This Week@WesternU, Aug. 14-18, 2017
WesternU formally invests President Daniel R. Wilson, welcomes nearly 1,000 new students
Western University of Health Sciences President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, announced at his Inauguration that WesternU will move forward in bold new directions while using its foundational values of humanism and scientific excellence as its compass.
WesternU combined Wilson’s Inauguration ceremony with Convocation, the traditional opening of the academic year, on August 12, 2017 at Fairplex in Pomona, California. WesternU welcomed nearly 1,000 new students to its Pomona campus.
Click here to read the full story and to view the slideshows.
WesternU’s Presidential Symposium examines humanism in medicine
Medicine is much more than scientific knowledge and textbook definitions of disease. It’s reaching out to a patient who feels isolated. It’s developing relationships and thereby growing the mind. It’s finding solace in poetry and art amid madness.
WesternU President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD, invited three renowned authors and academic leaders – and decades-long friends and colleagues – to speak at his Presidential Symposium on August 11, 2017. The symposium, “Health, Science and Humanism,” was one of the premier events leading up to Wilson’s inauguration on August 12.
Click here to read the full story and to view a slideshow.
WesternU faculty contribute to Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Two faculty members from Western University of Health Sciences have contributed to the 2017 Special Themed Edition on professional development in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (JAANP), a peer-reviewed publication distributed to more than 74,000 individuals monthly.
College of Graduate Nursing (CGN) Professor and Assistant Dean for Research and Administration Rodney Hicks, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, served as one of the co-editors of the 2017 special edition and co-authored the editorial “Professional growth and development: A lifetime endeavor.” He also co-authored the article, “Successful Design and Delivery of a Professional Poster.”
Tim Wood, DHSc, PA-C, director of WesternU’s Center for Academic and Professional Enhancement (CAPE) and Assistant Professor in the College of Allied Health Professions, served as lead author on “Punch Up Your Podium Presentations.”
Click here to read the full story.
Solar eclipse
All of North America will be able to see an eclipse of the sun on Monday, Aug. 21. The path of totality – where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun’s tenuous atmosphere – will stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. Observers outside this path will see a partial solar eclipse, according to NASA’s eclipse page. Remember to only view the eclipse with proper eye protection or via pinhole projection.
The COMP-Northwest campus will be closed for business on Aug. 21 due to the anticipated high volume of visitors to the Mid-Willamette valley for the solar eclipse. For those able to visit campus, there will be a volleyball tournament, eclipse viewing party and barbecue. Click here to view a flier.
Dr. Matt Wedel of COMP and CPM has provided some handy tips and information on safe eclipse viewing. Click here to read Dr. Wedel’s Eclipse Guide: http://webassets.westernu.edu/westernu-news/docs/WesternU-solar-eclipse-guide.pdf
Click here to read and additional blog post on the subject: https://10minuteastronomy.wordpress.com/safely-observe-the-sun/
From the College of Veterinary Medicine:
WesternU College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Phillip Nelson named AAVMC board president
Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD, recently began his one-year term as president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Board of Directors.
Click here to read the full story.
Kudos on accomplishments
CVM Associate Professor Brian Oakley attended IPC2017, the International Probiotics Conference in Budapest, Hungary held June 20-23. Dr. Oakley chaired the Animal Health Session and gave an invited presentation titled “Research and Development for Effective Avian Probiotics.” The conference is held annually in Budapest and brings together academic researchers, industry groups, and regulatory agencies to summarize current and potential uses for probiotics in human and animal health.
From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:
Kudos on accomplishments
COMP Department of Social Medicine & Healthcare Leadership Chair and Assistant Professor Gail Singer-Chang, PsyD, was appointed by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) to the AOA Research Task Force in the focus area of Osteopathic Philosophy. The task force is charged with assessing the impact of Osteopathic Philosophy on physician training, patient health outcomes, quality of care and patient satisfaction. The appointment term is one year.
COMP student Tania Torbati, DO ’21, took home an award at the Research Internship Program Poster Day Aug. 4, 2017 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Torbati was the Finalist of the Advanced category in Basic/Translational Research. She is a research intern in the Koronyo-Hamaoui Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Neurosurgery Department/Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute. Click here to see more on Facebook.
Dr. Matt Wedel weighed in on the new giant dinosaur Patagotitan in a Smithsonian article and several other publications.
COMP Seminar Series
COMP will be holding its monthly seminar from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, 2017 in HSC, Compatriots Hall, and streamed to Eastmoreland in Lebanon. Danae Schulz, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, will be presenting “Slowing the Spread of Sleeping Sickness: Chromatin readers regulate lifecycle transitions in the African trypanosome.” The COMP Seminar Series, which is open to everyone on campus, runs once a month from September to May. Click here to view a flier.
From the College of Graduate Nursing:
Kudos on accomplishments
Congratulations to Quannetta T. Edwards, PhD, MSN, MPH, FNP-BC, WHNP, Board Certified Advanced Genetics Nurse, FAANP, for her August 2017 book publication titled Genetics and Genomics in Nursing – Guidelines for Conducting a Risk Assessment by Springer Publishing Company. This is Dr. Edwards second book publication on the topic of genetics/genomics for clinical practice.
From the College of Allied Health Professions:
Department of Physician Assistant Education news
Ann Schultz, MACM, PA-C, Assistant Professor in the Department of PA Education, who serves as a captain in the U.S. Army, was invited to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, to provide medical lectures to current medical personnel.
Monica Adams, MS, PA-C, Associate Professor of PA Education, provided leadership for WesternU medical students as they provided a medical outreach in Peru earlier this summer. Professor Adams stated that it truly was a learning opportunity for her and the students as they were able to see health care delivery outside of the United States.
The PA Department wants to congratulate the PA 2017 class as they completed their education on July 31. Also, congratulations to the PA 2018 class as they completed their first year at the end of July. Finally, congratulations to the PA 2019 incoming class!
From the Pumerantz Library:
Surviving & Thriving: AIDS, Politics and Culture
The Harriet K. & Philip Pumerantz Library is hosting the National Medical Library traveling exhibit “Surviving & Thriving: AIDS, Politics, and Culture” from Aug. 28, 2017 to Oct. 7, 2017. This exhibit explores the response to the AIDS epidemic since its 1981 appearance in the United States. The Opening Reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. The speakers will be Dr. Vishwanath Venketaraman, COMP; Dr. James Scott, College of Pharmacy; and the Reverend Tom Hostetler, Chaplain Hillcrest. For further information call Mary Helen Ellis at Ext. 5321.
The NAMES project AIDS Memorial Quilt was conceived as a celebration of the lives of people lost to AIDS. The Harriet K. & Philip Pumerantz Library and Lorraine Halverson of the College of Allied Health Professions are providing the opportunity for you to create a block for a loved one to be displayed in the library and then added to the Quilt project after the National Library of Medicine exhibit leaves our library.
If you wish to create a block contact Lorraine Halverson for supplies and guidance. lahalverson@westernu.edu or 909-469-5390.
From University Advancement:
Alumni news
During Welcome Week, the Office of Alumni Relations had the opportunity to briefly speak with the incoming class of each college. In addition to presenting a small gift to each new student, Director Russel Heskin spoke to the students about two important things:
All WesternU students, faculty, staff, and alumni are allies in working together to enhance the University’s reputation, which will increase the value of their degree. Students can do their part by studying hard to become exceptional healthcare professionals, represent the University well at health fairs and when otherwise interacting with the public, and spreading good news about the University with friends and family.
Students should join WesternU Connect, an online student-alumni networking platform, to gain access to alumni and their experience and expertise for career advice.
