Tag: Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook Wins PRSA PRestige Award

On November 12, the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine’s COM Outlook magazine received the first-place prize in the Magazine and Periodicals category at the Public Relations Society of America Tampa Bay Chapter’s PRestige Awards virtual ceremony, which recognizes outstanding PR programs and tactics by PR pros in Florida and across the country

“Winning awards is gratifying, but they are even more meaningful when they involve a team effort,” said Scott Colton, B.A., APR, director of medical communications and public relations for the osteopathic medicine college and the Health Professions Division. “Creating each issue of COM Outlook involves the efforts of many dedicated individuals who contribute to the magazine’s enduring popularity.”

Colton, who oversees the magazine’s editorial content, also credits the talented team from NSU’s Office of Printing and Publications | Division of Business Services for playing a significant role in the magazine’s award-winning success. “The accolades COM Outlook continues to receive truly exemplify the One NSU philosophy of collaboration and collegiality.”

This marks the second first-place prize COM Outlook earned in 2020 after receiving the national award for Best Magazine in March from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine Receives $4-Million CDC Grant for ‘Covid Long Haulers’ Study

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, health care providers are finding that more patients are experiencing lingering symptoms after recovering from the virus. These symptoms include being bone-tired and utterly drained of energy, but in most cases, they continue to negatively impact the patient’s overall well-being and ability to return to normal activities.

While the medical community is working hard to address the virus itself and racing toward a vaccine, there is very little known or being done to address the residual health issues being experienced by those now called “COVID long haulers.”

All of that is about to change, however, thanks to research scientists like Nancy Klimas, M.D., director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine and chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology. “Because of our long-standing research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, we’ve been selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to begin researching these symptoms in COVID-19 patients,” Klimas explained. “Because the symptoms are so similar—joint and muscle pain, severe fatigue, and memory and cognitive issues—to chronic fatigue syndrome, NSU is uniquely positioned to study this emerging development in the pandemic.”

Because of her expertise and the work she is involved with at the KPCOM, the CDC has awarded Klimas and her research team a federal contract of more than $4 million to study these residual symptoms in COVID-19 patients. NSU is the only institution to receive this federal contract.

Klimas and her team will work with the Florida Department of Health to identify potential participants. They will then contact individuals to explain the study and inquire about their interest to participate in the study.

 

 

Osteopathic Medicine Trio Receives Dean’s Awards of Excellence

On October 7, during her virtual address to the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine’s faculty and staff members, Elaine M. Wallace, D.O., M.S., M.S., M.S., M.S., presented her annual Dean’s Award of Excellence to three colleagues who showcased exceptional qualities in the staff, director/manger, and faculty categories.

The Faculty Member of the Year honor went to Stephanie Petrosky, M.H.A., RDN, LDN, FAND, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition, while the Director/Manager of the Year accolade went to Dana Famularo, M.S., manager of the Biomedical Informatics Program. The Staff Member of the Year honor went to Nicola Cooper, administrative assistant I.

Department of Family Therapy Joins the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

As result of NSU reorganizing, the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM) welcomed the addition of the Department of Family Therapy in June. The fit served as a proper one, as the department has already been collaborating with the KPCOM through the Medical Family Therapy Clinic launching in 2016, and most recently the joint B.S. in Health and Wellness Coaching program in fall 2020.

“Based on the systemic and collaborative perspectives utilized by the KPCOM and similarities in our philosophies, this reorganization has been a good fit for us,” said Farah Niazi, Ph.D., LMFT, LMHC, Department of Family Therapy chair and assistant professor. “We believe that this transition has brought new prospects for us in learning opportunities and to expand what we do well as systemic marriage and family therapists.”

The integration will allow several opportunities to work collaboratively with other departments within the KPCOM to provide opportunities for students and faculty members, as well as to create the space to seek new grants and contracts. The department has already been highly involved with the NSU-KPCOM Unity Program for Change, while working with the departments of basic sciences, geriatrics, medical education, and internal medicine on upcoming projects. In addition, it has started teletherapy services for clients at the Brief Therapy Institute on-site clinic and plans to launch the service at the Medical Family Therapy Clinic at NSU’s Sanford L. Ziff Health Center.

The Department of Family Therapy’s academic offerings include the B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies, B.S. in Health and Wellness Coaching, M.S. in Family Therapy, Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy, and Ph.D. in Family Therapy. The department also houses a unique certificate in solution-focused coaching, concentrations in medical family therapy and equine-assisted therapy, in addition to coursework in military families, infant mental health, grief and loss, and much more.

“We are excited about the future possibilities for collaboration, including expanding practice of medical family therapy, collaborating on medical outreach trips, working together on school-based and other community service projects, and cocreating educational opportunities for students, such as joint certifications and degrees,” Niazi said.

Student Osteopathic Medical Association Provides Supply Donation

The Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) chapter at the NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus exceeded expectations with its school supply drive for the Chi Chi Rodriguez Foundation.

SOMA’s original goal was to establish a mentorship program with the foundation, which is a youth organization aimed at providing students a unique environment to develop teamwork, community building, and leadership skills. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, SOMA had to find different ways to engage with the program. SOMA reached out to the foundation and found it needed various supplies such as sanitizers, cleaning supplies, and masks. This is when SOMA decided to hold a school supply drive for the students.

SOMA had volunteers donate items, while making sure they were all sanitized before being donated. To ensure social distancing requirements were being followed, SOMA held the drive in the outdoor courtyard area of the campus and had three to four people sign up for each shift. Each volunteer had his or her own table where people could drop off materials.

The drive was a success, as more than $1,000 was raised, along with various donations as requested by the foundation. SOMA hopes to continue working with the foundation and eventually coordinate a mentorship program once in-person activities resume. SOMA members are already participating in the foundation’s career day activities, which involves having a few students discuss their journey to medical school and answer any question the youth may have about the process of becoming a physician.

“We were super excited to have raised this much and very happy with the level of participation from our class,” said second-year student Madhuri Prayaga, SOMA president. “Even during such difficult times, they came together to help raise money for an important and meaningful cause. We are incredibly grateful to our class for helping so much.”

KPCOM Launches Unity Program for Change

As police brutality toward communities of color continues to make national headlines with protests, riots, and trials, Paula Anderson-Worts, D.O., M.P.H., assistant dean of faculty and alumni affairs, along with Elaine M. Wallace, D.O., M.S., M.S., M.S., M.S., dean, have created a program that will promote cultural sensitivity and address the impact of racial injustice and racism in the United States.

The program, titled the KPCOM Unity Program for Change, has involved KPCOM faculty and staff members, as well as students, with the goal of serving as a catalyst for ongoing change toward equality and justice for all. The program began in July, with its first Zoom meeting being a dialogue on racial injustice. The program has since followed with various Zoom meetings with speakers on racial consciousness, discussion groups on healing, taking action, and racial consciousness and Zoom group discussions on related topics—all with the hope of galvanizing others to work to educate, unify, and advocate for change that will help eliminate systemic racism and inequality.

Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Student Creates Mask Initiative for Overtown Community

With Miami, Florida being a hot spot for COVID-19, areas with large populations of BIPOC in the city lack the funds to keep up with sanitation and protective equipment for its residents. This was witnessed by second-year student Yara Khalifa as she assessed the historic Overtown community while working on a project in her NSU Master of Public Health degree program.

“What I found was that the government, on all levels, conspired to destroy this vibrant community,” Khalifa explained. “Due to prevailing racism, the government systematically persecuted and ruined Overtown by running a bunch of highways through it. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had purposely done that to African American homes and businesses in an attempt to disenfranchise and resegregate.”

As Khalifa learned more about the community along with her grocery drive volunteering at the Masjid Al-Ansar’s mosque—a pillar in the African American Muslim community in Overtown—she learned about the mask shortage and wanted to help. Resistance was met with many of the South Florida mosques due to colorism, which led Khalifa to follow her own life mantra of, “Well, I’m just going to do it myself.”

Through raising awareness in various channels, Khalifa surpassed her initial goal of 1,000 masks, and the mosque’s request of 200, by purchasing around 1,200 masks through monetary and shipped efforts. The masks are to be distributed on the second and fourth Saturday of each month at Masjid Al-Ansar’s grocery food drive in Overtown, with a second mask initiative to follow when the community runs out.

Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Students Raise More Than $21,000 for the Yemen Relief Campaign

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a worldwide crisis, the country of Yemen has been dealing with another humanitarian catastrophe—the largest cholera outbreak in modern history. The Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, classes of 2023 and 2024, led by second-year student Aneil Tawakalzada, class of 2023 president, and the second-year class boards at both campuses have come together to raise funds for the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation.

Through social media awareness, academic society competitions, and the use of bingo templates for fundraising, the campaign surpassed its initial goal of $17,000 by raising more than $21,000. Funds will go toward providing water filters (to prevent cholera) and food baskets (to prevent malnutrition) for the people of Yemen. Due to the success of the initiative, student leaders partnered with AMBOSS & Sketchy, a medical knowledge platform, who agreed to providing free board prep academic resources to four medical students in Yemen.

As the campaign draws to a close on September 6, it is well on its way to its next fundraising goal of $25,000.

Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Students Dominate at FMA Poster Symposium

Three Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine students— Class of 2020 alumna Gabriela Lins, D.O.; OMS-III Collin Tacy; and OMS-IV Jason D. Vadhan—earned awards at the David A. Paulus, M.D., Poster Symposium held during the virtual Florida Medical Association (FMA) 2020 Annual Meeting during July 31–August 2. Below are the KPCOM winners and their respective categories.

CLINICAL CASE CATEGORY
First Place: Gabriela Lins
“Pediatric Leukocoria: What You See Is Not Always
What You Get—Understanding Persistent Fetal Vasculature”

Third Place: Collin Tacy
“Total Rightward Mediastinal Shift Due to Recurrent Type 1 Hiatal Hernia,
Misdiagnosed as Congenital Dextrocardia for Decades”

RESEARCH CATEGORY
First Place: Jason D. Vadhan
“Multi-Institutional Analysis of Anterior Skull Base Meningioma Resection Approaches”

 

1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 14