THE MICROSCOPE
This issue of the COMmunicator features:
- Event Article: SWAG视频 COMs Out to Celebrate 鈥 2017 Hooding Ceremony
- Spotlight Story: Here COMs Orientation
- In Good COMpany: The Who's Who in COM
- Campus Circulation
- COM Student Clubs & Orgs
- SWAG视频 COM in the News
- Alumni Notes
- Save the Date
- Meme for Thought
SWAG视频 COMS OUT TO CELEBRATE!
Congratulate SWAG视频's College of Osteopathic Medicine's Class of 2017
SWAG视频'S COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE'S 2017 HOODING CEREMONY AT MERRILL AUDITORIUM
In Latin, regalia means royal privileges. The word, privilege in this context refers both to the subject and the audience: to the graduates themselves, their families, friends, and the faculty and staff who have helped cultivate and support them. It was at this year鈥檚 Hooding Ceremony that the graduating class of 2017 wore their robes in celebration of their many achievements. These graduates have earned this privilege for their hard work, dedication, sacrifices and persistence. It is also SWAG视频鈥檚 privilege to have had a hand in sculpting doctors of osteopathy who practice medicine with compassion and civility, not just the diagnostic tools they have at their disposal. As they pave their own paths, it is this human touch that will help ignite a bright future for medicine and positively impact the health of our world and its people.
SPOTLIGHT STORY
The Intersections of SWAG视频 COM and Medicine in Today's Changing World
Here COMs Orientation
WELCOME, CLASS OF 2021!
The newest additions to SWAG视频 COM have arrived in style. Greeting the day and each other with smiles of spirited anticipation, the class of 2021 dove into COM Orientation with effervescent panache. Many of these students last stepped foot onto the grassy knolls of campus for the infamous OsteoBlast! and have now returned for the beginning of a new, courageous endeavor.
One may choose to view Orientation as an irrelevant amusement or as dreaded informational sessions informing students of all the necessities they need to know before they start classes, yet both are oversimplifications. There is an immense amount of planning and strategy that goes into orienting new students. Vincent Buonocore is the new Assistant Director of Medical Student Services for the COM Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services (RSAS) who started at SWAG视频 COM earlier this spring. He sees Orientation as 鈥渁 student鈥檚 introduction, transition and ultimate acceptance of the intellectual, social and cultural environment at the university.鈥 In his mind, a successful program is one that gives incoming students, 鈥渟ome sense of confidence in their ability to navigate the academic experience鈥nd perhaps most importantly, [to] feel as though they have made a connection to the university.鈥
This year, Vin has rounded up two OsteoBlast! & Orientation co-chairs (O & O), Katherine Cone and Danielle Sultan, whose help has been indispensable and a welcome relief. Not only have they jumped in when necessary, they have enthusiastically taken initiative and ownership over certain aspects of the program. According to Vin, 鈥淭hey problem solved, made suggestions and took the lead on things they probably never anticipated having to take the lead on. [They] led a group of peers through a complex program with lots of moving parts, adapted when there were mistakes, and resolved their fair share of conflicts.鈥 The program ended up with 49 Orientation Leaders to help with the multitude of tasks leading up to and during Orientation. Of their commitment, Vin states, 鈥渢he program cannot function without their leadership, perspective and willingness to sacrifice their time in service to others.鈥
There is no contesting the level of detail that goes into planning these large events. They are not only logically challenging, but can be mentally taxing as well. What one will notice from the Orientation program, however, is that Vin doesn鈥檛 shy away from adding a bit of humor into the mix. With captions such as 鈥淭his is selfie explanatory鈥 under the class photo, or 鈥淭his is an Orientation not a BORIENTATION鈥 for the staff activity, Vin adds little quips as a refreshing sidebar to the programmatic language directing students on where they need to go and what they need to know. It is this kind of attitude that is the foundation for a successful program as one can鈥檛 help but catch positivity once it鈥檚 in motion. It was Leonardo Da Vinci who mused, 鈥淒etails make perfection, and perfection is not a detail.鈥 It is the detail that breathes intentionality into lifeless pages and pragmatic rigidity. By treating the event as one entity and calling attention to where attitude, learning and success intersect, Orientation starts to promote this idea of balance within academia.
The whole of Orientation has taken on a wellness theme which echoes the fundamental principles of osteopathy: treating body, mind and spirit as one rather than compartmentalizing them. What is referred to as 鈥淏alance Breaks鈥 have been built into the program as momentary respites as students digest the necessary information they will need once they start the academic year. Quite possibly, the most anticipated if not popular balance break was the Iced Coffee Bar that was thoroughly enjoyed on Day 1 of Orientation. Complete with fancy syrups, students eagerly filled their cups with a jolt of caffeine and a much needed recharge.
Another favored balance break asked students to 鈥渓end a hand鈥 by painting with them. The activity took on its own metaphor as students got their hands dirty as they worked together to create a 鈥淐lass of 2021鈥 banner that was colorfully cathartic. Out of the hand prints and smears came a visual representation of the class of 2021, an expressionist-inspired canvas featuring the wits, whims and wellness of the incoming class.
Although it is difficult to add unique flavor to an annual event, and give it its own refreshing spin, this year鈥檚 Orientation was a feel-good balance of necessity and fun, of learning and light-hearted engagement. Everyone came together to make the event a success. When asked about next year, Vin thought that collaboration was key: 鈥淚 hope to build on our partnerships both within and outside of COM to make sure students are receiving what they need...Everyone should have a role in welcoming these students.鈥 One thing to look out for is more innovative technologies in future programs. Vin has seen that, 鈥淥rientation programs across the country are utilizing technology more and more鈥nd I hope to investigate how we might be able to leverage our existing resources to enhance the new student experience.鈥 Whatever is in store for next year, we know that Vin will be prepared, which means that our incoming COM students will be ready for anything.
IN GOOD COMPANY
The Who's Who in SWAG视频 COM
SAY HELLO TO OUR NEW DEAN
The College of Osteopathic Medicine has a new face. Jane E. Carreiro, D.O. '88, who joined the faculty ranks of SWAG视频 COM back in 1993, was appointed Dean of the College on November 1, 2016. She has enthusiastically assumed her role and brings to it a wealth of knowledge and experience in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.
Under her leadership, the College of Osteopathic Medicine is garnering vital data to strategically consolidate efforts to propel COM's clinical partnerships to the next level in support of its vision for the future. With her first academic year behind her, SWAG视频 COM looks ahead to the future under her steadfast leadership. With Dr. Carreiro at the helm, we can expect great things in the years to come.
THE ONE, THE ONLY, DAVID R. MANYAN, PH.D. RETIRES FROM THE SWAG视频 COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
The 2016鈥2017 academic year marked many milestones for the SWAG视频 College of Osteopathic Medicine. Jane Carreiro, D.O., took over the reins as Dean, and COM graduated its largest class to date. But perhaps the greatest, if not the most monumental change, is the retirement of a beloved faculty member who has been part of this institution since the beginning.
David R. Manyan, Ph.D., started his career in 1975 at St. Francis College, and was one of the many architects of what is now affectionately known as SWAG视频 COM. He has taught, influenced, and guided COM students since the doors opened to those adventurous enough to venture down the road less traveled, pursuing a career in the osteopathic profession. In many ways, Dr. Manyan has been a beacon of knowledge and wisdom for the students, and an institution here at SWAG视频. For those reasons and countless others, he will be greatly missed.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! RISE UP AND HEAR THE BELLS...
-Walt Whitman
With the emergence of a new academic year approaching, the SWAG视频 experiences a changing of the guard, a transition from the enduring leadership of former president, Danielle Ripich to the new President of SWAG视频, James D. Herbert, Ph.D. Dr. Herbert comes to us following a successful tenure at Drexel University, a private research institution in Philadelphia.
During his time at Drexel, Dr. Herbert was instrumental in elevating the university's image as one of repute and distinction within the field of academic research, and significantly increased graduate enrollment. The SWAG视频 College of Osteopathic Medicine believes that Herbert will be indispensable in strategically situating New England's premier Osteopathic College in a pivotal position to advance within the framework of the ever-shifting landscape of healthcare.
The inauguration of James D. Herbert, Ph.D. will be held on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m. on the Harold Alfond Center for Health Sciences Lawn.
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY LOOKS TO COM FOR NEW INTERIM DEAN
Karen Houseknecht, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. has already made a name for herself on the SWAG视频 COM campus. Not only is Dr. Houseknecht a prominent researcher in pharmacology and endocrinology, she has also been an active advocate for women in the sciences, and teaches pharmacology for COM.
In light of these accomplishments, she was recently named the interim dean for the SWAG视频 College of Pharmacy. Whether conducting vital research in the lab, or teaching medical students to read Spanish, Dr. Houseknecht inspires admiration and gives one hundred percent of herself to her students, her school, and the greater community.
CAMPUS CIRCULATION
The Pulse of Current COM Students
2017 END OF YEAR BBQ & AWARDS CEREMONY
This year's End of Year BBQ & Awards Ceremony was held in the Campus Center on May 10. The ceremony began with COM's acappella group, the Sympathic Tones followed by remarks from both Dean Carreiro and Associate Dean Kelley. The Admission tour guides and interviewers were recognized for their dedication and outstanding performance for 2016鈥17 by Annie Connors, assistant director of Recruitment & Alumni Services.
The faithful interviewers included: Heather Arsenault, Justin Berkner, Amy Callahan, Tiffany Cheung, Emily Colpas, Kevin Connolly, Rachel Draper, Khashayar Farzam, Tara Formisano, Alex Goncalves, Sara Gorham, Dan Greenberg, Marissa Guzzardo, Stacey Ha, Tyler Haddad, Kevin Haines, Tori Huckestein, Frank Jackson, Emmie Lai, Brooke Learned, Annie Liu, Frank Marowitz, Libby Mazzeo, Nihit Mehta, Kimberly Movsesian, Casey Neville, Manny Noriega, Sophia Panaccione, Helene Rached, Gianpaolo Rufo, Samantha Shojaie, Eleanor Teoh, Jacob Warner, Sam Wood, Masina Wright, and Austin Yang.
The unwavering tour guides included: Matt Ballew, Charlotte Barker, Kate Brod, Kristina Carlson, Sophia Chan, Tiffany Cheung, Kelly Ciapciak, Max Cohen, Katherine Cone, Stephanie Czajkowski, Adelle Dagher, Riddhi Desai, Rachel Draper, Michael Fitzpatrick, Amanda Gagnon, Raveena Gandhi, Cynthia Gaudet, Alexander Goncalves, Sara Gorham, Daniel Greenberg, Stacey Ha, Tyler Haddad, Emilie Heidel, Jennifer Heng, Hannah Hodges, Victoria Huckestein, Frank Jackson, Manan Jain, Briana Jones, Kevin Kennedy, Emmie Lai, Frank Marowitz, Brook Martell, Emma Mason, Victoria Molina, Laura-Frances Morin, Catherine Moulton, Kimberly Movsesian, Gretchen Noneman, Michael Odonnell, Lauren Palitz, Sophia Panaccione, Rachel Paquette, Haley Pelletier, Kimberly Piccoli, Elise Reddington, Sarae Sager, Brandi Sargent, David Shbeeb, Jonathan Shecter, Scott Stegemann, Danielle Sultan, Kaleigh Tomkinson, Christy Tsui, Austin Yang, Zachary Zaniewski, and Richard Zheng.
Perhaps the most heartwarming moment was during the 2016鈥17 Clinical Faculty of the Year Award. This year's recipient, Katherine Hanify's, D.O., touching speech and affected countenance moved the audience to tears. Other award recipients include:
- Emily Szuba for the 2016鈥17 Outstanding Individual Effort Award
- The Pediatrics Club for the 2016鈥17 Outstanding Club or Organization
- White Coats for Black Lives earned the 2016鈥17 Notable Start-up Award
- Katherine Hanlon, Ph.D. for the Basic Science Faculty of the Year
- Annie Liu for the 2016鈥17 William B. Strong Scholarship
- Jeani Reagan was presented the 2016鈥17 Outstanding Staff Award
The Humanism in Action award was given to Patrick Kurpaska (first), Emily Szuba (second), Tiffany Cheung (third), and Annie Liu (honorable mention).
The Student D.O. of the Year was awarded to Scott Morin. Watch video to hear more about Scott's venture into Osteopathic medicine, and his journey through medical school at SWAG视频 COM.
GRADUATION AND AWARDS RECEPTION
This year's Graduation and Awards Reception was held on May 19 in Upper Decary to honor the graduating class of 2017 and their families. Associate Dean Kelley presented the W. Hadley Hoyt, Jr. D.O. Award to William "Brandon" White in recognition of his commitment and dedication to Osteopathic Medicine.
Associate Dean Kelley also bestowed the Donna Jones Moritsugu Award to Gabrielle Daubert. The award recognizes the student who has exemplified the demanding role of a professional's partner. The Leadership Awards were introduced by Associate Dean Kelley, and represented four students who have illustrated considerable leadership over all four years of enrollment. The recipients included: Stephanie G. Braunthal; Sarabeth Ashley Hedge; Jeannine Lynne Jeha; and Caroline O'Connor LaFave.
Guy DeFeo, D.O., associate dean for Clinical Education, presented the Emergency Medicine Award to James T. O'Neill, III. Dr. DeFeo also presented the Outstanding Clinical Performance Award to Emilia Raimondo.
The Interim Chair of the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Christopher Frothingham, D.O., presented the New England Academy of Osteopathy Award and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Department Award to Dayna Michelle Yorks, who was recognized for her outstanding work in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. Dr. Frothingham also awarded the SWAG视频COM Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Recognition Award to Himanshu Malhotra for embodying the principles of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.
There were four fellows who Dr. Frothingham recognized for their invaluable service this year: Thomas Burgess, Edward Cook, Brittany Foster, and William "Brandon" White.
The Alumni Association Award was given to Megan Emmich for her exemplary pride in both her profession and in the SWAG视频 College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The last awards were the Parfitt and the Sauter Awards. The Parfitt was presented by William Kirmes, D.O. on behalf of the New Hampshire Osteopathic Association, and is bestowed on the student from New Hampshire who demonstrates the principles of Osteopathic Medicine. The award was given to Patrick Benoit.
The Sauter Award recognizes the student who faculty would choose to be their physician. This year's recipient was Travis Jeffrey Bouchard.
Sigma Sigma Phi certificates were also awarded to those students with outstanding academic performance and service: Robert Abdu, John Andrea, Stephanie Braunthal, Ellesse Credaroli, Suparna Dang, Megan Emmich, Ian Garrahy, Melissa Gott, Allison Hartford, Irma Hashmi, Jessie Huff, Jeannine Jeha, Caroline LaFave, Rakhee Lalla, Catherine Monigan, Carleigh Nesbit, Bhavin Patel, Justin Quinlan, Emilia Raimondo, Fernando Ramirez, Christopher Rogers, Cassandre Tanner, Natasha Tobarran, Jessica Truelove, Angela Wang, Shannon Wilton, Dayna Yorks, and Emily Shangraw Zerba.
Research is the fundamental catalyst for everything from costume design to cures for cancer. It is why we can taste what King Joffrey devours in Game of Thrones and why we can now wear sunscreen to protect our coral reefs. It is easy to take this research for granted and forget the frustration, time, and toil it takes and the drive necessary to sustain it. Below is a list of the 2017 Research Fellowship Winners.
THE 2017 CARMEN PETTAPIECE STUDENT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP WINNERS
The SWAG视频 College of Osteopathic Medicine Student Government Association's Professional Development Committee has a vast understanding of the worth and necessity of medical research, and established the Carmen Pettapiece Student Research Fund to support COM students conduct research in osteopathic medicine, biomedical, clinical or public health. In order to support more student research, the COM Office of the Dean assisted with the endeavor.
THE 2017 PETER MORGANE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AWARD WINNERS
The College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Office of Research and Scholarship and the Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences funded the Peter Morgane Research Fellowship to provide research opportunities for 21 COM students. The fellowship supports student research in the fields of biomedical, clinical, experiential or translational research.
COM STUDENT AWARDED AACOM SCHOLARSHIP
SWAG视频 COM student, Manuela Noriega, 鈥18 was recognized for her leadership and commitment with the 2017 Sherry Arnstein Student Minority Scholarship, awarded by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).
COM STUDENT CLUBS & ORGS
A Look at COM Students in Action
WHITECOATS4BLACKLIVES MAKES AN IMPRESSION ON COM
This year's notable start-up student organization was White Coats for Black Lives, part of the national WhiteCoats4BlackLives organization, formed in December 2014. The mission of COM's chapter is to "illuminate overt systematic racism and implicit racial bias in medicine during the formative years of student doctor education and support the COM administration in improving student diversity and diversity training." 1
The need for ethical education outside the medical classroom has been debated for decades. According to Hafferty & Franks, "[m]ost of what the [students] will internalize in terms of the values, attitudes, beliefs, and related behaviors deemed important within medicine takes place not within the formal curriculum but via a more latent one, a 'hidden curriculum.'" 2
This hidden curriculum is a socialized education formed by interactions in the field through peers, institutional practices, and personal experiences.
The purpose of the White Coats for Black Lives organization is to address this hidden curriculum by naming it, allowing both practitioners and students alike to take a closer look at their own assumptions, and to recognize the inter-relatedness of race, power, and privilege that dominates today's healthcare system.
These insidious attitudes, for example, cause black patients to receive less pain medication in general than white patients.3 However, racist attitudes are not reserved only for doctors towards their patients. In a 2015 survey conducted at Stanford University, about 15% of pediatric residents were discriminated against by their patients based on their race or ethnicity. 3
Most of us have heard these blatant, blanket statements, especially if you have worked in the medical field. My uncle recently recounted his hospital stay in Florida. "None of the doctors spoke English," he complained. I am meant to take this literally, although I am certain the doctors did speak English, but with an accent. There are many conclusions I can draw from that statement alone: because English was not their first language, their expert opinions are considered refutable or inaccurate; my Uncle would prefer a white doctor; my uncle believes in Standard English; my Uncle believes (perhaps subconsciously) that he should not be put outside his comfort zone despite being in a part of the country with a large Hispanic population and culture; the difficulty in communication was the fault of the doctor and not his own. There is also a flip side to this mode of thinking. I once had a patient ask for his primary care physician to be Chinese because they know more about medicine.
Ethics in medicine is not a small matter, and not one that can be easily solved or eradicated, yet COM's White Coats for Black Lives is a step in the right direction. In a state that is 94.8% white,4 training in ethics "...should be studied early and continued throughout all the basic clinical sciences."2 The White Coats for Black Lives provides a space within SWAG视频 COM for dialogue, awareness, and education in order to imagine and build a better future for healthcare.
References:
1 White Coats for Black Lives Mission Statement. Une.edu. http://www.une.edu/com/rsas/student-organizations. Accessed June 28, 2017.
2 Hafferty FW, Franks R. The hidden curriculum, ethics teaching & the structure of medical education. Acad Med. 1994 Nov;69(11): 861-871.
3 Howard, J. CNN. 2016 Oct.
4 U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ME,VT/PST045216. Accessed June 28, 2017.
SWAG视频 COM IN THE NEWS
UnCOMpromising COMmitment to Our World & COMmunity
Members of SWAG视频 COM participated in the Beach to Beacon 10K on August 5 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Participants included SWAG视频 President, James Herbert, Ph.D., the Interim Chair of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Department, Christopher Frothingham, D.O., and Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Douglas Spicer, Ph.D. They were joined by more than 50 faculty, staff, and students from the SWAG视频.
Below is a visual representation of SWAG视频 COM News for Summer 2017.
SWAG视频 COM Alumnus, Stephen Shannon, D.O. 鈥86 was awarded the Presidential Citation, the American Osteopathic Association鈥檚 (AOA) most esteemed honor. Dr. Shannon is currently the president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).
3 SWAG视频COM graduates, along with their captain, Nicole, rode 181 miles in 3 days to support the American Lung Association. The team, which they dubbed Just D.O. ME, consisted of SWAG视频 COM grads, Mark Andreozzi, D.O. 鈥87, Rocco Andreozzi D.O., 鈥85, and George Pasquarello, D.O. 鈥93.
SWAG视频 COM Alumnus, William Bograkos, D.O. 鈥85 attended the First Interpol conference on bioterrorism in Lyon, France. Visit for more information about the conference.
Robert Leonard, D.O. 鈥86 and Matthew Lopresti, D.O. 鈥07 gave a lecture at the Italian Society of Hair Science and Restoration in Venice, Italy. While there, they took a side trip to Siena with their partners, Mary Anderson Lopresti, D.O. 鈥07 and Kathy Leonard, D.O. 鈥86.
Deanna St. Germain, D.O. 鈥83 was recently published in the Osteopathic Family Physician Journal. The article, 鈥淎dverse Childhood Experiences: A Call to Action for Osteopathic Medicine鈥 stresses the need for trauma-informed care.
Trent Reed, D.O. 鈥01 is the assistant dean and director of Simulation Education at Loyola's Stritch School of Medicine.
Dr. Hal Cohen, D.O. 鈥87 and Rachel Flehinger will be visiting to discuss and practice improv as a training tool for medical professionals. Hal and Rachel will make a case for practicing improv, specifically in reference to patient interaction to assist aspiring medical professionals with everything from building rapport to navigating inter-professional conflict. Dr. Cohen is an Internal Medicine specialist in Biddeford, Maine, and is also a local playwright, actor and director. His play, Intervention, is a dark comedy about addiction, delusion, and deception. Intervention will be shown at the Portland Ballet Studio Theater on September 14鈥17 and 21鈥24 @ 7:30 p.m., 2 p.m. on Sundays.
SWAG视频 COM FALL PREMIER CME/ALUMNI WEEKEND (OCT 20鈥22, 2017)
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
Hosted by the SWAG视频 College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and the Department of Continuing Medical Education, this series is for practicing D.O.'s, M.D., and other licensed medical practitioners looking for CME credits.
The 2017 Schedule is:
- L-Spine (Jan. 13鈥15)
- Hip Joint & Lower Extremities (May 5鈥7)
- Thorax & Rib Cage (Sept. 22鈥24)
- C-Spine & Upper Extremities (Nov. 10鈥12)
For more information or to register,
Save the Date
- July 27鈥28: COM Class of 2021 Orientation
- July 31: First Day of Classes
- Aug. 17鈥20: (Regional Osteopathic Medical Education)
- Sept. 23: White Coat Ceremony
- Sept. 23: Body Donor Memorial Service at 7 p.m.
- Oct. 7鈥10: (Osteopathic Medical Conference & Exposition)
- Oct. 9: SWAG视频 COM Alumni Reception in Philadelphia (Location TBA). Special recognition for the Class of 1982 鈥 35th reunion
- Oct. 20鈥22: SWAG视频 COM Fall Premier CME/Alumni Weekend
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SWAG视频 COM: Where Your Story & Our Story COM Together
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College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Our mailing address is:
COM Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services
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