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Where No Bus Explodes: Maria Weinstein, MSI

“Wars Will All End”

Maria remembers the feeling of war.

In the north, shocked Israeli border guards watched in horror as hundreds of Syrian tanks tore past their positions in plumes of white powder. To the south, just over 400 Israeli soldiers faced 80,000 Egyptian troops as they stormed across the Suez Canal. It was Yom Kippur, Maria remembers – the Day of Atonement, October 6, 1973 – a day the dusty streets of all Israel had emptied and commerce shut down for the nation’s ancient and introspective contemplation. Of all the Jewish holy days, this was the holiest. It was a day for peace and reconciliation; no one expected war.

“I remember being taken into a shelter,” Maria says, fishing for the few memories that rise to feed from the pool of a five-year-old’s mind. She lived in Bat-Yam, just outside Tel Aviv, not far from where Syrian tanks plunged across the northern border and quickly rolled over bewildered Israeli soldiers. “My mother had blond hair and green eyes,” she says, “My uncle was conscripted. When he left to fight, he told me that I would never need to join the army, that this would be the last war; that wars would all end. He lied.”

Knocked on their heels, Israeli Defense Forces dug in and held on until reserves could be mobilized and thrown into the fight. After several bloody weeks, most of the Syrian and Egyptian armor was destroyed. Nearly 3,000 Israeli soldiers also died. It was Maria’s first memory of war.

“If you were quiet, you could maybe leave”

Born in Soviet Ukraine, Maria and her family were allowed to immigrate to Israel in 1972. “The Soviets did not allow many Jews to leave,” Maria says, her accented English very good, “but if you were quiet, you could maybe leave.” She came from a small family, but then again, most families in post-war USSR were small. More than 30 million Russians had died in Stalin’s Purges and in World War II. “My grandparents were the only survivors of the war in my family,” Maria recalls. Her mother was a pharmacist; Maria did not know her father. She was an only child.

When the small family arrived in Israel, Maria felt safe among a nation of fellow Jews. She was surprised, then, when because of her mother’s fair complexion some Jews called her “goy.” In Ukraine they had never been anything but “Yid” – “Jew.” Still, there was a charm and peace to the still-young Jewish State; a flushed surprise from its victory in the 1967 Six-Day War. “The mothers would call the children in to supper in the evening,” Maria smiles, “We also went to school to read the Hebrew Writings and learned English. It felt normal.”

During the Yom Kippur War, Maria herself never felt in danger. Perhaps it was because she was merely a child. But Maria thinks that it was a different war in those days, a traditional war with defined borders and combatants. “The population was not greatly affected during the war,” she says, “It was the army that did the fighting. In later wars, even civilians had to carry gas masks and atropine.”

The next war did not start as a war. “It began as an ‘operation,’” Maria says wryly, wrinkling her nose, “an operation into Lebanon.” IDF forces invaded the border area of southern Lebanon in 1982, intent on rooting out Palestinian and Syrian-influenced fighters who were lobbing katyusha rockets into northern Israel. Yasser Arafat’s Fatah militants had also attempted to assassinate Israel’s ambassador to England, Shlomo Argov, which further made them a stench in the nostrils of Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

Commanded by hard-charging Ariel Sharon, the Israelis established a wide swath of occupied territory in the south of Lebanon to curb indirect fire on Israeli settlements. The Occupation, as it became known, cost both sides greatly. “My uncle fought in that war, also,” Maria says. It was the next in a series of wars to end all wars.

Thrown into the Sea

When Maria was 16, her mother died of ovarian cancer. Before her death, she willed Maria their little condo in Bat-Yam. “My grandfather helped support me financially until I graduated from high school,” she says, “but for the most part I was on my own.” Alone in the world, Maria developed an intense personality that coupled with her native tenacity to complete tasks no matter the cost. “I don’t make excuses,” she says matter-of-factly, “and I don’t let others make them, either. Don’t tell me ‘I can’t’ - You can. If you are thrown into the sea, at least start to swim. God helps those who help themselves.”

In that sense, Maria is a microcosm of her land. Due to its contorted history, unfriendly neighbors (some of whom would very much like to see it thrown into the sea), and small population, Israel instituted universal conscription from its very first days of statehood. Maria herself was drafted into the army at 18, despite her uncle’s assurances that she would never need to join. How could he have known what the future would bring?

The IDF was a different sort of life for independent-minded Maria. “The Army did not understand that I was living on my own,” Maria recalls, “and I went home one weekend to my apartment and the washing machine broke and flooded the rooms. The Army did not realize that I had no one to wash my uniforms. When I returned to base, I had to clean even more.”

Army life was not all bad, however. Maria worked for the intelligence arm of the military and learned to draw maps, a skill she was able to convert after the end of her two years of compulsory service. “I drew electrical maps,” she says, “and I also worked in the library and at a hotel as a receptionist. I did anything I could to make some money.”

Her uncle, now a colonel, suggested that Maria become a pharmacist as her mother had been. “This he said even though I knew since I was six that I wanted to be a doctor and nothing else,” Maria sighs. Why did her uncle ignore her dreams? “He thought a woman should be a pharmacist, not a doctor,” Maria says, “He thought that she should work normal hours, that being a doctor was a difficult life.” She laughs now, but she went to pharmacy school in Jerusalem - “And hated it!” What else could she do?

An Ominous Turn

It tortured Maria’s soul to complete her pharmacy degree and begin working with bottles and pills when what she really wanted was to study human muscles and joints and learn about anatomy. “To become a doctor is a calling,” she says wistfully, “You feel it in your bones.” She was a pharmacist by occupation, but not vocation – Latin “vocatio” means “calling” – and resigned herself to a quiet and dull life in Bat-Yam. Then things got interesting.

“I met my husband on a blind date,” Maria giggles, “After two months we set a wedding date, and seven months later we were married. He’s my soul-mate.” Maria was no longer alone, and in short order the couple had two children. “My Russian friends would have said, ‘Two children!’” Maria laughs, “In Russia, one child is a big family.” Things were looking brighter for Maria, and the Weinsteins were very happy together. There was only one minor problem: The buses kept exploding.

It is nothing to joke about, certainly, but there is grim irony when Maria speaks of the intifada and its devastating toll on the civilian psyche in Israel. “The first Palestinian uprising began before the Gulf War,” she recalls, “and continued for about four years.” Palestinian youths, furious over perceived Israeli atrocities, burned tires, threw Molotov cocktails, and attacked Israeli soldiers and police. Those activities, however, achieved little or nothing to change the plight of the impoverished and stateless Palestinian people, and desperate militant tactics took an ominous turn in the mid-1990s.

“Buses began to explode around Tel-Aviv,” Maria remembers, “and they kept exploding.” Suicide bombers mingled with civilians and soldiers on double-decker buses and detonated their vests during rush hour traffic. News channels flashed scenes of charred corpses and smoking scraps of clothing, or handbags, or bloody baby shoes. No one knew when the next bomber would strike – every Israeli felt a target. “It was one thing when it was just me,” Maria shakes her head, “but when you have children and there is a bombing, suddenly you look to see if your child is hurt. I couldn’t take it any more. It was no way to live.”

“You don’t say ‘no’ to Harvard”

The Weinsteins talked it over, and the family decided to move to the United States, where no bus explodes. “I told my son, ‘Out of all your toys, pick one to take with you,’” Maria remembers, “It was the same for us. We gave away all our plates, all our silverware, all the basics of life. We let everything go and showed up in the United States with just a few suitcases.” Maria received a student visa and went to study at UCLA. “I only knew of a few schools in the States,” she says, “and when I finished at UCLA, I was accepted to a graduate program at Harvard.” She pauses, then smiles, “You don’t say ‘no’ to Harvard!”

The family moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, then bumped around the state for a bit to find more affordable housing, and Maria finished her Master’s in Pharmacology at Northeastern while working mornings at the Children’s Hospital. They had another child, their third – scandalous! – and Maria was offered a position by a major retail chain which desperately needed pharmacists in Maine. She accepted, and the Weinsteins moved to the quiet Pine Tree State, a place they had never heard of in Israel.

While in Maine, Maria earned her PharmD. degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, completing her courses online and on weekends while holding down a demanding full-time job and raising a family. How did she do it? Maria clenches her jaw and says, “If you want to do something, you can do it. You find a way to do it. Period.”

Rude Awakening

One of the things Maria wanted to do was become a physician. Period. She began searching for medical schools, and when she discovered osteopathic medicine, she was sold. “I wanted to go to an osteopathic school for a number of reasons,” she says, “I’m a pharmacist, so I know what drugs can do to people; I prefer homeopathic and herbal remedies. Also, my PCP was Dr. John Comis, UNECOM ’96, and I loved how he treated my family. Plus, I wanted to stay local. I said, ‘If God wants, I will be accepted.’ When I was accepted, I was so happy – I could barely speak for weeks.”

When she thinks of medical school, a slight smile crosses Maria’s lips and little wrinkles crease her cheeks. “I thought it would be an enlightenment,” she chuckles, “as if I would come to class like a vessel to be filled with knowledge. But now I know that it is a partnership; you have to take responsibility and work hard. Eventually, you realize that you’re learning all the time.”

Some of her favorite experiences, in retrospect, were in Anatomy. “It is a privilege to see the human body,” Maria says, “what an incredible gift these people [body donors] make. I took my children to see the BodyWorld exhibit in Boston, and I could explain to them what we saw, and why the male and female bladders were the same size even though they looked different.” 

One Redneck, and One Hippie

It seems wonderful to Maria that her yearning to become a physician is finally bearing fruit in a strange land. And sometimes strange is precisely the word for it. “We didn’t realize that my husband was a redneck until we got to the U.S.!” she cackles, delighted by the sudden realization, “One redneck, and one hippie, that’s us!”

Probably the greatest difference between Israel and the United States, Maria thinks, is the culture of opportunity in America. “Here if you work hard, if you have a talent, you can go anywhere,” she says, “In Israel, it’s who you know.” She also thinks that the United States has gotten a bad rap in the global marketplace of public opinion. “People who say that Americans don’t care don’t know anything,” she fumes, “We were overwhelmed with support when we came here. The government even helps me to go to medical school!”

“In Israel,” Maria muses, “the people are xenophobic, as if everyone who is not a Jew is going to kill us. But when I came to the United States, non-Jews were the ones who helped us the most. The love we have received in Maine from people who didn’t even know us is incredible. The day-care people gave us a box full of turkey and gifts for Hanukah. I cried. The woman even apologized that it was in Christmas wrapping paper. Who cares? That was so nice.”

Four Legs Good, Two Legs Better

Her cheeks flush when Maria thinks of discussions in her classes about the future of healthcare in the United States. “Socialized medicine is not a good idea,” she says, “I’ve been there. In socialism, not everyone is equal – If you have money or connections you are more equal than others. It’s like in Animal Farm when they say, ‘Four legs good, two legs better.’ That’s not equality.”

Maria is not yet sure what she will become. Despite her uncle’s prognostication, she does not mind “weird hours,” and she doesn’t like to limit her options. Currently, “It’s like the ‘flavor of the month’ ” Maria jokes, with OBGYN or Neurology first among equals at the moment (OBGYN good, Neurology better?). She plans to complete a rotation with a neurosurgeon this summer, which should help give her more direction.

In the meantime, she has dyed her hair purple – “I’m Jewish, so we don’t do bungee jumping or anything crazy like that,” she laughs, “and I wanted to leave a part of myself unique, but reversible” – and she wakes every morning inspired that she is becoming a physician. “You should be happy when you get out of bed,” Maria states, as if it is the law of the land. “I want to be like ‘Wow!’ every day.” 

And free to ride the bus.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

UNE/COM News and Events

A cormorant dries its wings on a piling in Biddeford Pool. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

UNECOM Faculty Member Donates $1 Million for Biomedical Research Building

The University of New England was recently awarded a $1 million gift from Peter Morgane, Ph.D., a researcher and professor of pharmacology in UNE's College of Osteopathic Medicine. The gift was given in memory of his late wife, Cécile and will be used to help fund a biomedical research building on the University Campus in Biddeford.
 
Morgane said he decided to support the biomedical research facility because "I had a good feeling about it and its prospects for development and advancement. This facility will enable us to recruit new researchers, support our current researchers and educate more students in research methods - the gift is a catalyst for all these efforts."

UNE President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D. said, "This gift means so much more coming from one of our own. Peter Morgane is a world-class scientist with over 220 publications. He understands the importance of research at the University of New England." She added, "Dr. Morgane's generous gift honoring his late wife Cécile, will benefit generations of students at UNE. His legacy is his commitment to science and to the UNE community."

Biomedical Research Facility

UNE's College of Osteopathic Medicine's new state-of-the-art biomedical research facility will enhance the College's longstanding commitment to excellence in medical education. Upon completion the building will house ten or more teams conducting important biomedical research. It will allow UNECOM's top-flight faculty to dedicate themselves to educating physicians and advancing the practice of medicine, while giving students greater opportunities to experience research as part of their medical studies.

The building will be named the Pickus Center for Biomedical Research in recognition of Owen Pickus, D.O., Trustee of the University of New England, and his wife Geraldine Ollila-Pickus, D.O. '93, whose $1 million challenge grant got the campaign started and made the prospect of this important facility a reality. Morgane's extraordinary gift brings the University more than 80 percent towards its fundraising goal to begin the first phase of construction.

Morgane hopes his gift will inspire others to join him and make it possible to break ground this year. In appreciation of Morgane's generous gift, the section of the building dedicated to research laboratories will be named The Peter and Cécile Morgane Laboratory Wing. Dean of the University's College of Osteopathic Medicine Boyd Buser, D.O., said, "Dr. Morgane's generosity is an inspiration to all who care for the University of New England's College of Osteopathic Medicine. It is a testament to the past, present and most importantly, the future of our school."

Peter Morgane, Ph.D.

Morgane has been a faculty member and researcher in UNECOM's Department of Pharmacology since 1985. He came to UNE following a long career in research, primarily at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, and has published 227 papers in peer-reviewed journals. Over his career, he has garnered more than $4.5 million in NIH and NSF grants for research that took him to Mexico, Florida and Massachusetts.

Currently, Morgane is working on a collaborative project investigating the basic principles of the serotonin and dopamine systems in the brain and studying the organization and function of the extended limbic brain involved in motivation and emotion.

For more information on the biomedical research building campaign, please view /giving/com.asp or contact Boyd Buser, D.O., dean and vice president for health services at (207) 602-2340 or Erin A. Peck, associate director of development at (207) 221-4598.

-University Relations

Students Join Physicians at State Capitol

A number of UNECOM students visited Augusta to participate in Physicians' Day at the Legislature on March 29.

Physicians’ Day at the Legislature provides an opportunity for physicians, both osteopathic and allopathic, and students from UNECOM, to meet legislators and discuss Maine’s healthcare future. The Maine Medical Association and the Maine Osteopathic Association organized the program.

UNECOM’s student delegation was organized by Steve Fosmire, MSI, the Student Government Association’s (SGA) parliamentarian. Joining Fosmire were fellow classmates Bob Brown, Nick Nikolopoulos, and Joe Scott, as well as second-year student Chad Bouchard and SGA president Jake Budny, MSII. A heavy exam schedule kept many other students – although interested in participating – back on campus. Third-year students Letitia Henry, Katie Kessler, and Jinaya O'Neal joined their attending physician at the statehouse for the day.

Physicians and students alike had an opportunity to sit in during the morning general sessions and then actively participate in House and Senate leadership meetings in the early afternoon. Throughout the day, the students talked with legislators, and in a few instances they provided Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) demonstrations. Conversation with Governor John Baldacci about current health policy issues wrapped up the day.

-James Gaffney, RSAS

Below are a few photos from Physicians' Day at the Legislature. All photos by James Gaffney:

UNECOM students in the Hall of Flags in the Capitol. First row L-R Joe Scott, MSI, Nick Nikolopoulos, MSI, Letitia Henry, MSIII, Katie Kessler, MSIII; Back row L-R Steve Fosmire, MSI, Robert Brown, MSI, and Jake Budny, MSII.

L-R Jake Budny, MSII, Nick Nikolopoulos, MSI, Joe Scott, MSI, and Steve Fosmire, MSI.

UNECOM Dean Boyd Buser, D.O. (left) models proper form for his students.

L-R Jinaya O'Neal, MSIII, Bob Brown, MSI, and Letitia Henry, MSIII, discuss legislative matters.

Jake Budny, MSII, demonstrates an OMM technique as Steve Fosmire, MSI, falls asleep, er... relaxes.

D.O. Day on the Hill in April

On Thursday, April 26, 2007, osteopathic students will flood the Capitol to lobby legislators on medically-related issues such as Medicare physician payments, student loans, and osteopathic graduate medical education.

This year, over 40 UNECOM students plan to attend the event, carrying on a strong tradition of legislative lobbying and political involvement. Student-organizer Steve Fosmire, MSI, has worked tirelessly to procure hotel rooms, charter a bus, and beat the bushes to drum up enthusiasm amongst his peers.

The trip makes for a busy end of the month, but students seem to recognize that the sacrifice is worth it – osteopaths have a long tradition of political advocacy that has helped to elevate the profession to its current status.

What will come of this next round of lobbying? All the world wonders.

LIFE AT UNE: your vision as seen through the camera lens

Share your vision of what UNE means to you, and win prizes and the acclaim of your peers in the first annual President’s Photography Competition and Exhibition.

All faculty, staff and students of the University of New England (excluding jury
members) may submit 1 photograph depicting any aspect of UNE. A jury made up of faculty, staff and students will choose 20 semifinalists, whose images will be posted on the web, and of those, 3 finalists will be chosen, whose works will be framed and exhibited in the President’s Office reception areas on the University and Westbrook College Campuses for 1 year. Cash prizes include $500 for first prize, and $250 each for 2nd and 3rd.

Submission deadline for the contest is May 1, 2007, 4:00 p.m. The President’s Office will announce winners on May 9, 2007.

To submit a photograph, please include the following:

Information:
Photographer’s full name, mailing address, and photographer’s statement.
(The photographer’s statement is a one-sentence statement about what the photographer’s image conveys, and will be included with the winners’ names in the exhibition)

Photograph:
You may send your photograph as one of the following:
1) .jpg format (300dpi) – email to President’s Office at photographycontest@une.edu
2) print – minimum size 8x10,” maximum size 11x14” to be sent in an envelope between two pieces of cardboard to President’s Office, Stella Maris, UC

For questions please contact Sandy Deluca in the President’s Office at
(207) 602-2678 or sdeluca@une.edu

The University of New England reserves the right to reprint any photograph submitted for the annual photography contest.

Current Students

Matt Parker, MSII, whooshes by the camera during a skiing trip in March. Photo by Dan Sheps, MSII.

First-Year Student Smith Appointed to Prestigious Office

First-year medical student Ryan Smith, of North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, has been selected as one of the two Student Trustees for the University of New England, a prestigious position that entails full voting privileges on the University’s Board of Trustees.

Smith is not the first medical student to earn this coveted position. Blake Wylie, MSIII, was Student Trustee during the 2005-2006 academic year, and several other UNECOM students have held the position over the past decade.

The Student Trustee must strive to fairly represent the interests of over 3,000 undergraduate, graduate, and medical students to the Board of Trustees, advocate for student rights, and seek to facilitate communication between students and the administration.

Smith is familiar with positions of responsibility. He has compiled an impressive academic and extra-curricular record that lends credibility to his clear statements for partnership between academia and the University’s administration. Smith attended Bishop Stang Catholic High School in North Dartmouth, Masachusetts, where he earned first honors with a 3.95 GPA. He then raced through Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts, where he graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biochemistry.

Academically, Smith grapples with bulldog tenacity until he has mastered material and is able to communicate it to others. He loves to teach, and has served as a teaching assistant in over half a dozen classes, ranging from Electron Microscopy Techniques to Inorganic Chemistry. He has also served as a Writing Center adviser and consultant, where his logical mind and crisp prose have often brought order from another person’s literary chaos.

Research is another of Smith’s many strong suits. He completed a fistful of research projects as an undergrad, including independent research projects in polymer chemistry, biochemistry, and physical organic chemistry. In the summer of 2005, Smith was awarded an Ullyot Research Fellowship through the American Society of Pharmacology, and in 2006 he was granted a Dean’s Research Fellowship through the UNECOM Department of Pharmacology. Work in Dr. Ed Bilsky’s lab at UNECOM was demanding but fruitful. Smith’s research project was titled “Synthesis and receptor binding studies of novel derivatives of the opioid antagonist Naltrexone.”

At UNECOM, Smith has plunged into a whirlwind of leadership positions that cross a wide spectrum of interests and constituents. He has worked as a student Tour Guide; is a Student Government Association Class Representative and co-chair of the SGA Curriculum Committee; he serves on the SGA Ethics Committee; he is a committee member of the UNECOM Academic Affairs Committee; and is co-leader of the Orientation Curriculum Committee.

Smith’s list of honors and awards could fill a small library, but his most notable achievement has been the National Health Service Corps Scholarship, which is a full $250,000 award to cover the cost of his medical education. Smith earned the award for his long-term objective to practice primary care medicine in a rural, underserved area of the country, particularly in Maine, and for his desire to continue research and teaching.

Below is Smith’s statement regarding the reasons he applied for the Student Trustee position, and what his vision for the University is over the course of the next year:
 
When I first came to UNE in February of 2005 to speak with Professor Ed Bilsky about working as a Research Associate in his lab, I truly left knowing that UNE was my place for medical school. It was a rather odd feeling as I drove home, since I usually over- analyze everything -- but no, I knew UNE was it.

Since working with Ed, and since taking classes as a medical student for 7+ months, certain issues emerged along the way that I noticed. One of those is a lack of communication, which may seem insignificant, but, in fact, is a major concern here at UNE. In addition, advocating for the development of the research program at UNE and bridging the gap between the undergraduates and the medical students on the University Campus are two other objectives of mine for my term as Student Trustee. I plan to be very receptive to student input, from both CAS and COM students alike, and to address issues that are plaguing our student population. I also want to increase the transparency of the Board of Trustees, demystifying the gap between students and the Board, as well as the occasional gap between students and administrators.

In addition, the position will allow me to further develop my leadership and collaborative skills, which will serve me well as a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholar, who will be serving in an underserved area and advocating for increased health care for these populations. Many of these individuals cannot speak for themselves regarding gaining equal access to medical care, so we, as physicians, need to step up and address this issue. What better preparation for being a leader in a community is there than being a leader in a major university? 

I have very good expectations for this position, but I cannot do it alone. I encourage any UNE student to contact me, or members of their SGA (or, indeed, the administration) if they have an issue they are concerned about. I took this position because I am interested in serving the students. While this is a daunting task, both the guidance of Tim and Owen (the current Student Trustees), as well as that of the students and the administration, supports my notion that this will be a very successful and eventful 2007-2008 academic year, from selecting a new Dean for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, to furthering the Biomedical Research Facility plans.

Thank you.

-Ryan Smith, MSI

Congratulations, Ryan, and best wishes as you represent your fellow medical students, undergraduate constituents, and graduate students as Student Trustee for the University of New England.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

McGrorty Named UNECOM Student D.O. of the Year

She’s embarrassed to talk about it.

So humble is Suzie McGrorty, MSII, that she’d rather discuss anything other than herself. “Can we talk about something else?” she jokes weakly, squirming in her chair during an interview. The self-effacing student from Twenty-Nine Palms, California has been named “UNECOM Student D.O. of the Year,” and to hear her speak, you’d think she had committed murder.

“Somebody nominated me for it anonymously,” she says, recusing herself, “I only filled out my portion of the application because somebody else started it.” And that is part of the charm of Suzie McGrorty.  

Fellow second-year student Don Tower, President of the Sigma Sigma Phi Service Society, lends a more objective (and unapologetic) perspective on McGrorty’s accomplishment. "Suzie combines intelligence, hard work, caring, and generosity that she selflessly shares with the UNECOM and local community,” Don says, “She has boundless, infectious positive energy, a tireless work ethic, and sensitivity for the well- being of her fellow classmates, setting a high standard for her fellow Osteopathic medical students to aspire to." Somewhere, Suzie’s blushing.

Student Government President Jake Budny, MSII, explains the methodology behind the honor: “The award for ‘Student D.O. of the Year’ is generated by the student governments of all Osteopathic Medical schools with the purpose of honoring those who, in the eyes of their peers, best show commitment to their school, their community, and the osteopathic profession,” says Jake. “All osteopathic medical students (OMS I-OMS IV) are eligible for nomination, and the selection is based on review of the class presidents, the SGA President, and clinical and basic science faculty members. This year, the faculty members were Dr. Stephanie Waecker and Dr. Ed Bilsky.”

The key to her volume of activity is passion, McGrorty says: “I’m involved in things I love to do; I’m not about resume-building.” A few weeks ago, McGrorty planned to run a road race in Saco. “I had a head cold the morning of the race,” she recalls, “and I thought I’d skip it and get more rest. But the race was a benefit for a cancer society, and when I thought about those kids and what they must be going through, I decided that my cold was not nearly so bad. And you know what? I ended up running one of my best times!”

McGorty credits her family, especially her siblings, with motivating her to do what she loves. “I love to run, and I love to do stuff for cancer societies. We’re organizing a bone marrow drive, and I find these things personally-rewarding.” She believes that “early to bed and early to rise” is a key to her accomplishments, as well. “You can’t be successful if you’re not taking care of yourself,” she preaches, “and you can’t teach others to be healthy if you’re not healthy yourself.”

Budny says that McGrorty’s long list of services is what set her apart from a field of very qualified candidates. “Suzie McGrorty was selected for such feats of service as organizing a huge fund-raising road race for the Biddeford Free Clinic, helping students with her many study aids, tutoring Gross Anatomy, and always showing up with a smile,” he says. “So, in a small way, the students and faculty are thanking her for all of her hours of service. She is currently in the running for ‘National Student D.O. of the Year,’ where she has the potential to be recognized by AACOM and receive a $1000 scholarship.”

McGrorty believes that the award is far less important than the motivation for her activities in the first place. She carries a heavy load of responsibilities, and has just been named as one of four OMM Fellows for the next academic year. It would be easy to feel overwhelmed. But McGrorty keeps her eyes on the prize. “There are constant reminders as to why I’m here at UNECOM,” she says. “I went to help out at Camp Sunshine in February for a couple of days, and it was instant perspective. As I see those kids, I tell myself, ‘I’ll keep going for you.’”

And that’s something to be proud of.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

Second-Year Student Camyre Published in Oxford Journal

Eric Camyre, MSII, is one of the authors of a paper that appears in Toxicological Sciences, a periodical published by Oxford University Press. The title of the paper is: “Ku80 Deficiency Does Not Affect Particulate Chromate-Induced Chromosome Damage and Cytotoxicity in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells.” Camyre worked on the research in the Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology at the Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health at the University of Southern Maine. Check out the article at:

http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/kfm045?ijkey=9CTA3ggS

A group picture from the Cranial Academy Winter Basic Course in Osteopathy in the Cranial field, noteworthy for the fact that out of twelve students attending from medical schools all over the U.S., five were from UNECOM. UNECOM students in the picture are: [middle row, from left]  Monique Tyminski, MS IV, Cindy Norton, MS III, Jude Viola, MS II, and Athina Giovanis, MS IV, holding baby Kiki. Top row, 3rd from left:  Rick Feeney, MS II. Photo Courtesy Jude Viola.

UNECOM Students Involved in Research/Fellowships

Several students presented at the New England Osteopathic Medical Education Network's (NEOMEN - UNECOM's OPTI) Research Forum. The students were: David Fish, MSIII, Sheye Alabi, MSII, Rana Wakim, MSIII, and Adrienne Kovalsky, MSII. Judging results are still pending.

Rob Levine, MSI, was awarded an American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) Fellowship. Check out more fellowship and grant opportunities at: http://www.afar.org/grants.html

Kim Salaycik, MSI, has applied for an American Medical Student Association (AMSA) End of Life Fellowship. The decision is pending. 

-Marilyn R. Gugliucci, Ph.D., F-AGHE, F-GSA
 Director, Geriatric Education and Research
 Dept of Family Medicine

UAAO Auction at Ratigan's a Success

Below are selected photos from the Undergraduate American Academy of Osteopathy's (UAAO) Annual Auction, held this year at Ratigan's in Saco. The Auction raised over $2,700.00 to help support club members who wanted to attend Convocation in Colorado Springs.
All photos courtesy Dan Sheps, MSII:

Emcees/Auctioneers Anne Barlow, MSII, and Lisa Wuerdeman, MSII, kept the prices jumping.

Shawn St. Marie, MSII, demonstrates proper table-laying technique while MSII Martha Gilman observes.

MSIIs Josh Morrison (left), and Brian Davia jam for the MSII Band Somatic Dysfunktion.

MSIs from L-R Ed Ferman, Vandana Kamath, Dan Miller, and Mike Dominello.

Somatic Dysfunktion.

MSIIs Pierre Zabel and Erin Reardon enjoy the evening.

Shawn St. Marie, MSII, finds that the nearly life-sized pictures keep him from feeling lonely while studying at night: "They are my friends."  Lisa Wuerdeman, MSII, is not so sure about all this.

MSIIs L-R Jason Touhey, Don Tower, and Mike Jackson.

Josh Morrison, MSII, belts out a number during the Somatic Dysfunktion gig.

 

And when all's said and done, a healthy chunk of change gets deposited in the UAAO account. Meghan Grant, MSII, and Abby Hansen, MSII, are pleased with the night's haul.

For page two of the COMmunicator, click here.

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