The Microscope
This issue of the COMmunicator features:
- Event Article: Transformational Leadership at UNE
- Spotlight Story: The Irreconcilability Between Censorship and Science
- In Good COMpany: The Who's Who in COM
- Campus Circulation
Event Article
Transformational Leadership at UNE
DIRIGO LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
“Become Your Best Self” was the slogan for the third annual Dirigo Leadership Conference held on Sunday, February 11 in Leonard Hall. The conference, which had 110 students attend, was open to all UNE students, including UNE COM, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Director of Student Engagement, Kerry Keating, who orchestrated the event. The conference featured educational sessions by professional staff and faculty at the institution. The Keynote Speaker, Sensei leader Jim Bouchard of Brunswick, talked of his journey in college, and how his transformation as a leader happened later in life. His motivational talk aimed at applying “Black Belt Mindset” to reach your full potential. In many respects the “Black Belt Mindset” is reminiscent of body, mind and spirit of the osteopathic profession.
In fact, one medical student, Greg Carbonella, OMS III, was one of the speakers for the conference. His talk, “The Value of Volunteering” touched on the potential benefits of volunteering and how one form of leadership is being of service to others and essentially “being the change you want to see in the world.” The Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Jen DeBurro, echoed this idea that “Leadership is Service” in the dean’s letter for the event. UNE President, James Herbert, Ph.D., was in attendance and spoke to his new leadership role as a president of a private university. A friend recently asked how it felt to be the boss of everyone at the college. I am not the boss of anyone, was his reply; I have hundreds of bosses. His humility is a form of leadership, the recognition that while he may be in a leadership position, a position of considerable power and influence, his job is to lead by modeling the behavior he envisions for the university, and for all who work and study here.
The conference had over 10 sessions for students to choose from and a PechaKucha presentation from the undergraduate Leader Scholars. Final remarks were given by UNE COM Assistant Director of Medical Student Services, Vincent Buonocore, who is currently spearheading leadership development at COM. With considerable humor and engagement, Vincent spoke on the importance of Emotional Intelligence in leadership. He is using EI assessments with his OsteoBlast! & Orientation (O&O) leaders and believes that understanding one’s emotional intelligence helps with communication, and collaboration. The conference ended with coffee and networking and hopefully some EI antennas out…reading the room.
Spotlight Story
The Intersections of UNE COM and Medicine in Today's Changing World
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marlana Solebello, M.Ed. works in the COM Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services
THE IRRECONCILABILITY BETWEEN CENSORSHIP AND SCIENCE
When we were young, we were taught the scientific method as a process of forming hypotheses and then testing them through observational and experimental means. As our questions became more sophisticated, so did our methods for research. Basic research has often been described as a puzzle waiting to be solved, and fundamentally this seems to be true not just for what is being studied but for the researcher as well. In the article, “What Motivates Academic Scientists to Engage in Research Commercialization: ‘Gold,’ ‘Ribbon,’ or ‘Puzzle?’” Alice Lam explores motivations for scientists in the field of research. She writes, “scientists are also motivated by the intrinsic satisfaction of doing research by solving the ‘puzzle,’ creative activity being its own reward.”1 Lam discovers that this idea of puzzle-solving is closely linked to creativity, the path to limitless (and unknown) discovery. Unadulterated discovery, however, is vulnerable to external influences that threaten creative autonomy.1 In other words, science thrives on the ability to create possibilities and by exploring uncharted territory. Imagine the feeling of putting something together with no idea what or how the puzzle will turn out. Without preconceived notions of what something might look like, researchers have the ability to think outside of the norm, leaving room for creative discovery. On the contrary, research that is restricted or censored is as finite and two-dimensional as the puzzle pictured above. The limits are set, delineated. The act of discovery is confined to a series of predictable movements leading to an eventual predetermined outcome. If we limit the number of puzzle pieces and put other confines on the road to discovery, the research, as well as the overall product, is contrived.
In December 2017, the Washington Post reported that agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services (i.e. the Center for Disease Control) were allegedly banned from using seven words or phrases in their budget documents.2 The list of banned words included: vulnerable, entitlement, diversity, transgender, fetus, evidence-based, and science-based.2 While the report was dismissed by the Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson, Matt Lloyd, as a “mischaracterization of budget discussions,” the incident raised concerns regarding the impact of any politically-motivated censorship seeping into the domain of science, and, more specifically, scientific research.3 The former Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, commented that, “for C.D.C. or any agency to be censored or passively made to feel they have to self-censor to avoid retribution — that’s dangerous and not acceptable. The purpose of science is to search for truth, and when science is censored the truth is censored.”4 Similarly, in their article, “Medicine and Science Must Oppose Intolerance and Censorship,” Komesaroff et al. argue that science is and should continue to be where truths are contested.5 In other words, science needs to remain in the realm of truth, quarantined from political ambitions or bureaucratic influence.
In the realm of public policy, concern was raised regarding the impact potential censorship would have on public health. Dana Singiser, VP of Public Policy and Government Affairs for Planned Parenthood Federation of America stated, “You cannot fight against the Zika virus, or improve women's and fetal health, if you are unable to use the word 'fetus.' You must be able to talk about science and evidence if you are to research cures for infectious diseases such as Ebola."6 Meghan May, Ph.D., is a biomedical researcher at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her expertise is in microbiology, and infectious diseases.7 She is one of the leading experts on the Zika Virus, and has given interviews and talks on current discoveries, virus symptoms, and manifestations. Dr. May first noticed the story unfold on her Twitter feed. The scientific community was in an uproar over the allegations that the Department of Health & Human Services and its other agencies (namely the Center for Disease Control) were given a list banned words.8 Their insistence that the mischaracterized allegations referred only to budget discussions raised valid concerns. Even if this is the case, then what are the implications and consequences of this kind of censorship? “How can I do my job if I can’t say fetus?" she asks. Without hyperbole she adds, “If you can’t say those things, people will die.”8 As experts in their fields, restricting parameters they operate within creates a very dangerous politicized time bomb. “When your job entails finding cures for sick people and keeping people from ultimately getting sick, you need to be able to do it in a way that you see fit.”8
The notion of science and censorship has been present since the conceptualization of science and its arduous relationship with popular religious beliefs, superstitions, or political motivations of the time.9 In the Middle Ages, notions of disease were rife with religious superstition.10 Facts we take for granted, such as the earth being round, have been denounced or contested for being outlandish or preposterous.9 Yet, the difference is that the banning of words within the CDC is not only about the result, but the means by which scientists conduct their research. As Dr. May pointed out, how does a proposed ban of words like “fetus” and “evidence-based” affect the funding of research?8 If scientists are restricted from using certain words in grant proposals and research, how does that influence the subjects being researched, and, ultimately, the outcome of that research?
Christina Tsui, a second year medical student, is a member of the Public Health Club at UNE COM whose mission is to educate students, and the greater UNE community, on public health issues both locally and internationally.11 Regardless of whether the ban was only for budget documents or not, Tsui thought the message to the scientific community was clear: “government agencies are changing the manner in which information is presented and disseminated to the public...[Which] means that if certain groups in the CDC want government funding, they will have to tailor their language to appease political viewpoints.”12 The danger, Tsui believes, is that, “Binding scientists’ hands by withholding funding and limiting their voice to the greater community only serves to endanger the general progress, education, and health of the public.10 For her, scientific research needs to be rooted in facts, which means that the research needs to be derived from data sans political, personal, emotional, or subjective biases.12
The American astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, mused that the laws of science exist whether you believe in them or not.8 Similarly, both Dr. May and student doctor Christina Tsui agree that when it comes to public health and safety, it doesn’t matter what any one entity wants, but what the evidence states. Scientific research is about discovery, the censoring of which could bring about an infinite array of unwanted and cataclysmic consequences. As Tsui reminds us, “In creating an academic culture that rewards re-discovery rather than discovery, we limit ourselves to endless possibilities and stunt societal growth.”12 So like the tangible, microorganisms incubating in their cylindrical petri dishes, let it grow!
References:
1. Lam, Alice. “What Motivates Academic Scientists to Engage in Research Commercialization: ‘Gold’, ‘Ribbon’, or ‘Puzzle?’ Research Policy, 40 (2011): 1354–1368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2011.09.002.
2. Sun, Lena H., and Juliet Eilperin. “CDC Gets List of Forbidden Words: Fetus, Transgender, Diversity.” The Washington Post. 17 Dec 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cdc-gets-list-of-forbidden-words-fetus-transgender-diversity/2017/12/15/f503837a-e1cf-11e7-89e8-edec16379010_story.html?utm_term=.68412eeb2a16
3. Regan, Michael D. “CDC Director Says There Are ‘No Banned Words’ At the Agency.” PBS. 17 Dec. 2017. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/cdc-director-says-there-are-no-banned-words-at-the-agency
4. Kaplan, Sheila, and Donald G. McNeil, Jr. “Uproar Over Purported Ban At C.D.C. of Words Like ‘Fetus’.” NY Times. 16 Dec. 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/health/cdc-trump-banned-words.html
5. Komesaroff, Paul A., Amber Moore, and Ian H. Kerridge. "Medicine and Science Must Oppose Intolerance and Censorship." Medical Journal of Australia. 197, no. 2 (2012): 82-83. doi: 10.5694/mja12.10500
6. Ravitz, Jessica. “Word Ban at CDC Includes 'Vulnerable,' 'Fetus,' 'Transgender'.” CNN. 18 Dec. 2017. http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/16/health/cdc-banned-words/index.html
7. University of New England. 2018. http://www.une.edu/people/meghan-may
8. Meghan May, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at UNE) in discussion with the author, December 19, 2017.
9. Broad, William J. “Science and Censorship: A Duel Lasting Centuries.” 26 Dec. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/27/science/science-and-censorship-a-duel-lasting-centuries.html
10. Hajar, Rachel. “The Air of History (Part II) Medicine in the Middle Ages.” Heart Views. Oct-Dec 2012; 13(4): 158–162. doi: 10.4103/1995-705X.105744
11. COM Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services. Clubs and Organizations. 2018. http://www.une.edu/com/rsas/student-organizations/special
12. Christina Tsui, OMS II (UNE COM Student) email message to author, January 23, 2018.
Read Christina Tsui’s full response.
In Good COMpany
The Who's Who in UNE COM
FROM MILITARY MEDICINE TO PM&R
(COL) William Bograkos, D.O. ’85 (retired) was recently appointed as Assistant Professor in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in the Department of Military/Emergency Medicine at the Uniform Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Md. You have probably seen him at UNE COM either as an Adjunct Professor in the Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, Clinical Professor of Medical Military Science, Family Practice and Emergency Medicine, or at an AMOPS event (the Association of Military of Osteopathic Physician & Surgeons).
Dr. Bograkos continues to actively mentor military scholars at UNE COM, and hopes to be able to be of service to the PM&R student group given his new faculty appointment. His last talk for AMOPS was entitled, “Homecoming: Traumatic Brain Injury & Psychological Health” where he discussed integrative pain management, and the treatment of PTSD. We look forward to hearing and learning more from him in the future in regards to both military medicine and physical medicine & rehabilitation.
PUTTING PHARMACOGENOMICS ON THE MAP
Research Associate Professor Dan Brazeau, Ph.D., recently received the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions Rho Chi Lecture Award from the International Academic Honor Society Chapter. Dr. Brazeau teaches at UNE for both the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the College of Pharmacy. The award was presented on February 16 for his role in bringing pharmacogenomics into the classroom. Read more
NEW CHIEF OF GERIATRICS
Susan Wehry, M.D. is the new Chief of Geriatrics in the Primary Care Department at UNE COM. Dr. Wehry lived in Vermont where she served as Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services. For almost 15 years, she taught in the College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. A geropsychiatrist and passionate advocate for promoting the health and improving the care of older adults, Dr. Wehry looks forward to inspiring the next generation of osteopathic physicians and to working closely with MatureCare and the new Center for Excellence in Aging and Health.
Campus Circulation
The Pulse of Current COM Students
MENTORING DINNER
On November 27 COM students met with undergraduate students from UNE hoping to pursue a career in medicine. This was the second time the COM Mentors met with these students first semester and the relationships they established serve to support a new generation of D.O.’s as they navigate their undergraduate careers.
MCARTHUR LIBRARY HOME DELIVERY
"Harry- I think I've Just understood something! I've got to go to the library"
As Hermoine points out in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, libraries are a place of wonder, knowledge, and quite possibly battle magic. They not only hold the key to the secrets of the universe, or the minute and sublime details of ages long past, they also provide us with a respite, or a means to travel without money, without limit, and without a vaccine for yellow fever. For those of us who are unable to travel to the library for these indulgences, the McArthur Public Library has developed a program to help. UNE COM's own Greg Carbonella, OMS II, is a volunteer for the McArthur Library Homebound Delivery Program. He delivers library books to nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the area so that the library's books and other materials can be enjoyed. Read more
A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF - MLK DAY OF SERVICE
UNE COM students were making the most of Martin Luther King Jr. Day by participating in the MLK Day of Service at the First Parish Church in Saco, Maine from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. on Monday, January 15, 2018. More than twenty UNE COM students volunteered, some providing blood pressure screenings to local community members, and members of the Student American Academy of Osteopathy (SAAO) provided Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) during the day of service event. The First Parish Church in Saco has been organizing this event for ten years, and their slogan, “A Day On, Not A Day Off” has attracted other community volunteers who want to give back during a day that recognizes what Martin Luther King, Jr. himself did to help his communities. At the day of service event, volunteers offered free services such as haircuts, laundry, clothes, meals, and shower facilities. James Koch, OMS II, SAAO co-president, championed the event by saying, “This is a great opportunity to get a different experience than you may have had earlier this year.” Raunak Raj Karmacharya, OMS II, adds, “It's a great way to practice taking vital signs, provide a service to local community members, and also gain TOUCH hours for doing so.”
Read more about the event in the Portland Press Herald.
A DREAM WE COULD ALL WAKE UP TO
The crowd patiently waited for Dr. Marc Lamont Hill to give his talk, “A Dream: The Wake Up Call” at the Campus Center on Wednesday, January 24. Dr. Hill had been traveling the past two weeks to speak on the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. and how we see his vision several decades later. According to Dr. Hill, MLK has often been politicized, and utilized for various agendas, but that he wanted to step back and contemplate what MLK was really about, and not what we make him out to be.
According to Dr. Hill, MLK was a radical. He believed that Capitalism is a broken system, and that it needs to be deconstructed for his true dream to take place. For instance, 1 in every 100 people in America are incarcerated. Many are in jail, not because they committed a heinous crime or because they are a threat to society, but because they can’t afford the bail to get out. Words were important to MLK, because they are powerful and imprint messages in our heads in a subconscious, rhetorical haze. Dr. Hill asked, what is the difference between a drug addict and a crack head? Why do we perceive those who use cocaine as making a bad choice, and those who use crack as bad people? There is a divide between whiteness and blackness, between rich and poor. MLK wanted America to reframe its thinking, to think radically by imagining a world that breaks down these barriers to our humanity. Dr. Hill posed an alternative to incarceration by considering who was harmed and how we can make that person whole again, rather than how we can punish someone for a criminalized act. That is the difference. People commit acts that are criminalized; they don’t commit crimes. People aren’t always the criminals we make them out to be.
Words are important, and MLK saw racism, poverty, and militarization as the “triplet of misery,” interconnected, and inseparable from one another. In order to combat the cycle, creative dreaming, radical listening, and radical action must take place. First, we need to think big, outside the current, broken framework that surrounds us. This is what he calls creative dreaming. In addition, we must practice radical listening. It is too easy to dismiss people for being racist, ignorant, poor, etc. If we listen to their stories, we begin to see their perspective and understand the various factors that contribute to why they hold a particular viewpoint. Radical listening allows us to dialogue in a different way, so that we can meet people where they are. Radical action is something everyone can participate in. Whether you join a cause, contribute money, stand in a picket line, or simply use your voice to speak out against injustice. Every action matters. Every additional voice increases the volume of what is said and disrupts the dominant narrative.
At the end of the talk, a COM student questioned Dr. Hill on how busy medical students can take action to “make the world a better place than we found it.” His answer was both astute and humorous. He said he isn’t advocating for students to slack in their studies in order to radically mobilize protests, sit-ins etc. and effect change. But the fact that you are busy doesn’t “let you off the hook.” Students can still take action by joining a student organization, or by donating their time and money to help those less privileged than themselves. There is always opportunity to do more, but start with doing something—taking some kind of action on behalf of someone else can make a difference in that person’s life. Times that by two-hundred, one-thousand, or even one-million, and, well…
…there is change.
STUDENT DOCTORS OF THE MONTH
UNE COM students are selected by their peers for the honor of being the student doctor of the month. For the month of December, congratulations to:
Steven Ferro, OMS I: Student Doctor Ferro’s positivity infects everyone around him. He also played a key role in organizing the Dodgeball tournament for Camp Sunshine, and starting a support group under WELLCOM to help support each other with the many stressors of life and medical school.
Adelle Dagher, OMS II: Student Doctor Dagher has been instrumental in organizing various fitness events including a Veteran’s Day workout to support our veterans. She also helped to raise money for the Movember event with a burpee challenge.
For the month of January, congratulations to:
Maria Jones, OMS I: Student Doctor Jones was selected not only for her role as class president, but also for her winning attitude and personality that makes her a great addition to COM.
Thomas Wickham, OMS II: Student Doctor Wickham is the tireless leader of the Student Government Association. In addition he is a dedicated medical student who puts others above himself. Read more
THIRD-YEAR UNE COM STUDENTS WIN FIRST PLACE IN STATE OSTEOPATHIC CONVENTIONS
Ethan Duane, OMS-III
Frank Jackson, OMS-III
Two UNE COM students have won first-place at two recent state osteopathic conventions. The research project, "Resources Which Improve Performance on Medical Licensing Board Examinations" is in collaboration with Ryan Smith, D.O., M.S., assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry and director of the COM Division of Psychiatry. Frank Jackson, OMS-III, won first place in the New Hampshire Osteopathic Association (NHOA) Research Poster Presentation in January 2018. Ethan Duane, OMS-III, won first place in the Maine Osteopathic Association (MOA) Research Poster Presentation in February 2018.
They will be presenting their research at the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN) Conference in May on the UNE COM campus and are working on a manuscript for publication. Other medical students collaborating on this research include Ryan Kollar, OMS-III, Robert Harmon, OMS-III, and Nicole Rainville, OMS-III.
mAINE OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION (MOA) RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP FORUM
At the Maine Osteopathic Association (MOA) Research & Scholarship Forum, UNE COM students won first, second and third place for Original Research.
In first place was Ethan Duane, OMS-III for the research entitled, “Predictors of Performance on National Medical Board Licensing Examinations.” The other contributors included R. Harmon, OMS-III, Frank Jackson, OMS-III, Ryan Kollar, OMS-III, Nicole Rainville, OMS-III, and Ryan Smith, DO, MS.
In second place was John Forrester, OMS-II. The research was entitled, “Electrophysiological Consequences of Congenital Heart Defects Caused by Primary Cilia-Dependent Cardiac Developmental Processes.” The other contributors included John Forrester, OMS-II, Lindsey Fitzsimons, MS, and Kerry Tucker, PhD.
Third place was awarded to Madhuri Garg, OMS-II. The research was entitled “Supportive or Stigmatizing: Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes in Caring for Substance Users in Maine.” The contributors included Eliza Foster, OMS-II, S. Shepard, Christina Tsui, OMS-II, Jessica Vittorelli, OMS-II and Victoria Thieme, D.O.
COM students also won first and second place for Case Presentation/Literature Review.
In first place was Tiffany Cheung, OMS-III. The research was entitled, “Hypertension, Hypokalemia, and Metabolic Alkalosis in Primary Aldosternoism and Liddle Syndrome.” The contributors included N. Mbaebie, M.D., and H. Alsmaan, M.D.
Second place was awarded to Annie Lui, OMS-III. The research was entitled “Wernicke Encephalopathy as a Cause of Confusion in Older Patients.” The contributor included R. Ashkar, M.D..
Thank you to the COM Research & Scholarship Committee for putting together this great event, and for all the faculty judges.
COM Student Clubs & Orgs
A Look at COM Students in Action
MOVEMBER CHALLENGE GROWING STRONG
The Award winners, from left: Christian Voto-Thanks for Trying; Travis Mann-Gow-Creepiest Stache; and Muhammad Ashraf-Best in Show.
It has been tradition every year that the Student Osteopathic Surgical Association (SOSA) stirs participation in the Movember movement to raise money for Men’s Health. The Movember Foundation is a global non-profit giving voice to the premature deaths of fathers, brothers and friends due to the lack of openness around men’s health risks such as testicular cancer, and suicide. The Movember challenge is a literal in-your-face awareness campaign designed to give the issue the much needed visibility to help educate our communities. According to the Movember Foundation, the movement has grown from only 30 participants to more than 5 million since 2003.
The Co-Vice President of UNE COM’s SOSA, Matthew Heard, along with the rest of the organization sold light blue t-shirts to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research, along with cozy blankets from Cabelas. This year, they have joined forces with the Fitness Club to implement a program called “Move” for students who are unable to grow mustaches. “Move” is a fitness challenge where a man and woman from each class will complete a ridiculous amount of burpees ($1 for every $0.25 donated).
To top the month off, the Movember Award Ceremony took place on Thursday, November 30 in the OMM lab. The awards given out included “Best In Show,” “Creepiest Stache,” and the “Thanks for Trying” awards. Those who participated in the fitness classes for the month also qualified to win prizes. The judges for the awards ceremony included members of the Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services. The award winners included:
Best in Show: Muhammad Ashraf
Creepiest Stache: Travis Mann-Gow
Thanks for Trying: Christian Voto
UNE COM’s involvement shows how imperative men’s health is to conversations around primary care. We can’t wait to see how this event grows next year.
DODGING FOR A CAUSE
The Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) hosted a Dodgeball Tournament on Thursday November 30 from 6–9 p.m. In addition to being a fun and cathartic experience, all proceeds were donated to Camp Sunshine, a camp that supports families with children who have terminal diseases.
UGLY SWEATER STUDY BREAK
The Pediatrics Club and Oncology Club hosted an Ugly Sweater Study on Friday, December 8, 2017 in the St. Francis Room on UNE’s Biddeford Campus. OMS Is and IIs, along with some of the Anatomy fellows, joined in the festivities by wearing their holiday best, sharing desserts and participating in the Toys for Tots Toy Drive, a Macy’s Letter to Santa for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and an ornament sale. The goal of the event was to give first years a chance to decompress after their progress tests, and for second year students to join in on the fun.
WHITE COATS FOR BLACK LIVES DEDICATE MLK MEMORIAL
On Tuesday, January 23, White Coats for Black Lives dedicated an informational memorial for Martin Luther King, Jr. on the second floor of the Harold Alfond Center for the Health Sciences. The hope was that students, faculty and staff would sit, stand, and ruminate on the great leader, reflecting on the past, present and future of civil rights in our country. As Kris Insardi, OMS I, of White Coats for Black Lives stated, “the true gravity of today lies in honoring a man passionate for civil change. Society's journey toward authentic equity has been turbulent, but more importantly, resilient...White Coats for Black Lives Club will be honoring the resiliency of the civil rights movement while acknowledging the depths of the work that still must be done.”
The display included a synopsis of MLK's work, civil rights issues of today, and some prominent civil rights leaders of the 21st century. As the display highlighted, school segregation, incarceration rates of black communities, and segregated housing markets are still critical civil rights issues that exist today. The leaders in the spotlight included author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In the Age of Colorblindness, Michelle Alexander, creators of #BlackLivesMatter, Alicia, Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors, former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Benjamin Jealous, and author of Between the World and Me, an exploration of race in America, Ta-Nehisi Coates.
BLOOD DRIVE
The Emergency Medicine Club joined forces with the American Red Cross for a two-day Blood Drive held at the Campus Center on Thursday, January 25 and Friday, January 26. The Red Cross has been desperate for blood donations, and the EM Club worked hard to reach their goal of 55 donations per day. As an incentive, they offered $5 Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards for every person who registered. People could also opt to donate a “power red”, which avoids the post-donation dehydration by having people donate RBCs while leaving their plasma intact.
FLU CREW
Students in the UNE COM's Public Health Club earned a Center for Excellence in Interprofessional Education (CEIPE) mini-grant to design a flu and general hygiene curriculum for elementary school students at Biddeford Intermediate School. In the months of January and February, they conducted 30 minute lessons on topics such as good hygiene habits, what makes the flu dangerous, how the flu is spread, and other relevant health concerns. UNE COM students were invited to participate by joining the “Flu Crew” in this unique experience. This is one great example of UNE COM students pooling their resources to not only make a huge impact on others, but also creating a rich, professional experience for themselves.
INTERFAITH MEDICAL ETHICS EVENT
The Muslim Student Association partnered with the Jewish Student Association and the Christian Medical and Dental Association to bring an Interfaith Medical Faith event to campus. Held on Thursday, February 22 from 12–1:15 p.m. in the St. Francis Room on the Biddeford campus, the aim of the event was to help future physicians better understand diverse patient populations. The guest speakers included COM faculty, Dr. Hwyda Arafat and Dr. David Stein, as well as Physician Assistant, Mr. Shawn Stepp, who represented Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faiths respectively.
The panel discussion featured anonymous questions submitted online and then read by the student facilitators as well as questions from the audience. The group discussed relevant questions, some regarding patients with various prejudices, and some with cultural or religious barriers. The crux of the questions seemed to be what situations have the speakers experienced, and how did they react or handle them. The panel spoke initially about their faith, and as they talked various themes seemed to reveal themselves. The idea of treating the patient above anything else was something that they were passionate about. Each faith had the shared belief that treating one patient was treating humanity. Their faith and their position as healers were interchangeable — they went hand in hand. As Dr. Stein put it, to say that he likes being Jewish is like saying he likes his kidney; it is a
part of him and therefore influences everything he does, and his movement through the world. Mr. Stepp talked about his position as a healer, and how that is not only his profession, but part of his spiritual being. For them, their faith allows them to listen to others’ experience and really try to understand where they were coming from in order to help them. Dr. Arafat talked of patients who refused care the moment they saw her, and instead of reacting, she would give them space, and then come back, smile, and let her demeanor show that she really wanted to help them. There is no doubting that clinicians will come into contact with prejudice and hate speech, probably from their patients, but what was evident from the discussion was the dedication the speakers all have for helping people. Their faith, their person, and their profession are interconnected just as the mind, body, spirit ideology of osteopathic medicine. It seemed the thirty or so students in the audience were invigorated by the discussion and the questions of faith and ethics that were left for all to contemplate.
UNE COM in the News
UnCOMpromising COMmitment to Our World & COMmunity
IMMERSION LEARNING
UNE COM students, William Brown, OMS II, and Sonia Marcello, OMS II, coauthored an article with Marilyn Gug
luicci, Ph.D., "Patient-Centered Care: Medical Students Engagement Through Immersion Learning." The article was published in the SciFed Journal of Geriatrics and Palliative Care.
Sonia Marcello, OMS II will be presenting the abstract at the American Geriatrics Society. William Brown, OMS II was also published in The Pulse, the official newsletter of the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP). The article, "How I Learned By Living" refers to his experience during the 48 hour Hospice Home Immersion Project.
Below is a visual representation of UNE COM News for Winter 2018:
Alumni Notes
Kristy Brown, D.O. ‘02 has been promoted to Associate Medical Director for Quality Improvement at the Community Health Center of Cape Cod, where she is also a Primary Care Provider. Read more.
Mount Desert Island Hospital hired Katherine Gassman, D.O. ‘12, to its Lisa Stewart Women’s Health Center and Cadillac Family Practice. Gassman is a board-certified family medicine physician specializing in both family medicine and obstetrics.
Mark Stephen Umphrey, II, D.O. ’11 and his wife just had their second child, a girl. He is the current vice chair of Family Practice at Sturdy Memorial Hospital.
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
UNE COM Fall Premier CME/Alumni Weekend (Oct 19–21, 2018)
Manual Medicine Series
Hosted by the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and the Department of Continuing Medical Education, this series is for practicing D.O.'s, M.D., and other licensed medical practitioners looking for CME credits.
The 2018 Schedule is:
- L-Spine (Jan. 12–14)
- Hip Joint & Lower Extremities (March 2–4)
- Pelvis (May 4–6)
- Thorax & Rib Cage (Sept. 21–23)
- C-Spine & Upper Extremities (Nov. 9–11)
For more information or to register, view their brochure.
Save the Date
- April 14: OsteoBlast!
- April 15–21 National Osteopathic Medicine (NOM) Week
- May 17: NEOMEN 17th Annual Research and Scholarship Forum
- May 17–18: 2018 NEOMEN Annual Spring Meeting/UNE COM Spring Clerkship Caucus
- May 19: Graduation/UNE COM Hooding Ceremony
- June 28 & 29: COM Orientation 2018
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Readers: Share your memes with us. They can be ironic or frivolous, as long as they aim to amuse.
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UNE COM: Where Your Story & Our Story COM Together
We want to feature content from our readers to show the depth and breadth of the UNE COM Community. We encourage diverse submissions including opinion pieces, short essays, creative writing, comical rants, artwork, photography, etc. Send us your reflections on conferences, lectures, presentations, community outreach, and teachings. We want to feature the work you are doing in your communities, as well as the people you have become.
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College of Osteopathic Medicine
All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
COM Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services
11 Hills Beach Road
Biddeford, ME 04005
(207) 602-2329
rsas@une.edu