No Meet and Greet, Yet

tcapshawApril 29, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

NO MEET AND GREET, YET.

Anthony “Tony” R. Artino, Jr., PhD, has the distinction of joining HS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Artino, a professor in the Department of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences (HHFR), has yet to work from campus and get acclimated. “It is stressful, “ he said of starting a new job remotely. “The hardest part is not meeting people and getting my name and face out there.” Fortunately, his work isn’t on hold. “The bulk of my work, I can do anywhere – writing, researching, and reviewing articles.” Aside from his HHFR appointment, Artino assumes a new role to advance educational research and innovative scholarship across SMHS departments. He joins GW from Uniformed Services University (USU) of the Health Sciences at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, where he was professor and served as deputy director of graduate programs in the health professions education division. A captain in the U.S. Navy’s Medical Service Corps, he will retire from the Navy at the end of April with just over 23 years of service. “I initially planned on serving for four years,” he said with a laugh. “Twenty-three years later, it’s finally time to take off my uniform and join the civilian ranks.” For now, he’s sheltering at home in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with his wife, Teri, and their four kids, who range in age from nine to 17. In his downtime, he enjoys spending time with family and friends. In the winter, he’s all about alpine skiing. Favorite slopes? Snowshoe, West Virginia; Killington, Vermont ; Vail, Colorado; and Park City, Utah.

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Almost tassel time!

jbond516February 26, 2020Leave a comment

Planning for the HS Graduation Celebration is in full swing! The 2020 Graduation Celebration will take place on Saturday, May 16^th at Lisner Auditorium. Faculty and staff should plan to arrive by 2:30 p.m. for the 4 p.m. event. Following the ceremony, we’ll host a reception in the Marvin Center’s Continental Ballroom. Additional details related to HS graduation events will be forthcoming. In addition to the HS celebration, there are department and program events occurring the week of May 11:

Physical Therapy Program Awards Ceremony – Friday, May 15. Reception from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Marvin Center Great Hall; Awards Ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Dorothy Betts Theater. Point of contact: Marsha White (mkw01@gwu.edu)
Physician Assistant Program White Coat Ceremony – Friday, May 15. Ceremony from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Betts Theater; Reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Marvin Center Great Hall. Point of contact: Allison Hardy (allisonhardy@gwu.edu)
Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science (BLS) Awards and Reception – Friday, May 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Marvin Center, Room 309. Point of contact: Emma Levine (emmalevine@gwu.edu)
Department of Clinical Research and Leadership Awards and Reception – Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Location TBD. Point of contact: Ernestine Yarborough (eyarborough@gwu.edu)
GW Commencement Ceremony – Sunday, May 17 at 10 a.m. on the National Mall.

Any comments or questions about the HS Graduation Celebration should be directed to Nick Atlas or Patrick Corr at HSPgrad@gwu.edu.

Passion for Science

jbond516February 26, 2020Leave a comment

Allison Petrie is excited to be in a position where her education in the health sciences will prove helpful. “I’m very interested in working with and interacting with students,” Petrie said. “My background is in applied sciences, so I’ll be able to relate to the students, build relationships with them, and see them through their programs.” Petrie joined the Department of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences (HHFR) this month as a program associate. She’ll work with the Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Doctorate of Health Sciences programs. Previously, she was the office manager for the School of Business Graduate Programs at George Mason University. A native of Wisconsin, she and her husband moved to Virginia last year. “It’s been a journey to experience city life,” she said. They are big outdoor enthusiasts and enjoy camping, hiking, and backpacking. “We always bring our dog, Moose, a golden retriever, with us. He’s our dog son.” One of their long-term goals is to travel the United States and car camp or backpack each of the national parks. They’ve checked off Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Shenandoah, and hope to visit Yosemite next. Petrie has a bachelor’s degree in cell biology and physiology from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.

Message from the Communications and Editorial Director

jbond516February 26, 2020Leave a comment

February has proven to be a noteworthy month for GW Health Sciences as we kicked off our Strategic Plan 2020-2022 with two events last week. First, about 75 faculty, staff, and students rolled up their sleeves – and donned hairnets – to prepare and package 15,000 meals to combat hunger. The February 19^thproject with Rise Against Hunger showed our strong division-wide commitment to Living Our Social Mission, one of four focus areas in the strategic plan. Now, each department will carry forth with other service initiatives. If you are interested in joining an HS group to regularly volunteer at one of the local food banks, please reach out to Amy King aking@gwu.edu or Teri Capshaw tcapshaw@gwu.edu. The second focus area addressed last week was Investing in People. A group of faculty, staff, high school teachers, plus students and families from the Governor’s Health Sciences Academy at T.C. Williams High School cheered the GW men’s basketball team Saturday against LaSalle University. GW didn’t prevail, but HS won big as we shared a fun extracurricular event – and on George’s 288^th birthday, by the way. Students enjoyed meeting President LeBlanc, who greeted attendees and asked about their studies. An Academy student, who also plays JV basketball at T.C. Williams, showed off his impressive skills during a free throw exhibition. The day started with an educational session in the Lerner Center, where Robert Turner of the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL) shared his journey from being a student athlete in high school to playing in the NFL to his current role as a researcher. Kevin O’Conner of HS Administration also took part, speaking to the Academy students about the importance of character. Two events are now in the books, but there’s more important work ahead for our strategic plan. The sky is the limit for the impact we’ll have to drive innovation and quality in health and health care delivery through education, scholarship, and service. Thanks to all who have participated so far! #GWHealthSciencesStrategicPlan #LivingOurSocialMission, #InvestinginPeople, #InfluencingHealthProfessionsEducation,HealthCarePolicyandPractice, #CatalyzingInnovationandEntrepreneurism.

Let’s Talk About Longevity

tcapshawJanuary 22, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

The Office of Integrative Medicine and Health is excited to welcome biogerontologist Valter Longo, PhD, author of The Longevity Diet, as a guest speaker at the 3rd Annual Patrick and Marguerite Sung Symposium: Wellness and Longevity. The event takes place Friday, April 24 from 1 to 5 p.m. in Ross Hall Room 117. Other speakers include: Joel Dudley, executive vice president of Precision Health, Mount Sinai Health System; Kaylan Baban, chief wellness officer, GW Medical Enterprise; and Nick Patel, founder and president, Wellable. Use the promo code SUNG2020 for free registration.

Bioinformatics and Inflammation

tcapshawJanuary 22, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

That’s the topic on tap for the next event in the GW Biomedical Cross-disciplinary Seminar Series: Connecting Academic Research & Inquiry Across Disciplines. Sana Syed, MD, MS, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, will discuss bioinformatics and inflammation on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 12 to 1 p.m. in Ross Hall 117. The annual seminar series explores a new cross-disciplinary topic each year. The goal is to promote networking and collaboration on translational health among researchers, health care providers, and policy makers from different disciplines to shift the paradigm—from seeking a cure to developing a strategy of prevention. Registration required for lunch purposes.

Winner, Winner

tcapshawJanuary 22, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

HS has won two bronze awards in the 2020 District II Accolades Awards competition sponsored by CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education). The honors in the Marketing and Communications category recognize materials created for the Governor’s Health Sciences Academy – an award for “Individual Special Public Relations Projects” was for the ribbon-cutting event at T.C. Williams High School in 2018, while the “Institutional Marketing Identity/Branding Programs” award recognizes the Academy logo design and its use in materials. The awards acknowledge the collaborative work of Teri Capshaw, Linda Zanin (both of HS), Dominic Abbate and Josh Schimmerling (GW Marketing & Creative Services), and Sherri Chapman and Helen Lloyd of the Alexandria City Public Schools.

Country Roads Lead to the DMV

tcapshawJanuary 22, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

When Ivy Meadows earned her master of social work degree, she didn’t plan on a career in academia. But Meadows’ training as a therapist is proving helpful in her role as an academic advisor in the Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences. “I never thought it would be something I would be interested in, but I really enjoy working with students,” she said. “I enjoy being a part of the academic journey. This is the career path I want.” Meadows joined GW in November from West Virginia University, where she was a program assistant in the academic affairs office of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. A native of West Virginia, she earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in social work from West Virginia University. Her move to Washington, D.C., is her first of living away from home. “This is my first time in a big city; I love it,” she said. “Everyone is so nice. There’s always a lot to do. It’s hard to get bored.” She likes the hectic life of D.C., but Meadows also enjoys VSTC’s quieter setting. “There’s a lot of trees and hills at VSTC, so it reminds me of home. It’s very peaceful.” Away from work, Meadows likes to go to concerts and try new restaurants with friends. “I’m a foodie. I look forward to anytime I can go out to eat.”

On Your Mark…

tcapshawJanuary 22, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

Roger Ideishi, JD, OT/L, FAOTA, has big plans for our soon-to-be-established entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program. “My goal is that the OT program makes a dent in health care and occupational therapy, and establishes a teaching, service, and research identity that’s recognized,” Ideishi said. “We want to produces graduates who care about changing the future rather than just getting a job. There are not a lot of large universities in the region that have OT … GW entering the field, I think, is a significant benchmark in our profession.” Ideishi joined HS in December as professor and director of OT programs in the Department of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences. He previously served as a director and professor in the OT program at Temple University. Ideishi is a cultural arts and accessibility specialist that has worked with a number of organizations. It’s his commitment to continue working with some of those groups that’s behind his decision to live in Philadelphia and commute to GW – he takes the train here and back, daily, several times a week. “The worst part of the commute is getting from Union Station to GW,” he said with a laugh. His drive to improve the quality of life for the neuro diverse community led to projects with the Smithsonian and the Kennedy Center. “A lot of my work has occurred in D.C. for the past decade, so in some ways, I already feel a part of the area,” he said. One focus area is in helping arts organizations develop sensory friendly programming. “Someone with a disability can be a full patron at the Kennedy Center or the Smithsonian Institution. We can modify the sound or visual environment… supporting their sensory processing preferences. It’s not changing the art; we can modify the audience experience,” he said, noting that the cultural shift is creating a new audience. “It has become a global phenomenon.” Away from work, you’re likely to find Ideishi training for a marathon. An avid runner, he has run four marathons and has the Tokyo and Los Angeles races on his to-do list. A California native, he earned a JD from Temple University and a bachelor’s degree in OT from the University of Washington.

Passing the Baton

tcapshawJanuary 22, 2020August 28, 2020Leave a comment

Reamer L. Bushardt will retire from the Journal of the American Academy of PAs (JAAPA) at the end of June after serving as Editor-in-Chief for nine years. Bushardt published his first article in JAAPA in 2005 and became the journal’s editor in 2011. Under his leadership, JAAPA transitioned to Wolters Kluwer, expanded its global reach through Ovid, and received impact factor (IF) rankings, which have steadily increased. Since 2013, JAAPA has won numerous national publishing awards including FOLIO, APEX, and ASHPE awards. Bushardt’s contributions have supported JAAPA being cited as the top PA journal in North America and raised the journal’s visibility nationally and globally. Harrison Reed of the Department of PA Studies will serve as Acting Editor-in-Chief until a new editor is selected. Read Bushardt’s farewell editorial in the January issue of JAAPA here. And check out Reed’s latest article.