Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., FACOFP

MESA, Ariz. (Mar. 31, 2009) – Healthcare reform continues to sit at the top of our national agenda, and understanding its implications is crucial to the livelihood of all Americans. Men and women in the Mesa community will have a unique opportunity to make sense of current healthcare policies and how they will affect families and businesses by attending A.T. Still University’s (ATSU) community luncheon and panel discussion entitled “Will Care Be There?” on Tuesday, April 14 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Nationally-renowned healthcare policy expert Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., FACOFP, will keynote this timely luncheon and panel discussion, which is sponsored by ATSU’s Women’s Wellness program. Dr. Ross-Lee, a former medical school dean, is currently director of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Health Policy Fellowship Program and vice president for health sciences and medical affairs at New York Institute of Technology.

“Every American needs to be informed and, if able, be part of our nation’s healthcare discussions,” said ATSU Provost Craig M. Phelps, D.O., FAOASM. “ATSU hopes this program will engage community members and stimulate a ‘call to action’ for those wishing to voice their views and ideas on a topic affecting each and every one of us. Dr. Ross-Lee and panel members will discuss how attendees can help shape healthcare policy and highlight recent trends and challenges facing families and businesses.”

Women’s Wellness executive advisory board member Amanda Weaver, M.B.A., executive director of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA), agrees, stating that attendees will walk away with information that they can use. “Dr. Ross-Lee founded the AOA Health Policy Fellowship Program, which has trained osteopathic physicians and members of the osteopathic family in the high ground and comprehensive approach to cost, quality, and access to care issues, and [in addressing] frustrations that people experience every day,” she said. “The objective is to improve healthcare for patients.”

Other panel members will include Erick Novack, M.D., a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and advocate for protection of patient rights; Jill Rissi, Ph.D., associate director for research and policy at St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, whose research focuses on Arizona health policy; and Jan Zieren, D.O., FACOFP, a board certified family practice physician and president of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians.

The cost to attend ATSU’s community luncheon and panel discussion is $75 per person. Sponsorship and premium ticket opportunities are available. Contact the ATSU advancement office for more information at drohrich@atsu.edu or 480.219.6115, or visit www.atsuwomenswellness.org.

Annlee Burch, Ed.D., M.P.H., PT, ASHS physical therapy chair and associate professor, hoods a doctor of physical therapy candidate .

MESA, Ariz. (Mar. 12, 2009) – A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS) celebrated commencement ceremonies for four online programs Saturday, March 7 at 10 a.m. at the Phoenix Convention Center.

A total of 292 graduates earned either master of science or doctoral degrees in ASHS’ Human Movement, Physician Assistant Studies, Audiology, and Physical Therapy programs. “Once again, it was exciting to watch health professionals attain a higher degree with the intention of making a difference in the care of their patients,” said ASHS Dean Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, DFAAPA.

“Phoenix should be very proud of hosting this event,” said ATSU Provost Craig M. Phelps, D.O., FAOASM. “Graduates and their families from across the country gathered at a wonderful venue, on a beautiful Arizona day to celebrate their achievement.”

Founded in 1995, ASHS is committed to educating and preparing its students to practice at the forefront of a rapidly growing healthcare system. “Graduation is a wonderful opportunity to both celebrate the accomplishments of our students and recognize their much-needed contribution to healthcare throughout the community and the nation,” said ATSU Associate Provost O.T. Wendel, Ph.D.

As part of the commencement ceremony, an honorary doctor of humane letters degree of was awarded to keynote speaker William Kohlhepp, D.H.Sc., PA-C. Dr. Kohlhepp is associate professor of physician assistant education at the Quinnipiac University PA program in Hamden, Conn., and practices part-time in New Haven, Conn.

Dr. Kohlhepp encouraged graduates to embrace their professional values throughout their careers by focusing on patients, other health professionals, the public, and themselves. “Your time at ATSU has likely immersed you in the mission of the University which includes a number of professionalism values, so you may be well on your way,” he said. “The work you will be doing will be challenging and rewarding. You will save lives, you will heal bodies and minds; you will touch hearts. You will make a difference.”

Dr. Kohlhepp has published numerous articles on clinical and professional topics. He served on the board of directors of the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants, serving as chair in 2006. He is past president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), and was recently recognized as PA of the Year by the AAPA.

SOMA students at the HealthSource of Ohio campus in Milford, Ohio.

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The inaugural class at A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (SOMA), who are scheduled to graduate in 2011, set out in September to community health center campuses (CHCs) across the country that will become their homes for the next three years of their medical education. The School’s ground-breaking contextual learning model places medical students in clinical settings in their second year and, by all accounts, the new model is showing strong signs of success.

“Overall, everything is going quite satisfactorily,” said SOMA Dean Douglas Wood, D.O., Ph.D., regarding the students’ first few months off-campus. He further indicated that feedback from the CHCs, learning facilitators, and students is very positive. Initial feedback also indicates that SOMA students have arrived at the clinics well-prepared for the new clinical setting. “Physicians at the clinical sites are consistently amazed at the amount of knowledge that our students have,” said Dr. Wood. “Because of how our curriculum is set up, we expect nothing less.”

Provost Craig M. Phelps, D.O., FAOASM, ’84, visited sites in Brooklyn, New York, and Beaufort, S.C., to see firsthand how students are progressing. “It is humbling to see how well our students are embraced by the faculty, staff, administration, and most importantly, patients, at their community health center campuses,” said Dr. Phelps. “It is a testament to how well the educational model is working.”

SOMA leadership is not taking their initial success lightly, or for granted. Dr. Wood was quick to point out that SOMA has a strong system in place to monitor progress. Along with phones, email, podcasts, video, and other electronic communication, it is SOMA’s priority to send one of the School’s five deans to each clinical site twice a year to monitor and report progress. Between September and January, eight formal site visits had been completed. The other three sites have received informal visits and are slated for a formal evaluation in the near future. “It is important to have a new set of eyes at each location on a regular basis,” said Dr. Wood.

SOMA student Vanessa DeSousa, OMS II, confirmed that she felt well-prepared when she first started in her clinic in Porterville, Calif. “All of the [first year] OSCEs and medical skills practice, as well as OPP lab, have really helped me to interact with patients appropriately,” she said.

For students at the CHCs, roughly 60 to 70 percent of their time is still spent in didactic education. Each of the 11 campuses has a learning facilitator and a classroom for ongoing instruction. The remaining 30 to 40 percent of their time is spent in the clinic setting, seeing patients who often present the very health issues and illnesses that they are learning about in class.

“When I can put a patient face to the name of a disorder, disease, syndrome, etc…, it stays with me,” said DeSousa. “In addition, having a seasoned physician to talk to about each patient really helps me learn the important clinical and basic science concepts.

“I have had several experiences already where a patient presents with exactly what we are talking about in our basic sciences,” she continued. “It makes sense to learn in the context in which we will be practicing. Physicians have commented that we know a lot already, and that we are very lucky to have early clinical exposure.”

Free Family Health & Wellness Day

MESA, Ariz.  (2-23-09) – Nearly 800 individuals in need received free health screenings and services at the second annual Free Family Health & Wellness Day, held at San Marcos Elementary School in Chandler, Ariz., on February 21.
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A.T. Still University (ATSU) co-sponsored the event with the Chandler CARE Center and the BHHS Legacy Foundation. Families from the Chandler community were offered free health services such as physical exams, hearing and vision screenings, dental sealants, and vital health recordings, all of which were performed by students from ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH), Arizona School of Health Sciences (ASHS), and School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (SOMA).

“The event was a great success. We surpassed the number of patients seen last year by 43 percent,” said Beth Poppre, assistant vice president for student & alumni services at ATSU. “Our partnership with the Chandler CARE Center is such a positive experience for our students and employees. Events like this exhibit ATSU’s mission of compassion and dedication to improving healthcare.”

The Free Family Health & Wellness Day offered a clothing drive, music and entertainment, arts and crafts, and the opportunity to meet the Phoenix Suns Gorilla. After health screenings were completed, families collected one bag of groceries for every service they received. 

“The Free Family Health & Wellness Day event shows what can be done for our community when organizations and individuals put their collective efforts to work. Our neighbors received much needed services from more than 170 students, faculty, staff, and community partners,” said ATSU Provost Craig M. Phelps, D.O. “By giving our time and resources, everyone at ATSU benefits from knowing and feeling the University is making a difference locally.”

Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.

MESA, Ariz. (Nov. 21, 2008 ) – Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., noted scientist, author, and stroke survivor, joined A.T. Still University (ATSU) to keynote a luncheon celebrating the launch of ATSU’s Women’s Wellness Program Nov. 18 at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas. Dr. Taylor, who was recently named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, shared her personal story of survival, recovery, and discovery during her presentation entitled “How to Get Your Brain to Do What You Want it to Do.”

Dr. Taylor, a Harvard-educated neuroanatomist, had a rare form of stroke 12 years ago which caused a severe hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain. It took eight years for Dr. Taylor to successfully rebuild her brain following the stroke, and she shares her story in her book “My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey.”

Dr. Taylor’s message of compassion during the healing process resonated deeply with an audience of ATSU friends, faculty, and staff who support a university mission that focuses on compassion, integrity, and ability. “Dr. Taylor inspired our students and faculty to look beyond a patient’s illness or injury and connect with their humanity through compassion and understanding,” said ATSU Provost Craig M. Phelps, D.O., FAOASM. “She was inspired to see development of compassion in our students, faculty and staff as a major component of ATSU’s mission statement.”

ATSU Associate Provost Ted Wendel, Ph.D. was in agreement. “Dr. Taylor’sexperienceand knowledge brought reality to the words of the ATSU mission,” he said.

Close to 150 were in attendance at the luncheon that was also the launch of ATSU’s new Women’s Wellness Program. The program was founded to provide educational opportunities to the public as well as develop a collective of women focused on improving the quality of their lives and the lives of those around them.

According to Dr. Phelps, the Women’s Wellness Program is an important component in the university’s overall community outreach efforts. “As a leading edge university with a school of osteopathic medicine, it is imperative that we be involved in community wellness,” he said.

“For many years, women went unrecognized as important decision-makers in how families accessed healthcare,” he continued. “[This program] will provide information to key household stakeholders who often make healthcare decisions for immediate family, extended family, and sometimes the entire community.”

For more information about ATSU’s Women’s Wellness Program, please contact Gretchen Buhlig at 480.219.6105 or gbuhlig@astu.edu.