Insights, Volume 9: Fall 2013 by Seton Hall Publications Alumni Magazine

Learn the Art and Science of Caring

S C H O O L

O F

H E A LT H

VO L U M E 9 • FA L L 2 0 1 3

A N D

M E D I C A L

BEYOND

S C I E N C E S

the

CLASSROOM

Clinical Education Provides INVALUABLE

EXPERIENCES

Contents

A Message from the Dean

The Show Must Go On

The Reality of Cooperation

Collaborate to Innovate

New Research Receives National Recognition

Honor Roll

Below: On the top deck of the Cornucopia

Cover: In the Occupational Therapy Gym

Destiny for SHMS’ 7th Annual Alumni Cruise

at Universal Institute for Rehabilitation in

on July 25, Sean Loges, DPT ’13, Kaitlin Sexton,

Livingston, New Jersey, alumnus and field-

DPT ’13, Ariel Castro, DPT ’13, and Brianna

work educator Randy Marti, MS ’03, OTR,

Bradfield, DPT ’13, pose in front of the stunning

instructs current SHMS students on using

backdrop for Michael Grembowiec, DPT ’13,

preparatory hand-strengthening exercise

to take a picture.

prior to functional tasks and activities with clients.

The Future is Now

Wanted: Outstanding Healthcare Leaders

By the Numbers

For Your Benefit

Giving Back to the Profession

12 IPE: Collaboration Across Disciplines

Insights magazine is published by the School of Health and Medical Sciences at Seton Hall University.

13 2013 SHMS Interprofessional Education Initiatives

EDITORIAL OFFICE

Contributing Writers

400 South Orange Avenue, McQuaid Hall

and Photographers

South Orange, NJ 07079

Shannon Rossman Allen, MA ’04

Address Changes:

Bill Blanchard

lori.riley@shu.edu, (973) 313-6077

E.B. Boyd Ian Bradshaw

Pearls of Wisdom

Around the World in Many Ways

Helping Local Seniors Get “Fit”

Perchance to Dream

Medical Faculty in Print

Partners in Research

Brightening Smiles

Welcome to the Dean Team

New Health Sciences Faculty

Department News

Bodies in Motion

Alumni, At Last!

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Terrence F. Cahill, EdD, FACHE Dean Brian B. Shulman, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, BRS-CL

Karyn D. Collins Vikram N. Dayalu, PhD, CCC-SLP Vincent DeBari, PhD

Associate Dean, Division of Health Sciences

Tiffany Do ’15

Mona M. Sedrak, PhD, PA-C

Kayla Enright

Associate Dean, Division of Medical Residencies and Fellowships John W. Sensakovic, MD, PhD

Carolyn Goeckel, MA, ATC Lauren Guiliano Christopher Hanifin, MS, PA-C Natalie Neubauer, MS, CCC-SLP

Assistant Dean for Special Academic Programs and

Kimberly Olson

Projects, Division of Health Sciences

Molly Petrilla

Christopher W. O’Brien, PhD, LAT, ATC

Genevieve Pinto-Zipp, PT, EdD

Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Special Events / Insights Editor Lori Riley, MA ’06

Kevin Riordan Denise Rizzolo, PhD, PA-C Ruth Segal, PhD, OTR Milan Stanic

Design and Production

Doreen M. Stiskal, PT, PhD

Anthony Liptak

Fred Stucker

Lorraine Joyce

Elizabeth M. Torcivia, PhD, OTR

A Message from the Dean Since the School of Health and Medical Sciences’ earliest days, so much has changed in the world of healthcare. Advances in medicine and technology, shifts in policy and increased access to information have shaped the landscape dramatically. At SHMS, we are proud that we have evolved to meet the rapidly changing demands — and we also have been proactive leaders in influencing the future of healthcare.

Dear Alumni, Students, Friends and Colleagues:

While our School’s commitment to educating the healthcare leaders of tomorrow will always remain a constant, we will continue to integrate new ways of teaching the art and science of caring. This issue of Insights features some of our latest efforts in clinical education, including the strong partnerships we have with healthcare professionals and organizations. These collaborations allow our students to experience, firsthand, the opportunities and challenges in their field while working with seasoned professionals in state-of-the-art clinical environments. For example, through our Clinical Education and Research Partnership Grants program, SHMS recently awarded more than $45,000 to four

institutions that are implementing new clinically-based projects. Not only will this effort improve healthcare for the benefit of all, but also it will provide our SHMS students with diverse opportunities to enhance their clinical education. As this publication illustrates, the clinical grants program is just one of the many important components of SHMS’ focus on clinical education. It also serves as a springboard for discussion about our Interprofessional Education (IPE) strategic initiative, as the recipient institutions emphasize Interprofessional Practice (IPP). At SHMS, we believe that IPE is the foundation upon which the future of healthcare will depend, the framework that will support growth and progress for the entire SHMS community. In order to provide the very best in patient-centered care and, therefore, to succeed as healthcare practitioners, it is critically important for students to develop an early appreciation for interprofessional teamwork. At SHMS, we go beyond that. Students, faculty, alumni, clinical partners and other stakeholders from different professions come together frequently to learn about, learn from and learn with each other. Whether it is a student-centered symposium, a facultyfocused retreat or a community-wide speaker series, we are investing time, talent and resources to incorporate IPE

into the SHMS culture and the Seton Hall community. Faculty and students are collaborating across disciplines on research projects, classroom activities and community outreach programs. Everywhere you turn at SHMS, it becomes more apparent that the future is interprofessional, the future is now — and we are the future of healthcare. You, too, can play an invaluable role in SHMS’ IPE initiative. Volunteer as a clinical education supervisor (see page 8), share your expertise as a guest lecturer (contact a faculty member) or participate in our interprofessional programs (visit the News & Events page at shms.shu.edu). In addition, alumni who get involved with SHMS and other University programs are considered “True Blue,” which is Seton Hall’s new alumni loyalty program recognizing active and engaged graduates—find out more at www.shu.edu/go/trueblue. We are eager to expand our interprofessional network, and we hope you will join us as we grow and change — for the better. Sincerely,

Brian B. Shulman, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, BRS-CL Dean and Professor of Speech-Language Pathology

I NS! G H TS

SHOW

The

By Molly Petrilla

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A performance medicine therapist with Cirque du Soleil, Athletic Training alumnus Christian Marks helps the acrobats, dancers and musicians who perform nearly 500 shows each year stay on their feet — or dangling in mid-air.

MUST

In the performing arts, athletic trainers can provide on-site medical care that helps to reduce the frequency and severity of performers’ injuries while also reducing operating and production costs, according to studies cited by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Christian Marks, MS ’08, ATC, discusses his role as a performance medicine therapist with Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba show in Orlando, Florida.

GO ON

You’ve been with Cirque du Soleil since 2011. How is your work with the performers different than what you have experienced with other athletes?

Which new technologies are you using to help your performers rehabilitate?

“It’s a very different type of work and schedule than traditional athletes face. You’re dealing with world-class athletes who never get an off-season and who have two ‘games’

“A year or two before I came, they brought in sound-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (SASTM) instruments. Those help us deal with the overuse injuries. We’re currently trying to incorporate laser light therapy and general light therapy, which help to accelerate the turnover rate in

a day, five days a week.”

cells, leading to better recover times.”

What does that mean for the types of injuries you see and the way you treat them? “We see a lot of over-

How did SHMS help prepare you for this challenging work? “It gave me the

training, overuse injuries, such as tendonitis. The tough part is finding ways to treat these performers while they remain active, without taking a break from their work. It’s a matter of having foresight in an area of expertise that is small to begin with — because the show has to go on as perfectly as possible every day.”

skillset I needed to become one of the best. I realized that what I considered a standard skillset was actually above the norm, including my ability to read imaging studies and utilize manual therapy techniques. That has really paid off when it came down to proving myself in this field.”

I NS! G H TS

IPE IN PRACTICE

The Reality of Cooperation By volunteering as a victim in a disaster simulation, Speech-Language Pathology student Matthew Masiello gains a deeper appreciation for interprofessional practice. By Lori Riley, MA ’06 Sprawled across desks in the back right corner of this disastrous classroom is the “injured” Matthew Masiello, a second-year

Collaborate to Innovate Twenty-seven graduate students participated in the 2012 International Innovation Project, proposing healthcare-related solutions for the JESPY House. By Elizabeth M. Torcivia, PhD, OTR Department of Occupational Therapy Last year’s International Innovation Project (IIP), which took place at Seton Hall, was a memorable experience for everyone who participated. SHMS students in the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs teamed up with colleagues from three other institutions — MGH Institute for Health Professions (Boston, Massachusetts), Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Helsinki, Finland) and Metropolitan University College (Copenhagen, Denmark) — to propose innovative healthcare solutions 4

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Speech-Language Pathology student. His “injuries” are a result of a pipe explosion. Thankfully, this is only a mock crisis. Last spring, Masiello expanded his healthcare horizons by volunteering as a victim in the emergency-response drill staged by the Seton Hall College of Nursing’s Leaders in Health- care club. Masiello’s participation honed his appreciation for interprofessional practice, which is a cornerstone of the Interprofessional Education (IPE) strategic initiative at SHMS. “Working as a team with other healthcare professionals is essential to overall progress with a patient.

You need to work together and not just view the patient through your own professional lens, but also view his or her entire well-being,” Masiello says about the eye-opening experience. “Don’t take things personally if your profession is not the number one priority, because it won’t always be. You need to know, at that time, what is most important for this person’s life.”

for residents of JESPY House, a South Orangebased nonprofit that enables adults with learning and developmental disabilities to lead independent lives. The students worked collaboratively on topics suggested by JESPY staff and residents, such as physical fitness, wellness and exercise; awareness of the South Orange community; social participation activities to grow relationships among the residents; and the introduction of pets into the JESPY community. Each project included an implementation day, with JESPY residents and staff coming to campus and students and faculty participating at the Judi House on Irvington Avenue. While full implementation of the ideas was limited by

READ MORE ABOUT IPE at SHMS on pages 12-13.

the short time frame, the projects will live on as part of JESPY programming and through the new “JESPY-Seton Hall Bridge” group. The outcome of IIP, beyond the generation of innovative ideas, is to foster international collaborations among graduate students in healthcare fields. Group dynamics, idea generation and innovation theory form the basis of the program, with faculty from all the partner institutions teaching and mentoring throughout the program. HECK OUT our “News & Events” page C at shms.shu.edu to read about the 2013 International Innovation Project that recently took place in Denmark.

New Research Receives National Recognition An assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Michael LaFountaine receives the American College of Sports Medicine’s New Investigator Award. By E.B. Boyd In recent years, researchers have made great strides in understanding the devastating consequences of brain injury, thanks in part to advances in imaging technologies as well as a greater appreciation in the sports community for the effects of concussion. Much of the research, though, has focused on cognitive symptoms, like memory, processing and attentiveness. This year, however, Michael LaFountaine, EdD, ATC, an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, received the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) 2013 New Investigator Award for his pioneering efforts to look for clues to brain damage in a place few others are studying: the autonomic nervous system. In an abstract presented to the ACSM, LaFountaine, an autonomic physiologist who

Honor Roll Two award-winning faculty are among the many innovative scholars at SHMS.

Vincent A. DeBari

Elizabeth M. Torcivia

came to Seton Hall in 2011, described research he began last year into the cardiovascular systems of people with concussion. Specifically, he was exploring whether those systems behave differently in injured patients than in healthy people. He had subjects perform a hand-grip test — grasping a measurement device with the amount of force they’d use to squeeze a tennis ball, for example — which produced just enough “work” to provoke a response in the heart and vasculature system. LaFountaine’s research discovered that people with concussion seem to have ineffec- tive control of the autonomic nervous system mechanism that controls the way the heart rate increases in response to work. LaFountaine is still exploring whether that, in turn, may result in abnormal heart rate and blood pressure responses. “If you have a brain injury,” he says,

“information coming to the brain — or leaving it — may be processed incorrectly.” LaFountaine’s research, which he expects to complete this academic year, may ultimately better help clinicians determine when patients are ready to resume normal activities, especially athletes, who are frequently eager to get back on the playing field. “Having an appreciation for the presence of autonomic impairment in concussion may help provide a time course for symptoms,” LaFountaine says. It could also provide more tools for making those assessments. If you know that cardiovascular autonomic control is impaired following a concussion, he says, that could place “further onus” on making more frequent measurements of heart rate and blood pressure in injured patients.

The Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) presented Vincent A. DeBari, PhD, with the Diploma of Honor in May 2013. DeBari, a professor of medicine and research director for the SHMS Division of Medical Residencies and Fellowships, was recognized for serving the profession of clinical chemistry and clinical laboratory science for 30 years. He has excelled as a research scientist and teacher, producing approximately 100 published peer-reviewed scientific articles, 103 abstracts and presentations at national or international meetings and more than a dozen publications in books and other media. He has participated extensively with the New Jersey section of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and the ACS, of which he was president in 2008 and a fouryear member of the executive committee.

Elizabeth M. Torcivia, PhD, OTR, associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the SHMS Division of Health Sciences, received a Fulbright Scholar Award for Spring 2014. Torcivia will teach selected courses on clinical reasoning and elective innovation courses for community- based occupational therapy at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. Torcivia’s participation in the International Innovation Project (IIP), which took place in Helsinki in 2011 and at Seton Hall in 2012 (see opposite page), was the foundation of her Fulbright application. The IIP brings together interdisciplinary students from SHMS, Massachusetts General Hospital’s Institute of Health Professions in Boston and universities in Finland and Denmark to collaboratively propose innovative healthcare-related solutions for community organizations.

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Pictured Left: An occupational therapist at P.G. Chambers School moves a colored gel on a light box to facilitate a child’s visual attention. The use of a light box improves functional vision. Pictured above: Grant recipients were recognized during a reception at Seton Hall on September 30. Pictured on opposite page (left to right): A clinician demonstrates the Redcord therapy system. The “Snoezelen” room is a controlled multisensory environment, named for the Dutch words for seeking and relaxing.

The Future is

NOW The School of Health and Medical Sciences awarded more than $45,000 in grants to programs that will improve healthcare in our communities and also will provide new clinical education opportunities for SHMS students. by Kevin Riordan

Clinically focused grants awarded by the School of Health and Medical Sciences (SHMS) are providing SHMS graduate students a chance to try new techniques and fresh approaches—and to work alongside experienced treatment, education and research professionals—during clinical rotations at New Jersey schools, hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. 6

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In 2013, SHMS awarded Clinical Education and Research Partnership Grants totaling more than $45,000 to four institutions that educate developmentally disabled students, assist children who have brain injuries and protect young athletes at risk of concussion. SHMS already has enjoyed successful partnerships with all four recipients. “Our School’s mission to educate the healthcare leaders of tomorrow goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to building strong community partnerships and improving healthcare for the benefit of all,” says SHMS Dean Brian B. Shulman, PhD. “These invaluable relationships are the foundation of our School’s hands-on clinical education programs, which health sciences students want and need in order to be successful in their fields.” A C LEAR ER PICTU R E At the P.G. Chambers School in Cedar Knolls, SHMS graduate students in physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech-language pathology (SLP) will take active roles in determining how best to teach developmentally disabled children whose brains “are not [effectively] interpreting what the eye is seeing,”

says Andrea C. Quigley, MS, the Director of Development at P.G. Chambers. The private school serves 700 children in northern New Jersey. Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) has been recognized, in recent years, as a distinct disability, one that presents particular challenges for students and clinicians alike. “It is different from an ocular impairment. [Often] there’s nothing wrong with the eye itself,” says Dawn Hearne, MHA, OTR, Director of Occupational Therapy at the school. “CVI has a huge impact on learning, and it’s important to us to assess what students are seeing and how they’re seeing it, and what is the best way to present things to them in the classroom,” adds Quigley. With the help of the SHMS grant, P.G. Chambers’s “Changing Learning Outcomes for Children with CVI” project will develop educational strategies tailored to individual students with the condition. Accomplishing this will involve “quite a bit of assessment, observation and interpretation,” says Quigley, noting that SHMS students will assist in that effort. These clinical experiences will provide “increased awareness of the characteristics a child with CVI may present,” as well as an opportunity to build observation and assessment skills.

Another plus: collaboration between OT and PT clinicians. The children at P.G. Chambers should benefit as well, because the SHMS students are another pair of eyes in the classroom. Says Quigley, “They bring in great ideas. And they’re enthusiastic.” FR EEDOM OF MOVEMENT An SHMS grant to Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside (CSH-M) will help determine whether a commercial “neuromuscular activation system,” already used in physical rehabilitation programs for adults, can be effective with disabled children as well. The “Innovative Applications of Redcord Using Collaborative Learning” project at CSH-M will offer clinical rotation opportunities for SHMS PT and OT students. “We saw the benefit of using Redcord in one facility, and decided to apply for this grant because we wanted to put [a Redcord unit] in another facility,” explains Susan Winning, BA, PT, the Clinical Quality Manager at CSH-M, a private institution serving 20,000 children and families at 10 sites in New Jersey. “Right now, Redcord is used primarily for PT,” says Winning, who hopes the system will also prove effective in pediatric OT programs. “We want to

identify whom would benefit, and how we can use this equipment in a safe and efficient manner with our patients,” she says. “We have to train the staff, and this grant is helping pay for those trainings.” Redcord is essentially a physical therapy system using varied arrangements of slings to increase or reduce the weight borne by certain muscles during exercise. It enables a patient to move “efficiently,” Winning says, noting that challenges for clinicians include “translating” therapeutic movements into everyday activities. During their rotations, the SHMS students will observe patients, learn the principles of the equipment and work with the clinicians to develop plans of care for the patients. C R EATI NG A N EW ENVI RONMENT The installation of a “controlled multisensory environment” at the Phoenix Center in Nutley will be possible thanks to a third SHMS grant. Invented in the Netherlands in the 1970s and called “Snoezelen” (from the Dutch word for “seeking” and “relaxing”), the room should be ready by the end of 2013. continued I NS! G H TS

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The private school, which serves nearly 150 students who exhibit autism or other developmental disabilities, hopes to help its students self-regulate behavior that otherwise would interfere with learning, says Geraldine A. Gibbia, PhD, CCC-SLP, the Co-founder and Executive Director at the Phoenix Center. SHMS students in OT, PT and SLP will work directly with youngsters in the Snoezelen (pronounced “snooze-len”) room, says Project Director Gail Stocks, MA, OTR. The room will offer SHMS students a chance to engage with and evaluate a state-of-the-art treatment tool. “The graduate students, who are wellversed in research, can help us show more of a rationale for the use of this tool within our setting,” Stocks says. Essentially a quiet room where children with autism and similar conditions can engage with gentle sensory stimulation (such as aromatherapy), the Snoezelen area “will be more of a relaxation room, where we can control the level of sensory stimulation,” Stocks says. After spending time there, the student should “be able to return to the classroom in a more functional manner.” SHMS students will observe whether difficult and stereotypical behaviors decrease in the students using the Snoezelen room, Gibbia notes. While on clinical rotation, they will work one-on-one in the room with the children.

Wanted: Outstanding Healthcare Leaders

BaY The

2012 • A Raritan Bay Medical Center Publication • www.rbmc.org

A Team Effort

Benching Concussion this Season

CPOE goes “Live” at RBMC – Computerized order entry is getting care to patients faster and increasing patient safety Feeling Off Balance? RBMC welcomes 8 new Human Motion Institute specialty surgeons Is surgical weight loss right for you?

The Perth Amboy High School football team benefited from RBMC’s concussion management and injury prevention program.

PR EVENTION MESSAGI NG Raritan Bay Medical Center’s (RBMC) Maria Luisa “Malou” Paderon, PT, DPT, intends to utilize the SHMS grant to launch a much-needed conversation about head injuries in the youth sports community. “According to a research study,1 concussion among high school athletic injuries represented higher occurrence compared to collegiate injuries,” notes Paderon, who directs the physical therapy and rehabilitation departments at RBMC, based in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge. The study’s data shows “the weighted national estimate for the number of concussions sustained in all sports was 135,901 in high school.”

Paderon says, “Promoting safety among the athletes means we will avoid injuries to begin with, and that’s really our role.” At the heart of the “Sports Medicine Concussion Management and Injury Prevention Program,” funded in part by the SHMS grant, is community outreach. Information about the potentially disabling nature of head injuries common in contact sports “should be available at all levels, and we want to get involved in reaching out to those people who are underprivileged,” Paderon says. SHMS students doing rotations at RBMC “will be learning to collaborate,” she declares. “Not just with other members of the staff, but with the athletes, the families and the community.” Adds Paderon: “I hope that, after completion of this program, the students have instilled in their minds that the best intervention for sports injuries among young athletes is prevention.” 1 L .M. Gessel, S.K. Fields, C.L. Collins, R.W. Dick, & R.D. Comstock. Concussions among United States high school and collegiate athletes. J Athl Train. 2007 Oct-Dec; 42(4): 495–503.

TO LEARN MORE about the Clinical Education and Research Partnership Grants program, contact Christopher W. O’Brien, PhD, LAT, ATC, Assistant Dean for Special Academic Programs and Projects, at christopher.obrien@shu.edu or (973) 275-2220.

Quality clinical experiences during graduate school are the stepping stones toward a rewarding career in healthcare. Alumni and other healthcare professionals can volunteer to provide these invaluable opportunities for SHMS students by becoming affiliated clinical supervisors.

If you are a practicing healthcare professional who is… • r eady to share your knowledge and expertise with students • motivated to advance your career by developing supervisory skills • inspired to give back to your profession and make a difference for future practitioners

VISIT www.shu.edu/go/supervisor

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By The Numbers These facts and figures about SHMS’ clinical education programs illustrate the vast opportunities for students in the departments of Athletic Training, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant and SpeechLanguage Pathology.

860

600 +

Some data are approximate.

For Your Benefit One of the many reasons to become a clinical supervisor for SHMS students: access to free or low-cost continuing education courses and professional development opportunities. SHMS faculty host programs throughout the year, calling on the diverse expertise of colleagues in the healthcare field.

to submit an interest form. One of SHMS’ Directors of Clinical Education will contact you to discuss the opportunity. Questions? Contact Patricia Edwards, Clinical Education Secretary, at (973) 761-7968.

12 6

Student clinical placements in 2012-2013. Depending on the department’s clinical program requirements, students may have experiences at multiple sites per semester.

Clinical affiliation agreements. From schools and private practices to professional sports franchises and national healthcare systems, SHMS students gain invaluable experience in a variety of clinical settings.

States in which SHMS has placed students for clinical rotations. Sites in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania have welcomed SHMS students.

Countries where students can receive clinical experiences. Denmark, England, Finland, Ireland, Philippines and the United States are the nations in which SHMS has invaluable clinical partnerships. See pages 4 and 15 to read more about some of these international programs.

Recent programs and new opportunities include: • Clinical Supervision: A Tutorial for Practicing Speech-Language Pathology Clinicians • Working Memory in Aging and Adult Neurogenic Disorders of Communication: Clinical Implications • Alternative Therapy Techniques for Orthopedic Injuries • 10 Hours of Annual Category I CME for PAs who Precept PA Students • Clinical Rules and Evidence-Based Practice: An Interdisciplinary Workshop • Rapid Sideline Concussion Evaluation • Psychosomatic Physiotherapy: Body Awareness Rehabilitation Strategies

I NS! G H TS

GIVING

BACK to the

profession

“

. . . I want my students to become even better practitioners than me.

”

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By Shannon Rossman Allen, MA ’04

Fieldwork educator and alumnus Randy Marti helps Occupational Therapy students bridge the gap between classroom experiences and real-world medical settings. Alumnus Randy Marti, MS ’03, OTR, is passionate about working with the SHMS Occupational Therapy students whom he supervises while they are on fieldwork assignments at Universal Institute for Rehabilitation in Livingston, New Jersey, a leading provider of rehabilitation and living services for individuals affected by traumatic brain and/or spinal cord injuries. Marti’s affinity for SHMS stems from his own experiences in the master’s program. “I had a Level-II fieldwork clinical through SHMS with Universal for four months in 2001,” he recalls. Universal hired him after his graduation—10 years later, he is now the Director of Rehabilitation/ Occupational Therapist. Marti’s responsibilities include serving as clinical coordinator. He has moved Universal toward becoming a learning institute, which

Marti demonstrates for OT students Lenny Morejon and Jillian Tumin the technique to ensure proper body mechanics while performing upper-body strengthening.

now has affiliations with 18 universities whose health-sciences students do fieldwork there in occupational therapy as well as physical therapy and speech-language pathology. “Education is a passion for me,” stresses Marti, who also serves as an adjunct professor at SHMS. “My goal is to help bridge that gap between what students learn in the classroom, from textbooks and lectures, to a real-world medical setting. Ultimately, I want my students to become even better practitioners than me.” Marti has a soft spot in his heart for SHMS and its students. “SHMS gave me the ability to practice and be exposed to Universal Institute, so it is only fitting that I give back to my school,” he says. Marti once doubled the number of SHMS students Universal accepted for fieldwork assignments in order to help out the School’s Department of Occupational Therapy. This outlook is one of many reasons the department gave Marti the Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award last summer. “I’m humbled and awed by this award, but awards are not why I do what I do,” he says. “I have a passion for OT and for education, and I want students to learn from the very best providers and go out into the world and make a difference.” I NS! G H TS

“Eric LeGrand’s New Team”

On September 16, 2013, nearly 1,000 people

Collaboration Across Disciplines SHMS embarks on an Interprofessional Education (IPE) strategic initiative, promoting a team-based, patientcentered approach to healthcare. By Genevieve Pinto-Zipp, PT, EdD Department of Graduate Programs in Health Sciences 12

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In today’s dynamic healthcare environment, the interprofessional practice (IPP) model is finding much success. Through IPP, the diverse expertise of each healthcare professional is harnessed to develop and manage a team-based, patient-centered plan of care. For this collaborative approach to be successful, healthcare professionals must understand the knowledge base and skill sets of their colleagues so that mutual respect and trust can emerge. To meet this growing need, the School of Health and Medical Sciences has embarked upon an Interprofessional Education (IPE) strategic initiative.

attended “Eric LeGrand’s New Team,” the inaugural event of the School of Health and Medical Sciences’ new Interprofessional Professional Speaker Series.

The premise of IPE at SHMS is to bring together students, faculty, clinical partners, alumni and other stakeholders from different healthcare professions to learn about, learn from and learn with each other — leading to effective collaboration and, ultimately, improved health outcomes for our patients and communities. “Communication and collegial dialogue across professional ‘silos’ foster a value-added healthcare environment where clinical decision-making is a team approach,” says Brian B. Shulman, PhD, Dean of the School. “As educators, it is our role to create experiences that develop students’ interprofessional

2013 SHMS Interprofessional Education Initiatives Inaugural IPE Symposium April 9 SHMS student cohorts participated together in a problem-based learning (PBL) exercise related to a traumatic brain injury video case that was presented by a clinician from the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. An interprofessional panel presented their diverse perspectives after the PBL session.

“Exploring Possibilities” Faculty Retreat August 20 SHMS faculty explored diverse IPE teaching and learning strategies. Health sciences colleagues from three different institutions provided an overview of their own IPE program strategies, barriers and outcomes. Breakout sessions resulted in collaborative dialogue about SHMS’ future direction related to IPE.

“

I nterprofessional education: When students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes.

”

— World Health Organization. Learning Together to Work Together for Health. Report of a WHO study group on multiprofessional education for health personnel: the team approach. Geneva 1988

“Eric LeGrand’s New Team” September 16 The first event of the SHMS Interprofessional Perspectives Speaker Series, this premier program welcomed 1,000 members of the Seton Hall community to hear the inspirational stories of Eric LeGrand, the Rutgers football player who was paralyzed during a game, and his physical and occupational therapists from Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, SHMS alumna Sandra “Buffy” Wojciehowski, PT, DPT ’07, and Gabriella Stiefbold, OT, ATP, respectively.

ReelAbilities Film Screenings March 13-14, August 21, October 28 At special events on campus, including SHMS’ New Student Orientation and its Fall Dual-Degree Dinner, students watched and discussed films featuring the inspiring stories and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities, including paralysis by Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Tourette Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome.

abilities, thus supporting a patientcentered approach to practice.” Established in 2012, the SHMS IPE Task Force — comprised of nine full-time faculty members from the six academic programs in the School’s Division of Health Sciences — explores and creates sustainable experiential learning opportunities related to the IPE mission. Over the past year, the School has engaged in several thought-provoking experiences, including the Inaugural IPE Symposium; the “Exploring Possibilities” Faculty Retreat; the “Eric LeGrand’s New Team” presentation (part of the new SHMS Interpro-

fessional Perspectives Speaker Series); and several ReelAbilities film screenings. (Details at left.) The results have been impressive: “It’s essential to take the time to talk to colleagues in different programs,” said third-year Occupational Therapy student Michael Tavares when asked what he took away from the IPE Symposium experience, which featured a video case about a patient with traumatic brain injury and cross-discipline breakout discussions. “The conversations opened my eyes to new perspectives and showed me that it’s really important to work as a team.” SHMS faculty recognize that IPE is critical to students’ success as future healthcare leaders. The characteristics necessary to succeed as part of a healthcare team are not innate to all professionals. More so, they are not frequently apparent in the silo-based educational model. For example, students traditionally train in their professional silos with the expectation that they will learn how to function as a team member during their clinical education experiences or when employed. SHMS, rather, is preparing students didactically and experientially for interprofessional practice from day one. This continuum of IPE experiences promotes a culture — and a community — of professional discourse and reflection. We invite you to join our journey by sharing your expertise, ideas and talents in creating a rich and meaningful interprofessional learning environment for all.

TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED, contact Genevieve Pinto Zipp, PT, EdD, chair of SHMS’ IPE Task Force, at (973) 275-2457 or genevieve.zipp@shu.edu.

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Pearls of Wisdom A clinical preceptor for the Physician Assistant program, Catherine Trader, DO, teaches students about following their instincts and the importance of listening to their patients. By Karyn D. Collins

A highly respected preceptor for graduate students in the M.S. in Physician Assistant (PA) program, Catherine Trader ’82, DO, still has vivid memories of some of the lessons she learned during her own student days in medical school. “There are so many of what I call ‘pearls’ that I received from the doctors I worked with, things that weren’t in a book: the importance of following your gut, or reminders about the importance of listening — really listening — to a patient,” says Trader, who received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in 1990 and has had her own practice for more than 10 years. Trader acknowledges that her experiences working alongside veteran physicians is why she decided to partner with the SHMS PA program, in which graduate students work with her at her office in Andover, 14

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New Jersey, as part of their clinical education experience. “I try to pass on what I learned as much as I can,” Trader notes. “People were kind enough to teach me, and the way I look at it, each one of those doctors was taught by another group of physicians.” SHMS’ PA students praise Trader, who received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Seton Hall in 1982, and her teaching philosophy. “Dr. Trader is always teaching. She teaches the PA students, the nurses, the staff and the patients. She knows to give an in-depth, pathophysiological explanation to the PA students, but she is also able to simplify it for the patients,” says Theresa DiFabrizio, a third-year PA student who trained with Trader in the summer. Now in her third year as a preceptor for the SHMS PA program, Trader says she understands why some healthcare professionals are

Dr. Catherine Trader (top) and Physician Assistant graduate student Theresa DiFabrizio (above)

reluctant to volunteer because working with students can require additional time, which is at a premium when running a busy practice. However, Trader says that, in her experience, there have been only benefits, both for her and for her patients. “I am busy and seeing a lot of patients. I’ve found that the PA students really can help me with things. They can take more time doing histories and some exams,” she explains. “That benefits the patients, too, because they’re not waiting as long to be seen. It’s good for everyone involved.”

Around the World in Many Ways From the Philippines to Ireland, 2013 was an active year for SHMS students and faculty as they pursued educational opportunities abroad and hosted international students on campus. In today’s global healthcare arena, professionals with cross-cultural experience have a distinct advantage. The School of Health and Medical Sciences is taking bold steps in preparing its students to excel. In January 2013, SHMS Dean Brian B. Shulman, PhD, Seton Hall University President A. Gabriel Esteban, PhD, and several SHMS faculty members and students traveled to the University of the Philippines–Manila (UPM) to launch an international collaboration. “This extends our

ongoing globalization efforts, giving our students experiences that will serve them well in their chosen health profession,” Dean Shulman says. “The host nation also benefits from our well-rounded students’ approaches and skills.” SHMS’ Speech-Language Pathology students participated in these clinical experiences via UPM’s College of Allied Medical Professions, and the Physician Assistant students took part through UPM’s College of Medicine. These experiences are continuing during the 2013-2014 academic year, and both institutions hope to include students from additional departments. In the spring, students from the Institute of Technology (IT) Carlow, Ireland, and SHMS spent the semester at each other’s campuses, the first exchange of this new collaboration.

Ojirese Momoh, MS ’13 (pictured above), a recent graduate of SHMS’ Athletic Training (AT) program, participated in the Sport Rehabilitation and Athletic Therapy Course at IT-Carlow, and the SHMS AT program hosted IT-Carlow students Conor Slater and Ross Young. “Studying abroad was the best decision I made in my life,” says Momoh, who interacted with classmates and professors from Ireland, England, Portugal and Germany. “The experience expanded my outlook on different cultures, and, above all, I learned that good communication and a positive attitude go a very long way in many walks of life.” A faculty member from IT-Carlow, Mary Dowling, B. Physiotherapy, MSc, MISCP, also visited Seton Hall last spring. Both institutions expect the partnership to continue.

Helping Local Seniors Get “Fit” Through CarFit, Occupational Therapy students and AAA offer tips on comfort and safety for older drivers in the community. By Lori Riley, MA ’06 By 2030, Americans age 65 and older are expected to represent 1 in 4 licensed drivers. Personal mobility is critical for healthy aging, but as individuals’ bodies change as they age, ill-fitting vehicles can make it uncomfortable and unsafe to drive. To help local seniors increase their safety and comfort when driving, the Department of Occupational Therapy teams up annually with AAA to offer a “CarFit” event. The Crane’s Mill Continuing Care Retirement Community in West Caldwell, New Jersey, hosted the April 2013 event, at which 33 students and a AAA

mobility expert took 29 older drivers through a 12-point checklist with their vehicles. They recommended minor adjustments and demonstrated helpful products, such as leg lifters and gas-cap wrenches. CarFit was developed jointly by AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association in response to the nation’s increasing number of older drivers. “Driving represents continued independence and allows older adults to take care of errands and enjoy activities,” says Assistant Professor Meryl Picard, MSW, PhD, OTR. “Training our

students to perform the CarFit checklist and the occupational therapy check-out provides a valuable service to the community and increases the students’ awareness of older adults’ needs.”

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Perchance

TO DREAM â&#x20AC;&#x153;

. . . the sleep medicine center is the nucleus of a dedicated group of specialists with the singleminded goal of improving sleep hygiene in their patients.

â&#x20AC;?

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By Vincent A. DeBari, PhD Professor of Medicine and Director of Research Division of Medical Residencies and Fellowships

The Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program in SHMS’ Division of Medical Residencies and Fellowships gives postgraduates hands-on clinical exposure to patients under the leadership of world-renowned faculty.

The work of Dr. Sudhansu Chokroverty, a professor of neuroscience in the School of Health and Medical Sciences’ Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program, sheds light on the mysterious mechanisms of sleep.

By the late 20th century, spurred by an increasingly large body of research in the physiology of sleep, the medical community recognized the need to treat sleep disorders. These range from relatively benign conditions causing discomfort, such as restless leg syndrome, to a severe disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, closely associated with cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension and stroke. Sleep laboratories, where patients could be studied under conditions mimicking their natural sleep environment, began to emerge. These labs use a device called a polysomnograph to record a wide variety of physiologic activities including neurologic function (electrencephalography and electromyography), heart activity (electrocardiography), breathing patterns and blood oxygen saturation. The Center for Sleep Disorders Treatment, Research and Education at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, a unit of the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, is an internationally recognized center of excellence in the treatment of sleep disturbances. It is also the home of the School of Health and Medical Sciences’ Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program, where postgraduates come from all over the world to take the year-long clinical fellowship leading to certification by the American Board of Sleep Medicine. continued I NS! G H TS

Faculty Leadership This program boasts a distinguished faculty that includes Divya Gupta, MD, Peter Poulos, MD, and Sushant Bhatt, MD, all led by Sudhansu Chokroverty, MD, (known affectionately as “Dr. Chok”), a world-renowned expert in the field of sleep medicine. Chokroverty (pictured on page 16) has published more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals and a similar number of book chapters and conference proceedings. Not surprisingly, he has garnered a long list of awards over the course of his distinguished career. Chokroverty is also the editorin-chief of Sleep Medicine, the foremost peer-reviewed journal in the field, and is best known for his textbook, Sleep Disorders Medicine: Basic Science, Technical Considerations and Clinical Aspects (Saunders, Philadelphia, 2009), with a new edition currently in preparation. Clinical and Didactic Education The sleep medicine program is highly competitive, with a coterie of physicians already trained in a medical specialty, such as pulmonary medicine or neurology, vying for four precious spots as clinical fellows. In addition to hands-on (literally bedside) clinical exposure to patients, they undergo a rigorous didactic program known as “sleep school,” consisting of lectures and discussions (“journal club”) of the most recent literature in the field. They have an extensive record of scholarly activity with numerous presentations at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine annual meetings. They also publish extensively in the peer-reviewed literature, with nine articles since 2012. At any given time, the sleep medicine center is the nucleus of a dedicated group of specialists with the single-minded goal of improving sleep hygiene in their patients.

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Medical Faculty in Print Peer-reviewed publications feature the cutting-edge research by the faculty, graduates, residents and fellows in the SHMS Division of Medical Residencies and Fellowships.

Elnahar Y, Bisharat M, Daoko J, QaQa A, Al-Dehneh A, DeBari VA, Slim J, Shamoon F (2013). Autonomic Dysfunction as a Predictor of Heart Disease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). J AIDS HIV Res; 5: 1-11. Gauchan D, Joshi N, Gill AS, Patel V, DeBari VA, Guron G, Maroules M (2012). Does Elevated Serum Vitamin B12 Level Mask Actual Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Myeloproliferative Disorders? Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk; 12: 269-273. Jiminez HR, Hallit RR, DeBari VA, Slim J (2013). Hepatitis A vaccine Response in HIV-infected Patients: Are Twinrix and Havrix Interchangeable? Vaccine; 31; 1328-1333. Kam JC, Pi J, Doraiswamy V, Elnahar Y, DeBari VA, Klukowicz AJ, Shamoon F, Miller RA (2013). CT Scanning in the Evaluation of Pulmonary Hypertension. Lung; 191: 321-326. Nag Chowdhury D, Dazley J, Modi C, Spira R, Depasquale J, DeBari VA (2013). Clinical significance of bowel wall thickening on computed tomography in HIV-infected patients: association of anemia and hypo- albuminemia. Acta Gastroenterol Belg (in press).

Qaqa AY, Suleiman A, Alsumrain M, DeBari VA, Kirmani J, Shamoon F (2012). The Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in Patients Presenting with Intracranial Parenchymal Hemorrhage. Acta Cardiol; 67: 635-639. Salazar-Kagunye R, Shah A, Loshkajian G, Baddoura W, DeBari VA (2012). The Association of Decreased Serum Protein Fractions with Clostridium difficile Infection in the Acute Care Setting: A Case-Control Study. Biomark Med; 6: 663-669. Todd DM, Walsh R, Tran M, Pula JL, DeBari VA (2012). Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Suburban American Late- Adolescents: A Cross-sectional, Community-based Study. Annals Clin Lab Sci; 42: 375-383. Yerrabothala S, Shaaban H, Capo G, Maroules M, DeBari VA (2013). The Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Breast Cancer Outcomes: A Single Center Retrospective Study. Pathol Oncol Res (in press).

Partners in Research SHMS students have the opportunity to conduct research alongside experienced faculty. Patient-Centered Pharmacology: Learning System for the Conscientious Prescriber Georgina Ferriero, MS ’11, PA-C, Krisie Kupryk, MS ’11, PA-C, and Jurga Marshall, MS ’08, PA-C, former students in the M.S. in Physician Assistant program, and faculty members Sandra Kaminski, MS, PA-C, Michelle McWeeney, MS, PA-C, Denise Rizzolo, PhD, PA-C, Abby Saunders, MS, PA-C, and Lauren Twombly, MPA, PA-C, collaborated with the textbook’s lead authors, including Mona Sedrak, PhD, PA-C, Associate Dean and Associate Professor. Written Cohesion in Children with Language Learning Disabilities Across Two Genres Victoria Petersen, MS ’13, CFY-SLP, a recent graduate of the M.S. in SpeechLanguage Pathology program, and Assistant Professor Anthony Koutsoftas, PhD, CCC-SLP, presented their findings at the 2013 American Speech-LanguageHearing Association Convention.

The Effect of Asymmetry in Upper and Lower Extremity Interaction on Ground Reaction Forces in Healthy Adults At the 2013 Petersheim Academic Exposition on campus, Doctor of Physical Therapy students Elisiya Gadsden, Paula Kamille Hernandez, Danielle Reilly and Jennifer Walker presented their research (pictured above) conducted with Associate Professor Preeti Nair, PT, PhD.

Success Rate of Lacrosse Helmet Facemask Removal Assistant Professor Richard Boergers, PhD ’12, ATC, and M.S. in Athletic Training students Aliza Feuerstein, Danielle Minerva and Raymond Zdrodowski are collecting data at high schools and colleges to test the ability to remove the facemask from a lacrosse helmet using a cordless screwdriver.

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Brightening Smiles IN THE COMMUNITY

SLP student Lauren Mucci (left) and PA student Sarah Armenia educate young children about oral health.

Children miss an estimated 51 million hours of school each year due to oral-related illnesses. Help is here: the Physician Assistant and Speech-Language Pathology programs collaborate to educate local school children about oral health. By Denise Rizzolo, PhD, PA-C Department of Physician Assistant and Natalie Neubauer, MS, CCC-SLP Department of Speech-Language Pathology 20

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Early childhood caries (ECC) is an infectious and chronic disease that destroys tooth structure, leading to loss or impairment of chewing function, pain and infection. An alarming 42 percent of children ages 2 to 11 have had dental caries in their primary teeth. Eighty percent of decay occurs in 20 percent of children, and up to 70 percent of Native American children may have ECC. When a child experiences pain due to dental disease, his or her school attendance as well as mental and social wellbeing suffer greatly. Children miss an estimated 51 million hours of school each year due to oral-related illnesses. Therefore, early intervention and prompt pediatric referrals to a dentist can improve one’s quality of life. Educational programs are key to understanding oral health, the consequences of dental decay, poor dentition and prevention strategies. Last fall, students and faculty from the

Physician Assistant and SpeechLanguage Pathology programs teamed up to educate students at St. Andrew the Apostle Elementary School in Clifton, New Jersey, on the importance of good oral health and hygiene. Through the mnemonic “SHU: Start Brushing and Flossing Daily, Help Prevent Decay and Understand the Importance of Good Hygiene,” they developed a child-friendly, interactive oral health program. Using tooth models, worksheets and oral care calendars, the program reviewed the importance of teeth, brushing and flossing properly, foods that promote decay, what to expect at a dentist’s visit and the consequences of poor oral health. The community outreach program was successful in building their knowledge of good oral health practices to help encourage future dental health.

Welcome to the Dean Team New administrators appointed at SHMS. On January 1, 2013, Christopher W. O’Brien, PhD, LAT, ATC, was appointed Assistant Dean for Special Academic Programs and Projects in the Division of Health Sciences. O’Brien maintains his appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Athletic Training, where he has been a faculty member since August 2010 and was the program’s Director of Clinical Education. As Assistant Dean, O’Brien oversees the School’s clinical education and dual-degree programs. He also assists with developing international clinical opportunities for students and teaching and research collaborations for faculty. “This is an exciting time for the School of Health and Medical Sciences, and I am inspired by this opportunity to work with all faculty, students and administrators to further our mission,” O’Brien says.

NEW

Lori Riley

O’Brien previously was a Clinical Assistant Professor of Athletic Training at Stony Brook University and the Athletic Training Education Program Director at Marywood University, where he also completed his PhD in Human Development – Higher Education Administration. He has been credentialed as an Athletic Trainer since 1994. Lori Riley, MA ’06, joined SHMS in January 2013 as the Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Special Events. Previously, Riley worked in the Alumni Communications Office at Rutgers University, where she was Associate Alumni Editor of Rutgers Magazine and the marketing project manager for a variety of high-profile alumni

Patrick McDermott events. She received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Anthropology from Rutgers, and a master’s degree in Corporate and Public Communication from Seton Hall University. Patrick McDermott, MA ’11, is the Director of Graduate Admissions. He came to SHMS in March 2013 after serving for five years in the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Seton Hall University. Under his supervision as Transfer Coordinator, the University welcomed progressively larger transfer classes and exceeded recruitment goals. McDermott received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Loyola University New Orleans, and a master’s degree in Strategic Communication from Seton Hall University.

Health Sciences Faculty

Dawn M. Maffucci, MA, ATC, is the new Director of Clinical Education for the Department of Athletic Training, where she previously served as an adjunct instructor. Maffucci received a bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science from Gettysburg College and a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Her current research focuses on the development of non-traditional athletic training settings, such as industrial and corporate. As an athletic trainer, Maffucci has worked in diverse settings including college, high school, clinic, industry and academia. While she was Program Director and Accreditation Committee Chair for the Athletic Training Education Program at North Carolina Central University, the program became the first at any historically black college or university to achieve Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accreditation.

Sona Patel, PhD, will join the faculty in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology in January 2014. Patel received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Boston University and both a master’s degree and PhD (2009) from the University of Florida, Gainesville, in Communication Sciences and Disorders under the supervision of Rahul Shrivastav, PhD, CCC-SLP. She went on to hold postdoctoral appointments at the University of Geneva and Northwestern University, working in the labs of Klaus Scherer, PhD, and Chuck Larson, PhD. In her current research, Patel uses imaging, electrophysiology (EEG/ERP) and speech signal-processing techniques to better understand voice control and emotional expression in the healthy and impaired brain. Her research is one of the few that examines the link between the behavioral and neurological aspects of voice and prosody in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dawn M. Maffucci

Sona Patel

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DEPARTMENT NEWS The chairs of each department in the Division of Health Sciences share these updates on their programs.

Top row: Carolyn Goeckel Terrence Cahill Ruth Segal Bottom row:

Doreen M. Stiskal

Drs. Richard Boergers, Meryl Picard, Patricia Remshifski, Eunice Kamunge, Anne Greener and Nora Lowy defended their dissertations last academic year in time for the Spring 2013 commencement. Plus, Drs. Robin Stoller, Shawn Williams and Matthew Miltenberger defended their dissertations this past summer and are eligible to “walk” in the 2014 graduation. As these nine grads completed their student work, replacing them this fall were 15 new students who began their doctoral journey. We now have more than 100 students in our interdisciplinary PhD in Health Sciences program, and the diversity of our learning community continues to be one of our best assets. In fact, as SHMS develops its interprofessional education (IPE) model as a distinguishing characteristic of our school, GPHS is well positioned to help lead this effort. Our very own Genevieve Pinto-Zipp, PT, EdD, is chairing the SHMS IPE Task Force.

Christopher Hanifin Vikram N. Dayalu

Athletic Training Chair: Carolyn Goeckel, MS, ATC It was great to see so many of you at the NATA convention this year in Las Vegas. We had a terrific turnout for the annual alumni reception, hosted by Christopher O’Brien, PhD, LAT, ATC, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Special Academic Programs and Projects in the SHMS Division of Health Sciences. It was fun to catch up with the 60-plus alumni who attended. As a faculty, we look forward to this annual opportunity to rekindle professional and personal relationships. The conversation across the graduating classes, and with the alumni of the future, is incomparable. We are so impressed and proud of your successes and thrilled everyone is healthy and doing so well. Since the first student graduated (Noel Zeh, MS ’03), our program has grown tremendously. Including the Class of 2013, 146 students have received the Master of Science in Athletic Training degree from Seton Hall. Our 100 percent pass rate on the BOC examination and greater than 93 percent employment rate rank among the 22

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nation’s highest. The strength and reputation of our program are a result of your commitment in preparing to become healthcare professionals, reflected in your success and passion for the profession. Cost of MSAT degree: unmentionable. Two to three years in graduate school, relocating across the country, endless hours of study: challenging. The importance of our alumni, conversations you had with alumni of the future, the bond we all share as colleagues, friends and “family”: priceless. Health and happiness for this coming season and hope to see you at next year’s alumni reception!

Graduate Programs in Health Sciences Chair: Terrence Cahill, EdD, FACHE Is there a “Dr.” in the house? Department of Graduate Programs in Health Sciences (GPHS) faculty and students have been working hard to answer “yes” to that question. Alumni may recognize some of our newest graduates.

We celebrated more achievements this year, as well. For the first time, one of our graduates, Elizabeth Torcivia, PhD ’07, OTR, was awarded a Fulbright scholarship. Congratulations, Beth! We are very proud of your accomplishment. Additionally, Zipp was promoted to Professor. Zipp is one of only three SHMS faculty with this rank. Congratulations, Genevieve! We also welcomed Fortunato Battaglia, MD, PhD, to GPHS as a neuroscience instructor. He and Annette Kirchgessner, PhD, our anatomy instructor, primarily teach in the SHMS professional programs, but both have begun to work with our GPHS students on dissertation committees. Lastly, we were excited to welcome back three alumni as adjuncts: Daniel Messina, PhD ’05, Scott Saccomano, PhD ’09, and Rhonda McCathern, PhD ’11.

Occupational Therapy Chair: Ruth Segal, PhD, OTR Our department has been engaged in enriching students’ advocacy experiences by joining AOTA annually for Capitol Hill Day. Occupational therapy practitioners and students from across the country join together to speak to their elected representatives about issues important to occupational therapy. On September 30, 2013, 33 of our third-year students and four faculty members joined hundreds of other practitioners in Washington, DC, to speak to representatives about the “therapy cap” and the value of occupational therapy for Americans.

This summer, we established a chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE), the national occupational therapy honor society. The PTE mission is to encourage academic excellence and scholarship in the next generation of occupational therapists. During the fall semester, the charter class of SHMS’ Delta Eta chapter, which includes 16 students from the Classes of 2014 and 2015, was inducted into this prestigious honor society. These charter members will be responsible for developing scholarship activities within the chapter to further their own understanding and ability to use scholarship in clinical practice. Last but not least, Beth Torcivia, PhD, OTR, Associate Professor, won a Fulbright scholar grant for teaching and researching “innovation and clinical reasoning in healthcare delivery systems” in Finland. Beth will stay in Finland from January to June in 2014.

Physical Therapy Chair: Doreen M. Stiskal, PT, PhD In addition to engaging in teaching, the faculty in the Department of Physical Therapy continue to be committed to excellence in research and community service. You can find the achievements of Michael LaFountaine, EdD, ATC, Assistant Professor, Catherine Maher, PT, DPT, GCS, Assistant Professor, and Preeti Nair, PT, PhD, Associate Professor, published in renowned journals, such as the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Top Spinal Cord Injury and Rehabilitation, and Gait and Posture. Faculty, often in conjunction with students, gave a record number of poster presentations this past year at the Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association in San Diego, California. Audiences wanted to hear what the SHU DPT faculty know as content experts. Kristiane George, PT, PhD, PCS, Assistant Professor, LaFountaine and Maher also led session presentations at various meetings and conferences in the United States and Canada. LaFountaine and Maher each received several internal or external grants to develop knowledge in the areas of teaching and research. LaFountaine also received the American College of Sports Medicine’s New Investigator of the Year award in May 2013 (see page 5). “Leadership through Service” is a hallmark of all members of the department. Faculty support the program, SHMS and Seton Hall through

participation in events or on committees that encompass student admissions, faculty governance and research. Faculty also serve the profession. For example, H. James Phillips, PT, PhD, OCS, Associate Professor, serves as editor of Articulations, the official newsletter of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. Irene De Masi, PT, DPT, Assistant Professor, and Kim Poulsen, PT, DPT, Assistant Professor, serve on the NY/NJ Clinical Education Consortia. De Masi continues to provide pro bono APTA Clinical Education Credentialing courses. Also, I was elected to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education for a four-year term beginning April 2013.

Physician Assistant Chair: Christopher Hanifin, MS, PA-C The Department of Physician Assistant has enjoyed another great year thanks to the hard work of our students and faculty. The Class of 2012 had a 100 percent pass rate on the PA National Certifying Exam, and, as this article goes to press, the Class of 2013 is also at 100 percent. May 2013, in particular, found the department to be very busy, as we Pirates were taking the American Academy of Physi- cian Assistants’ annual conference by storm. The faculty was very busy in Washington, DC, as Denise Rizzolo, PhD, PA-C, Associate Professor, and Mona Sedrak, PhD, PA-C, Associate Pro- fessor and Associate Dean in the SHMS Division of Health Sciences, both delivered multiple CME lectures. Ellen Mandel, DMH, MPA, PA-C, Associate Professor, presented the findings of her research on empathy in PA students. New Jersey was represented in the AAPA House of Delegates by faculty members Mandel and Sandra Kaminski, MS, PA-C. Finally, Chris Castellano, MS ’12, and Rizzolo were honored to win the PAragon Award, presented annually to recognize the best publication in a physician assistant journal. We invite all alumni to stay involved in the program and the profession. Among others, Jamie Morley, MS ’02, Brian VanNess, MS ’02, Hilary Sugar, MS ’09, and George Argast, MS ’99 have been repeat lecturers who have shared their expertise with the next generation of PAs. We also deeply appreciate the dedication of the dozens of alumni who serve as clinical preceptors.

There has never been a more critical need for clinical placements in PA education. If you are interested, please see page 8 and contact Abby Saunders, MS, PA-C, Director of Clinical Education, at (973) 275-2115 or abby.saunders@ shu.edu for more information. We hope to see you in May at the annual conference in Boston!

Speech-Language Pathology Chair: Vikram N. Dayalu, PhD, CCC-SLP On behalf of the faculty and students, I am very excited to share the continued progress the Department of Speech-Language Pathology has made over the last academic year. We successfully graduated the Class of 2013 with a 100 percent completion rate and a 100 percent first-time SLP Praxis pass rate. This was the first cohort to graduate under a revised curriculum (see the department webpage), which was heavily influenced by the exit-survey feedback you provided. You will recognize some of the important changes as you compare it to the curriculum in place during your tenure at Seton Hall. These include the addition of the school-based course, a full semester of clinical work and several other modifications. The program continues to expand the number of contracts available to support the clinical education program and to provide experiential training opportunities (ETOs). The ETOs take place as part of the clinical seminar or part of a course. Likewise, there is an increase in the number of student-faculty research collaborations. Over the last two years, we have consistently enrolled eight to 10 students in research projects, and they present their work at on-campus, state and national conferences. Faculty members continue to excel in their scholarship. Specifically, Theresa Bartolotta, PhD, CCC-SLP, Associate Professor, and former faculty member Patricia Remshifski, PhD ’12, CCC-SLP, secured a two-year $60,000 grant to support their research on Rett syndrome. Faculty have published their work in top-tier peer-reviewed journals, published a book and authored several book chapters, and presented their work at national and international conferences. Finally, our chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association has been very active, supporting a variety of causes including post-Sandy restoration efforts.

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Bodies in Motion By Kimberly Olson

Occupational therapist Barbara Schupak, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Graduate Programs in Health Sciences, faced a challenge in her clinic. Parents would say, “My child cannot tolerate most clothing. He’ll only wear something soft without tags.” Other children were sensitive to light or sound. Schupak suspected they couldn’t process sensory stimuli properly, overwhelming their nervous systems — but she had no way to measure it. Without a diagnosis, such as autism, some children couldn’t get needed services, she says. Now, at SHMS’ Functional Human Performance Laboratory on campus, Schupak is investigating a technique for measuring their discomfort. Her study is measuring how a group of boys, some with Autism Spectrum Disorder and some without, respond to sensory stimuli — a strobe light, a siren, a 24

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feather’s touch. Skin electrodes collect data, sending it to a monitor. “I’m looking at the electrodermal response controlled by the sympathetic nervous system — the fight-or-flight system that goes off when we’re startled,” Schupak explains. The PsyLab Stand Alone Monitoring system by Contact Precision Instruments, which uses the PsyLab 7 analysis software, produces waveform patterns that ebb and flow with the subject’s electrodermal response and then converts those waves into numbers in an Excel sheet for her further analysis. The Lab’s leading-edge equipment also includes sophisticated computerized tools to evaluate how the body moves during walking. For students learning to conduct research on gait, the variety of equipment allows for the exploration of clinically important questions about human motion. Doctoral candidate Lynn Curtis-Vinegra notes: “As we get older, we have significant changes to our muscles and movement patterns, resulting in walking and balance issues. Physical therapists need to understand how older adults adjust their bodies to compensate.” The participants in Curtis-Vinegra’s research study wore electrodes to capture electromyography (EMG) data about how key leg muscles contract as the subjects took three initial steps across a computerized mat that provides information about footfall placement. Curtis-Vinegra designed her study after learning in class how to use the Lab’s wireless Noraxon EMG system and the Qualisys motion-capture system, which uses high-speed infrared cameras to record human movement. With a portable Biometrics EMG unit, she can determine “how eight muscles work during walking, and then visualize their electrical activity on beautiful graphs.” As they pursue their doctorates at SHMS, both Schupak and CurtisVinegra will continue their research to gain greater insights for clinical practice. Schupak says, “I want to get the information out to the medical community.”

Left: Schupak uses the PsyLab Stand Alone Monitoring system to collect data on her research subjects’ electrodermal response to sensory stimuli, such as a strobe light, a siren and a feather’s touch. Above: The participants in Curtis-Vinegra’s research study wore electrodes to capture electromyography data about how key leg muscles contract as the subjects took three initial steps across a computerized mat that provides information about footfall placement.

Alumni, At Last!

The School of Health and Medical Sciencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Class of 2013 included more than 230 graduates from the Division of Health Sciences and the Division of Medical Residencies and Fellowships.

Congratulations!

400 South Orange Avenue South Orange, NJ 07079

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Interprofessional Education

ooperationlearningrelationshipinterdependenc mmunicationteamworkcollaborationpartnersh ooperationlearningrelationshipinterdependenc mmunicationteamworkcollaborationpartnersh ooperationlearningrelationshipinterdependenc mmunicationteamworkcollaborationpartnersh ooperationlearningrelationshipinterdependenc Leads to Patient-Centered Care

The School of Health and Medical Sciences has embarked upon a major strategic initiative related to Interprofessional Education (IPE). The premise of IPE is to bring together students, faculty, clinical partners, alumni and other stakeholders from different professions to learn about, learn from and learn with each other â&#x20AC;&#x201D; leading to effective collaboration and, ultimately, improved health outcomes for our patients and communities. Read more about IPE at SHMS on pages 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;13.