College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

WesternU celebrates Class of 2018 graduates

Western University of Health Sciences graduates are well positioned to address the challenges of the 21st century. But they must remember to balance work and family to avoid burnout, and always put the patient first.

WesternU graduated nearly 1,000 new health care professionals during five Commencement ceremonies May 23-25, 2018 in Pasadena, California. Innovative researchers and health care leaders gave inspiring and challenging speeches to graduates as they prepared to begin residencies, continue their education or enter the workforce.

Click here to read the full story and to view the slideshows.

WesternU COMP-Northwest graduates 102 physicians

One hundred and two medical students were awarded doctorates in osteopathic medicine June 1, 2018, beginning the next step on their educational journey.

The Class of 2018 is the fourth to graduate from Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest. Since 2015, 401 osteopathic physicians have graduated from WesternU COMP-Northwest, with 58 percent matching into primary care residency programs.

Click here to read the full story and to view the Commencement webcast.

WesternU’s 8th Annual Towne & Gown Golf Classic set for June 11

Western University of Health Sciences invites the public to an exciting day of golf to benefit student scholarships. The 8th Annual Towne & Gown Golf Classic will be played Monday, June 11, 2018 at Glendora Country Club, 2400 Country Club Drive, Glendora, Calif. 91741. Registration and lunch starts at 11 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at noon. A dinner and awards ceremony will follow.

Click here to view a brochure.

Click here to visit the Towne & Gown Golf Classic website.

Helicopter Drop

Everyone is invited to participate in the Towne & Gown Golf Classic Helicopter Drop. Whether you’re at the golf course or not, you will be able to participate in this fun activity. The helicopter team will dump numbered golf balls over a designated hole, and the owner of the ball that lands in the hole (or closest to the pin) will win the 50-50 prize. The pricing to participate is as follows: $10 for one ball, $25 for three balls, and $75 for 10 balls. This is another exciting way to benefit the Towne & Gown Endowed Scholarship Fund. Contact Nathaniel Lastrapes at 909-469-5436 or nlastrapes@westernu.edu for more information.

Click here to view a flier.

From the College of Podiatric Medicine:

Dinner Dance
Click here to view photos from the College of Podiatric Medicine’s Dinner Dance on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westernucpm/posts/2028348933905336

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Dr. Natalie Nevins and Dr. Edward Goering Receive Arnold P Gold Foundation’s Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
Dr. Natalie Nevins, Assistant Dean of Clinical Education, and Dr. Edward Goering, Assistant Professor of OMM, are the recipients of the 2018 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award. This award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate clinical excellence and outstanding compassion in the delivery of care, and show respect for patients, their families and healthcare colleagues.

Click here to read Dr. Nevin’s bio.

Click here to read Dr. Goering’s bio.

I Know Dino podcast
Dr. Elizabeth Rega is featured in episode 183 of the scientific dinosaur education podcast “I Know Dino.” She discusses her chapter in the Complete Dinosaur about dinosaur pathologies, as well as her work on the microanatomy of fractures in the extinct mammal ancestor Dimetrodon, famous for the prominent sail in its back. Click here to listen to the podcast: https://iknowdino.com/proceratosaurus-episode-183/

Gift of Literacy Day
WesternU COMP-Northwest hosted the Lebanon 2017 Gift of Literacy Day on Tuesday, May 30. Hundreds of Lebanon school district first-graders joined us and many community volunteers to spend a fun-filled morning reading. The idea is to encourage early literacy and the love of reading by giving new hardcover books to first-grade students each year. Each first-grader received a book of their own to take home and enjoy or share with others. https://www.facebook.com/westernucompnorthwest/posts/1420473661331783

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

WesternU College of Graduate Nursing leader tapped for national innovation boot camp
Today’s students have grown up with smartphones, social media and ever-evolving digital content. Engaging them in classroom, lab and clinical settings requires faculty to have high digital IQs.

Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing Assistant Dean of Global Health and Innovations Ivy Tuason, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, is one of 30 nursing leaders from across the country selected to participate in the inaugural American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)-Apple Digital Innovation Bootcamp: From Content to Action, which will be held July 9-12 in Austin, Texas.

Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Allied Health Professions:

Kudos on accomplishments
Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor Janet Konecne, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, presented “Improvisational Games to Enhance Communication Challenges” at The Teaching Professor’s Conference, in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 1-3, 2018. This highly competitive and prestigious conference had more than 500 submissions of which only 70 participants were selected.

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Anne Kugler has been accepted into ACCP’s Mentored Research Investigator Training (MeRIT) program. It is a competitive two-year investigator development program which matches a mentee with a research mentor, and a local advisor, and focuses on research design, data collection, presentation, and manuscript preparation.

Dr. Janice Hoffman presented the following poster at the American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando, Fla., along with Dr. Elizabeth Akhparyan (PGY-1 Resident), and Dr. Kevin Mai (Class 2018): Mai K, Wilson D, Pumerantz P, Robinson D, Akhparyan E, Yeung A, Hoffman J. Evaluation of Experience and Knowledge when Providing Targeted Education in Geriatrics.

Dr. Hoffman attended the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine (CALTCM) Annual Meeting in May 2018 in Los Angeles with four poster presentations by WesternU COP (California chapter of the American Medical Directors Association-physician target audience)

Elizabeth Akhparyan (PGY-1 Resident), Omar Deleon (Class of 2018), Vincent Mach (Class of 2018), Harry Sarkissian (Class of 2018).

Second-place winner of the poster session: Akhparyan E, Shmaeff R, Smith R, Hoffman J. Assessment of Adherence to Renal Dosing Guidelines in Patients with Documented Chronic Kidney Disease.

Deleon O, Akhparyan E, Shmaeff R, Smith R, Hoffman J. Prevalence of Narcotic Use for Pain Management in Elderly Residing in a Skilled Nursing Facility.

Mach V, Akhparyan E, Shmaeff R, Smith R, Hoffman J. Use of COPD Medications in the Elderly Living in a Skilled Nursing Facility.

Sarkissian H, Akhparyan E, Shmaeff R, Smith R, Hoffman J. Impact of Laxative Polypharmacy on Elderly Living within a Skilled Nursing Facility.

Dr. David Min attended the American Transplant Congress Annual Meeting June 2-6, 2018 in Seattle, Wash., and presented the following posters:

Min DI, Chang Y, Shah T. Genetic Risk Factors of Post-transplant Thrombocytopenia in Kidney Allograft Recipients.

Min DI, Chang Y, Shah T. Association between genetic polymorphisms of Fc gamma receptor genes (FcgR) and the development of donor specific antibodies (DSA) after kidney transplant.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Professor Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, MPVM, MS, PhD, DACPV, along with colleagues from Michigan State University, Purdue University, and the University of Minnesota, just hosted the Poultry Health Management School in St. Paul, Minnesota May 14-17. The Turkey and Broiler Health Management School was held from May 14-15 and the Layer Health Management School was held on May 16-17. Both schools exceeded the maximum attendance number of 70 participants per school. Total attendance was 140 participants who came from throughout the nation, from California to New York, including international participants from Japan. Dr. Morishita is the founding Director of the Poultry Health Management School, which has been providing educational outreach to the nation’s poultry producers for the past 17 years. For the first time this year, the Poultry Health Management was able to obtain financial contributions from Best Veterinary Solutions, Inc. to provide two Opening Receptions for each school and also industry donations from both Elanco and National Corn Growers Association to provide the book, Avian Disease Manual (produced by the American Association of Avian Pathologists; $75 retail) to paid registrants. Dr. Morishita and her colleagues are grateful for the support of their colleagues from the poultry and allied industries and academic institutions, including the University of Missouri, which continue to support this educational program for the U.S. poultry industry to help keep poultry healthy.

From the Office of Public Affairs:

Spring 2018 WesternU View
The Spring 2018 edition of the WesternU View magazine has arrived. You can pick up a copy from the magazine stands around campus or contact Public Affairs for multiple copies. An electronic version of the magazine is available online at http://www.westernu.edu/publicaffairs/magazines/

The cover story features a celebration of life honoring the legacy of Dr. Pumerantz. The magazine also highlights how a teenager with a visual impairment finds freedom behind the wheel and help from the WesternU Eye Care Institute and how two WesternU College of Graduate Nursing alumni joined the Pomona Unified School District and utilize their interprofessional skills every day to provide for children in need.

Click photo to view slideshow

The conclusion of the eighth Western University of Health Sciences’ annual Towne & Gown Golf Classic increased the Classic’s endowment total for student scholarships to about $185,000.

The money raised will add additional scholarships to be awarded next year to deserving students. To date, 16 scholarships have been awarded since the inception of the endowment.

Tournament sponsor T.F. Chen, DDS, underwrote all green fees, carts, lunch and dinner for dozens of enthusiastic golfers who participated in the scramble-format tournament on June 11, 2018 at the Glendora Country Club.

It was Dr. Chen’s final year as tournament sponsor. During a dinner reception following the tournament, WesternU Vice President for University Advancement Diane Abraham, PhD, MBA, brought Chen to the front of the room, wrapped an arm around him and thanked him for his generosity and his eight wonderful years of underwriting the tournament.

WesternU Board of Trustees Secretary John Forbing won the helicopter golf ball drop prize. More than 100 numbered golf balls were dropped from a hovering helicopter, and Forbing’s ball landed closest to the hole. He donated his winnings back to the scholarship fund.

Joining Dr. Chen as Towne & Gown sponsors:

Tournament Golf Hat Sponsor: Mutual of America
Platinum Sponsor: McKesson
Gold Sponsor: Samaritan Health Services
Silver Sponsor: Inter Valley Health Plan
Silver Sponsor: John Forbing
Silver Sponsor: City National Bank
Hole in One Sponsor: Symes Cadillac of Pasadena
Beverage Sponsor: DoubleTree, Claremont
Beer Sponsor: MillerCoors, Irwindale
Longest Drive Sponsor: LCS Construction, Inc
Registration Table Sponsor: LCS Construction, Inc
Tee Sign Sponsors: Cucamonga Valley Medical Group, Bishop Financial Group and Minson Corporation

Following the dinner reception, the three teams with the lowest gross scores were awarded trophies:

First Place: John Forbing, Brett Mieding, Jack Grothe and Ray Andersen

Second Place: Jeff Keating, Bill Burrows, Sunil Prabhu and Steven Grant

Third Place: Al Desrosiers, Cory Miller, Tom McDonald and Herb Higueros

Three teams were awarded trophies for having the highest gross score, or reverse Stableford:

Third Place: Dean Phillip Nelson, Vincent Nelson, Brian Oakley and Tim McPheron

Second Place: Ola Carr, Ron Bolding, Dean Daniel Robinson and Rudolph Mireles

First Place: Dean Steven Friedrichsen, Ric Serafin, Jorge Mata and Ismael Arias

Dr. Abraham and Vice President for External and Clinical Affairs David Baron, DO, MSEd, were acknowledged for the longest drive – Abraham drove the beverage cart around the course with WesternU Provost and COO Gary Gugelchuk, PhD, and Dr. Baron drove a second beverage cart with Marketing Specialist Edith Miranda. The four carried on a tradition established at the inaugural Towne & Gown Classic in 2011 by WesternU Founding President Philip Pumerantz, PhD, and former Board of Trustees member John T. McGwire, DDS.

Towne & Gown Golf Classic raises scholarship funds

The conclusion of Western University of Health Sciences’ eighth annual Towne & Gown Golf Classic increased the Classic’s endowment total for student scholarships to about $185,000.

The money raised will add additional scholarships to be awarded next year to deserving students. To date, 16 scholarships have been awarded since the inception of the endowment.

Click here to read the full story and to view a slideshow.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

WesternU College of Veterinary Medicine researchers receive USDA grant
Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine Associate Professor Yvonne Drechsler, PhD, has received a $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant to functionally annotate the chicken genome, which has wide-ranging implications for better understanding of genetic factors influencing growth, reproduction and disease resistance in production.

WesternU is one of three universities in the nation to receive USDA funding focusing on chicken, swine and cattle genomics within the FAANG (Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes) consortium.

The project is titled, “Genome-Wide Annotation of Cis-Regulatory Elements in The Chicken Genome.” Dr. Drechsler is the project director and University of Washington Associate Professor R. David Hawkins, PhD, and WesternU College of Veterinary Medicine Associate Professor Suzana Tkalcic, DVM, PhD, are co-investigators.

Click here to read the full story.

Laparoscopy course
Nine DVM 2018 students recently took the first small-animal laparoscopy course offered by CVM Professor Ohad Levi and various faculty and staff members. Faculty assistants were Drs. Lyon Lee, David Clark, Maria Fahie and Young Joo Kim and RVTs Leslie Tortez, Liz Villagran, Prisma Martinez, Brittany Bryan and Annette Robles, and the rest of the WesternU Pet Health Center staff also assisted as well as support staff Nicole Jimenez and Tonya Montgomery. The three-day course was intended for fourth-year veterinary medical students with minimal or no previous experience in the field. The course goal was to deliver basic theoretical knowledge about laparoscopy and provide practical experience in basic laparoscopic surgery using initial bench-top model training, progressing to laparoscopic ovariectomy on anesthetized live dogs. By the end of the course, participants were prepared for beginning and developing a safe laparoscopic practice and each student received a certificate of small animal laparoscopy course completion. The course is considered an independent study rotation and will be offered to the fourth-year students in each year.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

COMP-Northwest is featured as Goal 1- Healthy Families in the Samaritan Health Services 2018 Community Health Impact Report
Medical students learning about lifestyle medicine at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest in Lebanon believe one thing to be true: the way we live our lives can have a big impact on our health. A grant from Samaritan Albany General Hospital helps fund the Lifestyle Medicine track for students at COMP-Northwest, who are often found out in the community sharing information about how nutrition, cooking and lifestyle choices can improve health.

“We teach our medical students at COMP-Northwest that community service is an important part of their education and that service should be incorporated into their practice of medicine,” said Assistant Dean for Medical Education Louise Muscato, PhD. https://www.samhealth.org/about-samaritan/community-benefit-initiatives/community-benefit-and-grants/community-health-impact-report/goal-1

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Vicki Wedel was appointed to the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME). She will serve as National Faculty in the Foundational Biomedical Sciences – Division of Anatomy.

From GCBS and COMP:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Michel Baudry (Dean, GCBS, Principal Investigator) and his collaborator, Dr. Xiaoning Bi (Professor, COMP) have been awarded an R01 from the NINDS for their project titled “Roles of UBE3A-mediated p18 regulation in synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity.” The project is for five years and a combined budget of $1,542,190. They wish to thank their teams, especially Dr. Jiandong Sun and Dr. Yan Liu, for their excellent work, which was critical for the success of the application.

From Western Diabetes Institute:

Glycemic control
Western Diabetes Institute measures health outcomes as part of its mission to deliver value-based diabetes care. While there are multiple outcomes important to patients with diabetes, glycemic control (measured with hemoglobin A1c % [HbA1c]) is a valuable surrogate clinical gauge of the effectiveness of care. Optimal glycemic control reduces cardiometabolic risk and, for most patients, is defined as a HbA1c <7.0%, whereas poor control is defined as ≥9.0%.

Through its IRB-approved registry, WDI recently examined the sustained effects over 12 months of its integrated and cross-disciplinary, team-based care model on glycemic control in a sub-cohort of 246 patients. The baseline mean HbA1c of the group was 8.59% with 23% of the group <7.0% and 39% ≥9.0%. At 12 months, the mean HbA1c was 7.93% with 30% of the group <7.0% and 23% ≥9.0%. This 0.66% reduction in mean HbA1c is more than twice the 0.28% reduction that was shown in a recently published systematic review and meta-analysis of 181 randomized controlled trials involving 135,112 subjects who underwent multicomponent integrated care for at least 12 months (Diabetes Care 2018;41:1312-1320). Furthermore, there was a marked reduction in the percentage of WDI patients with poor glycemic control at 12 months, and an increase in the percentage with optimal control.

WDI’s latest results are consistent with those of a prior 24-month pilot study that involved a cohort of 48 patient-subscribers from managed Medi-Cal provider, IEHP (Inland Empire Health Plan). After two years of multicomponent integrated care at WDI, the IEHP cohort’s mean HbA1c was reduced by 1.2% from 8.9% to 7.7% while their corresponding total annual claims-incurred costs were reduced by 57% from $438,000 to $189,000.

These recent data suggest that integrated, personalized and team-based care particularly benefits those with suboptimal or poor glycemic control.

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Yun (Lyna) Luo, PhD, along with Wesley Botello-Smith, PhD, and Jerome Lecroix, PhD, published the following: Lacroix JJ, Botello-Smith WM, Luo Y. Probing the gating mechanism of the mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 with the small molecule Yoda1. Nature Communications. 2018;9(1):2029. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04405-3. Link to article

Western University of Health Sciences researchers received National Institutes of Health funding to potentially repurpose a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure to protect against the sun-induced cell damage that leads to skin cancer.

College of Pharmacy (COP) Associate Professor Ying Huang, MD, PhD, was awarded $409,223 in NIH funding through an R15 grant titled “Topical Delivery of Non-β-blocking R-carvedilol for Prevention of UV-induced Skin Cancer.”

This three-year project addresses the unmet need of skin cancer, the most common type of cancer worldwide. The proposed studies aim to repurpose R-carvedilol, an enantiomer in the racemic β-blocker carvedilol, an FDA-approved cardiovascular drug, for skin cancer prevention. COP Associate Professor Bradley Andresen, PhD, FAHA, COP Professor Jeffrey Wang, PhD, and College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Professor Cyrus Parsa, DO, serve as co-investigators.

The project evolved from a conversation Dr. Huang had with her colleague, Dr. Andresen, about whether βblockers might induce cancer. Huang discovered that the βblocker carvedilol – typically used to treat high blood pressure – does not induce cancer. More importantly, her team found that carvedilol prevents ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin cancer in cell culture and in mice.

Because carvedilol is commonly used to reduce heart rate and blood pressure in hypertensive patients, these results would be considered unwanted effects when using the βblocker for anti-cancer purposes.

Huang’s team is investigating potential solutions to this, including a topical delivery system so the βblocker does not enter a person’s circulation and separating carvedilol into two isomers.

“This discovery is exciting because nobody has ever tried using the isomer, one part of the commercial drug, to examine this pharmacological effect,” Huang said. “There is still a lot of work to do. For example, we need to test if using a pure isomer is still safe.

“We are trying to make an effective and safe skin product, like a cream, similar to sunscreen but better than sunscreen because we have data to show that applied after exposure to the sun, carvedilol can prevent skin cancer,” Huang added.

The NIH funding will allow further investigation into the safety of the product, and the team will also work on plans for a clinical study.

Western University of Health Sciences has been named a “Great College to Work For” for the seventh consecutive year by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities.

WesternU, which has campuses in Pomona, California and Lebanon, Oregon, was recognized in the category “Compensation and Benefits.” The results, released today, July 16, 2018, in The Chronicle’s eleventh annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on a survey of 253 colleges and universities.

“To be recognized year after year as a ‘Great College to Work For’ highlights the WesternU mission: educating health professionals to become highly skilled, humanistic healers,” said WesternU President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD. “This foundational commitment to humanism and compassion encompasses all who learn and work at our University.”

WesternU is one of 84 institutions recognized as a 2018 Great College to Work For, including 60 four-year institutions and 24 two-year institutions. This year, 165 four-year institutions and 88 two-year institutions participated in the survey.

To produce Great Colleges to Work For, The Chronicle collaborated with ModernThink, LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted numerous “Best Places to Work” programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide. The Great Colleges process was in two parts: a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff, and an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies and practices from each institution. Employee feedback was the primary factor in determining whether an institution received a Great College to Work For recognition.

“The Great Colleges to Work For distinction is well-known by academic jobseekers as a sign that an institution’s employees are valued and given opportunities for growth even when they face financial constraints,” said Liz McMillen, editor of The Chronicle. “Any college or university that’s on the list is showing that they emphasize one of their most valuable assets: their faculty and staff.”

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most comprehensive workplace studies in higher education. For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit The Chronicle’s website at https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/greatcolleges18.

WesternU is a ‘Great College to Work for’ seven years running

Click here to read the full story.

WesternU featured in Wall Street Journal article on virtual reality in medicine

WesternU is featured in the Wall Street Journal article, “How holograms are helping medical training,” about universities nationwide that utilize immersive technologies such as 360-degree video, interactive digital walls, virtual-reality and mixed-reality headsets and holographic-projection screens.

The story quotes WesternU College of Dental Medicine Associate Dean of Dental Medicine Emeritus Robert Hasel, DDS, who retired earlier this year. Hasel was instrumental in developing WesternU’s J and K Virtual Reality Learning Center, which includes an Anatomage Virtual Dissection Table, zSpace 3-D projection monitors, and Oculus Rift virtual reality immersion technology.

From the article: “It’s too soon to say whether mixed-reality or virtual-reality education will improve medical care. But, for Dr. Hasel, ‘this direction of technology is creating a revolution in the way we teach medical science.’”

Click here to read the WSJ article (WSJ subscription required): https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-holograms-are-helping-medical-training-1530795601?mod=e2fb

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Chaya Prasad and a team of rising second-year COMP students participated in the Huntington Park Free-Clinic on July 8, 2018. More than 500 patients were seen, and our WesternU medical students were responsible for a number of roles in facilitating their care. Some of their duties included obtaining present and past medical history, taking vital signs, triaging patients to receive appropriate services, educating patients about proper nutrition and exercise, and more. Students had the opportunity to work alongside physicians, nurses, medical assistants, registered dietitians, and other health care professionals. Interprofessional collaboration was a crucial component for the many patients to receive high quality care. Despite record temperatures of over 105 degrees our WesternU students successfully displayed their ability to work as a team and their commitment to serve others. Click here view photos on Facebook.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor and Executive Director of the Medical Anatomy Center, has accepted an invitation as keynote speaker at this year’s Asia Pacific International Congress of Anatomists. This is a prestigious conference with a revolving host (Busan, Korea this year) which meets every two years and includes China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines. Dr. Benninger will present on future opportunities and directions in health care anatomical education regarding a shift in how we teach current anatomy and the latest novel imaging technique he designed revealing anatomy of the human body not seen on imaging before.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

Message from CGN Dean Mary Lopez
I am very pleased to announce that Assistant Professor Khoa (Joey) Dang, MSN, RN, FNP-C, has assumed new leadership responsibilities within the College of Graduate Nursing as the Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. In his new position, Dang will provide leadership and supervision for the Family Nurse Practitioner faculty and staff and work closely with the leaders throughout the college and across campus. Click here to read the full message.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
A CVM research team headed by Drs. Pedro Diniz and Brian Oakley recently published an article titled, “Assessing Cat Flea Microbiomes in Northern and Southern California by 16S rRNA Next Generation Sequencing,” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29893631 in the journal Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. The paper was first-authored by Dr. Elton Vasconcelos (CVM post-doc/PBL facilitator) and included Dr. Lindsey Jett (DVM 2016) and Dr. Peggy Barr (CVM faculty) as collaborators. In this publication, the CVM researchers assessed the microbial populations of cat fleas from different geographical locations in California using high-throughput direct sequencing methods. Bacterial taxa identified in this study may help to improve epidemiological investigations, pathogen surveillance efforts, and clinical diagnostics of Flea-Borne Diseases (FBDs) in California and elsewhere. The paper is an example of ongoing work in the research group generally focused on applying microbiome methods to vector-borne diseases.

From Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (LEAD):

SPaRC 2018
On Friday, July 12, 2018, 20 incoming WesternU students from four participating programs (DO, OD, DMD, MSPA) celebrated the end of the five-week Summer Preparedness and Readiness Course (SPaRC). Enrolling in SPaRC can be an opportunity for incoming students to develop an important early foundation, especially for those who do not have a strong science or human anatomy background or students who have been out of school for a few years. In an interprofessional setting, SPaRC students complete a comprehensive skeletal system review, are exposed to anatomy lectures and the cadaver lab, experience an overview of pharmacology, as well as develop academic and emotional coping skills. Student also participate in a service learning with the House of Ruth.

For more information on SPaRC, please click: http://www.westernu.edu/lead/lead-summer-prep/

To see photos of SPaRC students in action, check the LEAD Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/WesternULEAD/

To see photos of SPaRC’s collaboration with House of Ruth, please check their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HouseofRuthClaremont

Western University of Health Sciences will welcome more than 1,100 new students to the beginning of their health professions careers at Convocation and white coat ceremonies in Pomona, California and Lebanon, Oregon.

WesternU will hold its Convocation ceremony for nearly 1,000 students at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018 at Fairplex, Expo Hall 4, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, California 91768. Each of WesternU’s nine colleges will then hold white coat ceremonies in Pomona and Claremont. The ceremonies are only open to new students, their families, and invited guests.

WesternU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific – Northwest campus will welcome 107 new students at its Convocation and white coat ceremony Aug. 3, 2018 at First Assembly of God Church, 726 W. Oak St., Lebanon, Oregon 97355.

Mirabelle Fernandes-Paul, EdD, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at COMP-Northwest, will serve as keynote speaker for COMP-Northwest’s Convocation ceremony.

Convocation marks WesternU’s annual opening of the academic year, and the white coat ceremony symbolizes students’ entry into the health professions. WesternU President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, will preside over Convocation ceremonies in Lebanon and Pomona.

For more information about Convocation, white coat ceremonies and Welcome Week: https://www.westernu.edu/students/welcome-week/

Welcome Week 2018

Western University of Health Sciences will hold Welcome Week activities for its Lebanon, Oregon campus July 30-Aug. 3 and for its Pomona, California campus Aug. 6-11. Welcome Week is set aside to help new students successfully navigate the campus and take advantage of available services. Please see the Welcome Week Schedule for program-specific dates and times.

Click here to view Welcome Week information for Lebanon: https://www.westernu.edu/students-or/orientation/

Click here to view Welcome Week information for Pomona: https://www.westernu.edu/students/welcome-week/students-orientation/

WesternU to welcome more than 1,100 new students

Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

WesternU College of Graduate Nursing welcomes visiting scholar from Chile
Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Graduate Nursing welcomed its first visiting nurse scholar, who is sharing her expertise as a midwife nurse and sleep therapist while learning about CGN’s distance learning model.

Maria Patricia Masalán, EM, Mg SP, associate professor in the School of Nursing, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, arrived July 2 and will stay through the CGN white coat ceremony Aug. 11.

“This has been a wonderful experience,” she said. “Everyone has been warm and welcoming. I’m very grateful for all the faculty and students who received me. I can take this experience to expand the programs in my country.”

Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Health Sciences:

Department of Physician Assistant Education news
On Friday, July 20, the California Governor signed SB 997. Monning. Health care service plan: physician to enrollee ratios.

SB 997 prevented another bill, SB 494, passed in 2013, from being deactivated. SB 494 expanded the definition of a Primary Care Provider to include PAs and NPs. In addition, the bill permitted a health plan to increase the number of patients assigned to a primary care physician based on the use of one or more PAs or NPs. SB 494 was written in such a way that the expanded definition of a Primary Care Provider and the assignment of additional patients to providers would go away starting January 1, 2019. SB 977 removed the January 2019 date so that SB 494 will remain in effect without expiration.

Both SB 494 and SB 997 were bills sponsored by the California Academy of PAs (CAPA), which promotes, protects, and expands the PA profession in California. All the WesternU PA faculty are members of CAPA. The current CAPA President is Roy Guizado, PA Department Chair at WesternU. The CAPA board also boasts two elected representatives who are WesternU alumni – Saloni Swarup, MS, PAC ’13, and Scott Martin, MS, PA-C ‘13.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
A research team led by CVM Associate Professor Brian Oakley recently published a paper titled, “The cecal microbiome of commercial broiler chickens varies significantly by season.” Seasonal variation in broiler performance has been observed for many years but this paper was the first to use high-throughput DNA sequencing tools to identify specific members of the commercial poultry GI microbiome that vary according to season. This information may help inform specific interventions to limit undesirable seasonal influences on the microbiome and promote beneficial taxa according to season. The work is published in the journal Poultry Science. Co-authors included colleagues from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Elton Vasconcelos (CVM post-doc), CVM Associate Professor Pedro Diniz, and student researchers Ella Richardson, DVM ’18, and Kim Calloway, DVM ’18.

Dr. Elton Vasconcelos (CVM post-doc) heads a database development project aimed at better investigating Schistosoma mansoni long non-coding RNAs and their expression correlation to protein-coding genes. This work is a continuation of his previous studies in Brazil (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-10853-6) and was published earlier this month in the DATABASE journal from the Oxford University Press (https://academic.oup.com/database/article/doi/10.1093/database/bay068/5051101). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key players in gene regulation mechanisms (mainly epigenetics events) and, therefore, are currently considered as promising targets for therapeutic interventions. Dr. Vasconcelos has also recently written a grant proposal for investigating lncRNAs on the canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) genome. This grant counts with the collaboration of Dr. Michelle Michalski (University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh) and CVM Associate Professors (Dr. Oakley and Dr. Diniz). The research team is currently seeking funding opportunities.

CVM Associate Professor Mohammad Mir gave the invited keynote lecture, “Hantavirus induced Cardiopulmonary Syndrome: A Public Health Concern,” at the 10th International Virology Summit, held in Vienna, Austria recently. Dr. Mir received the “best keynote speaker award” at this international virology meeting.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
Second-year COMP student Vesta Yazdani will present a poster at the 42nd annual American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians of California Conference in Anaheim, California Aug. 2-5. WesternU Vice President for External and Clinical Affairs David Baron, DO, MSEd, was the faculty adviser for this project. Yazdani V, Pendi K, Pendi A, Turner J, Shahbazi A, Baron D. The 50 most cited publications in anxiety disorder research.

From COMP and the College of Optometry:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Sebastien Fuchs of COMP and Dr. Frank Spors of the College of Optometry received an intramural grant for their project, “Amelioration of the surface of contact lenses with zinc oxide nanoparticles to prevent corneal infections.” The goal is to modify the surface of contact lenses with nanoparticles to modify their physical and biological properties to reduce the risk of eye infections.

LEBANON, Oregon – The eighth class of osteopathic medical students at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest marked the start of their health care careers on Friday, receiving their white coats at the University’s Convocation and White Coat Ceremony.

‪The Oregon campus welcomed 107 students in the Class of 2022. The class is composed of 58 students from the Pacific-Northwest, with 38 of those calling Oregon home.

‪Rory King, DO ’22, from Salem, Oregon, was excited to receive his white coat Friday morning. “I have been trying to do this for the last seven years, so I’m very happy to be at WesternU in Lebanon,” King said. “I love that I have the opportunity to stay in Oregon, and I’ve already met some great people. I’m very happy with my choice.”

‪Two students – Whitley Nelson and Austin Kleint – graduated high school from East Linn Christian Academy in Lebanon.

“I think Lebanon is a great community, and I am grateful to have grown up here,” Nelson said. “I’m excited to be back not only to start my medical school education, but hopefully be able to work and serve this community while in medical school.”

‪The Class of 2022 includes 60 women and 47 men, with an average age of 25. Thirteen students hold master’s degrees; most have bachelor’s degrees in science-related fields.

‪While many students are from the Northwest, they also call states across the country home. In addition to the U.S., students in the class were born in China, South Korea, Ukraine, Colombia, Ireland, Japan, and Greece. Some are fluent in Spanish, Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, German, French, Russian, Italian, and other languages. Before joining COMP-Northwest, many students participated in humanitarian work in Austria, Bangladesh, South Africa, Ghana, Bali, Costa Rica, Uganda, Thailand, and Taiwan.

‪Marcus Pearson, DO ’22, from Grand Forks, N.D., chose WesternU COMP-Northwest because of the medical school’s atmosphere. “There’s a reason I chose to come here. It’s very family-oriented and I have a family, so it made my decision easier,” he said. “‪I’m excited and I’m ready to get started. It has been a long road to get here, and I look forward to spending time with my classmates and the professors at the school.”

‪The close-knit atmosphere at WesternU COMP-Northwest comes from the top. “I want to assure each and every one of you, we are all in this together,” said ‪President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, as he opened the Convocation ceremony. “A family-like culture has ever been, and will forever be, a hallmark of WesternU. The staff and faculty of WesternU are committed to your success, and will do everything possible to help you on your journey through school and beyond.”

‪Mirabelle Fernandes Paul, EdD, assistant dean of student affairs, gave the keynote address for the Convocation ceremony. She reminded students that the journey through medical school should be characterized as a marathon, not a sprint.

‪“I like the marathon metaphor for many reasons. Primarily because marathoners, unlike sprinters, are in competition with themselves, not with others,” Fernandes Paul said. She passed along some “pearls of wisdom” to the students, advising them to work diligently to succeed in their studies, take time for themselves when they can, lean on their support systems, and acknowledge their priorities. “On days when you are tempted to give up, the greater cause will move you to get up, dust off your knees, and get back to your own run,” Fernandes Paul said.

Before faculty members presented the new medical students with their white coats, John T. Pham, DO, vice dean of WesternU COMP-Northwest, spoke about the symbolism of the attire. “Many physicians have worn this coat, and wearing it is a privilege bestowed upon all those who earn a place in the healing arts,” Pham said. “The white coat is a powerful symbol marking the transition from being a pre-med student to joining the long tradition of outstanding osteopathic physicians. The white coat is a symbol to you and to others that you have been invited to walk this path with many years of training ahead of you. It also symbolizes professionalism, caring, and the trust you must earn from your future patients.”

After receiving their coats, the students received black physician bags sponsored through individual donations from the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon (OPSO).

Paula M. Crone, DO ’92, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, challenged the new students to learn to practice medicine with patience, purpose and skill. “As your dean, I pass on to you your dean’s challenge, and in four short years this challenge will become your dean’s charge,” Crone said. “I challenge you to always strive for excellence and keep your standards set at the highest of rungs. I challenge you to not only stand on the shoulders of the giants that come before you, but to become that giant yourself for those that follow after you. I challenge you to be extraordinary, to be exceptional, and to settle for nothing less.”

‪The alumni welcome was given by Ginger Cupit, DO ’17. Cupit is a second-year family medicine residence at Georgetown University-Providence Hospital. “One thing you must know: COMP-Northwest by itself is just a brick building,” she said. “It’s the people inside that make it what it is. So let’s make this a legacy we can all be proud to be a part of.”

Welcome Week 2018

Western University of Health Sciences will hold Welcome Week activities for its Pomona, California campus Aug. 6-11. Welcome Week is set aside to help new students successfully navigate the campus and take advantage of available services.

Click here to view Welcome Week information for Pomona:
https://www.westernu.edu/students/welcome-week/students-orientation/

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Eighth COMP-Northwest class begins its journey
The eighth class of osteopathic medical students at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest marked the start of their health care careers on Friday, receiving their white coats at the University’s Convocation and White Coat Ceremony.

‪The Oregon campus welcomed 107 students in the Class of 2022. The class is composed of 58 students from the Pacific-Northwest, with 38 of those calling Oregon home.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments
A research team led by COMP Professor Xiaoning Bi recently published a paper titled “UBE3A-mediated p18/LAMTOR1 ubiquitination and degradation regulate mTORC1 activity and synaptic plasticity.” Co-authors included Drs. Jiandong Sun (COMP), Yan Liu (GCBS), and Michel Baudry (GCBS), Xiaoning Hao, Wei-Ju Lin, and Jennifer Tran (COMP), and their colleagues at UCI, Drs. Yousheng Jia and Gary Lynch. They have found that the Angelman syndrome protein UBE3A controls the levels of p18, a protein localized on the lysosome, a cellular digestion organelle, thereby regulating the activity of a master protein kinase, mTORC1, which controls protein synthesis and degradation. UBE3A down regulation in normal mice or its deficiency in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome results in increased p18 levels, overactivation of mTORC1, and learning impairment. Reducing p18 levels by virus-mediated genetic manipulations not only normalized mTORC1 activity but also rescued learning impairment in the mouse model of Angelman syndrome. The work is published in the online journal eLife (https://elifesciences.org/articles/37993). Since abnormal mTORC1 activation has been implicated in multiple diseases, including autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, type II diabetes, and cancers, these findings may also shed light on their mechanisms and help developing new therapeutic strategies for these diseases.

Dr. Nissar Darmani has been awarded a second year of an R01 grant with the project title, “Substance P tachykininergic NK1 receptor emetic signal transduction pathways.” Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute for Aug. 1, 2018 through July 31, 2019 in the amount of $306,675.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor and Executive Director of the Medical Anatomy Center was the invited speaker and external examiner for the Royal College of Australasians approved Post Graduate Diploma Course in Surgical Anatomy. It is an intense six-month course with a total of four exams which include didactic, oral vivas and formal presentations. Candidates have completed a medical degree and are preparing for a career in a surgical subspecialty. Dr. Benninger introduced recent technologies in imaging and skills while teaching surgical anatomy, procedures and approaches with cadavers, ultrasound and endoscopic anatomy. Dr. Benninger was extremely honored and presented with an excellence in teaching certificate.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM faculty members Drs. Paul Gordon-Ross, Suzie Kovacs and Beth Boynton, former CVM faculty members Drs. Peggy Schmidt and Betsy Charles and CVM alumnus Kevin Ashbran, DVM ’07, presented on topics to help veterinarians teach and evaluate students, interns, residents, and staff in the clinic at the 2018 AVMA Convention held recently in Denver, Colorado.

Congratulations to Dr. Gregory Simonek, DVM ’15, who passed the Lab Animal Boards.

CVM Professor Teresa Y. Morishita attended the biennial meeting of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Poultry Improvement Plan in Franklin, Tennessee. Dr. Morishita serves as a member of the Technical Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan, a committee of 25 poultry health specialists in the U.S. invited to provide input and evaluation on current USDA regulations to keep poultry healthy.

Congratulations to Dustin Ong, DVM ’18, on receiving one of the new Merck AVMF scholarships, Veterinary Student Innovation Awards. Dr. Ong was recognized for creating standard operating procedures for officers of student clubs to assist them in the ability to lead their clubs and to fundraise. The new award is designed to recognize graduating seniors at each AVMA Council on Education-accredited veterinary college in the U.S. and Canada. Twenty-eight $500 awards were given out.

From the Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Library:

University Archives book sale
Starting August 6, 2018, the Pumerantz Library Special Collections will be holding a book sale of duplicate rare and older books. The collection is made up of the rare books that have been generously donated to the university. We have received extras and can help you get started on your own personal collection of antique medical books. The authors represent the best practitioners of their times. Some important authors represented are: Henry Gray, William Osler, and Russel L. Cecil. All campus disciplines are represented. Come check these books during the library’s regular operating hours. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives at uarchives@westernu.edu or 909-469-5323 and ask for Archives.

Click to view slideshow

Welcome Week and Convocation at Western University of Health Sciences is a time when lifelong friendships are forged, a path to becoming a healer is blazed and dreams are realized.

WesternU welcomed about 1,000 new students at Convocation and White Coat Ceremonies Aug. 11, 2018 in Pomona, California. Convocation serves as the traditional opening to WesternU’s academic year and is the culmination of Welcome Week, which introduces students to campus life. WesternU’s Lebanon, Oregon campus welcomed 107 new osteopathic medical students on Aug. 3, 2018.

“I want to assure each and every one of you we are in this together,” WesternU President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, said at Convocation to incoming students. “A family-like culture has ever been and will forever be a hallmark of WesternU. The staff and faculty of WesternU are committed to your success, and will do everything possible to help you on your journey through school and beyond. We are here for you, of that you can be sure.”

Many students said WesternU’s family atmosphere is a primary reason why they decided to come here.

“I feel welcome here. Everyone is willing to help you out and help you prepare for your career,” said first-year College of Pharmacy student Ronnel Valenzuela. “WesternU has a family vibe that really brought me in.”

WesternU Student Government Association President Julissa Hoogeveen, DVM ’21, told incoming students they should put themselves in situations that will allow them to grow – to make friends with students from different colleges, strike up conversations with faculty members, and always believe that they belong here.

“The success you find from this point forward should not be about receiving an ‘A,’ but about the knowledge you obtain that will enable you to help others,” Hoogeveen said. “Do yourself and your patients a favor. Do not cram. Be proud of the material you’re learning and understand its future application. Success will come if you believe in the WesternU way. And someday, sooner than you think, you will make a difference in somebody’s life.”

WesternU Academic Senate Chair and Associate Professor of Optometry Joshua Cameron, PhD, announced three faculty awards. College of Pharmacy Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration Donald Hsu, PharmD ’03, received the WesternU Distinguished Teacher Award. College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Professor Edward Wagner, PhD, received the Provost’s Distinguished Scholar Award. College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Malika Kachani, PhD, DVM, received the Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Award for Leadership and Service.

Following Convocation, each college held a White Coat Ceremony to welcome students into the health care professions. COMP’s White Coat keynote speaker was J. Michael Finley, DO, FACOI, FACP, FACR, recently retired as COMP Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education. He is the inaugural Senior Vice President for Assessment at the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners in Chicago.

Some people argue that white coats might be a source of infection-transmitting pathogens from one patient to another as a physician conducts their rounds. They suggest the coats should be a different color, or have shorter sleeves, or be abandoned altogether, Finley said.

But studies have shown that patients expect and prefer doctors to wear white coats. The white coat also symbolizes purity and a link to scientific inquiry, he said.

“The experience of putting on a white coat in a few moments will change how you see and feel about yourself. Medical students surveyed about the highlights of medical school rate the white coat ceremony in the same grouping as commencement and residency match,” Finley said. “You, your experience, your knowledge, your skills, your osteopathic practice, your passion, your humanity, cloaked in white is what you bring to each patient encounter. Never take that opportunity and privilege for granted.”

First-year COMP student Hanni Newland said he wanted to become a doctor because it combines his love of science with his dedication to helping others. Putting on the white coat signifies the start of his personal journey in medicine, he said.

“It’s beginning to learn how to heal, something a lot of us have wanted to do for a while,” Newland said. “This is the chance to finally learn skills I will be applying for the rest of my life. It’s a new beginning to start to help and to heal others.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmWbmiigASO/

College of Podiatric Medicine White Coat Ceremony keynote speaker Melinda Maggard-Gibbons, MD, MSHS, Professor of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said she did not have a white coat ceremony when she began her medical training and wished she had.

“Today truly is a milestone in your journey. I tried to look up another word for journey because I knew we were all going to use it throughout the day, but it really is the best word to encompass what you’re embarking on – to become a physician and, for you all, podiatric surgeons,” Maggard-Gibbons said. “You’re going to be pledging in your statement an intent to adhere to the most ethical and honorable behavior. This is an opportunity for family and friends, and the medical community, to come together to witness and celebrate all of you as new students who begin this path.”

First-year College of Dental Medicine student Triston Nguy said he didn’t know what to expect when he first arrived, but got a lot more comfortable once he met his classmates.

“I feel really close to everyone, even though we just met a few days ago,” he said. “I’m in awe. I feel like I’m dreaming. It doesn’t feel real. But this jacket represents so much to me. I put in so much energy and time in school and volunteering. This coat represents all of that. This is my past and my future. This is it.”

Convocation 2018

Check out WesternU’s coverage of Convocation and White Coat Ceremonies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and look for the story and slideshow on WesternU’s website:

https://news.westernu.edu/westernu-welcomes-1000-new-students-2/

https://www.facebook.com/WesternUniversityofHealthSciences/

https://www.instagram.com/westernunews/

https://twitter.com/WesternUNews

WesternU welcomes two new board members

Western University of Health Sciences welcomes two new Board of Trustees members who have deep connections to health care and education.

Elizabeth Zamora, MBA, is executive director of Pomona-based Bright Prospect, which empowers high-potential low-income students to gain admission, succeed and graduate from four-year colleges and universities by providing a comprehensive counseling and support system throughout their high school and college years.

Art Antin, MA, is co-founder and chief operating officer of VCA Inc, a leading provider of pet health care services delivered through more than 900 small animal veterinary hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, a preeminent nationwide clinical laboratory system that services all 50 states and Canada (Antech Diagnostics), the leading animal diagnostic imaging company in the market (Sound), and Camp Bow Wow (CBW), the nation’s Premier Doggy Day and Overnight Camp franchise.

Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

WesternU Pet Health Center receives Nestlé Purina donation for nutrition center
The Western University of Health Sciences Pet Health Center received more than $32,000 from Nestlé Purina PetCare to renovate and upgrade what is now the Purina Nutrition Center, which will benefit clients and veterinary students on rotation.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Mohammad Mir was the invited moderator in the 11th World Microbiology and Immunology Congress held recently in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. As moderator, Dr. Mir was in charge of scientific presentations and panel discussions in the meeting. Dr. Mir also gave an invited talk focused on his current research program at WesternU. The title of his talk was “Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Augments mRNA Translation.” Dr. Mir received the best presentation award in this Microbiology and Immunology meeting.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
COMP-Northwest Vice Dean John T. Pham, DO, and COMP-Northwest students Syna Daudfar and Codee Gorman published “Hemiplegic Syndrome After chopstick penetration injury in the lateral soft palate of a young child” in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. August 2018, Volume 118, Number 8, Pages 555-559. Click here to read the article: http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2695832

Matt Wedel, PhD, of COMP and CPM, published a new book for grade-school readers, “Totally Amazing Facts About Dinosaurs,” through Capstone Press. The book is available at https://www.amazon.com/Totally-Amazing-Facts-Dinosaurs-Benders/dp/1543529305/

On Aug. 5, 2018, COMP Associate Professor Chaya Prasad, MD, MBA, and third-year COMP student Justin Cohen gave a presentation at the ACOFP-CA (American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians of California) Conference in Anaheim, California. The topic was “Burnout in the Medical Profession.” Their presentation aimed at shining light on the prevalence of depression, suicide, and burnout and how these factors greatly impact the care that physicians provide. This sensitive subject has shown to be very apparent in medical students as well, leading Dr. Prasad to bring a third-year medical student onto the panel to share his experiences. To most, burnout and depression are things that we constantly hear about in the medical profession, but have no means of identifying or preventing them. Dr. Prasad also discussed the various routes one can develop resilience from. The medical community at ACOFP demonstrated a strong interest in the presentation as most, if not all, have experienced some level of burnout. After the presentation, it was clear that the physicians believed they should all have a vested interest in learning the tools necessary to not only recognize burnout but to also develop resilience.

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Stephen O’Barr’s former MSPS student Megan Molina, MSPS ’16, has passed the Comprehensive Exam and moved to PhD candidate status at the University of Arizona. She also was featured in the UofA daily newspaper on receiving a second year of private funding of her research.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

Kudos on accomplishments
College of Graduate Nursing Assistant Dean Rod Hicks, PhD, RN, FAANP, FAAN, published the following:

Hicks, Rodney. W. and Roberts, MaryEllen. (2018). Annotations: A power tool for writers. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(8), 421-423.

This is the first clinical guideline for Nurse practitioners. This is an electronic publication.

Hicks, R. W. (2018). Hypophosphatasia. Layette, LA: Care on Point.

From University Advancement:

Alumni reunion
WesternU will hold an Alumni Reunion Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 on WesternU’s Pomona campus. All alumni are invited to attend as we also honor the classes of 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013.

Registration will run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. A campus open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. The program and dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Click here to visit the Alumni Reunion 2018 website: https://www.westernu.edu/AlumniReunion/#totop

University Advancement Hosts Movie Night For Students & Alumni
On Aug. 8, 2018, the Annual Fund and Alumni Relations office hosted a movie night to welcome incoming students. Every college was well represented, as 40 students and alumni came out to Ethan Allen Park to watch “Wonder Woman.” Everyone enjoyed fresh popcorn, chips, and beverages on a beautiful summer night in August. Movie night was a success, as students were able to connect with their new classmates and begin to build new friendships and lifelong professional relationships.

Click here to view photos on Facebook.

From the Patient Care Center:

Diabetes classes offered
The WesternU Medical Center is offering weekend diabetes classes and a support group.

Diabetes Education Class, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. Click here to view a flier.

Type 1 Diabetes Support Group “Type Who? Type You!” 4-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25. Click here to view a flier.

From the Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Library:

WesternU welcomes 1,000 new students

Welcome Week and Convocation at Western University of Health Sciences is a time when lifelong friendships are forged, a path to becoming a healer is blazed and dreams are realized.

Click here to read the full story and to view a slideshow.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
COMP Chair and Assistant Professor of the Department of Social Medicine and Healthcare Leadership Gail Singer-Chang, PsyD, MA, MS, PPS, was interviewed for a story on imposter syndrome in the American Osteopathic Association’s (AOA) The DO Magazine. Click here to view the story.

Dr. Singer-Chang was reappointed to the AOA’s Research Task Force on Osteopathic Philosophy.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM student Athena Kepler, DVM ’19, is the recipient of the American Quarter Horse Foundation Margaret A. Haines Scholarship. CVM Associate Professor Babak Faramarzi, is her mentor and he is coaching her towards a residency in Equine Sports Medicine and Rehab.

CVM Associate Professor Brian Oakley is an author of a research paper recently published in the journal FEMS Microbiology Letters titled “Characterization of two glycosyl hydrolases, putative prophage endolysins that target Clostridium perfringens.” The research was partially supported by USDA NIFA funds to WesternU CVM for bacterial genome sequencing and conducted with collaborators from the USDA Agricultural Research Service. In the work, viral sequences encoding peptidoglycan hydrolases were found in whole-genome sequences of several C. perfringens strains. Cloning of these genes and expression of the recombinant proteins showed in vitro lytic activity against a panel of 76 C. perfringens strains. The therapeutic potential of this work has resulted in a patent application currently pending.

From the Harris Family Center for Disability and Health Policy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Harris Family Center for Disability and Health Policy Director Brenda Premo, MBA, will be the keynote speaker at Fiesta Educativa’s Annual Statewide Conference Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 at The California Endowment, Los Angeles, California. The theme of the conference is “You can’t change the past, but you can reshape the future.” The mission of Fiesta Educativa Inc. is to provide information and training to Latino families on how to obtain services for all persons with disabilities. In addition, training is provided to professionals who work with these families. For more information, call 323-221-6696 or visit www.fiestaeducativa.org.

From the Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Library:

Stacked!
The Fall 2018 issue of Stacked!, the Pumerantz Library newsletter, is now available.
Click here to view the issue.

From University Advancement:

Registration will run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. A campus open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. The program and dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Click here to visit the Alumni Reunion 2018 website: https://www.westernu.edu/AlumniReunion/#totop

Dr. Philip Pumerantz Distinguished Lectureship

You’re invited to the 10^th annual Pumerantz Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018 in Health Education Center Lecture Hall 1, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, Calif. 91766.

The guest speaker is Yi-Yuan Tang, PhD, Presence Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University and Presidential Endowed Chair in Neuroscience, Professor of Psychological Sciences and Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University.

This lectureship, in honor of WesternU’s founder and president emeritus, is made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Elaine Sarkaria and the late Dr. Daljit Sarkaria of Orange, California.

The lecture is free and open to all, and will be live streamed to the COMP-Northwest campus. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.

Click here for more information.

From University Advancement:

Registration will run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. A campus open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. The program and dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Click here to visit the Alumni Reunion 2018 website: https://www.westernu.edu/AlumniReunion/#totop

From Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (LEAD):

LEAD Open House
LEAD will host an Open House from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 28, 2018 in the Health Sciences Center, Room 101 (LEAD lobby) to celebrate the beginning of the new academic year. We invite you to join a welcoming gathering for new and returning students. Please stop by for light refreshments, fun, and chance to meet new members of the WesternU family. Visit the LEAD Facebook page for more information.

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dalia Seleem, DDS, PhD, recently published a paper in a peer reviewed journal. The paper, titled “In Vivo Antifungal Activity of Monolaurin against Candida albicans Biofilms,” was published on August 1, 2018 in the Bulletins of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. Here are the links: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30068882

https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b18-00256

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Anandi Law, her former fellow Dr. Sun Lee, and colleagues from Cedarville University and University of Illinois-Rockford published their work on redesigning Rx labels. Previously their labels have been shown to be preferred based on convenience, content and cosmetics; as well as comprehension and functional health literacy. The current multicenter study (CA, IL and OH) extends to observed action using a pillbox fill test with mixed results. Sun Lee, Manorama M.Khare, Heidi R.Olson, Aleda M.H.Chen, Anandi V.Law. The TEACH trial: Tailored education to assist label comprehension and health literacy. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. Volume 14, Issue 9, September 2018, Pages 839-845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.05.015

Dr. Benjamin Malcolm provided the “Pro” perspective in a point-counterpoint article on medical use of cannabis in hospitalized patients. Malcom (pro), Benjamin J; Murphy, Laura; Wong (con), Michael. Should Medical Cannabis Administered by Inhalation Be Allowed for Hospitalized Patients?. The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, [S.l.], v. 71, n. 3, June 2018.

Dr. Jae Jin An and Dr. Quang Le published two articles along with APPE students Adrian Lau and Tracy Dang. An J, Le QA, Dang T. Association between Different Types of Comorbidity and Disease Burden in Patients with Diabetes. Journal of Diabetes, 2018 Jun 28. doi: 10.1111/1753-0407.12818. [Epub ahead of print]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1753-0407.12818

An J, Lau A. Economic Evaluation of Patient-Centered Medical Homes Among Long-Term Cancer Survivors. Am J Manag Care. 2018;24(9):e000-e000 [Epub ahead of print]

https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2018/2018-vol24-n9/economic-evaluation-of-patientcentered-care-among-longterm-cancer-survivors

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Professor Malika Kachani traveled to Kenya in July to set up a One Health Project as a result of University funding. The goal of this project is to evaluate the importance of diseases of people and their animals in the Masai Mara and implement control measures, using the One Health approach and the horizontal approach to disease control as recommended by the World Health Organization. Dr. Kachani worked with WesternU’s partners, the Meru University of Science and Technology, the Departments of Agriculture and Health and other local institutions. Additional WesternU faculty involved in the project are Dr. Maryam Othman (COMP) and Dr. Tona Melgarejo (CVM). Other WesternU faculty have been invited to collaborate with this international team.

Associate Professor Mohammad Mir served in the NIH/NIAID study section tasked to review R15 grant applications in the diverse areas of infectious diseases and drug development. The study section reviewed the applications in Seattle last month.

Fourth-year CVM student Sam C. Phillips, CVM Professor Jose Peralta and CVM Assistant Professor Zarah Hedge, DVM ’09, had an article published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) titled, “The role of private practitioners in reducing numbers of homeless dogs and cats and shelter euthanasia rates.”

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor and Executive Director of the Medical Anatomy Center, was the invited speaker in New Zealand at the University of Auckland, School of Medicine presenting a symposium on the most recent Innovative Imaging of the Human Body and its Clinical Relevance, Aug. 9, 2018. He revealed human neurovascular anatomy previously not viewed by healthcare professionals using MRI, Ultrasound and 4D micro CT images from donor cadavers. He discussed and provided examples how such images could be integrated into today’s health care delivery system and education with simulation and anatomy using andragogical techniques he developed. He also revealed bilaminar cross-sectional imaging developed from Touch of Life Technologies which he has incorporated the teaching value for health care professionals. He raised further interest with the use of the interactive Sectra visualization table and its global illumination benefits. He discussed how to design a Millennial Anatomy lab and the technique of delivering Millennial lectures. Lastly, he shared interpretations and insights about Netter’s Human Atlas and the extraordinary work his colleague Dr. Carlos Machada has contributed to the maintain the quality and momentum of this amazing Human Atlas during the past decade.

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
GCBS Associate Professor Fanglong Dong, PhD, in collaboration with the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Emergency Department, had one manuscript accepted by the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine. Their paper analyzed the safety and efficacy of Tranexamic Acid in Civilian Trauma in a prehospital setting.

Dr. Philip Pumerantz Distinguished Lectureship

You’re invited to the 10^th annual Pumerantz Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018 in Health Education Center Lecture Hall 1, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, Calif. 91766.

This lectureship, in honor of WesternU’s founder and president emeritus, is made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Elaine Sarkaria and the late Dr. Daljit Sarkaria of Orange, California.

The lecture is free and open to all, and will be live streamed to the COMP-Northwest campus. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.

Click here for more information.

From University Advancement:

Registration will run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. A campus open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. The program and dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Click here to visit the Alumni Reunion 2018 website: https://www.westernu.edu/AlumniReunion/#totop

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dalia Seleem, DDS, PhD, recently published an article she co-authored titled “Fungal-Host Interaction: Curcumin Modulates Proteolytic Enzyme Activity of Candida albicans and Inflammatory Host Response In Vitro” in the International Journal of Dentistry, vol. 2018, Article ID 2393146, 7 pages. Click here to view the article: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijd/2018/2393146/

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Arezoo Campbell, PhD, along with her collaborator published the following: Bondy S, Campbell A. Mechanisms Underlying Tumor Suppressive Properties of Melatonin. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018;19(8):2205. PubMed PMID: doi:10.3390/ijms19082205. Link to Article

Jeffrey Wang, PhD, was invited by the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review (CSR) to participate in the Anonymization Study. The study tests the effects of anonymity on the outcome scores of grant applications. Participants will review, score, and provide feedback on sample R01 grant applications. This study is designed to support CSR’s mission to ensure the grant review process enables NIH to fund the most promising research.

Dr. Quang Le published the following: Le QA, Hay JW, Becker R, Wang J. Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Sequential Treatment of Abaloparatide Followed by Alendronate Versus Teriparatide Followed by Alendronate in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis in the United States. Annals of Pharmacotherapy (IP = 2.765).http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1060028018798034. [Epub ahead of print]

Park C, Le QA. The Effectiveness of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Literature and Meta-analysis. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics (IP = 2.921). 2018 Sep;20(9):613-621.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/dia.2018.0177.
Co-author Dr. Cindy Park is a former student of Dr. Le.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Linda Kidd, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, is co-first author and co-chair, with Oliver Garden, PhD, FHEA, FRCVS, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, Professor of Medicine and Chair, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s Consensus Panel and Consensus Statement on the diagnosis of, review of evidence for triggers for, and recommendations for underlying disease screening for immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in dogs and cats. Click here to read more.

CVM Associate Professor Babak Faramarzi was recently informed that his research manuscript has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Sciences. Co-authors include fourth-year CVM student Athena Kepler, who is Dr. Faramarzi’s research student, and Dr. H. Dobson, professor of radiology. The authors, for the first time, used MRI technology and provided 3-D analysis of the equine foot, comparing ratios and correlations among osseous and soft tissues, as a means of predicting injuries. Full citation: Faramarzi, B., Kepler, A. ad Dobson, H. (2018) Morphovolumetric analysis of the hoof in Standardbred horses. Accepted: J. of Eq. Vet. Sci.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
Gail Singer-Chang, PsyD, Fanglong Dong, PhD, Natalie Nevins, DO, Michael Seffinger, DO, Janice Blumer, DO, Niela Darmani, MSHS, and Scott Helf, DO, MSIT, had their poster/abstract accepted for OMED 2018 (Osteopathic Medical Education Conference) and publication in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA): “Structure and Function in Medical Education: Trend Analysis of Osteopathic Medical Student Emotional Intelligence (EI) Suggests Curricular Modifications May Improve Functional Traits.”

Gail Singer-Chang, PsyD, Fanglong Dong, PhD, Michael Seffinger, DO, Natalie Nevins, DO, Janice Blumer, DO, Helen Musharbash, MSHS, and Scott Helf, DO, MSIT, had their manuscript titled “Self and Other in Medical Education: Initial EI Trend Analysis Widens the Lens Around Empathy and Burnout” accepted for publication in the JAOA.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor, Executive Director, innovative medical educator and health care futurist integrated technologies with anatomical expertise to facilitate learning, training and ultimately improved patient care regarding chest drains. Collapsed lungs are common and potentially life threatening and Dr. Benninger has been developing newer iterations of technology that is being used by the military which expedites placing chest drains. The standard and/or current chest tube placement techniques practiced in civilian medicine is antiquated and relatively crude. Dr. Benninger used Google docs and organized second-year medical students belonging to the Surgical, Emergency Medicine, Military and Orthopaedic Clubs which he is the adviser, teaching them an innovative technique with Reactor technology to successfully place chest drains in the wet simulation or anatomy skills lab he designed. This technique with Reactor technology is easier to learn and apply, results in faster placement and therefore relieve symptoms quicker. Dr. Benninger has begun training some of the first-year students and his goal is to train all first- and second-year students during the next couple months.

From Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (LEAD):

Open House
LEAD celebrated the start of the new academic year with 87 students representing six colleges at its open house on Tuesday, August 28. In addition to enjoying fruit sundaes, students had the chance to meet other students as well as LEAD academic counselors and win prizes. Photos are located on LEAD’s Facebook page.

Yi-Yuan Tang, PhD

The 10^th annual Dr. Philip Pumerantz Distinguished Lectureship will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018 in Western University of Health Sciences Health Education Center Lecture Hall I, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, California 91766. The lecture will be streamed live online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJyOma81fkA

Yi-Yuan Tang, PhD, will present “The Neuroscience of Integrative Health.” Tang is Presence Fellow for the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and Presidential Endowed Chair in Neuroscience and Professor of Psychological Sciences and Internal Medicine at Texas Tech University. He is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Sciences and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.

Tang studies how experiences such as cultures, learning and training affect attention, emotion, decision-making, self-control, health and well-being using psychosocial, physiological, neuroimaging and genetic analysis. He developed a novel preventive intervention — Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) — and has studied its mechanisms and effects in large randomized clinical trials in healthy and patient populations since the 1990s. His work has shown that brief training can significantly reduce stress hormones, and improve immune function, cognitive performance and brain plasticity.

In the 1950s, the U.S. spent 2 to 3 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care. Now medical costs have risen to almost 20 percent of the GDP without the expected results.

“One major reason is that we mainly focus on disease treatment rather than prevention, and we believe symptom relief is equal to health and well-being,” Tang said. “To address these issues, we propose an interdisciplinary and innovative integrative health model. Integrative health includes three components: conventional medicine that focuses on disease treatment, complementary and alternative health care such as mindfulness, yoga and acupuncture, and behavioral and nutritional approaches to promote health and wellness. Integrative health requires changes in mindset, brain networks and habits using novel neuroscience approaches. I will provide scientific evidence to reveal the neuroscience of integrative health and how our brain and mind affect our health and well-being.”

The lectureship, in honor of WesternU’s founder and president emeritus Dr. Philip Pumerantz, is made possible by a generous donation from Drs. Elaine and Daljit Sarkaria of Orange, California. The lecture is free and open to the public. Click here for more information: https://www.westernu.edu/lecture/

“It is my great honor to be invited to speak at the Pumerantz Lecture,” Tang said. “I look forward to visiting campus and meeting faculty and students for potential collaboration.”

WesternU’s Pumerantz Lecture to focus on integrative health

The 10th annual Dr. Philip Pumerantz Distinguished Lectureship will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018 in Western University of Health Sciences Health Education Center Lecture Hall I, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, California 91766. The lecture will be streamed live online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJyOma81fkA

Click here to read the full story.

Click here to visit the Pumerantz Lecture website.

Sept. 11 memorial service

Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to attend a memorial service at noon Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018 in Ethan Allen Park honoring the memory of those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The service, organized by the WesternU Military Medical Student Association, will feature guest speakers from the city of Pomona.

Click here to view a flier on Facebook.

From University Advancement:

Registration will run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. A campus open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. The program and dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Click here to visit the Alumni Reunion 2018 website: https://www.westernu.edu/AlumniReunion/#totop

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences Assistant Professor Jessie Atterholt, PhD, presented “A CT-based survey of supramedullary diverticula in extant birds” at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy meeting in Manchester, UK Sept. 3-9, 2018. Her talk inspired the following comic, posted to Twitter: https://twitter.com/ratbotcomics/status/1037982898681466880

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
COMP Assistant Professor Jeremiah Scott, PhD, published a research article titled “Reevaluating cases of trait-dependent diversification in primates” in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. The article is available on the journal’s Early View website here.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

Kudos on accomplishments
College of Graduate Nursing Assistant Dean and Professor Rod Hicks, PhD, RN, FAANP, FAAN, published the following: Hewlett, A. L., Hohenberger, H., Murphy, C. N., Helget, L., Hausmann, H., Lyden, E., Fey, P. D., & Hicks, R. W. (2018) Evaluation of the bacterial burden of gel nails, standard nail polish, and natural nails on the hands of health care workers. American Journal of Infection Control. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2018.05.022

https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(18)30674-6/abstract

Click to view slideshow

Western University of Health Sciences honored those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks while calling on everyone to respond to tragedy by serving others.

WesternU’s Military Medical Student Association held its annual memorial service on WesternU’s Pomona campus Sept. 11, 2018. Among the guests were representatives from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Pomona Police Department.

A monument in front of the Pomona Police station honors those officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, said Deputy Police Chief Hector Rodriguez. Their names are engraved on the monument along with three words in Spanish, “Siempre con nosotros,” which means “Always with us.” Among the names is Pomona Police Officer Greggory Casillas, who was killed earlier this year in the line of duty.

“Next to the monument is a flagpole with our nation’s flag that has been lowered to half-staff in recognition of Patriot Day,” Rodriguez said. “The victims of 9/11, along with all first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty, will always be with us.”

The Pomona Police Department has collaborated with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to help develop cutting-edge active-shooter training, Rodriguez said. This training allows police and fire personnel to form a rescue task force that would simultaneously eliminate a threat and rapidly treat anyone wounded in an attack. Training and tactics developed here are being taught across the country.

“We are grateful for the strong relationship we have with many organizations such as WesternU, where some of this training has occurred,” Rodriguez said. “Many thanks to the faculty and students of this beautiful campus for opening their doors yet again today to remember those who lost their lives in New York 17 years ago. Let us never forget September 11, and let us never forget our fallen heroes, because they are ‘siempre con nosotros’.”

Second-year College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific student and U.S. Navy Ensign Steven Patrick said when he thinks of September 11, he thinks of three things: loss, sacrifice and service. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the September 11 attacks, including 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers, and more than 6,000 people were injured.

“Seventeen years have passed and we still remember. We will never forget the loss, the sacrifice, and the service of those brave men and women,” Patrick said. “To those who currently serve or continue to serve as educators, firefighters, police officers, nurses, first responders, chaplains, military men and women, thank you. I challenge everyone here to honor September 11, 2001 by always being willing to sacrifice and serve others like those who bravely made the ultimate sacrifice 17 years ago, and like those brave military men and women who continue to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

Second-year COMP student and U.S. Air Force 2^nd Lt. John Taylor Adams, president of the Military Medical Student Association, said the act of service is what is most meaningful in life.

“Service can be those acts of heroism of going back into the building, of turning over rubble in search of those buried in the wreckage. It can also be acts of kindness, of empathy and sympathy, of reaching beyond our own insecurities and hesitancies to embrace those dealing with loss. It can be looking beyond our own needs to satisfy the needs of others while expecting nothing in return,” Adams said. “As we commemorate this sacred day to honor those who have been lost, I challenge each of us to go forward from now with an attitude of service.

“Let us not take for granted this precious time we have on this earth. Instead let us each seek opportunities to serve those around us, lift up those who are down, and build a better world by starting with the communities we find ourselves in. The world already has enough vanity and selfishness. To honor those who died, we should live with optimism and happiness by seeking out service — great or small, heroic or simple.”

The ceremony opened with a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by the WesternU Chamber Singers, and closed with Larry Icenogle of Bugles Across America performing “Taps” followed by a moment of silence for those who lost their lives on September 11 and those who gave their lives in defense of the United States.

WesternU’s Pumerantz Lecture to focus on integrative health

The 10th annual Dr. Philip Pumerantz Distinguished Lectureship will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018 in Western University of Health Sciences Health Education Center Lecture Hall I, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, California 91766. The lecture will be streamed live to Lecture Hall 1 in Lebanon. The lecture will also be streamed live online:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJyOma81fkA.

Click here to read the full story.

Click here to visit the Pumerantz Lecture website.

WesternU commemorates Sept. 11 anniversary

Western University of Health Sciences honored those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks while calling on everyone to respond to tragedy by serving others.

Click here to read the full story and to view a slideshow.

WesternU at the LA County Fair

WesternU students and faculty volunteered at the annual WesternU Interprofessional Health Fair at the LA County Fair Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Click here to read more and view photos on Facebook.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

Medical camp and training in Uganda
As part of CGN’s Global Health Initiatives, Assistant Dean of Global Health and Innovation Ivy Tuason, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, Assistant Professor Ruth Trudgeon, DNP, RN, and MSNE students Yesenia Gomez-Castillo, Rica Jane Halili, Jasmine Kuo, Jeanet Perla, Jordan Smith and Wendeline Young successfully ran a medical camp and designed a training program for Village Health Team Leaders (VHTs) in some of the most remote villages in Uganda. In partnership with FREDAfrica, the team served more than 1,200 patients and trained 108 VHTs. To hear more about their experiences, you are welcome to attend their presentation at noon Wednesday, Sept. 26 in HSC Lecture Hall West.

Click here to view a flier.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Lebanon First Responders
COMP-Northwest students are providing first responders with free examinations once or twice a year, keeping an eye on their health while providing our students with a great opportunity to practice their skills. Click here to read more and view photos on Facebook.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor, Executive Director, Medical Anatomy Center, taught advanced clinical anatomy on the American Academy of Implant Dentistry course hosted in Eugene, Oregon Sept. 14-15. He revealed vascular anatomy of the head and neck region from a perfusion technique he helped develop using a novel contrast agent. He demonstrated human head and neck vascular anatomy never seen before on imaging. His objective is to acquire new detailed levels of anatomy and integrate between technology companies and health care providers to optimize health care.

From the Patient Care Center:

Diabetes classes offered
The WesternU Medical Center is offering weekend diabetes classes and a support group.

Diabetes Education Class, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 8.
Click here to view a flier.

Type 1 Diabetes Support Group “Type Who? Type You!” 4-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 8. Click here to view a flier.

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This Week@WesternU, Sept. 10-14, 2018

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This Week@WesternU, Sept. 17-21, 2018