MESSAGE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES
I am not sure how everyone else feels, but the pandemic has distorted my concept of time. It is hard to believe that the spring semester is ending and we are heading into summer. It is even harder to grasp that we have not been in person as a group in over two years! Although the pandemic is still with us, we are finally starting to somewhat move into life as we knew it. Over the past two years, everyone has put in additional time and effort to adapt to a “new normal” and keep Health Sciences moving forward through what was a challenging time for everyone around the world. Despite the challenges, we should all be proud of what we have been through and celebrate our accomplishments. Thankfully this May, after two years of virtual events, we will once again have the Health Sciences Graduation Celebration in person. What a proud moment it will be to see our students walk across the stage to receive the diplomas they have worked so hard for and to move into or be promoted within the health professions! The graduation will also be one of reflection since our Health Sciences leader, Reamer Bushardt, will be leaving the helm this summer. Change and the challenges resulting from the pandemic can cause uncertainty, however, it is important to highlight one of the positive effects that the pandemic has shown, which is that Health Sciences is comprised of a group of individuals that are strong, passionate in what we do, and resilient. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that we will continue to do what we do best, which is to embrace change, tackle challenges head-on, and use our innovation to move health sciences into the future - hopefully one that does not involve a pandemic.
To emphasize the importance of all health science professions which includes medical laboratory scientists, I would like to mention that April 24 -30 is Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. Please consider giving a nod to your laboratory science colleagues who remain behind the scenes while playing a vital role in health care and patient advocacy.
--Marcia Firmani, chair, Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences
PEOPLE
ANTHROPOLOGICAL PURSUIT. Kiara Caldwell wants to know what makes people tick. Caldwell is still learning her role as the admissions and enrollment management officer in the Department of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences (HHF&RS), but this fall she’ll start a master’s program in anthropology at the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. “I want to understand humans better, where we come from,” Caldwell said. “I think it will improve my marketing knowledge and apply to my work in occupational health.” She joined HS in February and is working with the new Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. The hybrid program will enroll its first cohort of 32 students this fall, and Caldwell loves being in on the ground level. “I have to educate myself so I can educate others,” she said. “Being in communication with the students has been heart-warming – to know that you’re part of their path.” The program will live on the Terrace level of the Watergate (the former home of the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership). Caldwell is helping design and brand the renovated space. “I’m trying to take it by storm,” she said with a laugh. “It’s really exciting. I’m hoping the vision will come to fruition and it will be amazing. We want it to be an inspiring space.” She visited local museums to get ideas for wall applications and ways to display historical OT items. “I feel like GW embodies inclusivity and growth,” she said. “This department’s commitment to help people and excellence really drew me. I wasn’t looking for a job, but I was compelled to apply.” Before joining GW, Caldwell worked in marketing with health care companies in Scottsdale, Arizona, but the native of Chandler, Arizona, was ready to move on. “I always wanted to live on the East Coast and experience more culture,” she said. “I visited once and thought that it was more relaxed than New York City, so Washington, D.C., was it. Shout out to my mother for motivating me to move!” She now lives in the Glover Park neighborhood of D.C. “It’s definitely a world of difference from Arizona.” Outside of work, she enjoys hiking in Rock Creek Park – “I’m transitioning from the desert in Arizona to the woods of D.C.” – working out, yoga, listening to audio books, and working on mindfulness and spirituality. She has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University.
A LIFE IN ACADEMIA. Madi Higareda isn’t shy about taking risks. Higareda, a new administrative assistant in the Department of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences (HHF&RS), struck out on her own to live and work in South Korea for two years before joining GW. “I learned how to navigate, and I had to learn how to be okay alone,” Higareda said. “It made me realize what I wanted out of life.” And what she wants out of life is to work in academia, eventually teaching English, and to become a novelist. “In the last few years I became really interested in working for a university,” she said. She’s enjoying using her organizational, event planning, and administrative skills in her HHF&RS role. “I’m really good at multi-tasking,” she said. “Everyone I work with is very pleasant. I can take on more if I want, but no one wants to overwhelm me. I think I’m most excited when I get to work with the students.” She’s become so comfortable since joining the university in January that she’s decided to become a student herself. She’s taking a “Creative Non-Fiction” course at Columbian College of Arts and Sciences this summer and will apply to the master’s program in English next year. “I’d like to continue my education and become an English professor one day. It would be so rewarding to work with adults in higher ed,” she said. Until then, she’s pursuing her writing craft. “I love writing and I hope to be a novelist,” she said. Her favorite genre is young adult fiction, and she’s currently writing about her experience in South Korea. “It was an impactful time in my life,” she said, noting that she lived alone and had to adapt to a new culture and language. “It was the first time I’d ever been away from home and I chose to go all the way to Asia.” Higareda spent her two years in South Korea teaching kindergarten students in Seoul and elementary students in Chungcheongnam-do, which is in the countryside. Higareda currently lives in Derwood, Maryland, with her parents, but she’s ready to strike out on her own and get an apartment in Northern Virginia. Besides writing in her spare time, she enjoys martial arts, reading, and traveling. She’s looking forward to visiting Ireland in May: “After being in Asia, nowhere is scary for me.” Higareda has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.
STARTING A CAREER. Being an admissions officer in the Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (BLS) is Yilnette Morales Núñez’s first professional job. And so far, so good. “I like how supportive the office is and how helpful everyone is in teaching me about BLS and SMHS,” Morales Núñez said. She also has received reassurance from a close SMHS colleague: her sister, Naiyill Morales Núñez, a program associate in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine. Morales Núñez started her path to a career in academia when she was a student at Georgia Southern University in Savannah, Georgia. A staff member who became her mentor helped her see the career potential. “By my second year as an undergrad, I knew I was going to pursue a career in higher education,” she said. “Admissions has always been a passion of mine. I was able to work closely with admissions as a student orientation leader. I enjoyed connecting with students, orienting them to college life; it was very rewarding.” Before joining HS in February, Morales Núñez spent a year as a Graduate Fellow in the GW Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities. At BLS, she is working with prospective students. “I like helping students get from the point of being interested to pursuing higher education with one of our programs and then helping them determine which program is best for them,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to branching out into marketing activities for our programs and attending more events.” Morales Núñez is from Puerto Rico, but she grew up across the U.S. due to her dad’s Army assignments. “I was entirely raised in the military; we moved every two to three years,” she said. “I say I’m from southeast Georgia,” noting that she finished high school in Ludowici, Georgia. Now, she lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her sister and brother-in-law. “We were always close, so it’s great having her around. I want to settle down in this role for now and then get my own apartment.” Outside of work, Morales Núñez likes to sew and craft. “I’ve been getting into knitting lately … I like anything that’s kind of crafty.” She enjoys going thrifting – buying an item of clothing and changing it up through her sewing skills. “I really enjoy travelling, too.” Morales Núñez has a master’s degree in higher education administration from the GSEHD.
P-CART FELLOWS.Three postdoctoral Primary Care Research Training Program (P-CART) fellows have been named: Luke Lindemann, Senait Tekle of the Biomedical Informatics Center (BIC) in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL), and Ava Williams. The P-CART program at SMHS is a federally funded Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (T32 grant) administered by the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration. The program is led by PI and program director Reamer Bushardt of HS Administration, associate director Trudy Mallinson of CRL, and program manager Sheel Singh of HS Administration. The program’s goal is to develop researchers who are prepared to generate, test, and disseminate primary care-oriented interventions that aim to improve health and health equity. Lindemann is currently a member of the Advanced Metrics Laboratory, where he studies communication and decision-making in complex health care encounters. His research interest is in characterizing patterns of speech variation in order to understand the causes of miscommunication in health care encounters. Tekle is a research program associate in BIC whose research interests primarily address wellness, health promotion, and disease prevention. Tekle’s P-CART project focuses on improving the outcomes of TBI in veterans and identifying the barriers and facilitators in using complementary and integrative health treatments. Williams earned an MSN and DNP from GW and has 10 years of clinical nursing experience. Her career goal is to improve access to care and shared decision-making among individuals and families within underserved and vulnerable communities.
PROGRAMS
MED LAB PROCLAMATION. Kudos to Cliff Cymrot of BLS for contacting government leaders in the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, and getting a proclamation issued to support Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, which is observed nationally April 24-30. At a Leesburg Town Hall meeting on April 12, Cymrot talked about the profession and received a copy of the proclamation from Mayor Kelly Burk.
HS GRADUATION! Register now to attend the first HS in-person graduation celebration in two years! Graduation is Saturday, May 14 at 4p in Lisner and will be followed by a reception in the University Student Center. All faculty and staff must register to attend. If you register before May 11, a member of the HS Administration team will print your name badge/Covid credentials and deliver them to you! Questions? Contact Nick Atlas or Teri Capshaw.
EHS FIELD TRIP. Students in the Emergency Health Service Management Program’s Special Operations and Disaster Management course had a special field trip in March, thanks to their faculty member, Andy Garrett of CRL. The students were briefed on the mission of the Secretary’s Operations Center (SOC) of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) from SOC Director Shaun Allen, who also discussed HHS’s role as the lead federal agency for medical and public health emergency response under the National Response Framework.
FEATURE
STUDENT'S WAR EXPERIENCE INSPIRES PAS TO HELP UKRAINIAN REFUGEES
Galina Mirzoyan, a first-year student in the Physician Assistant Program, remembers all too well when Russia invaded her homeland of Georgia in August 2008.
“We heard bombs going off, saw Russian tanks rolling into Tbilisi. It felt surreal; I never thought I’d experience anything like that in my lifetime,” said Mirzoyan.
The Russian-Georgia War was Europe’s first 21st century war. The conflict was over in a matter of days and at its end Georgia remained a democracy, but the invasion displaced 192,000 Georgians. Mirzoyan can’t help but think of that unprovoked attack in relation to what’s happening in Ukraine.
“President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine under the same pretense his predecessor, President Dimitry Medvedev, invaded Georgia back in 2008,” said Mirzoyan of Tbilisi, Georgia. “As I was watching the stories that my friends from Ukraine were sharing on social media, it broke my heart. What has been happening in Ukraine is beyond what I experienced in Georgia. The devastation that the war brought to the Ukrainian people is unfathomable, but I feel hopeful because I see that there is a global response to the crisis in Ukraine, unlike in Georgia in 2008.”
The global response to help Ukrainian refugees now includes GW PA students, faculty, and staff, thanks to Mirzoyan and two of her classmates: Emilie Marcinkowski of Laguna Niguel, California; and Emma Jarczyk of Boston. They are “Living Our Social Mission,” one of the focus areas of the Health Sciences Strategic Plan.
The students’ humanitarian aid started with a fundraiser at Roti Restaurant, where the PA Program’s Tolton Society received 25 percent of the proceeds to support Voices of Children. That project prompted the three students to compile ideas on fundraisers so other student groups can help.
“They created a manual of how to fundraise with partners and are working to distribute it to all of the 254 PA programs in the U.S, so all PA students can be involved,” said Mary Warner, chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. “It is truly an honor to support these three women who are using their voice for positive change. Our entire PA program team is proud of their initiative especially given the time constraints associated with PA school.”
Warner and the students hope to partner with the George Washington University Hospital to collect medical supplies to send to Poland to help Ukrainian refugees. Warner is coordinating the efforts with SMHS leadership.
Once the partnership with GW Hospital is established, the students will invite others in the Health Sciences division to get involved. “We want to set up opportunities for students to help us organize and package supplies,” said Jarczyk. “It sounds cheesy, but this project warms my heart – as three PA students we can help in a massive way. It makes me feel like I’m doing something other than schoolwork. It provides a sense of purpose.”
“DC is very much an action city and we want to utilize that activism to help,” Marcinkowski added, noting that they are also raising money to support World Central Kitchen. “Galina’s experience led us to want to get involved.”
Mirzoyan has never visited Ukraine, but she says Georgia is a melting pot of former Soviet Union countries. “Many of my friends growing up were Ukrainian,” she said. “A few of my friends reached out to me from Ukraine. They fled and are now scattered in Poland and some are in the U.S.”
She is heartened by the support for Ukraine. “It’s been wonderful to watch the help for refugees” Mirzoyan said. “There are a lot of like-minded people here. The ripple effect is mind-boggling to me. I’m very grateful to everyone involved. I didn’t think it would turn out like this.”
APPLAUSE
NUTRIPOLICE. Leigh Frame of CRL presented, “The Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease: Focus on the Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis,” at the first NutriPolice International Conference: Leading Nutrition Care in Hospitalized Patients held in Cairo on March 24. She also presented, “Supporting Well-being & Resiliency with Lifestyle: An Evidence-Based Approach,” at the 10th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference -Community, Connection and Courage: How To Thrive In Challenging Times in March at Johns Hopkins University.
NEW POSITION. Andy Garrett of CRL has a new part-time role as co-director of the medical student Scholarly Concentration in Disaster Medicine at SMHS.
NEURODIVERSITY. Roger Ideishi of HHF&RS gave a keynote lecture, “The Diversity of Neurodiversity,” on April 7 at the Common Senses Festival in Omaha, Nebraska. Ideishi, Sonia Crandall, adjunct faculty member in HHF&RS, and Jen Weaver, adjunct faculty member in CRL, were co-authors of a poster, “Acknowledging Implicit Bias Among Occupational Therapy Practitioners,” presented April 2 at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) National Conference. Kellie Sawyer, a GW alum, was the principal presenter. Ideishi, Weaver, and Sarah Doerrer, an adjunct in HHF&RS, also coauthored “Addressing OT Practitioner Knowledge and Attitudes about Older Adult Sexual Health through Continuing Education,” at the AOTA conference. Robin Chilton, a GW alum, was the principal presenter.
BUSINESS TALK. Mountasser Kadrie of CRL presented, “I have my Health Care MBA, Now What?,” at the GW School of Business Spring Virtual event in March.
THE MATRICX. Gaetano Lotrecchiano of CRL published, “The MATRICx: Measuring Motivation in Science Teams,” on the Integration and Implementation Insights blog on April 5. Lotrecchiano, Paige McDonald of CRL, and Laurie Lyons of HS Administration and GW colleagues, presented, “Putting a Spring in Your Online Teaching,” at the March 30 meeting of the Association of Clinical Translational Science Professional Development Roundtable.
TOP DOC. Kevin O’Connor of HS Administration and physician to President Joe Biden gave the keynote address, “Ramblings of a Retired Guy; Stuff I’ve Learned…” at the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians Annual Assembly in Anaheim, California, on April 1. He also was featured in a special military edition of Physician Outlook Magazine Vol. 10.
NEW PHD. Congratulations go out to Anne Wildermuth of PAS on successfully defending her PhD in biomedicine at Salus University in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, last month. Her dissertation was on “Examining Admissions Interview Processes in PA Education.”
EVENTS.
- April 29, 12 to 6p: Free Chair Massages! Drop by for a free massage from a licensed therapist from Eye Street Massage Therapy. University Student Center, Room 403.
- May 3, 12 to 1:30p: Who defines humanitarianism? Challenging the International Imaginary of Aid. A virtual panel discussion sponsored by the Elliott School. Register
- May 21, 7a: 5k Run for One, Run for All. Sponsored by Family Development & Samaritan Foundation @ Bowie Town Center. All proceeds go toward school fees, school supplies, and scholarships for children in the DMV and Caribbean. Register
