Center for the Future of the Health Professions May 2025 digest
The Center for the Future of the Health Professions is proud to present our fifth op-ed column for 2025, focusing on critical innovations in specialized dental education. In this timely piece, we explore how one institution is addressing a significant healthcare gap affecting millions of Americans.
In the United States, approximately 61 million adults – one in four – live with a disability. This number is expected to rise due to increased life expectancy, an aging population, and higher survival rates from chronic illnesses. Individuals with disabilities face disproportionate oral health challenges, including higher rates of periodontal disease, tooth loss, and untreated dental caries, while simultaneously encountering significant barriers to accessing quality dental care. These barriers include social determinants of health as well as a critical shortage of dental professionals trained to provide appropriate care for patients with special healthcare needs. A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dental & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) addresses this critical gap through its innovative Special Care Clinic, which teaches dental students to effectively care for patients with disabilities. This unique educational approach combines didactic learning with hands-on clinical experience, fostering the development of essential skills, reducing anxiety, and building confidence among future dental professionals who will serve this vulnerable population.
Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, PhD, RDH, FSCDH, professor and director of research at ATSU-ASDOH, is an internationally recognized authority on pharmacology and the care of medically complex patients who leads these efforts at the School. As professor, course director of pharmacology, and assistant dean for research, Dr. Spolarich brings her extensive expertise to both the classroom and the Special Care Clinic, where she teaches part time. Her impressive career includes over 1,100 invited lectures and more than 125 professional publications. Dr. Spolarich also serves as director of the Still Research Institute Center for Oral Health Research and is a faculty member in the NYU Langone AEGD residency program at ATSU-ASDOH. Her dedication to special care dentistry was recognized with fellowship status in special care dental hygiene and the Education Award from the Special Care Dentistry Association. Dr. Spolarich’s research focuses on identifying best practices for caring for individuals with disabilities and medical complexities, including cancer patients, and clinical testing of drugs and devices used in dentistry.
We welcome your feedback and comments on this month’s digest at cfhp@atsu.edu.
Randy Danielsen, PhD, DHL(h), PA-C Emeritus, DFAAPA Professor & Director The Center for the Future of the Health Professions A.T. Still University
Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, PhD, RDH, FSCDH
Smiles for all: ATSU-ASDOH’s pioneering approach to special care dentistry
In the United States, 61 million people, or one in four adults, have a disability.1 Rates of disability are expected to continue to rise, due to increased life expectancy, the aging population, and survival of long-standing illness, including long COVID. Disabilities may be congenital, developmental, acquired because of injury or disease, or associated with chronic diseases or conditions, including mental health disorders.2 While many disabilities are visibly apparent, others are not. Individuals with disabilities often present with more complex conditions that require additional services or modifications to care delivery. These people are often described as “people with special needs” or “individuals with special healthcare needs (SHCN).”3
People with SHCN and the frail elderly disproportionately carry a higher burden of oral disease and face the greatest barriers to accessing regular preventive and other dental care services.4,5 Oral health status among adults with intellectual, acquired, and developmental disabilities is worse than that of the general population, with higher rates of periodontal disease, missing teeth, and untreated caries.4,6-8 Craniofacial defects, malocclusion, anomalies in tooth development, and delayed eruption patterns may also be observed.9 Affected individuals often present with poor oral hygiene, which increases susceptibility to dental disease. A variety of contributing factors increase the risk for poor oral health in older adults, including chronic dry mouth. In this population, musculoskeletal and neurological disabilities, as well as cognitive impairments, all contribute to challenges in performing oral hygiene.10
Social determinants of health significantly contribute to poor oral health among people with disabilities.4,5Challenges related to access to dental care include lack of a support system, lack of transportation, inadequate or lack of dental insurance, and other financial concerns.4,11-13Access may also be difficult for those with communication challenges or disabilities related to visual and hearing impairments. However, lack of access to care may also be attributed to the availability of geographically close providers who have adequate facilities to accommodate those with SHCN and who are trained and willing to care for these vulnerable populations.11,12,14 There is an urgent need to address the lack of provider knowledge and related skills necessary to address the oral and comprehensive healthcare needs of individuals with disabilities.15
The FDI World Dental Federation and the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (IADH) encourage training in special care dentistry at all academic levels and through continuing education for all dental disciplines.3 Training providers to care for those with SHCN is essential to overcome barriers and reduce oral health inequalities.16 Educational standards by the Commission on Dental Accreditation include Standard 2-25, which states that, “graduates must be competent in assessing and managing the treatment of patients with special needs.”17
ATSU-ASDOH was founded to address the disparities in oral healthcare in Arizona and across the nation. It is unique among North American dental schools for having a Special Care Clinic (SCC) since its inception. Faculty members who teach in the SCC hold special training certification and fellowship status in the discipline. Most have devoted their careers to caring for those with a variety of disabilities as well as for those with medical complexities. ATSU-ASDOH was among the first dental schools in the nation to require students to rotate regularly through the SCC as part of their clinical training. Residents in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program also treat patients with disabilities and medical complexities, as both the SCC and the AEGD program are housed within the ATSU-ASDOH Advanced Care Clinic. Students begin to rotate through the SCC at the end of their second year, after completing the didactic Special Care module. In the classroom and the clinic, students learn how to:
Assess the need for modifications to deliver care safely
Write medical consultations to request additional health information and communicate planned dental treatment with other healthcare professionals
Treat patients with physical, neurological, neuropsychiatric, intellectual, and developmental disabilities
Use specialized equipment, such as telecommunication devices for those with hearing impairments, and safety devices to provide support and prevent falls
Manage patients with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities who require sedation to complete dental treatment
Clinical rotation experiences reduce anxiety and increase both comfort and confidence with caring for individuals with disabilities. These outcomes are well-documented in studies with dental and dental hygiene students.14,18-21 Greater comfort and confidence lead to a sense of self-efficacy, a hallmark of experiential learning.20 ATSU-ASDOH SCC faculty conducted a study funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration to teach area dental hygiene students to care for patients with SHCN.22 Dental hygiene students received both didactic training and hands-on experience through clinical rotation in the ATSU-ASDOH SCC. Data collected from over 300 dental hygiene students supports previous reports that clinical experience positively impacts students’ willingness and desire to treat individuals with disabilities after graduation.14,21,23
The inclusion of experiential learning in the clinic is widely advocated by special care dentistry organizations as an essential component of academic training programs.24-26 Clinical training opportunities help overcome the lack of provider preparedness as a barrier to access to care.14 Student experiences with people with disabilities, whether in a clinical or community setting, promote a positive attitude toward patients with special healthcare needs as well as a desire to care for their oral health.19-21, 27-29 Students gain new skills with listening and patient communication, and develop clinician behaviors, such as empathy, compassion, and kindness, which are important characteristics of emotional intelligence. The SCC faculty are conducting an ongoing educational research study known as “Rose, Bud, Thorn” – an educational exercise conducted at the end of a week of rotation in the SCC. This exercise enhances student self-assessment skills through reflection on their experiences, identifying what went well, what could be improved, and which skills or aspects of care delivery need development. This exercise and other educational strategies used during student training incorporate aspects of social-emotional learning.
In addition to clinical training, ATSU-ASDOH faculty and students are conducting a variety of research projects with the many unique patient populations treated in the Advanced Care Clinic, including those treated in the SCC. People with disabilities are among those who are often underrepresented in medical and dental research. Lack of inclusion of individuals with disabilities in large surveillance datasets and clinical trials complicates the identification of health-related issues that may be unique or disproportionately affect these populations. Furthermore, the evidence that drives best practices regarding treatment and guides clinical practice guidelines may not apply to those with disabilities or medical complexities, as these individuals are often excluded from recruited study populations for interventional studies. It is important to recognize people have the right to engage in research that affects their lives and/or informs the processes and outcomes of disability research.30
The SCC represents a transformative educational model for preparing the next generation of dental professionals to confidently serve individuals with disabilities. While our research continues to evaluate student learning outcomes from this innovative curriculum, there remains a critical need for expanded investigation on an international scale. Future studies must assess various curriculum models, examine how educational experiences translate to long-term professional engagement with vulnerable populations, and identify the key factors that inspire dental professionals to pursue special care dentistry as a career path. As both our aging population and the number of individuals with disabilities continue to grow, the dental profession faces an urgent workforce challenge: developing a larger cadre of specially trained faculty who can design and implement curricula addressing these evolving needs. By meeting this challenge, we can help ensure that all individuals, regardless of ability status, receive the quality oral healthcare they deserve.24
References
1. Okoro CA, Hollis ND, Cyrus AC, Griffin-Blake S. Prevalence of Disabilities and Health Care Access by Disability Status and Type Among Adults — United States, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018; 67:882–7.
4. National Institutes of Health. Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges. Bethesda, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research 2021. Accessed April 5, 2025. Available at: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/oralhealthinamerica
5. Weintraub JA. The oral health in America report: a public health research perspective. Prev Chronic Dis 2022; 19:220067.
6. Devinsky O, Boyce D, Robbins M, Pressler M. Dental health in persons with disability. Epilepsy Behav 2020; 110:107174.
7. Anders PL, Davis EL. Oral health of patients with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review. Spec Care Dentist 2010; 30:110-117.
8. Fernandes Gomes M, De Marco AC, Giannasi LC, Castillo Salgado MA. Periodontal diseases in patients with special health care needs. In: Manakil J, ed. Periodontology and Dental Implantology. IntechOpen; 2019: doi:10.5772/intechopen.78348.
9. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Management of dental patients with special health care needs. The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry. Chicago, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; 2022:302-9.
10. Gil-Montoya JA, de Mello AL, Barrios R, Gonzalez-Moles MA, Bravo M. Oral health in the elderly patient and its impact on general well-being: a nonsystematic review. Clin Interv Aging 2015; 10:461-7.
11. Da Rosa SV, Moysés SJ, Theis LC, Soares RC, Moysés ST, Werneck RI, Rocha JS. Barriers in access to dental services hindering the treatment of people with disabilities: a systematic review. Int J Dent 2020; 2020:9074618.
12. Barros RMCS, Possobon RF, Melo EA, Probst LF, Guerra LM, Cortellazzi KL, Ambrosano GMB. Influence of the quality of life and locus of control of mothers of disabled children on the oral health of their children. Spec Care Dentist 2017; 37:290-298.
13. Alfaraj A, Halawany HS, Al-Hinai MT, Al-Badr AH, Alalshaikh M, Al-Khalifa KS. Barriers to dental care in individuals with special healthcare needs in Qatif, Saudi Arabia: a caregiver’s perspective. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2021 Jan 22; 15:69-76.
14. Casamassimo PS, Seale NS, Ruehs K. General dentists’ perceptions of educational and treatment issues affecting access to care for children with special health care needs. J Dent Educ 2004; 68:23-8.
16. Faulks D, Freedman L, Thompson S, Sagheri D, Dougall A. The value of education in special care dentistry as a means of reducing inequalities in oral health. Eur J Dent Educ 2012; 16:195-201.
17. Commission on Dental Accreditation. American Dental Association. Accreditation Standards. Accessed April 5, 2025. Available at: https://coda.ada.org/standards
18. Borromeo GL, Ahmad MS, Buckley S, Bozanic M, Cao A, Al-Dabbagh M, Athale A. Perception of special needs dentistry education and practice amongst Australian dental auxiliary students. Eur J Dent Educ 2018;22: e321-e326.
19. Baumeister SE, Davidson PL, Carreon DC, Nakazono TT, Gutierrez JJ, Andersen RM. What influences dental students to serve special care patients? Spec Care Dentist 2007; 27:15-22.
20. Watters AL, Stabulas-Savage J, Toppin JD, Janal MN, Robbins MR. Incorporating experiential learning techniques to improve self-efficacy in clinical special care dentistry education. J Dent Educ 2015; 79:1016-23.
21. Perusini DJ, Llacuachaqui M, Sigal MJ, Dempster LJ. Dental students’ clinical expectations and experiences treating persons with disabilities. J Dent Educ 2016; 80:301-10.
22. Spolarich AE, Gohlke E, Fallon, K, Ba, RC. Training dental hygiene students to care for patients with disabilities. Int J Dent Hygiene. 2023; 21:699-709.
23. Subar P, Chávez EM, Miles J, Wong A, Glassman P, Labarre E. Pre- and postdoctoral dental education compared to practice patterns in special care dentistry. J Dent Educ 2012; 76:1623-8.
24. Dolan TA. Professional education to meet the oral health needs of older adults and persons with disabilities. Spec Care Dentist 2013; 33:190-7.
25. Hicks J, Vishwanat L, Perry M, Messura J, Dee K. SCDA task force on a special care dentistry residency. Spec Care Dentist 2016; 36:201-12.
26. Dougall A, Thompson SA, Faulks D, Ting G, Nunn J. Guidance for the core content of a curriculum in special care dentistry at the undergraduate level. Eur J Dent Educ 2014; 18:39-43.
27. Holzinger A, Lettner S, Franz A. Attitudes of dental students towards patients with special healthcare needs: Can they be improved? Eur J Dent Educ 2020; 24:243-51.
28. Mohamed Rohani M, Ahmad Fuad N, Ahmad MS, Esa R. Impact of the special care dentistry education on Malaysian students’ attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to treat people with learning disability. Eur J Dent Educ 2022; 26:741-9.
29. Alkahtani ZM, Stark PC, Loo CY, Wright WG, Morgan JP. Saudi and U.S. dental student attitudes toward treating individuals with developmental disabilities. J Dent Educ 2014;78(8):1145-53.
30. U.S. HHS Administration for Community Living (2023). I/DD Advancing a Roadmap for Health Equity Data for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, [Proceedings of a Summit]. Washington, D.C., November 17-18, 2022. Available at: https://acl.gov/iddcounts
*Portions excerpted fromSpolarich AE, Gohlke E, Fallone K, Bay RC. Training dental hygiene students to care for patients with disabilities. Int J Dent Hygiene. 2023; 21:699-709.
The Center for the Future of the Health Professions, dedicated to providing policymakers and healthcare stakeholders with comprehensive data for effective planning, presents our fourth op-ed column for 2025.
In this reflective piece, Sharon Obadia, DO, FNAOME, ’97 shares her journey and vision as dean of A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). As an alumnus who joined the faculty in 2010 and became dean in 2022, she discusses the school’s unique mission of training osteopathic physicians to serve in medically underserved communities through partnerships with community health centers nationwide. Dr. Obadia highlights the school’s transition to a new educational model while celebrating ATSU-SOMA’s impressive achievements, including a 99% residency placement rate, recognition for primary care excellence, and the fact that 72% of graduates now practice in medically underserved communities – a testament to the school’s mission-driven approach to medical education.
About Dr. Obadia
Dr. Obadia is dean and an associate professor of internal medicine at ATSU-SOMA. Dr. Obadia previously served as ATSU-SOMA’s associate dean for clinical education and services, in which her primary role was to foster strong and enduring partnerships with its community partner sites throughout the United States. Dr. Obadia has also served as chair of ATSU-SOMA’s clinical science education department and director of faculty development. She is a graduate of ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and trained at Banner Good Samaritan/Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Internal Medicine residency program in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Obadia has been board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine since 2001 and is a fellow of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators. From 2010-12, Dr. Obadia completed fellowships in Teaching and Learning and Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Obadia has a long history of caring for patients experiencing homelessness at Maricopa County’s Health Care for the Homeless Clinic and Circle the City, Phoenix’s first post-hospital homeless respite center.
We welcome your feedback and comments on this month’s digest at cfhp@atsu.edu.
Randy Danielsen, PhD, DHL(h), PA-C Emeritus, DFAAPA Professor & Director The Center for the Future of the Health Professions A.T. Still University
Sharon Obadia, DO, FNAOME, ’97
Mission in motion: ATSU-SOMA’s evolution in training osteopathic physicians for underserved communities
As a member of A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine’s class of 1997, I am proud to serve as dean of ATSU’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) since May 2022. I learned of our story 15 years ago when I joined ATSU-SOMA as a new faculty member in February of 2010. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) had requested Chancellor Phelps, President Wendel, and Dr. Gary Cloud create an innovative medical school with a model similar to ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. NACHC implored ATSU to train osteopathic medical students in community health centers to best model for students service to underserved communities, hoping these students would one day serve as physicians in the communities.
ATSU-SOMA began with its inaugural students on the Mesa, Arizona, campus in 2007. Those students have gone to community health center partner sites throughout the country from Hawaii to Brooklyn, in both urban and rural settings, in their second year of training to classroom activities and weekly clinic days with dedicated role-model physician regional directors of medical education and preceptors.
Throughout these years, as faculty and then associate dean for clinical education, I witnessed firsthand the incredible strengths and some of the challenges of our unique model. Emerging from the pandemic, it was becoming increasingly difficult to obtain clinical rotations and have preceptors available for second-year students’ weekly clinical experiences at many of our sites. And, with difficulty creating new sites, a change was needed.
As we move forward, keeping our mission at the forefront, we are preparing to transition to a 2+2 educational model in the coming academic year. Under this model, our students will remain on the Mesa, Arizona, campus for their second year before joining our strong community partners throughout the country. I am truly moved and marveling at each member of our ATSU-SOMA team with our community partner leadership. Together, we are progressing through this change with positivity, collegiality, and professionalism; problem-solving each step of the way to do everything possible for each student to deliver an excellent and equitable academic and clinical experience. This, our most important goal, drives and inspires us in our work daily.
We have much to be proud of as we advance in our ATSU-SOMA strategic plan:
The placement rate for the Class of 2024 residency match was 99% and placement in primary care residency programs continued to be higher than the national average. Approximately two-thirds (67%) of our students were placed into primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology) with 89% in needed primary care specialties plus general surgery, psychiatry, and emergency medicine. Our students continue to match into outstanding residency programs.
Fulfilling our mission, 72% of ATSU-SOMA graduates from 2011-2022 are practicing in HRSA-designated medically underserved communities.
Hometown Scholars and alumni work in community health center partner sites, such as El Rio Health in Tucson, Arizona.
In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked ATSU-SOMA #6 for graduates practicing in primary care and the 44th most diverse medical school in the nation.
All second-year students will continue to conduct a required community-oriented primary care research project. These projects have positively impacted community partners throughout the years.
Research and scholarship highlights: ATSU-SOMA has received two major HRSA-funded grants: A Primary Care Transformation Executive Fellowship and a Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration grant with community health center partner sites. The school also received an American Medical Association ChangeMedEd grant for “Equity, Diversity, and Belonging,” and a recent American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine grant for “Residency Readiness: Creating AI-Nurse Chatbot for Overnight Call.”
We proudly share faculty, staff, and student publications with our ATSU-SOMA community multiple times per month.
TayloredExcellence program: ATSU-SOMA’s Student Achievement Success team’s innovative program supports first-generation medicine students, students from historically underrepresented groups, Hometown Scholars, GPS scholars, students impacted by low socioeconomic factors, students from rural communities, and students with disabilities, with the intent of increasing retention, student academic and professional preparedness, and overall success throughout their four years of medical school.
Students continually refine their skills in our robust osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lab and OMM center.
Case-based inquiry curriculum: Dedicated faculty facilitate student-led small group sessions and provide supplemental workshops throughout the first two years. Robust professional development scholarly activity weeks are included in each block.
Clinical skills, simulation, rotation, and residency readiness programs are thriving.
Anatomy curriculum: Radiographic, prosection, and augmented reality Hololens components receive national attention from other colleges of osteopathic medicine and even the American Osteopathic Assocation president!
The clinical education department, regional directors of medical education, and regional education coordinators continuously secure and oversee clinical rotation operations, with clerkship directors providing a solid third- and fourth-year didactic curriculum.
Graduate medical education: ATSU-SOMA’s innovative National Family Medicine Residency program with The Wright Center is winding down, while new primary care residency programs have been established at those sites and many of our other partner locations.
ATSU’s chief partnership officer is providing an inaugural spring virtual residency fair for OMS III and our community partners with residency programs.
Alumni reach out almost weekly to be involved.
We have an active and engaged alumni board.
Our students uplift us daily and give us deep satisfaction and meaning in our work.
I am incredibly proud to be a leader of leaders, from our deans’ team to our department chairs, directors, chairs of our major committees, staff, and faculty, both in Mesa and throughout the country. Each person continuously rises to lead in their area.
In my role as dean, these past few years have been, at times, challenging, yet so rewarding. Each day, we continue making progress toward a bright future – keeping our worthy mission our priority and ensuring our students are well-prepared from year one to serve where they’re needed most, with opportunities for outpatient clinical rotations in as many community health centers as possible. We are dedicated to continually demonstrating to our students the meaning, significance, and value of a career as an osteopathic physician in a community health center. This work and how we are doing it is inspiring to me daily.
Every healthcare career starts somewhere. Some ATSU students come to the University on a direct path, while others follow a winding journey filled with twists and turns. ATSU, with its emphasis on compassion and adaptability in healthcare, embraces students from varied professional backgrounds and career experiences. These individuals serve as inspiration for their peers and others who may follow in their footsteps, and their broad perspectives and unique skills enrich the University’s collaborative learning environment. Although each student’s path may have been different, their journeys reflect a shared determination to follow their hearts and serve their communities.
Before ATSU, I was an athletic trainer and massage therapist.
Breena Miller, MS, fourth-year medical student at ATSU’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)
Breena Miller’s path to osteopathic medicine has been shaped by a deep passion for health, healing, and personal growth.
Her journey began with a focus on athletic training, where she gained hands-on experience working with athletic trainers, orthopedic surgeons, and sports medicine physicians. This exposure sparked an interest in the human body, prompting her to pursue a master’s degree in anatomy and cell biology. During this time, she worked as a massage therapist and as an athletic trainer, blending clinical and therapeutic practices.
As a massage therapist and athletic trainer, Miller found herself limited in the scope of treatments she could offer, which led her to seek a career with various patient management opportunities. This desire to provide comprehensive care ultimately led her to pursue osteopathic medicine.
“I found myself longing for a career where I could provide a broader spectrum of care and continue making a difference in people’s lives,” she says.
The transition to medical school was not without challenges. As a first-generation medical student, Miller often felt lost and struggled with preparing for the MCAT. Despite these obstacles, her determination never wavered. After a setback with her first MCAT attempt, she persevered and was accepted into ATSU-SOMA, confident her journey had only just begun.
Now, as she looks ahead to residency, Miller is focused on specializing in sports medicine and further developing her skills as an osteopathic physician.
“Looking back, I’m confident that each step has brought me closer to my ultimate goal of being able to offer more comprehensive, holistic care to those who need it most,” Miller says.
Before ATSU, I was in the Marine Corps.
Donald L. Bird III, first-year medical student at ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM)
For Donald Bird, his dream career was always to be a physician. But after having some troubles in life and college, he changed his direction and joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2018. He spent four years as a forward observer, using his time in the military to center himself. He was stationed with 2nd Battalion 10th Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and in February 2020, was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, in support of 1st Battalion 6th Marines.
“When I first joined the Marine Corps, I questioned whether I wanted to be in medicine for myself or because other people expected it out of me,” Bird says. “However, I continuously yearned to be back in school, and learning about medicine was the only thing that truly made me happy.”
After his honorable discharge, he used the GI Bill to pay for his last two years of college and started working as a medical registrar. Being in a healthcare environment and talking with physicians cemented his dream as his own.
“Upon returning to school, it was difficult to readjust to life outside of the military,” Bird says. “My life had lost a lot of structure, and I was intimidated that my knowledge base would not return to me after spending so much time doing something else.”
After completing his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, Bird is now attending ATSU-KCOM and living his dream. Following graduation, he will be commissioned into the U.S. Navy on active duty with the hopes of matching into a Navy orthopedic surgery residency.
“I am relieved I was wrong about myself,” he says. “I am extremely proud of myself, as are my wife and parents.”
Before ATSU, I was a teacher.
Melanie Bemis, first-year dental student at ATSU’s Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH)
For 16 years, Melanie Bemis taught middle school and high school science classes, as well as the gifted and talented program, in her rural Idaho community. She went into teaching at the encouragement of her mother, but with a lifelong love of science and health, her true aspiration was to become a health professional. She finally decided to change careers in 2019 with the goal of starting dental school when her youngest child would be entering college in 2023.
“It’s really hard to give up a job that is fulfilling much of the time, to leave your family and loved ones, even if temporarily, to go pursue something completely new,” says Bemis. “But, there isn’t a day that goes by that I wake up wishing I was doing anything else.”
She encountered many hurdles before her acceptance to ATSU-MOSDOH. She worked full-time while taking care of a home and two teenagers, completing prerequisites, and studying for the Dental Admission Test, not to mention several dental school admissions officers telling her she was too old to apply and it would be too hard for her to succeed.
“I was drawn to ATSU because their admissions officer treated me like an individual, like a human being, and did not close a lid on my potential,” Bemis says. “I am grateful to have been accepted here. Additionally, I am really blessed to have very supportive children and family, a life partner, and friends who have continuously encouraged me and believed in me.”
Before ATSU, I was a public health student.
Chidalu Mbonu, MPH, first-year student in the Central Coast Physician Assistant program at ATSU’s College for Healthy Communities
When Chidalu Mbonu reflects on her journey to ATSU, she says she didn’t change paths – her path became clearer.
“As is common for many children, my career choices varied at different times in my life. In high school, I was on the path to becoming a civil engineer. In community college, I was a biology major/undecided before finding my passion and calling in public health,” she says. “However, in all my choices, there was a constant: the desire to be of service to my neighbor and improve the lives of those around me, including individuals who are low income or living with disabilities.”
Mbonu aspired to be an accessible public health practitioner, and she believed becoming a clinician would help her achieve this goal. In her hometown of Lagos, Nigeria, Mbonu says the PA profession is largely unknown. She first discovered it while volunteering at the local fire department near her alma mater.
Mbonu decided to become a PA during her final year of college amid the COVID-19 pandemic, realizing the PA profession’s generalist medical education aligned better with her vision of serving where she’s most needed. Although her journey to ATSU was filled with challenges, she viewed these obstacles as blessings, helping prepare her to be the best public health PA she could be.
Before ATSU, I was a dental lab technician and phlebotomist.
Gabriel Roye, fourth-year dental student at ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH)
Before enrolling at ATSU-ASDOH, Gabriel Roye worked as both a dental lab technician and a phlebotomist, careers providing him with hands-on experience in healthcare but not fully satisfying his desire to connect with patients.
“As a dental lab technician, I was restoring smiles on computers and never really saw the fruits of my labor,” Roye says. “I just hoped one day I would get to see my work impact the lives of patients I cared for.”
The transition to dentistry wasn’t easy, though. Working as a phlebotomist during the COVID-19 pandemic, he often found himself drawing blood in the middle of the night for minimum wage. During this time, he prayed his dream of becoming a dentist would one day become a reality, even when it felt out of reach.
“It was a grueling job,” Roye says. “This experience taught me patience and endurance. I learned in order to lead others and fulfill your life’s calling, you must first be willing to humble yourself and serve others.”
Looking back, Roye believes his decision to pursue dentistry was guided by a higher power.
“It was all God and none of me,” he says. “Making the decision to submit my life to something greater than myself was the best decision I could have ever made.”
Now, as he approaches graduation, Roye plans to return to the Southeastern U.S., where he hopes to open his own practice and serve underserved communities. He also plans to continue his work with Operation Renewed Hope, providing dental care to remote areas in need.
Before ATSU, I was a clinical research coordinator.
Rosanna Holod, first-year student in the Central Coast Physician Assistant program at ATSU’s College for Healthy Communities
Rosanna Holod always dreamed of going to medical school, but she had never considered becoming a physician assistant (PA). After graduating in 2020 with a bachelor of science degree in biology, she began working as a clinical research coordinator.
Holod had the privilege of working alongside many inspiring physicians, nurse practitioners, and PAs who shared their “why” with her. That’s when she realized becoming a PA was her true calling.
“It almost seemed crazy that I never knew this career option existed, especially with how perfectly the purpose of our career fit my ‘why,’” Holod says.
Coming from an immigrant family, she experienced life through a unique lens, where health was always considered life’s true wealth. Despite having limited financial resources, she learned good health and family were the most important things in life.
Holod began applying to PA programs in 2021, facing more than 40 rejections before finally receiving an acceptance from ATSU in 2024. As a low-GPA applicant, she worked tirelessly to prove her commitment to the profession. She credits ATSU for recognizing her potential, saying the program’s holistic review process made her feel truly seen.
“As each day goes by, I know 100% I’ve made the right decision,” she says. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in family medicine and primary care, a specialty she is passionate about and believes is crucial for overall health.
Before ATSU, I was a teacher in the United Kingdom.
Reis O’Neill, student in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy programat ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences
Reis O’Neill’s path to ATSU was anything but direct. Originally from the United Kingdom, O’Neill started out teaching history and physical education to grades 7-12. He also worked as a manual laborer and a movie and TV extra. His career path, he says, was unclear until two years ago.
His wife, who he met 10 years ago in college, enrolled in ATSU’s Physician Assistant Studies program, while O’Neill stayed behind in the U.K., initially pursuing teaching as a way to move to the U.S. However, after the revocation of a visa option in 2018, he moved to Nanjing, China, in 2019 to teach English while navigating the green card process, which he completed in 2021.
Upon arriving in the U.S., O’Neill began working as a technician at an outpatient rehabilitation clinic in Ahwatukee, Arizona. There, he discovered his deep interest in rehabilitation, particularly hand therapy, which aligned with his background in education and physical activity. This led him to pursue ATSU’s Occupational Therapy program.
“I thought the process would be simple, but with my degrees being from overseas, it was an arduous process,” he says. “Ultimately, I had to work an additional year as a technician while completing a total of 10 accelerated prerequisite classes to allow me to apply for the next student cycle.”
Now, O’Neill has successfully navigated these obstacles. After he graduates in June 2025, he plans to specialize in hand therapy and become a certified hand therapist.
“At times I envy those who knew what they wanted to pursue right out of college, but I am so grateful for the experiences I’ve had leading up to this moment,” O’Neill says.
Before ATSU, I was a freelance voice actor.
Raven Lirio, first-year medical student at ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM)
As an avid fan of video games and cartoons, Raven Lirio would often watch YouTube videos of her favorite shows and games. That’s how she stumbled upon the world of home voice-over and was inspired to pursue it as a hobby in 2014. By 2019, it had turned into a freelance career and became her full-time side hustle as she completed her undergraduate degree.
“I had been interested in the field of medicine since I was quite young, but being in a creative field expanded my horizons and inspired me in ways I never expected,” Lirio says. “Through working with various clients, I learned how to build rapport and maintain relationships, similar to how physicians do the same with their patients. I was also able to use my experience in medicine to further my voice-over career by assisting in medical narration for the various practices I worked for.”
Additionally, voice-over led her to the communications field, where she shot documentaries and met people around the world. These experiences exposed her to daily life and hardships faced in diverse communities, deepening her cultural perspectives and shaping her as a future physician. While Lirio has since shifted her focus to her studies at ATSU-KCOM, she envisions combining her creative and medical background to better reach underserved communities and improve healthcare literacy and education, ultimately enhancing patient-centered care.
“I feel my experiences in voice-over led to me being a better communicator and will assist me in helping patients feel heard,” she says. “I look forward to bringing my unique perspective to the patients I serve.”
Before ATSU, I was in the U.S. Air Force and a police officer.
David Orr, first-year student in the Online Doctor of Athletic Training program at ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS)
David Orr’s career journey reflects a deep commitment to healthcare, fitness, and service to others. After enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1982 as a canine handler in law enforcement, Orr transitioned to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, where he served until retiring in 2011. His passion for health and well-being, long an interest but not fully explored during his law enforcement career, became his new focus.
Before enrolling in ATSU-ASHS’ online Doctor of Athletic Training program in spring 2024, he earned his associate’s degree in culinary arts in 2012, a bachelor of science degree in athletic training in 2017, and a master of science degree in sports performance training in 2023. Orr currently serves as a firefighter and advanced EMT with the Clark County Fire Department in Las Vegas.
Orr’s extensive experience as an athletic trainer includes work in secondary schools, in occupational settings, in the military, and with individual athletes. His approach emphasizes holistic care, involving patients in every step of their healthcare journey. Having faced multiple occupational injuries throughout his career, Orr personally understands the importance of proper rehabilitation and sees athletic training as a way to prevent others from suffering similar setbacks.
“I place a great deal of emphasis on the whole person model of healthcare, involving the person in all healthcare and sports performance decisions,” he says. “I believe each person should determine their own goals and choose the path to achieve those goals.”
Before ATSU, I was a senior clinical trial assistant.
Dimitri Mahee, fourth-year dental student at ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH)
Although Dimitri Mahee enjoyed his fulfilling career in clinical research and contributing to approval of drugs through the Food and Drug Administration, he always felt a deeper calling to dentistry.
His interest in dentistry was first sparked in high school during a conversation with his father. He was initially drawn to architecture and engineering, but a psychology course at Northeastern State University in 2012 made him reconsider dentistry. After taking a personality test suggesting dentistry as a career path, Mahee realized it was his true calling.
Returning to school after a five-year hiatus was a challenge, but Mahee pressed on. After his first attempt at the Dental Admission Test (DAT) in 2015 was unsuccessful, he retook it in 2020. His efforts paid off when he received conditional acceptance to ATSU-ASDOH, contingent on a higher DAT score. Before even knowing if he was successful, he and his family had prepared to move nearly 1,200 miles from Kansas City, Missouri, to Gilbert, Arizona. Throughout the difficult transition, his wife, children, and faith were his unwavering motivation.
Mahee’s journey has been one of faith, growth, and perseverance, and looking back, he is certain he made the right decision. After graduating in May 2025, he plans to serve the Indian Health Service, providing dental care to American Indian communities.
“Rejection was part of the process, but it never defined my path – progress and perseverance did,” he says. “I firmly believe that nothing happens by coincidence, and I feel incredibly blessed to be where I am today.”
Before ATSU, I was a business leader.
Tami Fife, MHS, doctor of health administration student at ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies
For more than 20 years, Tami Fife worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP) in roles across marketing, business, and product development. As her career progressed, she began to feel a strong desire to make a meaningful impact in her community. She decided to pursue a master’s degree in health science, uncertain where it would lead.
In her final years at HP, she was a leader in the healthcare business segment. She was exploring ways to become more involved in healthcare when a friend introduced her to a volunteer committee at Terry Reilly Health Services, a community health center (CHC). This experience quickly evolved into an unpaid consultancy role, where she helped the CEO develop marketing strategies in her spare time.
She eventually left HP and the information technology field in 2014 to join Terry Reilly Health Services, where she now serves as chief operating officer and chief information officer (CIO).
“My CHC is the largest federally qualified health center in Idaho,” Fife says. “As it continues to grow, I recognize the importance of developing my skills to keep pace and to grow as a leader.”
Fife never imagined pursuing a doctorate later in her career or returning to the IT field as a CIO. However, she understood the only constant in healthcare is change. She enrolled in ATSU’s Doctor of Health Sciences program to navigate growth and change, and ultimately become a better leader and mentor.
“I feel as if I’ve come full circle,” she says, “and this time, I’m standing a little taller, fully aware that my efforts are making a meaningful difference.”
Since its founding in 1892, ATSU has deeply valued inclusion, opportunity, and transformation. Every year, we welcome remarkable students who have taken diverse paths to reach our physical and virtual doors. These paths are as varied as the students themselves, all united by their passion for healthcare and their commitment to making a difference.
More than a university, ATSU is a community of belonging. We celebrate the unique stories and life experiences our students bring with them, knowing they enrich the fabric of our institution. Here, every student is supported by a network of faculty, staff, and peers dedicated to their success. Our holistic approach ensures regardless of where students begin their journey, they will find the resources, mentorship, and encouragement to thrive.
As an institution founded on the tenets of osteopathic medicine, we understand the importance of treating the whole person. This philosophy extends beyond healthcare to the way we support our students. ATSU is a place where dreams are realized, second chances are embraced, and lifelong connections are formed.
To our alumni, we thank you for being an integral part of the University. Your continued support and involvement inspire our students and demonstrate the value of an ATSU education. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare, one professional at a time.
Yours in service,
Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84 ATSU Chancellor
ATSU Diversity & Inclusion hosted the 2024 Diversify Dentistry Youth Summit on Friday, Oct. 25, in partnership with nonprofit organization Diversity In Dentistry Mentorships Inc. Local middle and high school students from historically underrepresented groups visited ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, where they experienced a day in the life of a dentist and learned about the pathway to dental school.
Throughout the day, students were mentored by practicing dentists and dental students, participating in hands-on lessons about filling cavities and engaging in interactive discussions on dental anatomy and oral health. At lunch, students participated in a Q&A session with current students and dentists and, at the end of the day, were honored in their own white coat ceremony.
“Open your minds to all of the opportunity and excitement that’s in front of you,” said Clinton Normore, MBA, chief diversity officer, ATSU. “The beauty of the work that these folks do all the time is not just to prepare you for dentistry, it’s to prepare you to get out of high school, to get into college, and to ultimately have success beyond that.”
According to the American Dental Association, around 5% of dentists in the U.S. are Hispanic, fewer than 4% are Black, and less than 1% are Native American. This underrepresentation of minority populations in dentistry leads to inequitable oral healthcare and bias within the industry. Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships is dedicated to strengthening the diversity pipeline from middle school to dental school and diversifying the dental applicant pool with qualified and competitive candidates.
During a special donor recognition ceremony on Friday, Oct. 18, ATSU celebrated the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine surpassing its $1 million fundraising goal, which began in October 2022. The event coincided with the annual Founder’s Day celebration on the Kirksville, Missouri, campus, bringing together dozens of ATSU community members and friends, including the ATSU Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and administration.
ATSU Chief Advancement Officer Robert Behnen, MBA, welcomed and introduced guests, and Chancellor Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84, delivered opening remarks and thanked those in attendance. As Dr. Phelps spoke to the audience, he recalled two years ago when the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine celebrated its accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums. It was at that celebration, alumni and friends were encouraged to support the museum through charitable gifts. Since that time, the museum has received generous contributions from 122 donors.
“Our alumni, our friends, and others have donated over $1 million dollars to help the museum be sustainable,” Dr. Phelps said. “Having sustainability means we can do more for the community, we can bring more people to this area. They can learn about the history of osteopathy, and they come from around the world.”
One of the event highlights included recognition of Lloyd Cleaver, DO, ’76, and his family for their six-figure donation to establish the Cleaver Family Endowment for the museum. In honor of the family’s generosity, the museum’s main gallery foyer was officially named the Cleaver Family Foyer.
“Funding this endowment is a decision we made out of gratitude for the medical career I have been privileged to pursue and the osteopathic education I received at ATSU-KCOM, the founding school of osteopathic medicine and home to the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine,” said Dr. Cleaver, who was joined by his family at the ceremony. “It is a privilege I share with my sons, David Cleaver, DO, ’06; Jonathan Cleaver, DO, ’08; and Nathan Cleaver, DO, ’10, who also chose to pursue this noble profession and attain their osteopathic medical education at ATSU.”
Additionally, Dr. Lloyd Cleaver was thanked for sharing his story of charitable giving through a museum fundraising appeal. That appeal sparked a wave of generosity from additional donors and raised more than $36,000 for the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine.
Following the Cleaver family’s recognition, Chris Paynter, DO, president of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS) Board of Trustees, announced a $100,000 gift commitment from the organization, which will establish the MAOPS Gallery Hall. The establishment of the hall will expand the museum’s exhibition space leading from Heritage Hall to the newly created Synapse Lounge.
In addition to honoring the Cleaver family and MAOPS, John Drabing, DO, ’61, was recognized for contributing the final gift of nearly $50,000 to push the campaign past its $1 million fundraising goal. Dr. Drabing was unable to attend the ceremony, but his support was noticed by all in attendance as the event culminated with a drumroll and balloon drop.
Throughout the course of the campaign, charitable donations have comprised gifts of all sizes. Some of those gifts included Elsie Gaber, PhD, and Rob Gaber, DHL (hon.), ’12, naming Elsie’s Medicinal Garden, which was recognized as part of the accreditation celebration at Founder’s Day 2022. More recently, Sydney P. Ross, DO, ’59, designated funds to establish the Fred and Julia Ross, RN, Endowment for the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine and to name one of the window exhibit spaces in Heritage Hall. The endowment and naming of the window exhibit space are in memory of his parents.
Following the ceremony, attendees gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Cleaver Family Foyer and a reception in the museum’s main gallery.
All the names mentioned here are listed on the Wall of Honor at the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine. Spaces on the wall are still available to commemorate those who have represented and supported osteopathic medicine. To recognize a person or organization special to you, please contact Brad Chambers, director of development, at bradchambers@atsu.edu or 660.626.2180, or visit giving.atsu.edu/honor-wall to donate online.
Above (left to right): Dr. Craig Phelps; Dr. Chris Paynter; Jason Haxton, MA, museum director; and Isaac Navarro, DMD, MPH, ‘08, chair, ATSU Board of Trustees, celebrate MAOPS’ $100,000 gift commitment to establish the MAOPS Gallery Hall.
The annual Founder’s Day events transform ATSU’s campuses into celebrations of community, tradition, and the unwavering spirit of students, alumni, faculty, and staff. This year, the home of osteopathic medicine honored the legacy of its founder, A.T. Still, DO, while showing appreciation for the University community carrying the legacy forward. The multiweek event was filled with connection, camaraderie, and even some friendly competition. As alumni reunited with classmates and students joined in time-honored activities, Founder’s Day proved once again why it’s a cornerstone of the University’s culture.
To kick off the celebration on Thursday, Oct. 17, Margaret Wilson, DO, ’82, dean of ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM), welcomed guests to the annual Fred C. Tinning, PhD, DOEd (hon.), ’14, Founder’s Day Osteopathy Lecture, delivered by Richard W. Koss, DO, C-SPOMM, ACOFP, ’82. Dr. Wilson thanked all in attendance who came from around the world to join in the festivities.
“Osteopathic medicine is growing by leaps and bounds, and there’s a reason for that,” Dr. Wilson said. “It’s because of the quality and the success of our grads and many others that have served the needs of patients across our country and across the world.”
Dr. Wilson also paused for a moment of silence in remembrance of Flight 5966. 2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the crash that claimed the lives of 13 people traveling to Kirksville, Missouri, six of whom were part of ATSU-KCOM’s regional clinical teams. The two crash survivors were John Krogh, PhD, and Wendy Bonham, who were part of ATSU-KCOM’s Utah team.
“Today, we want to remember those who lost their lives and those who survived and have lived with the tragedy,” Dr. Wilson said. “As we remember them, just remember what they were coming here to celebrate: compassion and humanism in medicine, and let’s carry that on into the future.”
Compassion and humanism are inherent qualities of ATSU students and graduates, and these qualities were on full display throughout the Founder’s Day celebration. From the Tinning lecture and alumni reunions to Still-A-Bration and the women’s flag football games, the ATSU community rekindled old friendships, made new memories, and showed their support for the University’s enduring mission.
Women’s flag football games Arizona campus (main photo): Throughout the week, teams on the Mesa, Arizona, campus competed for the flag football title. The championship game was held between Occupational Therapy/Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology (OT/SLP/AUD) and Physician Assistant Studies (PA). In a dramatic finish, OT/SLP/AUD made a pick six in overtime to win the game with a final score of 12-6. The OT/SLP/AUD team also won the spirit stick for the second consecutive year.
Missouri campus (above): First- and second-year students from ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health battled for the title and bragging rights during the annual flag football game held on the field behind the Thompson Campus Center. The second-year students triumphed over the first-year students, 28-6.
Reunion Banquet and Alumni Recognition Ceremony Gold Medallion members from the class of 1974 celebrated their 50th anniversary. Members in attendance were (front row, left to right) Jean Bitza, spouse of the late Ronald J. Bitza, DO; Hugh Schuetz, DO; James Thomson, DO; Raymond Easley, DO; (back row, left to right) John Sparks, DO; James Suchsland, DO; Jack Roseberry, DO; David Hull, DO; and James Keith, DO.
ATSU-College of Graduate Health Studies (ATSU-CGHS) luncheon A special luncheon was held for alumni, faculty, staff, and students on the Missouri campus to celebrate all ATSU-CGHS graduates and honor the Missouri Public Health Workforce grant recipients.
Founder’s Day 5k run/1.25-mile walk With runners from multiple campuses, Arselia Gales, content editor, communication & marketing, Arizona campus, took first place in the women’s 30-39 age division.
Still-A-Bration Following the women’s flag football game, the University joined for fun, food, and activities at the Thompson Campus Center. The evening included food trucks and catered dinner, live music, and a bonfire with s’mores.
Exploring and implementing innovative teaching methods for the gross anatomy course at ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) is always top of mind for Sara Funk, DPT, assistant professor, anatomy. As an educator, Dr. Funk strives to provide students with unique opportunities to expand their knowledge and transform their learning experience.
For Dr. Funk, it’s not just about dissecting a human cadaver and learning how the body’s components work together to maintain life. It’s also about comprehending what one cannot see with the naked eye, and having takeaways from the experience – learning how to work collaboratively with lab partners, sharpening one’s observational skills, and developing a strong sense of empathy and respect for others, especially future patients.
As the course progressed, Dr. Funk began to take notice of small drawings that students would create on practical exams to help them remember information. Some were simple sketches and some were complex, but all revealed these students are high-achieving and multidimensional, showing their enjoyment for an alternative method of self-expression beyond traditional science and medicine.
The revelation prompted Dr. Funk to develop an optional assignment for students to complete, one with no format or restrictions. Her only guidance was for the resulting work to be a personal reflection of the student’s experience in the dissection lab. To her surprise, almost 100 students completed the optional assignment, submitting a diverse array of highly creative projects.
“I think it was very cathartic for many of them,” says Dr. Funk, whose students submitted written essays, poems, children’s books, watercolor paintings, sketches, pencil and ink drawings, puzzles, crochet projects, and more. “I plan to include this optional assignment as a regular part of ATSU-KCOM’s gross anatomy course.”
To recognize the first-year students’ exceptional talent and share the deeper meaning of their dissection experience, Patricia Sexton, DHEd, MS, FNAOME, ’08, associate dean of medical education, professor of family medicine, collaborated with Dr. Funk to host an anatomy art exhibition in August where their projects were on display for fellow students, faculty, and staff to enjoy. A second exhibit was assembled for ATSU-KCOM’s Gift of Body Ceremony, an annual event held in October to honor those who gifted their bodies to the University, along with their families.
“The families do not always get the perspective of what this means to the students,” Dr. Funk says. “The Gift of Body Ceremony and exhibit are really nice ways to honor that experience.”
Mixed media on canvas Mutiara Schlanker, OMS IIMixed media AnonymousMixed media on canvas Matthew Berrios, OMS IISculpture Hadyn DeLeeuw, OMS IIWatercolor painting Elana Mann, OMS II3D string and nails on wood Emalie Petersen, OMS IIMixed media Hannah Billig, OMS IIPaintings on mini canvas Christeena JoJo, OMS II Sketch Sunny Patel, OMS IIJohn Sylvara, OMS II
Journal Entry (5-2-24) To our Donor, Thank you for having the courage to show your most vulnerable side and take the leap of faith to help the patients who are coming into the ED or operating room to have their lives in our hands. You will save many through your education that you have provided us. We are forever grateful! – Zak Sabetta, OMS II
A Silent Orchestra by Haya Ahmed, OMS II
A human form lies still, serene. Upon the table, a wonder unseen.
At the sight of this shell once filled with breath, I am reminded of the fragility of life and death.
Beneath the skin, a story unfolds. Stories of the donor’s existence are told.
Each incision reveals a tale. Was the cause of death cancer, suicide, or simply growing frail?
Muscles and tendons are woven into a symphony. One wrong cut, and the mystery remains incomplete.
A donor’s gift is a silent plea, For us to unravel their journey delicately.
Memories linger in each vein, Echoes of laughter, drops of pain.
Nerves that hum, a heart that softly strums, Both ringing as reminders of a life gone numb.
Whispers of dreams lost in a haze, Left behind in an intricate maze.
A life that once felt joy and sorrow Is now a silent orchestra for the physicians of tomorrow.
Silent Teachers by Rose Kalu Igwe, OMS I
Life, a sacred gift we dissect with care, Anatomy’s canvas, our journey to bear, Seen through the eyes of eager med students’ plight, And pondered by those who donate in the night.
Life, a spectrum of joy and pain we explore, In the silent cadaver, our lessons implore, Accidents, sickness, and nature’s decree, In every incision, a story we see.
Death, the silent teacher, in repose, Cold and still, where knowledge flows, It sweeps us into the depths of the unknown, Yet grants us wisdom, though we may groan.
Muscles, bones, neurovasculartures, and facias from a cadaver All these we understand better, Through the silent teachings of the dissected form, In each incision, knowledge begins to swarm.
In the quiet halls where anatomy reigns, In the echo of scalpels and the scent of remains, We stand in reverence for the life they led, For the wisdom they offer in the silent bed.
Their last breaths our hearts do mourn, In memories cherished forever adorned Though they’ve left us, their spirit shall stay Guidling us through each passing day.
Ken by Jenna Arciero, OMS II
I am not used to holding a hand whose life is far away How intimately I know him without his name Tattoos Scars How he transitioned from this world
A gift of body From him to me Am I worthy of this?
We gave him a name Because from him, we now know
I glimpsed inside Held in my hands what a book could never show Seen the beauty of our form How everything works together Until it does not
We were upset when we couldn’t make you look perfect As perfect as we imagined you to be We spent more time with you than our loved ones Though we act as a family Laughing, chatting, listening to music with you
My patients won’t know what I have experienced They won’t understand the immensity of the gift wrapped in blue For the first day we met you still lingers in my mind But it does not haunt
I now look at my patients and truly see them They are also gifts to be honored People I can possibly help But for him, I cannot He has given more than I can ever return
Thank you for being patient with us Thank you for teaching us You have never known me But I will never forget you Ken
They were finished, until they weren’t. The U.S. Olympic Women’s Rugby Sevens were down to the final seconds of their bronze medal game against Australia, trailing 12-7. Alex Sedrick received the ball near her own goal line, wrestled herself free from one defender, and was immediately wrapped up by another.
It was over, and then it wasn’t. Sedrick overpowered the Australian, and suddenly there was nothing in front of her but the green grass of Stade de France. A crowd of 69,000 roared louder as Sedrick raced the length of the pitch before diving across the try line with no time on the clock. Her conversion to follow made the final score 13-12.
Improbable. Incredible. Unforgettable.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games are known for such moments. For a few weeks every few years, the greatest athletes in the world descend upon host nations, chasing medals and creating memories for themselves, their countries, and those watching in the stands and in homes across the globe.
The 2024 Summer Games in Paris were memorable, too, for ATSU-Arizona School of Health Sciences’ (ATSU-ASHS) Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) program, which saw four alumni providing support to athletes pursuing the pinnacle of their sports. Quinton Sawyer, DAT, ATC, ’17, was an athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team; Nicole Titmas, DAT, ATC, ’20, was an athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Women’s Rugby Sevens Team; Joshua Honrado, DAT, MS, ’20, was an athletic trainer with the U.S. Paralympic Badminton Team; and Courtney Watson, DAT, MS, ’20, was an athletic trainer with the U.S. Women’s 3×3 Basketball Team.
The medal count? Four. One gold, one silver, and two bronze, including the first medals in U.S. history for Women’s Olympic Rugby and Olympic or Paralympic Badminton – quite a haul for athletes supported by those educated at ATSU-ASHS.
“A medal is really, really important at the Olympics,” Dr. Titmas says. “To see them accomplish that was just so awesome.”
Dr. Nicole Titmas poses with Team USA player and captain Lauren Doyle after winning bronze at the Paris Olympics.
Nicole Titmas, DAT, ATC, ’20 Athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Women’s Rugby Sevens Team
Dr. Titmas is manager of medical services for USA Rugby Sevens and head athletic trainer of the women’s team. She’d played sports throughout her life but didn’t know much about rugby until beginning her undergraduate studies at University of Rhode Island. Seeking competition and structure, she joined the team.
Academically, she was interested in a sports or training-related field, but her path toward becoming an athletic trainer didn’t form until she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during her sophomore year.
“Back then, the ACL injury was the dreaded injury and long rehab,” Dr. Titmas says. “Luckily, I had really good physical therapists and athletic trainers who I worked with. For me, that was the turning point. It was really cool to have those medical providers there for you when you’re going through this dark stage, when something you’ve been doing, your sport, is taken away through injury. You have these professionals who say, ‘Hold on, it’s OK, we do this all of the time.’ They help keep you on track, help you gain strength, and get back into your sport.”
Dr. Titmas worked with the men’s basketball team during her senior year, followed by an internship, and then the athletic training master’s program at Plymouth State University. A professor there, Patty Lacey, served as a mentor to Dr. Titmas and had a rugby connection.
“She had worked for USA Rugby and there were a few camps she wasn’t able to cover. She said, ‘Hey, do you want to get your foot in the door?’ And I started to work my way up by covering the national pathways events,” says Dr. Titmas, who has been in a full-time role with the program since 2012. Paris marked her third Olympic Games with the team.
Dr. Joshua Honrado poses with the Paralympics Games emblem
Joshua Honrado, DAT, MS, ’20 Athletic trainer with the U.S. Paralympic Team
Dr. Honrado wasn’t much into playing sports, as he grew up with childhood asthma. Instead, he sang in the choir and played the alto saxophone. He attended UCLA and had an interest in physical therapy before discovering the Sports Medicine Internship Program.
“That was my first introduction to the athletic training profession, and I loved it,” he says. “I knew this is what I wanted to do, except with performing artists, because I’d recognized it was a needed service for that population.”
He crossed the country to attend the athletic training master’s program at Seton Hall University, choosing it because of its proximity to Broadway. Dr. Honrado found a clinical affiliation with Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Langone Health, did a rotation there, and was offered a position when he graduated. He’s been with the center for the last nine years.
His Olympic connection stems from his childhood, growing up glued to the TV, alongside his family. In 1996, when an injured Kerri Strug landed a gold-medal-clinching vault for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team, his personal goal was set.
“You could just see the athleticism, but also the pain, and her pushing through the pain, the crowd going wild, her coach lifting her up,” Dr. Honrado says. “I wanted to be a part of that.”
While a student at Seton Hall, Dr. Honrado presented a poster at the 2013 National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) conference, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) had a booth in the exhibit hall. He inquired about volunteering and was told he needed at least three years of experience.
Nine years later, he was again presenting a poster at the conference and came across the USOPC table. He took it as a sign and volunteered for a two-week rotation at the USOPC’s Colorado Springs Training Center in 2023. He was added to the pool of medical providers and later received a volunteer position for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
Dr. Quinton Sawyer poses with a gold medal after Team USA defeated France in the men’s basketball final.
Quinton Sawyer, DAT, ATC, ’17 Athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team
Dr. Sawyer was a pre-med major at University of North Carolina (UNC) before he was introduced to the athletic training profession. It was exactly the future he was looking for.
“It more closely aligned to what my professional interests were turning into, which was a former high school athlete who was very interested in sports in general,” he says. “Athletic training, more than medicine, allowed me an opportunity to be directly involved with sports teams on a day-to-day basis and continue to be a part of competitive sports as my profession.”
He completed his master’s degree at UNC in 2006 and quickly found himself in the world of top competition in college and professional sports, with the UNC men’s basketball, swimming, and diving teams, Phoenix Suns, Michigan State men’s basketball team, and more. In 2018, he became associate head athletic trainer with the Charlotte Hornets and is currently the team’s head athletic trainer.
Dr. Sawyer completed a two-week volunteer rotation at the USOPC’s Lake Placid Training Center and was later contacted by the U.S. Men’s National Basketball Team.
“I got a phone call saying, ‘Hey, would you be interested in being a part of what we’re doing?’ Absolutely I was interested,” he says.
Dr. Sawyer served with the U.S. Select Team in preparation for the 2021 Olympics and with the Men’s National Team at the 2023 World Cup before being asked to work as an athletic trainer with the 2024 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team.
“It’s an honor and a privilege. It’s been an extremely humbling experience to be supporting, arguably, the greatest athletes in the world, especially in the sport of basketball,” he says. “I’m of the age that I grew up watching the Dream Team. To have the opportunity to work with USA Basketball, to help represent our country on the international stage, is something I didn’t even know to dream about as a little kid.”
Dr. Courtney Watson poses with the U.S. Olympic Team logo.
Courtney Watson, DAT, MS, ’20 Athletic trainer with the U.S. Women’s and Men’s 3×3 Basketball Teams
Dr. Watson is presently director of player health & performance and head athletic trainer with the Portland Trail Blazers, after serving last season as head athletic trainer. A graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and PennWest California, she’s worked as a sports medicine consultant and founded Court’s Corner LA Sports Medicine in 2001. She’s also been head athletic trainer with the WNBA’s Houston Comets and Los Angeles Sparks for 16 years and was the first female athletic trainer in boxing, working as medical director and athletic trainer for champion Floyd Mayweather.
Her interest in the field began in high school, when Dr. Watson was a multisport athlete. A friend suffered an injury, and she helped take them to training appointments as they recovered.
“The West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation/Team to Win in Los Angeles provided athletic trainer opportunities in high school for economically deprived student athletes,” she says. “Through mentorship and hands-on practice taking care of all the athletes, I was excited to discover what would become one of my rewarding passions. I never turned back.”
When the USOPC began forming a 3×3 basketball program for future competition, a representative reached out to Dr. Watson, who had established herself with more than a decade of experience as an athletic trainer in the WNBA. She began working with the men’s and women’s 3×3 teams in the lead up to the 2021 Tokyo Games, served as head athletic trainer with the U.S. Women’s Basketball National Team at the 2022 FIBA World Cup, and served as an athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Women’s and Men’s 3×3 Basketball teams at the Paris Olympics.
It has been the fulfillment of a childhood dream. Dr. Watson’s late grandmother, Laverne Govan, was a teacher, and her lessons didn’t stop when she left the classroom.
“She saw how much I loved sports, and she would teach me what the Olympics were all about,” Dr. Watson says. “We used to watch it together.” Being part of the Olympics became a goal, and Dr. Watson leaped at the chance when an invitation came to become a part of the sports medicine team.
Dr. Watson credits her grandmother, too, for her decision to pursue a DAT degree. She had always pushed Dr. Watson to achieve the highest levels of education possible, and when a colleague in ATSU-ASHS’ DAT program told her about the opportunity, she sought to complete another life goal.
“It was 2016. I had just won the championship with the LA Sparks, as well as the Mayweather-(Manny) Pacquiao fight (billed as “The Fight of the Century”) that year. I felt it was the perfect time to advance my education and explore my professional dreams. Ultimately, obtaining my doctorate degree was such a rewarding moment in my life that I will never take for granted,” she says.
ATSU’s DAT program advances the athletic training profession
Experiences like the Winter Institute, where the DAT program’s online students gather in Arizona for a week of in-person learning and discussion, helped Dr. Watson establish relationships with others in the field who were striving to be at the top of their profession.
“There’s not a lot of us,” Dr. Watson says of those who have completed a DAT program, “but being able to be a part of that percentage of those who wanted to excel, it’s fun.”
Drs. Titmas, Honrado, and Sawyer were also already in the midst of successful careers when they decided to further their education and pursue a DAT degree. Dr. Titmas had just returned from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when she began thinking about advancing her clinical education skills.
“ATSU really stood out to me. The program, the school itself, world renowned for their medical programs,” Dr. Titmas says. “I liked how the program was set up. They encourage you to be working while you’re doing the program, and I thought that was really beneficial. I was learning, and I was able to implement new skills. It made us have deeper discussions with my colleagues.”
Dr. Sawyer saw the DAT degree as both a way to enhance his skills and a chance to be one of the first in his field to take this step.
“The opportunity to be on the forefront of this emerging degree pathway for our profession was exciting,” Dr. Sawyer says. “I wanted to ensure that anything I spent time and money on as an adult, who already had an established professional career, was going to bring value to me as a student, make me a better athletic trainer and leader. I found the program at ATSU checked all of those boxes at a very high level.
“I grew an enormous amount, and it allowed me to be exposed to thinking through a lot of the issues of our profession at a much deeper level, and have higher-level conversations about the issues and challenges of our profession with people who could help shape my thinking on some of those topics.”
For Dr. Honrado, the same thing that led him to a life-changing encounter at a NATA conference led him to seek out ATSU-ASHS’ DAT program – research.
“I knew my master’s in athletic training would only get me so far within the research realm, and I knew I still wanted to continue practicing clinically, so as opposed to the PhD, I chose the doctor of athletic training route,” he says. “I knew I would be working with elite athletes and medical professionals, and initially, I did have thoughts of imposter syndrome. But completing the DAT at ATSU provided me the confidence to know I had the clinical knowledge to successfully navigate any situation.”
The Olympic motto is “Citius, Altius, Fortius,” Latin words that translate to “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” ATSU’s Doctor of Athletic Training program isn’t responsible for the success of graduates like Drs. Titmas, Honrado, Sawyer, or Watson, but there’s no mistaking the common traits of those who seek out, enroll in, and complete the program.
It’s for a different level of athletic trainer. It’s for those who aren’t satisfied. It’s for those who want to push themselves, the athletes they support, and the profession itself to be faster, higher, and stronger.
“We’re all wanting to be the best. We’re champions within ourselves,” Dr. Watson says. “The athletes look at us as an extension of themselves, so, ultimately, we’re the best in the world in what we do, as well.”
Herb Kuhn knows a thing or two about the healthcare industry.
The current ATSU Board of Trustees member and former CEO of the Missouri Hospital Association has dedicated his entire career to healthcare, focusing on public policy and operations. Appointed by former U.S. President George W. Bush, Kuhn has held four different leadership roles with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, ultimately serving as acting administrator. Additionally, he served as corporate vice president for Premier and vice president for government relations at the American Hospital Association, and he worked on Capitol Hill for six years.
After spending 30 years in Washington, D.C., working in various government and private sector capacities, the Midwest native moved to Missouri, where he led the Missouri Hospital Association for 12 years before retiring.
When Kuhn moved to Missouri, he served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellowship Board. It was there he met former ATSU board member, Clyde H. Evans, PhD. When Dr. Evans learned of Kuhn’s extensive background in Medicare and his service with MedPAC, he recognized Kuhn as an ideal fit for ATSU’s board.
“One thing led to another, and now I’ve finished my sixth year on the board,” Kuhn says.
Kuhn recently concluded a two-year term as board chair, a position he found extremely fulfilling. In his six year tenure, he witnessed significant growth, including the opening of the Santa Maria, California, campus and the graduation of its first class last year. He also applauds the University’s new organizational structure and views it as a way to keep the ATSU more efficient and organized.
“What I’ve found is that my professional work, which had a strong focus on improving the wellbeing of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, is quite similar to my work on the board when considering issues related to the University and the wellbeing and success of students,” he says.
In his retirement, Kuhn has embraced travel, golfing, and community volunteering.
As Kuhn enters his final three-year term, he is optimistic about the University’s future, particularly its expanding partnerships with other community partners.
“I think in the future it’s those new partnerships that are going to continue to propel ATSU forward,” he says, “and that’s what I’m most excited about.”
“In addition to an abundance of knowledge and experience in policy making, healthcare, and business, Mr. Kuhn brings extensive leadership experience to our board,” says ATSU Chancellor Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84. “ATSU is fortunate to have him, and he is a pleasure to work with.”
