This Week@WesternU, Nov. 25-27, 2013
Medical Research Scholars Program
The National Institutes of Health’s Medical Research Scholars Program is a year-long research training program designed to attract creative, research-oriented medical, dental, and veterinary students to the NIH intramural campus in Bethesda, Md. It is designed for rising fourth-year students (initial clinical rotations completed), but does not exclude other students with strong research interests from applying. During the year, students engage in a mentored basic, clinical, or translational research project that matches their professional interests, and research and career goals. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 15.
Click here to visit the Medical Research Scholars Program website. Click here to view a flier. Click here to read an article about the program.
AAHPSA in the community
On Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, the Asian American Health Profession Student Association (AAHPSA), precepted by Dr. Anna Yeung and Dr. Steven Lam, participated in the annual health fair in the city of Monterey Park. The clinic was sponsored by UCLA’s Asian Pacific Health Corp who provided a multi-disciplinary care approach to the community. With AAHPSA’s presence, the clinic was able to provide glucose screening, cholesterol screening and OMM evaluation to the community who would otherwise have limited to no access to care. It was an opportunity for WesternU students to immerse themselves in the diverse Asian cultures while practicing their clinical medicine skills.
From the Harris Family Center for Disability & Health Policy:
CDHP Associate Director plays vital role in federal case
Federal Judge Jesse Furman has ruled in favor of advocates who argued that New York City is not adequately prepared to evacuate disabled residents during emergencies, a problem that came to the forefront during Hurricanes Sandy and Irene.
Over the last two years, June Isaacson Kailes, MSW, LCSW, Associate Director, WesternU Harris Family Center for Disability & Health Policy, served as subject matter expert and expert witness in this case.
“I’m gratified with the judge’s decision. Hundreds of days of interviews, emergency plans reviews, declaration writing and other preparation on the part of the plaintiff’s team has yielded important results,” Kailes said. “The City of New York will have to improve and strengthen their inclusion of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs in emergency planning and address the specifics sheltering, evacuations, transportation and access to information.
“Hopefully this decision will send a strong and clear message to all emergency mangers and planners. Emergency plans need to be reviewed, revised and strengthened so that people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs are included in these plans, annexes, appendices, processes, procedures, protocols, policies and training. This is a victory. We know it is incremental, and much vigilance and work remains to be done to protect the health, safety and independence of people with disabilities.”
http://www.wnyc.org/story/nyc-loses-lawsuit-over-sandy-evacuation-disabled/
From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:
Kudos on accomplishments
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific alumna Jennifer Park, DO ’02, recently became the first female chief forensic pathologist in the Riverside County Sheriff’s Coroner Bureau Department’s history. Click here to read the press release.
Congratulations to COMP students Fadi Arodaki and Priya Rao, who were selected as finalists in the Annual Case Presentation Contest at the national American College of Osteopathic Internists Convention held in mid-October in Indian Wells, Calif. Arodaki’s case on colon cancer was co-authored by Airani Sathananthan, MD, and Elizabeth Barrera, DO. Rao’s case on thyroid disease was co-authored by Dr. Sathananthan.
Congratulations to COMP student Almira Yang, who was selected as a finalist in the Annual Abstract/Poster Contest for her abstract, “Underestimation of BMI and Weight loss,” at the national American College of Osteopathic Internists Meeting. Cesar Ochoa BS, CPT I, En-Hsien Liu, EdD, Steven Lam, DO, and Airani Sathananthan, MD, were additional authors. Yang’s research is a result of her award by WesternU’s summer STAR program and was conducted in the Patient Care Center in both the family medicine and Western Diabetes Institute clinics.
From the College of Allied Health Professions:
Department of Physical Therapy Education News
Associate Professor/Recruitment and Alumni Liaison Georgeanne Vlad, PT, MA, recently taught the two-day Clinical Instructor and Education Credentialing Program from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The certification course was held last month for more than 35 persons at Concorde Career College in North Hollywood. Professor Vlad was recently awarded recertification of her status as an APTA Credentialed Clinical Trainer through November 2016.
Department of Physician Assistant Education News
Several physician assistant students were honored by the Claremont Police Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for their volunteer service. CERT is a voluntary unit that helps the Police Department during disasters. The students were assistant teachers for the Medical Education Unit in the training of the community members. Both the community members and the students learned a lot and enjoyed their time together. CERT leader Dennis Smith came to campus to award the students Certificates of Appreciations during their physical Assessment class.
In addition to the CERT classes, more than 20 PA students have performed state-mandated visual acuity testing for kindergarten, second grade and fifth grade students at various elementary schools in the Claremont area. More than 400 students have been screened. The PA students assist the Claremont Unified School Nurses with their annual evaluations. With the PA students assistance, the screening that took the nurses weeks to complete, now only takes days.
From the College of Pharmacy:
Kudos on accomplishments
Dr. Mark Nguyen published the following: Omar S. Darwish, DO, Sarah Strube, DO, Huan Mark Nguyen, PharmD, Maged A. Tanios, MD, MPH. Challenges of anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in patients with severe sepsis. Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2013;47:1266-1271.
This interesting retrospective study found an increased risk of complications such as bleeding resulting from anticoagulation treatment with heparin/warfarin and enoxaparin) in elderly patients with sepsis in the ICU, with a CHADS2 score of 2 or more.
Click here to read the article.
From University Advancement:
Alumni News
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the WesternU Alumni Association sponsored the Optometry Private Practice Business Club’s Alumni Panel event. Nearly 100 Optometry students showed up for dinner and a chance to hear from six OD alumni working in private practice. The event ran long as the students had many excellent questions, and the club is already talking about planning another Alumni Panel event in the spring.
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