulates Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase Enzymatic Activity and Protein Levels in Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells” under the supervision of faculty mentor Bonny Dickinson, Ph.D.

First prize winners received $500 from the Council on Research in recognition of their efforts. Their work will also be published in an issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA). In addition, the full-length paper was accepted for publication in the American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Immunology.

Judges for the poster session are qualified volunteers from a college of osteopathic medicine. The students had 5-7 minutes to present their poster and answer judges’ questions.

OMM clinic offers patient treatment, learning opportunitiesEach year, second-year students at WVSOM are able to hone their skills in osteopathic medicine by offering treatment techniques to residents in the community.

The Student Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Clinic provides the medical students with hands-on experience with patients and the opportunity to incorporate techniques they have learned in Osteopathic Principles and Practice classes and labs throughout the year.

The clinic is open each Wednesday afternoon, which began Jan. 16 and ends March 27.

“The Student OMM Clinic is not only valuable for our medical students but for the residents serving as patients as well,” said Dr. Deborah Schmidt, the clinic’s faculty coordinator. “The students are able to evaluate patients and implement osteopathic techniques while the patients receive valuable treatments for any number of problems.”

Students are under the supervision of local osteopathic physicians during the clinic. Schmidt said about 13 physicians oversee the 200 second-year students taking part in the clinic. First-year students are participating in at least one clinic visit shadowing the second-year students.

Once again, in order to accommodate a larger patient base, there are two separate five-week block sessions. This allows more patients to be seen throughout the 10-week course.

For some patients, the clinic is a way to help alleviate agonizing ailments. For others it’s a chance to help students learn.

“The treatment by medical students has produced results more satisfactory than other treatments I’ve received over the past 20 years,” said patient Donald Ivasevich. “The staff’s knowledge and willingness to explain the process was phenomenal.”


STUDENTS

Research Day showcased students’ workThe Dr. William Martin Faculty/Student Research Showcase allowed WVSOM students to present medical posters about research they have conducted under the supervision of faculty members. Nine posters were part of the event’s sessions. Second-year students provided lightening talks for five posters. The talks allowed students to explain their research and answer questions from guests.

Jonathan Daly, OMS II, was the People’s Choice Winner for his poster about the “Use of OMT in Recreational Runners as Preventative Medicine.”

Dr. William Martin, a faculty member at WVSOM for 26 years, was recognized with a plaque for his continuous dedication to research during his time at the institution.

Students raised money for alzheimer’s walkWVSOM students in the Geriatrics and Internal Medicine clubs took part in Lewisburg’s annual Alzheimer’s Walk in October. The students raised more than $3,000 to help the Alzheimer’s Association with research efforts, according to Imari Patel, Geriatrics Club president. Money was raised through a fundraiser at Bella Casa, where a portion of lunch and dinner sales were donated to the organization.

Heart of the Holidays helped families, children in needWVSOM students came together in early December to help local children in need have a brighter and merrier holiday season.

Prior to the event, students, faculty and staff purchased toys from the children’s wish list. During the event, students had the opportunity to interact with the children and their families while Santa (professor emeritus James Wells) delivered Christmas gifts. Guests also enjoyed a holiday feast with turkey and traditional side dishes.


STUD

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Grand Affair raised significant dollars for future scholarshipsWVSOM’s annual Grand Affair is a night for students to get glammed up at The Greenbrier, but more importantly it is an event that raises money for student scholarship funds.

This year’s November event, presented by the WVSOM Student Government Association, raised $21,519 — a large increase from the previous year.

Grand Affair organizers attribute the success of the event to support from business sponsorship on all levels.

“We wanted to target securing the sponsorships and getting started earlier, because that is where we get most of our contributions. Half of what we raised, about $10,500, is from sponsorships,” said SGA President Patrick Craft. “It was really important that we go after that as a student body instead of relying only on the help of administrators.”

At the end of the academic year the scholarship funds are given to students who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities and community service.

Craft said that it is imperative to get the community interested in the school and strengthening the relationship between the two.

“From a student government standpoint one of our goals is to get more involved in the community,” he said.

Jim Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s vice president of administration and external relations, said the Grand Affair turned out to be a wonderful evening.

“It was everything we wanted it to be: an elegant, fun, memorable event that achieved our goal of raising more money for student scholarships,” he said. “It was a wonderful collaboration of students working with the administration and staff.”

Silent auction items and in-house contributions also helped to raise funds and keeps the cost of hosting the event to a minimum, organizers said. Silent auction items raised about $5,666 and The Greenbrier and Gillespie’s Flowers helped to curtail decorating costs.

“We keep getting better at this,” Nemitz said of the event. “The success of the event is determined by student ownership and involvement.”

The Grand Affair committee included second-year students Patrick Craft, Ryan Farnsworth, Amy Young, Josh Moore, Kathryn Kauffman and first-year student Joe Brandt.

SCHOLARSHIPS


STUDENTS

Candlelight vigil honored victims of school shootingSomber faces were illuminated by bright burning candle flames as WVSOM faculty, students and community members fought against the cold and damp mid-December night to show their support of the victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took place in Newtown, Conn.

The candlelight vigil brought out 200 people who remembered the young lives lost in the shooting, as well as the lives of their teachers and principal. The event raised $950, which was donated directly to the Sandy Hook Elementary School Victims Relief Fund.

Andrew Nackashi, one of the event’s organizers, recognized the victims individually and asked those in attendance to keep those lost in their minds.

“Any hate that is in your heart just let it go for one night,” he said.

Letters were read to the crowd on behalf of Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Sen. Joe Manchin, as well as third-year WVSOM student Courtney Brunton, who is from Newtown. Her connection to the town is what sparked students on campus to organize the vigil.

Her letter provided a detailed glimpse into the quaint New England town that was shattered by the shooting. She related that Newtown is much like Lewisburg in that it is a close community in a picturesque setting.

“You gather together as a community; a loving, tight-knit, endearing community,” Brunton’s letter read. “This is something I adore about our school and the town of Lewisburg. As you gather, please lean on one another as we have in the past in times of difficulty and tribulation. Pray and hope and love and value one another. This is what my hometown is really all about.”

Students also provided musical numbers and personal accounts of what the tragedy meant to them.


STUD

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Since 1972, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has helped students who are pursuing primary care health professions by providing them with financial assistance in return for their commitment to serve in impoverished areas.

Currently, six WVSOM students are recipients of NHSC scholarships. This is in addition to two other state recipients, a medical student attending the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington and a dental school recipient from West Virginia University.

The six WVSOM recipients are Jana Ebbert, Class of 2013; Autumn Lemley, Class of 2013; Sarah Nasir, Class of 2014; Anastasia Yesnik, Class of 2015; John Paul Fletcher, Class of 2015; and Daniel Conner, Class of 2016.

“Generally, a school with a large number of NHSC scholars is one in which there was early exposure and encouragement (through administration and curriculum) to pursue careers in primary care,” said Dina Stahl, a representative with the National Health Service Corps Region III office. “Therefore, more students want to apply to the NHSC program and they are even better able to compete for scholarships and better prepared to work with underserved populations as they serve through their commitments.”

Part of WVSOM’s mission statement is to serve the state of West Virginia and the special health care needs of its residents, emphasizing primary care in rural areas. The institution is nationally ranked in various

publications as a leader in educating physicians in rural medicine.

Stahl explained that early exposure to is often the best exposure to rural medicine.

“We know that students who are given early exposure to primary care work experiences through school mentors, rotations, etc., generally look favorably upon primary care and in fact will pursue such a career,” she said.

WVSOM student scholarship recipients and other successful applicants tend to come from rural areas or have experiences with underserved populations, according to Martha Endres, NHSC program coordinator.

“I think that an applicant who has participated in a service endeavor, such as a project that demonstrates his or her interest in helping people in an impoverished area might stand out as someone who is altruistic,” she said.

Anastasia Yesnik, Class of 2015, said she has always wanted to be a rural internal medicine doctor. WVSOM and the NHSC program will help to make that possible.

“It really has helped me to set high goals for myself academically,” she said. “Being an NHSC scholar also inspired me to take advantage of as many of the extra learning opportunities WVSOM provides. Since I may be the only doctor available in a rural area one day, I want to learn as many clinical skills as possible to best care for my patients.”

Daniel Conner, Class of 2016, said there are many benefits of the scholarship not only to the recipients, but to the state.

“The benefits for students are extremely important, both financially and in the many other opportunities that go along with being an NHSC scholar,” he said. “The state of West Virginia can only benefit from the scholarship program because it is designed to provide primary care providers to underserved populations. The state of West Virginia certainly has its share of rural underserved areas.”

Yesnik said she feels a sense of relief when it comes to the scholarship assistance.

“The NHSC scholarship removes the stress of the financial burden of training to become a rural primary care physician and allows the student to focus on becoming the best doctor possible,” she said. “I hope that I can practice in West Virginia and give back to the state that is helping me fulfill my dreams of becoming a physician.”

For each year or partial year of scholarship assistance, the physician is required to work one year at an approved site with a minimum two-year service obligation, Endres said. Eligible physician specialties include family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, general psychiatry, internal medicine/family practice and internal medicine/pediatrics. The NHSC awards between 30 and 50 new scholarships nationally each year.

NHSC ScholarsFederal program helps students pursuing primary care medicine


FACULTY & STAFF

Howard received awardSharon Howard, director of financial aid, received the Neil E. Bolyard Meritorious Service Award at the West Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators conference. The award is given annually in recognition of meritorious and dedicated service to the financial aid community.

Employee appointed to committeeDebbie Harvey was appointed to the Compensation, Planning and Review Committee that was established in 2011 under the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education. The committee, which Harvey will serve as a member of for three years, manages all aspects of compensation planning and review for institutional classified employees. Harvey was officially notified of the appointment in November.

New faculty hiredStaff news

Ashley Toler, D.O.assistant professor of clinical sciences

Dr. Toler completed her undergraduate degree at West Virginia Institute of Technology prior to graduating from WVSOM in 2009. She completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Ill.

Frank Swisher, D.O.statewide Campus regional assistant dean — central region Dr. Swisher a graduate of WVSOM’s Class of 1998, is family medicine certified and has spent the last 10 plus years developing and working for the Family Medical Clinic of Jane Lew. Prior to his experiences as a D.O., he was a registered nurse, receiving his nursing degree from Fairmont State University.


FACU

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& ST

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Faculty and staff news The start of a new year typically brings change — and WVSOM employee roles are no different. The following faculty and employees are serving new roles.

Dr. Robert (Bob) Foster is now the associate dean for osteopathic medical education in the Osteopathic Principles and Practices department. He began this role in November. The position has four major responsibilities: to provide for education in Osteopathic Principles and Practices (OPP) to students, faculty and staff; ensure the integration of OPP throughout the entire curriculum from student recruitment through postgraduate training; to develop and promote distinctively osteopathic research at WVSOM; and to promote awareness and integration at the local, state and national level.

Dr. Bob Fosterassociate dean for osteopathic medical education

Foster is a graduate of the Kansas City College

of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City, Mo. He is

certified by the American Osteopathic Board Special Proficiency in osteopathic

manipulative medicine and also by the American

Osteopathic Board of Family Practice in family practice. He has been working with

WVSOM since 1978 and has been affiliated with clinical

education since 1988.


FACULTY & STAFF

In February, Dr. Craig Boisvert assumed the role of associate dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education. Dr. Boisvert is a graduate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his rotating internship and family medicine residency at the Lancaster Osteopathic Hospital in Lancaster, Pa. He is board certified in family practice by the AOA. Dr. Boisvert has been working at WVSOM for the last 24 years — most recently as chair of Clinical Sciences. He is on the active family practice staff at the Robert C. Byrd Clinic and the affiliate staff at the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center. Dr. Boisvert has served as medical director for the White River Rural Health Center in Augusta, Ark., and practiced at their Des Arc Clinic site for four years.

Stephanie Schuler is the executive director of the CEC. In this position, she leads the achievement of strategic goals and objectives; ensures West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s clinical skills educational infrastructure and assessment protocols and practices are innovative, cutting-edge, and aligned with strategic initiatives; executes research and other endeavors designed to enhance and/or advance WVSOM’s initiatives and mission; and contributes to the advancement of the institution and education of students.

Art Rubin, D.O., has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Charleston Area Medical Center Health, Education, and Research Institute (CHERI). CHERI is the arm of CAMC that governs graduate medical education, research, CME, the Simulation Center, and numerous other educational activities. The institute was developed solely for charitable, scientific and educational purposes.

Stephanie Schulerexecutive director of the CEC

Dr. Craig Boisvertassociate dean for predoctoral clinical education

Dr. Art Rubinboard of directors for the Charleston Area Medical Center


www.wvoma.org 2013 Fall Conference: Nov. 1-3 at The Greenbrier Resort

Serving our members and improving health care in the state are top priorities. Along with the numerous activities conducted on behalf of the membership, WVOMA members serve on state and national health committees dedicated to improving the quality of care in West Virginia and the nation. We hope all D.O.s in West Virginia will join our efforts as there is strength in numbers.

At our fall 2012 conference, we installed the 2013 leadership team, with past president Ernest Miller Jr, D.O., passing the gavel to Ralph Wood, D.O., as our new president.

“We are the voice of the osteopathic physicians in West Virginia, and I am proud and honored to represent them,” said Dr. Wood, Regional Assistant Dean for the Northern Region of WVSOM’s statewide campus system.

If you are unfamiliar with our efforts, WVOMA membership works together to plan quality programs, like the annual conference at the Greenbrier Resort, which offers more than 20 hours of category 1-A CME credit through innovative and informative programs.

Members participate at district meetings and collaborate with other groups, like the West Virginia State Medical Association, on programs like the Opioid CME held on WVSOM’s campus on Sept. 28. Our organization continually monitors the legislature for bills that may have an impact on the practice of medicine and we monitor the insurance industry for changes in coding or billing, especially involving OMT.

WVOMA is the only organization in West Virginia that specifically supports doctors of osteopathic medicine here, where they live and practice. Membership is one way physicians can join with other D.O.s to identify issues, address common concerns and support the profession.

Please join us in our efforts. Membership information is available on our website at www.wvoma.org, along with contact information for officers and committee members.

Save the Date! The 2013 Fall Conference will to take place Nov. 1-3 at The Greenbrier Resort. We hope to see you there.

WVOM

A

News from the WVOMAFounded in 1902 as the WV Society of Osteopathic Medicine, the West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association (WVOMA) has served West Virginia for more than 100 years.

Ralph Wood, D.O., and Michael K. Murphy, D.O., Board of Trustees, AOA

CONGRATULATIONS to Dr. Wood!

JOIN us


WVSOM Mission Statement:“The mission of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is to educate students from diverse backgrounds as lifelong learners in osteopathic medicine and complementary health related programs; to advance scientific knowledge through academic, clinical and basic science research; and to promote patient-centered, evidence based medicine.

WVSOM is dedicated to serve, first and foremost, the state of West Virginia and the special health care needs of its residents, emphasizing primary care in rural areas.”

ALUMNIALUMNI

DR. HOLSTEIN IS A BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY

PHYSICIAN RESIDING WITH HIS WIFE, JEAN, IN

INVERNESS, FLA. HE IS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE

AND PARTICIPATES IN SHORT-TERM MEDICAL

MISSIONS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

*

THE HUMAN TOUCH

Of all the senses, the sense of touch is uniquely special. It connects. It communicates. Touch has the power to warm the heart and soothe the soul. It is very personal and very intimate.

My career as an osteopathic family physician and graduate of WVSOM has been entrenched in rural medicine. It has been both rewarding and humbling. In about 1986 when HIV was the new challenge in medicine, we knew so very little about the disease. We knew it was deadly, but uncertain as to the extent of its pathogenicity and communicability. We did, however, see it as a powerful and frightening disease with devastating effects in the life of the patient and the family.

In its early history, it was primarily concentrated in urban areas, but as its victims migrated home to have the love and support of family to face certain death, rural areas began to see an emerging impact on the community. The fear and stigma of the disease caused great consternation. Few physicians in my area would agree to treat HIV patients, but some of us did. In my rural community, I made house calls to treat the often frail, bedridden and dying HIV patient. I really had very little to offer them. No curative measures. Very little hope. Just a presence.

As one of my patients lay dying, I reflected on what he was visualizing as I stood there donning a mask, gown and latex gloves. My examination was so sterile, so medical and so impersonal. It was surreal. Uncertain as to the wisdom of my action, I removed the mask, the gown and the gloves. I sat on the edge of the bed with him and held his hand, determined that in his final moments of life, he would once again feel the touch of humanity and die with dignity and connection.

Central to the core values of osteopathic medicine is the importance of touch, not only to diagnose and to treat, but to warm the heart and soothe the soul, to bring comfort and peace. That is what healers do. That is what osteopathic physicians do. That is what you do.

Thank you.

May God bless you and may God bless WVSOM.

Robert B. Holstein, D.O., ‘79 WVSOM Alumni Association President


ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUM

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Mitch Cook named president of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians

Jonathan Mitchell Cook, D.O., FAAFP, of Athens, Ga., accepted the office of president of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians at the 64th annual Scientific Assembly on Nov. 9 in Atlanta. Dr. Cook served as GAFP president-elect last year.

“I look forward to the privilege and challenge of serving as GAFP president,” he said. “In doing

so, I hope to provide steady and capable leadership for my peers and those engaged in the practice of family medicine throughout the state of Georgia.”

Dr. Cook is a native of Tifton, Ga. He graduated from University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science degree and received his medical degree from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 1993. He received additional training at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in family practice at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He is board certified in family medicine through the American Board of Family Medicine.

Dr. Cook enjoys physician privileges at Athens Regional Medical Center and St. Mary’s Healthcare Center. He also serves as clinical assistant professor at MCG/UGA Medical Partnership Campus, in addition to his role as medical director and owner of Clarke-Oconee Family Practice, LLC in Athens.

Since 2005, Dr. Cook has fulfilled multiple leadership roles as a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians. In addition to his busy practice and GAFP responsibilities, Cook volunteers extensively in his community and abroad. He is a volunteer physician at Mercy Health Clinic, a nonprofit faith-based indigent care clinic in Athens, and travels annually to Honduras on a medical mission team.

WVSOM graduate named Outstanding Female Leader

Kelli Ward, D.O., FACOFP, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., has been named the 2013 Outstanding Female Leader by the American College Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP).

Dr. Ward will receive the award during the ACOFP’s 2013 annual

Convention & Scientific Seminars, which will take place March 21-24 in Las Vegas.

The award’s purpose is to recognize women physicians who serve as clinical role models, teachers, highly accomplished professional leaders and sources of inspiration for women and men who are in medical training.

Dr. Ward was recently elected to the Arizona Senate, where she wants to ensure physician representation while addressing health care programs and budgetary issues. She has been an inspiration to countless students. Shortly after the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine opened in 1995, Dr. Ward and her husband began taking in and mentoring students, who would often stay at their home in Lake Havasu City. Now, she leads residents as the Director of Medical Education at Kingman Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Ward served on the Board of Trustees for the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association and the Arizona Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and was president of both organizations.

She is a 1996 graduate of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed her residency at Garden City Osteopathic Hospital in Garden City, Mich.


ALUMNI

Graduate Rachel Lagos confirms “chemo brain” phenomenonWVSOM graduate Rachel Lagos, D.O., Class of 2008, a resident in diagnostic radiology at West Virginia University Hospital, made national news recently when the research team she headed discovered physiological evidence of an effect known as Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment (PCCI), more commonly known as “chemo brain.”

Her study was presented in November at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Using a combination of positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT), Lagos and her colleagues were able to demonstrate how chemotherapy can create changes in the brain that affect concentration and memory.

“With magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we’re able to see structural

change in the brain — areas that get broken down over time,” Lagos said. “But with PET/CT imaging, we’re able to see how the brain is using energy.”

The researchers determined key areas of the brain were experiencing significant decreases in metabolism. “We’re seeing changes in areas of the brain that control problem solving, organizing daily events, sequencing, as well as long term memory,” she continued.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis for women in North America. One in eight women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. As many as 40 percent of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer complain of some type of chemo brain experience, describing a mental fog or haziness that interferes with the simplest of tasks. During a CME presentation at WVSOM’s 30th annual Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar, Lagos confirmed these descriptions correspond to what they’ve seen in their research.

“We looked specifically at those areas of the brain which are responsible for mental agility,” Lagos said. “We measured metabolism baselines for age and gender and looked for results at least two standard deviations from normal. In one patient undergoing chemotherapy, her long-term memory function was diminished. Upon testing, we discovered she’d dropped eight standard deviations from her normal level.”

The good news is the condition appears to be temporary. The affected areas of the brain eventually regain their proper metabolism. Until then, loved ones can assist a chemotherapy patient by providing checklists or a daily “to do” list.

“There’s a tremendous need for more research in this area,” Lagos said. “The next step is to establish a prospective study that begins assessing new patients at the time of cancer diagnosis. For example, we might include a battery of tests prior to chemotherapy which demonstrate normal cognitive skills which we can use as an additional baseline for comparison.”

Lagos emphasized that teamwork is vital not only to the success of this research, but essential to successful patient care. “It’s critical for the doctors who understand the imaging, the doctors who understand the brain and the doctors who understand the cancer and chemotherapy to be communicating effectively with each other,” she said.

Co-authors of the study were Jame Abraham, M.D., Gary Marano, M.D., Marc Haut, Ph.D., and Sara Kurian, M.S., of WVU Health Sciences Center. Dr. Lagos will be presenting the study in May at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C.

RESEARCH


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WVSOM graduate recognized for service in rural medicineFor nearly 30 years, Dr. Robert Must, WVSOM Class of 1984, has been providing medical care to patients in rural areas of West Virginia. This year he was recognized for his

service — being named Outstanding Rural Health Provider of the Year during the annual West Virginia Rural Health Conference in November.

The award is given to honor physicians who have shown outstanding leadership in improving the health care to patients in rural areas of the state.

“At first I was really surprised to hear that I got this award,” the Hillsboro, W.Va., physician said. “Then later I was just really honored.”

The West Virginia Rural Health Association grants the award. Dr. Must said one of the association’s biggest concerns is that physicians provide health care to the state’s underserved population and make health care available to everyone.

“A lot of patients in rural areas don’t have health insurance,” Must said. “I think they (the association) recognized that I’ve spent most of my career serving underserved populations. A lot of times that goes unnoticed, so I’m very touched.”

Barbara Lay, the chief executive officer for Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, nominated Must for the award. He serves as the chairman of the board of trustees for the hospital.

Must attended high school and college in Georgia and served in the U.S. Army before he decided to make the move to West Virginia. He traded in the city atmosphere of Atlanta, Ga., for the pristine outdoors and natural beauty of Pocahontas County.

With the help of a G.I. Bill and some convincing of a medical student, Must decided to attend medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he heard stories about the institution’s efforts to provide doctors for rural West Virginia.

“There’s a tremendous need for physicians in rural areas,” he said. “A lot of physicians chose to go into a specialty and you have to be in urban areas for that. Rural medicine is hard because you’re out there by yourself and you have to know a little bit about everything. The need is always there. That’s what the school did for me and I hope it keeps doing.”

The early part of Must’s career was spent at Pocahontas Memorial Hospital’s emergency department and then at the Hillsboro branch of the Northern Greenbrier Health Clinic.

In 1991, he began a private practice, Little Levels Clinic, where he provided health care at the most affordable costs he could. In the early 2000s, he started working for two different correctional facilities. He currently works at Denmar Correctional Center in Hillsboro two days a week and claims he is “semi-retired.”

RECOGNITION


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MSOPTI House Staff DayMSOPTI’s annual House Staff Day held Feb. 2 featured 117 residents and 25 poster

presentations.

Special guest speaker, Tyler Cymet, D.O., was sponsored by WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative. Dr. Cymet is the associate vice president for medical education at the American Association of Colleges of

Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). He spoke about “Mentorship & the Acculturation of Clinicians: How we turn humans into healers.”

In addition, J. Michael Wieting, D.O., M.Ed., a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and dean of clinical medicine at DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine delivered a presentation on “Osteopathic Continuous Certification.”

From the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Institute (WVCTSI): Director Uma Sundaram, M.D., discussed “Making the Connection from Bench to Bedside.”

RECOGNITIONA record 25 entries were received for the Research Poster Presentations with easels stretching from the lobby/exhibit area down the back hall and around the corner to fill every inch of available space. This year’s winners were:

• 1st Place — Kellen Choi-CAMC-UR

Title: “Positive Surgical Margin Effect on Oncologic Outcomes for Prostate Cancer Patients”

• 2nd Place — Nathan Hale-CAMC-UR

Title: “Effector Preoperative Nutritional Status on Mortality after Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer”

• 3rd Place — Angela Pendleton-AccessHealth-FP

Title: “Four Month Old Infant with Persistent Cough”

• People’s Choice — Benjamin Wiles-CAMC-EM

Title: “Not Your Everyday STEMI (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection)

A skills session in the afternoon featured Dr. Jae Luck from Ohio Valley Medical Center and Victoria Shuman, D.O., of WVSOM, on the ultrasound stations, Jennifer Beverage, D.O., of Marlinton, demonstrating lumbar punctures and Angela Mills, D.O., from Jane Lew, W.Va., with joint injections.

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ALUMNIMid-Winter Osteopathic SeminarBraving winter snow storms, more than 200 physicians and special guests made it to the Embassy Suites in Charleston for the 30th Annual Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar held Feb. 1-3.

Due to unavoidable travel delays of guest speakers, some last-minute juggling of presentations was required, but the changes were accommodated with good humor. In addition to outstanding medical education, there were plenty of opportunities for both formal and informal networking among participants.

Sincere thanks to the following workshop speakers who presented at this year’s event:

Mathew Wood, D.O.; Michelle Endicott, D.O.; Mike Nicholas, D.O.; Brett Faulknier, D.O.; Andrea Nazar, D.O.; Jenny Patton; Corinne Layne-Stuart, D.O.; Rachel Lagos, D.O.; Dave Butler, D.O.; Howard Feinberg, D.O.; Lori Tucker, D.O.; Dave Killeen, D.O.; Diana Shepard; and Charles McClung, D.O.

Alumni Association Takes TowerDuring the annual luncheon, Robert Holstein, D.O., Class of 1979 and president of the Alumni

Association board, announced the Alumni Association has made a financial commitment to secure the clock tower of the new WVSOM Student Center breaking ground next fall. To thunderous applause, each member of the board approached the stage to deposit $100 into

their own symbolic “tower.”

“That’s all it takes,” Holstein told the audience. “If each graduate of WVSOM donates just $100, we will have paid in full for this striking clock tower, which will be at the heart of WVSOM’s campus.”

Following this announcement, President Michael Adelman joined Holstein on stage to express his

gratitude for the work the Alumni Association is doing to advance the mission of the school.

“Your commitment to the school is evident in all the great work you do for the institution and for the students,” Adelman said. “The school cannot thank you enough for all you do to ensure WVSOM is a leader in osteopathic education as we move into the future. It is this spirit of collaboration and teamwork which makes our people — and our campus — so special.”

Flag Presentation

Before it was a medical school, the campus of WVSOM taught bright young students as the Greenbrier Military School. Even as one group of educators departed and another group arrived, the commitment to country never wavered.

In honor of that commitment, Rick Fogle, D.O., assistant professor of geriatrics, presented to Dr. Adelman a framed shadow box containing a United States flag, which flew over his military base in Afghanistan during a recent tour of duty. He thanked the president for being supportive of his military commitments and expressed appreciation to the school for accommodating his absences to serve.

With AppreciationDuring the Mid-Winter Osteopathic CME, the Alumni Association Board expressed its appreciation to Manny Ballas, D.O., who is completing his term of service on the board. Mark Waddell, D.O., was elected to a three-year Member-at-Large term. Chrissy Hendricks, D.O., was elected to serve one more year as the Resident member.

SEMINAR


James H. Deering, D.O., was named to The Board Of Directors and First Vice President of Mid-Michigan Physicians, P.C. MMP is located in Lansing, Mich., and is the largest independent primary care/specialty group in Michigan with 62 providers. WVSOM students completed preceptorships in radiology, hematology and oncology at MMP in 2012.

James Halley, D.O., interned at Bethesda Naval Hospital and did a family practice residency in Jacksonville, Fla. Dr. Halley retired from the Navy in 1992, and was in private practice in Jacksonville for 10 years. He then joined the teaching staff of the Family Practice Training Program which is a three-year program at Naval Hospital, Jacksonville in 2002. Dr. Halley is still one of the civilian doctors on the staff.

Naomi Wriston, D.O., was named assistant medical director for Onsite and Wellness Services with Employer Services at OhioHealth. Dr. Wriston will also be presenting at the Mid-Year Conference of the AOCOPM in Phoenix, Ariz., in February on “Sustaining Wellness.”

Michael Levy, D.O., published an article in the Nevada Lawyer, the official publication of the State Bar of Nevada. The article was for continuing legal education. Dr. Levy is the founder and medical director of the Center for Addiction Medicine in Las Vegas. He also serves as an expert consultant in civil, criminal and family law cases.

Larry Baker, D.O., assumed a position with the United States Department of Defense, Department of the Army in August 2010. Dr. Baker has been selected to the position of chief medical officer of the Knoxville, Tenn., Military Entrance Processing Command Center, with the responsibility of qualifying applicants for Armed Forces enlistment and officer candidate physicals for commissioning into officer candidate programs for all branches of the Armed Forces, United States Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. With a staff of five other physicians, they are proud to qualify over 4,500 applicants annually.

M. Bryan Reynolds, D.O., joined Access Healthcare in Brooksville, Fla. Dr. Reynolds had formerly been in practice in Largo, Fla.

Gail Dudley, D.O., re-certified in OMM/NMM in March 2012 at the AOA convocation.

Mark Mitchell, D.O., is president-elect of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) and will begin a two-year term starting in October. Dr. Mitchell is senior vice president of provider services for Schumacher Group working with providers in emergency medicine, hospital medicine and urgent care.

Gary Raffel, D.O., continues his solo internal medicine practice in Rockville, Md., and just completed his internal medicine re-certification. Dr. Raffel is “winding down” and looking to the day he can spend more time with family and friends.

Mark Duff, D.O., has gone from the WV Air National Guard and hospitalist physician to active duty medical officer in the USAF. He is stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton Roads, Va.

Melissa Miller, D.O., is acting chief of anesthesia at Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, N.M., since January 2012.

Roselia Schlichtig Conrad, D.O., announces the purchase of a new private practice in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on the Big Island. Her practice at Kahalu’u Bay Osteopathic Medical Center is limited to work related, motor vehicle and personal injuries which involves the medical management of the rehabilitation stage, as well as providing osteopathic manipulative medicine. She works collaboratively with medical massage therapists and acupuncturist.

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Chad Griffith, D.O., joined the emergency medical staff at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, Pa. He will be the assistant medical director.

Brittney Laughlin, D.O., finished residency from the University of South Alabama in OB/GYN in June. She then joined with two other women and started an all female group in Mobile, Ala., with plans to expand the practice into a multi-specialty all female group to include dermatology, psychiatry, plastics, nutrition and exercise physiology.

Ashlee Smith, D.O., completed a pediatrics residency and will be doing a three-year fellowship in neonatology at West Virginia University. Dr. Smith will be the first D.O. in the program.

Samantha Crites, D.O., matched for WVU cardiology fellowship starting 2013.

Jeremy Waters, D.O., matched for WVU cardiology fellowship starting 2013.

Louis Edwards, D.O., is co-chief resident at Bluefield Regional Medical Center in Bluefield, W.Va.

Catherine Bishop, D.O., was elected Board Chair for GOInternational. This is an interdenominational short-term mission organization that currently travels to 22 countries. They do medical and dental missions that last one to two weeks and partner with pastors for church building, water filtration projects, pastoral training and construction. It is based in Wilmore, Ky. Dr. Bishop has been involved in the mission trips for 12 years and has traveled to six different countries.

Cathleen Quillian, D.O., is employed by the U.S. Department of State in the Foreign Service. She is 21 months into a 24 month tour at U.S. Embassy Sana’a Yemen and her onward assignment in June will be to U.S. Embassy Baghdad.

Daniel Reed, D.O., was named 2012 Phoenix “Top Doc” for radiation oncology. Dr. Reed received this top honor in 2009 as well.

Jill Powell, D.O., is the director of medical education at Marietta Memorial Hospital in Marietta, Ohio.

Robert Ratzlaff, D.O., was named assistant medical director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Units at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jami Reaves, D.O., will be opening her own private practice, CallaDerm, Center for Medical and Surgical Dermatology in Kingsport, Tenn., in March.

Jennifer Ayers, D.O., graduated from Deborah Heart and Lung Center Cardiology Fellowship in 2012 and has opened a practice, Cardiology Services of Cleveland, in Cleveland, Tenn., as a non-invasive cardiologist.

Jeremy Bigge, D.O., is a fellow in transfusion medicine at Indiana Blood Center and Indiana University.

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WVSOM MAGAZINE • FALL 2012 59

Michael Crews, D.O., married Patsy Jean Boardwine from Wytheville, Va., on Dec. 12, 2012. Dr. Crews is in practice in Bastian, Va.

Dana Nicole Pauley, D.O., and Freddie Dominick Persinger, D.O., were married on May 3, 2012 in St. Lucia. Classmates Tyler Hall, D.O., and Kimberly Hensley, D.O., were honored members of the wedding party. The newlyweds are both in residencies in Columbus, Ohio.

Marriages


Jenifer Hadley, D.O., and her husband, Anthony Eates, announced the birth of their son, Marco Anthony Eates, on Dec. 8, 2012. He joined his older brother Rocco.

Robert Ratzlaff, D.O., and his wife, Chassity, announced the birth of their daughter, Kinsley Anne on April 15, 2012. Kinsley weighed 7 pounds, 8.5 ounces and was 20 inches in length. She joined big sister Camdyn and brother Easton.

Elaine Lao Campbell, D.O., and Kirk Campbell, D.O., welcomed daughter, Penelope Mei, on Dec. 26, 2012 at 8:29 a.m. Penelope was 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 18 inches.

Stacey Gallagher, D.O., and her husband, Sean, welcomed a son, Cooper James, on Nov. 16, 2012. He was 8 pounds, 15 ounces and 21 inches.

Jennifer Klaus Flaim, D.O., and Nathan Flaim, D.O., welcomed their first daughter, Josephine Annabelle, on Aug. 5, 2012.

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Births

Donald Gullickson, D.O. ……………………….....……. Class of 1982

Pedro Ottaviano, D.O. .......................................... Class of 1987

Lynette Gogol, D.O……………………………........……..Class of 1995

Shannon Sorah, D.O……………………………....…….. Class of 2000

Corinne Layne Stuart, D.O. …………………………….Class of 2006

Jonathan Stanley, D.O. .........................................Class of 2007

Toni Muncy, D.O…………………….…….......……….…..Class of 2008

Maria Setlak, D.O. ................................................Class of 2009

New Life MembersWELCOME

November 1, 2012 to February 18, 2013

Tucker received Distinguished Alumni AwardOn Feb. 2, during the 30th Annual Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar in Charleston, W.Va., it was announced that Lori Tucker, D.O., Class of 1997, is WVSOM’s Distinguished Alumni for 2013.

She was nominated by Kristina F. Brown, D.O., WVSOM Class of 2011, who praised Dr. Tucker for her mentorship of third- and fourth-year students during their obstetrics and gynecology rotations.

“Dr. Tucker encourages each student to perform at only the highest level of competence,” Brown said. “She continually takes the extra time during surgery, clinic and down-time to teach, explain and demonstrate. We are so lucky to have a mentor like Dr. Tucker as part of the WVSOM community. She displays outstanding commitment to WVSOM by strengthening one of the strongest resources WVSOM has — its students.

Visibly moved by the recognition, Dr. Tucker approached the stage and gave Brown an emotional hug. After promising

friends and family she would purchase waterproof mascara moving forward, she wiped her eyes and proceeded to express her deep appreciation to the school and to the students she precepts.

“I just cannot believe this,” Tucker said, holding the

commemorative Blenko glass pitcher which bears the WVSOM Alumni Association seal. “Every day, it’s such an honor and a privilege to work with these students.”

The WVSOM Alumni Association established the Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award in 2008 to annually recognize graduates of the school who have distinguishing themselves through outstanding personal and professional achievements.


GREENBRIER MILITARY SCHOOL

G.M.S.

GMS reunion 2012 — 200 years story by HERB PEARIS

Greenbrier Military School traces its beginnings to 1812 in connection with the Old Stone Presbyterian Church. One doesn’t have to be in Lewisburg for long to realize that education is special in this small West Virginia town. Unsuspecting visitors to the area are surprised to learn that one of the nation’s leading medical schools is here, established after purchasing the buildings and grounds of one of the nation’s oldest military schools.

For the alumni of Greenbrier Military School, autumn is special. This year, it was even more so. In October 2012, former students of the Greenbrier Military School came to Lewisburg from all parts of our nation to meet again with old friends, some friendships established as long as 50 or 60 years ago. Consider the ages of the students at the time the relationships were formed. The youngest students might have been 12 years old and the oldest 19. These are formative years, most young men not even of shaving maturity, each away from home without the guidance of parents. But there

was discipline. Make your bed, shine your shoes, eat on schedule, march most nearly everywhere you went, no TV in your room and rigid study hours. The clock and calendar determined where you were and what you were doing. Free time was a luxury and “leave” was permitted three times a year. Your roommate was like a brother. So reunions are special and, yes, by the clock and the calendar.

GMSAA reunions are four-day events, beginning on Thursday with the raising of the U.S. flag and school flags over the Greenbrier Military School Memorial Museum and Park, which overlooks the athletic and drill field — sacred ground for us. The area, which now houses the Roland P. Sharp Alumni Center and GMS Museum and Memorial Park, were the cadet tennis courts, also an area to get your girlfriend away from watchful eyes.

After a GMSAA board meeting, reunion attendees are invited to a reception sponsored by the Alumni Association. It’s an opportunity to renew past friendships. Most importantly, it provides an opportunity to once again walk the village


G.M.

S.streets reminiscing about the soda fountains of the Pioneer and Coleman’s drug stores, lunch at the Court restaurant, the latest hit at Shaver’s music store and the movies at Lewis Theater.

Friday brings golf at the country club, registration at the alumni center, browsing the museum and store areas, and hoping latecomers will arrive soon. In the afternoon, we gather on the “front formation court,” the paved area immediately in front of the school where our companies gathered to line up before marching to meals and special events. Facing the school, the band “formed up” at the extreme left, the “A” Company on down the line to “E” company (the 7th and 8th graders) on the end. The evening meal was the time we lowered the flag, a special time as we honored America. This was “retreat” and the alumni form up to honor America and pay homage to our classmates who have died during the past year. It is a sad time, as the list seems to grow longer each year. We are missing very special people, people who were important to us as we grew toward manhood.

Few will forget the flagpole and the circle paved around it — the path of “the beat,” the punishment for not adhering to standards of conduct. For each day we did not earn a demerit, we received a merit. If our demerits exceeded our merits by two, we had to walk the beat during our free time. You walked in a circle and hopefully were so disgusted by it that you never again did that thing you did to get on the beat. Some people seemed to attract the beat and it was a miserable time until their attitude and behavior changed.

Next, it’s into the Quad for a group photo. Most of us lived in the Quad before it was enclosed. How many times we climbed those stairs to our rooms or hurried down them to be on time for formation. Being late resulted in demerits and jeopardized our free time. As we walk the Quad, we look for our room; remember the long walk from “A” company to the shower in freezing weather, the good times in the suites, or evening bull sessions.

Soon, we head back to the alumni center

for the Friday night BBQ. We look forward to a cold beer or glass of wine and good food, but more importantly, a time to reflect with longtime friends and rewrite a little history. If everyone really painted the wheeled cannon as they said they did, there would be so many layers of paint the cannon couldn’t possibly rust. As we see former friends and classmates, we’re reminded of events and people we thought we had forgotten. The memories come flooding back so real they could have happened yesterday. One tale leads to another and our days at Greenbrier are relived and more importantly, we can now add a little meaning, giving credit to those years and the individuals who helped us to become the men we are today.

Saturday morning many of us attend the Life Member breakfast at the General Lewis Inn, one of our favorite places in Lewisburg. We send our ladies to breakfast at the county club with the hope they will enjoy the morning and make new friends with other wives. Soon, we’re headed back to campus for the general business meeting of the association. The annual meeting provides the membership the opportunity to know what is going on now and in the future.

As this was a special milestone reunion, this meeting was also special. Si Bunting, of the Guggenheim Foundation, spoke of leadership and the military. Phil McLaughlin, former president and chairman of City National Bank, was recognized for 20 years of service as treasurer of the association. Coach Al Morgan was recognized as a role model and developer of character molded into winning basketball games. It was a powerful moment when Jim Justice (1970) delivered a check for our leadership program, ensuring the opportunity to develop a self-sustaining program for high school students in Greenbrier County and nationwide.

Our association is doubling down on our commitment to leave our legacy to future generations.

What could be better than spending Saturday evening at The Greenbrier for a memorable evening of food followed by dancing, or just enjoying the music of the marvelous Bobby Nicholas? For many former cadets, minds drifted to the end of the school year. With exams over and military competition nearly

complete, it took us back to the Final Ball in the Crystal Ballroom at The Greenbrier. It was time with that special girl, maybe from across town or from back home. It was an evening we had earned.

Our weekend ended where it all began 200 years ago — The Old Stone Presbyterian Church. For most of Greenbrier’s long and marvelous history, the cadets from Greenbrier Military School marched across town to the church for the evening service. The cadets filled the balcony and both outsides of the center pews of the church. The center pews served the members of church and girls from Greenbrier College were noticeable in their attendance — some might go so far as to say they were the center of our attention. But on this Sunday morning, once we had shown everyone near us where we sat when we came to church there, the service commanded our attention. From the opening welcome to the benediction, it was service to remember — inspirational, with amazing music from the Greenbrier River Brass, Bobby Nicholas and the Old Stone choir, and a most powerful sermon from Stewart McMurray, a member of the Moore family and a GMS graduate. Everyone who left the church knew The Greenbrier Spirit was alive and well. With God’s help, this Spirit will sustain and carry us through until next October, when once again we’ll journey back to Lewisburg and GMS.

FOUNDATIONfascinating ideas and sometimes frustrate me to my wits end.

I was going to become a part of a large institutional family plan with all the attributes of a real family. No longer would my solo, free-wheeling, independent self be alone, as most of my other jobs had been. I was going to need to morph into a single part of a larger-than-life plan, which was producing doctors. (I have always been amazed by this process and more than a little awed by our students.) I would be a part of this plan. Wowzers. Could I have ever thought of that incredible plan? At the time, I didn’t even know what osteopathic medicine was.

However, as I mentioned to a friend, sometime after about a year of working at WVSOM, “if I had tried to plan this all out, I could not have come up with a better plan than working at WVSOM. I feel perfectly suited for this job.” Not that I knew the answers to every question or problem which arose daily but I knew that I knew I was part of a bigger plan and

was equipped with the right attitude, temperament and philosophy to sustain that plan. And so it has been just about every day of my career at WVSOM.

So, dear friends, all this to say, “thank you and goodbye” to

all the many people I have worked with in my WVSOM family, including everyone on campus and statewide, and of course, our alumni. It has been an honor to have spent time here but plans do change. Tonight I go to bed with a new plan for tomorrow. This plan includes time purposefully spent not having “a plan” and a big plan to spend more time with my husband and family. You know, somehow I think Dr. Sharp would approve of that plan. Sweet dreams.

“NEVER GO TO BED AT NIGHT WITHOUT A PLAN FOR TOMORROW.”

— Roland P. Sharp, D.O.

These words from Dr. Sharp look at me from a photograph of his smiling face in my office every day. It was taken at his 101st birthday party at the alumni center named for him and I think yes, it pays to have a plan. Dr. Sharp had a plan and he was able to see it through to fruition and indeed, we are all recipients of that fruitful plan.

When I first came to work at WVSOM I thought I had the plan for the job for which I was hired, but what I didn’t realize was that I was embarking upon a whole new plan. A plan that was going to expand me beyond my largest dreams, enlarge my view points on a myriad of topics, educate me on new and

Farewell thoughts from Sally Cooper, the foundation executive director:

WVSOM Foundation

““

“Sally is a cherished member

of the WVSOM family. We

are filled with gratitude and

appreciation for the service she

has provided to the Foundation.

It has certainly flourished under

her care. While the school is

embarking on the search for

a new executive director, Sally

has agreed to be ‘on call’ as

needed to ensure operations

continue to run smoothly during

this transition. Please join me

in wishing her the very best as

she embraces retirement. I’m

confident her days will continue

to be filled with kindness,

warmth and service to others.” — Michael Adelman, President



GIFT

S TO

WVS

OM

in 2013

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ($100,000+)Drs. Cheryl & Michael AdelmanMr. & Mrs. James HarlessDr. & Mrs. Roland P. SharpMr. & Mrs. Gary White

BusinessesThe Greenbrier Hotel CorporationThe Pittsburgh Foundation

FOUNDER’S ($50,000-$99,999)Marlene Wager, D.O.

BusinessesThe National Osteopathic FoundationWest Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association

PATRON ($25,000-$49,999)Charles Davis, D.O.Robert Holmes Jr., D.D.S.John Manchin II, D.O.Drs. Patrick Pagur & Billie WrightLewis A. Whaley, D.O.

BusinessesCity National BankRobert C. Byrd Clinic

DEAN’S CIRCLE ($10,000-$24,999)Greg and Jill AllmanDrs. Hal W. Armistead & Amelia RoushCatherine Bishop, D.O.Craig Boisvert, D.O.George Boxwell, D.O.Richard C. Carey, D.O.Cathy A. Dailey, D.O.Charles H. Davis, D.O.Drs. Allen Finkelstein & Carmen R. DamianiDrs. James Deering & Jodi S. FlandersRobert B. Holstein, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. Howard HuntDr. & Mrs. Robert L. HunterMrs. Paul KlemanA. Hugh McLaughlin, D.O.Samuel A. Muscari Jr., D.O.James Nemitz, Ph.D.Michael A. Nicholas, D.O.Drs. Bruce & Millie PetersenLarry S. Sidaway, D.O.R.A. Spencer, D.O.Drs. Russell & Sally StewartSteve TalbottDr. & Mrs. Daniel R. TrentThomas White II, D.O.

BusinessesColonial FordFirst Citizens BankGreenbrier Real Estate Service

BENEFACTOR ($5,000-$9,999)David P. Allen, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. O.J. BailesManuel W. Ballas, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. C. Donovan BeckettRandy Blackburn, D.O.David Brown, Ph.D.Linda A. Eakle, D.O.Robert L. Flowers, D.O.Dr. Robert Foster & Mary Leb

Thomas L. Gilligan, D.O.John C. Glover, D.O.Ray S. Greco, D.O.Jandy Hanna, Ph.D. & Sean BrainEloise J. Hayes, D.O.John P. Hibler, D.O.Jamie Lampros-ShenefeltCynthia A. Mayer, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. Michael A. MuscariStephen A. Naymick, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. Donald C. Newell Jr.Abdul M. Orra, D.O.Lorenzo L. Pence, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. Arthur B. RubinDr. & Mrs. Joseph E. SchreiberSteve Shy, D.O.Ronald K. Smith, D.O.Alan H. Snider, D.O.Drs. Thomas & Karen SteeleAndy R. Tanner, D.O.George R. Triplett, D.O.

BusinessesAmerican Chemical SocietyCarmel-Greenfield Charitable TrustFirst National BankGreater Greenbrier Valley Community FoundationGreenbrier Valley Medical CenterRaleigh General HospitalRiver Region Surgical SpecialtiesVein Health SolutionsWoolpert DesignWVSOM Alumni Association

SPONSOR ($2,500-$4,999)David A. Apgar, D.O.William D. Armstrong, D.O.David R. Barger, D.O.Elizabeth K. Blatt, Ph.D.Drs. William Blue & Christine BlueLois J. Bosley, D.O.Drs. Edward & Kristie G. Bridges Cynthia Butler, D.O.J.P. Blake Casher, D.O.Craig A. Chambers, D.O.Elspeth A. ClarkJanice Z. ClarkSally Cooper & Greg ZafrosDavid Crandall, D.O.Allison Evans-Wood, D.O.Sandra E. EplingJohn M. Garlitz, D.O.A.S. Ghiathi, D.O.Drs. Rick & Carol GrecoRonald W. Green, D.O.David T. Harrison, D.O.Ralph C. Hess III, D.O.Daniel S. Hurd, D.O.Gregory M. Jarrell, D.O.Leonard Kamen, D.O.Lawrence KelleyAndrey & Tatyana KozhevnikovJohn K. Lackey, D.O.David Leech, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. William LemleyMathew W. Lively, D.O.Kathleen E. Maley, D.O.Margaret McKeon, Ed.D.Dominick H. McLain, D.O.Philip McLaughlinMalcolm C. Modrzakowski, Ph.D.

William D. Moore, D.O.Drs. Andrea Nazar & David MakiPete J. Palko III, D.O.Charles M. Paroda, D.O.Jeffory J. Prylinski, D.O.Drs. Angelo & Melinda RatiniDavid W. Ray, D.O.Shirley Runyon & Jennifer R. MillerDrs. William & .Judith SeiferJan Silverman, D.O.Paul B. Thompson, D.O.Lori Tucker, D.O.Thomas Ward, D.O.Ralph E. Wood, D.O.Naomi Wriston, D.O.

BusinessesBank of MonroeCartledge Foundation, Inc.Logan Regional Medical CenterMedExpress Urgent CareRiverbend NurseryState Farm InsuranceThe American Beer CompanyWexford Health Sources

ASSOCIATE ($1,000-$2,499)Leif Adams, D.O.William S. Alford, D.O.Rob Aliff, J.D.Mac G. Bailes, D.O.Drs. William M., Jr. & Patricia BrowningBrenda S. Buis, D.O.Gregory Burnette, D.O.Brande CarpenterElizabeth C. Clark, D.O.Drs. J.T. & Darcy ConnerCharles & Jean CornellAnthony R. Flaim, D.O.Richard Girardi, D.O.Donald E. Gullickson, D.O.Marla G. Haller, D.O.David W. Hambrick, J.D.Dr. & Mrs. Charles D. HanshawB.S. Hensley, D.O.James B. Hill, D.O.Sharon HowardMark A. Hrko, D.O.Randal Huff, D.O.Kelly Jackson, Ph.D.Rachel L. Johnson, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. Thomas KarrsAfeworki O. Kidane, D.O.Timothy D. Kleman, D.O.Gregory T. Lagos, D.O.James R. Lebolt, D.O.Judith Maloney, Ph.D.Richard D. Meadows, D.O.Ernest E. Miller Jr., D.O.Edwin J. Morris, D.O.John B. MyerScott M. Naum, D.O.Deena Obrokta, D.O.Kara A. O’Karma, D.O.Susan G. Painter, D.O.G. Kevin Perdue, D.O.Bonita J. Portier, D.O.Joseph R. Reyes, D.O.Jerome E. Scherer III, D.O.Randall L. Short, D.O.Michael B. Shrock, D.O.Sophia Sibold, D.O.

Albert Smith Jr., D.O.Shannon Sorah, D.O.Drs. Scott & Julia SpradlinE. Jonathan Stout, D.O.Robert E. Vass, Jr.Philip G. Veres, D.O.Jeanne Wahl, D.O.Shannon D. WarrenGary G. Waters, D.O.Lydia E. Weisser, D.O.Mary Williams, D.O.Dr. & Mrs. David WinterGeorge R. Woodward, D.O.Shelby J. Wright, D.O.

BusinessesAmerican Medical Association FoundationBailey, Joseph and Slotnick, PLLCCancer Treatment Centers of AmericaDavis Memorial HospitalEHR SolutionsFirst Baptist Church, FairleaGillespie’s FlowersMason and Barry, Inc.The Wooton Law FirmZMM Architects & Engineers

FRIENDS ($500-$999)Kenneth C. Adkins, D.O.Pat BausermanDiana K. BirdJeffery T. Braham, D.O.Pasquale Brancazio, D.O.Maryann Cater, D.O.Drs. Shawn & Heidi ClarkAllen CohnPaul J. Conley, D.O.Judy Danik, D.O.Drs. Gene & Claudia DuncanJohn R. Ellison, D.O.Judith L. Evans, D.O.Penny P. FioravanteCarl F. Hoyng, D.O.Edward W. & Jacqueline L. GallaherStephen Goykovich, D.O.Curran L. Jones, D.O.Michael Krasnow, D.O.James W. Kribs, D.O.Brian LehmanMarshall C. Long, D.O.Kevin J. Mason, D.O.Alexander & Gail NashDallas E. Petrey, D.O.Sherry E. PhillipsRoland Powers Jr., D.O.M. Bryan Reynolds, D.O.Ryan T. Runyon, D.O.Wesley Saher, D.O.Deborah Schmidt, D.O.John J. Schram, D.O.Karen Lea Sees, D.O.Drs. Andrew & Tiffany ThymiusMaria N. Tranto, D.O.Nelson Velazquez, D.O.Philip G. Veres, D.O.Mark Waddell, D.O.Roger T. Weiss, D.O.Marvin L. Wells, D.O.Kaye & Allen Withrow


GIFTS TO WVSOM

BusinessesDowntown Sertoma, Club of ColumbusGreenbrier Medical Arts PharmacyJohn W. Eye CompanyLewisburg United MethodistMichigan Osteopathic AssociationOur Lady of Bellefonte HospitalSaint Francis HospitalSt. James Episcopal ChurchWells Fargo Foundation

SUPPORTER ($250-$499)Diane H. Anderson, D.O.Kimberly D. Ballard, D.O.Leslie BickslerDrs. Hayes & Connie CalvertRoxann C. Cook, D.O.Bonny L. Dickinson, Ph.D.Gail Dudley, D.O.Abigail R. Durden, D.O.Roger D. Edwards, D.O.Marguerite J. Evanoff-Jurkovic, D.O.Pamela P. Faulkner, D.O.Mitchell S. Fuscardo, D.O.Fred GestenBrian Griffith, Ph.D.Juli J. Hattier, D.O.Tim HolbrookJeffrey A. Hunt, D.O.Beth Jenkins, D.O.Scott Jerome, D.O.Jane A. Johnson, D.D.S.Dr. & Mrs. Larry LeoneJohn W. Lewis Jr., D.O.Gretchen Lovett, Ph.D.

Janice J. Miller, D.O.G. Todd Moore, D.O.C.J. Myers, D.O.J.V. OttavianoCynthia M. Osborne, D.O.Marilyn D. Perry, D.O.Jane-Marie Raley, D.O.Roi O. Reed, D.O.Joel B. Rose, D.O.William T. Shultz, D.O.James E. Stollings, D.O.Emily Thomas, D.O.Maria N. Tranto, D.O.Robyn Weyand, Ph.D.

CADUCEUS ($50-$249)James W. Adams, D.O.Melissa AielloNicholas G. Bagnoli, D.O.Cheryl BakerDarshar R. BhalodiAlan BartellRobert D. Beasley, D.O.Patricia BondLarry & Shelia BurnsFred C. & Carolyn B. Burns Jr.Mark Collins, CPAJohn & Diana CarterKelly & Melissa CastleberryLacy E. CochranP.J. & K.A. CornellKeith CostelloDavid & Mary CurtisLinda Davis, D.O.John & Jennifer DawsonJohn J. DeBarbadillo II

Henry & Ivana DivanniRoderick H. Doss, D.O.B. & J. DuncanGary R. EllisGail Faulkner & Karen Faulkner Sands Sharon Fawaz, D.O.Jason A. Genin, D.O.Michael & Lori GoodwinErnest F. & Linda L. GravelyFrancine Greco, D.O.Dr. Mark GuttJessica L. Harvey, D.O.Tommy & Sharon HigdonRobert & Barbara HoffmannStephen G. & Donna Jean HyduLarry S. & Rosemary HyduS. Kent Jameson, D.O.H. Bruce & Emma JeffriesMr. & Mrs. Eugene JeffusDivyanshu & Kalpana JhaShelby Johnson, D.O.Madeline J. KlemanJacob & Emily KisselKarl F. KlemanCindi KnightMichael & Michelle LawsonPaula LawsonAnnette LevineDonald LucciDiana LuskKhan M. Matin, M.D.John McCaffreyMollie Messimer, Ph.D.Michael & Patricia McNaullMary E. Meyer

Toni Muncy, D.O.J.W. & Carla J. MusgraveJoseph W. NgPatrick A. O’FlahertyJames & Pamela OnoriDavid A. Patriquin, D.O.James C. Paugh II, D.O.L. Faith Payne, D.O.Fred J. QuartoJeffrey & Criss ReepVictoria RoaneEileen & Audie RolnickBobette RousseauStephanie SchulerVictoria L. Shuman, D.O.Linda Smith, D.O.Michael D. & Donna J. SmithJessica Sop, D.O.Elaine & Tom SoperJean O. SrodesAndrew SternEmma L. & Mark StewartKirtan & Sonal TrivediDonna VarneyPeter J. Ward, Ph.D.Larry WareMary A. Bartas White, D.O.Terry & Kaye WodderLisa A. Zaleski, D.O.Aida Zapustas

BusinessesGreenbrier Motor CompanyMorgan Stanley Smith BarneyRose’s Excavating


PROUD SPONSORS of WVSOM scholarships

Gail Feinberg, D.O., FACOFP, M.Ed. Statewide Campus Regional Assistant Dean, South West Region

and

Howard Feinberg, D.O., FACOI, FACR

West Virginia School ofOSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

400 north Lee streetLewisburg, Wv 24901

no. 1 no. 3 2012

Did you know that WVSOM is:

in the nation graduating primary care physicians who practice in rural Appalachia (Academic Medicine, April 2012)

in the nation for percentage of medical school graduates entering primary care specialties (U.S.News & World Report)

recognized as one of the best colleges to work for in the country (Chronicle of Higher Education)

2013 IMPORTANT DATES

June 12-15Summer CME

March 15Childhood Obesity CME

now - March 23Library Exhibit

april 6Spring Open House

May 25Graduation

March 14 D.O. Day on the Hill

recognition

wvsom winter magazine - 2013

Documents