Faculty News
Posted: August 26, 2010
Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Patricia Sexton, D.H.Ed., ’08, associate professor of family medicine, was recognized by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators for her leadership in the creation of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators.
She also received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award on behalf of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. The purpose of the award is to recognize an outstanding faculty member judged to be exemplary in compassion and sensitivity. Nominations and selection were made by the class of 2010 during their fourth year of medical education. Along with the honor comes membership in the Gold Humanism Honor Society. The award was presented at the Senior Banquet on May 14.
Keith Elmslie, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology, is co-principal investigator of a five-year National Institutes of Health Grant entitled “Excitability of afferents evoking the exercise pressor reflex.” This grant was awarded April 1. In addition, he has published several papers since his arrival at ATSU-KCOM in February 2010.
Karen Snider, D.O., is the new chair of the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) department after having served as acting chair since November 2008. Dr. Snider has served as associate professor in the OMM department and as director of the undergraduate OMM fellows program since 2005. Since 2002, she has served as a compliance officer with Gutensohn Osteopathic Medical Associates.
Nandor Uray, Ph.D., acting chair, Anatomy, and Karen Snider, D.O., chair, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, were each awarded the 2009-10 A.T. Still Staff Award.
Each year, one full-time basic science and one full-time clinical faculty member are honored with the award based upon a number of criteria, including innovative teaching efforts and respect of their peers.
Dean Phil Slocum, D.O., ’76, and Museum of Osteopathic Medicine Director Jason Haxton attended and presented at the White Nights conference in St. Petersburg, Russia. Haxton brought memorabilia from the museum, and Dr. Slocum spoke to the Russian osteopaths in Russian.
Melissa K. Stuart, Ph.D., associate professor, microbiology/immunology, has been selected as 2009 Item Writer of the Year for COMLEX-USA Level 1 by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners Inc.
Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) awarded Jae Hyun Park, D.M.D., Ph.D., M.S.D., M.S., director of the Postgraduate Orthodontic program, the 2010 AAO Academy of Academic Leadership Sponsorship Program Award (AALSP).
The AALSP is a professional development program that prepares dental practitioners and educators for successful academic careers and is conducted in collaboration with the American Dental Education Association. Dr. Park is one of only four recipients chosen each year from those nominated by accredited orthodontic programs in the United States and Canada.
Arizona School of Health Sciences
Dean Barbara Maxwell, D.P.T, ’06, is a 2010 Top Woman in Business for 
colleges and universities selected by Arizona Woman Magazine. This is the second year she has received this recognition.
Dr. Maxwell also has been named interim dean of ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences, replacing former Dean Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, who left ATSU-ASHS for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Foundation.
In accepting the post, Dr. Maxwell said, “Randy has really taught me well, and I am very excited about this tremendous opportunity. The university is in a good position to move forward, and I am ready to work with everyone to help shape the future.”
Former 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. Dr. Danielsen, who resigned his position as ASHS dean effective the end of June, has been with the university since 1995. Dr. Romer, who recently led students on a dental outreach to Alaska, will travel 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 has 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.”
John T. Parsons, Ph.D., AT/L, associate professor and director of the Athletic Training program, spoke to the Boston University Athletic Training Program’s annual Approved Clinical Instructor Workshop on disablement models and outcomes assessment in athletic training. The presentation was held May 10 on the campus of Boston University in Boston, Mass.
Former ASHS Dean Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, and Professor Eric Sauers, Ph.D., ATC, published the article “Marathon Medicine, Keeping Our Endurance Athletes Safe,” in the May 2010 issue of Clinician Reviews, along with Lewis G. Maharam, M.D., FACSM.
Rebekah Cunningham made a poster presentation on “Auditory processing and evoked potential test results for a 19 y.o. female newly identified with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder” at the AudiologyNOW! American Academy of Audiology Annual Convention in April.
Aaron Nelson, M.S., ATC-L, PES, CES, Human Movement adjunct faculty member, was named the 2008-09 Joe O’Toole National Basketball Association Athletic Trainer of the Year by the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association.
Tamara Valovich McLeod, Ph.D., ATC, associate professor, Athletic Training, and director of the Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory, presented “An Update on Sport Concussion Management” at the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Conference in Salisbury, N.C., in May.
School of Health Management
Faculty member Merle Cunningham, M.D., M.P.H., has been named the 2010 Geiger Gibson Distinguished Visitor in Community Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.
Michael Samuels, D.Ph., professor and chair of SHM’s M.P.H. program, 
received the National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) 2010 Distinguished Educator of the Year Award at its annual Rural Health Conference on May 20.
Dr. Samuels is professor and chair of ATSU-SHM’s Master’s in Public Health program and emeritus endowed chair and distinguished scholar in rural health policy and research and professor of family and community medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
“Mike is a teacher of teachers who has kept the spirit and substance of rural health alive for succeeding generations to build on in the quest for better health for rural residents,” NRHA CEO Alan Morgan said. “His contribution to rural health will continue for generations to contribute to a healthier rural America.”
Dr. Samuels is also a founding member of NRHA. “I accept this honor on behalf of the generations of students who allowed me into their dreams,” he said. Pictured is Dr. Samuels receiving the award from Denis Barens, president (right), and Alen Morhan (left) of the NRHA.
Larry E. Leaming, DHA, FACHE, assistant professor, co-published “Critical access hospital chief executive office turnover: implications and challenges for governing boards” in Health Care Manager. He also co-presented “Bridging the leadership gap: challenges and best practices for sustainable leadership” at the Colorado Hospital Association’s 33rd Annual Rural Hospital Conference in May.
Additional presentations are scheduled on this research topic in Greeley, Colo., and Omaha, Neb.
William F. Morris, D.O., associate professor, delivered a presentation on preparing students for third- and fourth-year rotations. The presentation, “Connecting the Dots,” focused on training students to make a brief presentation to an osteopathically naive preceptor, and emphasize the benefits of an osteopathic treatment. Students were trained to present the expected somatic dysfunctions, appropriate treatments, and expected physiological changes for a wide variety of somatic and visceral complaints. The presentation was delivered at the spring AACOM conference in Maryland.