This Week@WesternU, May 7-11, 2012

2012 Commencement

The 31st Annual Commencement Exercises for Western University of Health Sciences will be held on May 17-18, 2012 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena, Calif. Here are some important reminders to graduates regarding commencement. Please forward to friends and family as appropriate.

Graduate Reminders

Commencement website: The commencement website at http://www.westernu.edu/commencement/ has all kinds of useful information including parking maps, directions, and instructions. Please pull all necessary information from the site before heading to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium!

Live webcast: We are pleased to announce that the commencement ceremonies will be webcast live at http://www.westernu.edu/commencement/cs_webcast.php. Please let those who are not attending know, so they can watch you online!

Guest Reminders

Doors Close Early: The front doors will close at 9:20 for AM ceremonies and 2:50 for PM ceremonies and will re-open after the processional, invocation and national anthem. It’s essential that all of your guests are seated in the auditorium prior to the doors closing. If your friends/relatives tend to be late… you might tell them it starts 30 minutes earlier.

Tickets Required (for CGN/CAHP and GCBS/COMP ceremonies): Remember your tickets, as all attendees must have a ticket to enter the auditorium!

College of Allied Health Professions

College of Graduate Nursing

Thursday, May 17, 9:30 a.m.

Keynote Speaker: Devorah A. Lieberman, PhD

President, University of La Verne

College of Pharmacy

Thursday, May 17, 3 p.m.

Keynote Speaker: Michael Maddux

Executive Director of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences

Friday, May 18, 9:30 a.m.

Keynote Speaker: H. Roger Hadley, MD

Dean, Loma Linda University School of Medicine

College of Veterinary Medicine

Friday, May 18, 3 p.m.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Temple Grandin

Announcements

Follow WesternU on Twitter

WesternU now has a Twitter account. Follow us at @WesternUNews.

Towne & Gown Golf Classic

WesternU invites the public to an exciting day of golf to benefit student scholarships.

The Towne & Gown Golf Classic, benefiting the University Scholarship Fund, will be held on June 18, 2012 at the Glendora Country Club, 310 Amelia Ave., Glendora, Calif.

Registration and lunch starts at 11 a.m. followed by a noon shotgun start. Golf Ball Drop from the driving range will happen at 11:45. The owner of the golf ball that lands in the hole or closest to the pin will be the winner of the 50/50 prize. The Hole-in-One prize is a 2012 Cadillac, sponsored by Symes Cadillac of Pasadena. Reception dinner and awards ceremony will follow the event.

Cost is $175 per golfer or $700 per foursome. Proceeds will benefit the University Scholarship Fund thanks to the generosity of T.F. Chen, DDS. Deadline to enter is June 11, 2012.

For more information or to sign up, please contact Susan Terrazas at 909-706-3476, email sterrazas@westernu.edu, or Austin Braunwalder at 909-469-8495, email abraunwalder@westernu.edu.

Click here to view the website.

From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:

The COMP Class of 2014 celebrated its transition from the classroom to the clinic. The first COMP Student Clinician Ceremony, held April 30, 2012, featured keynote speaker and COMP alumnus William Henning, DO ’86, and words of advice from WesternU President Philip Pumerantz, PhD, and COMP Dean Clinton Adams, DO. Click here to read the full story and to view a slideshow.

COMP-Northwest visit

COMP-Northwest was honored to host Major General David Rubenstein (Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School and Chief of the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps) on May 3, 2012. During his visit, Maj. Gen. Rubenstein presented an inspirational lecture to the COMP-Northwest students, faculty, and staff. He compared military and civilian medicine and stressed collaboration between the two. Of the 150,000 providers under his command, more than half are civilians. His passion for the well-being of soldiers and their families is an inspiration to all.

Cadaver Farewell Memorial Service

COMP-Northwest students will hold a Cadaver Farewell Memorial Service to honor 18 donors who contributed immensely to their osteopathic medical education.

The memorial service, which is open to the public, will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 9, 2012 on campus in the Samaritan Lecture Hall, 200 Mullins Drive, Lebanon, Ore. 97355. Please RSVP for the ceremony by contacting us at (541) 259-0254 or rsvpmemorial@westernu.edu.

Click here to read the full story.

Kudos on accomplishments

Matt Wedel, PhD, of COMP and CPM, gave an invited talk at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago on Wednesday, May 2. The talk was titled, “What pneumaticity tells us about sauropods, and vice versa.”

Dr. Brian Kraatz received a grant from the National Geographic Society for his proposal, “Exploration of Cenozoic Deposits for Fossil Vertebrates in Tajikistan.” This funding will allow Kraatz to lead a team of U.S. and Tajik scientists on a paleontological expedition to the western Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan in June 2013.

COMP faculty members Scott Helf, DO, MSIT, and Gerald Thrush, PhD, and WesternU Technical Support Supervisor Matt Curran presented “Leaving the LMS Checking out of the Hotel California” at the Campus Technology Forum in Long Beach on May 1, 2012.

Dr. Vicki Wedel of COMP/CDM gave an invited talk to San Diego State University forensic science majors. The lecture, titled “The Science of Skeletal Remains,” described for students how human remains are identified, how cause and manner of death are determined, and how postmortem interval is estimated.

From the College of Allied Health Professions:

Department of Physical Therapy Education News

Assistant Professor Janet Konecne, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, will be performing at the La Mirada Center for the Performing Arts Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. The concert theme is “Music of the Spheres.” During this 48th anniversary season of the La Mirada Symphony Association, concerts are free with donations at the door gratefully accepted. Dr. Konecne, an established expert in physical therapy for performing artists, plays principal bassoon with the La Mirada Symphony Orchestra. More information on this and future performances is available at www.lamiradasymphony.com.

From the College of Pharmacy:

Kudos on accomplishments

Dr. Gollapudi Shankar was co-author of a recent publication with one of our ex-faculty, Dr. Lama Nazer who is now situated in Jordan. “Fatal agranulocytosis associated with psychotropic medication use.” Lama H. Nazer, Gollapudi Shankar, Basel Al-Haj Ali, and Taghreed Al-Najjar Am J Health Syst Pharm 2012;69 863-867.

Dr. Sheryl Chow has several recent releases:

2012 ACCP Updates in Therapeutics Preparatory Course for BCPS (April 27-May 1). Dr. Chow provided the Cardiology I update for ADHF, atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and hypertensive emergency. There were more than 1,000 pharmacists in attendance (residents, fellows, and clinical pharmacy practitioners). http://www.accp.com/meetings/ut12/schedule.aspx?mode=detail&i=2452

A web-based version (including video) of this presentation and others from the review course will be made available in June 2012 through ACCP (for a fee).

Book chapter now available in print: Chow SL. Cardiology I. In: Dugan J, El-Ibirary S, Foote EF, et al. Updates in Therapeutics: The Pharmacotherapy Preparatory Review and Recertification Course, 2012 ed. Lenexa, KS: American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 2012.

Dr. Chow is also an invited panelist speaker at the Eighth Annual Biomarkers in Heart Disease Program (May 12-13) in Del Mar, Calif., presented by the UCSD School of Medicine and co-directed by Anthony DeMaria, MD, FACC and Alan Maisel, MD, FACC. The annual event is designed to provide the most up-to-date standards in clinical application of biomarkers targeting cardiologists, internists, physicians, emergency medicine physicians, clinical laboratorians, and nursing professionals.

From the College of Graduate Nursing:

DNP Perspectives

Click here to view the Spring issue of DNP Perspectives.

From the College of Optometry:

On April 27, Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe, Dr. Valerie Wren, and Dr. Kierstyn Napier-Dovorany presented continuing education courses in the area of Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) during the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration TBI Vision Rehabilitation Symposium held at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. This national event was well attended by physicians and therapists interested in a team collaborative approach in treating our Wound Warriors and Service Members suffering from vision problems associated with blast injuries.

From the College of Dental Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments

Assistant Professor Joel Laudenbach, DMD, is now a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine. The objectives of the board are to elevate the standards of oral medicine and advance optimum patient health care by promoting and recognizing advanced knowledge and skills in the practice of oral medicine. Click here for more information.

The American Student Dental Association (ASDA) chapter at WesternU received the “Implementation of Automatic Billing Award” at ASDA’s inaugural Gold Crown Awards Ceremony during the Annual Session. Click here for more information.

From the College of Podiatric Medicine:

Kudos on accomplishments

College of Podiatric Medicine Dean Lawrence Harkless, DPM, was honored by the American Podiatric Medical Students Association for his outstanding efforts and contributions to podiatric medical students and the profession. “There’s probably no better honor than to be recognized by the individuals you had the opportunity to inform and inspire through your teaching efforts,” he said. “It’s a testament to how we are rewarded for our effort.” Dr. Harkless received the Kenison Award at the American Podiatric Medical Association House of Delegates meeting in Washington, D.C. Click here to read the full story.

From University Advancement:

The Office of Alumni Relations has placed four banners on the nearby Towne and Garey overpasses to welcome our 749 new graduates into the WesternU alumni family. The banners will remain on display there through Commencement weekend.

Alumni Brunch

On Sunday, April 29, Northern California alumni and their guests joined WesternU President Philip Pumerantz, PhD, Senior Vice President Thomas Fox, PhD, and alumni relations staff for an intimate gathering at the historic and elegant Claremont Hotel in Berkeley. Alumni from COMP, physical therapy, nursing and pharmacy, and representing classes from 1982 to 2010, enjoyed a sumptuous brunch and conversation with the president while taking in the views of the San Francisco Bay on a beautiful spring morning. It was a time of reminiscing, humor and sharing each other’s experiences.

From the Pumerantz Library:

Click here to view the Pumerantz Library’s first quarterly email newsletter.