University of New England

   

The COMmunicator
The Newsletter of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
May 2006

Fortune's Rocks Beach. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

[Editor's Note: The COMmunicator has a new look. It is now published in UNE's standard web format to conform with University designs and styles. We're still working on formatting issues. Thanks for your understanding as we launch this new era.]

Top Story

A Few Good Questions: Punitha Shivaprasad, MS II

Question One

Punitha Shivaprasad received her first marriage proposal at the age of 15. By the time she was 17, the offers were flooding in at a thoroughly impractical rate. Her father decided to stem the tide by calling his only daughter back to India to choose a suitable marriage partner. With a long list of potential beaus and a short list of really good questions, Punitha prepared to select her life partner.

The first man she saw was a 21-year old medical student named Shivaprasad. Quiet, gentle, and keenly intelligent, Shivaprasad must have sweated a bit as the lovely Indian girl looked him squarely in the face and stated: “I can’t cook. What do you think about that?” Indian culture expects every woman to cook for her husband, but the Americanized Punitha had concentrated on her studies at the expense of certain traditional traits. The simple question was fraught with meaning, and both young people knew it. Shivaprasad shifted in his chair and composed his reply…

Cultivating a Beautiful Mind

Born in Bangalore, India, to a family of the elite Lingayata-Brahmin caste, Punitha knew the amenities of an enormous city and the privileges of an ancient culture. Yet it was the bedraggled villages with their lack of basic necessities that captured her heart. Her village-dwelling grandmother had died at an early age from a case of pneumonia that could have been treated with simple antibiotics. The disparity in medical services available in India convinced Punitha that her calling was to become a doctor. She vowed to excel academically in order to become the best physician possible.

A convent school, tired remnant of British colonial rule, officially harbored Punitha’s young mind, but in truth it was her grandfather who cultured her. He taught her right from wrong, schooled her in Sanskrit and English, quizzed her with math problems, and told her fables to instill a strong moral sense. It was her grandfather who explained to her the Hindu law of karma, the law that says that all of a person’s actions come back to them in this life or the next. And it was her grandfather who taught her to wonder at the common marvels all around.

Punitha’s ponytails bobbed in the grass as she caught and examined little creatures, inspecting every spot on a toad and asking her grandfather a thousand “Why’s?” The unorthodox education prepared her far better than other children to study, research, and ask good questions. She always asked good questions.

Question Two
 
A wife who couldn’t cook? It should have torpedoed any girl’s chances of marriage. Traditional Indians frowned at the thought, but forward-minded Shivaprasad smiled warmly and said, “We can learn together.” Punitha softened inwardly as the young prospect passed his first test. To others, it may have seemed a trivial matter, but to an Indian girl who knew that she was meant to be a doctor, the question of roles was critical. Would she be allowed to pursue her dreams in healthcare? Would her husband respect her sense of calling? The matter was settled.

Punitha turned over the next question in her mind like a pitcher preparing her delivery. A curveball might baffle the most composed of batters, and the dark-haired gentleman before her seemed a little too poised. How could she find out if the man would truly listen to her thoughts and opinions? How would she know if he would truly value his wife and children, or if he would start sweet and then turn sour?

With innocent delivery, Punitha sent the question spinning: “Do you read the newspaper?” Shivaprasad may have pursed his lips at such a simple question, so unlike the first. He knew Punitha was sharp as a Persian scimitar. Was this a trick? What response would win the girl’s heart? He agonized inwardly as the question dipped and spun. This could be the end of his chances, but he had to take a swing…

The State of Arizona, and Arizona State

Punitha’s family immigrated to the United States when she was ten. Her parents had the consuming passion to provide the best education possible for their children to achieve the American dream. Punitha took a standard test for academic aptitude, and the administrators were stunned when the pony-tailed girl achieved a 10th grade level.She decided to start 9th grade - so as not to jump ahead too fast! - and began classes at Cactus High in Glendale, Arizona. The experience was unusual in many ways, as the young Indian girl settled into classes with students half-again her age. She focused intensely on her studies. “My teachers were very protective,” says Punitha.

Graduating from high school with high marks, Punitha enrolled at Arizona State University when she was 15. Again she excelled, but when she was 17 the call came from her father to return to India to marry. It was a summons she would not refuse, though it was sure to interrupt her studies. She was confident that she would either find her soul-mate or disillusion her suitors so that they would leave. Either way, she would be free to pursue her dreams. 

Question Three

As a moral man, Shivaprasad opted for honesty. Even if it were to cost him the approval of this woman, he had to keep his integrity. Did he read the newspaper? He looked at the twinkling-eyed girl in front of him and said, “Yes, but only the headlines.” It was just right. Punitha couldn’t stand men who read the newspaper for hours from front to back. She thought that it stole time better spent on career and family. A man who stayed informed but spared his family the expense of lost hours was a man who would know proper balance in life. She liked that.

Shivaprasad passed his second test and kept his integrity in the process. Punitha began to admire the noble qualities of the quiet medical student who sat smiling before her. Still, her last question remained unasked, and it was a clear challenge to traditional Indian mores. She doubted Shivaprasad would accept it. Prepared for flames, she nevertheless stated, “As you know, Indian marriages are expected to be 80/20, with the husband ruling over the wife. For me, it has to be 50/50. Would you accept this?” 99 out of 100 Indian men would have left in a huff at the very thought. Shivaprasad gripped the arms of his chair and answered as firmly as his gentle voice would allow…           

No Ring but a Doctor’s

Punitha transferred to Michigan State after she returned from India, following her husband as he sought work. When she graduated summa cum laude, she refused to buy a class ring. Her husband urged her to do so as a keepsake. “No,” Punitha said firmly, “I will wear no ring but a doctor’s.” Such was her resolve.

She bore children, one, two, and then a third. As a new mother, Punitha’s responsibilities shifted from academic to maternal. Yet she could not deny the burning desire to become a physician. It was her calling. She took night classes to earn a Master’s degree, graduating with highest honors and then starting research in cutting-edge cancer studies at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She had a paper published in Gastroenterology magazine. She established a health clinic in New Jersey. Despite these accomplishments, she was not fully happy. Her calling was as a physician.

What’s in a Name?

An egalitarian marriage between two Indians? The idea was preposterous to a culture still encased in caste and patriarchical traditions from time immemorial. Punitha’s demand for equal roles had surely scuttled her chances with this fine prospect. As Shivaprasad gripped the arms of his chair, Punitha prepared for a firestorm. What were the chances that any man could meet her criteria, let alone a man she would want to marry? Shivaprasad leaned forward, looked Punitha in the eyes (here it came!), and said stoutly, “Let us be the 50/50 couple.” Punitha had found her soul-mate. After a one-month engagement, the couple was married.

In India, a woman takes her husband’s name as surname. Punitha became Punitha Shivaprasad, and the name could not fit better. It embodies the concept of teamwork, synergy, and self-sacrifice that both have learned. The two are the best of friends and the freshest of lovers. In a recent interview, Punitha rarely spoke longer than a minute without referencing the help and support of her husband in her quest to become a physician. The mutual support has buoyed each spouse when times have been tough. Punitha says that their common focus to save life and better humanity reinforces their love for each other. “When I see him, it is like the first time every time!” she says, “Our love just grows and grows.”

The couple immigrated to the United States after Shivaprasad earned his MD in India. The degree was not transferable, however, so the brilliant Indian worked at a 7-Eleven for six months as he studied to pass the boards. Just to enter the States, Shivaprasad had to take an entrance examination that ruthlessly weeded out 96% of applicants. He passed without trouble. Punitha remembers that her husband studied for medical boards in the only quiet place in their two-room apartment: the bathroom. She chuckles at the memory of her doctor-husband surrounded by books on the covered toilet seat. He passed both exams within a year, and set a new record at the Kaplan testing site. Soon the newly licensed physician was puddle-jumping around the country from one residency to the next, until he finally set up a thriving practice in New Jersey. Patients loved his gentle, expert manner, and booked him months in advance.

Punitha’s Wings

Punitha rejoiced at her husband’s success and satisfaction, and she rejoiced that he was able to send generous amounts of money to support clinics, temples, and individual students in India. But she longed to partner in the process as a physician, not just as a supporting wife. With three young children, she did not think medical school was possible. But Shivaprasad disagreed. He told her, “You will grow old no matter what. You can either sit in a corner and grow old, or we can achieve and grow old together.” His encouragement gave her wings to try.

At Shivaprasad’s advice, Punitha applied to osteopathic schools. “My husband’s friends were all DO’s,” says Punitha, “and he really liked their philosophy of holistic medicine and whole-person treatment. It meshes with Hindu beliefs, and it seemed a much more compassionate and humane approach to medicine.” Punitha did some research of her own, read A.T. Still’s autobiography, and was sold on the concept of disease-prevention. She knew she wanted to become a DO.

UNECOM sold itself. “My interview with Dr. Koester (Associate Professor of Anatomy) sealed the fact that I wanted to come here,” says Punitha. “I felt so comfortable and at-home. I like the class size, and I love the genuineness and honesty of the faculty here. I like that I can be honest with my profs if I disagree.” She had shadowed a UNECOM alum, Dr. Jesse Stawicki, who was wonderful with patients and who promoted the school. Punitha herself has become a tour guide to introduce prospective students to the advantages of the College. “I love this school,” she says with genuine enthusiasm.

Back to the Future

Her medical education has not come without a price. Punitha’s family lives in New Jersey where her husband has his practice. Every Thursday or Friday, Punitha drives up to the Portland Jetport, waits (sometimes for hours), then catches a flight home to New Jersey to be with her family. She reverses the process on Sunday. It is an exhausting schedule, without peer among her fellow students. “When I am at UNECOM, I am a full-time student,” she says, “but when I step off the plane in New Jersey, I am a full-time mommy.” From that moment until she gets back on the plane to Portland, Punitha does not crack a book.

How does she do it? “Time management is critical for success in any field,” Punitha says, “I learned that while earning my Master’s degree. You also must be sure to do something you really enjoy each day.” She goes to bed between 1:30 and 2am, and rises at 6am every morning. Every moment is accounted for, including half an hour of relaxation time after dinner. “I maximize my weekdays to study class material as it is taught,” she says, “by the time of a test, I have reviewed the material two or three times and do not need to cram.”

It is a brutal, grinding schedule, but all for a higher purpose. Punitha wants to set up a network of clinics in India to make healthcare accessible to the villagers. “I want to work with my husband in his practice, but also take three months a year to visit India and coordinate these clinics,” she says, “I have already told my husband this. It will happen.” Then she adds emphatically, “I do not need to be here [at UNECOM]. I want to be here, because I want to give healthcare to those who cannot afford it.” Her husband’s support, and the thought of the villagers dying without medicine motivate her whenever things seem too tough. Her parents, too, have thrown their full support behind Punitha, encouraging her to pursue her dream of medical education and human service.

Still, Punitha is glad that her current commuting situation is temporary. “I do not think I could do it for much longer,” she says, “but my rotations will be in New Jersey, and that will be much better. I want to be with my family.” Her husband senses her exhaustion and whisks her off to India from time to time for a long vacation. Punitha is reinvigorated each time, and is reminded of why she is working so hard in the present. With a faraway look she says, “It will be worth all the effort.” 

No question.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

UNECOM News and Events

Alfond Center of Health Sciences. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

COM COMmencement COMing

UNECOM will hold its 25th annual Commencement on Saturday, June 3rd, 2006, at the Merrill Auditorium, Portland City Hall, in Portland, Maine.

A musical prelude begins at 8am, and the ceremony is scheduled to officially get under way at 9am. A reception will follow. This year’s speaker is Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., FACOFP, Vice President for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs and Dean, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Ross-Lee’s biography may be viewed here.

For the Senior Week schedule, click here.  For directions, click here. To view photos from last year’s Commencement, click here. Further questions may be directed to Joan Goulet in the RSAS office at JGoulet@une.edu.

"DO DAY" a Success

Once a year, doctors of osteopathy and DO students gather in Washington, DC for “DO DAY on the Hill” to advocate on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA.) This year, a record number of UNECOM students - a total of 71 from the first and second year classes - made the 48 hour whirlwind trip to our nation's capitol.

DO Day is organized by the AOA as a national lobbying effort where DO's and students come from across the country to meet with their representatives and senators from congress.  Important issues brought forward during meetings included funding for rural graduate medical education centers, medical liability reform, student loan repayment, and Medicare reimbursement. 

Students departed at 6am on Wednesday, April 26, and made the bus and van ride to DC in 11 hours. They settled down that evening at the Hilton Washington in preparation for their AOA briefings the next morning at 8am. Students attended a press conference later that morning where senators spoke on behalf of a bill on medical liability reform. Their afternoon was filled with meetings with their congressmen. After a reception, the students boarded their bus and van again for what was for many a sleepless return trip to Biddeford that had them arriving at 7am on Friday the 28th. Despite spending half the trip on the bus, students felt the opportunity to influence their elected officials and to represent their profession was worthwhile.

Many UNECOM students are registered to vote in the first district of Maine. They were pleased to meet with Representative Tom Allen, as well as both Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. Students took the opportunity to convey concerns regarding increasing debt loads and diminishing Medicare reimbursements. Many look forward to the next DO Day event in April, 2007, when the AOA will once again seek their presence in
Washington, DC.

-David Fish, MS II

KidFIT Summer Camp at UNE

FunTown, Mini-Golf and Ice Skating. . . think your kids will enjoy these activities?! Send them to KidFIT Summer Camp at UNE this year. It is a day camp for kids ages 4-11 years old. Camp runs Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. We also offer pre-care and post-care, which extends the camp day from 7:30am to 5:30pm. The cost for UNE employees is $115 per week or $750 for all 7 weeks. This is my third year as Camp Director and the Head Counselor, Nicole Ball is back for a 2nd year. She is a kindergarten teacher at Falmouth. We have a great staff this summer and a 4 to 1 ratio of campers to counselors. We pride our camp on its educational, social and physical foundations. Please visit /uhc/bodywise/kidfit.asp for more info.

The cost includes:
All daily camp activities
Cost of admission & transportation for weekly field trip
KidFIT T-shirt
Snack on field trips

Weekly themes include:
Kids Favorite (7/3/06-7/7/06) *no camp 7/4/06
Outdoor Extravaganza (7/10/06 - 7/14/06)
Fun in the Sun (7/17/06 - 7/21/06)
Sportsmania (7/24/06 - 7/28/06)
Animal Adventure (7/31/06 -8/4/06)
Olympics (8/7/06 - 8/11/06)
Wild, Wet & Wacky (8/14/06 - 8/18/06)

Niki Voyer, B.S., NSCA-CPT, AEA
Fitness Specialist
KidFIT Camp Director
BodyWISE Center for Health and Fitness
University of New England
11 Hills Beach Road
Biddeford, Maine 04005
(207) 602-2785
fax: (207) 602-5903

16th Annual Rural Geriatric Conference, June 1 and 2, 2006

"Aging in Rural Maine: Integration of Policy and Practice," is the theme for the 16th annual Rural Geriatric Conference this spring at the Holiday Inn in Bar Harbor, Maine. Besides a wide range of keynote speakers covering topics such as Hospice Care, Health Care Choices, and "Elders and Prescription Drug Abuse," there will be a number of workshops. 
Workshop topics include "Neurological Disorders in the Elderly," "Medicare Part D: Moving Forward," Using Research and Collaboration to Address Older Adult Alcohol Abuse," "Hearing Impairment: The Silent Disease," "Inner Eldering: Guidance from the Heart," and "Pain Management for Older Adults."

For more information, check out the on-line brochure at http://www.mcd.org/domestic/training.htm.

Real Estate Made Easy

If you are buying or selling real estate, an arrangement that the Human Resources Office has worked out with Coldwell Banker may be of interest to you. The Real Estate Advantage Program provides cash rebates to you if you buy or sell a home through them, and also cash credits on closing costs if you finance through them. This is an arrangement that is available to anybody employed by UNE, and also to our students.

If you are bringing candidates in for interview, Coldwell Banker Relocation Services has agreed to tour people around the real estate market, and to provide a whole array of information about the area to prospective employees on a pre-interview basis. Please arrange thru Kim Riddell in the HR office to have candidates make contact with Coldwell Banker.

If you have questions, contact the Human Resources Office on either campus.

Steve Price
Director of Communications
University Relations
University of New England
207-283-0171 ext. 2269
sprice@une.edu

ART GALLERY AT UNE PRESENTS IN BLACK AND WHITE AND COLOR: PHOTOGRAPHS BY DENISE FROEHLICH AND MURAD SAYEN, May 4 - July 2

In Black and White and Color: Photographs by Denise Froehlich and Murad Sayen will be on view May 4 through July 2, 2006 at the Art Gallery at University of New England on the Westbrook College Campus, 716 Stevens Ave., Portland.

An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 4 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Two separate conversations with the artists are scheduled at the Art Gallery.
Murad Sayen will speak on Wednesday, May 10th, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m., and
Denise Froehlich will speak on Tuesday, June 13th, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

The events, free and open to the public, feature two remarkable Maine photographers, completely different in their styles, who offer collections of their photographs that represent bodies of work from different periods in each of their lives. Denise Froehlich’s black and white silver square format prints, split sepia toned, are autobiographical, pictorialist in nature and poetic all at once. Murad Sayen’s digitally printed color photographs capture the daily environments of rural people and emphasize his love of the myriad ways light defines and enhances our surroundings. Each photographer has a special relationship with light and a deep connection to nature.

For more information visit www.une.edu/artgallery, or call (207) 221-4499.

Faculty Article and Poster Session

India Broyles, EdD (COM) and Cynthia Cartwright, MSEd RN MT (Maine Health: Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation) had an invited column published in the April edition of the newsletter of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons: “Assessment and evaluation in competency-based education.” ACOS News, Vol. 44, No. 5, pp. 4-5,7.

Broyles I.L., Ed.D., Lee R., Ph.D., M.P.H., Savidge M., Ph.D., Sprafka S., Ph.D., Schwalenberg-Leip E., D.O., and Thompson K., Ph.D., colleagues in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, presented a poster session on “Formative Evaluation of Curriculum Change: The Students’ Perspective” at the annual PreDoctoral Education conference of the Society for Teaching in Family Medicine, Feb. 2-4 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Dying Patient to Speak at UNECOM

A rare opportunity has presented itself again...A woman diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with liver metastases is coming back to UNE to speak more about what it is like to be dealing with cancer and facing death.

Barbara Holt will be at UNECOM on:

Day:       Wednesday, May 10th
Time:     12 noon to 1 pm - Lunch provided
Where:  Alfond Lecture Hall 106

Barbara was diagnosed in February of 2005 and given a very bleak prognosis, which she has outlived. She spoke at UNE in December 2005 and is coming back to share her experiences since that time. Barbara is realistic about her future and the fact that she will die from the cancer. In her words, she wants to "give back and help others understand what it is like to be dealing with cancer and facing death." Barbara is on the boards of the United Way Foundation and SMMC.

This session is sponsored by the UNECOM Medicine and Aging Club. We hope you can join us for this rare and powerful presentation.

Inquiries, please call x2556 (Dr. Gugliucci) or email mgugliucci@une.edu.
Open to the UNE Community

Marilyn R. Gugliucci, Ph.D., F-AGHE, F-GSA
Director, BodyWISE Center for Health and Fitness
Gerontologist, Dept of Family Medicine
College of Osteopathic Medicine

The Spring 2006 Zephyr has arrived!

Check out the latest edition of Zephyr: UNEs Journal of Artistic Expression. For $2 a copy, you can support the arts in your community, while enjoying creative work by students, alumni, staff, faculty, and family of UNE folks. Stop by the Campus Bookstore and pick up your copy while they last.

Questions? Visit www.une.edu/zephyr or e-mail Faculty Advisor Susan McHugh (smchugh@une.edu ).

May Dining Services Hours

Dining Services would like to inform the UNE Community that the Dining Hall in Decary will be open Monday - Friday for lunch May 11th thru June 2nd from 11:00am - 1pm.
Also for coffee, a light breakfast or lunch, Cafe a la Cart in the Alfond Building will be open May 11th thru June 2nd , Monday - Friday from 7:30am - 12:30pm.
Thank You

Patricia Grigware
Sodexho Campus Services
Retail/Marketing Supervisor

Current Students

Casco Bay, August 2005. Photo by Sarah Bannister, MS II

Trains and Badgers: A Marathon Run Well

Running to a T

Luke Wood likes to run. Actually, he loves to run. In fact, he admits that it might be more like an addiction. “I don’t feel quite right if I haven’t run in a day,” says Luke, a second year medical student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. The twenty-six year old Minnesota native ran his first two marathons this spring, with impressive results.

He won the first race on a cold day in late February with a sweltering time of 2:46:09. In that jog, he beat 300 fellow runners to capture the crown in Hyannis, Massachusetts. That race qualified him for a slightly larger event - the Boston Marathon - on April 17th. By the time he crossed the finish line in Boston, Luke had beaten approximately 20,000 other competitors to finish 88th overall. His time for 26.2 miles? A blistering 2:36:25.

Luke’s older brother Ben, also a second-year COM student, traveled to Boston to cheer his brother on: “Watching some of the best marathon runners in the world compete was an incredible experience,” he recalls, “I only saw Luke running by at mile 22. I tried to get to the finish line before him, but he was running faster than the T was moving, and I missed his finish.”

To outrun a Boston train takes more than a little training. Luke started to run in the 7th grade, had a break-through high school career, then competed in the 5K at Duke University. “Running has always been a positive balancing force in my life,” says Luke, “and so the transition to running longer distances as an MS II was pretty natural.”

Still, it was only in early December that Luke seriously considered the Boston Marathon. “I stayed up late one night researching Boston and a qualifying marathon, and found Hyannis Marathon in late February,” he says. “I think I committed to both races that night, but it took me a while to convince myself that I would be running two marathons in the next five months.”

After he won Hyannis, Luke took a week off, then ratcheted up his runs to maximize training before tapering off for Boston. “I was running about 6 times a week and trying to do a long run every week,” he says matter-of-factly. “It is somewhat less than ideal to run 2 marathons 7 weeks apart. When I started training again in the beginning of March, I think I was initially over-training.” He and running partner Pete Sedgwick, a resident at Maine Med, did a 20-miler in cold temps, and Luke was about done. “I had to take it easy a bit because I was burned out,” he says, “Once I got my legs back, I had a few more good weeks of training towards the end of March.” A 21-miler out to Kennebunkport and a game of Ultimate Frisbee were his last hard workouts before the race.

Osteopathy and the Badger Within

Luke believes that his osteopathic training has made him a more efficient runner. “In all honesty,” he says, “I think being in an osteopathic medical school has allowed me to listen to my body while I’m training to a degree that I never could when I was running in high school or college. I can feel when I’m physically out of balance and try to correct it. I have an easier time tuning into this now that I’m at UNECOM.”

Ben Wood believes that there’s another reason Luke has proven so successful at marathon-running. “Running brings balance to Luke’s life,” says Ben,  “It is an essential part of his deepest inner nature.” Then he adds as an afterthought, “And it helps suppress the latent badger within him.” The latent badger? Ben explains: “The night before Luke’s first day of first grade he couldn’t sleep, and he asked me to scratch his back. I pushed him into my stereo and knocked out his front tooth.” So a badger came to his defense? Ben continues, “I never really liked fighting with Luke too often, though. If I shoved him down, he’d always get back up with stronger resolve every time, and if you got him ‘rowled’ up, he had the temper of an angry badger.”

That unyielding determination helped Luke along as he ran 5:58 mile-splits at Boston. And the crowd was phenomenal. “I’ve become used to the fact that running is not a spectator sport,” says Luke, “However, I had a hard time convincing myself of that [at Boston.] It amazed me that the race is over 26 miles and it is virtually entirely lined with spectators. Then you come into these towns and there’s hundreds of people cheering.”

The crowds influenced Luke’s pace. “I have always had the tendency to go out too fast in races, and I knew that was the case when I came through the halfway mark and my split was 2 minutes faster than my previous fastest half-marathon (1:13:10).” Still, he felt pretty good until about 16 miles. “At that point, I started feeling the physical ramifications of going out too fast,” says Luke, “The last 10 miles were a struggle, especially the last several miles.”

Ben saw Luke in the midst of his extremity. “At [mile] 22, I knew he was up pretty far to the front, but I didn’t realize that he was in the top 100, and that he was about to shave off 9 minutes from his time at Hyannis… When Luke ran by, we shouted his name and cheered, but he didn’t really hear us – he was in the zone and looked like he was in a pretty good deal of pain. I think he was still running sub-6 splits, though.” Fast enough to outrun the T as Ben tried to motor ahead to see his brother finish.

Rounding a corner and spotting the finish was “nothing short of a beautiful sight” to Luke. “I had a hard time standing after crossing the finish line,” the tuckered runner says, “and I know I’ve never pushed myself nor reached that level of fatigue ever before in my life. It was a mix of complete and utter exhaustion and absolute joy in running a time that I dreamed [but] didn’t expect.” He didn’t realize his elite place until after the fact when he had thrown on his warm-ups and a silver space blanket. “That’s when it hit me at an emotional level,” he says.

Pleased and Proud

Ben, for his part, is a proud older brother who couldn’t be happier with Luke’s success. “I remember being pretty envious when Luke first started running because it was obvious from the beginning that he was going to be a very competitive runner… Now that we’re older, we mutually support each other in the things we do. He always comes to my shows [Ben is an accomplished guitarist and vocalist], and he has been around a lot to offer his support as an uncle to the twins. I didn’t get the opportunity to watch Luke run in college, and Boston was only the second time I’ve seen Luke run competitively in recent years. I’m proud of Luke’s success in Boston, his victory at Hyannis, and running in general.”

The brothers consider their concurrent time at med school a blessing. “It still blows me away sometimes to think about how fortunate we are to have wound up in the same place,” says Ben. “We pretty much share the same friends and spend so much time together that I think we’ve developed a mild form of telepathy. Luke’s work ethic and ability to focus carry over from running into academics, and I think I often benefit from that when we study together.” Ben and his wife Becca just had twins, and uncle Luke is a constant loving presence in the children’s lives.

Luke is pleased, but low-key about his success at Boston. “In retrospect, I would have been more mindful of my pace over the first half of the race,” he says, “and tried to slow it down a bit. I’m pretty green when it comes to marathoning.” He is not one to rest on laurels. “Of course I was extremely happy with the race,” he says, “but if I had run a smarter race, I’m confident that I could have run a good bit faster.” Beware the latent badger.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

Hawaiian Shirt and a Straw Hat: A Medical Student’s Trip to Honduras
by Danny Steele, MS I

Over the week of Spring Break I had the opportunity to travel to the country of Honduras in Central America. Although the trip was brief, it was very fruitful in terms of experiences and lessons. I went to Honduras partially with the intention of seeking guidance and insight on how to direct my studies in the upcoming years. For years I have held the vision of serving medically in underserved communities. This trip was, in part, an opportunity for me to examine specific needs, health care concerns, and logistics of living and practicing overseas with a family. In the week I was there, I feel that I was able to gain a better perspective on many of the joys and challenges of a life of service overseas. I came home with many new questions, but was also encouraged in my pursuit of a life of medical service in areas without access to quality care. Other purposes for the trip were to build relationships and offer aid to physicians in Honduras, and to represent my University and the hearts of service of our student body.

I rendezvoused with my Uncle in Atlanta, and we both arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on the evening of March 17th. My uncle is a physician in Indiana and was able to bring about $5,000.00 in prescription medications, medical supplies, and other equipment. We stayed with Dr. Edwin Leon, who serves in a small, non-profit community clinic in the city. The following morning, we visited the Hope House Children’s Home located in a slightly more suburban area just outside the main downtown area of San Pedro. Hope House is home to about 18-20 orphaned children ranging from 8 weeks to 18 years old. We were able to leave a substantial amount of medications for the on-site clinic. I also had several bags of toys and shoes to give to them thanks to the donations from my classmates and my church. 

While in San Pedro Sula, I also visited the clinic in which Dr. Leon works. It is a nice, contemporary facility by Honduran standards. However, only about 15% of the clinic is currently being utilized due primarily to lack of manpower. I was given a very good introduction to some of the goals of the clinic, as well as to what the role of a physician like myself would be if I chose to serve in such a place. This small clinic offers care to between 50-60 patients a day. Substantial care can be offered to patients with general medical issues for around $2.00 - $4.00 (US dollars) per patient. Patients pay what they are able to, but most of the clinic’s operating costs are funded by the Church of God, a Christian denomination based in Honduras. Most clinics in the country of Honduras are government run. I learned that because the clinic is privately run and is not a government clinic, a much higher standard of patient care and personal attention is possible. Although the belief that private clinics offer better care than government clinics was confirmed by everyone with whom the conversation arose, I was unable to gain an exact understanding of why this is the case. 

The next leg of my journey was to travel with Dr. Leon and a church group to a small village called El Paraiso that is located in the mountains North and West of San Pedro Sula. The village is very near to the Guatemalan border and is just a brief walk from the historic Copan ruins. While in El Paraiso, I had the opportunity to work with a pediatrician by the name of Dr. Dionisio Reyes. Dionisio also works in a somewhat new clinical facility that also is operating at about 15% of its potential capacity. An entire wing of the clinic currently lies unused. The eventual plan for this wing is that it be used as a birthing and recovery suite. Dr. Reyes is the only pediatrician serving an area of about 250-300 miles. He runs all aspects of the clinic and is assisted by one nurse. Working with Dr. Reyes was very interesting. Even though he sees as many patients in the course of a day as the average US physician, his clinic maintains an extraordinarily calm and relaxed atmosphere. Visits are not limited to a ten-minute time slot, and he spends the amount of time with each patient that is appropriate to the purpose of their visit. Although he is a Cuban immigrant to Honduras and has served in El Paraiso for only 4 years, he is deeply loved and respected by his patients and the community. The majority of the medications that I brought to Honduras were used to stock the small pharmacy in his clinic. He was grateful for all the medications and was excited for everything from the powerful antibiotics to TUMS antacid tablets.

During my stay in El Paraiso, I traveled with the church group to an even smaller village high up in the mountains just minutes from the Guatemalan border. The church group was giving a presentation for the children. Afterwards, I worked with Dr. Leon administering anti-parasitic medication to around 400 children. I also had the opportunity to provide physical exams for a few very sick children. Even with the limited experience that I have as a first year medical student, I was able to recognize some very obvious infections, and under Dr. Leon’s supervision provided medication for treatment.

The experiences in the mountains were incredibly helpful for me to see the overall body of health care concerns that are most frequently presented in these areas. The contrast to predominant US health concerns was incredibly bold. Over 90% of the patients that I saw with Dr. Reyes were being seen for conditions related to infectious diseases. This information is very helpful to me in terms of planning what types of elective rotations I should pursue during my third and fourth years of medical school.

From El Paraiso I returned to San Pedro Sula and finished out the last few days of my trip visiting the island of Utila. Utila is a small bay island off the coast of Honduras. It has an extraordinary history and is home to a diverse and unique culture. On the island I had the opportunity to spend time with an American physician who goes by the name of Dr. John. Here, I had the opportunity to see yet another completely different application of tropical medicine. With Dr. John I got a very honest look at both the glamorous and not-so glamorous side of being a physician on a small tropical island. Although dearly loved and incredibly well respected by the entire island, he is kept extremely busy. Being the only physician available for several hundred islanders and any number of tourists, Dr. John is a physician 24-7. This schedule makes for an interesting blend between Dr. John’s private life and work life. By virtue of the area he serves, for Dr. John there really is no division between work life and private life, because he is always on call, anywhere, anytime. As a result, in order to keep some level of sanity, Dr. John is the exact same person in his clinic as he is in his home. He prefers bare feet, wears cut-off shorts, a partially buttoned Hawaiian shirt and a straw hat. Dr. John made the point that as a physician, and particularly in areas such as his, it is very important to establish boundaries and private time to avoid getting burnt out.

To sum up the trip, it was very helpful overall in exposing me to issues that I wanted to understand better. It also provided exposure to some aspects and lessons that I didn’t expect. The trip yielded important thoughts and clarity on some of my life goals. For most of my life up to this point I have held a vision of providing medical care in areas of greatest need. However, this vision can’t be realized without some very significant sacrifices. I am more aware of the various needs, the experience and knowledge necessary to be of help, the physical and emotional demands for us as a family, as well as the demands on our time. On the other hand, I am also more aware of the value of the service provided, the freedom to practice the art of medicine, the potential for improvement, and the beauty of the role of a physician in underserved areas. I am also more aware of the sense of meaning and significance that one gains by serving in these areas. It is incredibly helpful to have this knowledge as my wife and I continue to plan about the future of our careers and the purpose of our family.

To end, I just want to say an enormous thank you to all my fellow classmates who donated shoes, toys, and medicines. I want to thank Dan Sheps for all of his footwork in helping me get prescription antibiotics to take. Additionally, I want to thank Eric Camyre for producing the Bacteriology CD with me, and the classmates who purchased it to aid in the funding of medications and other supplies for the trip. In addition, I want to encourage anyone who is interested in doing any sort of medical work overseas to keep an eye open for the Tropical Medicine and Hygiene club that will begin next year.

-Danny Steele, MS I

UNECOM Student Garners Awards for Research

Joy Guerrieri, MS II, has participated in several research projects this past year:

1.) Survey and Evaluation of First Year Medical Students' Perspectives on Aging (Dean's Fellowship.)
2.) The Impact of At-Risk Drinking on the Development of Disability and Mortality Among Middle-Aged and Older Persons. UCLA David Geffen SOM, Geriatrics, CA. (AFAR Grant.)

Both were accepted at the NEOMEN 5th Annual Meeting, for which she won first prize in “Student-initiated research.” Additionally, the 2nd one is being prepared for publication.

Below is a list of related awards that she has received in the past year for the two research projects named above (by research sessions or career interests):   

17th Summer Institute in Geriatric Medicine, Boston University Medical Center. One of 20 students selected nationally to participate. Funding by NIA. JUNE 2006

Student Research Award - American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Annual Scientific Meeting.  Chosen to be the recipient for outstanding geriatric research presentation at national meeting. MAY 2006

Juried Presidential Poster Session AND Juried Student Poster Session presenter, American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Annual Scientific Meeting. May 2006.

First Prize: Student initiated research - 5th Annual Research Meeting: North Eastern Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN). April 2006

Winner: Juried Poster Session- UNECOM Student Research Symposium 2006:
“The Impact of At-Risk Drinking on the Development of Disability Among
Middle-Aged and Older Persons.” January 2006

AFAR-Medical Student Summer Research Training in Aging Program at UCLA.
Funded by AFAR/NIA & Lillian R Gleitzman Foundation. Grant to train with research faculty and develop project. June 2005

The Betty Ford Summer Institute for Medical Students (SIMS) - Betty Ford Center scholarship: female inpatient program. June 2005

Dean's Student Research Grant, University of New England COM: UNECOM First Year Students' Perspectives on Aging: Evaluation and Survey. 2005

Congratulations, Joy, for all of your hard work and resulting success.

Scholarships

Biddeford Pool, late March. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

US Navy Offers Financial Opportunities for Medical Students

"The Navy needs quality medical students and residents to serve in our military. In exchange for a period of service to the Navy in the future, Navy Medicine offers several financial programs to medical students and residents to finish their medical school or residency training.

The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) currently offers two, three, and four year scholarships to complete medical school. Students should apply during the fall or early winter to be considered for the program. Students accepted into this program receive full tuition and required fees as well as a monthly stipend of $1131  in return for three or four years of active duty service with the U.S. Navy.
Interested students may contact Lieutenant Latrise Workman at (301) 295-0006, or via email at WorkmanL@cnrc.navy.mil."

-A.M. Robinson, Jr.
Rear Admiral, Medical Corps
United States Navy
Chief, Navy Medical Corps

 

Fellowships

Blue Biddeford Lagoon. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

OHPI Internship

The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) are pleased to announce that we are currently accepting applications for the 2007 Osteopathic Health Policy Intern (OHPI) Program.

Deadline:
All applications for the 2007 internship are due in the AACOM and the AOA offices on or before July 3, 2006.

What is the OHPI?
The OHPI is a program enabling two osteopathic medical students to spend one month in each of the government relations departments of AACOM and the AOA. To the extent practical, every effort will be made to identify the two-month period that can best accommodate the students' schedules. The objective of the program is to develop an understanding and operational knowledge of how Federal health care policy is formulated
and how to effectively impact that process.

Who is eligible to participate?
The program is open to current osteopathic medical students.

What are the OHPI's responsibilities?

1.Spend two months in Washington, D.C. (one month with AACOM and one month with AOA).
2.Meet with Federal agency officials, including but not limited to the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and Department of Education.
3.Attend hearings on Capitol Hill pertaining to health policy. Also, attend meetings such as Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Council on Graduate Medical Education, AOA Council on Federal Health Programs, as well as conferences and colloquia, as appropriate.
4.Conduct research on their area of particular health policy interest as well as health policy in general.
5.Complete a research paper based on the intern's initial policy interest paper.

See the Evaluation Form
http://www.aacom.org/home-students/intern-evaluation.html

Is this a paid position?
Yes, a $3,500 (taxable) stipend is provided to each OHPI.

What is the application process?

Your application will consist of a brief paper outlining an area of health policy interest, a letter expressing your interest, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation. When selecting your topic, keep in mind current policy issues of interest to AACOM and AOA (e.g. Graduate Medical Education, Ethnic Diversity, Health Disparities, etc).

Please visit the AACOM http://www.aacom.org/ and AOA http://www.osteopathic.org for most recent issues. Letters of recommendation should come from the President or Dean of your school, preceptors, professors, AACOM or AOA Board members, etc. Letters should not come from current staff of AACOM or AOA.

Submitting your application:

All applications must be received by AACOM and the AOA on or before July 3, 2006. This deadline is non-negotiable. Please submit all application packets (letter of interest, brief paper, CV, and 3 letters of recommendation) electronically to the contacts listed below.

The application packet for
AACOM should be sent t
tthompson@aacom.org

Letter headings should read:
Silvia Ferretti, D.O.
Chair, Board of Deans
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 310
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

The application packet for
AOA should be sent t
sfriedman@osteopathic.org

Letter headings should read:
John Strosnider, D.O.
President-Elect
American Osteopathic Association
1090 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20005

CDC Fellowship

CDC, in collaboration with the CDC Foundation, announces that the O.C. Hubert Student Fellowship in International Health for 2006-2007 is now accepting applications (deadline, May 15, 2006). This fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for third- and fourth-year medical and veterinary students to gain public health experience in an international setting.
 
Fellows spend 4-12 weeks in a developing country working alongside CDC staff on priority health problems. As many as seven fellows will be selected from eligible applicants. Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend (total) to cover travel and related fellowship expenses.

Applications must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2006, and selections will be announced by June 15, 2006.

For additional information and complete application materials, please
visit http://www.cdcfoundation.org/fellowships/ochubert/index.aspx or contact:
Sara Sandlin, Assistant Program Officer
CDC Foundation
Telephone: 404-653-0790
E-mail: SSandlin@cdc.gov

Forensic Science and Medicine Training Offered

The Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine (VIFSM) is offering two seminars on Basic Forensic Science and Medicine. The sessions will be held April 24-27 and July 31-August 3, both on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville. The seminars provide an "intense, comprehensive overview of the concepts and principles of forensic science and clinical forensic medicine. It is a scientific, systematic approach to crime and death investigation with applied theory and hands-on learning." Interested students may visit the website at www.vifsm.org, or call 804-786-0073. 

Mayo Clinic Offers Opportunities for Minority Students

The Mayo Clinic is offering several integrated programs to minority students. The goals of the programs are to provide minority students early exposure to clinical care experiences, an introduction to basic science/patient- oriented research, and opportunities to participate in career development workshops. To ensure these programs are accessible to students, travel expenses, meals, and housing are covered or a generous living stipend is made available (depending on the program).

To find out more info about the 2006 Mayo Clinic Minority Career   Development Programs and the on-line applications, check out:  http:///www.mayo.edu/msgme/diversity.html.      

C&O and SGA Info

 
High Tide and Heavy Surf by Biddeford Pool. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

OsteoBlast May 20th

The Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) is partnering with the COM Student Government Association and the RSAS office to host an "OsteoBlast" on Saturday, May 20th. The event will start at noon with a barbeque on the Alfond Meadow, followed by awards at 1:00, then a Family Festival of activities and music until 4pm. 

Local doctors, alums, and prospective students have been invited to the event, along with all COM students. To RSVP for the event, email comsa@une.edu, or call the RSAS office at (207) 602-2329. 

Club and Organization Events for May:

5/1/-5/5/06	AMA	Theme Week: Covering the Uninsured	12-1pm
5/4/06	PEDS	Med School for Kids	12-1:30
5/10/06	MAC	Barbara Holt: Cancer Patient	12-1pm
5/17/06	SPO	Shoulder Injury Workshop	6-9pm
5/20/06	SOMA	OsteoBlast	12-4pm

To access club meeting times and club president information, click here.

Alumni

Wood Harbor Chop. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

A Good Balance: Dr. Ken Johnson, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs

Johnson the Bone Crusher

Dr. Ken Johnson was a bone-crusher as a youth. They were all his bones, mind you. Baseball, hockey, and track did their part to help Johnson develop a good relationship with his orthopedic surgeon. He enjoyed science, and numerous trips to the doctor whetted his appetite to study human anatomy. Nothing captured his interest more than science as applied to people. Decades later, Ken Johnson has built his life on the osteopathic principle of balance and the organizational principle of science as applied to people.

He grew up in Boston, (that’s “Baw-stan”), attended Don Bosco Prep, then went on to St. Mike’s in Vermont for his undergrad work. It was there that he met his wife Lynda, with whom he now has three children. Osteopathy appealed to his sense of balance and holism, so he applied to UNECOM less than ten years after it first opened as an institution. His class was an eclectic mix of traditional and non-traditional students. Plenty had prior experience in healthcare, while others did not. Johnson enjoyed the spice added by a former fighter-pilot, the grace of a dancer, and the serenity of a nun. “There was a rich fabric to that class,” he says.

Those days were comfortable and friendly, Dr. Johnson recalls. Faculty and students were warm, and the surroundings quietly encouraged contemplation and study: “It was a calm, peaceful environment, located on the coast of Maine.” Natural beauty did not always dilute the heavy ointment of medical school stress, so Johnson took it upon himself to loosen up his fellow students, some of whom seemed wound a little tight. “I wore a really ugly tie on test days,” he says with an impish smile, “and then I started a contest to see who could dress uglier than me. The $20 first prize was won by a really hairy guy who wore a woman’s bathing suit, flowered bathing cap, and red lipstick.”

Medicine is serious, Dr. Johnson believes, but you can take it to an unhealthy level. He has played Saturday Night Live skits at the beginning of class before, and he always has a bag of goodies when he meets with children. “Kids don’t want you to walk in and say, ‘Good morning, my name is Dr. So-and-so, and I’m an expert at whatever,’” he says. “They respond to bad knock-knock jokes and high fives and a toy.” A doctor must be competent, Johnson believes, but they must also be down-to-earth and relate to a patient where they’re at. After all, people are what doctoring is all about.

Medical students need to maintain balance, Dr. Johnson advises. “Attend to all things important; don’t become too narrowly focused,” he says, “I can’t tell somebody else to live a healthy lifestyle if I don’t live one myself.” He also advocates setting goals when students begin rotations. “Go into each rotation with clearly identified goals. Attendings respond well to students who articulate goals and ask, ‘What do you think?’” Rotations should also stretch a student to their limits. “Act as if the patient is yours alone,” says Dr. Johnson. This raises the stakes and lends gravity and responsibility that deepen a student’s knowledge at a much faster rate.

Moonlighting and Preparation

Dr. Johnson graduated from UNECOM in 1992, after a year spent as an OMM fellow. He did his internship at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine, then did his residency at UNECOM where he combined OMM and Family Practice. His years at Eastern Maine Med were a challenge, he says, since he worked long hours and his student loans came due. He chose to “moonlight” in local ERs to earn extra money. “I think I topped out at 126 hours a week,” he remembers with a wry smile, “If you do the math, there are only 168 hours in a week. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to sleep.” Still, he benefited from the great teaching opportunities afforded by his work at various clinics or rural hospitals. “Sometimes it’s scary as hell,” he says, “but those same times can be when you learn the most.”

In the past fifteen years, Dr. Johnson has filled a number of leadership positions on regional and national organizations that have prepared him for his current role as Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs (Interim) at UNECOM. He is certified by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and the American Osteopathic Board of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. He served as a faculty member of the Eastern Maine Medical Center/UNECOM Family Practice Residency for 9 years, and held several directorships at EMMC over the last decade. He served three terms on the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) Board of Trustees and is currently president. Dr. Johnson is also president of the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN), chairs the OPTI committee, and has served as Chief Medical Officer for the Health Access Network, a federally qualified healthcare network providing medical care to northern rural Penobscot County. 

In the process, he has developed an expert sense of organizational direction and big-picture thinking that he hopes will make the Clinical Affairs division at UNECOM even more successful. “Over the last ten years I have worked with finances, budgets, personnel questions, post-grad training, and student rotations,” he says, “all of which have prepared me for my current role at UNECOM.” Dr. Johnson has extensive personal knowledge of the entire clinical education process. As a clinician, he brings a CEO’s long-term planning perspective to a field usually left to physicians. His responsibilities include all things clinical: Preceptor training, rotations, OPTI and GME, faculty and clinical chair reports, and Continuing Medical Education (CME).

A Good Balance

The list of responsibilities is daunting, but Dr. Johnson brings a boyish enthusiasm to the job. He hopes to look at systems currently in place to see how they can be streamlined or improved. “We want to have effective, efficient, and integrated systems,” he states. “We need to be clear on our mission, values, and goals. Organizations are a little bit like an old house. There may be additions, improvements, or remodels that need to be done. You need to step back and look at the big picture. Really, you can do anything you want, but you can’t do everything you want, so you need to focus on what’s important. Avoid the minutia, focus on the long-term benefits.”

In a recent interview, Dr. Johnson sat casually in his office between meetings, mindful of the time, but focused on the present. It is a balancing act he has learned to perfect. “It takes a lot of planning,” he says in response to a question about balancing home life and professional responsibilities. “I plan and organize to maximize my time. With three young children (Katelyn, Brian, and Eric), mornings and evenings don’t exist for me as a professional. I make sure to spend time with my family.” He gestures proudly at the pictures of his kids on his office wall. His wife Lynda is a clinical psychologist, so the two must plan time together. “We have a wicked busy family life,” he says, “but if I plan, the important things get done.”

Still, in this delicate balancing act, there are times when Dr. Johnson can’t avoid crossing responsibilities. “I’ve been known to make conference calls on the cell phone while out on a run,” the avid runner chuckles. It is a busy transitional time, but Dr. Johnson is pleased with his new role. “I love what I’m doing,” he says genuinely, “and I have a sense of fulfillment as I work. People here [at UNECOM] are great: kind, caring, and thoughtful.” The feeling is mutual, and UNECOM, for its part, is glad to have him.

It is a good balance.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

Meat and Potatoes

Rocky sky over the Atlantic. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

[Editor's note: Building hours, office phone numbers, and other information may be accessed via last month's COMmunicator here. Future editions of The COMmunicator will have updated Meat and Potatoes information. Thanks.]

 

Parting Shot

Casco Bay Cruise, August 2005. Photo by Sarah Bannister, MS II

 

COMmunicator Submissions: The COMmunicator will not be published in June or July. August will be the first issue for the 2006-2007 Academic Year. Please submit articles, news items, or digital pictures to comsa@une.edu.

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Please send comments, suggestions, submissions, or warm chocolate chip cookies to Steve Smith at comsa@une.edu.