NEOUCOM

MAGAZINE

VOL13.1 Spring/ Summer 2010

A PUBLICATION OF THE NORTHEASTERN OHIO UNIVERSITIES COLLEGES OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY

The Start of a New Era: Jay Gershen begins time of positive transformation

Daisy Alford-Smith joins NEOUCOM Board of Trustees Stedman Graham brings new light to diversity NEOUCOM Alumni helps in Haiti-relief efforts

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Northeastern Ohio Universities colleges of medicine & pharmacy

The Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) is a community-based public institution focused on the interprofessional training of health professionals. Through its educational, research and service mission, NEOUCOM improves the quality of life of health care in Northeast Ohio. NEOUCOM is a member of the University System of Ohio and its partners include teaching hospitals, community sites and boards of health.

NEOUCOM Magazine is published twice per year by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing. NEOUCOM Board of Trustees Steven P. Schmidt, Ph.D., Chair Judith E. Barnes Lancaster, Esq., Vice Chair Eric Kodish, M.D. (‘86) Chander M. Kohli, M.D. Dianne Bitonte Miladore, M.D. (‘81) Anil M. Parikh, M.D., DFAPA Gary S. Shamis, CPA, M. Acc. Daisy L. Alford-Smith, Ph.D. Denise San Antonio Zeman Rebecca Corsi – Student Trustee John Graham – Student Trustee Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D. President David D. Allen, R.Ph., Ph.D., FASHP Dean, College of Pharmacy Jay C. Williamson, M.D., C.P.E. Interim Dean, College of Medicine Lindsey Hugh Loftus Vice President, Institutional Advancement Cristine D. Boyd - Editor Director of Public Relations and Marketing Contributing writers: Cristine Boyd, director of public relations and marketing; Laura Cessna, coordinator, career development; Jacqualine A. Hart, specialist II, College of Pharmacy; Carole Harwood, communications and development manager, BeST Center; Laura Mariano, public relations and marketing specialist; Vondea Sheaffer, coordinator of development and alumni relations; Shelley A. Sprang, marketing coordinator, continuing professional education Publication Design: L. Herbert Design Office of Public Relations and Marketing 4209 State Route 44, P.O. Box 95 Rootstown, Ohio 44272-0095 E-mail: [email protected] No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the editors. Copyright 2010 by the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Rootstown, Ohio 44272 NEOUCOMMagazine

PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE It is the start of a new era at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM). During her years as NEOUCOM president, Dr. Lois Nora did an extraordinary job of growing the institution from a college to a university, building a reputation as a premiere educational provider and positioning it for future growth. The institution is continuing to build from that excellence, and I am extremely pleased to be part of it. NEOUCOM is an amazing place. We currently have three colleges (medicine, pharmacy and graduate studies), are experiencing significant growth in our research areas and are graduating outstanding physicians – many who choose to practice in the state of Ohio. We also have excellent collaborations with our many partners, which include hospitals, pharmacies, boards of health, universities, corporations, funders and community groups. Our partners are very important to us, and we are working with them to enhance our relationships so that we can effectively meet the heath care needs of Northeast Ohio. Times are changing, and NEOUCOM is positioned to change with it. The passage of health care reform will provide new opportunities for health care professionals. As the number of insured individuals increases over the next few years, there will be an even greater need for primary care physicians who can work with diverse populations. NEOUCOM can play a lead role in the state, region and the nation for preparing physicians and pharmacists to meet these challenges. For example, we are building pipeline programs that will increase the number of students from diverse backgrounds coming into the health professions and other science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) fields. In addition, we are developing programs that will provide debt relief for health professions students who are interested in serving in primary care disciplines in underserved urban and rural areas. NEOUCOM must continue to move forward on a path of transformation. We will be broadening our reach to include the Cleveland community as we formalize our medical school agreement with Cleveland State University and create educational opportunities for students in Cleveland-area hospitals. We will also continue to review opportunities to add new academic programs, including programs to build on our collaborations with other universities. NEOUCOM’s research portfolio is very strong. We will continue to grow in targeted areas and build our research collaborations with university and hospital partners. Opportunities for public-private partnerships as well as opportunities for commercialization are important for this expansion. The stresses in the economy caused by the national recession and withdrawal of the federal stimulus funds are creating many challenges to the budgets of state entities, including public colleges and universities. The role of the state in support of higher education will change dramatically over the next few years, and we need to create an opportunity out of the challenge. NEOUCOM is preparing to meet those challenges by working to develop new initiatives that will help us become less reliant on state funding. The health care and education landscapes are changing, and we can’t just sit back and wait to see what happens. This is the time for transformation – positive transformation that can impact our institution, our region, our students and our future. Sincerely,

Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D. President

DEPARTMENTs

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16 17 20 21 22 24 28 30 34 35

NEOUCOM

From the President Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D., shares information about the positive transformation that is taking place on campus.

FEATURES

President

Gershen

High Notes Jay C. Williamson, M.D., C.P.E., is named interim dean of medicine; NEOUCOM is recognized by the American Heart Association as a 2009 Start! Fit-Friendly company; Daisy Alford-Smith, Ph.D., is added to the Board of Directors; Lois M. Nora, M.D., J.D., is granted president emerita and dean, College of Medicine emerita status. Educating, Researching and Serving NEOUCOM faculty members and academic leaders are fulfilling the University’s tri-part mission of education, research and service in the health professions through significant leadership roles and professional activities. Academics The Bioethics Certificate program adds another dimension to health sciences education.

MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

begins positive transformation

10

President Gershen begins his tenure as the sixth president of NEOUCOM and immediately hits the ground running.

Focusing on the Future Students participate in Match Day and learn of their future residency plans. FIRST Program Unveiled FIRST program provides immediate treatment for schizophrenia. Research Two NEOUCOM researchers continue effort to find relief for Parkinson’s patients. ABIA aids NEOUCOM efforts NEOUCOM named a Center of Excellence, receives research grants and begins search for Ohio Research Scholar. Distinguished Alumni Raymond Onders, M.D. (’88), is recognized for his groundbreaking work in medicine.

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Stedman Graham inspires individuals to set goals

Stedman Graham addresses area students and local business professionals as part of NEOUCOM diversity event.

Students Aid in Humanitarian Efforts Students at NEOUCOM assist in relief efforts right here in Ohio. Alumni News For NEOUCOM alumni, life happens quickly! Read through the Class Notes section to help you catch up on the busy lives of your classmates. Every Gift Makes a Difference Dr. Kong and Mrs. Gim Oh give back through continued education and established scholarships. Continuing Professional Development Find out about NEOUCOM’s Office of Continuing Professional Development’s upcoming seminars, accredited online courses and credit for clinical inquiry.

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Haiti

Alumni, Jack Fitzgerald, M.D. (’83), stepped up to aid recovery efforts in Haiti after a devastating natural disaster. Spring/Summer2010 3

highnotes Jay C. Williamson, M.D., C.P.E.

Interim Dean of Medicine announced

Alford-Smith named ninth member of NEOUCOM Board of Trustees

Jay C. Williamson, M.D., C.P.E., has been named interim dean of the College of Medicine at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM), effective Jan. 15, 2010. Dr. Williamson most recently served as the associate dean for clinical sciences. The dean of medicine position was vacated by Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., J.D., who stepped down as president and dean of medicine after more than seven years. The NEOUCOM Board of Trustees made the strategic decision to separate the position from the president’s role last year. Dr. Williamson, professor of family medicine, has served the College of Medicine community in various roles for more than 30 years. Prior to his appointment as associate dean in 1995, Dr. Williamson was director of the Family Practice Residency Program at the Summa Health System. He has also served on several statewide committees for organizations such as the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians and the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) to advocate for medical education and primary care. Williamson currently chairs the Focused Task Force on Accreditation for OSMA, which approves all providers that grant continuing medical education in the State of Ohio. Recently, he played a pivotal role in the development of the Portage County Community Health Center, which opened its doors in November 2009 to provide clinical care to the medically underserved.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland appointed Daisy Alford-Smith, Ph.D., as the ninth member of the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy Board of Trustees. Alford-Smith serves as chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO), which covers an 18-county region serving more than 40,000 girls and 14,000 adult volunteers. Previous to leading GSNEO, she served as the chief operating officer with the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools and the International Commission on Health Care Professions in Philadelphia, Pa. Throughout her leadership experience, Dr. Alford-Smith has been very involved with issues surrounding minority health care, social reform and community empowerment. While serving as the director of the Summit County Department of Jobs and Family Services, she was lauded for her distinguished accomplishments in the reorganization and implementation of welfare reform, and for the development of the first county-wide health and human services agenda and forum. As assistant professor and director of the Center for Urban & Minority Health at Case Western Reserve University, she taught health policy, initiated urban and minority health programs, and conducted minority health research.

NEOUCOM named a 2009 Start! Fit-Friendly company The Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) was named a 2009 Start! Fit-Friendly Company by the American Heart Association (AHA) and received a Gold Award for its accomplishments in the program. The award, which recognizes employers who go above and beyond when it comes to their employee’s health, was presented at the annual NEOUCOM employee holiday party on Dec. 16, 2009. To be eligible for the recognition, NEOUCOM enrolled in the AHA’s Start! Program, which provides ways for companies to encourage employees to become more physically active and focus on living healthier lifestyles through walking. To encourage employees at NEOUCOM, the institution provided walking routes, promoted walking programs, offered an incentive program and featured monthly “lunch and learn” activities to promote healthy living. More than 1,100 businesses across the nation have been recognized as Start! Fit-Friendly companies, and all were recognized in a special, Sept. 28, 2009, section of Fortune.

This section of the NEOUCOM Magazine is devoted to sharing news highlights from the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM). 4 NEOUCOMMagazine

To stay connected with daily news at NEOUCOM, please visit www.neoucom.edu.

During her tenure as the director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health, she successfully established public health programs that improved the quality of life for thousands of Cleveland, Ohio, residents by creating innovative programs that addressed health and human services issues, along with specific rehabilitation programs for inmates at the House of Corrections. As former deputy director for the Ohio Department of Human Services, Dr. Alford-Smith was responsible for statewide supervision of child welfare, social services, adult protective services, Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) activities and child care, as well as budgetary and legislative responsibilities. In this position, she actively advocated for and instituted public policy initiatives that had statewide impact. Daisy Alford-Smith, Ph.D.

Nora granted president emerita and dean, College of medicine emerita status At its December 2009 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved and awarded president emerita and dean, College of Medicine emerita status to Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., J.D., for her extraordinary vision, leadership and talent to the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy for more than seven years.

Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., J.D., and Steven Schmidt, Ph.D., chair of the Board of Trustees

Spring/Summer2010 5

FEATURE

Educating, Researching and Serving NEOUCOM’s faculty members and academic leaders are fulfilling the University’s tri-part mission of education, research and service through significant leadership roles and professional activities:

Hull named president of national organization Sharon Hull, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor and chair of the department of behavioral and community health sciences and associate professor of family health, has been named president of the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR). APTR is the professional organization for the academic medical and public health community dedicated to prevention research and interprofessional education.

Faculty and staff receive National Guard recognition Ivan Nwaogu, third-year pharmacy student and member of the Air Force Reserve, presented certificates from the National Guard and Reserve Force to members of the faculty and staff for their support of the Guard and continued support of Nwaogu as a student. Honored were: Polly Moss, assistant dean, student affairs and administration; Clint Snyder, Ph.D., associate dean, health professions education; Seth Brownlee, Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmacy practice and director of pharmacotheraphy; Robb McGory, M.S., Pharm.D., R.Ph., professor of pharmacy practice; David D. Allen, R.Ph., Ph.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy; Richard Kasmer, Pharm.D., J.D., associate professor of pharmacy practice and S. Scott Wisneski, Pharm.D., director of experiential education and assistant professor of pharmacy practice.

Dr. David Allen, Dr. Scott Wisneski, Dr. Richard Kasmer, Ivan Nwaogu, Dr. Clint Snyder, Polly Moss, Dr. Robb McGory and Dr. Seth Brownlee

NEOUCOM recognizes faculty and staff Five individuals were recently recognized for their contributions to excellence. Mark Savickas, Ph.D., emeritus chair of the behavioral sciences area and professor of behavioral sciences, received the 2009 Outstanding Research Award; Paul Hartung, Ph.D., professor of behavioral sciences, received the 2009 Liebelt/Wheeler Award for Faculty Excellence; Anita Pokorny, director of career development and advising, received the 2009 Olson/Blair Award for Administrative Excellence; Elizabeth Piatt, Ph.D., assistant professor of community health services, received the 2009 Community Service Award; and Michele Rosenberger, assistant director of the Wasson Center, received the 2009 Mary Jane Kelly Award for Staff Excellence.

Dr. Sharon Hull, M.D., M.P.H.

Allen and English given national honors David D. Allen, R.Ph., Ph.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy, has been named a Distinguished Scholar in the National Academies of Practice (http://www.napractice.org), Pharmacy Academy. Each academy is limited to 150 total members. Dale E. English II, R.Ph., Pharm.D., FAHSP, director of instructional laboratories and professional relations and assistant professor of pharmacy practice, received a Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). English was one of only six award recipients and the sole recipient of the award for the Section of Inpatient Care Practitioners.

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Dr. Mark Savickas

Dr. Jay Williamson, Dr. Paul Hartung, Dr. David Allen

Michelle Mulhern, Dr. Elizabeth Piatt, Dr. Jay Gershen

Michele Rosenberger and Dr. Jay Gershen

Dr. Jay Williamson, Anita Pokorny, Dr. Jay Gershen

Dr. English and Dr. Allen

Spring/Summer2010 7

Educating, Researching

and

Serving

Chilian takes part in knighting ceremony

OAFP Faculty Development and Research Conference

William M. Chilian, Ph.D, professor of physiology and pharmacology and chair of the department of integrative medical sciences presented, “The matching of coronary flow to myocardial metabolism: An intimate marriage. A bitter divorce.” at the University of Amsterdam. He also took part in a ceremony where his colleague, Dr. Jos. A.E. Spaan, was knighted into the Royal Order of the Dutch Lions, one of the highest civilian honors in the Netherlands.

The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians held its annual faculty development and research conference in Columbus, Ohio, in January 2010, and NEOUCOM clinical faculty took top honors in three of the four categories judged: • William Smucker, M.D. (Summa) – best research presentation (faculty) • Renee Markovich, M.D., and Lauren Burns, D.O. (Akron General Medical Center) – best educational presentation (faculty) • Christopher Taggart, M.D. (Summa) – best educational presentation (resident)

NEOUCOM formalizes agreements with three area boards of health Dr. David Gutterman, executive associate dean for research at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Maria Spaan, Sir Spaan and Dr. Chilian.

Pictured at the Portage County H1N1 After Action Conference are Dr. Anthony Costas, chair of family medicine at NEOUCOM; Dr. Angela DeJulius, medical director at The Portage County Combined Health District (PCDH); Kelly Engelhart, director of nursing at PCDH; Kali Gauer, NEOUCOM public safety and security associate; and Dr. Mark Penn, NEOUCOM senior vice president for academic affairs and executive associate dean of medicine.

Mahoning County District Board of Health

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As a community-based institution, the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) partners with area hospitals/health systems, health departments and pharmacies to deliver hands-on training and partnership opportunities for more than 685 students enrolled in its medical and pharmaceutical degree programs. The institution recently announced its formal affiliation with the Mahoning County District Board of Health, Portage County Combined Health District and Canton City Health Department. NEOUCOM also has health care affiliation agreements with the Akron City Health Department (partnership began in 1976, formal affiliation agreement was established in 1997) and Stark County (agreement established in 2004). NEOUCOM was the first public medical college in the nation to formally affiliate with public health departments. C. William Keck, M.D., M.P.H., who served as director of public health for the city of Akron and was an associate dean in the division of community health sciences at NEOUCOM, initiated the concept in the mid-1990s. His approach was soon adopted by medical colleges throughout the United States, proving to be of benefit to both universities and local health departments. “Bill Keck recognized that many local health departments did not have the financial or professional resources needed to carry out all of the responsibilities they were given,” said Sharon Hull, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor and chair of the department of behavioral and community health sciences and associate professor of family health at NEOUCOM. “Developing partnerships between the health departments and universities helped the public health establishments get the additional assistance they needed, while also exposing educational institutions to the greater needs of the community.” Matthew Stefanak, M.P.H., health commissioner at the Mahoning County District Board of Health and instructor of behavioral and community health services at NEOUCOM, has seen the impact a relationship like this can make to the community. “An important part of our mission is to train health professionals in disease prevention and health promotion,” he said. “This agreement strengthens a longstanding relationship between our health department and NEOUCOM that benefits us both.” NEOUCOM and the Mahoning County District Board of Health are also currently collaborating to create the Ohio Research Association for Public Health Improvement (RAPHI). This two-year project, supported by a $90,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is being developed in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and will create a research network of public health practitioners and academics in Ohio. Once developed, this Ohio wide Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRN) program will be open to all Ohio health departments and will work to establish evidence about the most effective ways of organizing, financing and delivering public health services.

Students elected to national organizations

Alexandria Howard

Joe Dikun

Alexandria Howard, a third-year medical student, was elected national Student National Medical Association co-chair for the community services and assistant regional director for Region V.

Third-year pharmacy student Joe Dikun and secondyear pharmacy student Angela Nikitas secured leadership positions within two of the largest and most prominent national pharmacy organizations. Dikun was recently appointed by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (ASHP) president-elect, Ms. Diane Ginsburg, M.S., R.Ph., FASHP, to the ASHP Student Forum’s Executive Committee as vice chair and was also honored as one of 12 leadership recipients in the country to receive the ASHP’s Student Leadership Award. Nikitas was recently elected as president-elect for the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) during their annual House of Delegates session at the APhA’s annual meeting.

Angela Nikitas

Medical students named Scholars

Laura Bertani

Stan Wang

Medical students Laura Bertani and Stan Wang were named Fulbright Scholar and NIH-Oxford-Cambridge Scholar, respectively. Bertani, a second-year medicine student, will take leave from her medical studies to complete a research project in impoverished Paraguay. Through her project, which will address resource identification and methods of strengthening the country’s capacity for education, public health and health policy research, she plans to investigate health systems development, health policy and the capacity for clinical research in Paraguay. Wang, a first-year medicine student, will take a leave of absence to pursue a Ph.D. in stem cell biology with a focus on discovering new models of and innovating novel treatments for neurological diseases and conditions. Through the NIH-Oxford-Cambridge program, he will split his time and coordinate a project between labs at both the NIH in Bethesda, Md., and Cambridge, England.

Spring/Summer2010 9

FEATURE

“We are a

Taking

community-based institution, and we

the Lead W

need to work well with all of our partners – I want to

BY Cristine Boyd

hen the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) officially began looking for a new leader in early 2009, there was a lot of discussion about what the perfect individual would be like. Phrases such as, “health care leader,” “innovative fund raiser” and “community collaborator” could be heard in meetings and conversations on campus. In his first few months in office, Dr. Jay Gershen has proven to have what it takes to be all of that and more. Prior to taking the helm at NEOUCOM, Dr. Gershen was the vice chancellor for external affairs at the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver), where he served as the University’s point person for business development, community affairs and external relations, as well as holding positions on numerous business advisory boards in the Denver metropolitan area, state of Colorado and nationally. He was also a professor at the UC Denver School of Dental Medicine since 1997. According to Dr. Gershen, he didn’t actively pursue a position as a university president – instead, he was sought out. “I had been approached by (presidential search) firms before, but this time it was different. NEOUCOM seemed like a good

match. With health care reform on the horizon and the economic issues the country was facing, NEOUCOM was well-positioned to focus on addressing the needs in the health care workforce that would help make a difference in providing effective care to our patients.” While in Colorado, Dr. Gershen was instrumental in creating the University of Colorado’s 21st century health sciences center at the former Fitzsimons Medical Army Garrison, the largest medical construction project in the nation. “It was a very successful venture, but one that required good relationships,” he said. “After learning that NEOUCOM was built on community partnerships, I was intrigued by the idea of continuing to utilize partnerships in different ways in Northeast Ohio to achieve goals that were beneficial for the community.”

make sure of that.”

President Dr. Gershen speaking with Janet Okoben from the Plain Dealer.

Gershen begins positive transformation

Dr. Gershen with Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, at the 2009 Research!America Advocacy Awards, where Gershen was a speaker.

Dr. Gershen meets Rep.Tim Ryan to discuss health care legislation. Pictured are student Julia Ng, Ryan, students Susan McMahon and Mary Hull, and Gershen.

Dr. Gershen is greeted by NEOUCOM employees on his first day in office. 10 NEOUCOMMagazine

Spring/Summer2010 11

Taking

the Lead

When Dr. Jay Gershen steps

His first day in office was Jan. 15, and Gershen immediately hit the

into a room, he does so quietly and

ground running. In the first 90 days, he met with faculty, staff, students,

unassumingly, yet a warm smile quickly

alumni and community, government and consortium partners to begin

comes across his face. Dr. Gershen is

building relationships. He also began a review of the current campus

always thinking and always looking to

master plan, began a new strategic planning and resource allocation

improve his relationships with NEOUCOM constituents. “We are a community-based institution, and we need to work well with all of our partners – I want to make sure of that,” he says. Steven Schmidt, Ph.D., vice president, clinical research and innovation at Summa

process, and embarked on a renaming/rebranding process. And if that wasn’t enough, he immediately began working with Cleveland State University (CSU) to define and plan the NEOUCOM-CSU collaborative partnership. “There is so much flexibility here,” said Dr. Gershen. “There is a real eagerness from the faculty and staff to pursue transformation and address challenges in a straightforward manner.” The challenges Dr. Gershen speaks of are the changes caused by the

Health System in Akron, Ohio, and chair

new health care reform, stresses in the economy and decreases in state

of the NEOUCOM Board of Trustees, is

funding for higher education. “These challenges also bring about

confident that Gershen has what it takes

immense opportunity,” he says. “There is outstanding scientific research

to move the institution into the next phase

done on our campus. I believe we can capitalize on the quality of our

of its history.

faculty and grow our research enterprise. Additionally, I believe that if

“Jay Gershen is a remarkable man, and

we continue to focus on primary care and patient-centered health care,

his unique background in health care and

we can become a model for workforce training in Northeast Ohio, the

education will benefit NEOUCOM

state and the nation in terms of providing primary care services to the

immensely,” Schmidt says. “He is a good

public in a way that may increase opportunities for increased quality,

fit and will make an impact on this university and how it views its role in higher education within the state of Ohio.”

Dr. Gordon Gee, president of The Ohio State University, hosted a reception in honor of Dr. Gershen at his Columbus home. Dr. Gershen challenged OSU to a football game against our “Walking Whales.”

access and decreased costs.”

interim vice president for academic affairs and research for the University of Colorado System and executive vice chancellor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He served on the faculty of the School of Dentistry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and was director of the UCLA Mobile Dental Clinic serving children of migrant workers in rural California. He was awarded a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowship and has served on

Dr. Gershen tours the The William G. Wasson, M.D., Center for Clinical Skills Training, Assessment and Scholarship at NEOUCOM.

many national boards. He holds a B.A. in psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a D.D.S. from the University of Maryland. He completed both a clinical specialty in pediatric dentistry and a Ph.D. in education at UCLA in 1976. Although it appears that Dr. Gershen eats, sleeps and breathes health care, he does try to maintain a balance. He enjoys cycling and has a soft spot for the performing arts, including opera and Broadway shows. The son and grandson of Vaudeville performers, Dr. Gershen grew up backstage at the Palace Theatre in the Bronx and was exposed to the likes of famed performers such as Jimmy Durante. “I was so inspired that I became a dramatics major in college,” he said. “Now I’m a man who can appreciate the talent in others.” Dr. Gershen delivers his first “State of the University” address.

Dr. Gershen’s knowledge of the health care industry is broad. In addition to his external affairs work at UC Denver, he has served as

Dr. Gershen and Susan Rodger chat with Crystal Cook, senior legislative officer at Kent State University, and guest. 12 NEOUCOMMagazine

Spring/Summer2010 13

FEATURE

Stedman Graham inspires individuals to set goals BY Cristine Boyd

Stedman Graham, Alexandria Howard, Dr. Jay Gershen and Hortense Bobbitt

“The whole world is stuck in a box because they have no identity – they don’t know who they are. I am here to wake you up – get you out of the box so you can learn to create your own future and stop thinking small.” The words of author, educator and entrepreneur Stedman Graham reverberated through the Kent State University Ballroom on March 11, 2010, as more than 450 students from 12 area high schools listened to his encouraging words. Drawing from his bestselling books, “You Can Make it Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Success” and “Teens Can Make it Happen: Nine Steps to Success,” Graham encouraged students to find their own path and not be defined by their circumstances. “It’s not how the world defines you – it’s how you define yourself,” he shared. Graham spoke to students for more than an hour, inspiring them to break out of the box that keeps them from growing to their full potential – revealing that success is truly based on results, performance and excellence. Students then listened to a presentation on the college admissions process, an overview of careers in the health care field and a student panel consisting of Kent State/NEOUCOM students. Later that afternoon, Graham spoke to a full house of community representatives at the Ralph Regula Conference Center during the sixth annual NEOUCOM Diversity Leadership and Awards Celebration. There, Graham focused on diversity as a way to embrace others. “Whatever it is that has ever made you feel less than someone else – let that go, and become the person you want to be. Freedom is based on love. Organize your heart based on your passions.” Graham’s appearance at both events was sponsored by CVS Caremark, an advocate of pharmacy education and creator of the Pathways to Pharmacy program, which offers high school students a 25-hour a week paid internship that includes three weeks of experience shadowing pharmacists in CVS/pharmacy stores and two weeks of instruction on NEOUCOM’s Rootstown campus. The Pathways to Pharmacy Program is a national program and the first of its kind in the state of Ohio.

Graham poses with representatives from CVS Caremark.

Graham holds a book signing at the end of the event.

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Graham inspired students during his talk at Kent State.

Stedman Graham, Leona Farris, Dr. Jay Gershen and Hortense Bobbitt

Stedman Graham, Marsha Mills, Dr. Jay Gershen and Hortense Bobbitt

The annual diversity event raised more than $49,000 for diversity scholarships, and recognized outstanding individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing and improving diversity within the Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy and the health professions. Mrs. Hortense Bobbitt served as honorary chair of the event. Honored at the event were: • Leona Farris of Stow, Ohio – recipient of the Community-Based Diversity Partnership Award • Marsha Mills of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – recipient of the Faculty/Staff Leadership and Excellence Award • Alexandria Howard of Cleveland, Ohio – recipient of the Rising Star Student Achievement Award

Spring/Summer2010 15

Academics

Asking questions that matter… Bioethics Certificate Program probes into health care’s more difficult questions BY Jacqualine Hart

Excitement generated annual Match Day By Laura Cessna

Back row: Emily Wiland, Sindura Katta, Sandeep Patel, Eugene Yeh and Timothy Campbell; Front row: Christina Prabhu, Teresa Deak, Kelly Park, Dr. Julie Aultman, associate professor of behavioral and community health sciences, and Diana Anderson.

Julie M. Aultman, Ph.D., director of the Bioethics Certificate program and associate professor of behavioral and community health sciences

Emily Lee Wiland, M.D. (’09)

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Are some babies too premature for newborn intensive care? Are the costs of extraordinary care acceptable? How are these decisions made? Ethical dilemmas in the field of neonatology are what enticed Emily Lee Wiland, M.D. (’09), to pursue the Bioethics Certificate at the Northeastern Ohio Univerisites Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM). “In this field, there are a lot of ethical situations that occur. I wanted to make sure I understood the ethics involved, so that I could practice to the best of my ability and determine the principles behind decisions I would have to make,” says Wiland. Bioethics is becoming commonplace among health care professions. Since 1990, there has been a 182 percent increase in bioethics training programs (2001 statistics; ASBH). Accreditation standards for medicine and pharmacy professional degree programs require ethical foundations as part of the core curriculum. Medical science and technology advances continue to push the envelope on professional responsibilities and obligations in providing patient care. The NEOUCOM Bioethics Certificate program, offered to current NEOUCOM students, is an opportunity to address this need in a more specialized manner. “The program is specifically aimed at providing students a solid background on ethical situations and issues they may be confronted with in the clinical setting,” says Julie M. Aultman, Ph.D., director of the Bioethics Certificate program and associate professor of behavioral and community

health sciences. Wiland agreed that this program “helps you take ethics from the classroom to the bedside.” In the program, students gain the ability to recognize ethical occurrences, effectively deliberate, and find alternative resolutions with the potential to develop policies within the hospital or pharmacy setting. Students also gain first-hand experience during their fourth year as they serve on an ethics committee or institutional review board. This training provides them with the tools to teach others, including the patient, when confronted with such ethical dilemmas and strengthens interprofessional team building. Wiland and her fellow 2009 graduating bioethicists found the Bioethics Certificate program to be an enriching opportunity. “You must be prepared to challenge yourself by looking at your own beliefs and values,” says Wiland. The program provides graduates with an uncommon accomplishment on their curricula vitae, a lively conversation during residency interviews, a first-year resident opportunity to serve on grand rounds, and a hospital ethics committee and presentation at the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities national meeting. “Students interested in ethics, in developing, implementing and changing policy, and improving their environment will find this is the right program,” says Aultman. For more information on the Bioethics Certificate, contact Dr. Aultman at 330-325-6113 or [email protected].

Very few days bring as much excitement as Match Day – the day when senior medical students learn where they will continue their medical training in residency programs following graduation. The Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) Match Day Ceremony for the Class of 2010 was held on March 18, 2010, in the Ralph Regula Conference Center with more than 450 guests present. At noon, the first student envelope at NEOUCOM was pulled to begin the Match Day celebration. A longstanding NEOUCOM tradition for Match Day asks senior students and guests to make donations for a reverse raffle. Money raised in the raffle is split between a local charity and the student whose envelope is drawn last. This year, a record $1,028 was raised, with half the proceeds donated to the Portage County Community Health Center and half to Hardeepak Saini as her envelope was drawn last. Highlights of this year’s event included student “theme songs” played when the student approached the stage to receive their match result. The addition of music to the ceremony was well-received by students and guests who enjoyed hearing the varied selections. As student Susan Neilan received her match results in psychiatry at NEOUCOM affiliated hospitals, she also received an additional surprise. As she was reading her match results to the audience, Michael Dombi approached the stage and asked for Susan’s hand in marriage. She said yes!

The 107 students from NEOUCOM’s Class of 2010 who participated in the match program are among medical school seniors nationwide who received results of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Students began applying for residency programs at the beginning of their senior year and participated in interviews with hospital officials during the fall and Gina Hurst jumps for joy after reading her match. winter months. Students indicated their residency preferences to the NRMP, hospitals indicated their preference of students, and the NRMP matched the two. This year 64 students will complete their PGY1 residency match within Ohio. Of those, 32 matched at NEOUCOM consortium hospitals (Akron General Medical Center, Akron Children’s Hospital, Aultman Hospital, Summa Health System, Michael Miladore (center) shares his match day NEOUCOM Affiliated Hospitals, activities with family members: brother Nicholas Miladore (‘12), father Dr. Michael Miladore (’82), Western Reserve Care System, and mother Dr. Dianne Bitonte Miladore (’81) and Canton Medical Education Foundation). brother Joseph, an incoming student. Fourty-three others will complete their PGY1 residency position outside of Ohio – some as far as Anchorage, Alaska – others as close as Pittsburgh, Pa. In addition, five students matched in the American Urological Association, Urology Residency Match and the San Francisco Ophthalmology Residency Match “early match” – an option for specialized programs. Three students participated in Susan Neilan’s future becomes clear as she receives her match and a proposal. the Military (Air Force, Army and Navy) Match. Overall, 39 percent matched in primary care, 11 percent in surgery and surgery subspecialties and 50 percent in service and other specialties. Spring/Summer2010 17

Academics RESIDENCY APPOINTMENTS OF THE NEOUCOM CLASS OF 2010

Family members place money in for the raffle.

Psychiatry residencies increase The number of NEOUCOM graduates entering psychiatry residencies increased significantly for 2010. A record number of 13 students were matched and four NEOUCOM students in the class of 2010 will be joining the NEOUCOM Psychiatry Residency Program. NEOUCOM’s new psychiatry residents are: Elizabeth Cohen, Susan Neilan, Michael Potesta and Therese Scavelli. Students also matched at: Allegheny General Hospital, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Emory University School of Medicine, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Thomas Jefferson University, University of Maryland Medical Center-Sheppard Pratt, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System-UCLA/SFVP and Wright-Patterson Medical Center.

18 NEOUCOMMagazine

STUDENT HOSPITAL SPECIALTY Agrawal Shivi University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy Hospital PITTSBURGH PA Transitional University of Arizona TUCSON AZ Ophthalmology Archer Jeffrey Riverside Methodist Hospital COLUMBUS OH Preliminary Surgery Ataya Dana Aultman Hospital/NEOUCOM CANTON OH Transitional Cleveland Clinic Foundation CLEVELAND OH Radiology-Diagnostic Banis Megan Christ Hospital CINCINNATI OH Internal Medicine Barrat Cory Riverside Methodist Hospital COLUMBUS OH General Surgery Barron Rachel Case Western/MetroHealth Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Obstetrics-Gynecology Beam William Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education ROCHESTER MN Anesthesiology Bertram Jason Aultman Hospital/NEOUCOM CANTON OH Transitional Tufts Medical Center BOSTON MA Anesthesiology Blanton Joshua Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Emergency Medicine Brine Patrick Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine Burkam Jennifer Nationwide Children’s Hospital/Ohio State University COLUMBUS OH Pediatrics Carden Jennifer Wright-Patterson Medical Center DAYTON OH Psychiatry Carosielli Alicia Eastern Virginia Medical School NORFOLK VA Pediatrics Chandra Rena University Hospitals Case Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Pediatrics Childs Dylan Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH General Surgery Choi Lynn Riverside Methodist Hospital COLUMBUS OH Internal Medicine-Prelim New York University School of Medicine NEW YORK NY Anesthesiology Cohen Elizabeth NEOUCOM Affiliated Hospitals AKRON OH Psychiatry Cropp Elliott Indiana University School of Medicine INDIANAPOLIS IN Emergency Medicine Detterman Danielle Rush University Medical Center CHICAGO IL Internal Medicine-Prelim Rush University Medical Center CHICAGO IL Neurology Dhillon Namrata Riverside Methodist Hospital COLUMBUS OH Internal Medicine Dombroski James University of Wyoming-Casper CASPER WY Family Medicine Dyer Holly Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center CINCINNATI OH Pediatrics Ferre Elisabeth Allegheny General Hospital PITTSBURGH PA Psychiatry Gill Akashdeep VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System-UCLA/SFVP LOS ANGELES CA Psychiatry Given Daniel Scripps Clinic-Scripps Green Hospital LA JOLLA CA Internal Medicine Grandhi Natasha University of Maryland Medical Center BALTIMORE MD Pathology Grosshandler Joshua RiversideMethodistHospital COLUMBUS OH Transitional Wright State University-Boonshoft School of Medicine DAYTON OH Dermatology Gurumurthy Sathyan Ohio State University Medical Center COLUMBUS OH Psychiatry Hans Sarah Mount Carmel Health COLUMBUS OH Preliminary Surgery Hennon Anna University Hospitals Case Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Internal Medicine Hill Stephanie Emory University School of Medicine ATLANTA GA Emergency Medicine Hodson Benjamin Stony Brook Teaching Hospitals STONY BROOK NY Emergency Medicine Hope Donald Walter Reed Army Medical Center WASHINGTON DC Orthopaedic Surgery Hope Erica Walter Reed Army Medical Center WASHINGTON DC Obstetrics/Gynecology Hritz Christopher University of South Florida College of Medicine TAMPA FL Family Medicine Hurst Gina Henry Ford Health Science Center DETROIT MI Emergency Med/Internal Med Ingram Gregory Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Emergency Medicine Irvine Rhys Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Preliminary Surgery Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Urology Jaber Noor Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Emergency Medicine Jadhav Devanshi Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine-Prelim George Washington University WASHINGTON DC Neurology Johnston Jeffrey Cleveland Clinic Foundation CLEVELAND OH Orthopaedic Surgery Jones Stephen Western Reserve Care System/NEOUCOM YOUNGSTOWN OH General Surgery Joshi Malav Aultman Hospital/NEOUCOM CANTON OH Transitional University of Arizona TUCSON AZ Ophthalmology Karra Ishwarya Riverside Methodist Hospital COLUMBUS OH Family Medicine Kassis Hayah Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center LEBANON NH Internal Medicine Katz Brian Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education ROCHESTER MN Neurology Kaufmann Michael Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Transitional University of Chicago Medical Center CHICAGO IL Anesthesiology Kazimirko Elena Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education ROCHESTER MN Internal Medicine Khetarpal Shilpi Cleveland Clinic Foundation CLEVELAND OH Dermatology Kim Jennifer Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine King Ronald The University of Texas Health Science Center SAN ANTONIO TX Anesthesiology Kirby Sean Ohio State University Medical Center COLUMBUS OH Pathology

STUDENT HOSPITAL SPECIALTY Kodali Aruna University of Maryland Medical Center-Sheppard Pratt BALTIMORE MD Psychiatry Koutsoumbelis Stelios NEW YORK NY Research Kovach Colleen University of Rochester-Strong Memorial Hospital ROCHESTER NY Emergency Medicine Lackey Amanda University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences LITTLE ROCK AR Radiology-Diagnostic Lackey Logan University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences LITTLE ROCK AR Radiology-Diagnostic Lehman Weston Texas A&M College of Medicine-Scott & White TEMPLE TX Internal Medicine Leonard Jessica Oregon Health & Science University PORTLAND OR Internal Medicine Masten Kincade University Hospitals Case Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Internal Medicine Mathur Ashish Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center PHOENIX AZ Internal Medicine Messner Caitlin Case Western/MetroHealth Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Pediatrics Metzger Sarah Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Family Medicine Miladore Michael University of Buffalo School of Medicine BUFFALO NY Orthopaedic Surgery Mont Susanne Canton Medical Education Foundation/NEOUCOM CANTON OH Internal Medicine Moore Bradley Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine Moore Robert Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine-Prelim Case Western/MetroHealth Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Phys Medicine & Rehab Mortenson Curtis Alaska Family Medicine/Providence Hospital ANCHORAGE AK Family Medicine Nazinitsky Allison Carolinas Medical Center CHARLOTTE NC Internal Medicine Neilan Susan NEOUCOM Affiliated Hospitals AKRON OH Psychiatry Nguyen Victor Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Emergency Medicine Nirmalnath Samuel Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Transitional Oostra Drew Ohio State University Medical Center COLUMBUS OH Internal Medicine Patel Akil University of Maryland Medical Center BALTIMORE MD Neurological Surgery Patel Dhruti University Hospitals Case Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Surg-Prelim/Urology Patel Neelam UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School PISCATAWAY NJ Pediatrics Patel Sonal Indiana University School of Medicine INDIANAPOLIS IN Pediatrics Potesta Michael NEOUCOM Affiliated Hospitals AKRON OH Psychiatry Raed Mona Akron Children’s Hospital/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Pediatrics Ragothaman Arun University Hospital/University of Cincinnati CINCINNATI OH Internal Medicine Reddy Mahati Aultman Hospital/NEOUCOM CANTON OH Transitional University Hospital/University of Cincinnati CINCINNATI OH Radiology-Diagnostic Ritchey Pamela Case Western/MetroHealth Medical Center CLEVELAND OH Emergency Medicine Russo Ashlee Ohio State University Medical Center COLUMBUS OH Internal Medicine Rybka Jennifer Indiana University School of Medicine INDIANAPOLIS IN Pediatrics Saini Hardeepak Oakwood Physicians Medical Center PONTIAC MI Family Medicine Scarcella Michael Cleveland Clinic Foundation CLEVELAND OH Orthopaedic Surgery Scavelli Therese NEOUCOM Affiliated Hospitals AKRON OH Psychiatry Schmerge Christine Nationwide Children’s Hospital/Ohio State University COLUMBUS OH Pediatrics Shah Hiral Loyola University Medical Center CHICAGO IL Internal Medicine Shah Neha University Hospital/University of Cincinnati CINCINNATI OH Internal Medicine Smith Ashley Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Transitional Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center BOSTON MA Anesthesiology Smith Erin Orlando Health ORLANDO FL Emergency Medicine Sreshta Neil Yale-New Haven Hospital NEW HAVEN CT Emergency Medicine Stallman Margaret Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center PHOENIX AZ Psychiatry Subichin Stephen Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Transitional Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals MILWAUKEE WI Anesthesiology Tabatabaian Farnaz Ohio State University Medical Center COLUMBUS OH Internal Medicine Tandon Yasmeen Cleveland Clinic Foundation CLEVELAND OH Internal Medicine University of Florida College of Medicine-Shands Hospital GAINESVILLE FL Pediatrics Tsikouris Anna Tulbert Brittain Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Transitional Drexel University COM/Hahnemann Univ Hospital PHILADELPHIA PA Dermatology Turner Cody Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine Vajjhala Vinay Thomas Jefferson University PHILADELPHIA PA Psychiatry Warrington Steven Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Emergency Medicine Wehmann Michael Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Internal Medicine-Prelim Summa Health System/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Ophthalmology Wiland Homer Cleveland Clinic Foundation CLEVELAND OH Pathology Wilson Johanna Ohio State University Medical Center COLUMBUS OH Psychiatry Wittenauer Justine Emory University School of Medicine ATLANTA GA Psychiatry Wormer Blair Carolinas Medical Center CHARLOTTE NC General Surgery Yang Jeffrey Akron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM AKRON OH Orthopaedic Surgery

RESIDENCY APPOINTMENTS OF THE NEOUCOM CLASS OF 2010 PGY-1 or Advanced Specialty Primary Care

# of Students % of Class

Family Medicine Internal Medicine Internal Medicine - Prelim Obstetrics/Gynecology Pediatrics

6 23 0 2 11

6% 21% 0% 2% 10%

Total 42 Surgery & Surgery Subspecialties

39%

General Surgery Surgery - Preliminary Neurological Surgery Orthopaedic Surgery Plastic Surgery

4 2 1 5 0

4% 2% 1% 4% 0%

Total 11 Service & Other Specialties

50%

Anesthesiology 7 Dermatology 3 Diagnostic Radiology 4 Emergency Medicine 13 Neurology 3 Ophthalmology 3 Otolaryngology 0 Pathology 3 Physical Medicine & Rehab 1 Psychiatry 13 Radiation Oncology Transitional 1 Urology 2

6% 3% 4% 12% 3% 3% 0% 3% 1% 12%

Total

50%

53

1% 2%

Sarah Metzger and son Blaise place a pin on the map to reflect where she will complete her residency.

Spring/Summer2010 19

Promoting Innovation, Restoring Lives

Research

FIRST Program offers immediate treatment to individuals with schizophrenia Far too many people affected by schizophrenia and their families are familiar with this story: An individual is experiencing signs and symptoms of something – but no one is sure exactly what the problem is or where to turn for help. They wait months - sometimes even years - suffering needlessly, before a correct diagnosis is made and treatment begins. In an effort to shorten the duration of untreated schizophrenia disorders, the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center, located in NEOUCOM’s Department of Psychiatry, along with clinical partners Child Guidance & Family Solutions and Community Support Services, Inc. of Akron, Ohio, are offering a program called FIRST. FIRST provides immediate, comprehensive and sustained treatment for individuals who have had an initial episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. “Emerging studies suggest that early and aggressive intervention following the first episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder promotes a faster and more complete recovery – thus making early intervention an ever-more urgent priority,” says Mark R. Munetz, M.D., The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation Endowed chair in psychiatry at NEOUCOM. FIRST treatment includes medication management, individual resiliency training, family psychoeducation and supported employment/education. The majority of FIRST treatment services, which began in February 2010, are offered at Child Guidance & Family Solution offices in Akron. “The mission of the BeST Center is to promote recovery and improve the lives of as many people with schizophrenia as possible, as quickly as possible, by accelerating the adoption of evidence-based and promising practices,” says Lon Herman, director. “We do not provide direct services; rather, we offer training, consultation, evaluation, education and outreach activities to build the capacity of local systems to provide state-of-the-art care.” “The FIRST program in Summit County serves as a model for how to bring early intervention schizophrenia treatment to other communities,” says Rick Kellar, president of The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. The BeST Center was established in 2009 by a generous grant from The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. The members of the FIRST treatment team are working to provide early and comprehensive treatment for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. FIRST is one of four national pilot sites for the Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE).

20 NEOUCOMMagazine

RAISE is a large-scale research initiative of the National Institute of Mental Health, co-led by Dr. John Kane of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. “The FIRST program shows us what can happen when people of vision work in partnership to achieve a common goal,” says NEOUCOM President Jay Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D. “Each partner makes important contributions – and the result is that an innovative, early intervention schizophrenia treatment program is now available where it did not exist before.”

Suzanne Morgan, center, chair of The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation Board of Trustees, prepares to cut a silver schizophrenia awareness ribbon at a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for FIRST. Partners from NEOUCOM, The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, Child Guidance & Family Solutions, Community Support Services, Inc. and members of the FIRST treatment team join in the ceremony.

Signs and Symptoms of Schizophrenia • Having serious problems at work or school • Seeing, hearing or experiencing things that others do not • Having bizarre or clearly unjustified beliefs • Withdrawing from social interactions; • Speaking or thinking in a disorganized way • Feeling paranoid If you know someone experiencing these symptoms, please encourage them to seek professional help as soon as possible. Please consult your local mental health and recovery board to find a provider near you. If you reside in Summit County, Ohio, or nearby, and you wish to make a referral or to learn more about FIRST, please contact: Hattie M. Tracy, LISW, LCDC III, FIRST team leader and BeST Center consultant/trainer 234-788-1646 [email protected] or visit www.neoucom.edu/bestcenter

Advancing the Field…

pictures courtesy of the Stark Community Foundation

BY Carole Harwood

NEOUCOM researchers look for new approach to Parkinson’s treatment Tremors, slowed motion, rigid muscles, speech changes and even dementia – these are some of the symptoms affecting 500,000 to 1,500,000 Americans. The cause... Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is a progressive, neurological disease that results from the destruction of nerve cells in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia. Areas within the brain send signals to one another which help to coordinate thought, movement, emotions and senses. These signals are sent through the nerves of the brain by the use of chemicals. The chemical dopamine is necessary for movement, but if the cells that produce dopamine are damaged, symptoms of PD can appear. The symptoms of PD vary from person to person, and sometimes remain unnoticed for long periods of time. PD is more common in older persons, yet symptoms can be exhibited in someone as young as 40-years-old. Two faculty members are working to make a difference in the area of Parkinson’s research. Richard Carroll, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, and Werner Guldenhuys, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, have been dedicated to Parkinson’s research for the past few years and are in the second year of a grant from the Irene Smith Fund of the Stark Community Foundation (www.starkcf.org). “Our passion for Parkinson’s research comes from our keen interest in neurodegenerative diseases,” says Dr. Guldenhuys. “Parkinson’s is a burden on patients and their families, so finding a drug that can treat the symptoms and delay the progression of the disease is important. If patients can be self-sufficient longer, they can live happier lives and not be as dependent on their families or nursing care.”

BY Cristine Boyd

“We are working to help cure the disease or relieve the symptoms,” said Dr. Carroll. “Our project is novel and untested. The grant funding from the Stark Community Foundation has allowed us to begin testing our theories in the hopes of advancing our drugs into preclinical experiments. These experiments will help us gain additional funding for larger-scale research or preclinical trials. We have achieved exciting experimental data that we feel can help with finding a cure.” The focus of research being conducted by Dr. Carroll and Dr. Guldenhuys is to target a recently discovered protein that may alter the disease process. “Our goal is to provide another approach to treating Parkinson’s,” said Dr. Carroll. “Current drugs slow the progression, but we are investigating the role of a novel protein called mitoNEET, that we feel is impacting the mitochondria, which fuel the cells. We believe that if we can get a better understanding of how this protein works, we can produce drugs that will greatly benefit patients.” “You can’t underestimate the value of research and the need for research funding,” Dr. Carroll continued. “We have been able to move this project forward so quickly because of our funding partner, and these results may make a large impact on the lives of many.” Is a cure for Parkinson’s around the corner? “We hope so,” said Dr. Guldenhuys. “But, if we don’t find it in our lab, we hope that the research we conduct at NEOUCOM someday helps another scientist find the cure or develop better treatments that improve the lives of those living with the disease.”

Spring/Summer2010 21

NEOUCOM continues collaboration with ABIA NEOUCOM Centers of Excellence are announced Gov. Ted Strickland, together with Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut, held a public press conference on Feb. 19, 2010, to announce Ohio’s Centers of Excellence in Biomedicine and Health Care. Gov. Strickland announced Centers at 14 universities throughout the state that are committed to focusing their academic and research activities on biomedical and health care to create jobs in Ohio, and further strengthen Ohio’s international reputation as a leader in bioscience research and development. Of the 14 Centers of Excellence announced by the state of Ohio, the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) is part of two – the Institute for Neurobehavioral Health and the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron. The first Center of Excellence, The Institute for Neurobehavioral Health, is located on the Rootstown campus, and was designed to improve the quality of life for residents of Northeast Ohio and beyond through the discovery, application and dissemination of knowledge across the continuum of bench to bedside to community focused on the sciences of neurologic and mental health. The Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center at NEOUCOM is a key component of the Institute. Its mission is to ensure people with schizophrenia and related disorders maximize their ability to achieve recovery by receiving treatments shown to be best practices.

The second Center of Excellence that NEOUCOM is involved in is the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA). The mission of the ABIA is to transform greater Akron into a model for biomedical discovery and enterprise. Together, the five operating founders of the Institute — Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron General Health System, NEOUCOM, Summa Health System and The University of Akron — have a world-class reputation in research, education and health. Through the collaboration of these complementary institutions, the goal of this initiative is to expand Akron’s rich legacy in materials science to pioneer the next generation of life-enhancing and life-saving innovation for the 21st Century. “The Biomedical and Health Care sectors are two of the fastest growing industries in the country,” said Chancellor Eric Fingerhut. “Each Center of Excellence brings unique approaches that, together, will drive economic growth and establish Ohio as the national leader in biomedicine and health care.” For more information, visit Ohio Centers of Excellence: www.uso.edu/centersofexcellence.

ABIA awards grants to NEOUCOM researchers The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) awarded its first-ever Collaborative Research and Development grants to eight innovative projects being undertaken by its five operating partners: Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron General Health System, the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM), Summa Health System and The University of Akron. The patient-centered projects underscore the ABIA’s goal to help build the region’s economy through biomedical research and development. “We’re seeing the collaboration among the scientists and the clinicians across the institutions, which is what will be the strength of the ABIA,” said Dr. Frank L. Douglas, president and chief executive officer of the ABIA, in a Feb. 16 Beacon Journal article on the grant awards. n Controlled Delivery System of ALK-5 Inhibitors for Suppression

of Ocular Scarring after Glaucoma Filtration Surgery

- Vijaykumar Sutariya, Ph.D., NEOUCOM; Hiroshi Nakamura,

(ORSP) received an agreement from the Austen

established and developing groups at NEOUCOM

BioInnovation Institute in Akron for funding in the amount

and its partner institutions. A major expectation is that

of $1,365,158 to support an endowed professorship in the

the scholar becomes an active participant in NEOUCOM’s

department of anatomy and neurobiology to study

skeletal biology research focus area, a group that includes

molecular and cell biology of bone or cartilage. This

Ph.D. and M.D. researchers/clinicians interested in the

position is generously supported through the Ohio

skeleton at all organizational levels, from molecules to cells

Research Scholar Program created by the state of

to organisms, from embryonic development to aging, and

Ohio and benefits from strong regional collaborative

from clinical to evolutionary sciences. The skeletal biology

arrangements. It represents an extraordinary opportunity

research focus area extends to basic scientists, orthopaedic

for an outstanding scientist to lead a team of faculty

clinical specialists and physician-scientists located at the

researchers in areas that may include tissue engineering,

nearby Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron General Health

medical applications of biopolymers, normal and abnormal

System, Summa Health System and the University of Akron.

Recipients of $40,000 grants are:

skeletal development, orthopaedic diseases and cancer.

The scholar is also expected to play a substantial role in

There will be substantial opportunities for the Ohio

the development of research in the Center for Biomaterials

Research Scholar to translate research findings into

and Medicine of the ABIA.

Ohio Research Scholar coming to NEOUCOM

clinical applications, intellectual property and economic development. 22 NEOUCOMMagazine

The NEOUCOM name and logo were prominently represented in two recent marathons completed by students in the College of Medicine. Fourth-year student, Curtis Mortenson ran in the Dicks Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon this spring and finished 17th place overall. A native of Kodiak, Alaska, Mortenson is an elite runner who participates in many marathons throughout the year. Meredith Barrett, a second-year student from New Albany, Ohio, completed the Boston Marathon with a time of three hours, 28 minutes.

Recipients of $100,000 grants include:

M.D., Ph.D., Summa Health System Werner Geldenhuys, Ph.D., NEOUCOM n Deep Wound Repair Utilizing Microtubular Scaffolds - Liya Yin, Ph.D., NEOUCOM; Bi-min Zhang Newby, Ph.D., The University of Akron; William M. Chilian, Ph.D., NEOUCOM; Robert Schweikert, M.D., Akron General Medical Center n Development of Delivery Mechanisms for Liquid Crystalline Pharmaceuticals Using Electrospinning - Dr. James M. Jamison, NEOUCOM, Summa Health System, Kent State University; Dr. Yang H. Yun, University of Akron; Dr. Vivian E. von Gruenigen , NEOUCOM, Case Western Reserve University; Dr. Chun-che Tsai, Kent State University n Mechanically Enhanced, Peptide Crosslinked Poly (ester urea) for Critical Bone Defect Repair - Matthew L Becker, Ph.D., The University of Akron; Matthew Graham, Ph.D., Akron Polymer Systems, Inc.; John Elias, Ph.D., Akron General Medical Center, NEOUCOM; Kimberly Stakleff, Ph.D., Akron General Medical Center; Scott Weiner, M.D., Summa Health System

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

NEOUCOM hits the streets

The Ohio Research Scholar will interact with both

n A Basis for Normal and Abnormal Cartilage Development

in Vertebrate Long Bone - William J. Landis, Ph.D., NEOUCOM; Dennis S. Weiner, M.D., Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron

Curtis Mortenson

Meredith Barrett

To learn more, please visit www.bioinnovationinstitute.org.

Spring/Summer2010 23

Distinguished Alumni

Raymond Onders (’88) makes his

mark

in the profession

2009 Distinguished Alumni Award winner leads the way in minimally invasive surgery

one that has distinguished

himself 24 NEOUCOMMagazine

Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) graduates are amazing. And Dr. Raymond Onders is definitely one that has distinguished himself from others. Dr. Onders graduated from NEOUCOM in 1988, and completed a general surgical residency at Case Western Reserve University in 1993. In addition to medical school and a surgical residency, he also served in the United States Air Force during that time and was promoted to the rank of major in 1994. Dr. Onders became the first director of minimally invasive surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and associate professor of surgery at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. A born overachiever, he has a keen curiosity for research and finding ways to make things happen that can impact the lives of others. Over the past 12 years, he has focused his research on ways to help people breathe naturally using their own diaphragm. His development of the experimental procedure, “diaphragm pacing via laparoscopy” has helped to change the lives of many. The surgery is done through a minimally invasive procedure and significantly improves the quality of life, as patients are freed from being tethered to a 55-pound ventilator that impairs their sense of taste and smell, and reduces their ability

to speak. One of the first patients Dr. Onders helped breath without the ventilator was late actor, Christopher Reeve. Dr. Onders’ research on patients with spinal cord injuries, and this ground breaking surgery made history and placed Cleveland Clinic on the map. Dr. Onders has over 100 papers, books, chapters and published abstracts on this and other research. His advancements in the technology of pacing a diaphragm have lead to numerous patents. He is also co-founder of Synapse Biomedical, which is helping to bring this technology to patients all around the globe. Dr. Onders is not only a famous researcher and gifted surgeon, but he is greatly appreciated as a clinician and teacher. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his work and is lauded by his patients for his kindness and compassion, and as one patient remarked, “he listens with a loving heart.” In recognition of Dr. Onder’s outstanding contributions to the profession of medicine and his notable accomplishments in research, patient care, education and humanitarian service, he was the recipient of the 2009 NEOUCOM Distinguished Alumni Award, and was recognized as a “Top Doc” in the April 2010 issue of “Cleveland Magazine.”

Dr. Onders and his wife Traci

Dr. Onders and family

President Gershen, Dr. Onders, Dr. Jay Williamson, interim dean of medicine and Dr. Mehool Patel (’88), vice president of the NEOUCOM Alumni Association.

Each year, the AescUlapius Ball brings together students and alumni for a night of fun and excitement. This year, proceeds from the Aesculapius Charity Ball benefitted two special causes – the recently established Pharmacy Student Emergency Loan Fund, as well as the Sarah Cho Scholarship. Sarah was a member of the Class of 1997 who passed away during her medical school years.

President Gershen and Susan Rodger enjoy the Ball.

Back: Elizabeth Anderson, M.D. (’90), Mark Kufel, M.D. (’90), Meera Kelley, M.D. (’90), Regina Hill, M.D. (’90), and Maya Ghaemmaghami, M.D. (’90) Front: Rochelle Rosian-Straffon, M.D. (’90), Arun Nagpaul, M.D. (’90), and Pete Kondolios, M.D. (’90)

Members of the audience give Dr. Onders a standing ovation.

Students enjoy the casino games while faculty deal the cards. Spring/Summer2010 25

FEATURE

Caring for others

in time of need NEOUCOM alumni aids in Haiti-relief efforts. BY Cristine Boyd

Dr. Jack Fitzgerald (’83), had never been part of a humanitarian effort before, but when he turned the television on this past January and saw the devastation happening in Haiti, something in him was triggered.

26 NEOUCOMMagazine

T

he television program featured Dr. Paul Vanek, an old friend of Dr. Fitzgerald, who was being interviewed about his preparations for deploying to Haiti two days later as part of Project Medishare, an organization founded to provide medical assistance to Haiti. In his interview, Dr. Vanek described watching a CNN story of a seven-year old girl trapped under rubble, whose family amputated her leg out of desperation that caused her to bleed to death. “Knowing Dr. Vanek is a superb plastic surgeon and trauma surgeon, I decided to offer my skills as an anesthesiologist hoping we would make a good team,” said Dr. Fitzgerald. The next day, Dr. Fitzgerald visited an infectious disease specialist to receive hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus shots along with prescriptions for chloroquine and doxycycline. He then booked his own commercial flight to Miami where he met up with the rest of Team Cleveland, which consisted of Dr. Vanek, Theresa Jackson, RN, and Jean Kurdas, RN. The team brought many of its own supplies and had also collected donations of supplies to take with them. As an anesthesiologist, Dr. Fitzgerald even brought his own Baxter Propofol infusion pump, which he later left behind for the Haitian Community Hospital to use. “After arriving at the airport in Port-auPrince, our team decided to leave the

and even two cases of tetanus, which I had never seen before. We performed a lot of amputations, wound debridements, compartment syndrome fasciotomies, orbital and facial reconstructions, suture of lacerations and the first skin graft, to my knowledge, in Haiti. We prayed for all of our patients and felt blessed that none died under our care. I was in Haiti for eight days, with about six to eight surgeries a day. The working conditions were unfathomable: there was no anesthesia machine, no operating room lights (only our headlamps) and no oxygen for the first several days. I utilized ketamine for analgesia and anesthesia, and utilized regional anesthetics wherever possible (e.g. spinals, axillary blocks). Surprisingly, I had an abundant supply of Propofol for MAC and general anesthesia.” “Upon arrival to Haiti, I witnessed a level of devastation that I didn’t even know existed,” said Dr. Fitzgerald.

Dr. Fitzgerald with members of team Sweden

comfort and safety of the airport medical tents to work in the outlying areas where we were needed more,” said Dr. Fitzgerald. “Lieut. Col. Wilson of the 82nd Airborne Division took us and our 700 pounds of supplies to the Haitian Community Hospital, roughly 30 minutes away. This hospital was heavily damaged – the head administrator and more than 40 nurses were killed in the earthquake. I immediately converted unused space into an additional operating room.” According to Fitzgerald, the team typically worked 15-to-18-hour days and slept in tents on the roof. “Most of what I saw was crush injuries (victims were often trapped under rubble for three or more days) and fractures of the pelvis, and lower and upper extremities with flesh wounds usually infected with gangrene. I also witnessed cases of tuberculosis, malaria

Dr. Fitzgerald in surgery

“It’s life-changing. The anguish is everywhere with people walking the streets aimlessly. I didn’t meet a single nurse or doctor who didn’t cry. We knew there would be thousands of amputees. So many people lost their homes, their limbs and their families, but never their resilience and hope. Patients with TB

and HIV were no longer able to get their medications. Even now I can’t believe all that was lost. One’s life situation is fleeting and what seemed substantial or important before, I now realize isn’t. Life is precious and every minute is a gift. Nothing can clarify the ephemeral quality of life so quickly and as solidly as the total destruction leveled by an earthquake in less than a minute. I saw caregivers from all over the world providing their tender care under very difficult conditions. Those who stayed too long suffered posttraumatic stress disorder. It’s important to work as a team and take care of each other, and when necessary, set limits for each other. The medical teams that served developed life-long bonds.” Dr. Fitzgerald said that while volunteering in Haiti, the support from everyone at home in Northeast Ohio provided continuous encouragement and uplifted the spirits of the team. He plans to continue participating in disaster relief efforts, but is unsure where or when that might be. “I would encourage medical students and other physicians to volunteer their services to missions or disaster relief efforts,” he said. “The satisfaction of serving others less fortunate is a humbling, enlightening and rewarding experience. When confronted with a disaster, every volunteer does everything possible to help the victims. I’ve said that we were all driving out of our lane every day. I saw ophthalmologists delivering babies and setting fractures. I saw lawyers working as intensive care nurses. I encourage NEOUCOM students to learn as much as they can in all areas because that knowledge and those skills may be vital to some patient some day.” The American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland named Team Cleveland a recipient of the 2010 Hero Award in recognition of their service in Haiti and celebrated their efforts on May 13, 2010.

Amputation surgery

Project Medishare airport tent

To learn more about Dr. Fitzgerald’s service in Haiti, visit Team Cleveland’s blog, www. ClevelandHaitiRelief.blogspot.com. Created by Dr. Fitzgerald’s son, Brandon Fitzgerald, it documents not only Team Cleveland’s efforts, but also the involvement of others in Northeast Ohio. It also provides information about what is currently happening in Haiti, what the medical conditions are like now and what Project Medishare is doing to help. For more information or to donate to Project Medishare for Haiti, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit registered in the state of Florida, visit www.projectmedishare.org. Spring/Summer2010 27

Student Outreach

Focusing on the Future

Students efforts make a difference for Haiti

Business Etiquette Dinner AND Professional Dress Fashion Show takes center stage By Laura Cessna

My Heart is in HAITI

Haiti fundraiser students Chennel Hill (P1), Lila Sheikhi (M1) and Nida Degesys (M1) participate in a bake sale.

Students at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) came together to raise money to aid victims of the earthquake in Haiti with the theme “My Heart is in Haiti.” Student leaders from both the Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy held a fund raising dinner for Haiti relief open to all students, faculty and staff. Prior to the event, they requested food donations from local restaurants, and due to a great amount of participation, received enough food for more than 100 guests. Aside from the fund raising dinner, students also held bake sales, coffee sales and T-shirt sales. The Summa Foundation generously offered to double the dollars NEOUCOM students raised for Haiti relief, taking NEOUCOM’s contribution from more than $5,000 to more than $10,000. All proceeds were donated to the American Red Cross to aid Haiti relief efforts. M2 students Meredith Barrett and Rathna Shenoy wear Haiti T-shirts

The first annual Business Etiquette Dinner and Professional Dress Fashion Show was held on Feb. 24, 2010, in the Ralph Regula Conference Center. The event was co-sponsored by the office of Career Development and Advising, Lambda Kappa Sigma, Alpha Chi Chapter (LKS) and the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM). More than 60 medical and pharmacy students from all classes learned the “dos” and “don’ts” of proper etiquette for a business meal. The evening began with an hors d’oeuvre reception where students learned about proper placement of their nametag and the intricacies of juggling plate

28 NEOUCOMMagazine

Holly Taylor (P3) and Christopher Koster (P3) reading the Business Etiquette Dinner guide at the reception.

Eric Tuttle (P2) and Adam McDougle (P2) showing the audience the right way to wear your white coat during site visits.

Intervene Now Council looks out for others

Giving from the heart

Students Alyssa Bonta (M3), Tim Church (P3) (front), Deepa Patadia (M3) and Shayda Mirhaidari (M3) (standing) volunteered their time and expertise as they helped provide health screenings for 145 members of the Bhutanese community at a health fair sponsored by Summa Health System on Feb. 14, 2010.

and beverage. The reception was followed by a four-course meal where participants received instruction in the proper way to eat soup, napkin placement, navigating the place setting and appropriate dinner conversation for a business meal. NEOUCOM faculty and staff also attended to interact, observe and provide additional etiquette advice to students. The evening concluded with a fashion show presented by LKS and SSHP student organization members modeling the appropriate professional attire. The Business Etiquette Dinner received excellent feedback from all in attendance and will continue to be an annual event for NEOUCOM students.

Giving from the heart

Tim Church

Caring for others is a necessary trait of physicians and pharmacists, and for NEOUCOM students, it is something that is done for fellow students as well. The Intervene Now Council (better known as the In Council) is a student group that was developed to: • provide support to impaired students through understanding and care • provide evaluation and treatment for impaired students in a confidential and compassionate manner • recognize substance abuse early, and prevent damage to the lives of both impaired students and their patients • allow recovering students to continue their medical or pharmacy education without stigma or administrative censure • promote awareness of substance abuse and the warning signs of dependency and further understanding our responsibility to and for each other. Tim Church, a third-year pharmacy student from Conneaut, Ohio, serves as president of the In Council. “This is a student group that is very unique. Very few universities have something like this,” he says. “Students can self-report that they have a problem, or students can contact us regarding a potential issue with another classmate. We quietly and confidentially investigate to see if a problem exists and how we can help. We are proud that we can support our fellow students and serve as positive role models to one another.” The group is pleased that there are very few interventions or reports. In addition to the efforts of the In Council, a mandatory chemical dependence course is also required of all NEOUCOM students, which assists in the awareness efforts. Church recently presented a paper titled, “Mandatory Chemical Dependency Training and its Role in a College of Pharmacy Curriculum,” at Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio, during its 13th annual Research and Scholars Day. The paper was co-written by Church, Dr. David Allen, dean of the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Richard Kasmer, associate professor of pharmacy practice and Dr. D. Chris Hart. Spring/Summer2010 29

ALUMNI NEWS

CLASSnOTEs 1990s

Peter Leone, M.D. (’82), is a professor of medicine at

Rochelle Rosian-Straffon, M.D. (90), is co-president

Christina Delos Reyes, M.D. (’96), was awarded the

Ranjana Chauhan, M.D. (’99), and Samir Desai,

the University of North Carolina and board chair for the

of the Women’s Professional Staff Association of the

Woodruff Foundation’s Emerging Practitioner Leader

M.D. (’98), celebrated the birth of twins. Son, Sahil

National Coalition of STD Directors.

Cleveland Clinic, which is planning a Leadership

Award. Dr. Delos Reyes is chief clinical officer of Alcohol,

Samir, and daughter, Riya Ranjana, were born Sept. 17,

Development Conference Sept. 14, 2010, geared

Drug Addiction and Mental Health Service Board of

2009, and are shown wearing their NEOUCOM scrubs!

toward women health care professionals. She also

Cuyahoga County. The Woodruff Foundation supports

Dr. Desai is a hematologist/oncologist and Dr. Chauhan

assists with the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of

mental health care and substance abuse services in

is an ophthalmologist, both practicing in Oregon.

Steven Mehta, M.D. (’84), an interventional College of Cardiology, is running for U.S. Congress in Arizona and has developed a website to promote his candidacy, www.mehtaforcongress.com. Dr. Mehta and his wife reside in Show Low, Ariz. Kevin Dieter, M.D. (’85), was awarded the designation NEOUCOM Alumni Association reception, April 2010, at the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Conference in Toronto, Canada.

of Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice at the

Dr. Carrie Caruso (‘07), and Mr. Jim Caruso

30 NEOUCOMMagazine

Cuyahoga County through grant making, prize awards and annual forums (http://www.fmscleveland.com/

students.

woodruff/).

Angela Doty, M.D. (’91), is chief of staff at Salem

The NEOUCOM community wishes to express our

care of infants, children and teens, and performs

Community Hospital.

condolences to Pamela Guerriere-Kovach, M.D.

adolescent aesthetic procedures such as nose

(’96), on the death of her husband, John R. Kovach.

reshaping, ear and chin repositioning, and correction

the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center at Akron Children’s Hospital. He has specialized in the surgical

Palliative Medicine and Hospice Nurses Association. He

physicians to be board certified in the specialty of

Jennifer Kiko Beard, M.D. (’97), received the

is a clinical professor of family medicine at NEOUCOM

addiction medicine by the new American Board of

Distinguished Educator Award for 2009 fromThe Ohio

and is assistant medical director, hospice and palliative

Addiction Medicine and is chairman of the examination

State University. She works at Riverside Methodist

care service at Summa Health System.

committee for the board. He is associate professor of

Hospital in Columbus as the assistant program director

M.D. (’99), announce the birth of a daughter, Nikhila

internal medicine and psychiatry at Virginia

of internal medicine in the Department of Internal

Chand Rani Puri, born Feb. 28, 2010. They reside in

Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

Medicine.

Cincinnati where he is an interventional cardiologist

content development team to produce orders sets and

Belinda Hoover Brewster, M.D. (’94), continues to

Jaideep Chunduri, M.D. (’97), was nominated by his

documentation templates.

be on alert status with the United States Army after

medical staff, patients and spine industry members and

serving as chief medical officer for Tent City Hospital in

named a “Health Care Hero” in the provider category by

Frank Kaeberlein, M.D. (’89), was one of only three physicians honored by the American Heart Association

New Orleans. Four NEOUCOM graduates were among several

Emergency Medicine Department and co-director and

Columbus area physicians featured in the March issue

co-founder of Mercy Emergency Chest Pain Center, the

of CMH Magazine (http://mag.cmhmag.com). They

first chest pain center in the U.S. fully accredited by the

included Nina Deep, M.D. (’94), a specialist in internal

Shelby Clay Rogers, M.D. (’97), performed

Society of Chest Pain Centers. Kaeberlein practices with

medicine and aesthetics at Nina Deep Aesthetics,

amputations, treated injuries and provided basic

a newly formed organization to aid in research

of jaw or bite abnormalities. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Vanshipal Puri, M.D. (’99), and Soumya Janardan,

and she is a family practitioner.

Sahil Samir and Riya Ranjana

Stay Connected

and education.

Stark County Emergency Physicians, which has

Rena Henriques, M.D. (’98), an internal medicine

medical services, as well as assisted with the

provided emergency staffing for Mercy Medical Center

physician at Riverside Hospital and Kalyan Lingam

operations of a local clinic while serving with a medical

for more than 20 years.

M.D. (’00), an interventional pain management

missions team in Les Cayes, Haiti.

Mona Mangat, M.D. (’96), an allergist in St.

John Visger, M.D. (’97), Cherish Visger, M.D. (’98) and family

the Cincinnati Business Journal. He is medical director of the Beacon Education and Research Foundation,

2010 Heart Ball in Canton, Ohio. He is chairman of the

specialist with Pain Care Specialists.

ALUMNI NEWS

Ananth Murthy, M.D. (’99), was named director of

Michael Weaver, M.D. (’93), became one of the first

Epic Corporation in Madison, Wis., and assists the

Dr. Chris Taggart (‘07), and Dr. Sudy Jahangiri (‘08)

Medicine and the Foundation of Clinical Medicine, a medical professionalism course for third-year medical

Annual Assembly of American Academy of Hospice and

David Little, M.D. (’87), is clinical content analyst for

Dr. Stephanie Tan (‘94), Mrs. June Tan and Dr. Michael Tan (‘99)

Join the NEOUCOM Alumni Association group. Post your photos, share your updates and stay in touch with fellow alumni. Also a great place to learn of news and upcoming events of interest to alumni.

1980s

cardiologist, and the Arizona governor of the American Belinda Hoover Brewster, M.D. (‘94)

Become a NEOUCOM Alumni Association Facebook Friend

John Visger, M.D. (’97), is the lead surgeon of Palouse Surgeons, LLC, a group of surgeons serving

Petersburg, Fla., had the opportunity to meet with

Moscow, Idaho and Pullman and Colfax, Wash. He was

President Obama and other physicians regarding health

recently nominated for the Physician Excellence Award

care reform. The October 2009 meeting was held in the

in Pullman, Wash. John and Cherish Visger M.D.

Rose Garden at the White House.

(’98), reside in Pullman with their four children.

Please share news about births, marriages, new jobs, recent promotions, honors and special achievements so that we may publish them in the NEOUCOM Magazine.

Nikhila Chand Rani Puri

To send news or photos, send an e-mail to [email protected].

1980s-1990s

Spring/Summer2010 31

CLASSnOTEs

ALUMNI NEWS

2000s Scott Gabriel, M.D. (’00), married the former

Jafer Ali, M.D. (’02), will begin a Cardiothoracic

Preeti Venkataraman, M.D. (’03), and

Dean R. Yeropoli, M.D. (’06), completed a residency

Catherine Magharing at St. Thomas More Catholic

Anesthesia Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Neil Majmundar, M.D. (’06), were married May 30,

at Summa Health System and is an internal medicine

2009. They live and practice in New York, N.Y.

physician with Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital.

Church. Dr. Gabriel is with General Surgery Associates in Las Vegas, Nev.

Ashok Asthagiri, M.D. (’01), and Heather Powell, M.D.

Rickenbach were married at the Gramercy Park Hotel in

Ross Myers, M.D. (’04), is a Pediatric Pulmonology

Sevasti Yeropoli, M.D. (’06), is an OB/GYN at Akron

Ashok Asthagiri, M.D. (’01), married Heather Powell,

New York in December 2009. He is a dermatologist in

Fellow at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in

General Medical Center.

M.D., on May 15, 2010. Dr. Asthagiri is a staff

private practice in Massapequa, N.Y. She is chief of

Cleveland. He has been awarded a third-year fellowship

neurosurgeon at the Surgical Neurology Branch of the

dermatology at Brooklyn Hospital Center, and is an

research grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for his

National Institutes of Health. Dr. Powell graduated from

assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell

project entitled Nrf-2 Dysfunction in Cystic Fibrosis.

the University of Tennessee Medical School and is a

Medical College in New York.

rehabilitation physician. They reside in the District of Columbia. Janine Brown, M.D. (’01), is clinical assistant professor of family medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and assists with third-year family medicine clerkships. She is vice chair of the Department of Family

Jim and Sarah Kravec

is an OB/GYN resident at Aultman Hospital and he is an

pathologist at the Cleveland Clinic. He and his wife Katie

athletic trainer at Mercy Medical, both in Canton, Ohio.

Aug. 22, 2009. She is an OB/GYN and is vice chief of

celebrated the birth of their second son, Benjamin, born

surgery at Licking Memorial Hospital in Newark, Ohio.

Sept. 25, 2009. Benjamin joins big brother Jack (2).

Tracy (Palumbo) Dovich, M.D. (’02), and husband Rob

Lisa Walchalk Stoneking, M.D. (’05), announces the

exposed to space radiation, and will begin a radiation

welcomed a son, Jake Robert, born May 20, 2009.

addition of daughter Leah Grace (2) and son Brayden

oncology residency at the University of Medicine and

Kris Kelly, M.D. (’02), continues to practice at Maumee

practice of seven physicians and two mid-level providers.

Eye Clinic. They live in Maumee and have one daughter.

Teresa Lutka-Fedor, M.D. (’01), completed a child and

Matthew McDonald Bowdish, M.D. (’03), completed

adolescence psychiatry fellowship at the University of

an allergy Fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine

Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic,

and is with the William Storms Allergy Clinic in Colorado

Ali Noaman, M.D. (’06), is in the third year of a general

and is with Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents

Springs. He and Kara Netro were married in October

surgery residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal

in St. Clairsville, Ohio. She is board certified by the

2009, and reside in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Oak, Mich.

emergency medicine at University Physicians Healthcare in Tucson, Ariz.

physician in psychiatry at Akron General Medical Center

Permanente in Denver, Colo.

and Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio. He is a

Paras Patel, M.D. (’06), is a hospitalist in Detroit, Mich., and Elizabeth Uhlenhake, M.D. (’09), is beginning her

with orthopedic deformities from congenital malformations

dermatology residency, also in Detroit. The couple plans

residency at Children’s Hospital in Columbus and is on

to post traumatic growth arrests. In May 2010, she

a 2011 wedding.

staff with Licking Memorial Health Systems in Newark,

served with a medical mission team in Eritrea, Africa.

Ohio.

Teri Sanor, M.D., (’06), was selected to present her

Angela Rouse Scharschmidt, M.D. (’03), and

poster “Surviving, More Than Just a Slogan. The Need for

Thomas Scharschmidt, M.D. (’03), celebrated the birth

Prioritized Competency Education” at the International

marathon in Orlando. She finished in one hour and 58

of a third child, daughter Torin, born Feb. 10, 2010.

Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare in Nice,

minutes and placed 2,181/17,102 overall and

Angela is in private practice at Westar OB/GYN at Mt.

France.

580/9,676 women. She practices internal medicine

Carmel St. Ann’s. Tom is an assistant professor of

at St. Elizabeth’s in Youngstown. She and husband,

orthopedic oncology at The Ohio State University.

James Kravec, M.D. (’02), have two children, Jim and Sarah.

Melissa (Carter) Tornero, M.D. (’06), completed her anesthesiology residency at Case Western Reserve

Sara Vance, M.D. (’03), is one of eight physicians with

Hospitals of Cleveland, and in July will begin as an

Atrium OB/GYN in Canton, Ohio. Vance joined the group

attending in pediatrics, OB, cardiac and general

which also includes her father, David Brandau, M.D., and

anesthesiology at Lorain Community Health Partners.

Roger Baker, M.D. Interestingly, Dr. Baker assisted in the delivery when Sara was born!

1990s-2000s

Kristine Marinelli, M.D. (’09), and Matthew Douglas Packo were married in June 2009. She is a resident

Jarod Conley, M.D. (’06), practices with Kaiser

deformity at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore focusing on patients

Cynthia Kravec, M.D. (’01), ran the Disney half-

32 NEOUCOMMagazine

Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Academy of Family Physicians, and continues in a group

Reid Boyce, M.D. (’03), completed a Fellowship in limb

investigating the acute biological effects of astronauts

Charles, born March 2010. She is assistant professor of

director at Unison Behavioral Health Group in Toledo.

Paras Patel, M.D. (’06) and Elizabeth Uhlenhake, M.D. (’09)

Casey Maks, M.D. (’08), is a postdoctoral fellow

emergency medicine and associate program director of

Brown was recently named a Fellow of the American

Jennifer Killion, M.D. (’01), completed her pediatric

part of the Christian Medical and Dental Association. She

Thomas Plesec, M.D. (’04), is associate staff

Victoria Osborne Kelly, M.D. (’02), is associate medical

and adolescent psychiatrist.

Erica Atwood Downey, M.D. (’07), and her husband David traveled to Guatemala on a surgical mission trip as

Janea Davis, M.D. (’02), married Mareion Royster on

Medicine at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Va. Dr.

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as a child

Janea Davis, M.D. (’02)

K. Andrew Cerveny, Jr., M.D. (’02), and Dr. Kiersten A.

manger for RTI International Metals. Brian Minillo, M.D. (’09), and wife Andrea celebrated the birth of a daughter, Lenora Rae, on Nov. 4, 2009. They reside in Boston, Mass.

INMEMORIAM Dr. Demetrios John (James) Dallis, Canfield, Ohio, died Nov. 6, 2009. A former NEOUCOM faculty member, he was a pioneer in the use of lasers in general surgery, performing the first laproscopic gallbladder procedure at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. He is survived by his wife Nina Nocoludis; daughters Barbara Dallis and Kelly (Gerald) Kehoc and three grandchildren. Joan Donohew, Rootstown, Ohio, died Nov. 19, 2009. She retired as a secretary from NEOUCOM. She is survived by her husband Dana; children Kymberly (Dave) Schlarb, Jeanette (Lasse) Knudson and Chizu (Shingo) Sakai-Imoto and nine grandchildren. Ellen Marie Hamilton, Brimfield, Ohio, died Feb. 18, 2010. A music teacher and local volunteer, she was best known by the many NEOUCOM students who rented rooms in Rootstown from her over the years. She is survived by her children Dr. Robert (Kathy) Hamilton and Kathleen (Jeff) Eldridge; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Spring/Summer2010 33

cPDnews

NEOUCOM’s Office of Continuing professional development

Every Gift Makes a Difference

Schedule of Upcoming Events and Online Courses

To Dr. Kong and Mrs. Gim Oh, teaching and sharing is more than a career. It is a way of life and their legacy. Dr. Kong Oh graduated from the University of Singapore College of Medicine and completed his training at the University of Pennsylvania-Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia, Pa. Gim S. Oh graduated from the Malayan Teachers’ Training Residential College and later obtained her M.B.A., majoring in finance at Youngstown State University. In 1978, the couple Dr. Kong and Mrs. Gim Oh celebrate life with their moved to Youngstown and founded Oh Eye Associates, providing services in cataract surgery children and five grandchildren. and glaucoma treatment. The Ohs have always been active community members, and with Dr. Oh’s recent retirement in January 2010, the couple expect to dedicate even more time to the causes they most enjoy. They continue efforts in training ophthalmologists in Mongolia, Albania, Dominica and China with Health for Humanity, a volunteer-based group of physicians. They also educate children about the dangers of smoking and alcohol, and well-being through good nutrition as part of the Health for Humanity Ohio Network initiative. When their children expressed interests in medical careers, the Ohs turned to NEOUCOM because they always appreciate the University’s community service values and commitment to ethical academics. Their son, Kean T. Oh, M.D. (’94), is a vitreoretinal fellowship-trained ophthalmologist, practicing in Traverse City, Mich. Their daughter Phaik (Oh) Obermeyer, M.D. (’97), is a boardcertified family physician in Norfolk, Va. Her husband, Bob Obermeyer, M.D., is serving as a pediatric surgeon in the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter in Norfolk. The Ohs continue to support NEOUCOM and the community they say “has provided a life for our family.” A scholarship established in 2004 by Dr. and Mrs. Oh provides financial assistance to a promising third or fourth year NEOUCOM medical student who also shows dedication to community service, and is a lasting legacy in training health care providers for the Ohio region.

Giving to NEOUCOM

Gifts to the NEOUCOM Foundation can be: Cash or Credit Cards Gifts — Gifts can be made by mail, online at www.neoucom.edu, during phonathons or in the envelope enclosed with this magazine. Non-Cash Gifts — These may include securities, personal property, real estate or gifts-in-kind. Please contact Institutional Advancement for stock transfer instructions. Matching Gifts — You may have the opportunity to double or triple your donation if your employer offers a matching gift program. Planned Gifts — These may include annuities, bequests, trusts and wills. Please contact Institutional Advancement for specific bequest language. Corporate and Foundation Gifts — Your corporation or foundation can provide important support for academic programs, research or scholarships. The Institutional Advancement team welcomes the opportunity to discuss giving opportunities that meet your personal philanthropic and financial needs. Please call 330-325-6671 to schedule a private meeting. 34 NEOUCOMMagazine

Dermatology Conference

SEPT. 24 2010

17th Annual Current Topics in Ob/Gyn

OCT. 23 2010

ABIM Maintenance of Certification Session NEOUCOM, Rootstown, Ohio

DEC. 3-5 2010

NEOUCOM, Rootstown, Ohio

NEOUCOM, Rootstown, Ohio

28th Annual Infectious Disease Seminar for the Practicing Physician Edgewater Beach Hotel, Naples, Fla.

Accredited Online Courses n Online

Point of Care

n Curriculum

Development: Writing Educational Objectives for Authentic Curricular Alignment

n Information

Mastery Practicum: How to Select and Use the Best Hunting and Foraging Tools

n What’s

Hype? What’s Right? Assessing New Information from Pharm Reps to the Latest Journals

n Dermatology Courses: A Series of Seven Courses Difficult Aspects of Actinic Keratosis Treatment; Office-based Therapies for Warts; Mastering the Treatment of Eczema and Contact Dermatitis; Diagnostic Dilemmas; Dermatologic Therapy: How to Add to Your Treatment Palette; Infectious Disease and Skin: Clinical Pathologic Correlation; Eyes and Skin Disease n Pharmacy

You can make an immediate impact on the quality of heath professions education by making a gift to the NEOUCOM Foundation. Gifts may be designated to help specific areas such as scholarships or research, or may be contributed to the Blue Fund to assist where needs are greatest. Honor or memorial gifts are thoughtful ways to recognize a person, achievement or life event.

SEPT. 22 2010

cPD NEWS

donorprofile

For a complete list of live and online programs, visit www.neoucom.edu/ce or contact the Office of Continuing Professional Development at 1-877-325-1212 (toll-free) or 330-325-6575.

Preceptor Training and Orientation

For a complete list of live and online programs, visit http://www.neoucom.edu/audience/ce

21st Annual Update in Internal Medicine Conference Adds Maintenance of Certification Section – and That’s Just the Beginning Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is now a household name in a physician’s world. The program not only provides the opportunity to stay abreast of advances in the medical field and specific specialties, but also encourages peer interaction and information sharing. The Office of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hopes to make earning MOC points a little easier. NEOUCOM added its first ABIM MOC learning session to the 21st Annual Update in Internal Medicine Conference in May, and it was a huge success. The session offered an officebased, internal medicine module containing multiple choice questions. Physicians were able to earn up to 10 points toward MOC and AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM. For more information on MOC sessions, call the Office of CPD at 330-325-6575 or email [email protected].

Office of Continuing Professional Development Makes Accrediting Your Activity Easy The Office of CPD is not only a diverse source for physicians and pharmacists to obtain continuing education (CE) credit and faculty development, but also a resource for planning and accrediting a medical or pharmacy activity. The department has more than 30 years of experience planning and accrediting CE activities. If you already manage an activity, the Office of CPD can discuss how to accredit this activity for physicians and pharmacists. Or, you may have an idea for an activity, but don’t know how to proceed. The department staff can meet with you to plan and accredit the entire event. The Office of CPD has managed half-day to full-week events. The department also has experience producing online activities as well. To discuss the numerous ways faculty, and local physicians and pharmacists can work with us, call 330-325-6575 or email [email protected]. To see what types of activities we offer, visit www.neoucom.edu/ce.

Northeastern Ohio Universities colleges of medicine & pharmacy

Many thanks to this year’s major sponsors: Paul A. Thomas with Lincoln Financial Advisors Giant Eagle Summa Health System Akron General Medical Center