Craig J. Thomas, MBA, has been selected as director of operations for A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). With more than 15 years of experience working for a range of academic hospital and medical groups, his experience includes serving as the administrator of clinical and financial affairs with the University of Arizona College of Medicine’s Emergency Medicine Department and Research Center, providing financial operations oversight for academic, clinical, and medical research programs.

Thomas will be responsible for a number of ATSU-SOMA’s operational aspects ranging from budget and human resources to project tracking and agreements/contracts. He brings a much needed set of talents and skills to the operations side of the medical school.

A Missouri native, Thomas completed his master’s in business administration at Keller Graduate School-Kansas City and earned a BS in biomedical science at Missouri State University. Thomas lives in Gilbert, Ariz., with his wife and three young children.

Ninety-eight new doctors of osteopathic medicine crossed the stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz., on June 7, marking their completion of four years of study in a unique medical school curriculum model. A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-SOMA) is one of a handful of medical schools across the country utilizing the clinical presentation-based medical education model where students are immersed in clinical care beginning in their second year of medical school.

“You have been pioneers in the future of a medical education model in this country,” said Thomas McWilliams, DO, FACOFP, associate dean for graduate medical education, ATSU-SOMA, and keynote speaker at commencement. “This ceremony is a celebration of your journey,” added ATSU-SOMA Dean Kay Kalousek, DOMS, FACOFP.

One hundred percent of the graduating class will be furthering their education as residents. Sixty-eight percent will be in primary care, and 92.9 percent will be in National Association of Community Health Center-identified needed specialties, which include the primary care residencies and general surgery, psychiatry, and emergency medicine.

Dr. McWilliams concluded his keynote speech addressing graduates with these words, “You have truly captured the “heart of SOMA”. My parting request is that you keep this spirit alive during your residency training and beyond. Your healing touch is exactly what the nation needs at this critical place and time.”

ATSU Gutensohn Clinic and North Missouri Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery held its third annual Sports Physicals clinic on June 6-7, 2013.

Several hundred school-age athletes from Northeast Missouri were given free sports physicals, including a cardiac, pulmonary, and full orthopaedic exam.

Thanks to grant funding, two athletic training students and a faculty member from A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences were able to participate and study the athletes on how they might be affected by future injuries.

This event was held in conjunction with Northeast Regional Medical Center and other community sponsors. A health vendor fair was available to parents while they waited.

Lex Towns, PhD, has been chosen to serve as assistant dean, academic affairs for A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM).

Dr. Towns is well-known at ATSU-KCOM where he served in the past as chair of the Anatomy Department and as a faculty member for many years. Before returning to ATSU-KCOM, Dr. Towns served as assistant dean, basic sciences and chair, anatomy at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.

Janna Gold, DDS, PhD, assistant professor, A.T. Still University’s School of Health Management, has been selected for poster presentation during the 141st American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, November 2-6, 2013, in Boston. Her abstract is titled Incorporating dental screening into school health days: A best practice for oral health surveillance.

Physician assistant (PA) alumni and students met the evening of May 29 following the AAPA convention to connect with one another and receive updates from Randy Danielsen, PhD, PA-C, DFAAPA, dean, A. T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS), and Bert Simon, DHSc, PA-C, chair, physician assistant studies. Below is a recap of the highlighted updates:

• Dr. Craig Phelps, DO, ’84, has served as president of ATSU for the last year, focusing on continuing to make ATSU a pre-eminent center of learning that promotes whole person healthcare and serving the underserved.
• Dr. Simon, who stepped into the role of chair of the physician assistant studies in 2012, is playing an integral role in the ATSU-ASHS visioning process as the school’s 20th anniversary approaches.
• The PA department can always use more preceptors to ensure students receive quality clinical experiences. If you are interested in becoming a preceptor, please contact Laura Witte, PhD, PA-C, associate program director, at lwitte@atsu.edu.
• White coat ceremonies continue to be an important and meaningful rite of passage for students starting a new academic journey. For more information or to sponsor a student’s white coat, click here.

Please visit the alumni Facebook page to see additional photos: https://www.facebook.com/ATSU.Alumni.

Al Peraza, PT, DPT, ’09, co-founder of SafePatientSolutions, kept seeking a way to help people get up more easily from floor exercises who did not have the strength to pick themselves up and move from the floor to chair height independently. Dr. Peraza’s solution was the creation of ResQUp, a plastic fold-away, mobility device with three 4.5-inch levels. The device allows patients to pick themselves up from the floor independently.

“People who can’t pull themselves off the floor may not be injured, and, as a matter of personal dignity, don’t want to call 911 for a non-emergency,” Dr. Peraza said. Also, fear of falling can decrease the activity level for an individual, and inactivity leads to weakness.”

Since receiving the patent on ResQUp in March 2013, Dr. Peraza stepped down from his supervisory role at a Prescott, Ariz., hospital-based outpatient clinic. He has created a website, www.safepatientsolutions.com, and has attended professional conferences and provided presentations and demonstrations to help market his invention. For more information on ResQUp, email Dr. Peraza at al@safepatientsolutions.com or contact him at 928.925.4381.

Faculty from the microbiology/immunology department at A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) presented research and education posters at the 113th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, held May 18-21, 2013, in Denver, CO.

Neil Sargentini, PhD, professor and chair, ATSU-KCOM microbiology/immunology, presented Survey of keio collection escherichia coli mutants for sensitivity to UV and X-radiation, co-authored by Nicholas Gularte, MS ’12, OMS I, and Deborah Hudman, MS, research associate. Vineet Singh, PhD, professor, ATSU-KCOM microbiology/immunology, presented Role of staphylococcal nitric oxide synthase in oxidative stress tolerance,” co-authored by Manisha Vaish, PhD, research associate. Melissa Stuart, PhD, professor, ATSU-KCOM microbiology/immunology, presented Case presentation exercises in immunology enhance relevance and improve student satisfaction with the course, co-authored by Neal Chamberlain, PhD, professor, Vineet Singh, and Neil Sargentini.

The American Osteopathic College of Radiology (AOCR) recently recognized two A.T. Still University alumni for outstanding contributions to their profession. On April 24, 2013, at the annual convention of the AOCR in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Paul Chase, DO, FAOCR, ’64, was presented the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed to a member of the AOCR. He has been a dedicated member of the AOCR since 1967. During his tenure, he served as a member of the Board of Directors for nine years and in 1994 was elected as the organization’s 51^st president. He continues to practice radiology in Philidelphia, Pa.

Dr. Wade Wong

Wade Wong, DO, FAOCR, FACR,’72, was awarded the Dr.Floyd J. Trenery Memorial Medal. Dr. Trenery was an influential leader in the AOCR and in the field of radiology, specifically recognized for his work in radiotherapy as applied to cancer. The award honors Dr. Wong for active involvement in AOCR Continuing Medical Education activities, including providing didactic lectures and developing Continuing Medical Education programs. Dr. Wong is respected by his peers for being a renowned radiologist, researcher, educator, and author. He is now retired from a long tenure of teaching radiology at the University of California in San Diego, Ca.