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Hard to be Normal: Jill Davis, MS I

In the Court of Her Mind

It’s a form of psychosis, really. To batter balls against the garage door for hours on end until the drum of rubber on wood becomes another heartbeat and the creeping night swallows everything but the corner light. Normal doesn’t play a match before bed, game by game, set by set, against the world’s best – entirely in the court of her mind. Normal doesn’t wake before dawn to run blackened streets, or dance alone behind an empty net returning serves no one else can see.

Can your body recover from ten years of shrugged-off injuries, cortisone shots, and knee surgeries so routine they mark the calendar like Christmas? Can your mind adjust from a self-imposed pressure so intense and isolating it seems like a fusion furnace behind a moat? Can extraordinary become normal; can world-class become next-door neighbor? Jill Davis doesn’t know. She’s not really sure what normal is.

“I Wanted to go to the Olympics”

It started with swimming when she was eight. Things started badly; Jill didn’t know how to swim. Details aside, her mom signed Jill up for class and within a year or two she was tops in her region near Quakertown, Pennsylvania. “I wanted to be the best in whatever I did,” she recalls, “I wanted to go to the Olympics.” She was her age group’s state backstroke champion when she was 12. Such early success made her future seem clear as chlorinated water.

Two older brothers had already blazed intimidating trails through life. One aced nearly every standardized test and went to Harvard; the other was a creative genius who made movies, built a television set from scratch, and re-wired the family air-conditioning system to cool his own room. Jill’s parents instilled the ethic to be the best in whatever their children did. It was not enough to simply dabble. Jill believes this ethos came from the Depression-era difficulties both parents overcame. Wherever it originated, Jill could always count on two things from her parents: high standards and unwavering support.

Sudden Chutzpah

Jill attended the tennis match that changed her life with the same nonchalance that most specialized athletes reserve for any sporting event not their own. Her whole family played the game, but Jill was a swimmer – state champ, remember – and so when the Virginia Slims Women’s Tennis Championship came to town, Jill was nonplussed. Until, that is, she sat courtside to watch a match between Australian Leslie Hunt and an American named Billie Jean King. She had never seen anything like it.

“It was an epiphany for me,” says Jill, “I watched Billie Jean King’s aggressive serve-and-volley style and I was completely hooked. I knew that I wanted to play tennis and nothing else.” On the way home from the match, Jill looked at her parents and said, “I’m going to be the number one tennis player in the world. What are you guys going to do to help me?” Jill chuckles at her own chutzpah, but she was serious. She carried a tennis racket nearly 24-7 for the next 16 years.

Bruises and Limp Broccoli

Jill’s parents supported her decision to play tennis, and promptly signed her up for a clinic. “They didn’t push me,” says Jill, “I pushed them.” The first summer, she lost every match 6-0 6-0. “I was terrible,” she remembers, “but I loved it. I carried my racket to dinner with me.”

Her awful record reversed when she grew six inches in one year and a local tennis pro took her under his wing for free. Jill played with the boys on a regional team and suffered through drills that bordered on the sadistic. “We’d line up and volley at close range, absolutely drilling each other with the ball. That was part of the training. I was covered with bruises. But I got better.” Soon she had outgrown the local club and traveled to Philly to receive specialized coaching, then to New York City, then to California.

When she was 15, Jill began competing at the National level. To do so, she had to maintain her ranking as one of the top three players in the mid-Atlantic region. The pressure was tremendous. “You could never have a bad day - ever,” Jill recalls. “Every match was important; every player was good.” Fantastic expectations easily led to rapid burnout for some players, and Jill didn’t care to become another vegetable in the pressure-cooker of tennis. There can be a fine line between world-class and limp broccoli.  

Shadow-Tennis

To handle the pressure, Jill embraced a mental game that sets great athletes apart from good ones. “I began to run in the morning,” she says, “I didn’t need to do it, but I did. Rain, snow, in the dark, it didn’t matter. It made me stronger mentally to know that I was the best-conditioned athlete on the court.” She played shadow-tennis for hours, volleying and counter-volleying imaginary shots against invisible players. “That can’t be normal,” she laughs, “It must be psychosis. Can somebody recover from that sort of intensity?”

Every night she played an entire match in her mind before she went to bed. “I played every point against the best players in the world at the time,” she says, “and I never lost.” She trimmed every ounce of mental lassitude into the trash, and her game took off. Riding a tennis scholarship to SMU, Jill played #1 singles as a freshman and compiled the best record in school history. After her freshman year, she quit to turn pro. For the next ten years, Jill Davis was among the best tennis players in the world.

Pro

In the great tradition of circular reasoning, every pro tennis player needs a ranking in order to play in a professional tournament, yet one must play in a professional tournament to receive a rank. How did Jill crack this Catch-22? “I won every Jr. tournament in Australia,” she says, “that’s where I was able to break into the professional circuit.” A friend of her's managed to sneak her into a pro bracket, and she went on to win the tournament. The victory purchased her a world ranking; an aggressive serve-and-volley style kept her near the top.

The pressure to perform as a pro was exponentially higher than anything Jill had ever imagined. “Every player is great,” she says, “and there are no easy points. If I thought the pressure was intense as an amateur, then this was just incredible.” The most difficult aspect for Jill was the intense isolation that singles tennis demands at the world-class level. “No one cares about you,” she says, “It’s completely cutthroat; everyone’s out to beat you. You have to fight for your ranking all the time.” Tennis players don’t tend to socialize with one another, says Jill, since you can never let your guard down. “You can’t go out for drinks with a person at one moment, and then try to kill them on the court the next,” she points out.

Jill played in the U.S. Open for ten years straight, reaching the quarterfinals in doubles on one occasion, and she was ranked within the top 50 in the world as a singles player. It was a brutal culture, but Jill suffered no doubts: she was living her dream.

“Jill, You Made it!”

A few moments stand out. Jill played Martina Navratilova in a pick-up game of basketball with mutual friends while Jill was still at SMU. “Martina didn’t believe that I would become a pro tennis player,” recalls Jill, “but I insisted that I would. A year later, Martina looked out from the clubhouse at a tournament, saw me on the court, and screamed ‘Jill! You made it!’ It was cool that she remembered.” 

But it was the time that she played Billie Jean King that Jill remembers best. “Here I was, standing on the other side of the net from my idol,” she says, “and it was so surreal. I wanted to say, ‘I have a poster of you in my room!’” Jill defeated her in a hard-fought match. Later, she encountered Billie Jean in a much different context.

“She was truly a great woman,” Jill remembers, “I had ruined my knee once at the U.S. Open, and Billie Jean sat next to me in the training room and talked to me for three hours while I iced the injury. She didn’t have to be there – she was Billie Jean King, she could be anywhere she wanted – and yet she was talking to me. That’s when I told her, ‘You’re the reason why I’m playing tennis!’ It was special.”

To Give Back

Jill retired from the professional tennis circuit at the ripe age of 28. “I had lived my childhood dream,” she says, “and I was ready to move on.” The transition was not easy. Jill’s competitive fires continued to burn, as did the extreme intensity and focus needed for world-class play. She had cultivated social isolation and body-forgetfulness for so long that it was hard to be normal again. “I wandered around for a year, not really knowing what to do with myself,” Jill says, “I felt lost.”

She found herself in the most innocuous of places. After traveling the world as a tennis player, Jill moved to the sleepy town of Grantham, New Hampshire, where her parents lived. The community of 2,000 had few obvious advantages, but Jill fell in love with the people, and in the process, she discovered her calling.

Grantham had a F.A.S.T. squad. Or, more accurately, it wanted one, and Jill signed on. A F.A.S.T. squad is a “first aid stabilization team.” It employs EMTs certified from Basic to Paramedic who work in conjunction with the local fire department. Emergency medicine was right up Jill’s court. “I had always been interested in human anatomy,” she says, “I used to carry around anatomy texts for pleasure reading, and when I was a little girl I wanted to be a paramedic. I had been able to live my tennis dream, and now I wanted to give back to the community.”

A Positive Psychosis

Her eyes flash when Jill speaks of life as a paramedic. “For a while, I was the only person on the fast squad,” she recalls, “but over time I helped train and develop a number of other members, and now Grantham has nearly a dozen EMTs. I feel like that has been my greatest accomplishment.” The fast-paced, pressure-filled life appeals to Jill. “You’re the first one there; everything depends on you knowing exactly what to do,” she says, “You are the first person another human being sees when they are having the worst day of their life. What you do and say can make the difference between life and death.”

Perhaps the psychosis Jill jokes about in regard to her tennis training has become positively channeled into her new occupation. The pressure of split-second decisions and severe trauma doesn’t faze Jill in the least. “I like being the first one at the scene,” she says, “I like knowing exactly what to do. I like being able to calm someone who is completely terrified, especially since I often know the injured person. It is tremendously rewarding to be needed like that, and it is the thing I miss most while here at medical school. I still volunteer during Thanksgiving Break and during the summer.” 

With all its reward, emergency medicine can still be tragic. Jill doesn’t forget the blacker nights. There are suicides. There was the auto accident where Jill tried to stabilize a girl who had no face. There was also the time a family friend suffered a stroke. Unable to speak, the man looked up at Jill as she held his hand, knowing full well that it was terminal. “I asked him if he knew what had happened and what it meant,” she recalls, “and he nodded his head. There was nothing I could do.” She pauses with emotion and says softly, “That was really hard.” If such unyielding commitment and compassion is psychosis, Jill never wants to become “normal.”

UNECOM

Jill set her sights to become a D.O. almost as soon as she became a paramedic. She wanted the additional training to go into disaster and emergency medicine, and her childhood had primed her for osteopathy. “All the doctors I’d met in Pennsylvania were D.O.s,” she recalls, “I didn’t know M.D.s existed!” She finished her post-bac training at the University of Vermont, where her advisor, Beth Taylor-Nolan, was instrumental in helping her apply to UNECOM.

“I visited the school in ’98,” Jill says, “and I wanted to be here. Plus, I shadowed Dr. Bob Bishop, a UNECOM alum, and he was amazing.” Jill was thrilled to be accepted, and she arrived raring to go. But with some other major events happening in her life last year, Jill needed to take a step back. After re-working her academic plan, she’s now on track to graduate with the Class of 2010, and she appreciates every moment. “I take it one day at a time,” she says.

The amount of material is daunting, but Jill Davis has the focus and perseverance to complete medical school and contribute to the world of emergency medicine while giving back to her community. For now, it’s another form of psychosis. To cram information into your mind for hours on end until the letters and numbers form a throbbing web of knowledge and the creeping night swallows everything but the study light.

So much for normal.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

UNE/COM News and Events

Red Sail, Biddeford Pool. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

A UNECOM Tradition: The Tenth Annual White Coat Ceremony

UNECOM’s tenth annual White Coat Ceremony will be held at 7pm on Thursday, October 5, at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. A reception will follow in the Casco Bay Exhibition Hall.

Event highlights will include presentation of the white coats by members of the second-year class; remarks by William G. Anderson, D.O., Associate Dean of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine; brief remarks by second-year medical student Lisa Wuerdeman, president of the Student Osteopathic Medicine Association (SOMA); and a reading of the Osteopathic Oath by Charlotte Paolini, D.O. (UNECOM ‘89), president of the UNECOM Alumni Board.

During the Civil Rights Era, Dr. Anderson was a leader in the Albany Movement in Georgia. Dr. Anderson is currently a clinical professor of osteopathic surgical specialties at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is also the Associate Dean of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was the first African-American president of the American Osteopathic Association, and has been a member of the board of directors of the American Osteopathic Association for the last 18 years.

The White Coat Ceremony was an idea conceived by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation to create a psychological contract for professionalism and empathy in medicine. The first White Coat Ceremony took place in 1993 at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. Since then, more than 100 other medical schools in the U.S. and abroad have initiated a similar ceremony.

Directions To Holiday Inn By The Bay
From I-95, take Exit 6a to I-295. Take I-295 to Exit 7, (Franklin Street). Stay on Franklin Street for five (5) lights. Take a right onto Middle Street, travel approximately 1 mile (Middle Street turns into Spring Street.) Holiday Inn is on the left.

Parking – Information about parking will be provided closer to the date.

Click here to access the White Coat website, which will be updated over the next few weeks. Also, the RSAS office will send out pairing information in September so that students can select marching partners. Look for an announcement on My.UNE as well.

-Steve Smith, RSAS

UNE moves up eight spots in U.S. News & World Report's 2007 rankings of the region's best colleges and universities

The University of New England has once again been ranked as one of the “Best Universities” in the North that offer “a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs” in the 2007 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” from U.S. News & World Report.

UNE climbed eight spots, from number 70 to number 62, in the top tier of this category. No other college or university in Maine was ranked higher. This is the fifth year that U.S. News has ranked UNE a top regional university.

“Such a significant jump in the rankings clearly demonstrates that the University of New England is making great strides in attracting more top-quality students and keeping them here through graduation,” noted UNE’s new President Danielle N. Ripich. “This University-wide commitment to quality is a large part of the reason I was attracted to this institution. Several years ago UNE set its sights on becoming a preeminent university, and this enhanced ranking in a respected national publication is a strong indicator that we are rapidly approaching our goal.”

-University Relations

Annual Memorial Service

The annual UNECOM Memorial Service to honor our anatomical donors and their families will take place on Saturday, September 16th at 7:00 p.m., at the campus cemetery near the Health Center, University Campus. We cordially invite you, your family, and friends to attend and acknowledge the priceless contribution of the people who have donated their bodies to the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

In case of inclement weather, the Service will be held on the same date and time in the Alfond Center for Health Sciences.

President's Inauguration Slated for September 29 and 30

The Inauguration of the University of New England’s fifth President, Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D., will take place September 29 and 30, 2006. A Presidential Reception for faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests will occur on the Westbrook College Campus on Friday, September 29 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Maine Women Writers' Collection. An Evening of Celebration, by special invitation, will take place Friday night at the Cumberland Club in Portland. On Saturday, September 30, the official Inauguration of the President will take place from 11:00 a.m. to noon under a tent on the Meadow by the Alfond Center for Health Sciences, University Campus, followed directly by an Inaugural Celebration Luncheon.

President Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D., previously served as dean of the College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). While at MUSC she was also a professor in the University’s College of Medicine, Department of Neurology.

Dr. Ripich earned a Ph.D. in speech pathology from Kent State University. She also received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech pathology from Cleveland State University. She is widely known for her work in child language, with an emphasis on the hearing impaired, and with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, having written extensively in her field.

Before becoming dean at MUSC, Dr. Ripich was chair of the Department of Communication Sciences (1985–1994) and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University (1994–1999). She continues to hold appointments there as adjunct professor in the College of Nursing and in the Department of Communication Sciences of the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ripich has been the recipient of many honors and fellowships. In 1996 she was awarded a Congressional Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

-University Relations

Medical school expands research capacity and educational program with creation of new Center for Health Policy, Planning and Research

The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM) has taken another significant step toward expanding its growing biomedical and clinical research capacity with the creation of the Center for Health Policy, Planning and Research.

L-R First year students Allison Kolkhurst, Dan Tsukanov, and a friend on the Orientation Cruise. Photo by Lacey McIntosh, MS I

The new Center, formerly the Public Health Resource Group (PHRG) based in Portland, is a multi-functional educational, consulting and research office within the medical school. Its role, according to the Center’s Executive Director Ronald Deprez, Ph.D., M.P.H., is “to provide academic and population-based research services to the College and other UNE programs, while also providing planning and research services to governments, healthcare providers, associations and foundations throughout Maine, the nation and the world.” Focus A major focus, said Deprez, is to improve care integration, in particular for the diagnosis and management of chronic health conditions within populations.

Other focus areas for the Center include population-based health services planning, emergency preparedness planning and research, as well as policy development and evaluation on access to care and safety net programs.

The Center’s staff and consultants consist of experienced health professionals in the disciplines of epidemiology, medicine, healthcare technology, evaluation research and survey research. They work with UNE faculty and students to plan, conduct and evaluate scientific research studies. In addition to the medical school, the Center also works with UNE’s College of Health Professions, based on the Westbrook College Campus in Portland, and with UNECOM’s Master of Public Health program.

Since 1988, the Center’s founding organization provided a range of services to clients worldwide, including hospitals, research and educational institutions, government agencies, healthcare associations, and international agencies and organizations. PHRG’s areas of expertise included research and evaluation, health communications, disease surveillance, public health services and care for chronic conditions. Dr. Deprez, founder of PHRG, has served as an adjunct associate professor of epidemiology at UNE’s medical school since 2003.

UNECOM Research

“The establishment of CHPPR within the College of Osteopathic Medicine represents a significant step forward in the expansion of our research capacity,” noted Dr. Boyd Buser, UNECOM dean. “Dr. Deprez brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the faculty of our medical school and university.”

UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine has led the way in the University’s plans to become a significant research institution. Current research projects include the relationship of diabetes to heart disease, the mechanisms and treatment of chronic pain, the efficacy of osteopathic manipulative medicine, the medical care of the elderly, and the chemistry of the brain. Funds are now being raised to construct a Biomedical Research Center on the Biddeford campus that will house 10 research teams. The Center for Health Policy Planning and Research Center is located in Proctor Hall on UNE’s Westbrook College Campus in Portland.

-University Relations

UNECOM Dean Boyd Buser elected as first vice president of the American Osteopathic Association

Boyd R. Buser, D.O., dean of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and vice president for health services (interim), was re-elected to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Board of Trustees and was named first vice president during the board's recent annual business meeting in Chicago.
"I'm thrilled to be able to continue serving on the AOA Board," says Dr. Buser.  "I have always enjoyed any opportunity to advance the osteopathic medical profession."

Dr. Buser is a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. As past-president to the New England Academy of Osteopathy; the American Academy of Osteopathy; the Maine Osteopathic Association (MOA); and former chair of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Dr. Buser maintains a leadership role within the osteopathic medical profession.

A member of the AOA's Board since 2004, Dr. Buser serves the AOA in a number of other capacities, including chair of the Bureau of Emerging States' Concerns and member of the Bureau of Osteopathic Clinical Education and Research.

After earning his osteopathic medical degree from the Des Moines (Iowa) University, College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1981, he went on to complete an osteopathic internship at the former Cranston (R.I.) General Hospital. He is board certified in family practice as well as osteopathic manipulative medicine.

Since earning his D.O. degree, Dr. Buser has received many awards for outstanding achievements within the osteopathic medical community.  The MOA presented him with the Distinguished Service Award in 1996 and the Roswell Bates Award in 1994. Also in 1994, the AOA along with the American Osteopathic Foundation named him Educator of the Year.

Dr. Buser resides in Kennebunkport with his wife, Pam, and three children, Michelle, Morgan and Charles.

-University Relations

5th Annual Harold Alfond Sports Medicine Lecture

The 5th Annual Harold Alfond Sports Medicine Lecture Series will be held Monday, September 18, 2006 in Room 205 of the Harold Alfond Center for Health Sciences. Live audio/video feed to the CHP Lecture Hall on the Westbrook College Campus will also be available. Both the lecture and reception are free and open to the public. 

This year's speaker will be Dr. John Winkin, Head Baseball Coach at Husson College. Coach Winkin is one of the nation’s most accomplished baseball coaches and one of the most prominent figures in Maine baseball. Prior to taking over at Husson College, Dr. Winkin was Head Coach at Colby College from 1954-1974, and Head Coach at the University of Maine from 1975-1996. Coach Winkin's lecture is titled "A Baseball Education: Reflections from 60 Years of Coaching."

A post-lecture reception beginning at 6:00 p.m. will be held in the 3rd Floor Lobby of the Alfond Center. Beverages and light hors d'oeuvres will be served. Parking will be available in Lots 16 (Gregory Hall Annex) and 18 (behind the Alfond Center for Health Sciences).

To RSVP, contact Mary Taddia at x 4611 or email mtaddia@une.edu by Wednesday, September 13.

-University Relations

Construction Activity

Week of August 28th

The contractor will begin construction of two parking lots adjacent to the Facilities Access Road. Tree removal has started, to be followed by blasting that will take place over several weeks. Anyone interested in a more precise schedule of blasting should contact Alan Thibeault, at 602-2253. The entire project is expected to be completed in November. 

For safety purposes during the construction of the parking lots, the contractor needs to prohibit vehicular traffic on the Facilities Access Road.  Folks that want access to the Facilities Building should access via the Route 9 entrance. The contractor will provide safety fencing for pedestrians to access the Residential Parking lot #22 from the main campus.

Week of September 4th

No work is scheduled for Labor Day.

1.) Replace a culvert beneath and along Hills Beach Road in the Gregory Hall area. One lane of traffic during this work.

2.) Contractor will construct a long anticipated sidewalk and grass esplanade that extends from the Route 9 stop sign down the south side to the brook crossing and then on the north side of the Hills Beach Road connecting with the sidewalk at the Alfond Center for Health Sciences. One lane of traffic will be maintained for the few weeks it will take to complete this project.

3.) The City will put the final coat of paving on the Hills Beach Road during the Spring/early Summer 2007.

Current Students

COM students raft on the Kennebec River during pre-Orientation events. Photo by Abby Hansen, MS II

Discounted Tickets Available for Local Shows

The Campus Center has tickets for sale at a reduced rate to students who show their UNECOM ID. You can check in at the Campus Center to see what’s available, and certain events will also be advertised in this space.

Next show is “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare …Abridged,” at the City Theater in Biddeford, playing from September 8 - September 16th. Showtime is 8:00pm.The play is advertised as “37 famous plays squeezed into a night of no-holds-‘Bard’ comedy.” The Campus Center has tickets for the Thursday night dress rehearsal at a steeply reduced price of $3.

Full-Price Tickets Available for Local Scofflaws

The parking crunch which will start as undergrads return to campus could bring out the scofflaw in all of us. COM students should be advised of the following parking restrictions (most of which will save you a $50 ticket):

1.) Parking in patient spots is prohibited between 7:30am and 8:30pm on Mondays, and between 7:30am-6:00pm Tuesday through Friday, unless you are a patient. Security will cheerfully ticket anyone who chooses to ignore these regulations. In addition, there is no parking in patient spots from 12am-6am from Nov. 1 through May 1.
2.) Never park in the president’s spot, ever. This is like trying to board Air Force One in Sanford; just because it happens to be on the tarmac doesn’t mean it is available to you.
3.) Do not park in fire lanes unless you are a member of the fire department and are responding to a fire. Wearing a fireman’s hat, making siren noises, or owning a red vehicle do not count.
4.) Do not park in handicapped spaces, unless you have a handicapped plate or placard. Ignoring this courtesy may also lighten your wallet.

Parking suggestions: Car pool when possible; this eases the crunch for everyone. Find alternative modes of transportation: walk, run, crawl, fly, bike, saddle your guinea pig, you get the idea. Also, come early, and be aware that leaving for lunch could mean forsaking your spot. Allow time to find parking. Thanks for your patience as we all work together to meet this challenge.

“Lunches with Dean Kelley” to start in September

Lunch as a medical student may sometimes seem less like a rest and more like a 12-second pit-stop: brake, refuel, reload, and rev your engine for the next hundred laps. At least, that’s how it feels. Dean Kelley would like to break the fuel-injection cycle of pressurized meals too quickly eaten with too little time to talk.

Starting this month, selected students will be invited to have lunch at noontime with Dean Kelley in one of the conference rooms in Alfond. The goal is to have five students from each class meet to talk, ask questions, share stories, and generally have a low-key, unhurried time of conversation with their Dean of Students and each other.

Lunches will be scheduled regularly on Wednesdays, about every two weeks, with a handful of students receiving invitations in their Noteservice boxes at least a week before the lunch. Please RSVP to Steve at comsa@une.edu so that a representative group may be assembled.

Through this process, Dean Kelley hopes to interact with nearly every member of the student body over the course of the year. Look forward to your signal for “Lunch with Dean Kelley,” and be prepared to stop!

Ayach to Present at Prestigious Conferences

B. Ayach, MS I, will be presenting three abstracts (two oral, one poster) at the Heart Failure Society of America. One of his abstracts is a finalist for the Young Investigator award.
http://www.hfsa.org/conference_calendar_2006.asp

He will also be presenting four abstracts (two oral and two poster) at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver, BC in October. He is scheduled to present on Saturday the 21st, and on Tuesday the 24th. He is also on the trainees committee that organized parts of the meeting.
http://www.cardiocongress.org/

Finally, first year student Ayach will be presenting two oral presentations on November 14th at the American Heart Association. The conference is extremely competitive; only 20% of abstracts are accepted, and only 5% of all submitted abstracts are oral presentations.
http://scientificsessions.americanheart.org/portal/scientificsessions/ss/

Congratulations, and best wishes as you present your research!

Electric Circuits for Skate Research. Photo by Dr. Allen Bell, courtesy Dan Sheps, MS II

Dodakian Skates Through Fourth Year

Wayne Dodakian is a fourth year COM student doing an elective research rotation with Dr. David Koester, Associate Professor of Anatomy. Dr. Koester studies skates and sharks. Skates are a type of shark and are differentiated by their lack of dorsal fin, their brown coloration, and their flattened body shape. Skates usually lie dormant on the ocean bottom, covered with sand. Unlike sharks, skates do not have to keep moving to breathe and are able to pump water over their gills.

Locally, skates are frequently used as bait for lobster traps, but leading marine scientists believe that skates may be quite intelligent.

Model Skate with Prototype.                Photo by Dan Sheps, MS II

In fact, according to the American Museum of Natural History, one of the largest skates, the barn door skate, is now very rare, since it is frequently brought up by fisherman as “byproduct” when fishing for cod, redfish, and haddock. Sharks are the natural predator of the skate. Some researchers believe that the electric organ of the skate can be used as a defensive mechanism to jam the electric sensory organ of the shark. Much like military aircraft use radar jamming to avoid detection, skates have an electrotransmission device that is used to transmit and functions like a dipole antenna. The electro sensory portion of skates consists of an array of canals located in the head region and wing-like fins. Skates frequently lie in the sand next to each other, and some researchers believe that they communicate as they do so, but little research has been done until now. The device that Wayne has developed detects electric organ discharges from the tail of the skate and flashes a light-emitting diode (LED) in accordance with this electrical signal. Wayne researched the literature to find the value of the signal he was trying to detect. Dr. Koester has identified the electric organ of skates in histological sections with special staining performed by Dr. Allen Bell, Associate Professor of Anatomy. The electric signal that the skates emit is about a 20mV signal with a variable frequency of about 10 Hz.

Researchers know the animal is able to vary both amplitude and frequency. The LED device -now in its third prototype - fits comfortably over the spiny tail of the skate using a stainless steel mesh as an electrode. Using special silver conductive epoxy - basically fine conductive silver particles suspended in an epoxy matrix - Wayne attached two electrodes to an amplifier and a power source. All these materials were covered with special marine epoxies to preserve their water resistance. Working in the saltwater environment is especially difficult given the speed with which metals oxidize and the conductive state of the medium.  Wayne has hypothesized that the reason skates lie close together with the transmission organ of one skate next to the sensory organ of another skate is to minimize energy expenditures while communicating using their electrotransmission organ. Sending electrical signals through salt water likely expends large amounts of ATP or cellular energy.  The special silver epoxy was developed when Wayne discovered that he was unable to solder to stainless steel using conventional methods. After Wayne standardized his mini amplifier in order to get a registration on his LED circuit, he soldered the rostral and caudal electrodes together and powered the circuit using two standard watch batteries. During the four-week research rotation, and while studying for COMLEX Part 2, Wayne has even made changes in the size of his power source, trying to pick the optimal battery size for the device. All involved were ecstatic when the first prototype registered the signal.

Skate Prototypes. Photo by Dan Sheps

“I was so excited, I was ready to jump in the tank with the animals,” reports Wayne when he described the feeling of seeing his prototype work on the skate. Dr. Ian Meng, Assistant Professor of Physiology, was on hand to videotape the encounter. Wayne found that his first prototype, the 50 gram Koester 1, appeared to weigh the skates down and prevent normal motion. The first prototype served as a proof of the concept, and allowed for further developments to proceed. The newest prototype weighs only six grams and does not inhibit the animal’s natural motion.

Wayne Dodakian, MS IV, solders a circuit on a Koester prototype. Photo by Dan Sheps

Wayne was formerly a college physics professor, and he is still an adjunct faculty at Central Connecticut State University in New Britian, CT. He obtained his masters in Physics studying gravitational waves. During his first year of medical school, Wayne tutored some current MS II students in Physics during their undergraduate years. Wayne also has knowledge of electronics, which helped him to conceptualize and design this research device. Student Doctor Dodakian is currently teaching Dr. Ian Meng how to build the monitoring devices for the skates so that Dr. Meng will be able to continue building the Koester 3 while Wayne is away on rotations. At the request of Dr. Koester, Wayne also developed a wand device that Dr. Koester will be able to use while scuba diving to detect the signal from the skates’ electric organ. This innovative device will also be able to reciprocate an electrical signal to the skate. COM students in their fourth year are able to schedule a research rotation as long as the work is approved by Dr. Ken Johnson, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs. Wayne had to verbalize the goals of his research in a special form and will write a research-quality paper at the completion of the project. -Dan Sheps, MS II

Miller, Reardon, Smith, earn coveted National Health Service Corps Scholarships

Daniel Miller, MS I, Erin Reardon, MS II, and Ryan Smith, MS I, have all received National Health Service Corps Scholarships. According to their website, "The NHSC offers a competitive scholarship program designed for students committed to providing primary health care in communities of greatest need. Scholarship recipients serve where they are most needed upon completion of their training."

The program offers the following benefits for up to 4 years of education:

Payment of tuition and fees
Twelve monthly stipend payments per year of scholarship support
Payment of other reasonable educational expenses, such as books, supplies, and equipment

Well done, Daniel, Erin, and Ryan.

ResNet Mandatory Computer Requirements

UNE's Residential Network (ResNet) has mandatory computer requirements that must be met in order for a student to gain computer access to it. These terms include registering your computer, checking that Windows Updates are set to automatic, and having an up-to-date Antivirus program. Susan Mellady, Director of IT at the University, has asked that students comply with these requirements by Wednesday, September 6th. Each student should have received two sheets with specs and requirements included.

Questions may be directed to the University IT Help Desk at 602-2200, between 8am and 4:30pm.

Matt Harris, MS II, rests from a game of water volleyball at Northern Outdoors. Photo by Abby Hansen, MS II

Excused Absence Policy

Anticipated Absences:

1.) You need to be in good academic standing. This butters us up. Failing classes or egregious misbehavior may grant you a dismissal rather than an excused absence. So use absences judiciously.

2.)Submit an email to COMSA@une.edu that includes the date of your proposed absence, the reason for it, and the class to be missed. Requests should be in no later than three business days prior to the proposed absence.

3.)You will be informed, via your campus email, whether or not your absence will be excused. If excused, the appropriate offices will be notified.

4.)If missing an exam is involved, you must include a request to make up the exam. The make-up exam must be taken within three days of the originally scheduled exam OR immediately upon returning to classes. YOU are responsible for contacting faculty to arrange the make-up.

Unanticipated Absences:

1.) Call (x2329) or e-mail the RSAS Office the day of your absence and let us know that you will be absent, plus inform us of the circumstances. We do care that something has gone awry in your life, and we’d like to help. This way, we can pass along the information to the appropriate instructor(s). If no one is available, leave a message on voice mail.

2.) Follow up by submitting an email to COMSA@une.edu stating the date of your absence and the reason for it. DO NOT email Dean Kelley, as this is not the proper avenue. She does not sit down and wade through hundreds of emails for the sheer joy of it. Notification must be turned in NO LATER than one business day following your return to classes. If the absence was due to illness, you must also turn in a written statement from the attending physician verifying that you were too ill to be in class (This is where coughs and sniffles alone don’t cut it. We want a paper trail.)

3.) You will be informed via your campus e-mail if you have been excused.

4.) If missing an exam is involved, include a request to take a make-up. As above, it is your responsibility to contact faculty to arrange the make-up exam.

Mail Mail Mail Mail Mail Students who wish to have mail and/or other deliveries sent to them on campus need to rent a first class mailbox from the mailroom. The cost of a rental mailbox is $25 per year. The fee will be billed to your student account. The boxes have 24-hour accessibility. However, the mail room is not open on Saturday, so you would not receive Saturday’s mail in your box until Monday. If you are interested in renting a box, stop by the mail room in the Facilities building to fill out an application. Keep in mind that there are only a few mailboxes left at this time and they are on a first come, first served basis.

L-R MS IIs Matt Pomykala, Corey Ephrussi and Jason Touhey, with MS I Lacey McIntosh. Photo courtesy Lacey McIntosh

Mail that is delivered to a student who has not rented a first class mailbox will be returned to sender by the mailroom. Thanks for your cooperation with this policy.

The mailroom also has copying and fax services available to students. You can find them in the Facilities building off of Pool Road. Please be advised that the RSAS office has a policy against sending private student faxes; plan ahead and stop by the mailroom to send a fax. Thank you for your duplication and transmission cooperation.

Creative Students Compose Songs for Bacteriology Class

Current second-year students Danny Steele and Eric Camyre compiled a CD of songs last year for their bacteriology class. Each song was designed as a study tool and included as much relevant vocabulary as possible. "Some of the songs are pretty gross," says Danny, "but it is BacT after all, and it helps me to remember the material."

The following two songs have been selected as more sterilized representatives of the entire CD:

Front to Back
Let's Go Huntin'

Check them out at the bottom of the RSAS homepage here.

A Persian Summer

            Tonometric measurement using a Slit-Lamp. Photo by Alex Small, courtesy of Matt Pomykala, MS II

“A Persian Summer” by Matt Pomykala, MS II

This past June, I spent my time volunteering at Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital in Delhi, India. My volunteer experience was organized by Unite for Sight, a non-profit organization that was started a few years ago by Jennifer Staple, who was an undergraduate at the time. Currently, the program sends volunteers all over the world, raising money for surgical interventions and providing volunteers for underserved areas to educate about and prevent curable blindness. Some of the most common types of preventable or curable ocular diseases are cataracts, vitamin A deficiency, infective, and traumatic injuries. 

Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital (SCEH) was located in Old Delhi, the oldest part of Delhi built during the Mughal era and still surrounded by forts, mosques, and gates. This part of the city was also the most crowded and had the highest rates of poverty, with a majority of its inhabitants living in small apartments with extended families - if housing was even an option. The hospital itself was a charitable organization. It provided more than fifty percent of its services, primarily surgeries, at little to no cost for its patients. The hospital was staffed by under-paid, compassionate, well-respected, and even world-renowned consultants in the departments of cornea, cataract, glaucoma, vitreo-retinal, oculo-plastic, and pediatric ophthalmology. 

A great deal of my time was spent in the Operation Theatre observing surgeries of all types through the microscope lens beside the surgeons. The majority of surgeries performed were cataract surgeries; however, strabismus, pterygium, corneal transplants, vitrectomies, retinal detachments, and various types of oculoplastic procedures were also performed. The methods and qualities of surgery are comparable, if not of higher quality, to those in the United States.

Consultants were skilled in not only the most recent procedures and up-to-date equipment, but many were proficient in techniques now obsolete in more developed parts of the world in order to minimize cost without compromising the quality of care. For example, many patients received extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) rather than phaco emulsification, which had become common in the US during the mid 1980s. The incision produced by ECCE was larger and required 10-0 sutures and the risk of infection and prolapsed iris was greater but the cost was dramatically reduced. 

When I was not in the air-conditioned operation theatre or library, I was observing in the hospital clinics or in rural villages working at follow-up or initial screening camps under the 115-degree sun. SCEH has established satellite hospitals throughout the region surrounding Delhi, which in turn provide social workers, physicians, and optometrists to camps set up in rural villages. The city hospitals are not accessible to the majority of those requiring the services by SCEH.

In response to such a high demand for life-altering procedures, SCEH sends these workers to screen for ocular diseases and to counsel the patients on their current status or potential complications of various pathologies. Charts are created for patients requiring surgical intervention, glasses are prescribed and distributed, and information is dispersed. For those requiring surgery at any one of SCEH’s hospitals, a bus is sent at a scheduled time to collect and transport the patients to the facilities. There they are fed, housed, and prepared for surgery, only to be bused backed to their medically deprived and economically stressed communities once the recovery process has begun.

I was also fortunate to have traveled to various regions and historically significant sites. In a ten-hour car ride, we traveled to Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, located east of Delhi and within close proximity to the Nepalese border. There we provided the community a post-surgical follow-up screening as well as an initial screening for surgery. We traveled south to Agra to view the Taj Mahal, and north to McLeodganj to listen to the Dalai Lama speak. 

Throughout my month in India, I traveled, ate delicious food, and even experienced traveler’s sickness first hand. I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, learn a great deal about ophthalmology, and, most importantly, I came to appreciate the devotion and compassion expressed by the entire community at SCEH. The physicians, optometrists, social workers, administrators and those working behind the scenes ensured exceptional quality and efficiency despite the many hardships presented in this economically deprived country.

-Matt Pomykala, MS II

Following is a photo-montage from Matt's trip to India. All photos are by Alex Small, a UPenn undergrad, courtesy of Matt Pomykala:

Operating room in Delhi.

The Taj Mahal

Matt Pomykala cataract screening in Galeb, a rural farming village.

Waiting room in Delhi hospital. Camp arrival ward.

Pediatrics strabismus surgery.

The waiting room at Shahjahanpur rural clinic: A school building.

Phaco emulsification cataract removal.

Patient Patients.

In the chair at the Pediatric clinic

General ward waiting room in Delhi

Corneal scar from herpetic lesion.

These patients took a 10-hr bus ride to receive medical treatment at the clinic.

Monkey on the side of a highway near Shahjananpur

Corneal scar patient (herpetic?)

Matt Pomykala giving advice to ophthalmology fellow at Shahjahanpur.

View from the operating room in Delhi.

Prayer flags at the foot of the Himalayas, Bhagsunag

Cataract Patient from Shahjahanpur.

"The Legacy of the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine (Part 2 of 3)" by Dan Sheps, MS II

[Editor's Note: Dan submitted this article to the AOA Committee on Osteopathic History and Identity on May 31, 2006. We are running it here in several installments to give readers a sense of the history of osteopathy in the State of Maine.]

In 1974, osteopathic physicians in Southern Maine were admitting twenty to forty patients per day to other area hospitals. When osteopathic doctors admitted patients to other hospitals, they lost their patients and the patients went without osteopathic care. At that time the other two hospitals in the area were not granting staff privileges to D.O.s. While M.D.s had been working at Osteopathic Hospital of Maine since 1938, they only functioned in areas where an osteopathic physician could not otherwise be found.

Through the New England Osteopathic Heritage center, formed from a grant by contributions of friends of osteopathic medicine at OHM, I watched a unique removal of a 37 lb ovarian cyst. This patient was refused for treatment by the allopathic profession and was treated successfully at the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine. What makes this remarkable is that the procedure occurred in the early 1940’s at the forty-bed wood frame hospital on Brighton Avenue. It was recorded and narrated by Dr. Carman Pettapiece, head of Radiology at OHM. 

Even more spectacularly, this procedure was recorded on film from a camera in the viewing area of the new surgical suite, demonstrating the hospital’s early dedication toward teaching. Other impressive procedures include the complete reattachment of a severed arm from a New Hampshire man who had injured it in a woodshop. Blood circulation and movement were restored to all digits following the surgery.

The legacy of the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine to healthcare in the state is staggering. The Portland Press Herald in 1982 estimated that 30% of the state’s population had been treated by an osteopathic physician, and the same article noted that 69 out of 170 osteopathic physicians in the state received part of their training at OHM. Around this time period, more than 70% of the nation’s osteopathic physicians were involved in general practice, as compared to only 25% of the allopathic population. Numerous physicians at OHM were outstanding in their field. Dr. Edward Tibbets came to the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine after being a team physician for the Philadelphia Eagles football team in 1940 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1941.

OHM as a teaching hospital. Photo courtesy OHM Heritage Center.

Dr. Tibbets remained at the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine for the rest of his practice. Dr. Rob Hetzler, a surgeon at OHM, went on to become the President of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. Mr. George Kelley, the long tenured administrator at the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine, became part of the National Osteopathic Committee, accrediting hospitals on a national basis and serving as a consultant to other hospitals. 

UNECOM professor Dr. Reuben Bell interned at OHM. Photo courtesy OHM Reunion

Through the rampant growth of the mid-70’s came the birth of the New England College of Osteopathic Medicine at Saint Francis College in nearby Biddeford, Maine (now UNECOM.) With a charter staff working in tight quarters on a shoestring budget (nearly two-thirds of which came from area osteopathic physicians), the first class of thirty-six students began studies in October of 1978. The Osteopathic Hospital of Maine served as the central teaching hospital associated with this school. Clinical faculty agreed to teach for free until the first class graduated in 1982. Osteopathic physicians in New England were getting older, with an average age of sixty, and they looked for new protégés to pass on the skills of the profession. Maine was chosen as the site for the New England School of Osteopathic Medicine due to the large percentage of osteopathic hospitals in the area. This was again a testament to OHM, the first and largest osteopathic hospital in Maine and the closest one to the new college. In the planning stages - and before receiving AOA approval - the New England College of Osteopathic Medicine had four hundred applicants for thirty-six places. At a time when D.O.s were struggling to gain acceptance and privileges in an M.D.-dominated world, four hundred students answered the call to be the charter class at New England’s new College of Osteopathic Medicine. Unfortunately, there was only space for thirty-six students.

[Article to conclude next month.]

Local Flavor

A lobster boat passes Wood Island Light. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

Places to go... things to do

Shawn St. Marie, MS II, Class of 2009 President

1.) If classes were canceled for the afternoon, I would go…
a. Surfing at Fortune’s Rocks beach - summer
b. Jump in the car and get lost for a few hours - fall
c. Skiing at Sunday River - winter
d. Toss the baseball around with a friend or check out a little league game in town-   spring
   
2.) On a Friday night, you can usually find me...
Partying with friends (often at a beach fire), out to dinner, or working at the restaurant

3.) My favorite local restaurant is...
Rattigan’s (Saco)/The Ramp (Cape Porpoise)
Cole Road (breakfast)
West St. Market (coffee and breakfast sandwiches)
Otherwise Portland/Kennebunk restaurants

4.) The best place to buy groceries is...
Hannaford

5.) The place you are likely to find the greatest number of med
students on a weekend is...
50% in Alfond, 50% in Portland's Old Port or shopping in Freeport

6.) My best memory of last year was...
A weekend excursion to Sandwich, New Hampshire with my new friends

7.) Best cheap fun?
Intramural sports

8.) What else should the first years know?
Good Luck, keep your cool, help each other out, don't forget that life comes before school, call your mom.

Andrea Berry, MS II, 2006 Synapse Yearbook Editor

1.) If classes were canceled for the afternoon, I would go...
Well, since it would probably be because of snow, I would go sledding:) There is also the Biddeford Ice Arena for skating. Freeport is always fun for shopping, as well as the outlets in Kittery.

2.) On a Friday night, you can usually find me...
I like to go to the movies at Smitty's, where you can watch a movie, have dinner and a drink, all in the same place! There is also bowling in Saco, which is fun for something different.

3.) My favorite local restaurant is...
I like Bebe's Burritos in Biddeford.

4.) The best place to buy groceries is...
I like Shaw's, but the best produce is at Tran's Market across from the Dunkin' Donuts in downtown. The produce is always fresh and really cheap.

5.) The place you are likely to find the greatest number of med students on a weekend is...
Those who like bars usually go to the Old Port, others like getting sushi and catching a movie or a live band in Portland.

6.) My best memory of last year was...
My friends and I often invited over a few friends, sometimes for a girls' night, sometimes everyone can come, and we liked to sit in with some wine and snacks, watch a movie, catch up and just lay low and my best memories came from those nights.

7.) Best cheap fun?
House parties, watching movies, and making dinner with friends.

8.) What else should the first years know? 
There is something for everyone's taste in this area, even though people who didn't grow up around here don't believe it, so if you can't find it in Biddeford, it's probably in Portland. The best thing to do if you want something specific is ask! I guarantee there is someone else with the same interest, so it's a perfect way to meet new people and get to know the area.

Merima Ramovic, Jayme Mickelson, and Angelique Lam, MS IIs

1.) If classes were canceled for the afternoon, I would go...
To the beach or the mall (Portland or Kittery outlet)

2.) On a Friday night, you can usually find me...
In the Old Port

3.) My favorite local restaurant is...
Jewel of India (Merima) and Applebee's

4.) The best place to buy groceries is...
The Saco Hannaford (Jayme) and Sam's Club

5.) The place you are likely to find the greatest number of med students on a weekend is...
Starbucks

6.) My best memory of last year was...
Halloween party at the River, and making lasting friends

7.) Best cheap fun?
Hiking to lighthouses (Jayme) and the beach while looking at Canadian men in speedos (Merima)

8.) What else should the first years know?
Don't get involved with your classmates b/c you will be seeing them for the next 2 years  =)  (Merima)

Scholarships/Fellowships

Lupine near Biddeford Pool. Photo by Steve Smith, RSAS

International Fellowship Program Seeks Applicants

The FIC/Ellison Overseas Fellowship Program is an exciting clinical research training experience for graduate level U.S. students in the health professions, sponsored by the NIH's Fogarty International Center (FIC) in partnership with The Ellison Medical Foundation, the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Association of American Medical Colleges and the Association of Schools of Public Health are managing the program, which is beginning its fourth year. The deadline for the program is December 8, 2006.

The program offers a one-year clinical research training experience to qualified students. This is an opportunity for highly motivated individuals to experience mentored research training at top-ranked NIH funded research centers in a diverse group of countries, including Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, China, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mali, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Zambia.

To learn more and to obtain an application, please visit http://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/overseasfellowship/.

-Steve Kelly, MS II co-President of IFMSA

AANS Medical Student Summer Fellowship Program

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is offering ten $2,500 fellowships to medical students who have completed one or two years of medical school and wish to spend a summer working in a neurosurgical laboratory, mentored by a neurosurgical investigator who is a member of the AANS.

Interested students should submit applications by February 1, 2007 to AANS Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship, c/o AANS, 5550 Meadowbrook Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008-3852, or e-mail application and all supporting documents to nref@aans.org. An application may be downloaded at http://www.aans.org/otheresearch/application-final_081606.doc.

For more information, call AANS at (toll free (888) 566-2267) or visit their website at http://www.aans.org/otheresearch/med_student_research.asp.

The Harrison F. Aldrich, D.O./N.E.O.A. Student Loan

The New England Osteopathic Association (housed in the UNECOM Continuing Medical Education Office), makes funds available for UNECOM students (MS II, III and IV) in the form of low- or no-interest loans.  Since its inception in 1982, the N.E.O.A. Student Loan Fund has awarded almost $175,000 to UNECOM students. 

As loans are repaid, new loans are awarded to current students in need. The loan recipient does not need to repay until completion of all post-graduate training, including residencies and fellowships, a time frame of approximately 6 years after graduation.  Recipients who remain in New England to practice pay lower interest.  The deadline to submit an application for the loan, which can be used for whatever purpose the student desires, whether that be books, groceries, emergencies, etc., is generally in the late summer to early fall. Students are eligible for a loan for each of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years at UNECOM, which is included in the student’s overall financial aid package.  Approval is usually completed within a few weeks of receipt of the application. 

For more information, or to complete an application, see the UNE Financial Aid office, or contact Leslie Ingraham, CME Director, in the Office of Continuing Medical Education, Room 203, Stella Maris Building, by phone at 207-602-2125, or by email at lingraham@une.edu.

Faculty

Photo by Alex Small, courtesy Matt Pomykala, MS II

UNECOM faculty members honored at Maine Osteopathic Association conference

Three University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine faculty members were recognized with major awards from the Maine Osteopathic Association at the organization’s 2006 annual summer conference in Rockport, Maine.

Also honored were a UNECOM alumnus and student.

Kenneth Johnson, D.O. ‘92, associate dean of clinical affairs, received the Osteopathic Physician of the Year award for demonstrating a high quality of practice, a compassionate interest in patients and a commitment to community.

Stephanie Waecker, D.O., assistant professor of osteopathic manipulative medicine, received the Young Osteopathic Physician of the Year Award, presented to a D.O. who has been in practice for fewer than five years, who has demonstrated involvement as a practitioner and member of the professional community, and who demonstrates the potential to become a major force in osteopathic medicine in the future.

Charles Radis, D.O., clinical professor of internal medicine, received the Distinguished Service Award for making an immediate, significant contribution to the profession through a major endeavor for the good of the profession and society and/or has made a major impact on the osteopathic profession over the person’s career

Erik Steele, D.O. ‘87 received the Rosewell P. Bates, D.O., Public Service Award for outstanding achievement in public health, political or community service that enhances and demonstrates the profession’s commitment to service above and beyond that of direct patient care.

Third-year UNECOM student Joseph Dessent received the MOA Board of Directors Award for impacting the profession through his or her “pride in the profession” attitude.

-University Relations

Research by UNECOM's Ed Bilsky cited in stories in Kennebec Journal and Portland Press Herald

An August 10, 2006 Kennebec Journal story titled "Summer research is a major activity at Maine Colleges" noted that research money can fuel the state's economy by spinning off new businesses. The story cited the example of Ed Bilsky, an associate professor of pharmacology at the University of New England, who just formed a Maine-based company that may eventually manufacture a pain drug he has been researching with the help of a grant from the National Institutes of Health. An opiate derivative, the drug is being designed to block the severe side effects of opiates, such as intestinal problems and addiction. A second story in the August 10th Portland Press Herald, titled "Summer Research brings big bucks," also featured Bilsky's research on the pain drug.
Kennebec Journal, August 10, 2006
Portland Press Herald, August 10, 2006

-University Relations

UNECOM nutrition expert Kathryn Thompson quoted in Press Herald school nutrition story

Kathryn Thompson, professor of nutrition and biochemistry in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, was quoted in an Aug. 28, 2006 Portland Press Herald  story titled "Schools take aim at better nutrition." Thompson noted that making schools more healthy can bring about societal changes. ''Little kids in particular will go home and say things that will influence their family's food-buying decisions."
Portland Press Herald, Aug. 28, 2006

-University Relations

Alumni

Portland Head Light with a touch of goldenrod. Photo by Scotty McQuilkin, MS III

Section to be updated after Alumni Newsletter completed.

Clubs and Organizations

L-R Michelle Zugermayr, MS II, Kristy Frain, MS II, Shannon Scully, MS I, and Catherine Boucher, MS I, enjoy the Orientation Cruise in August. Photo by Lacey McIntosh, MS I.

C&O Presidents’ meetings, every 4th Wednesday of the month
SGA meeting, every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month
Deans’ Forum, every 2nd Wednesday of the month
(All meetings in ACHS 106)

C&O Presidents, SGA, Kick off Year with First Meetings

It was a friendly crowd. On Wednesday, August 23, each UNECOM club and organization sent representatives to the first C&O meeting in ACHS 106. Moderated by SGA vice-president Anne Newbold, the meeting involved an introduction, announcements, and then status reports from each club. Presidents had the opportunity to inform their peer leaders about proposed events, fundraisers, and membership blooms or blights. Over forty students were present for the meeting.

A number of clubs shared enthusiastically about their plans for the semester. Dean Kelley listed a number of important guiding principles and practical reminders for the student leaders, centering on the necessity to fill out proper documentation for events and the multiplied joys of planning ahead.

The inaugural Student Government Association meeting was held on Wednesday, August 30th, at 5:15pm in ACHS 106. Led by SGA president Jake Budny, MS II, the meeting outlined the organization's purpose as an elected, representative body. Jake stressed the importance of clearly representing the student body in a wide range of topics and issues. He also encouraged SGA officers and representatives to consider what they would like to improve about the current status quo at UNECOM, and to propose new initiatives. "We really can make a difference," he said, "and I am excited to see what we as a student body can accomplish."

SGA members signed up for nine different committees which help steer a broad range of academic, social, and professional concerns. SGA meetings are open to the student body, but Robert's Rules of Order are in effect to help moderate discussion.

Election results

The following Class of 2010 students have been elected as class officers for the 2006-2007 academic year:

President: Ahmad Yassin
Vice-President: Ryan Murphy
Secretary/Treasurer: Maxwell Opoku Agyemang

The following students were elected as SGA representatives for the Class of 2010:

- Chris Blomberg
- Steven Fosmire
- Lacey McIntosh
- Kim Salaycik
- Joe Scott
- Shannon Scully
- Ryan Smith
- Tara Wayt
- Sarah White
- Rima Zahr

Congratulations to all!

30-Second In-service

"Anck-Anck-Anck-Anck!" Who can forget the grinding sound of the Maine Emergency Public Broadcast System? Designed as an auditory slap-in-the-face, the system immediately catches a listener's attention to receive important information. Well, without the jackhammer effect, here are a few important points and policies to remember during the academic year:

Sign Posting Policy - Signs must be approved and stamped by the RSAS office before posting. Students should use sticky-tack to affix posters to walls; signs secured with tape may be taken down by University maintenance staff. Please do not post signs on the glass portion of doors in Alfond; this completely cancels the intended visibility of said portions. Signs may not include any reference to alcohol. To clarify, signs may not include any reference to alcohol. Simple enough.

Event Registration - Club officers are reminded that every club, class, or organization event must be approved by the RSAS office. Event Request forms are available in the RSAS office, and will soon be available on the Clubs and Orgs website. Please plan ahead and work with the appropriate offices to ensure the best success for your event. Reminder: Events where alcohol is desired need a two week lead-time in order to procure proper approval.

Fundraisers - Same protocol as event requests. Find the form in the RSAS office (soon to be posted online, as well.)

AMSA members David Rancourt, Katie Wetherbee, and Matt Pomykala, all MS IIs, at the York Lighthouse. Photo courtesy Matt Pomykala

AMSA Volunteers at York Lighthouse

UNECOM AMSA members volunteered at the Light 2 Light swim to benefit York Hospital’s “Caring for All” health care program. On Saturday, August 26, Jeffrey Patten, an accomplished athlete, swam more than 7 miles to raise awareness and funding for a program that provides health care options to the uninsured and underinsured in the community.

Medical Spanish Class to Start

Tim Manzo, MS II, and Rachel Keesling, MS II, have worked together to coordinate a Medical Spanish Program this year at UNECOM. The Medical Spanish classes will include three levels: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Over 35 students have registered for the classes, which are slated to begin on Monday, September 11th. Tim and Rachel hope that the classes will equip UNECOM students to relate intelligently and compassionately to Spanish-speaking patients in their future practices. 

September Events

UAAO starts Cranial Workshops and Crunch ‘N Munch sessions

The Undergraduate American Academy of Osteopathy (UAAO) has begun its annual Cranial Workshop series in the Alfond Center of Health Sciences. Workshops will be held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month in Alfond 304 and the OMM Lab, from 9am to 12pm. Instructors are Drs. Joseph Fields, Andrew Haltof, UNECOM '93, and Bob Bishop, UNECOM '86. For more information, contact co-presidents Martha Gilman  (mgilman1@mail.une.edu) or Abby Hansen (ahansen@mail.une.edu.)

UAAO has also started its “Crunch ‘N Munch” study sessions from 12-1pm in the OMM Lab. Sessions are every Wednesday. Bring your own food, please.

UAAO Thermos Sale

The UAAO club will sell thermoses this semester to raise funds for events and travel expenses. Thermoses will be sold in the Alfond Café, the OMT Clinic, and at Convocation. Contact Abby Hansen (ahansen@mail.une.edu) for more information.

September Health Awareness Events

Editor's note: These events are all from the What Health website, www.whathealth.com/awareness/september.html. "World" events are worldwide observances, while "United States" events are specific to this country.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month – World
5 A Day Month – United States
Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month – United States
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month – United States
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month – United States
National Cholesterol Education Month – United States
National Sickle Cell Month – United States
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month – United States

Suicide Prevention Week – 4th-10th
Reye’s Syndrome Awareness Week – 18th-24th
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week – 19th-25th
National Immunization Awareness Week – 24th-30th

World Suicide Prevention Day – 10th
World Alzheimer’s Day – 21st
Ataxia Awareness Day – 25th
World Heart Day – 25th

Meat and Potatoes

Jordan Wagner, MS II, and Dallas Rindfleisch, MS I, wish that Texas A&M were a bit closer to the Kennebec River. Photo by Abby Hansen, MS II 

University Campus Information

Office of Recruitment, Student, and Alumni Services (RSAS) Lower level of Stella Maris Hall	Monday-Friday 8am – 4:30pm (open noontime)
Campus Center Hours	Monday-Wednesday Gym, Track, Fitness Center: 6am-11 pm Pool: 6:30am-9:30am, 11:30am-6pm, 8pm-10pm Thursday-Friday Gym, Track, Fitness Center: 6am-12am Pool: 6:30-9:30am, 11:30am-6pm (5pm Friday), 8pm-10pm (Thurs.) Saturday Gym, Track, Fitness Center: 8am-12am Pool: 12pm-6pm (Pool closed for swim meets Nov. 4th and 18th) Sunday Gym, Track, Fitness Center: 8am-10pm Pool: 12pm-6pm
Bookstore Hours	Monday-Thursday: 8:30am-5pm Friday: 8:30am-3:30pm
Library Hours
Jack S. Ketchum Library, University Campus	Monday-Thursday: 8am-12pm Friday: 8am-7pm Saturday: 10am-9pm Sunday: 10am-12pm
Josephine S. Abplanalp ’45 Library, Westbrook College Campus	Monday-Thursday: 8am-10pm Friday: 8am-5pm Saturday: 9am-5pm Sunday: 10am-10pm
Sanford Petts Health Center - University Campus Phone: 282-1516	Monday-Wednesday: 8:30am-8pm Thursday & Friday: 8:30am-5pm Student Walk-in Hours: 11am-12:45pm
Alfond Health Center (OMM treatment only) Phone: 284-1417	Monday: 8am-8pm Tuesday: 8am-4:30pm Wednesday: 8am-6pm Thursday: 8am-5:30pm Friday: 8am-5:30pm
Saco Health Center - Saco Phone: 602-1407	Monday-Friday: 8:30am-5pm
Learning Assistance Center	Monday-Thursday: 8am-9pm Friday: 8am-4:30pm
Career Services	For appointments, contact Judy Bellante at 602-0170, ext. 2817, or jbellante@une.edu
Counseling Services	For appointments, call 602-0171, ext. 2549
Disability Services	For appointments, contact 602-0171, ext. 2815.
Food Service Hours (check www.unedining.com for updates, menus, and pre-ordering meals to go) Effective in September:Decary Cafeteria	Monday-Friday: Breakfast: 7:15am-10:30am Lunch: 11am-1:15pm Dinner: 4:30pm-6:30pm (4:30pm-6pm on Friday) Saturday & Sunday:  Brunch: 11am-1pm  Dinner: 4:30pm-6pm
The Hang	Monday-Friday: 10:30am-10pm
Alfond Café	Monday-Friday: 7:30am-2:30pm

Study Locations:

There are a number of locations available on the University campus for students to study.

Alfond Center for Health Sciences: The entrance facing Stella Maris and the main entrance on the lower level will be unlocked until midnight. All other entrances are open until 8pm. The rooms and lecture halls available as 24-hour study space are 104, 113, 126, 127, 128, 138A/B, 139A/B, and 304. The lobbies are also available. The Alfond Building has wireless Internet access.

Decary Hall: The entrance facing the river remains unlocked until 8pm, and the front entrance is open until 10pm. The rooms available for 24-hour use are 202, 203, 205, 206, 208, 212, and Sutton Lounge. Wireless access is available in the first floor vending area.

Marcil Hall: The entrance on the lower level is open until midnight. Wireless access is available in the common areas.

Stella Maris: The rear entrance facing the residence halls is open until midnight, while the other entrances are open until 8pm. The rooms available for 24-hour use are 206, 215, 304/306, and 309/310.

Alfond Meadow:

The Alfond Meadow will be used for intramural sports during the 2006-07 academic year. Students can anticipate use of the lawn during football season and again during spring sports. Study plans should be made with the lawn use in mind.

Submissions to the COMmunicator:

The COMmunicator is published monthly, Agust-May. Your submissions are welcome. Submit stories, news events, or digital pictures to Steve Smith at comsa@une.edu by the 25th of each month (the earlier, the better!)

Parting Shot

           Outskirts of Delhi. Strabismus patient (in orange). Photo by Alex Small, courtesy Matt Pomykala, MS II

Copyright © UNECOM Office of Recruitment Student and Alumni Services. All rights reserved.

11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005.  (207) 602-2329
Please send comments, suggestions, submissions, or warm chocolate chip cookies to Steve Smith at comsa@une.edu.