College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Clinical researcher and health entrepreneur joins WesternU board

An accomplished clinical researcher and health entrepreneur has joined the Western University of Health Sciences Board of Trustees.

Sean P. Stanton, BS, CRC, has more than 20 years of experience managing clinical research studies. He co-founded Compass Research in 2004 and turned it into one of the premier research sites in the world. In 2016, Compass Research joined Bioclinica Research, a leading international clinical trial services provider. Stanton serves as Bioclinica’s Global Chief Operating Officer.

Click here to read the full story.

WesternU’s East West Scholarship Dinner to honor longtime pharmacy educator

Western University of Health Sciences will honor College of Pharmacy Professor Sam Shimomura, PharmD, at its annual East West Scholarship Dinner on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Hilton San Gabriel, 225 West Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel, California 91776.

The East West Scholarship Dinner raises money to provide scholarships each year to WesternU students in graduate nursing, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant education, optometry, podiatric medicine, dental medicine and veterinary medicine. Applicants from all ethnic backgrounds are selected based on academic excellence, community service and financial need.

To date, more than 300 WesternU students have received awards totaling more than $425,000.

Click here to visit the East West Scholarship Dinner website to buy tickets or become a sponsor: http://www.westernu.edu/east-west/.

Click here to read the full story.

Interprofessional kudos

College of Podiatric Medicine student Aleena P. Resendez and COMP student Byron Rastegari presented a case study poster on March 2, 2018 at the 34th Annual Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) West Regional Conference at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Resendez and Rastegari were awarded the 2018 LMSA Best Abstract Poster and Presentation.

“It was a really great opportunity to follow the care of the patient on a multidisciplinary level,” Resendez said. “What was unique about the patient’s experience was his level improvement and his motivation to upkeep his health. As a third-year podiatry student, implementing an integrated approach to treatment at an early stage of my career was beneficial for interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as the future health of my patients.”

The title of the poster is “Achieving Personalized Metabolic and Functional Care Goals in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes by Utilizing the Diabetes Cross-Disciplinary Index (DXDI©) to Improve Self-Management, Treatment Satisfaction, and Health Literacy,” by Aleena P. Resendez, Byron Rastegari, Cesar Ochoa, MD, PhD, John Nguyen, PT, DPT, Janelle Green, DPM, and Andrew S. Pumerantz, DO. The case study poster illustrates the impact of integrated, multidisciplinary care on a patient following an 18-month period. The poster was a collaborative effort between Western Diabetes Institute and the College of Podiatric Medicine.

2018 Photo Competition

University Student Affairs and Public Affairs are happy to announce the start of the 2018 Photo Competition. The competition is open to students, faculty and staff.

We have many artistic and creative individuals in our WesternU family, so we cannot wait to see your submissions! The theme of the competition is “WesternU Way,” so an ideal submission should reflect life at WesternU and fit one of these three categories: Action, Community, or On-campus Activities. Finalists will be chosen for public voting on Facebook in April and cash prizes will be awarded.

Submissions will be accepted until April 15, 2018. To read all competition details and rules and to submit your photo(s) please click on this link.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

WesternU celebrates Match Day
Four years of hard work comes down to one moment, one envelope. Inside is a dream realized.

Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific held Match Day celebrations on its Pomona, California and Lebanon, Oregon campuses March 16, 2018. COMP students joined other medical students across the country in learning where their residency match would take them.

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

WesternU COMP-Northwest medical students land residency programs
Student-doctors from Western University of Health Sciences’ Oregon campus celebrated another momentous by participating in Match Day, Friday, March 16.

A total of 102 students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest participated in the Match. Of those students, 55 placed into primary care fields including family medicine (24), internal medicine (21), pediatrics (nine), and OB-GYN (one). Students also placed into emergency medicine residency programs (10), anesthesiology (eight), general surgery (seven), and neurology (four), among other specialties.

Click here to read the full story.

Office of Community Engagement news
The Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Santiam recognized COMP-Northwest medical students for the 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award at this year’s Lebanon Distinguished Service dinner. The Volunteer of the Year Award acknowledges exceptional individuals, businesses and organizations that have shown a dedication to our community with exemplary service and community leadership.

COMP Northwest medical students have been serving the greater Santiam Boys and Girls Club for seven years, as part of their Service Learning education. Each year, 25 students volunteer by presenting engaging educational programs focused on “healthy choices” that include topics, such as, exercise, fitness, nutrition, stress management, study skills, and career planning. Congratulations COMP-Northwest service learning students!

Clinical trial
Clinical trial available for individuals with Type 2 Diabetes! This involves taking the oral agent liposomal glutathione, a natural antioxidant already present in the human body. $100 will be offered to eligible participants! If you are an individual with Type 2 Diabetes with no history of TB, HIV or liver function abnormalities, and are on no medications/on oral medications only, please contact research coordinator Albert Medina (amedina@westernu.edu, 909-469-8626) or principal investigator Dr. Vishwanath Venketaraman (vvenketaraman@westernu.edu) for further information.

Click here to view a flier.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor of Medical Innovation, Technology & Research and Clinical Anatomy, demonstrated and taught musculoskeletal and eFAST ultrasound examinations at The Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons annual national meeting which took place this year at the joint Fort Lewis-McChord military bases in Tacoma, Washington March 9-11, 2018. Dr. Benninger demonstrated finger and conventional ultrasound probes as well as GE’s latest hand-held system to military attendees. This is a valuable meeting for our WesternU military students as they are exposed to cutting edge technologies and skills as well as the variables which are part of the diverse world of military medicine training and delivery of health care. Our military students received demonstrations on innovative simulation and aeromedical evacuations.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Babak Faramarzi was recently invited to be the keynote speaker for the 5th International Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging Conference as well as the 13th National Veterinary Surgery Conference. Both conferences were held in Tehran, Iran. The keynote presentations were titled, “Biomechanics of locomotion and lameness” and “Veterinary Medicine Curriculum: Paradigm Changes in Teaching.”

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
Jeffrey L. Turchi, DDS, is being installed as Chairman of the ADEA GoDental committee at the ADEA meeting in Orlando. He has been a committee member for the past three years.

On February 28, 2018, First 5 LA published a press release titled “Early Childhood Matters: Rx for a Health Start: From Nutritious Bites to Pearly Whites.” WesternU CDM was featured in the article “Something to Smile About,” focusing on a success story at one of CDM’s school-linked oral health centers, and the impact the experience had on a 4-year old boy. Please see the article in full: http://www.first5la.org/index.php?r=site/article&id=3959#STSA

Dr. Marisa Watanabe was the guest editor of her themed journal titled “Advancing Oral Health Equity With Innovative Dental Approaches” in the Journal of the California Dental Association March 2018 issue. The themed journal included five articles, four of which focused on research here at WesternU CDM, and one outside article providing quality improvement implementation in private practice:

“Financial Considerations for Sustainability in School-Based Oral Health Centers,” by Josih Hostetler, Director of Community Partnerships, Dr. Huong Le and Curtis Le, along with CDM colleagues Dr. Watanabe, Dr. Jenny Tjahjono, and Dean Friedrichsen.

“The Impact of School-Based Oral Health Centers on Absence Rates and Dental Pain in a K–8 School” by Dr. Watanabe and CDM students Misa Yoshioka, DMD ’19, and Jihae Cho, DMD ’21.

“Leveraging Informatics To Relieve Barriers to Oral Health Care in Disadvantaged Communities,” by CDM student Corey Stein, DMD ’18, Dr. Alexander Lee, and Dr. Watanabe.

“A Four-Year Study on Risk-Based Recare Interval and New Cavitations in Nontraditional Dental Clinics,” by Dr. Jamie Parado, Dr. Shirley Kang, Yesha Patel, Dr. Keith Boyer, and Dr. Watanabe.

The entire journal can be accessed here: https://www.cda.org/Portals/0/journal/journal_032018.pdf

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Congratulations to College of Pharmacy Dean Daniel Robinson for his recognition as a California Pharmacist Association Hall of Famer! This award is given to a long and distinguished history of service, achievement in several arenas, character, innovation, trend setting and altruism. An individual who has been an inspiration to the practice of pharmacy. Dr. Robinson joins the honor roll in California of all Pharmacy greats. http://myemail.constantcontact.com/CPhA-Awards-Recipients-Announced-for-2018.html?soid=1102959881256&aid=s_2ZFT0H8fA

Drs. Hata, Shimomura, Nguyen (PharmD Class 2016), Melissa Nuesa (PharmD candidate 2018), and Sandy Hoang (PharmD candidate 2018) published an article in the California Journal of Health-System Pharmacists (CJHP) to help practitioners better realize the structure and framework of Medicare Part D, and identify plans that best suits the patients they serve. Hata M, Shimomura S, Hoang S, Nguyen E, Nuesa M. 2018 Medicare Part D Primer. CJHP 2017; 29(5):133-43.

AACP Interim Meeting Activities
Dr. Anandi Law attended the Board of Directors meeting, presented at Council of Faculties forum, and led the cons debate team as part of ALFP cohort 6 against cohort 14, on term limits for administrators.

Dr. Janice Hoffman provided a presentation on skills needed by future pharmacists to be an integral part of a team. The presentation was titled, “An Innovative Leadership Model for Healthcare Teams: Preparing Student Pharmacists for Value Participation.”

Dr. Jason Wong presented his poster titled, “Implementation of a Self-care Elective for International Post-Baccalaureate Pharmacy (IPBP) Students,” at AACP Non-prescription Medicine Academy. He received the Most Creative Poster Award.

WesternU’s East West Scholarship Dinner to honor longtime pharmacy educator

To date, more than 300 WesternU students have received awards totaling more than $425,000.

Click here to visit the East West Scholarship Dinner website to buy tickets or become a sponsor:
http://www.westernu.edu/east-west/.

Click here to read the full story.

2018 Photo Competition

University Student Affairs and Public Affairs are happy to announce the start of the 2018 Photo Competition. The competition is open to students, faculty and staff.

Submissions will be accepted until April 15, 2018. To read all competition details and rules and to submit your photo(s) please click on this link.

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences Associate Professor Fanglong Dong, PhD, published a paper in collaboration with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and COMP medical students. Their study focused on the evaluation of the Effect of Methamphetamine on Traumatic Injury Complications and Outcomes. Neeki MM, Dong F, Liang L, Toy J, Carrico N, Jabourian N, Sin A, Hussain F, Brown S, Safdari K, Borger R, Wong D. Evaluation of the Effect of Methamphetamine on Traumatic Injury Complications and Outcomes. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice (In Press).

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
Matt Wedel, PhD, of COMP and CPM gave an invited talk at Drexel University in Philadelphia, “What air-filled bones tell us about dinosaurs, and vice versa.” Dr. Wedel was invited to Philadelphia to launch a collaborative research project on dinosaur and bird anatomy with colleagues at Drexel, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stockton University.

Click here to view a flier.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Congratulations to Professor B. Benninger, MD, MSc, and his co-authors for completing an update to Gray’s Clinical Photographic Dissector of the Human Body. The first edition was reprinted in several languages and subsequently the publishers asked for an update. He is also working on a textbook that integrates the anatomy of the clinical arena from day to day physical examination, diagnostic ultrasound, invasive point of care procedures, surgical and radiological dynamic anatomy. This will be the third text he is coauthoring or authoring for 2018.

From the College of Pharmacy:

American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in Nashville, March 16-19, 2018
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration Emmanuelle Schwartzman, PharmD, was named Rho Chi President-Elect. Rho Chi is pharmacy’s national honors society, established in 1922. Rho Chi has more than 115 chapters, which seek to advance pharmacy through intellectual leadership. Dr. Schwartzman has served on the Rho Chi executive board as a regional counselor and she has been the WesternU Gamma Sigma Chapter advisor since 2012. Over the next six years, Dr. Schwartzman will serve two-year terms as president-elect, president and immediate past president.

The Rho Chi Gamma Sigma Chapter also received two project proposal awards, one for “The art of prescribing hormonal contraceptives” and the other for “Traveling prepared – implementation of travel medications and vaccinations.”

At the APhA-ASP Awards Ceremony, Kevin Mai (P4) received recognition for service on the National Member Engagement Standing Committee. Only five students from across the nation are chosen to serve on this committee and he served with distinction.

Tricia Tahara-Stoller represented WesternU in the Pharmacists’ Got Talent event at the APhA-ASP Awards Ceremony. She was selected as the closing act and she brought the house down with her rendition of “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman.

Dr. Anandi Law led a roundtable presentation on “Preparing for a job interview” at APhA-APRS Professional Networking Lunch. She also attended the Editorial Advisory Board meeting for Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy and served as a poster judge for ESAS Contributed Research Poster session.

Drs. Sun Lee (Fellow), Micah Hata, and Anandi Law presented the following poster: Sun Lee, Micah Hata, Anandi V. Law. “Examining the impact of Appointment-Based Model and Education on Prescription Label Comprehension and Pillbox Fill.”

Drs. Nancy Dao (PGY-1 Resident), Sun Lee (Fellow), Micah Hata, and student pharmacist Vincent Pham (Pharm.D. Candidate 2018) presented the following poster: Dao N, Lee S, Hata M, Sarino L, Pham V. “Impact of Appointment-Based Medication Synchronization on Proportion of Days Covered for Chronic Medications.”

Drs. Nancy Dao (PGY-1 Resident), Sun Lee (Fellow), and Micah Hata presented the following poster: Dao N, Lee S, Hata M, Law A. “Pharmacist Views and Perception on Credentialing.”

Drs. Kayla Uh (PGY-1 Resident), Emmanuelle Schwartzman, and Anandi Law presented “Awareness of Adherence Indicator in Improving Medication Adherence.”

Kudos on recent publications
Dr. Le published an article examining the quality of life of patients with post traumatic stress disorder in association with treatment decision, treatment selection, and receipt of preferred therapy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-1833-4.

Dr. James Scott, Professor and Associate Dean for Experiential and Professional Affairs, was the senior author on a recent paper published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. The paper, “Assessment of the benefits of and barriers to HIV pharmacist credentialing,” was a collaborative effort of authors from Midwestern University Chicago, Xavier University of Louisiana, Eskenazi Health (Indiana) and WesternU. Click here for more information.

Uh K, Schwartzman E. A Review of Diabetes Management 2017. CJHP. 29, 4 (2017)

Click to view larger

More than 100 high school students from the Inland Empire will participate in the inaugural Health Sciences Day, hosted by Western University of Health Sciences and Reach Out.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 12, 2018, at the WesternU Health Sciences Center, 450 E. Second St., Pomona, Calif. 91766.

Health Sciences Day is organized by WesternU students in the College of Allied Health Professions Department of Health Sciences. Students taking the Program Implementation class in the Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) Community Health Education (CHE) Track organized the event with help from Reach Out. The goal is to provide a hands-on platform for high school students to explore what WesternU has to offer in various health care careers.

Reach Out provides equal access to networks of support, high-quality education, career options and opportunities to develop skills to succeed, according to its website.

“Our students from WesternU are putting together an example of what it’s like to be in a health sciences school and showing them the various programs offered here,” said MSHS Assistant Professor and CHE Coordinator Jeanine Borland Mann, MPH. Students from optometry, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy and nursing will present modules as a way to encourage students to pursue continued education.

Students in health career pathway programs from Alta Loma High School in Rancho Cucamonga; Chino Hills High School; Colony High School in Ontario; and Grand Terrace High School will participate in Health Sciences Day.

“When speaking with the CAHP Dean (Stephanie Bowlin), one of our goals was to introduce those students to public health,” said Department of Health Sciences Chair Gail Evans Grayson, EdD, MA. “We will be doing that through health sciences and teaching them the importance of educating others, the value of health prevention, promotion and wellness, as well as what can we do to give back to our community.”

A vendor fair will take place during lunch. Vendors will include the colleges of pharmacy and dental medicine, the U.S. Armed Forces, Kaplan Test Prep, Cal Baptist University, Azusa Pacific University, Mt. San Jacinto College and others.

WesternU’s East West Scholarship Dinner to honor longtime pharmacy educator

To date, more than 300 WesternU students have received awards totaling more than $425,000.

Click here to visit the East West Scholarship Dinner website to buy tickets or become a sponsor: http://www.westernu.edu/east-west/.

Click here to read the full story.

2018 Photo Competition

University Student Affairs and Public Affairs are happy to announce the start of the 2018 Photo Competition. The competition is open to students, faculty and staff.

Submissions will be accepted until April 15, 2018. To read all competition details and rules and to submit your photo(s) please click on this link.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

WesternU College of Veterinary Medicine Professor to talk biosurveillance threats at TEDxUCLA
The U.S. has seen numerous zoonotic disease outbreaks in recent years, yet it is woefully unprepared for the next one, according to Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Tracey McNamara, DVM, Diplomate ACVP.

McNamara will bring this urgent message to the TEDxUCLA conference “Waves” on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Royce Hall, UCLA. Click here for more information and to buy tickets: https://tedx.ucla.edu/

Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Podiatric Medicine:

WesternU College of Podiatric Medicine Class of 2018 Achieves 100 percent Board Pass and Residency Match
Western University of Health Sciences College of Podiatric Medicine’s Class of 2018 has scored a perfect 100 percent Boards Part II pass rate as well as 100 percent in the residency match processes.

“The faculty and I are so proud of the hard work our students have put in to obtain these outcomes,” said College of Podiatric Medicine Interim Dean Lester J. Jones, DPM, MS ED.

Kudos on accomplishments
Himani Patel, DPM ’16, was one of the 2018 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Manuscript Award Winners.

Kevin Ragothaman, DPM ’16, received first place in the 2018 ACFAS Poster Competition in the Scientific Format category.

From the College of Allied Health Professions:

WesternU, Reach Out to host Health Sciences Day
More than 100 high school students from the Inland Empire will participate in the inaugural Health Sciences Day, hosted by Western University of Health Sciences and Reach Out.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 12, 2018, at the WesternU Health Sciences Center, 450 E. Second St., Pomona, Calif. 91766.

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

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

CGN alumna to be inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing (CGN) alumna Lisa R. Roberts, DrPH, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CHES, will be inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP).

Roberts, a 2001 graduate of CGN’s Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner program, is the fourth CGN graduate to earn the honor. Approximately 700 nurse practitioners out of more than 235,000 have earned the distinction.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments
College of Graduate Nursing Assistant Professor Gwen Orozco, PhD (c), MSN, RN, was a First Place Poster Winner at Azusa Pacific University’s 14th Annual Research Symposium for “A Phenomenological Exploration of the Meaning of Antepartum Bed Rest: Beyond Postpartum.”

CGN Assistant Professor Khoa (Joey) Dang, MSN, RN, FNP-C, published the following: Dang, K. (2017). Thrombocytopenia in Adults. In J. Fitzpatrick, C. M. Alfes, & R. Hickman (Eds). A guide to mastery in clinical nursing (150-152). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Dr. Wendi Swanson published the following: Gardenier, D., Roberts, L., & Swanson, W. (2018). Should the NP curriculum be standardized? Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 14(3), 140-141.

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Message from GCBS Dean Michel Baudry
Please join me in congratulating Ed Wagner, PhD, for his appointment as Director of the MSBS Program in the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences at Western University of Health Sciences.

Since the beginning of the GCBS, Dr. Wagner has served in several roles within the college, including Director of several courses and advisor for many MSMS and MSBS students. Dr. Wagner was hired as full-time faculty in COMP in 2001 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Professor in 2014. He has received several grants from the NIH, has published numerous papers in high impact journals and has mentored many students in his laboratory.

Dr. Wagner is an enthusiastic teacher, researcher and colleague who is a dedicated advocate for graduate education and research.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Kudos on accomplishments
Matt Wedel, PhD, of COMP and CPM was the Science Guest of Honor at Norwescon 41 in Seattle, from March 28 to April 1. Matt gave invited talks on dinosaurs and stargazing, participated in panels on alien biology and creature drawing, and helped preschoolers unleash their inner dinosaur at the convention’s “Dino Stomp.”

Vicki Wedel of COMP was an invited professional at Norwescon 41 in Seattle, from March 28 to April 1. Vicki moderated panels on humans and evolution, protecting humanity’s future, and biology doesn’t care what you believe. She also participated in panels on women in STEM careers and geologic, archaeological and forensic dating methods.

WesternU’s Ray Symposium examines how to communicate science effectively

A prominent advocate for science and technology education will talk about “Communicating Science Effectively” at Western University of Health Sciences’ annual Ray Symposium.

The Ray Symposium, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 19, 2018 in WesternU’s Health Education Center, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, Calif. 91766. Click here for more information:
http://www.westernu.edu/pharmacy/pharmacy-outreach-events/ray-symposium/pharmacy-ray-symposium-current-event/

Click here to read the full story.

AAHPSA in Pomona

On Saturday, March 24, 17 students from the Asian-American Health Professions Student Association (AAHPSA) volunteered in a free health fair in Pomona, serving a predominantly Hispanic population. The clinic was held in conjunction with the Pomona Unified School District for their annual Male Engagement event, with COMP and College of Optometry students providing free glucose, BMI, blood pressure, and osteopathic manipulation screenings. Under the preceptorship of Dr. Steven Lam from COMP, AAHPSA addressed the concerns of 29 patients. Click here to view photos on Facebook.

iSquad in the community

The Student Innovation arm (iSquad) of the Center for Innovation facilitated an event at San Manuel Indian Reservation Saturday, April 7. San Manuel Indian Reservation held its annual One Heart, One Mind, One Spirit Symposium working with local tribal schools, Indian Health Service, TANF offices, and other organizations that serve Native American families. iSquad students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP), College of Dental Medicine, College of Pharmacy and the College of Allied Health Professions led trainer sessions in STEM for K-6, middle school and high school participants. Participants used STEM blocks creating a unique design of the tallest vehicles structured to roll or slide down a ramp successfully without breaking. Participants were taught horizontal stability, scientific learning, gravity, and center of transferability while learning computational thinking focusing on the real-world applications of problem solving. In addition, COMP Lifestyle Medicine Track students held a Culinary Medicine booth preparing and demonstrating healthy nutritional meals while providing basic preventative health information. Students guided participants in learning and making healthy meal options, such as protein balls, avocado slaw and spring rolls while educating on diabetes and high blood pressure. It is more important than ever to spread the knowledge, skills, self-care and discipline that will carry on through patients’ lives. For more information about iSquad click here.

2018 Photo Competition

University Student Affairs and Public Affairs are happy to announce the start of the 2018 Photo Competition. The competition is open to students, faculty and staff.

Submissions will be accepted until April 15, 2018. To read all competition details and rules and to submit your photo(s) please
click on this link.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Medical Anatomy Center news
On April 4, Dr. Benninger, Professor of Medical Innovation, Technology & Research, designed and delivered a Continuing Medical Education course titled “Acquiring a Video Assisted Airway Integrating Emerging Technologies with Innovative Teaching Philosophies.” He brought in the latest video-assisted laryngoscopes to be conducted on current interactive hi-fidelity simulation models including virtual reality, a specially prepared donor cadaver, ultrasound finger probe and hand-held systems while applying andragogical teaching methodologies. Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Podiatric Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CPM Assistant Professor Aksone Nouvong, DPM, FACFAS, and Dieu-Thu Nguyen-Khoa, MD, of UCLA published “Red, Hot, and Swollen Foot in Diabetes: Charcot or no?” March 30, 2018 in Medscape.

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Drs. Davies, Pon, and Garavalia described the outcomes of implementing Gagne’s instructional design in our longitudinal pharmacy calculations curriculum. Davies M, Pon D, Garavalia LS. Improving Pharmacy Calculations Using an Instruction Design Model. Am J Pharm Ed 2018; 82(2):144-51.

Dr. Malcolm and his colleagues published a paper describing outcomes associated with the use of ibogaine in patients with opioid use disorder undergoing detoxification treatment. Malcolm BJ, Polanco M, Barsuglia J. Changes in Withdrawal and Craving Scores in Participants Undergoing Opioid Detoxification Utilizing Ibogaine. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2018 Apr 2:1-10. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2018.1447175. [Epub ahead of print]

WesternU’s Ray Symposium examines how to communicate science effectively

A prominent advocate for science and technology education will talk about “Communicating Science Effectively” at Western University of Health Sciences’ annual Ray Symposium.

The Ray Symposium, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 19, 2018 in WesternU’s Health Education Center, 701 E. Second St., Pomona, Calif. 91766. Click here for more information: http://www.westernu.edu/pharmacy/pharmacy-outreach-events/ray-symposium/pharmacy-ray-symposium-current-event/

Click here to read the full story.

From the College of Allied Health Professions:

PA Day
On April 7, 30 WesternU PA students volunteered to host a PA Day at Alta Loma High School. The PA students provided hands-on workshops to expose and educate more than 80 high school students from the Chaffey Joint Union High School District about medicine. The PA students taught the high school students how to take vital signs. The high schoolers became comfortable in obtaining pulse rate, respiratory rate, and manual blood pressure readings. In a second workshop, high school students examined pupils, ocular motor functioning, oropharynx evaluations, listening to heart and lungs, and performing deep tendon reflexes. This was all accomplished with the assistance of PA students who provided instruction. Additionally, the PA students were able to discuss the PA profession with the high school students and guided them to be successful in high school and college. Click here to read more: http://www.inlandcoalition.org/blog/2018/4/10/generational-mentoring-pa-students-show-high-schoolers-just-what-physican-assistant-is-all-about

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

Kudos on accomplishments
CGN Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) alumna LaSonya Davis, DNP, FNP, WHNP-BC, led a successful implementation of CSU Channel Island’s 1^st Global Health Symposium. DNP student Melanie Cross, MSN, PHN presented her work about the state of human trafficking. CGN Assistant Dean Ivy Tuason, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, was the keynote speaker for the event and presented her global health work in the past seven years including her research in Tanzania exploring the health beliefs and behavioral practices of people with albinism.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

Mini-Medical School
WesternU COMP-Northwest held Mini-Medical School on April 13. The event is sponsored by the medical school as well as Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon (OPSO), and is in its eighth year. Approximately 300 kindergarteners from Lebanon area schools attended the event, which focuses on health-related topics. Students rotate through stations where they learn about proper handwashing and germs, the skeletal system, cardiology, and even visit a “surgical suite.” The event is coordinated by Jeannie Davis, EdD, and is made a reality thanks to the many volunteers that help run the stations. A photo gallery can be found on the WesternU COMP-Northwest Facebook page.

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Chaya Prasad and her students from the Pathology Interest Group, Dylan Denault (OMS III), Mohammad Kahn (OMS II), Victoria Lee (OMS II) and Melissa Russell (OMS II), conducted a hands-on workshop at the Innovations in Medical Education Conference hosted by the Keck School of Medicine on February 23, 2018. Their presentation, “You Had Me at 3D: an Innovative Low Budget Hands On Workshop,” discussed advances in 3D imaging with more than 30 attendees. This marks the first time students have been allowed to conduct a workshop at this conference. The presentation was well received with hands-on demos and active participation from workshop attendees.

Matt Wedel, PhD, of COMP and CPM was the featured speaker at Discovery Day on Saturday, April 14, at the Raymond M. Alf Museum in Claremont, where he gave a public lecture, “Death From the Sky! How to See it For Yourself.”

Medical Anatomy Center news
Dr. Benninger, Professor of Medical Innovation, Technology & Research, designed and provided an environment which included crossover, context-based, embodied and incidental learning with mixed simulation and technology. First- and second-year students from medical clubs at COMP-Northwest were invited to learn and experience video laryngoscopy (VL). He brought in 4 VL systems (Eagle Vision, Glidescope, King Vision and McGrath) and paired them with hi-fidelity simulation models from 7 Sigma and a specially prepared donor cadaver. Dr. Benninger’s goal was to create a memorable experience to learn and is reaching out to provide such skills to underserved areas globally using Hodei Glass technology to teach from Lebanon, Oregon.

Click here to read a story in the Albany Democrat-Herald: http://democratherald.com/news/intubation-goes-high-tech-video-enhances-decades-old-medical-procedure/article_3f085ff5-c651-5c11-8b1b-644b8f95d45f.html

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Miguel D. Saggese is the corresponding and senior author on a manuscript recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases: J. Ibarra, R. Mera y Sierra, G. Neira, D. Ibaceta, and M. Saggese: “A case of air sac nematode (Serratospiculum tendo) infection in a free-ranging austral peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus cassini) in Argentina.”

In addition, Dr. Saggese is the first and corresponding author on another manuscript, “Long-term nesting territory occupancy in Black-chested Buzzard-eagles Geranoaetus melanoleucus inPatagonia, Argentina” by M. Saggese, E. DeLUcca, A. Quaglia, W. Nelson and D. Ellis. This manuscript has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Raptor Research.

CVM Associate Professor Brian Oakley, along with others and the USDA Agricultural Research Service, recently completed a research project in which they studied the effect of the transfer of intestinal contents from older chickens to chicks on growth and pathogen resistance. They found that the inoculum improved both the growth and resistance to challenge with Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enteriditis. This project may provide a new pathway to development of improved probiotic products.

CVM Professors Jose Peralta, Ana Alcaraz and Dean Smylie were informed that their abstract titled “The use of OneNote to support student learning in Problem-Based Learning” was accepted for the bi-annual Veterinary Education Collaborative Conference, organized by the AAVMC, that will take place in Ithaca, New York, in June 2018. The presentation will be part of the Educational Technology Speeding Dating session.

A second abstract, presented by Dr. Jose Peralta and co-authored with Dr. Alcaraz, was accepted in the Problem Solving session. The title is “Facilitator Support Group: What does it mean?” Both presentations actively reflect the interest of the group to support the development and advancement of the PBL facilitation process at the CVM.

CVM student doctors Sonja Richter (DVM 2021) and Soraya Aramburo (DVM 2021) assisted Drs. Josep Rutllant and Beth Boynton in showcasing veterinary medicine for Palomares Day in March. There were about 50 scientifically oriented students, several of which were interested in pursuing veterinary careers.

Dr. Beth Boynton presented veterinary medicine as a career to eight classes of upper grade school students last month in Fontana.

Dr. Boynton attended the International Conference on Communication in Veterinary medicine in Canada. Attendees came from Europe, South America, as well as North America. She presented on “Communication Training in an Integrated Curriculum” and “Building a Relationship Centered Approach for Faculty and University Services.”

Sean Wyman, DO ’17, at family medicine residency at Grandview Medical Center in Ohio.

WesternU alumnus Sean Wyman, DO ’17, died from complications of pulmonary hypertension in the early morning hours of April 13, 2018 — less than 24 hours after learning he was placed on a waiting list to receive a lung transplant.

“Listed … now we wait,” Wyman wrote at 5:43 a.m. April 12, posting to his Facebook page from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Wyman was a 2012 graduate of the Master of Science in Medical Sciences program and a 2017 alumnus of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP). He was well known for raising awareness about Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), a rare disease resulting from a buildup of pressure on the right side of the heart, typically due to constriction of the blood vessels within the lungs. High pressure sends many patients into heart failure.

In January, during his first year of a family medicine residency at Grandview Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio, Wyman took a leave of absence due to deteriorating health. He needed a lung transplant. A GoFundMe fundraising campaign launched in March to help raise money for his medical costs. This campaign is now the Dr. Sean Wyman Memorial Fund.

Wyman had been raising awareness about PH since shortly after his 19^thbirthday when friends and family were concerned with his blue lips, a fairly common symptom of PH known as cyanosis.

Fellow COMP Class of 2017 alumnus John “Elixard” Quiamas posted to his Instagram page after learning his close friend had died.

“My family lost a dear friend to the god above, Dr. Sean Wyman. A friend who has sheltered me throughout my failures and celebrated with me through my success,” Quiamas said. “When Sean was hospitalized for his PAH, my mom took care of him at the ICU several times. Not only did we bond in our hopes of becoming a physician since 2011, our family got to know each other through difficult times. He was the face of the Pulmonary Hypertension community, and his advocacy surely advanced the cause. He was dedicated to medicine (and) education, and (he was) selfless. You left a big shoe to fill in this world my friend. See you again. Rest now.”

One of Wyman’s signature achievements was creation of an animated series about the potentially deadly disease, a project fittingly called “Lips Painted Blue.” The goal was to provide children and teens with pulmonary hypertension a tool to better understand the disease.

Wyman was able to work on the video series thanks to the Tom Lantos Innovation in Community Service Award through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) during his second year at COMP.

A November 2014 story by WesternU, titled “COMP student raising awareness about pulmonary hypertension,” describes Wyman’s advocacy through the creation of the animated series. An earlier story, “COMP student inspires, educates while battling pulmonary hypertension,” describes Wyman’s journey and how doctors told him the severity of the illness would prevent him from ever working or going to school.

“But Wyman was destined for more than that,” the article said.

He graduated from UC Riverside in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, earned a MSMS degree from WesternU in 2012, and enrolled in WesternU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in fall 2012. He graduated in 2017 and became an osteopathic physician.

While at WesternU, he spent three years as a member of the Pipeline to Health Careers student club, volunteering his time as coordinator for WesternU’s American Indian Health Career Ladder(AIHCL). The AIHCL program conducts a series of hands-on Saturday morning activities and workshops for American Indian high school students to learn about careers in the health sciences.

Pomona Health Career Ladder and AIHCL will recognize Wyman with a memorial Saturday, April 21, during the Health Career Ladder awards ceremony.

Health Career Ladder Awards Ceremony was held at WesternU on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Sean Wyman, the coordinator for the American Health Career Ladder, was honored with an award for his volunteer service. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

Elizabeth Rega, PhD, associate vice provost for Academic Affairs, will reflect on Wyman’s life as a WesternU student and his role in AIHCL.

“Dr. Wyman was a dynamic individual who gave an incredible amount of himself to the students at Sherman Indian High School through his teaching and leadership,” Rega said. “Even when sick, his first thought was promoting the welfare of others.”

LaDonna Cash, administrative associate for the Harris Family Center for Disability and Health Policy at WesternU, will accept a memorial plaque on the Wyman’s family’s behalf.

Wyman is survived by his fiancé, Amber Buckelew-Parks, and her two children, Elizabeth and Emily, as well as his mother, Evan S. White.

“My heart (breaks) knowing that he has left us behind, but I know his battle is over and he is now breathing freely,” Buckelew-Parks said on the GoFundMe page, noting that even in death, Wyman sought to be of service. “Sean donated his body to Ohio State University, and his eyes, so that someone else may see.”

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

WesternU Alumnus dies at age 35 from complications of Pulmonary Hypertension
WesternU alumnus Sean Wyman, DO ’17, died from complications of pulmonary hypertension in the early morning hours of April 13, 2018 — less than 24 hours after learning he was placed on a waiting list to receive a lung transplant.

“Listed … now we wait,” Wyman wrote at 5:43 a.m. April 12, posting to his Facebook page from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments
COMP NMM/OMM Chair and Associate Professor Rebecca E. Giusti, DO ’03, was elected to the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) on March 22 at the AAO’s annual meeting during its Convocation in Dallas. Dr. Giusti was one of four osteopathic physicians from around the country to be newly elected as a governor of the AAO, the largest medical society in the United States devoted to fostering neuromusculoskeletal medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine (NMM/OMM). She will serve a three-year term. Dr. Giusti is certified by the American Council of Exercise, and she has been a practicing fitness professional since 1998. Her lifelong enthusiasm of being active and physically fit led her to practice and teach yoga in Southern California. In 2017, she led breakout sessions for the AAO’s Convocation in which she focused on yoga and breathing and on fluid dynamics of the cranium. Dr. Giusti is scheduled to chair the AAO’s 2019 Convocation in Orlando, Florida. Click here to visit AAO’s website.

WesternU COMP-Northwest, along with Coast to Cascades Community Wellness Network, Samaritan Health Services, and community partners, explored various factors related to screen time and the subsequent impacts on an individual’s social, emotional and physical health at their 2018 Annual Regional Community Health Summit on April 18, 2018. The keynote speaker for the conference was Yolanda Evans, MD, MPH, assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Washington School of Medicine. A special viewing of the film, “Screenagers: Growing up in the Digital Age,” was streamed to both Lebanon and Pomona campuses on April 17, and viewed by the LHCL parents on April 21. COMP-Northwest Assistant Dean Louise Muscato, PhD, sits on the Coast to Cascades Community Wellness Network Steering Committee and is Chair of the Linn, Benton, Lincoln Partners for Health, which organized the conference.

Thierra K. Nalley, PhD, of COMP was a co-author on a podium presentation at The Paleoanthropology Society annual conference in Austin, Texas (April 9-11, 2018). The presentation was titled, “Sexual dimorphism in the lower back of Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi.”

Dr. Nalley presented a podium talk at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists annual conference in Austin, Texas (April 12-14, 2018). The presentation was titled, “Comparative Ontogeny of the Thoracolumbar Transition in Great Apes, Humans, and early Fossil Hominins.” Collaborators included Jeremiah E. Scott, PhD, also of COMP.

Dr. Scott attended and also co-authored a second presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, “Load at First Bite: Comparative Analysis of Incisor Cross-sectional Area in Anthropoid Primates.”

COMP’s Office of Longitudinal Tracks welcomed our very own alumnus, Dr. Habib Sadeghi, back home on Friday, April 20, 2018 to meet with Longitudinal Track students to discuss his path, clinical practices, recently published book “The Clarity Cleanse” and the Global Love Button Movement that is making an impact worldwide. He discussed his comprehensive knowledge of integrative, osteopathic and family medicine discussing positive results in patient cases that were deemed hopeless. Dr. Sadeghi was joined by his wife, Dr. Sherry Sami, who discussed her dual specialty in Integrative Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, while discussing her design of an integrative residency training program that collaborates with pediatricians and dentistry specialists. As the Co-founders of the Global Love Button Movement, Dr. Sadeghi and Dr. Sherry Sami are spreading their ideals of wholeness, love, and positivity. Click here to check out the Love Button Movement.

A pre-med suturing and cast workshop was held Tuesday, April 17, sponsored by COMP-Northwest and Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons of Oregon. The suturing and cast workshop was hosted by the SOMA and Orthopedic Surgery Clubs. More than 60 pre-med students from local colleges and universities joined us for a hands-on evening, practicing skills they will be using in their future careers. https://www.facebook.com/westernucompnorthwest/posts/1741096079269538

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor and Executive Director of the Medical Anatomy Center supported the CME – Local Injections Course on April 19 held in the McDaniel Anatomy Lab, Lebanon Oregon by providing a unique anterior, medial and posterior view of the knee for the attendees to train. Dr. Benninger wanted to congratulate Drs. Dreibelbis and Vestor (COMP-Northwest & Samaritan Health Services Family Practitioners and educators), Jon Mang (CME logistics, Researcher and Paramedic educator) and Kelly Mack (CME coordinator) for a successful CME.

From the College of Podiatric Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
College of Podiatric Medicine faculty member Reina Deogracias, DPM, and eight CPM students volunteered at the UCLA Happy Feet Clinic at a men’s homeless shelter in Los Angeles on April 14, 2018. Foot and ankle procedures including ingrown toenails, foot ulcers, fungal infections and plantar fasciitis education was provided to about 50 patients.

Click here to view a photo of the volunteers.

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
College of Dental Medicine student Farajollah Soleimanzadeh, DMD ’20, won the second place prize in the Abstract Competition at the Imperial College Trauma ’17 Conference Nov. 25-26, 2017 in London. “Abbe Flap Reconstruction of Complex Lip Avulsion” by Faraj Soleimanzadeh, Hooman Mir, DPM, MSc, FAPWCA, and Jeffrey A. Elo, DDS, MS, FACS.

Soleimanzadeh was part of a WesternU team that attended this prestigious conference under the guidance of LECA founder Dr. Hooman Mir. LECA (Learning Enrichment in Clinical Anatomy) helps prepare students for advanced medical, dental or health professional graduate-level clinical and surgical anatomy.

“Being a LECA officer offered me a chance to participate in my very first international abstract competition. I also got to visit London for the first time, engage in hands-on surgical procedures, interact with international students, and learn about their curriculum, Soleimanzadeh said. “It was a rigorous few months preparing for the competition on top of the already difficult course load of second year, but with support from my fellow LECA officers and Dr. Hooman Mir, we were able to get through it and succeed. I would like to thank (CDM) Dean Steven Friedrichsen, Dr. Elo, Dr. Robert Hasel, and Dr. Mir for making this experience possible.”

CDM students Ayeh Nourikhorasani, DMD ’19, and Vahid Saeidi, DMD ’20, also presented poster abstracts. “Self-inflicted gunshot wound to face” by Vahid Saeidi, Dr. Hooman Mir and Dr. Jeffrey Elo. “Penetrating orbital injury by a knife” by Ayeh Nourikhorasani, Dr. Hooman Mir and Dr. Jeffrey Elo.

Dr. Mir presented a workshop on “Surgical Amputation Techniques.”

Click here to view a photo of the conference participants.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
SAVMA Public Health and DART (Disaster Area Response Team) Committees combined to present a Public Health Symposium recently. CVM Professor Dr. Malika Kachani spoke about international initiatives on neglected zoonotic diseases. Dr. Emily Beeler, LA Public Health Department, spoke about heartworm disease and canine influenza virus prevalence today. Interactive activities involving triage response and personal protective equipment training, led by the DART Committee, engaged and educated students on the responsibility of active disaster response veterinarians. The Public Health Committee was co-chaired by Avia Ben-Simon (DVM 2020), Gina Navia (DVM 2020), and Sarah Kim (PharmD 2015). The DART Committee co-chairs are Oren Debotton (DVM 2020), Trusten Moore (DVM 2020) and Victoria Fliehr (DVM 2021).

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
GCBS Associate Professor Fanglong Dong, PhD, in collaboration with an OB/GYN physician and trauma surgeons, published two manuscripts. The first study focused on stillbirth among high risk pregnant women. Kubendran S, Duong J, Dong F, Lueking A, Farley D. Implementing a Protocol to Optimize Detection of Chromosome Abnormalities in Cases of Miscarriage or Stillbirth at a Midwestern Teaching Hospital. The Permanente Journal (In press).

The second study compared trauma outcomes associated with the safety of recreational track riders. Stiles R, Benge C, Stiles PJ, Dong F, Ward J, , Ablah E, Haan JM. Evaluation of Protective Equipment Used Among Motorbike Riders. Kansas Journal of Medicine (In Press)

From the Pumerantz Library:

Ask an archivist
Need an archivist? Email the University Archives at uarchives@westernu.edu for historic photos and videos, help with preservation issues, or answers to your questions about the University’s early years.

From University Advancement:

Alumni news
On the afternoon of Wednesday, April 18, the Alumni Office held its final Sudden Snack of the year by passing out nearly 600 Klondike bars to students in Ethan Allen Park. The event, held a few times each year, is designed to introduce students to the Alumni Association as well as to give the students a much deserved break (and a treat!).

WesternU’s first University-wide Alumni Reunion will be held on campus on Saturday, September 15, 2018, with a special focus on including those alumni in a reunion year:

1983 – 35^th Reunion

1988 – 30^th Reunion

1993 – 25^th Reunion

1998 – 20^th Reunion

2003 – 15^th Reunion

2008 – 10^th Reunion

2013 – 5^th Reunion

Registration will open this summer, and details will be posted online at www.westernu.edu/AlumniReunion.

Walmart Foundation Awards WesternU Health Career Ladder $40,000 Grant during Pomona Health Career Ladder and American Indian Health Career Ladder awards ceremony Saturday, April 21, 2018. Click image to view larger. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

The Walmart Foundation donated $40,000 to two Western University of Health Sciences programs that prepare and inspire Pomona Unified School District elementary, middle and high school students for careers in the sciences and the health professions. The Pomona Health Career Ladder (PHCL) and American Indian Health Career Ladder (AIHCL) provide mentorship and other resources to students from under-resourced communities of Pomona and surrounding neighborhoods.

“We thank Walmart for funding WesternU’s Health Career Ladder programs, which empowers students from disadvantaged backgrounds with access to mentorship and workshops,” said Dr. Elizabeth Rega, associate vice provost for Academic Development. “Our students are passionate about their pursuits in the sciences and health fields, and we believe that no student should have to compromise their aspirations for lack of access to proper resources.”

The Walmart Foundation Community Giving grant was presented Saturday, April 21, 2018, at the beginning of the Pomona Health Career Ladder (PHCL) and American Indian Health Career Ladder (AIHCL) year-end awards ceremony. Walmart’s grant will go toward enriching the education of students in Pomona and surrounding communities with free workshops and mentorship from established health care and other professionals.

“Walmart and the Walmart Foundation know the importance of fostering the love for learning in our youth,” said Market Manager Jondolon Bush. “We know that many of the students benefiting from the programs of the Western University of Health Sciences come from communities that are underrepresented in the fields on science and health, which is why we applaud WesternU for their life-changing work.”

The goal of the Walmart Foundation grant is to invest in the community and in the future of health care professionals. The grant will help PHCL and AIHCL operate its free Saturday academy workshops in subjects such as disaster preparedness, forensics, disabilities, cardiovascular and respiratory, infectious diseases and healthy lifestyles.

Organ donation nonprofits visit both Oregon and California campuses to provide education on transplants

Click photo to view slideshow

Sean Wyman, DO ’17, passed away April 13, 2018, less than 24 hours after being placed on the lung transplant list at the Cleveland Clinic.

Wyman earned his MSMS degree from Western University of Health Sciences, and graduated from WesternU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific last year. He suffered from Pulmonary Hypertension and worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the disease by creating an animated series called “Lips Painted Blue.”

“One of his dreams was to become an osteopathic physician, and he fought so hard to accomplish that dream,” said Paula M. Crone, DO ’92, Dean of COMP and COMP-Northwest. “He dedicated every single day to that dream, and I can’t tell you the number of times he was in my office talking about his coursework, his future, and his plans for residency.

“Today we honor Dr. Wyman. He is an example of a life that was so very well lived, but held the possibility of what a transplant could have saved if it had come in time,” Crone said.

To honor his memory, both WesternU campuses — in Pomona, California, and Lebanon, Oregon — held an information session bringing in state, nonprofit groups who help facilitate organ donations.

In Oregon, more than 2.5 million people are on the Oregon State Donor Registry, said Aimeé Adelmann, director of education and outreach for Donate Life Northwest. Approximately 75 percent of adults in Oregon have decided to be organ donors. Last year, 34,786 transplants were performed in the U.S.

Adelmann is a two-time kidney transplant recipient. Her father gave her a kidney when she encountered medical problems as a senior in high school. Unfortunately, her body rejected the transplant and she was very sick for most of her 20s.

“On July 24, 2011, I received a second transplant, and that transplant really transformed my life. It was an almost perfect match,” Adelmann said.

Her experiences with organ donation led her to work with Donate Life Northwest. “If you filled Reser Stadium 2.5 times over, that’s how many people we have on the list in Oregon,” Adelmann said of the transplant list.

Beth Hoover, a board member for Donate Life Northwest, also spoke about her family’s experiences with organ donation. “As a member of a donor family, I have watched as others have walked this sacred path,” Hoover said. Her brother, father, and daughter were all organ donors.

Her younger brother, David, was an elite bicyclist, found frequently at the front of the pack. Within 15 seconds after crossing the finish line at a race at Portland International Raceway, he went into cardiac arrest.

“I like to believe that he was surrounded by an army of angels disguised as cyclists as he crossed the finish line and took his first breath in heaven,” Hoover said.

Her brother was an organ donor, and by being one was able to give second chances to more than 50 people. “In our sadness, we experienced true comfort and peace through this outstanding news,” Hoover said.

After David’s death, Hoover’s father became an advocate for organ donation, and when he passed, he also became a donor. “My 78-year-old dad with his beautiful green eyes became a cornea and tissue donor, giving the gift of life and sight like his son before him,” Hoover said.

Hoover’s daughter, Melissa, also was an organ donor. “With our shocking loss and sorrow, we experienced a beauty from the ashes when we learned that Melissa could also become a donor. She proudly followed her family’s footsteps,” Hoover said of her 34-year-old daughter’s unexpected passing.

Oregonians may sign up to be an Oregon donor when they receive a driver’s license or identification card at age 15 and older. Donors can also sign up with Donate Life Northwest.

On the campus in Pomona, California, COMP Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Michelle Emmert Park, EdD, invited two ambassadors from One Legacyto speak. The guests had different perspectives – one being from a donor family and one being a donor recipient.

Pomona resident Arthur Flores, who spoke as a donor-recipient ambassador, was a kidney transplant recipient in 2013. His wife donated her kidney, but in 2016 it was attacked by the BK virus and failed. He’s currently on the transplant list. In California, the waitlist is 8-10 years.

Kim Payne, a donor family ambassador for One Legacy, lost her 16-month-old grandson, Malakye, in 2011.

After arriving at the trauma center, her grandson was officially deemed brain dead. Her daughter’s boyfriend was responsible for his death. Mrs. Payne and her husband sat in a room at the hospital with their daughter and brought up organ donation. Her daughter immediately responded, “no.”

About 45 minutes later, her daughter looked at her mom with tears in her eyes and said, “Mom, if I can help somebody else from getting the news we got today, then I want to help by donating his organs.”

Malakye donated his heart, liver and both kidneys. The right kidney went to a 63-year-old grandmother and the heart went to a two-year-old girl, who after more than seven years is healthy.

“During Donate Life Month, I have come to realize either people don’t consider or don’t believe in donating organs,” Payne said. “I think it’s important to share my story, because the more people we can sign up for organ donation, the more lives we can save so that the donor we are here for today doesn’t have to be lost.”

California residents can sign up to become organ donors through Donate Life California. Currently there are more than 14.5 million donor registrants in California.

Walmart Foundation Awards WesternU Health Career Ladder $40,000 Grant

Click here to read the full story.

2018 Photo Competition – Facebook Voting Open Now through May 2!

On behalf of University Student Affairs and Public Affairs, thank you to our WesternU family for submitting your wonderful pictures. Finalists in each category have been selected and are available on the University’s Facebook page! Cast your vote by “liking” or “loving” your favorite photos. One winner from each of the three categories will be determined by the most “likes” or “loves” on Facebook. Winners will be announced in May.

Theme: WesternU Way,” so keep that in mind when voting for your favorite.
Facebook voting ends at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 2, 2018

View the finalists on Facebook by clicking the categories below:

Happy voting and again, thank you for everyone’s submissions!

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

WesternU campuses celebrate life of Sean Wyman, DO ’17
Sean Wyman, DO ’17, passed away April 13, 2018, less than 24 hours after being placed on the lung transplant list at the Cleveland Clinic.

Wyman earned his MSMS degree from Western University of Health Sciences and graduated from WesternU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific last year. He suffered from Pulmonary Hypertension and worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the disease by creating an animated series called “Lips Painted Blue.”

“Today we honor Dr. Wyman. He is an example of a life that was so very well lived, but held the possibility of what a transplant could have saved if it had come in time,” Crone said.

To honor his memory, both WesternU campuses — in Pomona, California, and Lebanon, Oregon — held an information session bringing in state, nonprofit groups who help facilitate organ donations.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments
The LA County Medical Association (LACMA) club hosted Eric Hargis, DO ’13, who spoke to first- and second-year students about addiction medicine.

Neurologist (and recipient of the 2017 Southern California Super Doctors award) Clifford Segil, DO ’04, returned to campus to deliver a neurology lecture to first-year students.

COMP NMM/OMM Fellows Julia Minasian and David Briganti were recently at the École Superieure d’Osteopathie just outside of Paris, France. They worked with Dr. Lorane Dick, who has been teaching at that school for about 30 years. They taught sixth-year osteopaths (in their final year of school) multiple techniques, namely counter-strain and muscle energy techniques.

COMP students Anthony Rosefeld, Monica Gupta, Christopher Jaime, Kylie Mulvaney, Sara Boye and Kelly Hood demonstrated a patient encounter to students from four local high schools during the WesternU Health Sciences Day hosted by the College of Allied Health Professions. After the role-play session they held a question and answer session with an eager crowd of future health care providers.

First-year COMP students Sandy Chen, Andrew Nguyen, Eric Nguyen, Parth Patel, Mitchell Sauder and Maria Sava traveled to Sacramento for the 44th Annual Legislative Leadership Conference. Sponsored and led by the San Bernardino County Medical Society, students met with California’s elected officials and learned about leadership and advocacy for legislative policy.

The third annual Internal Medicine trivia night took place on Saturday, April 21. Mike Katsaros, DO, and Tom Fox hosted the event raising money for the Internal Medicine Student Research Fund. With amazing food and the Musicians in Medicine club playing for the “Name That Tune” round, the evening was a huge success. Congratulations to the staff of the Harriet K. & Philip Pumerantz Library for taking first place!

Twenty-seven research projects, concerning nine area service agencies, were presented last week for the students’ IPE capstone projects. Medical students from COMP-Northwest, pharmacy students from Oregon State University, and nursing and medical assistant students from Linn-Benton Community College participated in the poster presentation. “This was the culmination of over a year’s work by the Design Team,” said Phillip Mitchell, Assistant Director of IPE. This year, members of the IPE Design Team took up the challenge of redesigning the course to maximize the course’s effectiveness. “We truly walked the talk of interprofessional teamwork and problem solving.”

Dr. Louise Muscato and her Lifestyle Medicine Track students presented research posters at the Linn, Benton Lincoln Partners in Health Regional Community Health Summit, Screen Time and the Impact on Social, Emotional and Physical Health on April 18, 2018. Megan Kuntz, Avery Briggs and Kimberly Schwartz, presented research titled, “Eat More Plants! A community based Approach to Early Nutrition Education,” and Leah Nelson, Kristina Van Nuys, and Molly Weatherholt presented research titled, “Rural Kid’s Cooking Camp Emphasizing a Plant Based Diet, Survey Study.” Their research supported the importance of nutrition and culinary education knowledge and skills for youth.

Drs. Mathew and Vicki Wedel, of COMP/CPM and COMP respectively, represented WesternU at the Inland Empire Science Festival at the Western Science Center in Hemet, California. Dr. Matt Wedel discussed his paleontology research with participants, and Dr. Vicki Wedel talked about her forensic anthropology work. They also shared information about WesternU’s programs.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

Two WesternU nurses join the Pomona Unified School District
Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing (CGN) alumna Emma Birur, MSN-E ’17, once thought school nurses took care of minor injuries and the occasional medical emergency.

Now that she is a school nurse for the Pomona Unified School District (PUSD), she is finding she does a lot more – ensuring children receive proper medication, serving as an important member of special education students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, and performing state-mandated vision, hearing and scoliosis screenings.

CGN student Angelica Alvarez, who is completing her final year of the MSN-E program, is also a PUSD school nurse. Alvarez grew up in Pomona, and is the school nurse for four schools, including Lincoln Elementary, which she attended as a child.

“There is nothing more impactful and real than having an alum come back and show our kids our school works. She’s homegrown Pomona, from elementary school to college. That speaks volumes to the kids,” said Lincoln Elementary Principal Alicia Ochoa McMullin. “The opportunities are there, and they’re in Pomona.”

Click here to read the full story: https://spark.adobe.com/page/dwsqIv1ld7Ndk/

This story will appear in the Spring edition of WesternU View magazine. Look for it soon on campus news racks and online.

Kudos on accomplishments
Congratulations to Professor Gwen Orozco on her most recent poster presentation April 25, 2018 at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center’s Perinatal Symposium. “What is the relationship between stress, self-esteem, and social support on the emotional well-being of the high risk antepartum patient who is prescribed bed rest as scored by the Friedman Emotional Stability Tool and the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile Tool while being guided by the Lazarus Folkman Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping?”

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
Congratulations to the following Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty and their collaborators on their most recent accomplishments:

Dr. Peter Oelschlaeger and his collaborators published the following: Xiang Y, Chen C, Wang W-M, Xu L-W, Yang K-W, Oelschlaeger P, He Y. Rhodanine as a Potent Scaffold for the Development of Broad-Spectrum Metallo-β-lactamase Inhibitors. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 2018;9(4):359-64. doi: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.7b00548.

Dr. Maria Lambros and Dr. Lyna (Yun) Luo and their lab members, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Wesley Botello-Smith, MSPS students and alumni Qinqin Fei, Adelaziz Alsamarah, Payal Chatterjee, and volunteers published: Fei Q, Kent D, Botello-Smith WM, Nur F, Nur S, Alsamarah A, Chatterjee P, Lambros M, Luo Y. Molecular Mechanism of Resveratrol’s Lipid Membrane Protection. Scientific Reports. 2018;8(1):1587. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-18943-1. Link to Article

Dr. Maria Lambros and Dr. Ying Huang and MSPS/PharmD Alumna Dr. Hari Chandana Mulamalla were granted United States and Japanese patents for their project titled “Targeted Liposomes in Cancer Therapy.” Link for more information

Congratulations to Dr. Sheryl Chow for the following publications and invited talk:

Maisel AS, Daniels LB, Anand I, McCullough PA, Chow SL. Utility of Natriuretic Peptides to Assess and Manage Angiotensin Receptor Blocker/Neprilysin Inhibitor Combination Products in Patients with Heart Failure. Postgraduate Med. 2018;130(3):299-307. https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.westernu.edu/pubmed/29596012

Chow SL. Acute Heart Failure. In: Baker WL, Beavers C, Bolesta S. et al, eds. ACCP Updates in Therapeutics: Cardiology Pharmacy Preparatory Review Course. 2018 ed. Lenexa, KS: American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 2018, pages 373-401. (Book Chapter)

Chow SL. Faculty, Annual ACCP Cardiology Prep Course review on Acute Heart Failure presented to clinical pharmacists specializing in cardiology on February 17, 2018 in Jacksonville, Fla.. (1.25 hours of CPE credit).

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Babak Faramarzi, in collaboration with the equine industry, led a study on changes in blood values during pregnancy in horses. Dr. Faramarzi has been informed that the manuscript has been reviewed and accepted for publication by the Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research. Jolan Wu (previous WesternU grad student) worked under Dr. Faramarzi’s supervision on this project. Student Doctor Wu is a DO candidate at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences and presented a podium presentation on this project at her DO college. Faramarzi, B., Rich, L. and Wu, J. (2018) Hematological and serum biochemical profile values in pregnant and non-pregnant mares.

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
Christina Goode, PhD, of GCBS and Gerald Thrush, PhD, of COMP presented a podium talk at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) annual conference in Washington, D.C. (April 18-21, 2018). The presentation was titled, “Collaboration In A Special Master’s Program Increases Diversity In An Osteopathic Medical College.” Collaborators were Colleen Talbot, PhD, of COMP-Northwest and Susan Mackintosh, DO, MPH, of COMP.

Dr. Goode also presented a second 60-minute podium talk at the AACOM meeting titled “Collaboration Opportunities with Electronic Learning Platforms” with Mark Speicher, PhD MHA, Senior Vice President for Medical Education and Research at AACOM, and Sean Tackett, MD, MPH, IM physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. An additional collaborator was Grace Cisek, EdD, of Arizona College of Medicine.

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific student Richard Stephens, DO ’20, and COMP Associate Professor Mihai Covasa, PhD, collaborated on a study selected as an Editors’ Choice article for the May issue of Obesity.

“Gut Microbiota: From Microorganisms to Metabolic Organ Influencing Obesity,” is co-authored by Stephens, Covasa and Lidia Arhire from the Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi, Romania. Click here to view the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.22179.

“When I found out our paper received the Editor’s Choice, I was ecstatic,” Stephens said. “My work has never had that type of impact nor recognition, so it was definitely nice being honored for the hard work and dedication in the scientific world.”

Stephens connected with Covasa early in his first year at COMP because of their shared research interests. Stephens worked on similar research at UC Davis with Covasa’s colleague, Professor Helen Raybould, PhD, who also studies gut microbiota.

“Working with Dr. Covasa over these past two years has provided valuable insight to the inner workings of the research industry. Specifically, I learned that writing an article is grueling, labor-intensive work that is ultimately very satisfying to complete and publish,” Stephens said. “I found an inner drive I didn’t know I had, which allowed me to complete this project while still doing well in my classes. As cliché as it sounds, the project helped me understand my true potential as a student, individual and researcher.”

Covasa’s lab has been studying the role of gut microbiota in signaling and controlling how much we eat — and by extension obesity — for eight years. More than one-third of U.S. adults have obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Better understanding is needed about how changes in gut microbiota composition can impact energy balance and thus control weight gain. This may represent a promising avenue in the race to develop nonsurgical treatments for obesity, according to the study.

Covasa often co-authors papers with students who serve as first authors.

“They need to be encouraged to conduct research,” Covasa said. “It’s important even for clinicians who are going straight into practice. They still need to keep up with the literature. They need to understand how to interpret basic mechanisms and to advise patients in a clinical setting. The more we engage students in research and in reading science articles, the better our students become. They are more competitive and it opens their eyes to possibly pursuing an academic career.”

AAHPSA in Rosemead

On Saturday, April 28, 12 students from the Asian-American Health Professions Student Association (AAHPSA) volunteered at a community clinic in Rosemead, serving a predominantly Chinese population. The clinic was held in conjunction with UCLA’s APHC. WesternU COMP and College of Optometry students provided free glucose, cholesterol, and osteopathic manipulation screenings. Under the preceptorship of Dr. Steven Lam and Dr. David Redding from COMP, AAHPSA addressed the concerns of 70 patients.

From the College of Pharmacy:

WesternU College of Pharmacy Dean inducted into California Pharmacy Hall of Fame
Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy Dean Daniel Robinson, PharmD, has been inducted into the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) Hall of Fame. He joins 42 pharmacists and is one of only four deans to receive the recognition since it was first awarded in 1997.

Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame during the California Pharmacists Association awards ceremony at the Western Pharmacy Exchange on April 13, 2018, in San Diego. Click here to read the full story:
https://news.westernu.edu/westernu-college-of-pharmacy-dean-inducted-into-california-pharmacy-hall-of-fame/

Kudos on accomplishments
Victor Law, RPh, a member of the WesternU College of Pharmacy Dean’s Advisory Council, was elected as President of the California State Board of Pharmacy on May 2. Law has been chief pharmacist and president of Alpha Medical Pharmacy Inc. since 1987. From 1979 to 1986 he held several positions as a staff pharmacist in community pharmacies. He has been a member of the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) since 1982 and has served as president of the CPhA San Gabriel Valley local chapter.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

COMP student, professor publish “Editor’s Choice” article on obesity
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific student Richard Stephens, DO ’20, and COMP Associate Professor Mihai Covasa, PhD, collaborated on a study selected as an Editors’ Choice article for the May issue of Obesity.

Click here to read the full story.

LHCL grant
The Lebanon Health Career Ladder received $3,000 in grant funding from Umpqua Bank. The grant application, written by Jeannie Davis, EdD, associate director of outreach and strategic partnerships, will be added to grant funding received from Wells Fargo, the Ford Family Foundation and Walmart to support the free lunch program, outreach efforts and supplies for the Saturday Academies that will engage more students in the region to learn about STEM career opportunities. In addition to the grant funding, Bobbye Rainey of Umpqua Bank will join the LHCL board. The LHCL serves more than 50 middle school and high school students from Lebanon and the surrounding area.

New diabetes study
Click here to read about a new diabetes study. Contact Albert Medina, Research Coordinator, at 909-469-8626 or Airani Sathananthan, MD, at 909-706-3818 if interested.

Kudos on accomplishments
COMP-Northwest Associate Dean of Assessment and Outcomes Ed Junkins, MD, was the keynote speaker for the Celebrate Kids Breakfast on May 3 benefitting the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis. Dr. Junkins addressed the crowd of 550, giving an inspirational speech on how anyone can make a difference in a child’s life. The club serves more than 3,000 children annually in a region where approximately one-third of students are navigating poverty. Dr. Junkins is an advisor to the club’s board of directors, which is in fundraising mode for a teen wellness center dedicated medical clinic for primary care and mental health, slated for completion in fall 2018.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Babak Faramarzi mentored CVM and GCBS students on two studies that were accepted for podium presentations at the Veterinary Orthopedic Society 2018 Conference in Snowmass Village, Colorado March 10-17, 2018.

Athena Kepler, DVM ’19, presented “Morphovolumetric Analysis of the Equine Hoof,” by Babak Faramarzi, Athena Kepler and Howard Dobson, veterinary radiologist at the University of Guelph, Canada.

Fion Hung, MSBS ’18, presented “The Effect of Routine Hoof Trimming on Regional Hoof Kinetics,” by Babak Faramarzi, Fion Hung and GCBS Associate Professor Fanglong Dong.

CVM Professor Lyon Lee, CVM research assistant Dongbin Lee, CVM Associate Professor John Tyler, and Facilitating Assistant Veterinarian Janet Han have been notified that a collaborative manuscript has been reviewed and accepted by the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. Drs. Lyon Lee and Dongbin Lee are first authors while Dr. Tyler is corresponding author and Dr. Han is co-author. The collaborative scientific study, titled “Mainstream capnography-guided endotracheal intubation as an effective alternative to existing intubation methods in rabbits,” describes usage of capnography as an effective alternate endotracheal intubation in rabbits both in clinical and laboratory settings. The collaboration also included members of the CVM Seoul National University.

College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2017 graduates celebrate Commencement. WesternU will hold its 2018 Commencement ceremonies May 23-25 in Pasadena, California. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

About 1,100 Western University of Health Sciences graduates will take the stage at Commencement ceremonies in Pasadena, California and Lebanon, Oregon to celebrate a milestone in their careers.

In addressing these newest health care leaders, WesternU President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, urged them to take the skills they have learned at WesternU into the world to ease suffering and build healthier communities.

“Just as WesternU has changed you, so too will you be an agent of change, improvement and growth in modern health care,” Wilson said. “As you were supported and guided, so too shall you guide and support your patients, your colleagues, and – one day – new generations of health professionals. Be the type of friend, mentor and healer that you have experienced at WesternU. Give freely and kindly of your skills. Listen. Learn. Lead.”

WesternU will award diplomas to nearly 1,000 graduates during five Commencement ceremonies for its nine colleges May 23-25, 2018 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. About 100 COMP-Northwest graduates will celebrate Commencement June 1, 2018 on WesternU’s Lebanon campus. COMP Vice Dean and alumnus David Connett, DO ’84, FACOFP dist., will serve as the COMP-Northwest keynote speaker. At the end of these festivities, WesternU will have more than 15,000 alumni.

The celebration begins with the College of Dental Medicine and the College of Pharmacy at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 23. The keynote speaker will be Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO of Henry Schein Inc., the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health, and medical practitioners, with more than 22,000 Team Schein Members and operations or affiliates in 34 countries.

Bergman will also serve as the keynote speaker for the College of Veterinary Medicine, which will celebrate Commencement at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 24

The College of Allied Health Professions and the College of Podiatric Medicine Commencement ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. May 23. The keynote speaker will be Richard T. Pitts, DO, PhD, vice president for clinically integrated networks and senior medical director in the Saint Joseph Heritage Healthcare (SJHH) system for Orange and Los Angeles counties.

The College of Graduate Nursing and the College of Optometry will hold Commencement at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 24. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Daniel Weberg, a nurse leader and expert in human-centered patient design and simulation and health care innovation. He is an author, leadership scholar and the senior director for innovation and leadership for Kaiser Permanente’s National Nursing Strategy Department.

WesternU’s Pasadena ceremonies conclude with the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences and the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 25. The keynote speaker will be Howard J. Federoff, PhD, MD, professor of neurology and former vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.

WesternU to celebrate achievements of 1,100 graduates

About 1,100 Western University of Health Sciences graduates will take the stage at Commencement ceremonies in Pasadena, California and Lebanon, Oregon to celebrate a milestone in their careers.

Click here to read the full story.

Click here for more information about Commencement ceremonies in Pasadena, California:
https://commencement.westernu.edu/pomona/

Click here for information about the COMP-Northwest Commencement ceremony in Lebanon, Oregon: https://commencement.westernu.edu/lebanon/

WesternU Commencement on social media

For everyone participating in and attending Commencement ceremonies: Help us make the 2018 Commencement ceremonies memorable. You can help us make a virtual scrapbook on social media by tagging and mentioning us on Twitter and Instagram (@westernunews), and finding us on Facebook (@westernuniversityofhealthsciences).

Please use the hashtag #WesternU2018 for ceremonies in Pasadena that take place May 23-25 and for the ceremony in Lebanon on Friday, June 1.

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:

Kudos on accomplishments
The American Association for Women Podiatrists (AAWP) Student Chapter held an information booth at the Prototype Women’s Shelter Health Fair in Pomona on Saturday, May 5. They shared with women and their children how to take care/monitor their feet.

“The interest expressed in lower extremity health was amazing and many women left with a WesternU packet with the intent to make an appointment for themselves and their children to get evaluated for various lower extremity concerns,” said College of Podiatric Medicine student Emily Shibata, DPM ’20. “It was truly inspiring to see what an impact WesternU has made in the Pomona community and the endless ways a club can give back!”

Click here to view photos on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westernucpm/posts/1997660913640805

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Christina Goode, Marcos Villa, the GCBS Director of Student Affairs, and several of the MSMS students presented at the 12th annual Mount San Antonio College pre-health conference. This conference is the largest of its kind in California and was attended by more than 1,000 students with a keynote address by Dr. Richard Carmona, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. Additional MSMS students held a suture clinic.

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Clara Kim, DMD, MS, for her published manuscript, “Presentation of Localized Aggressive Periodontitis in Monozygous Twins: Case Report.” Dr. Kim was the co-author along with Dr. Phamduong. It has been reviewed and accepted by Clinical Advances in Periodontics, a quarterly journal of the American Academy of Periodontology. Within limitations of this report, it is demonstrated that different microbial patterns exist on aggressive periodontitis even in genetically identical individuals with same environmental exposure.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

New diabetes study
Click here to read about a new diabetes study. Contact Albert Medina, Research Coordinator, at 909-469-8626 or Airani Sathananthan, MD, at 909-706-3818 if interested.

Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Robert N. Pechnick, Department of Basic Medical Sciences at COMP, joined a team of physicians and administrators from Columbia University, Harbor/UCLA and Charles R. Drew University to travel to Havana, Cuba, to teach American Medical Students at the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM). ELAM is one of the largest medical schools in the world with students from 110 countries. All those enrolled are international students from outside Cuba and mainly come from Latin America and the Caribbean as well as from the United States, Africa and Asia. ELAM students come from the poorest communities with the intent of returning to practice in those areas in their countries. It is fully accredited by the Medical Board of California and qualified U.S. graduates are eligible to apply for residency placements in any state of the U.S. The team delivered board review workshops, residency application counseling and practice residency interviews.

Congratulations to COMP-Northwest student Nathan Kessler, named Outstanding Volunteer Member of the Year at the annual banquet for Lebanon Fire District (LFD) – Lebanon, Oregon. Click here to view a photo on Facebook. Kessler has been instrumental in creating and leading the LFD Community Service Learning Program for OMS1 students.

On Saturday, May 12, medical students participated in the Lebanon Fire District’s Community Appreciation Day, providing blood pressure and glucose checks, as well as fall prevention information to senior citizens at the event. More than 30 senior citizens participated in the check-ups. Ed Goering, DO, assistant professor of NMM/OMM, was the clinician on-site for the event. In addition to the clinical information, students with the Lebanon Health Career Ladder program provided information to families about the free Saturday academies geared toward middle school students. Photos of the event may be viewed on the WesternU COMP-Northwest Facebook page.

Medical Anatomy Center news
Brion Benninger, MD, MSc, Professor and Executive Director of the Medical Anatomy Center, provided community outreach and service with Lebanon/Albany/Corvallis communities by setting up a health care technology booth as part of a local science fair K-8th grade at Timber Ridge School on May 8. This provided opportunities for approximately 200-300 students and parents to interact with health care technologies from the MAC (finger probe & handheld ultrasound, airway anatomy with videolarygoscopy, hi fidelity & wearable Simulation, Google Glass, etc) and help them understand their gaming, mobile phone and computer skills can transfer into medical education and patient care. He wanted to thank COMP-Northwest OMS1 Ciaran Smythe and Albany Fire paramedic and educator Jon Mang for collaborating in the experience.

On May 4, Dr. Benninger volunteered and supported a jogathon in Portland to raise money for local schools and also volunteered on weekends during the month of April to support kids to accomplish their personal bests during track meets held in the Portland area.

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific student Ji-Ting Janet Yau, DO ’18, matched into a pediatrics residency at Children’s Hospital – Los Angeles. She is one of 121 COMP students entering primary care this year. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific is the No. 11 medical school in the nation in percentage of graduates entering primary care residencies.

The ranking, by U.S. News and World Report, is based on graduates entering primary care specialties (2015-17 average). COMP ranks no. 11 with 59 percent of its graduates entering primary care during this time. U.S. News surveyed 177 medical schools, and 124 schools provided data used to calculate this ranking. Click here to see the full rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/primary-care-residents-rankings

COMP’s most recent Match Day in March 2018 reflected this as well. Of the 207 placed students in Pomona, California, 121 are going into primary care, or 58 percent. COMP’s Lebanon, Oregon campus placed 55 out of 102 (54 percent) matched students in primary care.

“The foundational principles of osteopathic medicine and the mission of WesternU COMP and COMP-Northwest naturally prepare our graduates for a career path that encompasses a comprehensive and holistic approach to patient care,” said COMP Dean Paula Crone, DO ’92. “Many of our graduates choose career paths in primary care because of their desire for a longitudinal and relationship-based practice of medicine.”

WesternU to celebrate achievements of 1,100 graduates

About 1,100 Western University of Health Sciences graduates will take the stage at Commencement ceremonies in Pasadena, California and Lebanon, Oregon to celebrate a milestone in their careers.

“I am honored to celebrate this Commencement with you, after your many years of hard work and commitment that have brought us to this day,” WesternU President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, said in a message to graduates.

Click here to read the full story.

Click here for more information about Commencement ceremonies in Pasadena, California:
https://commencement.westernu.edu/pomona/

Click here for information about the COMP-Northwest Commencement ceremony in Lebanon, Oregon: https://commencement.westernu.edu/lebanon/

WesternU Commencement on social media

Please use the hashtag #WesternU2018 for ceremonies in Pasadena that take place May 23-25 and for the ceremony in Lebanon on Friday, June 1.

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

Click here to view a brochure.

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

Helicopter Drop

Click here to view a flier.

Humanism in the Health Sciences

The 2018 edition of Humanism in Health Sciences magazine has arrived. The theme this year is “Adapting.” Please 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://ws.westernu.edu/WesternU-News/public-affairs/humanism-2018/index.html. The award-winning Humanism in Health Sciences is written by students, alumni, faculty and staff, and edited by WesternU students. It is published annually and distributed free of charge.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

WesternU College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific a top medical school for primary care
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific is the No. 11 medical school in the nation in percentage of graduates entering primary care residencies.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments
Martin Nguyen, DO ’21, is COMP’s Student DO of the Month. Click here to read more on COMP’s home page. Click here to read more on Facebook.

From the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Babak Faramarzi and his former graduate student, An Nguyen, using pressure plate analysis, performed a biomechanical study on foot-surface interaction in horses. The authors were informed that the manuscript has been reviewed and accepted for publication by the Journal of Veterinary Research. Faramarzi, B., Nguyen A. and Fanglong Dong (2018) The effect of hoof trimming on force and pressure distribution in horses.

From the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences:

Kudos on accomplishments
GCBS Associate Professor Fanglong Dong, PhD, in collaboration with various departments from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), including emergency medicine, internal medicine, family medicine, anesthesiology and other departments, had 18 poster presentations at ARMC research day May 18, 2018. The topics varied from specialty to specialty, but the majority of these studies predict patients’ outcomes, including mortality, hospital length of stay, ICU length of stay, and so on.

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Jerome Lacroix, PhD, for his published manuscript “Probing the Gating Mechanism of the Mechanosensitive Channel Piezo1 with the Small molecule Yoda 1.” This article has been reviewed and accepted by Nature Communications and will be published online on May 23. Dr. Lacroix is both the lead and corresponding author, and the article is co-authored by COP Assistant Professor Yun Luo, PhD and her post-doctoral scholar Wesley-Botello Smith, PhD. The paper also acknowledges GCBS students Rachel Abrahem, Rachel Chang, Jerry Harb, Andrew Tran and Tiegen Vence for their technical participation as part of their MSBS lab course.

PharmD ‘18 graduate Grace MyAnh Tran celebrates after receiving her diploma. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

Western University of Health Sciences kicked off three days of Commencement ceremonies by awarding diplomas to about 200 College of Dental Medicine and College of Pharmacy graduates Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.

Amid the pomp and circumstance, graduates reflected on their accomplishments.

“Everything in my life is a miracle,” said College of Dental Medicine graduate Aleksey Kozlov, DMD ’18. “The way I came to the United States is a miracle, how I got into dental school is a miracle, and how I’m standing here is also a miracle.”

He identified his wife, Anna, as a key supporter during his time in dental school.

“My wife needs a trophy or a diploma because she’s been there while I was away from home, coming home at midnight regularly, and she’s just been so patient,” Kozlov said.

The Commencement keynote speaker was Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO of Henry Schein Inc., the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health, and medical practitioners, with more than 22,000 Team Schein Members and operations or affiliates in 34 countries.

He provided graduates with inspirational quotes, and offered some of the advice that has helped him during his career.

“The most important way in which you can advance your goals, be it in private practice, academics, research, public health, or whatever you want to do, is to focus on relationships with people,” Bergman said. “You have to show concern for people and be authentic and genuine, and really understand that is something people appreciate.”

Quoting Eleanor Roosevelt, Bergman urged the graduates to “Do one thing every day that scares you,” and to not be satisfied with mastering a procedure or a particular piece of science.

“Get out of your comfort zone every single day of your life,” Bergman said. “When you are comfortable, you are not making progress. When you are uncomfortable you are moving yourself and those around you.”

Bergman then quoted Robert F. Kennedy — “Some people see things the way they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” — and noted that the sentiment “goes hand in hand with Eleanor Roosevelt’s notion of challenging yourself,” Bergman said. “If you have a vision and an idea, ask yourself why not. Don’t let anyone stand in your way. You are so well positioned to make a difference in this world. You can advance health care. In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’”

Per WesternU Commencement tradition, graduates invited family members or friends to join them onstage to place an academic hood on their shoulders after they received their diplomas. College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific graduate Michael Bowie, DO ’18, and College of Pharmacy graduate Violet Valencia, PharmD ’18, are doing the honors for each other at their respective ceremonies. They met at Walgreens as pharmacy technicians more than 10 years ago, and are now engaged.

“We got into WesternU at the same time, so it was amazing the way it all worked out and that we were able to do it all together,” Bowie said. “She’s overcome so many barriers to get to this point. She’s an amazing person. I’m very proud of her and very honored to be able to hood her and that she invited us to do this.”

Bowie and Valencia’s mother, Sherri Stokes, shared hooding duties at the College of Pharmacy ceremony, lowering the doctoral garment over Valencia’s head and placing it on her shoulders.

“Now we’ll have two doctors in the family,” Stokes said. “I am fulfilled. It’s all meant something. It will make me cry.”

Commencement ceremonies continue with the College of Allied Health Professions and the College of Podiatric Medicine later today. The College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Graduate Nursing and the College of Optometry will follow on Thursday, May 24. WesternU’s Pasadena ceremonies conclude with the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences and the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 25.

About 100 COMP-Northwest graduates will celebrate Commencement June 1, 2018 on WesternU’s Lebanon campus. When the COMP-Northwest ceremony concludes, WesternU will have 15,465 alumni.

WesternU’s Commencement ceremonies are broadcast live online. Click here to watch the ceremonies: https://commencement.westernu.edu/pomona/ceremony-webcast/

Click to view slideshow of CAHP/CPM Commencement

Western University of Health Sciences graduates are well positioned to address the challenges of the 21^st 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.

Richard Pitts, DO, PhD, gave the keynote address at the College of Allied Health Professions and College of Podiatric Medicine ceremony. Pitts is the vice president of Clinically Integrated Networks and senior medical director of Saint Joseph Heritage Healthcare. He explained to the graduates that the “real work begins now” and encouraged students to come up with a roadmap for their life.

“You have earned the right and respect in the eyes of friends, family, patients and students to be a trusted source for helping them understand medical information,” Pitts said. “What an honor. You have worked hard, and it’s amazing what you have done. You need to create your own roadmaps now. Start soon. You need to protect yourself from burnout. Finally, you need to be prepared to be successful. It doesn’t happen by accident.”

Click to view slideshow of GCBS/COMP Commencement

The keynote speaker for the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and the Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences also advised graduates to avoid burnout by balancing work and home life. UC Irvine Professor of Neurology Howard J. Federoff, PhD, MD, also told them to be self-aware, bond with their team and be a provider and an advocate.

“Rather than harnessing the best evidence and attempting to offer your best recommendation, you should consult with your patient, the key person at the center of the medical issue,” Federoff said. “When knowledge is contextualized and patients are informed, we can do the best for everyone. Moreover, we learn from every patient. They inspire us to refine our craft. The patient is a vital part of our journey to learn and impart knowledge to others.”

College of Graduate Nursing and College of Optometry keynote speaker Daniel Weberg, PhD, BSN, senior director of innovations and leadership with Kaiser Permanente, asserted that these new graduates are fully prepared to join the changing health care environment and be the innovators the profession needs.

“One of the first concepts I learned in my innovation education is positive deviance. Positive deviance is the idea that you can be disruptive to create a spark for greater good,” he said. “Positive deviants have found ways to find good in systems in which others are failing.”

As health care professionals, newly-minted nurses and optometrists are positive deviants, he said.

Click to view slideshow of CDM/COP Commencement

“You need to partner with your colleagues in technology, in computer sciences and robotics, leadership and in practice. These groups need your expertise in systems thinking to create a future that is relevant and impactful,” Weberg said. “Did you know that in the last four years more than $20 billion has been spent by venture capital firms to disrupt health care? You must actively shape the future of health care. Now, even if all of this future technology stuff has you uninterested, we need your innovations at the front lines. Positively disrupting the culture of interprofessional education, patient-centered care, and evidence-based practice will be important work.”

Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO of Henry Schein Inc., served as the keynote speaker for two ceremonies, addressing the College of Veterinary Medicine and the colleges of Dental Medicine and Pharmacy. Henry Schein Inc. is the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health, and medical practitioners, with more than 22,000 Team Schein Members and operations or affiliates in 34 countries.

Bergman provided graduates with inspirational quotes, and offered some of the advice that has helped him during his career. He told them to focus on relationships, be leaders who engage and involve everyone, adopt technology and give back to society. He also told graduates to get out of their comfort zone every day.

That sentiment might also describe students’ experiences completing their programs. Information overload, rigorous testing and late nights seemed impossible at times, so graduates were happy and relieved to finally reach this point in their careers.

Click to view slideshow of CGN/CO Commencement

“There were some points in between where I was second-guessing what I was doing, but now that I’m here I know I have got where I wanted to go and I am where I wanted to be,” said COMP graduate Levi Dodge, DO ’18. “On the other side of this wave, I feel like it was worth it.”

Several people were integral in getting Levi to the point of graduation, from a couple who gave him work painting homes and a community college counselor to his Air Force counselor. He was also able to lean on his twin brother, Jake Dodge, DO ’18, who also graduated from COMP on Friday.

“We’ve always been together and done most things together. It was really fun to be able to share that,” Levi said.

“One thing I liked about WesternU is that I felt that they had my back through the process. That was a big thing for me, and I know my brother felt the same way,” Jake said. “I really felt that they went to bat for the students and I always felt at the end of the day if something happened during my rotation, the school would look into it and back me up.”

College of Graduate Nursing Assistant Professor Khoa (Joey) Dang, DNP ’18, MSN, RN, FNP-C, earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, which he pursued to make a positive impact on the nursing profession. He has worked as a nurse since 2000, and also earned his Family Nurse Practitioner certificate at WesternU. Pursuing advanced degrees is important for the nursing profession, he said.

Click to view slideshow of CVM Commencement

“The health care landscape has become more diverse and complex,” Dang said. “With all these different factors pushing innovative delivery, we’ve had to push our own education, our own goals and our own preparation to be able to meet those needs.”

Family and friends play an important role in WesternU students’ lives, providing support, comfort and motivation. They also played an important role in Commencement. Each graduate invited someone special to join them onstage to place their new academic hood on their shoulders.

Karlie Clark stood onstage to hood her husband, College of Optometry graduate Michael Clark, OD ’18, and also sang the National Anthem with him to open the ceremony. They both grew up singing in high school and college choirs, and Karlie also performs in community theater.

“It’s such a great journey culminating today,” she said. “It’s amazing to see his growth. He’s always been really great with people, but he has developed even greater confidence in himself. He has an amazing ability to make people comfortable and calm. He has great compassion and is a great people person.”

College of Podiatric Medicine graduate Parth Dixit, DPM ’18, said no one knew how hard the program would be, but his classmates made it through together.

“These are some of the best friends you’re going to have. These are friends for life. It’s going to be sad not to see them every day,” he said. “These people are in the trenches with you, studying with you 14 hours a day. They become your family.”

That's a wrap on Day 2 of Commencement. Congrats CGN, CO and CVM graduates. See you bright and early tomorrow for COMP and GCBS. #WesternU2018

A post shared by WesternU (@westernunews) on May 24, 2018 at 6:45pm PDT

2018 Commencement

Congratulations to the nearly 1,000 graduates who earned their WesternU diplomas at Commencement ceremonies held in Pasadena, California May 23-25, 2018.

Click here to read about the first Commencement ceremony, and visit WesternU on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to see more photos and coverage of Commencement. Check WesternU’s home page later in the week for full coverage and photo galleries from all five ceremonies.

COMP-Northwest will hold its Commencement ceremony June 1 in Lebanon, Oregon. We encourage all WesternU faculty, staff, students and family members attending Commencement to join us on social media by tagging and mentioning us on Twitter and Instagram, and finding us on Facebook. Please use the hashtag #WesternU2018. Click here for more information about the Lebanon Commencement ceremony: http://commencement.westernu.edu/lebanon/

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

Click here to view a brochure.

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

Helicopter Drop

Click here to view a flier.

Humanism in the Health Sciences

The 2018 edition of Humanism in the Health Sciences magazine has arrived. The theme this year is “Adapting.” Please 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 award-winning Humanism in the Health Sciences is written by students, alumni, faculty and staff, and edited by WesternU students. It is published annually and distributed free of charge.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

New diabetes study
Click here to read about a new diabetes study. Contact Albert Medina, Research Coordinator, at 909-469-8626 or Airani Sathananthan, MD, at 909-706-3818 if interested.

Kudos on accomplishments
COMP Assistant Professor Jeremiah Scott, PhD, was lead author on a research article published in Journal of Human Evolution, “Dietary signals in the premolar dentition of primates.” Available online at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047248418301258.

COMP Assistant Professor Sebastien Fuchs, MD, PhD, was elected as a Councilor of the Western Section, AFMR (American Federation for Medical Research). The term is effective through January 31, 2021. Click here for more information about AFMR.

COMP student Mitchell Zekhtser has been elected Western Regional Representative of the national AAEM/RSA Medical Student Council. (American Academy of Emergency Medicine Resident and Student Association). COMP alumna Faith Quenzer, DO ’15, was elected to a one-year term as an at-large board member. Click here to read the AAEM/RSA news release. Click here to visit AAEM/RSA website: http://www.aaemrsa.org/

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments
David Jesse Sanchez, PhD, was awarded $423,000 in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through an R15 grant titled “Manipulation of Type I Interferon by HIV Infection.” This grant is based on the finding that HIV infection is able to persist in a person even though the human body has strong antiviral defenses though the Type I Interferon system. The overall goal is to better understand how HIV is able to continue replicating in the face of this innate immune response and look for molecular interactions that could serve as future drug targets. The health implications of these findings will be focused on developing new therapies that allow the immune system to stop HIV replication in individuals living with HIV.

Jeffrey Wang, PhD, along with Patrick Chan, PhD, Zhijun Wang, PhD, Chen Xie, PhD, Ying Huang, PhD, published a book chapter: Chan P, Wang Z, Xie C, Huang Y, Wang J. Antioxidant nutraceuticals and prostate cancer. In: Antioxidant Nutraceuticals: Preventive and Healthcare Applications. Cao C, Pathak S and Patil K (Eds). RCS Press, 2018, pp. 37-80. Link to Book.

Dr. Mark Nguyen presented a poster at the American Thoracic Society examining sedation in mechanically ventilated patients. Tanios MA, Nguyen HM, Park H, et al. Analgesia-First Sedation, Protocol-Directed Sedation (PS), or PS with Daily Sedative Interruption in Mechanically Ventilated Adults: A 3-Arm Pilot RCT (ANSED3 Trial). American Thoracic Society 2018 International Conference. May 2018, San Diego.

Drs. Emmanuelle Schwartzman, Patrick Chan, Micah Hata, and Anne Kugler were invited to provide a webinar titled “Finding the Right Fit During the Residency Interview” as part of ASHP Foundation Preceptor Residency Excellence Award. The webinar was well received with more than 120 online attendees.

An instrument developed by Dr. Anandi Law and her fellows to assess patient satisfaction with pharmacist clinical services was recently used by the University of Arizona to assess patient satisfaction with their telephonic MTM services. The tool was found to be reliable in both English and Spanish versions. The poster received an award as one of top three posters at PQA Annual Meeting (Pharmacy Quality Alliance). Patel M, Campbell P, Forbes S, Sakharkar P, Law A. Use of Patient Satisfaction with Pharmacist Services Questionnaire (PSPSQ) 2.0 in a Telephonic Medication Therapy Management Center. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2018, 14(5):e6. Dr. Sakharkar is a former fellow of Dr. Law and is currently an Assistant Professor of Administrative Sciences at Roosevelt University, College of Pharmacy in Illinois.

This Week@WesternU, March 19-23, 2018

This Week@WesternU, March 26-30, 2018

WesternU, Reach Out to host Health Sciences Day

This Week@WesternU, April 2-6, 2018

This Week@WesternU, April 9-13, 2018

This Week@WesternU, April 16-20, 2018

WesternU Alumnus dies at age 35 from complications of Pulmonary Hypertension

This Week@WesternU, April 23-27, 2018

Walmart Foundation Awards WesternU Health Career Ladder $40,000 Grant

WesternU campuses celebrate life of Sean Wyman, DO ’17

Organ donation nonprofits visit both Oregon and California campuses to provide education on transplants

This Week@WesternU, April 30-May 4, 2018

COMP student, professor publish “Editor’s Choice” article on obesity

This Week@WesternU, May 7-11, 2018

WesternU to celebrate achievements of 1,100 graduates

This Week@WesternU, May 14-18, 2018

WesternU College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific a top medical school for primary care

This Week@WesternU, May 21-25, 2018

WesternU celebrates the first of five Commencement ceremonies

WesternU celebrates Class of 2018 graduates

This Week@WesternU, May 29-June 1, 2018