Shawneequa Callier of CRL contributed to a workshop in the spring hosted by the National Academies of Sciences. Her recommendations were included in a report, “Exploring the Current Landscape of Consumer Genomics: Proceedings of a Workshop.” She also coauthored an article published in the Nature journal, Nature Partnerships Research: Genomic Medicine, entitled “Evaluating the Promise of Inclusion of African Ancestry Populations in Genomics” with National Institutes of Health colleagues.
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INTERPROFFESIONAL APPROACH
SAMHSA grant.
Reamer Bushardt is a co-director on a two-year, $200,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that will bring together faculty members from SMHS, the GW School of Nursing (SON), and the Milken Institute School of Public Health. The GW team will develop an interprofessional educational approach to help students and health professionals better understand stigma around substance use disorders (SUD). The project also will provide evidence-based guidance for prevention, screening, diagnosis, and management for individuals affected by a SUD. Zeina Saliba, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at SMHS, is leading the project. An interprofessional faculty advisory council, including numerous HS reps, will review and approve the curriculum. Other GW colleagues on the grant include Linda Cotton of IMPACT, Karen McDonnell of the Department of Prevention and Community health at Milken; and Kate Malliarakis, of the Policy, Populations and Systems Community at SON.
CLASS OF 2020
The numbers are in on the Health Sciences 2020 Graduation Celebration: 650 students earned their degrees during our first virtual graduation event. That total includes 323 recipients of undergraduate degrees, 280 recipients of master’s degrees, including 68 physician assistant studies graduates; 42 doctor of physical therapy graduates, four doctor of occupational therapy graduates, and our first graduate of the PhD in Translational Health Sciences Program. A special thanks to the graduation planning committee: Nick Atlas, Teri Capshaw, Patrick Corr, Karen Foote, Amy King, and Monica Oliver. Foote is with IMPACT and the other team members are with HS Administration. Special thanks to the entire IMPACT team, Biomedical Communications, and Anne Banner and Stephen Olowoye of SMHS Communications for assisting with graduation. Celebration videos are available for viewing on the Graduation Website.
Departmental celebrations included:
The Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (BLS) hosted a live online graduation celebration and awards ceremony. Thanks to Nurcan Basar and Emma Levine of BLS and Karen Foote and Laurie Lyons of IMPACT for their work on the event.
CRL created video messages to graduates and shared a roll call recognizing student accomplishments. Thanks to Kelly Carr, Patrick Corr, Leslie Davidson, Karen Foote, and Ernestine Yarborough for planning the celebration. Carr, Davidson, and Yarborough are with CRL while Corr is with HS Administration and Foote is with IMPACT.
HHFR celebrated its DPT and OTD graduations with both live award celebrations and recorded recognitions. Thank you to Ellen Costello, Linda Cotton, Alison Petrie, Mike Steele, Erin Wentzell, and Marsha White for their work. All team members are with HHFR except for Cotton who is with IMPACT.
The Department of Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) celebrated its graduates with a live white coat celebration, a recorded donning of the white coats event, and student profiles. Thank you to Leocadia Conlon, Marie Gardner, Allison Hardy, Rakia Johnson, Haldon Lindstrom, Katie Sanchez, Howard Straker, and Karen Wright, all of PAS, for their efforts.
MOTION IS LOTION
Working from home comes with a variety of challenges, including finding time for self-care. In some cases, being at home for extended durations with less than ideal workstations or with altered daily routines has also been associated with more notable aches and pains. It is easy to scour Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and random blogs for advice where plenty of information exists (some of which is good, some of which is not). One caution with the many social media articles is that the recommendations are not appropriate for everyone, since they do not consider your personal and specific contextual factors. Sometimes the most appropriate advice for the general population is the simplest: movement is our body's best medicine. Movement has a number of physiological and psychological benefits for daily function. Importantly, a number of high-quality studies, systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines have suggested exercise can reduce pain and, in some cases, prevent it. Exercise can come in a number of forms, too. Regular breaks from sitting, short stretching sessions, brief walks or whatever you find enjoyable can help a great deal. There is an old adage: "motion is lotion". Regardless of if you have a standing desk, sit on an exercise ball, or have an expensive ergonomic set up, being in the same position, regardless of what position that is, is not ideal. Just as a car engine needs oil for lubrication, our joints need motion. Getting your joints moving comfortably and frequently throughout the day, and taking breaks from your screen can be essential to feeling better and working better. So, get moving, feel more comfortable and then, get back to work. However, if you are unsure on how to start moving or want some guidance, an individualized consultation with a physical therapist may be worth your time.
--Dhinu Jayaseelan, HHFR
MESSAGE FROM THE HS ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Coping amidst the ongoing disruptions from COVID-19 is a universal challenge for our HS community and frontline clinical teams, and fatigue is setting in for many as we enter week 11 of the pandemic. A glimmer of hope has emerged as the stay-at-home order is lifted and Phase 1 of reopening begins Friday in D.C. All things considered; we are fortunate in Health Sciences to have expertise to help us during this extraordinary time. Welcome to a special edition of Heartbeats focused on personal health and well-being while working from home. In addition to news, this issue features healthful advice and tips for self-care from resident HS experts. Dhinu Jayaseelan of the Department of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences (HHFR) will help keep us moving to prevent work injuries, Leigh Frame of the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership CRL) offers healthy lifestyle advice, and we’ve included a list of free resources for stress relief, courtesy of Janette Rodrigues in the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health. There’s even a fun diversion: a “What do you think?” contest Heartbeats is sponsoring on when we will return to campus. (A prize will be awarded for the closest guess.) We hope you find these resources helpful. It might be cliché, but we are all in this together. We can flip the perspective and see this as an opportunity to reset – start meditating, practice self-care, eat a more plant-based diet. Distinguish necessary physical distancing from social engagement with friends, family, and colleagues. And if you need help, please reach out. #HealthSciencesStrong
*Note: HB will be on vacation in June and July. We'll see you in August!
STRESS RELIEF
The Office of Integrative Medicine & Health has collected some free stress management resources to help you cope during the pandemic. Studies show that relaxation techniques like diaphragmatic breathing help quell the errant fight-or-flight response. Diaphragmatic breathing, or deep belly breathing, has many health benefits. It’s at the center of the practice of meditation, which is known to help manage stress, anxiety, depression, and sleeplessness. Free stress management resources include:
QUALITY FIRST
Mountasser Kadrie of CRL has been selected and invited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to serve on the 2020 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. This is Kadrie’s third time being selected for the honor since 2016. About 120 members nationwide are selected and invited to serve. Last month, Kadrie made a virtual presentation, “Health Digital Transformation: Building Core Competencies for Health Executives,” at the national MGMA20 Operations Conference.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS
Leigh Frame of CRL echoes Jayaseelan’s recommendation to make sure you’re moving your joints. Here are Frame’s five tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the pandemic:
Move throughout the day. Walk (even in place) during meetings when you can—go outside to get vitamin D, too. Take stretch breaks (three you can do every hour and four for when you need to move more). Walking after dinner has been shown to have health benefits like blood sugar control: see GW’s own Loretta DiPietro’s research.
Make time to clear your head. Just three minutes focusing on your breath can lower your blood pressure. Try square breathing—for a count of three to four each: inhale, hold, exhale, hold, repeat. Try lengthening the counts as you practice. Yoga and tai chi are moving meditations you can do anywhere. Try this yoga beginner program, these beginning tai chi moves, or kids mediation.
Eat more plants & whole foods. Focus on fresh or dried herbs and simple food prep. Roasted vegetables = fiber candy! Canned beans = dinner time shortcut! Nutrition Stripped is my favorite source for interesting, healthy recipes. Check out their 20 Easy Pantry Meal Ideas (Hint: canned beans included).
Get seven to nine hours of restorative sleep. Prepare by disconnecting (one to two hours, or even 30 minutes, before bed), avoiding alcohol (three to four hours before), unloading your mind, etc. A winddown routine can be hugely beneficial: a great time to journal or do your meditation be it square breathing, yoga, tai chi, or through Headspace, which is now available free to all GW employees!
Positive social connection. Talk to people as much as possible. Challenge them to a plank-off to strengthen your core while you’re at it…then laugh when you’re finished. Smile!
For health care providers feeling high stress, Zoom into the free COVID Calm Clinic—no booking needed, stay as long as you like (even five minutes).
Message from the Senior Associate Dean
In this special edition of Heartbeats, we highlight experiences shared by the HS community related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These stories remind us that we are all in this together (no reference to Disney's "High School Musical" intended although my girls have made me watch all three movies during quarantine.) My sincerest hope is that you and your families are safe and well, and successfully navigating this extraordinary time in our lives. I want to call out the courage and generosity of my HS colleagues, including those working diligently on the clinical front lines, others innovating virtual learning environments, and those finding flexible paths to continue their research. The creativity and sheer volume of work being realized are inspiring; however, let me recognize many members of our teams who continue to work hard despite physical and emotional exhaustion. From a personal perspective, the vitality of a university campus has always energized me and filled my creative spirit. It can be difficult to replicate that energy while working remotely full time. Each of us is experiencing our own personal and professional challenges, yet it is helpful to recognize that we do not have to face these challenges alone. We have an incredible group of faculty, staff, and students in Health Sciences, and I am so encouraged by the leadership, compassion, and flexibility being demonstrated daily during this stressful and uncertain time. Not only are our teams leading locally, but members of our community are supporting regional and national responses and preparedness efforts. Thank you for what each of you is doing to support HS education, research, and service and beyond with broader efforts around public health and safety. There are areas of uncertainty and considerable challenges facing us, but there are also rays of hope and countless heartwarming stories. I enjoy seeing photos of new additions to our families, including babies and pets. My family brought home a new puppy, Penny Lane, in December who has helped bring joy to us during quarantine, and this edition of HB proves that HS is full of many dog lovers!
I would encourage you to read The Daily Digest – GW Clinical Enterprise that serves as a compendium of all messaging for SMHS faculty, students, and staff. Updates are also available at www.COVID19GWUHealth.com For COVID-19 wellness resources, I recommend checking out the GWell Center for Healthcare Professional's COVID-19 Resources. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me. Again, thank you for your hard work, generous spirit, understanding, and resilience.
--Reamer L. Bushardt
Senior Associate Dean for Health Sciences
Finding a Niche
Helen Jenkins is getting her groove back. “I’m grateful for this position. I’m trying to get back into the research and alternative medicine field,” Jenkins said of joining HS in February as a contract clinical research coordinator in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL). “I feel comfortable contributing my expertise and training … this is right up my alley.” Jenkins is working with Leigh Frame on a pilot study researching the efficacy of a vitamin D patch. “I’m loving it,” she said of the project. Jenkins has 20 years of experience in clinical research but stepped away from her career to care for her mother with dementia. Her last position was at Therabron Therapeutics in Rockville, Maryland, where as a regulatory affairs/clinical research associate she supported clinical trial development and operations for phase I/II respiratory studies and performed quality control audits of clinical data. Jenkins is a single mom who lives in Crystal City, Virginia, with her twin sister. “We’re mirror twins; there’s opposition. I’m looking at someone who looks the same but is opposite. People ask, ‘are you two twins?,’ I say I think so,” she said with a laugh. In her spare time, Jenkins enjoys walks, working out, and making juices, detox drinks, and healthy teas. “I’m in the kitchen a lot. I love to cook – I experiment a lot.” Jenkins has a bachelor’s degree from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a certificate as a holistic nutritionist from Washington (D.C.) Institute of Natural Medicine. She is also a certified holistic health practitioner.
