Excellence in Action
The President's Report
Midwestern University Educating Tomorrow's Healthcare Team Downers Grove, Illinois Glendale, Arizona
Dear Friends of Midwestern University,
President’s Report
Inside our President’s Report, you will meet outstanding members of our academic community. This issue is focused on leadership, in the classroom, the research lab, the community, and the many professional organizations led by our faculty, staff, and students. Our mission “dedicates the institution and its resources to the highest standards of academic excellence to meet the educational needs of the healthcare community.” As you read these articles, you will see our mission is carried out by many members of our organization through their leadership roles in teaching, scholarly activity, and service. As we have highlighted, Midwestern University continues to grow to meet the ever-increasing demand for healthcare professionals. We are carefully and strategically adding new facilities on both the Downers Grove and Glendale campuses. On the Glendale Campus, we are opening our new Midwestern University Dental Institute, a 242-chair dental clinic to train our third- and fourth-year students and welcoming many new dental medicine faculty. We are also opening our new Midwestern University Eye Institute this fall to educate our third- and fourth-year optometry students in patient care. On the Downers Grove Campus, we are building a five-story Science Hall to expand research labs, classrooms, and add a dental simulation clinic for the new College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, which will matriculate its first class of students in the fall of 2011. Through all of this growth and development, the historical and sustaining philosophy of Midwestern University remains. From the first day of orientation to the day of graduation, our students know that we are dedicated to making them successful professionals by educating, mentoring, and challenging them; fostering critical thinking; and teaching them sound patient communication skills. The University is blessed with outstanding teachers, excellent clinical preceptors, and strong hospital partners who work with us to prepare every student for the demands of their chosen profession. Today we have 300 full-time faculty, nearly 500 full-time staff members, and approximately 6,000 clinical faculty and preceptors teaching our students. Each of these individuals contributes to the success of our students. Our graduates find jobs, residency positions, and pass their board exams with outstanding results. This would not happen if we did not have a strong and dedicated team fulfilling the mission of Midwestern University.
Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer Midwestern University
Over the past year, we have been very fortunate to have many long and faithful donors help us carry out this mission. We have also had new donors, alumni, and corporations step forward and help us educate our students through their gifts. We are careful stewards of all funds we receive, from the smallest, but thoughtful donation, to our largest donors, such as the Chanen family who has recently fulfilled a gift of $100,000 toward a scholarship program. Each gift is special. I recently spoke to an alumnus of the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 1986. He and his wife, a graduate of CCOM in 1987, made a gift to the annual fund as a way of giving back. He was both surprised and pleased that I had called to say thank you, and he proceeded to tell me that "giving back" to the University made him and his wife feel they were saying “thank you” for their education and the wonderful support they had as students and graduates. This gift was a kind and loving gesture that will be passed on to the students of today through the new facilities, new faculty, new technology, and additional scholarship opportunities for deserving students. This Annual President’s Report highlights the generous donors who have provided gifts and support. It is through these gifts and the contribution of our wonderful supporters that we are able to carry on the work begun with the founding of the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1900. From that beginning, we have become a strong, respected university fulfilling our mission of excellence. Thank you for helping us grow and sustaining us with your gifts. Sincerely,
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Excellence in Research Kyle Ramsey, Ph.D., Department Chair, Microbiology and Immunology............... 2 Tom Broderick, Ph.D., Professor, Physiology........................................................... 4
Contents
Excellence in Teaching Shridhar V. Andurkar, Ph.D., Department Chair, Pharmaceutical Sciences........ 6
Walter Prozialeck, Ph.D., Department Chair, Pharmacology............................... 8
James Stoehr, Ph.D., Professor, College of Health Sciences..................................... 9
Linda Walters, Ph.D., Department Chair, Anatomy............................................. 10
Excellence in Leadership Karen J. Nichols, D.O., MACOI, M.A.,
Dean, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine................................................... 12
Ed Cohen, Pharm.D. (CCP 2000)
Manager, Immunization Clinical Services Walgreens.............................................. 14
Hal Pineless, D.O. (CCOM 1981)
NeuroCare Institute of Central Florida......................................................................... 15
Craig Johnston, Ph.D.,
Lori Kemper, D.O.,
Department Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences............................................................. 16 Dean of the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine................................................ 18
Year in Review 2009 ........................................................................................................................ 20
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Finding Fascination with the Microbial World Research
Finding fascination in the microscopic world is something Kyle Ramsey, Ph.D., Department Chair of Microbiology and Immunology, has been doing since he was a young boy growing up in South Carolina. With a microscope on his desk at home in Manning, S.C., Dr. Ramsey would spend part of his boyhood days exploring the nearby woods and fields to find interesting items to examine under the lens of his microscope. That interest in the microscopic never faded, and Dr. Ramsey has spent a good portion of his professional life peering into microscopes and researching the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and its potential damaging effect on the female reproductive system. “One of the biggest impacts of Chlamydia trachomatis in the United States is something called tubal factor infertility in women. The infection gets into the upper genital track and into the fallopian tubes where it causes inflammation and scarring. This causes the fallopian tubes not to function well any more. It is this process that we are interested in researching,” Dr. Ramsey said. Since his arrival at the University in 1993, Dr. Ramsey has received multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and other organizations to continue his research that began almost 25 years ago in graduate school. While in graduate school, Dr. Ramsey was among the first to use a mouse model to study Chlamydia trachomatis—a model that has proven so useful that he continues to use it today. “We’ve identified some things in the mouse model 2
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that I think are correlative with what goes on in humans. For example, we now know that the infection is largely asymptomatic. We also know that you can still detect remnants of the Chlamydia infection in the DNA or nucleic acid of the mouse even after it is no longer able to be cultured from the infection.” This indicates that the immune response to Chlamydia is not completely effective in clearing the infection. Further compounding the problem is that because the infection can be asymptomatic, some women show no signs of infection and therefore never seek treatment. “Most of the time, women find out retrospectively that they had a Chlamydia infection by finding out they have tubal factor infertility. Tubal infertility is one of the main reasons for in vitro fertilization,” Dr. Ramsey added. Other important findings that Dr. Ramsey and his team of researchers have reported include a potential genetic component to the response mice have to a Chlamydia infection. “Looking at how the host responds to infection is important. We have a strain of mouse that is highly susceptible to Chlamydiacaused scarring and other mice that aren’t so susceptible to that. There are probably genetic variations in people as well,” Dr. Ramsey said. In addition to these findings, Dr. Ramsey has published research on the genomic sequencing of the mouse strain of Chlamydia trachomatis. This research and other studies being done at universities throughout the country may eventually lead to a vaccine to protect against Chlamydia infections. “A lot of what we have done other people have taken into human studies and proven that what we have seen in the mouse is true for humans, as well. Sometimes what you do with animals allows other people to focus their human studies.” In recognition of the significant impact he has had in the field of Chlamydia research, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) recently honored Dr.
Excellence in Action
Ramsey with the Irvin M. Korr Research Award. The award recognizes the lifetime achievements of a basic scientist who embraces the challenges of a professional career in a college of osteopathic medicine. A recognized expert in the field of Chlamydia research, Dr. Ramsey has presented his findings at national and international scientific meetings, has published extensively on the topic, and has earned significant research grants. He is also a charter member of the Chlamydia Basic Research Society, an organization that supports research in the areas of cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, structure, immunology, and pathogenic mechanisms of disease and encourages the active participation of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and new investigators in the research field. While research is an important component of the work Dr. Ramsey does at Midwestern University, he also takes seriously his teaching responsibility to the students who take his courses
Research
in microbiology and immunology. “You have to be able to teach and to communicate knowledge,” Dr. Ramsey said. “There’s a strong emphasis at Midwestern University on teaching that one does not very often see at other health professions schools, and to be good at it, you have to care about it and take it seriously.” That commitment to students is apparent in other aspects of Dr. Ramsey’s contributions to the University, as well. A retired Lieutenant Colonel with the U.S. Army Reserves, Dr. Ramsey initiated a Military Commissioning Ceremony for students several years ago. And, while he may be a long way from roaming the South Carolina woods and gathering interesting items to study with a microscope, Dr. Ramsey maintains a strong passion for his research into the microbial world. This continued zeal for his work is clear when he says, “The key to being successful is keeping yourself intellectually engaged and I’m still very interested in the research I’m doing.” President’s Report 2009 President’s Report
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Excellence in Research Embrace the Unexpected If Tom Broderick, Ph.D., Professor, Physiology, has learned just one thing from his research endeavors, it is this: Don’t merely expect the unexpected; embrace it. The Canadian-born professor and scientist has experienced many surprises throughout his career— from a sudden change in calling as an undergraduate, to unforeseen results in his research of heart metabolism and diabetes. These unexpected events not only enriched his own life and career, they have helped advance physiological science in meaningful ways. Dr. Broderick’s active youth and life-long interest in sports initially led him to pursue a career in coaching track. But three years into the kinesiology program at the University of New Brunswick in Canada, he took two physiology courses and made an abrupt change in his career direction.
"The unexpected results opened up a whole new avenue of understanding about the heart’s different energy supplies under various conditions, be it in normal function, in heart failure or in diabetes." “I dropped all the coaching activities and focused on the sciences,” he said. Not only did Dr. Broderick enthusiastically follow his new interest in physiology, he embraced a newfound passion for academia. With a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, he continued his education and pursued a career in teaching and research. He earned a master’s degree in physiology at Université Laval and a doctorate degree in exercise studies at the University of Alberta, both in Canada. As a doctoral student, Dr. Broderick’s research into the area of heart metabolism yielded unexpected results and a significant contribution to the field. The heart utilizes a combination of sugars and fats to maintain the energy needed to contract; a compound known as carnitine stimulates the use of fats for this energy. Dr. Broderick had observed that a failing heart loses this compound—the carnitine actually leaks from the heart cells and is excreted. Thus, he deduced that if one were to supplement the heart with carnitine, it should stimulate the use of fats and therefore help maintain heart function.
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“After completing a series of elaborate experiments, I found that this is not the case at all,” Dr. Broderick explained. “When you supplement the heart with carnitine, it does restore that loss of function seen in heart failure, but it doesn’t do it by stimulating fat use. It actually increases the use of sugars. This was a totally unexpected result.”
Dr. Broderick and his doctoral supervisor published the findings in several prestigious journals. The unexpected results opened up a whole new avenue of understanding about the heart’s different energy supplies under various conditions, be it in normal function, in heart failure or in diabetes. The scientist’s next stop was Midwestern University Downers Grove in 1993, where he became the institution’s first postdoctoral fellow. Under the supervision of Dennis Paulson, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Academic Officer for Dental and Medical Education, Dr. Broderick continued to work in the area of heart metabolism but with a focus on carnitine deficiency syndromes, which are known to affect the heart. In 1999, after a brief tenure at a Canadian university, he joined the Department of Physiology at MWU Glendale.
contractions during the birth process) induce the release of natriuretic peptides (NPs) and nitric oxide (NO) to create a hormonal system that protects the heart. So, Dr. Broderick and his colleagues studied the effects of treadmill running of obese diabetic mice to determine if the diabetic state is associated with a reduced OT-NPs-NO system and if exercise improves this system. Surprisingly, the group found that exercise training was not effective in reducing the body weight or the diabetic state of the obese mice. What’s more, the researchers noted a downregulation or reduction of the OT-NPs-NO system in the heart and a lower heart weight. The results suggest an impairment of this cardiac protective hormonal system in diabetes, as well as indicate that exercise is ineffective in reversing that impairment. “When this system is elevated, heart rate is normal and the pressure that the heart develops is within normal values as well,” Dr. Broderick said. “But in these obese diabetic mice, this system is very low. It’s one factor that may explain why heart function deteriorates in diabetes.”
In 2009, the Journal of Physiology published findings by Dr. Broderick and a group of colleagues in Montreal regarding the impairment in obese patients with diabetes of a vital hormonal system that protects the heart.
In another study using obese diabetic mice, Dr. Broderick also found that exercise actually worsened their metabolic state. Compared to healthy mice, exercise induced an exaggerated stress response that actually causes greater fat accumulation and increased blood sugar levels.
It has been widely proven that regular exercise is beneficial in preventing the risk of cardiovascular complications of diabetes. In addition, recent studies have shown that proteins known as oxytocin (OT) (the hormone mostly commonly known for inducing uterine wall
The unexpected results from both studies may serve as a cautionary signal to clinicians, noted Dr. Broderick. “We’re learning that if one is severely overweight and diabetic, exercise may actually worsen the condition.”
Research
Dr. Broderick continues to make important strides in his research on the heart and diabetes. Specifically, his recent studies point to the idea that exercise training among patients with diabetes who are obese may actually worsen their overall condition.
Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona Sahuaro Hall President’s Report
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Excellence in Teaching Shridhar V Andurkar, Ph.D., Department Chair Pharmaceutical Sciences, Downers Grove Campus Ph.D., 1996, Auburn University; M.S., 1991, Auburn University; B.S., 1988, University of Poona, India; Littlejohn Award 2008; numerous CCP Teacher of the Year Awards and Golden Apple Awards
stimulating, as they related to the human body, medicines, treating diseases, alleviating people’s pain, etc., but I also observed how much respect my father’s students had for him and how affectionate he was with his students. I saw how much of a difference he could make in their lives by being a good teacher. What was your first experience with teaching?
I grew up in an environment in India where I was surrounded by teachers. My grandfather was the headmaster of his high school, and my father was the dean of a medical school. My sisters are teachers. My cousins are teachers. My family is rich with teachers.
The first exposure I had to teaching – meaning standing in front of class delivering a lecture on a subject – happened during my final year in pharmacy school in India. I was a fourth-year student and one of my previous professors asked me to lecture on a particular topic to the second-year students. For that one-hour lecture, I studied for three days. I didn’t want to be unprepared in any way and I didn’t want my professor to look bad.
Who had the most influence on you to become a teacher?
What classes are you teaching for the Chicago College of Pharmacy?
My father had the biggest influence on me. I watched him and how hard he worked and how focused he was in his work. I would also listen in on conversations he would have with his students and colleagues who would occasionally come to our house. I found those conversations not only very
The courses that I teach are all medicinal chemistry courses. I teach in the required sequence of medicinal chemistry (Chemical Principles of Drug Action) along with many of my fine colleagues. Also, I’m involved in teaching elective courses. I offer an elective called Advanced Topics in Medicinal Chemistry.
What prompted you to go into teaching?
Teaching
Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois, Chicago College of Pharmacy
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Excellence in Action
Teaching
What research are you currently working on?
What have you learned from teaching students here at Midwestern University?
My expertise is in the area of designing and discovering new drugs that produce an effect on the central nervous system. I work in the area of anti-convulsants or anti-epileptics. In 1998, when I was a post-doctoral fellow, I made a compound that was approved by the FDA in October 2008 for the treatment of certain types of epilepsy. I’m continuing my research in this field.
I think that one of the most important things that I have learned is that students are not like empty vessels to be filled, rather, they are like lamps to be lit. And, once they are lit, they illuminate the world. President’s Report 2009 President’s Report
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Teaching
Walter Prozialeck, Ph.D. Department Chair, Pharmacology, Downers Grove Ph.D., 1978, Thomas Jefferson University; B.S., 1974, Juniata College; Littlejohn Award 2007; Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching 1989 Where did you grow up? I grew up in a little coal mining town in Pennsylvania called Dunlo. My dad owned and operated the Prozialeck Coal Company. From around 10 years old I was expected to help out around the mine. My father never made me dig coal inside the mine, but I did things like shovel snow off the tracks to move the coal cars around and work the scale. Also, I would shovel the coal into houses or businesses. I was paid 10 cents for shoveling each hundred pounds of coal, which worked out to $2 per ton. There are not too many Ph.D. pharmacologists who grew up doing that sort of thing. How did you end up earning a Ph.D. in pharmacology?
Walter Prozialeck, Ph.D. (right), with his father Walter Prozialeck Sr., and his son Matt on a float in a coal mining heritage parade in St. Michael, PA in 1996. Walter Prozialeck Sr. is an unofficial resident mining historian in that part of Pennsylvania.
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Very few kids from our area went to college. The few of us who did go were really lucky. My mom and dad were super. I got a few scholarships and my parents supported me all through college. I went to Juniata College, which is small liberal arts school in Pennsylvania that is highly regarded for the sciences. I ended up learning about pharmacology when I was in college doing research for one of my professors. He steered me to Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia where I did my doctoral work. How did you get interested in teaching? As a teacher, I find myself subconsciously copying the role models that I’ve had. In graduate school, I worked with a man who was a wonderful professor and role model. He just had so much passion and fun as a teacher.
When I came here to Midwestern University, I also found role models. Dr. Venkatray Prabhu hired me. At the time, I was already a tenured professor and I thought I was a pretty good teacher. Then, I came here and I saw Dr. Prabhu and compared to him, I knew zero about teaching. He was a great teacher. I find I’ve learned a lot from him. There are a lot of really good teachers at Midwestern. What makes a good teacher? I think that the teacher has to put themselves in the situation of the students, understand the students’ backgrounds, and try to present things so they can understand. What is your area of research? I am doing research on toxic metals, particularly cadmium, and the harmful effects it has on key organs in the body. Cadmium is used in industries and in a lot of consumer products like electronics, batteries, paints, and dyes. People who work in industries where cadmium compounds are used are at risk of a high level of exposure. Cadmium also gets into the environment as a result of human-industrial activities. Once in the body, cadmium tends to accumulate in the kidney and it can cause kidney disease. We’re studying how it produces those effects, and we’re looking at ways of detecting the effect very early, with the hope of finding a way to be able to treat it. Currently, there’s no treatment for cadmium poisoning. What gets you excited about teaching? Probably the most rewarding thing is seeing students who have graduated and are out in practice. I’ve seen them take care of my family members and they do a really good job. It makes me feel proud when our graduates do so well.
What is your best teaching tip for new faculty? If you don’t know, say you don’t know. It’s okay to be humbled by the material. To admit your limitations is a strength, in my opinion. That is something that I think a lot of new educators have to face. The students have high expectations, and rightfully so. But occasionally you’re put in a situation where you don’t know the answer, and it’s perfectly fine to say ‘I don’t know, but I’ll look it up and get back to you’. The students appreciate that honesty. After graduation, hopefully they still have that same personal humility and respect for their patients.
Ph.D., Physiology, Dartmouth Medical School, 1993; B.S., Biology, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, PA, 1987; Littlejohn Award 2001 Tell me your thoughts on your teaching style.
For me, it’s those brief moments when you realize that all of the students are in complete appreciation of what you’re saying. It’s those fleeting seconds when you can sense their total attentiveness, engagement and learning, pure learning, that make it so worthwhile. I firmly believe that a sound education can solve a lot of our problems, not just in medicine, but also in society.
How does the spirit of accessibility at MWU complement your teaching style? I’m not far removed from the students’ generation, so I think I can relate to their learning styles and appreciate what they find interesting. The material that I teach, particularly in neuroscience, is more interesting to a larger audience; it’s not as technical, but more behaviorally-based. I also do a lot of community education (high school students, teachers, therapists, parent groups, etc.), so I think my style can be informal and accessible, but at the same time the subject matter is serious in nature (mental illness and chemical dependency, for example). There is information that I want them to take home and remember (whether it’s students here or members in our communities), so it is very important to me that I’m an effective educator.
Teaching
James Stoehr, Ph.D. Professor, College of Health Sciences, Glendale Campus
What aspects are most fulfilling for you as a teacher?
If we develop the opportunities for those moments and shared experiences, then we can genuinely make a difference. And not just in a lecture, or in a course, or in the clinical pearls students can get from you in any given moment, but for their future patients over many years to come. That’s an awesome responsibility.
What I like to say in the PA Program is that ‘we’re serious with a smile’. We take our role as educators seriously, and we hold our students to fairly high standards. But we have fun with teaching and our curriculum. We use different technologies in the classroom, bring in certain narratives and first-person accounts; but, at the same time, we realize that only goes so far. There is information that they must know, and they must appreciate the evidence-based process as a vital part of their clinical decision-making. We are, first and foremost, a teaching institution. Regardless of whether we came from basic science or came out of clinical practice, or regardless of our scholarly activity, our first priority should be to the students. Midwestern University , Glendale Arizona Physician Assistant Program
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Linda Walters, Ph.D. Department Chair Anatomy, Glendale Campus Ph.D., Anatomy, Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, 1987; B.S., Physical Medicine/Certificate in Physical Therapy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1973; Littlejohn Award, 2004 Where did you grow up? How did that upbringing influence you?
Teaching
I grew up in rural Wisconsin on a dairy farm, in a very small community of less than 3,000 people. It was a very intimate environment, which is both good and bad. You had a lot of support around you, and everybody knew you. But at the same time, everybody knew you! So if you strayed at all, believe me, everybody knew. I also came from a strong family with lots of extended family, a very supportive, nurturing environment. So I’ve always had the strength of all those people at home. I know where I come from, what my roots are, and that I’m loved and accepted. What prompted you to go into teaching, after practicing as a physical therapist? Anatomy is my passion. When I took my first anatomy course, I found that I would study that for hours and I would be so immersed in it. Education is highly respected in my family, and I always thought some day I’d like to come back and teach. I was fortunate to have really wonderful teachers and role models in college. Still, even then, I saw that they lacked the clinical expertise, that they couldn’t put the anatomy in reference to clinical practice. So I decided to first practice physical therapy, to learn what it is that therapists really need to know in terms of anatomical structure and function. Then, I could come back and teach what I had learned. What have you learned from teaching MWU students? Many of our students have come from other professions. They’re bit older, and they come here with their own backgrounds and expertise and degrees. Certainly, they teach me their own areas of expertise. I learn when they come to me and say, “Well, I did this in the laboratory all the time and this is how this works.” And I hope they understand I welcome that. I enjoy learning in that way from them. It keeps me up to date. They remind me that maybe there is a different way that things are now being done. What is your favorite spot on campus? The reflecting pool. It probably comes from growing up in Wisconsin and always being near flowing water. Being by the reflecting pool is very nice – at sundown, when it’s quiet and its got that golden look to it. 10
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Leadership
Leading the Way By Karen J. Nichols, D.O., MACOI, M.A. Dean, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine President-elect, American Osteopathic Association What makes a good leader or manager? This is a question I have asked myself many times. In the course of my career, I have lectured on leadership and management at meetings of my peers in both the medical and academic world on several occasions. As I started my career as an osteopathic physician (D.O.), I assumed most of my time would be spent treating patients either in a private practice or at a hospital. However, my career took a different path and I soon found myself also taking on managerial positions and was soon testing my own leadership skills.
Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer Midwestern University and Karen J. Nichols, D.O., MACOI, M.A. Dean, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
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As a young physician I was given the opportunity to take on leadership positions at my hospital starting with a department chair position and eventually ending up as the chief of staff of the hospital. As I began this path toward management—one that would eventually take me to my present role as dean of the Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, and as president-elect of the American Osteopathic Association— I stopped to ask myself some important questions about what kind of leader I would make. I started by pinpointing characteristics of successful leaders. There are several skills I feel are critical to leading effectively, such as being able to communicate well, possessing strong negotiation skills, and having the ability to be persuasive and resolve conflict. I have always felt that one of the most important attributes of a leader
is to be able to embrace change and use challenging situations to make your organization stronger and yourself a better leader. It turned out that I would test this theory after I became chief of staff at my hospital. Not long after accepting the position, a conflict came up over the care of a terminally ill patient. At the time, palliative and hospice care was something that was not often discussed and there was virtually no policy on the issue. After much controversy and hearings for the doctor involved, the situation was successfully resolved and I began to work on creating a palliative care policy for the hospital. Soon I was asked to educate healthcare providers around the country on palliative care, which has become one of my prime interests as a physician. This theory can also be exercised in relation to the economy as leaders of many healthcare entities find themselves having to run their organizations on smaller budgets. Hospital administrators are facing the daunting task of making budget cuts, cutting staff, or at least cutting staff hours, all while trying to ensure their hospital is still able to provide patient care. As difficult as these decisions are, hospital leaders need to see this challenge as a chance to make the decisions to make their institutions stronger. What kind of leader would you rather be? The kind whose static organization maintains itself at the same level or one that has faced challenges and used them to become stronger? A good leader should be able to step up to the plate and manage in any situation that arises. When that situation
Excellence in Action
is successfully navigated, you are left with a feeling of satisfaction in a job well done in response to the stress and challenges you faced. Then it is time to move on to the next challenge. Note: Dr. Nichols will become the first female president of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in 2010.
Leadership
As president-elect, Dr. Nichols will assist the AOA president and help implement the goals and objectives outlined by the organization that represents the nation’s more than 67,000 osteopathic physicians. Next year as president, she will become the official spokesperson for the AOA. Realizing that this new honor will take her away from campus, the University has named Thomas Boyle, D.O., interim dean of CCOM. Dr. Nichols will return to her role as Dean in 2011. President’s Report
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Excellence in Leadership
Ed Cohen, Pharm.D. with Nancy Fjortoft, Ph.D., Dean of CCP
Ed Cohen, Pharm.D. (CCP 2000) Manager, Immunization Clinical Services, Walgreens What makes a good leader?
Leadership
A good leader is someone who has happy followers. Someone who can make the difficult decisions and communicate them in a way that keeps the “team” motivated and involved. Were there some early lessons you learned about leadership? Early on, I was active in pharmacy associations. My involvement brought me great friendships, wonderful experience, and great teachings. My most rewarding times were those spent within the associations throughout the state and national affiliations. Why is it important for you to be an active alumnus at MWU? It’s important to continue my work seeing the alumni group grow and prosper. Be it with my time and energies or contributions to scholarships or the general fund, all of those activities help the College and the University grow, prosper, and succeed. That is very rewarding to me.
Midwestern University, Chicago College of Pharmacy
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Dr. Cohen received his B.S. in pharmacy from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and Pharm.D. from Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy (MWU). After owning an independent pharmacy for many years, he transitioned into corporate pharmacy practice as director of pharmacy for Dominick’s Finer Foods (a division of Safeway) where he implemented many patient care programs and initiatives. Today, he serves as the Manager of Immunization Clinical Services for Walgreens. His current area of responsibility includes developing and implementing pharmacist delivered immunization services. He holds adjunct faculty positions at UIC and MWU. He has also serves on advisory committees for both UIC and MWU. Dr. Cohen is on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Pharmacists Association and a founding member of the Illinois Affiliate of Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. He is also the Past Chair of the MWU Alumni Senate.
Hal Pineless, D.O. (CCOM 1981) NeuroCare Institute of Central Florida
Dr. Pineless received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1981. He performed a rotating medical internship at the Chicago Osteopathic Hospital and the Olympia Fields Osteopathic Medical Center, from 1981 to 1982. He then completed his neurology residency at the VA Hines Hospital, Hines, IL, and at Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, from 1982 to 1985. Dr. Pineless served on the faculty of
the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of Neurology from 1985 to 1986. He is listed in “Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare,” and “Who’s Who in America.” Dr. Pineless has been in practice in the Orlando area since 1986. Currently Dr. Pineless serves as Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine. He also serves as a first Vice President of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA).
What makes a good leader? A good leader is someone who has a vision of what he or she wants to accomplish, is organized, humble and a great listener. Were there some early lessons you learned about leadership? It is easier to get 100 people to do 1% of the work than you to do 100% of it. Don’t be a micromanager. Ronald Reagan was a great leader because he was a great delegator. I also like to assemble a good team to work with, give them the vision (direction), and trust them to do the best they can to carry out my directives. Why is it important for you to be an active alumnus at MWU? I wouldn’t be where I am at today without the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. CCOM gave me the opportunity to become a physician, which was my lifetime dream. It seems only logical to give back to helping others achieve their dream. When I was the President of the CCOM Alumni Association, we set up the Apollo program for mentoring. This is a great way to connect alumni with students. It is always better to give than to receive. Being an active member of the MWU/CCOM alumni association is a way to do just that.
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Big Sky, Big Dreams Butte was once known as the largest city in Montana and “The Richest Hill on Earth” as one of the biggest copper boomtowns of the American West. But Craig Johnston, Ph.D., knows it as the small town that allowed him to dream big. By 1955, the year Dr. Johnston was born, many of the area’s mines had shut down and Butte’s population had dropped to about 30,000 people. Nestled within the Silver Bow Creek Valley a mile high in the Rocky Mountains, the small town cultivated a boy who loved performing – drama, musicals, public speaking – and who would eventually take the stage as Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Midwestern University’s College of Pharmacy – Glendale. Despite his leading role, Dr. Johnston has an unassuming presence. It’s not necessarily the spotlight he relishes, so much as the performance of a department that touches its audience in meaningful ways.
Leadership
“I’d like to see our small department become known for a couple of things,” he said. “One is for taking a direction in research that involves being on the cutting edge of nanotechnology. And two is to be known for our collegiality, for being able and willing to reach out and contribute as much as we can to the betterment of our colleagues, our students, our campus.” Craig Johnston, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dr. Johnston’s family moved to northern San Diego in the mid ’60s, when he was in junior high school. Around the same time, both his mother and a cousin were diagnosed with Type I diabetes. The impact of this diagnosis on his family’s daily life caused him to become more interested in medical sciences and research. His sophomore year of high school, Dr. Johnston himself was diagnosed with this autoimmune form of diabetes. “That, of course, made it even more acute to me,” he said. “I decided I really wanted to concentrate on medical research in that particular area.”
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Dr. Johnston’s high school physics teacher encouraged him to consider attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which he did. While at MIT, immersed in the lab, he realized his true passion for medical research. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at MIT and continued on to earn doctorate degrees in both pharmacology/toxicology and neurosciences at Michigan State University. His post-doctoral research took him to places as diverse as North Carolina and Texas. In the early 1990s, he returned to the Big Sky state to teach at the University of Montana in Missoula for nearly 16 years. Dr. Johnston joined MWU in 2006. Then, and now, his research has focused on two main areas: diabetes and the neurochemistry involved in regulating the female reproductive cycle. Yet, Dr. Johnston is just as excited about his colleagues’ research as he is his own. As Department Chair, Dr. Johnston has been able to recruit dynamic young researchers and teachers. Two examples of this are Drs. Mark Olsen and Volkmar Weissig. Dr. Olsen’s research is funded by the U.S.D.A. and the College of Pharmacy and involves the construction of artificial bone that is stronger than normal bone but maintains the nutritional and vascular components of real bone, processes for which Dr. Olsen holds the patents. Dr. Weissig was not only named as Teacher of the Year in his first full year at the University, but is also recognized as one of the premier experts in nanotechnology, and specifically in using nanoparticles to target mitochondrial DNA in the fight against cancer and to allow the destruction of cancerous tissue without destroying normal tissue. For these advances Dr. Weissig holds many patents, is sought after as a collaborator by several technology companies, and is asked to speak at several international symposia each year. The ability of these, and the other Department faculty, to bring the knowledge of their cutting-edge research into the classroom is one reason why they are effective teachers in the College of Pharmacy – Glendale. Thus, there are two sides to Dr. Johnston’s job – and to his goals and objectives. One is personal, driving his own research. The other is departmental, guiding students and faculty. He has led an effort to improve the quality and quantity of sponsored research being completed in the department. Evidence of the success of these efforts includes a 500 percent increase in published peer-reviewed manuscripts per year, a 560 percent increase in successful grant applications written per year, and a 70-fold increase in grant monies being obtained each year by faculty in the department. Dr. Johnston also serves as the faculty advisor for a student organization that last year was recognized by the National Office as the sixth best collegiate chapter out of seventy-two for their success in academics, service projects, recruitment,
Excellence in Action
organization, and social events. For his part, in 2009 Dr. Johnston was nominated for, and received, the Grand Council Deputy Outstanding Achievement Award as the best collegiate chapter faculty advisor in the country. His awards and honors are many. Among them are Montana’s Academy of Sciences Mershon Award for “Montana Research Scientist of the Year,” and MWU’s own Littlejohn Award for outstanding service to the University and community as a faculty member.
Leadership
Yet, the awards are merely the curtain call. It’s what goes on backstage that really matters. “I see myself as an enabler,” Dr. Johnston said. “I love trying to find a new way to help someone get to where they want to go. That means getting to know them well enough to understand their strengths, and then enabling them with the resources to best use those strengths to grow and to develop in areas where they’re not as strong. It’s about helping them become the best they can be in all areas – not just research, not just teaching, not just service, but in all three.” President’s Report President’s Report 2009
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Leadership that Pulls You Forward Lori Kemper, D.O., Dean of the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine It would seem like an easy task to ask Lori Kemper, D.O., Dean of the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, a family medicine physician, and the recent President of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA), about leadership and her efforts to lead faculty, students, and her colleagues. However, Dr. Kemper is not one to shine the spotlight on herself, and instead quickly points to those leaders who have helped her during her career as Dean of Arizona’s largest medical school.
Leadership
“So many people have put their hand down and given a little tug,” Dr. Kemper said. “An example of a person who is just an excellent leader is Dr. Goeppinger. She makes you strive to be the best that you can be. She often sees things in people that they don’t see in themselves.” Dr. Kemper has been working with Dr. Goeppinger and other University administrators since 2002 when she became the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education. At the same time, she was the Director of Medical Education for the Family Practice Residency at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital and maintaining a family practice. Dr. Kemper became the Dean of AZCOM in 2007. “I came in not having experience as a dean, but Dr. Goeppinger gave me the opportunity to learn from the Founding Dean, James W. Cole, D.O., for a whole year before I became the dean,” she said. Dr. Kemper also credits several others with providing the information and guidance she needed to become a successful dean. “Managing three medical assistants in a private practice is very different than leading faculty,” she said. Indeed, Dr. Kemper credits many people at Midwestern University with modeling the type of leadership style she too adapts – that of being a leader who inspires others. “I think good leaders are those who do not just push people forward, but pull them forward,” she said. Understanding the unique dynamics of the workplace and being able to respect each person’s individuality is another key tenant of Dr. Kemper’s leadership style. “Not everyone is led in the same way. It’s not the leader determining how to lead, it’s the led determining how they need to be led,” she said. The same is true for the students under her care. She works with her colleagues to make sure that each AZCOM student is given the opportunity to develop into the most competent, compassionate, and caring physicians that they can be. “A good leader believes that with just the right twist, just the right push, just the right effort, you can succeed,” she said.
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Excellence in Action
In talking with Dr. Kemper, one gets a sense of her can-do spirit and the joy she has in the myriad of responsibilities she undertakes as Dean. Just a few highlights of her work with Midwestern University include overseeing the recent expansion of the AZCOM program, treating patients once a week at the MWU Clinic where she is also the interim medical director, teaching an elective course, and instituting a number of innovative curriculum enhancements. “My job is so much fun. It appeals to the part of me that made me go into family practice in that I like the
Leadership
variety, and it appeals to the part of me that wanted to make a difference in the world.” Still, with all that she has done to shape the osteopathic medicine program on the Glendale Campus and to influence future generations of osteopathic physicians, Dr. Kemper is reluctant to sing her own praises. Instead, she says, “I feel like I was handed a giant gift to come to Midwestern University.” President’s Report
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January:
February:
March:
The Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce presents the University with its Chamber Choice Award for philanthropic community contribution
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MWU Glendale Alumni Leadership Council holds its first MWU Homecoming on the Glendale Campus
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For the second year in a row, Midwestern University earns a spot on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service to America’s communities
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Students on the Downers Grove Campus host a Unification Celebration, an evening recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of the healthcare team
Year in Review 2009
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Anil Gulati, M.D., Ph.D., Chicago College of Pharmacy (CCP) Associate Dean for Research, is the co-recipient of the Ranbaxy Research Award in the field of pharmaceutical sciences which recognizes outstanding original contributions in the fields of medical and pharmaceutical sciences
Cultural Night held on the Downers Grove Campus highlights diversity
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Cuts for Kids, the Glendale event that collects hair for children with hair-loss related to diseases, celebrates its 10th Anniversary and raises $4,000 for new community partner, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
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The Downers Grove Campus hosts the DuPage Area Student Leadership Academy, providing local high school students a chance to meet with members of the business community to help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the workplace
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Close to 500 local Arizona high school students learn firsthand about careers in science and medicine at the 11th annual Health Sciences Career Day; nearly 100 high school students attend a similar event in Downers Grove
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CCP awards 150 Doctor of Pharmacy degrees in Downers Grove
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CCP Alumni Council hosts a Strike-A-Connection Bowling Night at the Lucky Strike Lanes in Lombard, IL
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Foothills Science Center expansion is completed on the Glendale Campus, doubling space for faculty research
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Ground is broken for the Midwestern University Dental Institute and the Midwestern University Eye Institute, set to open in summer 2010
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High school students test their knowledge during the 11th annual Arizona Regional Brain Bee on the Glendale Campus
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400 osteopathic medical students attend Residency Opportunities Day on the Glendale Campus hosted by the MWU OPTI to learn more about clinical rotations and residency planning
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Mini-Medical School offers community members the opportunity to learn about a variety of healthcare topics on the Downers Grove Campus
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The 13th Annual Chippin’ in for Students Golf Classic at Arrowhead Country Club in Glendale, Arizona, raises $20,000 for student scholarships
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The University breaks ground on the new fivestory Science Hall on the Downers Grove Campus
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Recreation and Wellness Hall opens on the Glendale Campus, including a gymnasium, exercise/weight room, handball courts, and special areas for crafts, music and dance/aerobics
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May:
June: Close to 300 Glendale Campus students, faculty, and alumni volunteer at the annual TOPS (Team of Physicians for Students) event in Phoenix, providing 2,328 free sports physicals for Arizona high school athletes
Commencement ceremonies take place in the new stateof-the-art Auditorium on the Glendale Campus for 153 students from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM), 138 students from the College of Health Sciences (CHS), and 134 from the College of Pharmacy-Glendale (CPG)
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Midwestern University announces the appointment of M.A.J. (Lex) MacNeil, D.D.S., as the inaugural Dean of the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois
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The Bridging Ceremony celebrates the end of the didactic years and the beginning of the clinical years for CCOM students
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Glendale student groups and the Office of Student Services sponsor A Night Around the World featuring information booths, food sampling, and a cultural talent/ fashion show
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Elementary school children hunt for eggs at the annual Easter Fests on both campuses
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Kenneth A. Suarez Research Day features student research conducted alongside faculty mentors on the Downers Grove Campus
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CCOM graduates 168 students with 49 percent entering primary care residencies, and the College of Health Sciences-DG graduates 115 students with the following degrees: Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, and Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
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More than 100 golfers participate in the Golf Classic in Downers Grove to support student scholarships
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The Career Explorers Pharmacy Program celebrates its 10th year on the Downers Grove Campus with an address by Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) who helped procure a Department of Education grant to expand the program
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Annual Faculty and Staff Recognition Dinner celebrates service to MWU-Downers Grove
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Year in Review 2009
April:
MWU begins welcoming future healthcare professionals to its campuses for orientation
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Glendale Campus Celebrates OT Day with demonstrations, wheelchair basketball competition, and other information about the contributions occupational therapists make to the healthcare team
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“Groovin’ in the Grove” 5K Run and Fun Walk, celebrates its 20th year in Downers Grove with more than 350 runners ranging in age from 5- to 85-years old
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The new covered Parking Deck opens on the east end of the Glendale Campus
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July:
August:
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) installs CCOM Dean Karen Nichols, D.O., MACOI, M.A., as president-elect
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September:
AZCOM Class of 2012 learns patient observation skills in a unique setting during new student orientation: the Phoenix Art Museum; first-year CCOM students participate in a similar exercise at the Art Institute of Chicago
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Students from Daniel Hale Williams Preparatory School of Medicine attended a career day sponsored by CCOM
Year in Review 2009
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Graduates from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine comprise the highest percentage of all new family practice residents and practicing family physicians in the U.S., as reported in the September issue of the Family Medicine Journal
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Runners gather on the Downers Grove Campus for the annual St. Jude Chicago to Peoria Run to benefit childhood cancer research
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A second TOPS free sports physicals event is held on the Glendale Campus for 428 athletes from local community colleges.
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Students from the Chicago College of Pharmacy and the College of Health Sciences receive their degrees
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Opportunities Day allows Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine students to learn more about postdoctoral training programs and residency opportunities
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MWU opens the first optometry school in Arizona and welcomes 52 new students
More than 600 firstyear students receive their white coats as part of the annual White Coat Ceremony in Illinois
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Forty-eight high school students attend MWU’s 11th annual Health Careers Institute on the Glendale Campus
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Jacalyn M. Green, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biochemistry, receives a prestigious research grant from the National Institutes of Health for her project on the “Role of the abg Locus of E coli in Folate Catabolism”
121 students from the Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Clinical Psychology, and Nurse Anesthesia programs receive degrees at a commencement ceremony on the Glendale Campus
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The Glendale Campus hosts the sixth West Valley Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes and raises $107,461 to support the ADA’s mission to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all
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The MWU Physical Therapy alumni group hosts its inaugural event at the Kane County Cougars baseball game
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Glendale Campus honors outstanding faculty and staff/alums at the annual Faculty/Staff Recognition Dinner
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Both campuses host Health Professions Career Days for prospective students
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“We’re MWU Proud” employee giving campaign kicks off
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We’re
MWU PROUD
Downers Grove Glendale
The Costin Institute begins new cohort and offers classes to prepare osteopathic physicians to become effective medical educators
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October:
November:
Russell Gilpatrick, D.D.S., is appointed as Dean of the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona
The American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) bestowed several honors on members of the Midwestern University community including awarding the Irvin M. Korr Research Award to Kyle Ramsey, Ph.D., Department Chair, Microbiology & Immunology (CCOM)
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Participants in the annual Ward E. Perrin, D.O. Clinical Refresher Course review recent updates in a variety of medical specialties
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500 guests attend the 2009 Bright Lights, Shining Stars Gala to celebrate community service and raise funds for student scholarships
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Construction continues on the 2,350 square-foot Glendale interfaith chapel set to open in Summer/Fall 2010, donated by Chanen Construction and other Midwestern University building partners
CCOM Class of 1959 inducted into Gold Medallion Club at class reunion dinner Students hold Community Health Fair to educate the public and provide 200 free flu shots in Downers Grove
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600 friends and neighbors of the University attend the annual “Glories of the Holidays” free family concert on the Glendale Campus
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760 first-year students receive white coats as a symbol of professionalism at the annual White Coat ceremony on the Glendale Campus
Children from the community enjoy breakfast with Santa on the Downers Grove Campus
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Students on both campuses conduct clothing and toy drives to benefit needy families during the holiday season
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Two CCOM students and their faculty mentors received top honors at the AOA poster competition in New Orleans
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Hoops for Healing event donates 100 percent of proceeds to the Foundation for Physical Therapy, which supports physical therapy research
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Students from the College of Dental MedicineArizona provide educational workshops on teeth brushing and flossing for 1,400 local second and third graders
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Dr. Kathleen H. Goeppinger, MWU President and CEO, hosts faculty and staff holiday lunches on both campuses
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CCP holds the annual CareerXpo where students and graduates alike network with different pharmacy-related companies for employment or postgraduate opportunities
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Glendale Campus receives recognition award from the American Diabetes Association of Arizona for its role as a Diabetes EXPO Sponsor
Year in Review 2009
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December:
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Glendale students participate in a Volunteer Fair to learn about service opportunities
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CCOM and AZCOM alumni reconnect with their alma maters at annual AOA luncheon and reception
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Midwestern University Annual Fund Enduring Tradition Support
A
s alumni and friends of the colleges of Midwestern University, you are a valued part of our healthcare community. With your support, we can continue to recruit quality students, retain and attract exceptional faculty, and prepare tomorrow’s healthcare team. Please carefully consider making a gift to the Midwestern Annual Fund and help us continue the tradition and promise that makes the MWU experience so special. Any gift you make will impact at every level of the University.
W ays
to
G ive :
Gifts of Cash Cash gifts may be made with a personal or cashier’s check, or by credit card. MWU also welcomes your gift through a pledge, which can be fulfilled over a period of up to five years.
Online Visit www.midwestern.edu to give online.
Matching Gift Program Many organizations offer a matching gift program. Please check with your human resources department to determine whether your employer will match gifts to charitable institutions.
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Planned Gifts To learn about deferred or planned gifts, including bequests, life-income plans, securities, stocks, and bonds, please contact the Office of Development & Alumni Relations.
Contact Us Contact the Office of Development & Alumni Relations, 555 31st Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515; 19555 North 59th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85308. Or, email
[email protected]. Phone 630-515-6123, 623-572-3286, or toll free at 800-962-3053.
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Downers Grove Campus
555 31st Street Downers Grove, IL 60515 Glendale Campus
19555 North 59th Avenue Glendale, AZ 85308 www.midwestern.edu 26
President’s Report
