Maranda Ward was selected by the Leadership Center for Excellence to participate in a special pilot program called the DMV Diversity and Inclusion Fellows Institute. She will participate in a series of five-leadership development workshops and graduate as a fellow involved in future classes and programming. Ward was also selected as a scholar for the 2019 Health Equity Leadership Institute (uwheli.com) hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of Maryland School of Public Health. In addition, Ward was selected to participate in the 2019 cohort for the Course Design Institute hosted by GW's University Teaching and Learning Center. Ward is an assistant professor in CRL.
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Let’s Get Clinical
Andy Garrett did his part for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing celebration on the National Mall in July. Garrett, associate professor and program director for Emergency Health Services in CRL, worked as a field physician at the event with the GW Emergency Medicine Department’s Event Team. Since February, Garrett has worked withthe multi-disciplinary team of providers at major events in the area. Besides the Apollo 11 anniversary event, he’s worked the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Rock and Roll Marathon. Garrett also works with the District's Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and is a federal medical officer with the Maryland-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), which provides support to communities impacted by disasters through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Starting this fall, Garrett will work periodically as an urgent care physician for Children's National Medical Center in the Emergency Department at United Medical Center in D.C. Garrett holds a secondary appointment in Emergency Medicine at GW.
HCOP is Hopping
Our Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) is up and running with 25 ambassadors from disadvantaged backgrounds. The first cohort includes 10 students in graduate programs, six in undergraduate programs, seven in community college, one in high school and one student who is applying to PA programs. In July, the ambassadors started a six-week summer program that provided education and training to help prepare them to pursue a degree and career in health sciences. The program covered three areas: academic and professional success, human disease and biomedical technologies and research/case study presentations. The majority of the program was online, but interested students could attend traditional sessions for the last three weeks. The summer program culminated with a group case study on current issues impacting medicine. Mentors for the ambassadors are still needed, so if you’re interested contact Reamer Bushardt or Blake Harrison, project manager.
New Full Professor Susan LeLacheur
Susan LeLacheur in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies has been promoted to full professor in recognition of her excellence in teaching, research and service to GW. LeLacheur has been a dedicated teacher in the PA program for nearly 25 years. Her scholarly interests include bias and stereotyping in health care interactions. She is currently studying the impact of mindfulness training on student stress. LeLacheur has provided patient care to underserved communities since completing her PA education from Howard University in 1982 and currently volunteers as a PA at Whitman-Walker Health. Congratulations, Professor LeLacheur!
A Faculty and Family Focus
It’s a good thing that Lindsay Garmirian hit the tourist attractions when she lived here 10 years ago while working for the NIH. Since returning to the DMV this summer and joining GW, the sites she’s visited have been kid-centric. “We go to the playground a lot,” Garmirian said. “We’ve been to most all of the playgrounds in Fairfax and Arlington counties; and the library, too.” Garmirian is starting her first faculty role as an assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in HHFR. She joins us from Northwestern University, where she was a graduate research assistant in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences. She recently earned her doctorate in biomedical engineering from Northwestern. “I was 38 weeks pregnant when I defended (my dissertation), had a child and then moved here,” she recalled. The title of her dissertation was: "The Neural and Biomechanical Changes Underlying Weakness in the Paretic Upper Limb in Individuals with Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke." Garmirian was attracted to GW because of the PT program’s reputation. “Colleagues speak very highly of the students and faculty here,” she said. “Everyone is really friendly and welcoming. I already feel like part of the community.” Garmirian will teach courses in neuroscience, which has been the focus of her practice and research. As a new faculty member, she is eager to learn more about the curriculum and PT students. She realizes successfully juggling teaching, research, clinical practice and family life will be a priority. Family life at home in Annandale, Va., revolves around her four-month old son, three-year-old daughter, husband and their pet dog, “Albus” (aka “Al”). Away from work, besides playground and library visits, she enjoys hiking “or nature walks as my toddler calls them.” In addition to her PhD, Garmirian has a DPT from Northwestern and a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University.
Academy Year 2
It has been an exciting summer for the Governor’s Health Sciences Academy at T.C. Williams High School. We’ve welcomed 104 rising ninth graders to the second cohort and 10 rising tenth graders to the first cohort. And 98 of these students participated in the summer bridge orientation program that ran from July 8-19 at T.C. Williams. Thanks to the faculty and staff who took part in the program, including Cliff Cymrot, Andrew Garrett, Kevin O'Connor, Terrell Wyche, and Ernestine Yarborough. Thanks also to Linda Zanin, Catherine Golden, Patrick Corr, and Nick Atlas for organizing the program. The orientation culminated with a July 19 showcase, where students presented posters on their career interests to family and members of the GW and Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) community. The program featured remarks from Reamer Bushardt, O’Connor and ACPS representatives. Michael Forehand, vice president for governmental and community affairs with Inova Health System, was the guest speaker. HS faculty who helped with the Academy's first year include Yousif Barzani, Leslie Davidson, Marcia Firmani, Rohini Ganjoo, Krystl Haerian, and Joe Signorino. Atlas is a senior academic advisor for student life and academic support, Barzani is assistant professor and director of the MSHS Laboratory Medicine Program in BLS, Corr is director of student programs, Cymrot is assistant professor and director of the MLS Undergraduate Program and MLS post-bacc certificate programs in BLS, Davidson is associate professor and chair of CRL, Firmani is assistant professor and chair of BLS, Ganjoo is assistant professor and director of the MLS Graduate Program in BLS, Garrett is associate professor and program director for Emergency Health Services in CRL, Golden is associate dean for academic planning and assessment, Haerian is assistant professor and director of the Biomedical Informatics Program in CRL, O’Connor is associate professor of medicine and senior medical advisor for HS, Signorino is assistant professor in HHFR, Wyche is an academic advisor in CRL, Yarborough is academic department administrator for CRL, and Zanin is director of strategic partnerships.
