KCOM Dean Philip Slocum, D.O.; John Thurman Jr., OMS II; and ATSU President Jack Magruder

ATSU-KCOM Dean Philip Slcoum, D.O., formally recognized the service of second-year student doctor John Thurman Jr. with a Dean’s Letter of Commendation. This is an infrequent recognition honoring the rare student who displays all of the positive virtues sought by the University. Only three letters have been extended since 2004. Thurman was honored during a surprise ceremony on May 28 on ATSU’s Missouri campus.

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Student doctor earns prestigious Dean’s Letter of Commendation
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) Dean Philip Slcoum, D.O., formally recognized the service of second-year student doctor John Thurman Jr. with a Dean’s Letter of Commendation. This is an infrequent recognition honoring the rare student who displays all of the positive virtues sought by the University. Only three letters have been extended since 2004. Thurman was honored during a surprise ceremony on May 28 on ATSU’s Missouri campus.

“This letter is presented to John in recognition of his leadership, courage, strength of character, perseverance, honesty, integrity, and compassion,” said Dr. Slocum. “In the 118-year history of KCOM, few people have been better ambassadors. John Thurman will be a success in whatever field he chooses to serve humanity.”

Thurman grew up in Midland, Texas, and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point Academy from 1996-2000. He served seven years in the U.S. Army, including tours in Kuwait and Baghdad, Iraq, for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

As president of the Class of 2012, Thurman has initiated a ceremony recognizing Fellows who contribute to a medical student’s education; organized a 9.11 memorial service; lent tremendous support to fellow classmates and residents of Kirksville, who suffered loss in the 2009 tornado; led a fundraiser for Haiti in the wake of that country’s January earthquake; initiated Operation Osteopathic Service, a bi-annual community-wide service project, partnering with the city to clean up downtown; and developed a peer disciplinary program, setting expectations for younger students to behave more professionally.

Thurman is the recipient of many honors at ATSU. He is the first KCOM student nominee for a Still Spirit Award, a recognition program by the University that honors outstanding community leaders. He also was recently named Student D.O. of the Year and now represents ATSU with the opportunity to be named national D.O. of the year, who is to be announced later this year. In 2009 he was recognized by the University with an Above and Beyond Humanitarian Award for his leadership following Kirksville’s tornado.

Humble, caring, and supportive of classmates, the college, and the community, Thurman believes in living a life of service to others. “Life isn’t all about you,” he said. “It’s about your contributions and helping others.”

Thurman will spend the next two years completing clinical rotations at Via Christi Health System in Wichita, Kan.

Many students to visit Kirksville for the first time to receive degrees

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – On June 5, A.T. Still University’s School of Health Management (ATSU-SHM) will graduate its latest class of master’s degree recipients in geriatric health, public health, health administration, and health education; and doctoral degree recipients in health education. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the Ophelia Parrish Fine Arts Center at Truman State University.

The school, which opened in 1999, seeks to meet the nation’s growing demand for administrators, managers, and teachers in healthcare settings.

“Spending a weekend with our graduates face to face is a rewarding experience,” said SHM Dean Kimberly O’Reilly, D.H.Ed., M.S.W. “These students have worked hard to meet their educational goals, and I am humbled to be the person who gets to shake their hands and congratulate them. As this class of outstanding men and women embark on their new journeys with fresh perspectives compliments of their ATSU degrees, I am confident they will help improve the state of healthcare and preventative health policy for many years to come.”

Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H., inaugural dean of ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, located in Mesa, Ariz., will provide the keynote address. Dr. Dillenberg is recognized at local, state, and national levels as an expert in the area of public health leadership, health program development, social marketing, oral health issues, health center design, training of community health workers, community organizing, and lecture presentations.

Since SHM’s programs are delivered mostly online, many of its students have not visited ATSU’s Missouri campus. Following commencement and a luncheon/awards ceremony, graduates will have the opportunity to tour the campus.

“I am delighted with the fine professionals graduating from our health management programs and congratulate them on their achievements,” said ATSU President Jack Magruder. “I value each and every graduate of these high-quality online curricula and look forward to maintaining a relationship between them and A.T. Still University throughout their careers.”

Michael Brown, D.O., ’10

Michael Brown, D.O., ’10, was selected as the 2009-10 recipient of the Laurence E. Patton D.O. Annual Financial Award of $1,000. This award was established in memory of Dr. Patton by Father Jeremiah Loch. Dr. Patton was a 1938 KCOM graduate.

Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, and Maureen Romer, D.D.S.

ASHS Dean Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, and ASDOH Special Care Dentistry Director and AEGD Program Co-Director Maureen Romer, D.D.S., have been selected as 2010 Health Care Heroes Awards finalists by the Phoenix Business Journal.

Dr. Danielsen was nominated in the category of Education, and Dr. Romer was nominated in the category of Dentistry. Award winners in each of the 10 categories will be announced at a breakfast on August 19 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix and will be featured in the August 20 edition of the Phoenix Business Journal.

Dr. Danielsen, who will resign his position as ASHS dean effective the end of June, is taking a new post as senior vice president of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Foundation. The NCCPA is the nation’s credentialing organization for physician assistants (P.A.s), and its Foundation promotes P.A. excellence through research and education. Dr. Danielsen has been with the University since 1995.

Dr. Romer, who recently led students on a dental outreach to Alaska, will be traveling to Ghent, Belgium, this summer to the International Association for Disability and Oral Health Congress to present a paper on “Oral Health Related Quality of Life in People with Developmental Disabilities.” She was been with the University since 2006.

“It’s an honor to be nominated,” said Dr. Romer. “But honestly, I have spent my whole dental career working with people with disabilities and their families, and that is the honor.”

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – May is Arthritis Awareness Month, an observance that focuses on the large and growing problem of arthritis in the United States. In 2005, arthritis affected 46 million (one in five) U.S. adults including 1.4 million Missourians and is projected to affect 67 million U.S. adults and 1.72 million Missourians by 2030. Arthritis remains the most common cause of disability in the United States.

The emphasis of this year’s observance is on the benefits of physical activity for persons with arthritis. For adults with arthritis, physical activity can reduce pain, improve function, reduce the risk for disability, and lower the risk for heart disease or Type 2 Diabetes. Any physical activity is better than none, but the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that low impact, moderate-intensity aerobic activity totaling 150 minutes a week and muscle strengthening exercise at least two days a week generally are safe, beneficial, and achievable for persons with chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Missouri’s Regional Arthritis Centers (RACs) teach how to reduce problems that arthritis can cause and improve living. Since 1985, A.T. Still University has hosted the Northeast Missouri RAC, one of the first in the state to offer Arthritis Foundation Exercise Programs. Free exercise programs are offered in Kirksville at St. Andrews Apartments and the Thompson Campus Center. Other free exercise and healthy living programs are offered throughout the region.

Visit www.moarthritis.org or call 660.626.2049 to learn more about physical activity and self-management programs and to locate a class near you.

1960s

Dan Witt, D.O., ’66, Hoisington, Kan., was featured along with his photo “Yikes” on the front page of the Hoisington Dispatch’s Feb. 26 issue.

Robert R. Riether, D.O., ’69, Massillon, Ohio, has received life membership in the American Osteopathic College of Radiology.

1970s

Lloyd H. Butler, D.O., ’71, Yakima, Wash., has been appointed interim president of the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) while the PNWU board conducts a search for a permanent president.

E. Glenn Browning, D.O., ’74, Kirksville, Mo., has been named a fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics (AOAO). Dr. Browning has participated on various committees and served as an oral and clinical examiner for the AOAO. He also has served as chief of staff at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville.

Bruno F. Borin, D.O., ’79, Livonia, Mich., at right, was honored as the retiring past president of the American Osteopathic College of Radiology (AOCR) at the annual awards ceremony held in Las Vegas. He served on the AOCR Board from 1998 to 2009 and was president in 2005-07. He was elected to the AOCR Education Foundation in 2008, where he serves as secretary.

1980s

Kenneth E. Jones, D.O., ’83, Clinton, Mo., and his son, Austin L. Jones, D.O., ’08, Kansas City, Mo., co-authored the article “Crohns Disease: A case presentation,” which appeared in the November/ December issue of Osteopathic Family Physician.

Scott Holman, D.O., ’85, Maryville, Mo., was featured in Life & Health newsletter, a journal of St. Francis Hospital & Health Services, on his role as physician liaison. Dr. Holman serves as vice president of medical affairs, is a practicing OB/GYN at St. Franics, and is practice administrator of St. Francis Family Health Care.

Richard G. Stefanacci, D.O., M.G.H., M.B.A. AGSF, CMD, ’89, Philadelphia, Pa., leads the Center for Medicare Medication Management at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, which focuses on improving pharmaceutical treatments for older adults. In this capacity, Dr. Stefanacci was invited to present at the U.S. Embassy, Tokyo, at the U.S.-Japan Generic Drug Symposium on policies and practices.

1990s

Jeffrey H. Bloom, D.O., ’92, Newport Beach, Calif., the 2009-10 president of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC), successfully completed his term as president during the recent OPSC Convention.

2000s

John H. Rickelman Jr., D.O., ’00, Kirksville, Mo., spoke during the January 27 dedication ceremonies for the expanded critical care unit (CCU) at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville. Dr. Rickelman is medical director for the CCU.

Patrick O. McKeon, Ph.D., ATC, ’01, Lexington, Ky., was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Student Research Symposium held in November on the ATSU-Arizona campus. Dr. McKeon is assistant professor, department of rehabilitation sciences, at the University of Kentucky.

Jeffrey Vaughn, D.O., ’02, visited ATSU’s Arizona campus in December to speak with athletic training students about special considerations with pediatric orthopaedic surgery. He currently works for Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and as of last year was the only pediatrictrained sports medicine specialist in Arizona. Dr. Vaughn is a candidate member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and a member of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and American Osteopathic Association.

Macksood A. Aftab, D.O., ’03, Flushing, Mich., received an active membership certificate from the American Osteopathic College of Radiology.

Marisela M. Bedoya, D.M.D., D.H.Sc., ’07, Tucson, Ariz., was jointly published with Jae Hyun Park, D.M.D., M.S.D., M.S., Ph.D., director of the ASDOH postgraduate orthodontic program, in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association. Their article, “A review of the diagnosis and management of impacted maxillary canines,” was included as a continuing education article.

Cody J. Hawkes, D.O., ’07, Laveen, Ariz., has signed a contract with Wee Care Pediatrics in Layton, Utah. He finishes his residency in June and begins work in Layton in July.

Shawn M Cooper, D.O., ’09, Hummelstown, Pa., a resident in pediatrics at Penn State Children’s Hospital, is running in a 100-mile, twoperson, 24-hour relay from Philadelphia to Hershey, Pa., in September. He and his running buddy hope to raise $10,000 to buy play and learning materials for children at the hospital, donating the money raised to the Children’s Miracle Network. Visit the website www.100miles4kids. org to learn more.

1920s Shubert K. Dackenbach, D.O., ’28 Lakeview, Ohio 1930s Merrill S. Bartlett, D.O., ’34 Sapulpa, Okla. Joseph R. Moser, D.O., ’38 Tucson, Ariz. Victor H. Bagnall, D.O., ’39 Maple Valley, Wash. 1940s Adelaide M. Childs, D.O., ’41 Anna Maria, Fla. Ross M. Carmichael, D.O., ’43 San Angelo, Texas Lewis C. Carr, D.O., ’43 Needham, Mass. Evalyn M. Kennedy, D.O., ’43 Beeville, Texas Robert W. Atkins, D.O., ’45 Fort Myers, Fla. Walter V. Gilman, D.O., ’46 Charlestown, Mass. Harry L. Myer, D.O., ’46 Vienna, W.Va. 1950s Donald G. Fullman, D.O., ’50 York, Pa. Robert J. Fulton, D.O., ’50 Leslie A. McClimans, D.O., ’50 Nashville, Tenn. Lawrence V. Tremper, D.O., ’50 Ada, Mich. B. Morgan Wolleson, D.O., ’50 Rio Rancho, N.M. Jack P. Rollins, D.O., ’51 Jenks, Okla. Harold R. Schwartz, D.O., ’51 Worthington, Ohio William A. Wood, D.O., ’52 Gainesville, Ga. Casimir Z. Writer, D.O., ’52 Long Beach, Miss. Benjamin Ponek, D.O., ’53 Ridgecrest, Calif. Clarence L. Booher, D.O., ’54 Bonham, Texas Frank A. Handley Jr., D.O., ’54 Powell, Ohio Eugene B. Johnston Jr., D.O., ’54 Seattle, Wash. Frank H. McNutt, D.O., ’54 Ripon, Wis. Delbert E. Maddox, D.O., ‘55 Kirksville, Mo. Erwin S. Kahn, D.O., ’56 Tucson, Ariz. Harold M. Ward, D.O., ’57 Clearwater, Fla. Lauren Rubenstein, D.O., ’58 Somerset, N.J. Willis W. Zimmerman, D.O., ’58 Toledo, Ohio Charles R. Biggs, D.O., ’59 Gloucester, Va. 1960s Richard P. Bloch, D.O., ’60 Battle Creek, Mich. Stanley G. Foster, D.O., ’61 Chula Vista, Calif. Herbert Fleishman, D.O., ’63 Voorhees, N.J. Lawrence H. Brown, D.O., ’65 Carson City, Mich. Paul R. Anderson, D.O., ’66 Perrinton, Mich. 1970s William H. Johns, D.O., ’73 Topeka, Kan. 1980s Joseph G. Renney, D.O., ’89 St. Joseph, Mich. 1990s Thomas A. Sainz, D.O., ’93 Harrisburg, Pa.  

Turns out second-year KCOM student Todd Brubaker and John Wayne share something in common. Both shoot from the hip.

“I usually do not set out a plotline, or determine who is going to be what,” he says. “I write from the heart, with a little bit of knowledge thrown in there to keep it realistic. I want people to feel what I feel, to see what I see, and to be able to live what I am writing as they read it.”

A student blogger who also maintains a personal blog, Brubaker says the two allow him “to express ideas, criticisms, takes, and all other forms of written expression to whoever wants to read them.” His long-term goal is to be a “doctor-writer,” and he uses his blogs as a test to see “if I have what it takes to achieve such a dream.”

A self-proclaimed poet at heart, Brubaker grew up reading and writing to express emotions, concepts, and ideas through the written word. Writing “helps me to blow off steam, or vent, or express frustration,” he says. “Writing not only allows me to reflect on what I’ve done, but to ponder what I could have done, or will try to perform better, the next time. “

As an engineer-turned-student doctor, he says he brings a non-traditional viewpoint and a more humanistic approach to writing that many medical authors miss.

“We all know that medicine is bloody and dirty at times; we understand that people die, and people are born daily. But what about those times when a physician notices the glint of an infant’s eye, or how a raging drug addict with life-threatening injuries, instead of worrying about him/herself, stares intently at the police officer in the hallway before being wheeled away to the OR?

“I feel that these things are not given the proper amount of time, or due, in medical writing. But I do not want to be just “another medical writer.” I want to be someone who has a life outside of the wards and hospital, who sees the elegance in newfallen leaves, or the dimple of a trout when it takes my dry-fly while fishing. I guess I want to show that doctors are humans, we have hobbies and lives outside of medicine, and we’re not just machines.”

Away

BLIP… BLIP… BLIP… BLIP… BLIP…

Silence gazes across the cavernous cave
Intensity and Majesty set amongst grave concern and Screaming Megadeath
Did nothing to calm the fears.

BLIP… BLIP… BLIP…

Water flowed over outstretched crevices while Angels slowed their wings if only for a second, as another endless love skipped along a path that can never be walked backwards.

Wrinkles deepened
Brows furrowed
And eyes became as marble:
White
Hard
Stoic

BLIP… BLIP…

A soft tap broke the self-imposed silence,
“Room 7”
Quickly she strutted away, hustling down
The end of a sunny hallway
Walking into the light

The light of another time, effortlessly transitioning into
A smile and bright azure eyes
As darkness falls in lockstep behind her.

A quiet seepage of air escaped
Inaudible to all but for the electronic eye
Sitting in the corner
Tracking the ins and outs
Ups and downs
Life and death.