The Microscope

This issue of the COMmunicator features:

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THE WHITECOATS ARE COMING

2017 UNE COM WHITE COAT CEREMONY

White Coats. Blue Lobsters. Peripheral Brains. These are some of the words that describe this year’s White Coat Ceremony. One may venture to believe that once you have attended one of these events, you have seen them all, yet nothing could be further from the truth.

First, let’s paint the scene. The ceremony opened at Merrill Auditorium in Portland on the morning of Saturday, September 23. The sun shone brightly on the shiny silver buckles of obsidian-colored belts and dress shoes; silver earrings sparkled, and the slick chrome parts of the arriving cars glistened ceremoniously. The second-year students arrived early, picking up the white coats for the students they were to escort to the stage; the first-years looked nervously around the room for their escorts, anxious whether or not their second years were present to “give them away” as if it were a wedding ceremony. The seemingly spacious rehearsal hall got smaller and smaller as more than 300 students congregated together, chatting about their families, eating donuts, and loading up on coffee before the start of the event. A few die-hards even found a quiet nook to study.

Inside the auditorium, families searched for the best vantage point to see their students walk across the stage. Peering up from where the students were to sit in the orchestra section, the deceptively large space was filled almost to capacity with friends and families. In an auditorium that showcases hundreds of artists — singers, actors, and comedians alike — one could imagine that any number of professional events was about to begin given the enthusiasm of the massive crowd.

It was the first time the White Coat Ceremony for UNE COM was held at Merrill Auditorium. For most students and their families, it was probably the first time they had stepped foot into the majestic theater. Hopefully, in just a few more years, they will return to the same venue for their own student’s graduation.

The ceremony officially began as the students processed into their seats. Dean Jane Carreiro, D.O. welcomed everyone to the event with her usual charm and wit. UNE’s President, James Herbert, Ph.D., took to the podium afterwards, welcoming the students to medical school and speaking to the challenging (and rewarding) years to come. The President of the Maine Osteopathic Association, Meridith Norris, D.O., made the crowd laugh with her own story-telling and anecdotes. Dr. Norris works in Southern Maine and specializes in family medicine, treating substance abuse, obesity, and pain management.

One of the very first 36 graduates of UNE COM, Craig Boisvert, D.O. ‘82, was the keynote speaker. He is currently the vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Boisvert reminisced about the days he was in school. At that time, medical students carried little black books, which they called their “peripheral brains,” and stashed them in their newly acquired white coats. Nowadays, students’ peripheral brains have been replaced by their smartphones, which they use to assist them with drug calculations, studying, as a medical reference, and to transfer money to one another through Venmo for student fundraising. To recognize Dr. Boisvert’s contribution to UNE COM and osteopathic medicine in general, he was awarded a blue lobster, a hand-blown, glass figurine that represents the frequency of spotting one in nature, about one in 2–3 million.

The first-year students were escorted to the stage, and their names announced by COM faculty member, Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D. As the students crossed the stage, coated by their physician, the crowd clapped loudly and cheered. The students’ faces beamed, excited to be a part of the UNE COM tradition, and earning their “stripes.” Once the students uttered the last of the Oath of Honor, “I will confront all ethical misconduct which could violate the trust that our institution holds dear,” the ceremony was over, and students met their proud families outside on the steps of city hall for the reception. Maybe it was the sunny weather, but more than likely it was the notable occasion that stuck perma-grins on their faces as they shared this proud moment with the people they love most.

Spotlight Story

The Intersections of UNE COM and Medicine in Today's Changing World 

TRANSFORMING PRIMARY CARE

About the Author
Marlana Solebello, MEd works in the COM Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services

The timing of this year’s CME/Alumni Weekend, held on UNE COM’s Biddeford campus, was á propos. Nestled between Coming Out Day on October 11 and Transgender Awareness Month in November, this year’s CME event featured a UNE COM alumnus who spoke on the timely topic of Transgender Medicine in Primary Care.

On the afternoon of October 21, 2017, the crowd waited patiently to hear John-Paul Bettencourt, D.O. ’12 speak. Dr. Bettencourt has worked at Fenway Health in Boston since 2015 where he specializes in primary care, LGBT and HIV/AIDS medicine. If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bettencourt or heard him present, then you are missing out on a wealth of knowledge and humorous entertainment. From his small frame exudes a dynamic and witty personality, making his lecture on transgender medicine both accessible and engaging to an audience consisting mostly of primary care providers with admittedly limited knowledge of transgender health.

Transgender refers to a person who is born with the genetic traits of one gender but has the internalized identity of another gender. Cisgender, on the other hand, is a term used for a person whose genetic traits and internalized gender are the same.1 Historically, the transgender community has been victimized by discrimination and healthcare has been no exception. People who identify as transgender, or fall under the general umbrella term, have been denied access to medical treatments, and consistently struggle to find physicians who will provide them with regular care.2 According to a recent study, the lack of services and overall physician willingness to treat members of the transgender community may be partially due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of transgender medicine itself.2 This is not to diminish the discrimination that transgender people experience, but to acknowledge that the lack of preparedness for physicians may be one reason for healthcare disparities within the community. The article, “Making Primary Care Trans-Friendly” echoes the belief that physicians are generally afraid to offend their patients who are transgender, and are concerned that their lack of knowledge of hormone therapy could inadvertently harm them.3

In his presentation, Dr. Bettencourt spoke to the team approach that his office embraces. It isn’t solely a one-on-one relationship between doctor and patient, but a team of people that includes a nurse, patient advocate, behavioral health specialist, case manager, and available support groups to meet the needs of their transgender patients.4 This is one model that pulls together various resources in order to best care for their transgender population. It goes without saying that rural areas don’t have the resources that a city such as Boston, or even Portland, have more readily available. Because of this, Dr. Bettencourt consults with other primary care physicians who want to give their transgender patients the care they need, wherever they are in their process and geographically.5

Echoed in Dr. Bettencourt’s presentation was the idea that transgender medicine is not specialty medicine, but falls under primary care.4 However, there is a definite need for education on transgender health in order to provide physicians with the knowledge necessary to feel competent in their ability to treat members of the community. Practicing physicians are already required to earn continuing education credits for licensing in order to ensure they are on the cutting edge of medical treatments and interventions. For example, since more physicians have seen an increase in patients addicted to opioids, some states such as Massachusetts require opioid education for physician licensing.6 Similarly, the first step to the advancement of transgender medicine is within the scope and ability of primary care. Physicians have access to the tools necessary to treat their transgender patients, but what is missing is the knowledge of where to seek out those resources, and the impetus to do so.

Isabel Lowell, M.D., a professor at Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Family and Preventative Care, believes that “Making [transgender care] primary care just means that any transgender patients anywhere in the country can go to their own doctor.”3 Similarly, Dr. Bettencourt quotes A.T. Stills in his presentation: “To find health should be the object of the doctor. Anyone can find disease.”4 The osteopathic principles instruct D.O.s to treat the mind, body and spirit. In his lecture, Dr. Bettencourt states that his treatment goal is to lessen the gender dysphoria in his transgender patients, or, in short, to unite mind, body, and spirit. In terms of treatment, he states, “I treat the patient, not the numbers.” Despite what resulting labs or other diagnostic tools tell him, listening to his patients is key to understanding what direction or what avenue he will inevitably choose to pursue.4 The 2007 Virginia Trans Health Initiative Survey found that 60% of transwomen and 23% of transmen have at one time or another taken self-prescribed hormones, therefore, the role of the primary care provider is to regulate and monitor their patients’ levels in a controlled environment.4
 
Healthcare will continue to ebb and flow as medicine tries to catch up with societal shifts and changes. The inclusion of gender pronouns has started to find their way into electronic medical records so that physicians can use preferred language with their transgender patients. On the other hand, the data that has been collected on transgender health will see another drop as gender identity questions have been removed from the 2020 census. We have yet to see what impact this will have on healthcare, and, more specifically, transgender health.

UNE COM has taken the first step in creating a safe space for the transgender community by providing gender-neutral restrooms in Stella Maris, the site of the College of Osteopathic Medicine when it first took shape in 1978. According to the Fenway Institute, using gender-neutral language supplies the foundation for advocacy within the walls of both healthcare and higher education.7 Colleges in general have slowly been implementing ways of supporting their transgender populations. The video, “Ask Me: What LGBTQ Students Want Their Professors to Know” is a resource created to help professors understand what their students need to feel safe in the classroom.8 One conclusion is the importance of language in creating safe spaces and encouraging open dialogue. Likewise, if physicians start by using gender inclusive and gender-affirming language, and by acknowledging the existence of transgender with signage and reading materials that are not gender-specific, then that would be a beginning in opening lines of communication and creating a safe environment for their patients to seek treatment.9

There is a need for more education on transgender medicine, and the physicians who attended UNE COM’s CME Weekend this October recognized this, and took advantage of the resource they were given. The many holes and divots within healthcare for transgender patients can slowly be filled and re-graded by continuing medical education. It starts with the willingness in current physicians, medical students, teachers, and administrators to have the desire and willingness to promote inclusivity on campus, in the classroom, on rotations, and within healthcare, to treat all people with dignity, regardless of how they identify, and for them to look at the current structures in place and challenge them to do better — to be better.
 
In the immortal words of Michael Jackson, “If you care enough for the living, make a little space, make a better place.”10

References:

1. Hill, Mel Reiff, and Jay Maya. 2011. The Gender Book.

2. McPhail, D., Rountree-James, M., and Whetter, I.. Addressing gaps in physician knowledge regarding transgender health and healthcare through medical education. Can Med Educ J. 2016 Oct 18;7(2):e70-e78. eCollection 2016 Oct. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28344694

3. Landman, K. Making Primary Care Trans-Friendly. The Atlantic. 2017 April. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/04/trans-medicine/523731/

4. Bettencourt, D.O. John-Paul. Transgender Medicine in Primary Care. 2017. http://tinyurl.com/2017UNECOM

5. Fenway Health. 2017. http://fenwayhealth.org/care/medical/transgender-health/

6. Massachusetts Medical Society. 2017. http://www.massmed.org/Continuing-Education-and-Events/Continuing-Medical-Education-Requirements-for-Physician-License-Renewal-in-Massachusetts/#.Wa76TLKGOpo

7. Transgender Health. American Medical Student Association. 2017. http://www.amsa.org/advocacy/action-committees/gender-sexuality/transgender-health/

8. 'Ask Me': What LGBTQ Students Want Their Professors to Know. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Sept 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnbnF8QAnsY

9. McNamara, M., and Ng, H.. Best Practices in LGBT Care: A Guide for Primary Care Physicians. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. 2016 July;83(7):531-541http://www.mdedge.com/ccjm/article/109822/adolescent-medicine/best-practices-lgbt-care-guide-primary-care-physicians/page/0/2

10. Michael Jackson, Heal the World, in Dangerous, Epic, 1992.

In Good COMpany

The Who's Who in UNE COM

NEW FACE IN OMM

Jodie Hermann, D.O. '06 has accepted the position of chair of the OMM Department, beginning January 1, 2018. A 2006 UNE COM graduate, Dr. Hermann is currently a hospitalist at the Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, Maine. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Bayside Medical Center/Tufts University in Springfield, Mass. from 2007-2010, and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. She is a welcomed addition to the COM family and we look forward to her leadership.

Dr. Hermann recently was appointed to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Osteopathic Principles Committee. She will be the third COM faculty appointed by the ACGME (Guy DeFeo, D.O. is on the Neuromusculoskeletal Recognition Committee, and Jane Carreiro, D.O. is finishing her term on the Osteopathic Principles Committee).

CONCUSSION INITIATIVE

Chris Frothingham, D.O. '01 will be finishing up his position as acting chair of the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Department at UNE COM on December 31, 2017. UNE COM is grateful to have had Dr. Frothingham's guidance and leadership during the period of transition. He will remain as the course director for Osteopathic Clinical Skills and medical lead in the UNE IPE Concussion Initiative. Dr. Frothingham has been an invaluable asset to UNE COM and will continue to bring his positivity and expertise to this exciting initiative.

RECRUITING KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES

If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Alumni Services, Annie Connors, then you probably haven’t been to a UNE COM event recently. Annie’s home turf is on the Biddeford campus, but she travels across the continental U.S. to conferences, recruitment fairs, and other notable events. She was most recently spotted at OMED where she attended the Council of Osteopathic Medical Admissions Officers (COMAO). The committee promotes osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education by serving as osteopathic medical student advocates, advising AACOMAS on policies and procedures relative to member services, and providing recommendations for improvement of student services in cooperation with the board of deans.

At their meeting in Philadelphia, the council decided to create subcommittees for relative topics such as onboarding, diversity, and marketing. Annie was selected to lead the group focusing on onboarding and mentorship. Together, the subcommittee will work to create a mentorship program within COMAO to foster relationship building and information sharing to better serve both our prospective and current students at UNE COM and across the U.S.

The Pulse of Current COM Students

STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA: AOA/OMED 2018

The streets of Philadelphia were filled by the voices of UNE COM. The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) 122nd Osteopathic Medical Conference and Exposition (OMED) was held on October 7–10, 2017 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

Guests of the American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF) Honors 2017 Awards Ceremony kicked off the weekend by attending a formal gala on Friday night. The UNE COM Student Government Association was represented by Tom Wickham (SGA president) and Stephanie Czajkowski (SGA VP); the UNE COM Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) was represented by Max Cohen, OMS II, and Justine Lazatin, OMS II. The Dean of UNE COM and Vice President of Health Affairs, Jane Carreiro, D.O. ‘88, and the Associate Dean for Clinical Education, Guy DeFeo, D.O. ’88, were among the esteemed alumni who attended the event.

On Saturday morning, there was a Pre-SOMA meet and greet with 50 registered students in Exhibit Hall. Six UNE COM students helped work the booth at the Convention Center from October 7 through October 9, and were available to answer questions regarding their academic and professional experiences at UNE COM. The incredible students included: Ryan Merritt, OMS IV; Pianpian Wu, OMS IV; Max Cohen, OMS II; Stephanie Czajkowski, OMS II; Tom Wickham, OMS II; and Justine Lazatin, OMS II. UNE COM students, Brianna Barbosa-Angles, OMS IV, and William Ciurylo, OMS II, also attended the AOA/OMED Conference.

Amid the excitement, prominently displayed at the booth within the Convention Center included a poster of four alumni who are currently serving as deans of their institutions: Jane Carreiro, D.O. ‘88 of UNE COM; Peter A. Bell, D.O. ’84 of Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Craig Boisvert, D.O. ’82 of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine; and Kenneth H. Johnson, D.O. ’92 of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University. UNE COM chose to highlight their influence and leadership to share the impact they have had on both a local and national level.

Arguably, the most exciting event took place Saturday evening. The 35th UNE COM Reunion Reception was held at the Logan Philadelphia Hotel. A white trolley was available for transportation to and from the alumni reception. Dean Jane Carreiro, D.O. and President of UNE, James Herbert, Ph.D., were among the attendees. Dr. Carreiro introduced the president, who, after a few words, opened the floor up for questions. Notably, Ruth Bishop, D.O. ‘82, who alphabetically was the first female to graduate from UNE COM, was in attendance.

More than 60 alumni, students, and friends of UNE COM attended the reception. Next year, the 2018 AOA/OMED UNE COM Alumni/Friends reception will be held in San Diego.

RUN COM, RUN! THE MAINE MARATHON

Race participants and volunteers gathered at Baxter Boulevard on October 1 in Portland, Maine. The sun was bright as racers warmed up before the big event. The Maine Marathon has been a tradition since 1979 and draws competitive runners from across the U.S. Due to the vast size of the event, services such as bathrooms, water stops, and medical services were spread out among the 26.2-mile course. Along with professional medical organizations, 28 first and second-year UNE COM students, and three Pre-Doctoral Teaching Fellows, provided Osteopathic Manual Medicine to more than 90 athletes competing in the race.

Community service is a huge part of the UNE COM experience. It is one way for students to apply the skills they are learning in the classroom, and gives them the opportunity to give back and be of service for a community that has taken them in. Such exposure also helps develop the empathy and compassion that arguably is a necessary companion to clinical skills, and the mark of a great physician. One second-year student, Sarae Sager, OMS II, said of the event, “It was a wonderful opportunity to gain experience within our community, developing our OMM and patient-focused communication skills, while teaching the community [about] Osteopathic Medicine.”

Two UNE COM faculty members, Dr. Bonnie Sendzicki and Dr. Nicholas Phillips, were the physician preceptors for the event, and provided supervision and instruction as needed. Both physicians have been instrumental in teaching the students the necessary skills to make an impact in their local community.

For additional photos visit our COM Facebook page. Read more

OF MICE AND MEN: THE 17TH ANNUAL RESEARCH FORUM

This is the 17th year that the Research Forum has taken place at the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine. With the amount of time and dedication that goes into these presentations, it is no wonder that the event is always a great success. Between the faculty judges, the first and second-year medical student presenters, the keynote speaker, and the various spectators, there were more than 50 people who participated in the event.

Ron Korstanje, Ph.D., FAHA, was the keynote speaker whose talk, “The Genetics of Aging: Worms, Mice, and Humans,” was more than a throwback to John Steinbeck. Dr. Korstanje is an assistant professor at The Jackson Laboratory, one of five Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the U.S.; he is also the co-director in the Basic Biology of Aging.

After all was said and done, awards were bestowed upon the top three student clinical research projects and the top three student basic science projects.

The winners included:

BASIC SCIENCE RESEARCH

First place

Celeste Bouchard, OMS-II: “Increased hepatic lipid accumulation caused by atypical anti-psychotics Olanzapine and Risperidone is associated with altered PPAR signaling”

Second place

Katherine Cone, OMS-II: “Characterization of Delta/Mu Opioid Receptor Interactions in Assays of Pain-Depressed Operant Responding and Schedule-Controlled Rate Suppression” 

Third Place

Nate Mullen, OMS-II: “Induction of β-Lactamase Activity and Decreased β-Lactam Susceptibility by CO2 in Clinical Bacterial Isolates” 

CLINICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS

First place

Robyn Reese, OMS-II: “C-TraC Boston: Transitional Care for Veterans with COPD or CHF”

Second place

Victoria Schwartz, OMS-II: “Characterization Adolescent and Familial Response to Interventional Efforts During the Acute Post-Trauma Phase of Adolescents at Risk for Persistent PTSD”

Third place

Madhuri Garg, OMS-II: “Supportive or Stigmatizing: Health Professionals’ Attitudes in Caring for Substance Users in Maine”

This event was organized by the UNE COM Research and Scholarship Committee.

READ THE ARTICLE

SPREADING THE LOVE: THE COM CONNECTION

First-year medical students are making a big impact in the recruitment of prospective students. Spearheaded by the COM Office of Recruitment, Student, and Alumni Services, interested UNE COM students sign-up to open communication between themselves and prospective students. As you can imagine, this is an invaluable asset for students interested in attending UNE COM. Not only do they have the opportunity to have their questions about the program answered, they also have direct first-hand experience from a medical student currently enrolled in the program.

Another huge recruitment-related endeavor is the Facebook Live events. At a scheduled time, Annie Connors, assistant director of Recruitment and Alumni Services, and Elise Murphy, staff assistant in the Office of Recruitment, Student, and Alumni Services, take to Facebook to answer questions about UNE COM for prospective students from across the U.S. Joining them is a changing panel of UNE COM students to share their own personal experiences. Some of the Facebook Live events have had more than 700 views. Thanks to the collaboration between UNE COM staff and students, Facebook Live is becoming one of the most successful recruitment campaigns.

These are just a few examples of how UNE COM students pay it forward by reaching out and making a connection with others outside the community. Their commitment is both inspiring and hopeful, and demonstrates the quality of students that call UNE COM home.

Catch the next Facebook Live Event by visiting our Facebook page.

COM Student CluBs & Orgs

A Look at COM Students in Action

THE MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION JOINS THE FRAY

One beautiful thing about UNE COM is the diversity of its students. Medicine has no boundary, and medical students from all around the world come to UNE COM to learn how to be the best physicians for their patients. When Omar Shawaf, OMS I, and Sharmeen Jaffry, OMS I, started their freshman year over the summer, they took note of the Jewish Medical Student Association (JMSA) and the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) that were already present on campus. Student Doctor Omar Shawaf, recalls, “having come from big universities from Canada and all across the U.S., we were always used to having an MSA [Muslin Student Association] to represent us on campus and hold events that helped keep our faith strong and provided us with events and resources to continue to practice our faith, even when we were away from home.” Given the number of Muslims in the first-year class alone and their undergraduate experiences at larger institutions, they decided to see if there would be enough interest here at UNE COM. The idea was presented to the Student Government Association (SGA) the first week of October 2017 as a route to help foster and increase cultural sensitivity in medicine and to bridge the gap between Muslim and non-Muslim students. At the meeting in October, the MSA was officially recognized and welcomed as a UNE COM organization.

Their first meeting was held on Friday, October 13, where they discussed board positions and started brainstorming about future events. One such idea, an interfaith seminar, is a collaboration with the JMSA and the CMDSA to bring physicians from various religious backgrounds to talk about some of the challenges they face in treating patients who are culturally diverse.

While the mission of the MSA involves mediating faith and medicine, it is also tasked with the deconstruction of harmful myths. Student Doctor Shawaf states:

"The MSA works to uphold the Osteopathic principle of promoting a holistic approach to health and medicine through holding cultural sensitivity workshops with fellow faith groups on campus to facilitate dialogue, awareness and understanding. Additionally, the MSA will combat the media narrative about Islam and educate those interested regarding the true teachings of our religion through interfaith discussions. The MSA will also ensure the facilities and services can adequately accommodate religious obligations, such as having places for prayer and providing halal food on campus."

In less than a month after the group’s induction into the COM Clubs and Orgs, the food provider on campus, Sodexo, started providing halal food for its Muslim population. Whether or not the MSA had a hand in this shift or not, it is clear that its very presence will continue to advocate and represent the needs of Muslim students at UNE and especially here at UNE COM.

As Shawaf attests, “the Muslim Student Association (MSA) is very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be officially recognized by UNE.” Conversely, UNE COM appreciates the richness the MSA brings to campus through their contributions to the diverse tapestry we will continue to weave in the belief that the field of medicine, as well as the world we practice in, will not merely recognize the ways in which we are similar, but sincerely value the ways we are different.

WINTER IS COMING: TIME FOR CHILI BOWL

Nothing says winter’s coming like a bowl of hot chili — except for Ned Stark of course.

The UNE COM Orthopedics/Sports Medicine Club, spearheaded by Connor Richmond, OMS-I, and Breanna Davis, OMS-I, hosted the annual event on Sunday, October 29 on the Blue Turf Field. Faculty, students, staff, and the community came out to cheer for the event and eat one of New England’s cold weather staples.

The group sold t-shirts to raise money for the American Cancer Society. First and second-year students purchased their jerseys, highlighting their last names or aliases for the flag football game that takes place during the popular event. It is tradition for the first and second-year medical students to play against one another, and, as you can imagine, the competition was stiff.

The Class of 2020 (in red shirts) took on the Class of 2021 (in blue shirts). In recent years, the first year class has beaten the second-year class. This year, however, the Class of 2020, eager to defend their title, took the trophy to the dismay of the blue-shirts, a.k.a. first-year students. While there is talk of a rematch this spring, the question remains, will there be chili? Perhaps, or a burger bowl for the alliteration? Only time will tell.

MED STUDENTS AREN’T AFRAID OF THE DIRT: MECHANICS PARK CLEAN-UP

UNE COM students are accustomed to getting their hands dirty; they just slap on the gloves and dive in. They certainly aren’t afraid of the dirt. On various weekends during the fall semester, UNE COM students earn Touch hours for venturing to Mechanics Park in Biddeford, ME to do the dirty work. Students skillfully tended the gardens, picked-up any unmentionables, and gave the green space a much needed make-over. Their efforts helped to instill pride in the community as well as set the precedence for others to take care of their surroundings and be good stewards of the few green spaces left in the city. 

EAT. PREPARE. LOVE: THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

UNE COM’s Pediatric Club has established a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House in Portland, Maine to provide meals for families with hospitalized children. The Ronald McDonald House provides lodging and free dinners in order to support children and their families. To help prepare meals, UNE COM students and their friends volunteer as “Guest Chefs” on any given night, buy all the ingredients, and cook for the residents of the program. Even though the two students who organized the volunteers, Haley Pelletier and Genna Marcin, are part of the Pediatrics Club, any UNE COM student may sign up and participate.

At 6 p.m. on a Saturday, UNE COM students present their dinner and have the choice of joining the families for a warm, homemade meal or returning to their studies. Because of the impact within the community, the program has been very successful. The Ronald McDonald House and their families have the opportunity to have home-cooked meals, converse with UNE COM students, and tell their stories.

Learn more about the Ronald McDonald House.

 

VALIENT. VERSATILE. VETERANS.

This year, UNE remembered our veterans with a Veteran’s Day Celebration on November 11 in the Campus Center. More than 80 students, faculty, and staff attended the event to honor those who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces of the United States. UNE President James Herbert, Ph.D. was among the guest speakers to thank our veterans for their service. A UNE alumnus, Chris Keller, who served multiple tours overseas, recognized his fellow classmates in his opening speech.

Associate Professor Amy Keirstead offered final remarks by educating the masses on the differences of how Canada and the U.S. celebrate their veterans. In Canada, November 11 is known as Remembrance Day, where an extravagant service is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the capital city of Ottawa; the sound of bugles can be heard in the air, and the royal anthem, “God Save the Queen,” is sung by a choir. Unlike Veteran’s Day, the occasion is more of a somber event. Poppies are worn to honor those who have lost their lives in the call of duty. The tradition of the poppy was inspired by a poem, “In Flanders Fields,” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae during World War I.

An interesting parallel to note, the song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” is set to the tune of “God Save the Queen,” the national anthem of the United Kingdom. Instead of this song, however, the Sympathetic Tones, UNE COM’s acapella group, closed the UNE ceremony with a rendition of “America the Beautiful.” They were able to participate in the ceremony because COM classes were altered to allow students to attend the ceremony to honor our veterans. The Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (AMOPS) student organization invited retired United States Air Force Colonel Jay Cloutier, ’85 to speak on Friday, November 10. Col. Cloutier graduated from UNE COM in 1985, and served in the military for 30 years. Throughout his career, he advocated for the improvement and implementation of various medical programs across the nation and abroad. In his talk, “What Does It Mean to Serve?” Colonel Cloutier spoke to the importance of military medical counterparts.

UNE COM in the News

UnCOMpromising COMmitment to Our World & COMmunity

WORKING ON THEIR FITNESS: BENEFITS OF GROUP EXERCISE

Anyone familiar with Osteopathic medicine understands the necessity of wellness for body, mind, and spirit. The rigor of medical school can be defeating, and the enticement of late night snacks and stress attacks can take their toll. A recent graduate of UNE COM, Dayna Yorks, D.O. ’17, recognized the importance of exercise for her own mental health and implemented fitness classes while in school. An experienced fitness instructor, Yorks implemented a fitness program at UNE COM. Her passion for fitness didn’t stop there. Discussing the importance of exercise with Associate Professor of Anatomy Mark Schuenke, Ph.D., they started to formulate a research topic on the subject of fitness. Eliciting the help of Professor and Director of Geriatric Education Marilyn Gugluicci, Ph.D., and Professor and Interim Chair of the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Department Christopher Frothingham, D.O. '01, the team embarked on a research project that tracked the health of 69 first and second-year medical students over a 12-week period.1

The study divided the subjects into 3 categories: those who exercised in groups; students who exercised alone or with up to two people; and those who did not exercise regularly. The study was published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association and had two major discoveries. First, that exercising on a regular basis improved overall mental and physical health. Second, that there is more health benefit associated with exercising in groups.

"Those who participated in group exercise had a 12 to 26 percent improvement in mental, physical, and emotional quality of life," said Dayna Yorks, D.O. ’17.2

LEARN MORE

READ THE STUDY

 

References:

1. The Benefits of Group Exercise: UNE Student Research Project Receives International Attention. UNE News. 2017 Nov. 17. http://www.une.edu/news/2017/benefits-group-exercise-une-student-research-project-receives-international-attention

2. Study: Bigger Benefits from Group Workouts. CBS. 2018 Jan 1. http://www.wcax.com/content/news/Study-Bigger-benefits-from-group-workouts-467555023.html

Below is a visual representation of UNE COM News for Summer 2017

Lisa Lucas, D.O. ’09, newly elected president of the UNE COM Alumni Association

Congratulations to the new COM Alumni Association Board members elected at the annual meeting on October 20, 2017. Lisa Lucas, D.O. ’09 has assumed the role of president after serving as president-elect. Suzanne Berlin, D.O. ’84 was elected as secretary/immediate past president, while Jodie Hermann, D.O. ’06 was elected vice president/president-elect. UNE COM would also like to recognize the new members: Andrea Berry, D.O. ’09Gerald Coleman, D.O. ’03Joseph Dessent, D.O. ’08Joan Pelletier, D.O. ’08James Tracy, D.O. ’84; and Steven Zanders, D.O. ’99Learn more about the association and its board members.

Joshua A. Tuck, D.O. ‘04 is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon (sports medicine specialist) practicing at LECOM Health in Erie, PA. He is also a member of the UNE COM Alumni Association

Mark R. Henschke, D.O. ’88, PharmD was recently selected by the Consumers’ Research Council of America as one of the 2017 “America’s Top Physicians.” The honor and distinction will be published in the company’s publication, “Guide to America’s Top Physicians” aimed to educate and aide consumers in selecting the top professionals in a variety of different professions.

Candidates are selected based on a system that awards points for categories such as education, years in practice, professional affiliations, etc. The Consumers’ Research Council of America is a private organization that does not accept donations, advertising, sponsorships or any other type of incentive in order to report without bias.

Dr. Henschke is board certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Management and practices medicine in York, Maine. He also teaches as a Clinical Assistant Professor at UNE COM.

Read more about Dr. Henschke and the report.

 

Craig Boisvert, D.O. ‘82 was the keynote speaker for this year’s 2017 White Coat Ceremony for the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is currently vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

Manual Medicine Series

Hosted by the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and the Department of Continuing Medical Education, this series is for practicing D.O.s, M.D.s, and other licensed medical practitioners looking for CME credits.

The 2018 Schedule is:

  • L-Spine (Jan 13–15)
  • Hip Joint & Lower Extremities (May 5–7)
  • Thorax & Rib Cage (Sept 22–24)
  • C-Spine & Upper Extremities (Nov 10–12)

For more information or to register, view their brochure.

Save the Date

  • Oct 20-22: UNE COM Fall Premier CME/Alumni Weekend
  • Jan 12–14: SGA Ski Trip, Sugarloaf Ski Resort
  • Feb 4: Rise Against Hunger Event
  • Feb 9: MOA Research & Scholarship Forum
  • Feb 17: Graduate Winter Formal

Readers: Share your memes with us. They can be ironic or frivolous, as long as they aim to amuse.

Share your stories

UNE COM: Where Your Story & Our Story COM Together

We want to feature content from our readers to show the depth and breadth of the UNE COM Community. We encourage diverse submissions including opinion pieces, short essays, creative writing, comical rants, artwork, and photography. Send us your reflections on conferences, lectures, presentations, community outreach, and teachings. We want to feature the work you are doing in your communities, as well as the people you have become.

We reserve the right to edit all submissions.

 

 

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College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Our mailing address is:

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