News (April 17, 2008)
Larry P. Dennis, MPAS, PA-C, Receives National Recognition as AAPA Distinguished Fellow
Larry P. Dennis, Chair, Physician Assistant Studies, has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Mr. Dennis earned the recognition due to his outstanding contributions to patient care and the profession during his 24 years in clinical practice and 9 years in full-time PA education. His clinical experiences were in family medicine, occupational medicine and orthopedics. He helped open and operate three rural health clinics, one of which was in a remote mountain area. Mr. Dennis has been Program Director at two different institutions, and Chair at ECU since 2003. His academic interests lie in administration and curriculum and faculty development.
All Distinguished Fellows of AAPA have also demonstrated exceptional contributions to their communities.
AAPA is the only national organization representing physician assistant in all medical and surgical specialties and is one of the largest medical societies in the U.S. Founded in 1968, the Academy works to promote quality, cost effective health care and the professional and personal growth of PAs. For more information about the Academy and the PA profession, visit the AAPA’s Web site, www.aapa.org.
The following was submitted by Candace Canavan, a student in the College of Allied Health Sciences Student Leaders' Council. Candace is a graduate student in the speech-language pathology masters program.
(The event was taped and can be found here. This requires a PirateID to log into the server to view the presentation.)
On the evening of April 8, 2008 the College of Allied Health Student Leaders' Council held their Inaugural Issues Forum with keynote speaker Mr. Robert Greczyn. Mr. Greczyn, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina presented on "The Future of Healthcare". Mr. Greczyn's primary focus was on prevention of health, and the effects prevention can have on healthcare both statewide and nationally.
Various Allied Health professionals served as a response panel to Mr. Greczyn's presentation. Panel members included Dr. Beth Velde, representing OT, Dr. Gregg Givens (CSDI), Flo Moses and Jeff Hathaway (PT), Carey Unger (HSIM), Karen Sullivan (CLSC), and Larry Dennis (PA). This panel of respondents provided an allied health emphasis that added depth to Mr. Greczyn's more general presentation and educated the non allied health audience to the uniqueness and importance of our respective professions.
The event had a great turnout with students, faculty, and administrators from Allied Health, Medicine, Nursing, and the MPH program. The Student Leaders' Council would like to thank everyone involved in creating the success of this event, and we look forward to bringing the entire Allied Health community together with more events like this in the future.
News (April 9, 2008)
The College of Allied Health Sciences is pleased to announce the following student awards.
First year physician assistant student, Jeffrey Bonito (Class of 2009), is the recipient of the 2008 Bunting Scholarship. The scholarship is funded by Mr. Michael L. Bunting and is a one-time award of $1000.00. Criteria for selection are financial need and scholarship. A presentation was made by Mr. Bunting on March 25, 2008, in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.
Sarah Parker Womack was chosen as one of five recipients of the Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership award. Sarah is from Washington, NC., and will graduate in May with a bachelor of science degree in Health Services Management. She will be honored with the prestigious award during the spring commencement exercises on May 10 and the Senior Salute dinner on May 9. In addition to being honored during graduation, this award comes with a $250.00 stipend to be used at the discretion of the award recipient. The Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership award recognizes academic achievement, service to the university and community, and leadership qualities.
Kristal N. Mills, an audiology doctoral student, is a recipient of the Berbecker Foundation Fellowship valued at $3000.00. Kristal is from Trenton, NC, and received her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders from Appalachian. Her parents are Ken and Wanda Mills. The Berbecker Foundation Fellowship is awarded on the basis of exceptional accomplishment, commitment and skill toward a career in allied health sciences.
Amanda R. Mahaffee, second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student from Raleigh, NC, is a recipient of the Gravely Foundation Scholarship valued at $500.00. She is the daughter of Mary Mahaffee and Gary Kuzkin and Jim Mahaffee. The Gravely Foundation Scholarship is awarded on the basis of academic excellence, financial need and qualities of good citizenship within the university and contribution or dedication to the enhancement of the professional major.
The Clinical Laboratory Science Department has selected a student to receive the first-ever W. James & Susan T. Smith Student Scholarship. The recipient is Amber Crystal Smith. Amber is from Mt. Airy and attended North Surry High School prior to coming to ECU as a freshman. Amber is the daughter of Mr. Steve Smith who is an independent business owner in Mt. Airy.
One scholarship is awarded to a rising-senior student in CLSC for the senior academic year beginning in summer.
The W. James & Susan T. Smith Student Scholarship recognizes the over 30 years of academic contribution to ECU by Dr. Susan T. Smith who is the retired department chair and a professor emeritus in Clinical Laboratory Science, and her husband, Dr. W. James Smith, who was a faculty member in the Department of Biology.
News (March 28, 2008)
Leonard G. Trujillo, Ph.D., OTR/L, has been named the new Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy, and will assume his new duties starting April 1, 2008.
Dr. Trujillo has been an occupational therapist for 30 years, with the majority of his clinical experience in the United States Air Force. He holds the distinction of being the only USAF Officer to have held the position of Program Director for the Tri Service OT Assistant Program at the Army’s Academy of Health Sciences, Ft. Sam Houston Texas.
Prior to his arrival at ECU, he was an Associate Professor and Associate Dean at the School of Occupational Therapy at Texas Woman’s University, Dallas Campus. He earned his BS degree in Occupational Therapy from Colorado State and his PhD in Educational Administration from Texas A&M. In between those degrees, he earned a Master of Arts in Computer Resources and Information Management. He is well versed in assistive technology, serving as the director of the OT Assistive Technology Certification program, and also conducts research in the area of older adult drivers.
Dr. Leslie Allison, Department of Physical Therapy, and Dr. Jane Painter, Department of Occupational Therapy, have been invited by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to participate in a meeting of leaders from public health, aging, healthcare and related industry to plan a statewide falls prevention initiative. Both Allison and Painter were identified as strategic leaders in advancing this initiative, and will provide leadership in developing an effective North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition. The meeting will be held in April at the Division of Public Health in Raleigh.
News (February 5, 2008) Kristal Mills, a doctoral student in CSDI has received one of only two national 2008 Student Investigator Awards from the American Academy of Audiology. The purpose of the proposed research is to assess auditory function in Nox3 and Noxo1 mouse strains. Research protocol includes the measurement of auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emissions at various ages for homozygotes, heterozygotes and wildtype controls.
Ms. Mills’ study will provide a better understanding of auditory function in two mutations known to cause congenital vestibular deficits. The findings will further the understanding of normal and abnormal inner ear development, genetic factors that may affect development, and will expand our knowledge of genetic hearing and balance disorders. Ultimately, the findings may lead to better diagnosis and treatment for inner ear disorders.
Kristal will be studying under the direction of Dr. Sherri Jones.
Dr. Robert Kulesher, assistant professor and director of the Health Services Management program, and Margaret G. Wilder, professor in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Delaware, have published an article in the January/February 2008 issue of Journal of Healthcare Management, Vol. 53, No. 1, titled “The Impact of PPS on Hospital-Sponsored Post-Acute Services: A Case Study of Delaware Medicare Providers”.
News (January 29, 2008)
Congratulations to Dr. Xiaoming Zeng, Department of Health Services and Information Management, upon being named one of the East Carolina University Scholar Teachers for 2007-2008!
Susie T. Harris, MBA, RHIA, CCS is a PhD student in the Department of Rehabilitation Studies and a clinical instructor in the Department of Health Services and Information Management at ECU. As part of her studies during the summer of 2007, Mrs. Harris conducted program evaluation research at the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (NCDVR) state office in Raleigh. While at NCDVR, Mrs. Harris analyzed data from a client satisfaction questionnaire to assist the Research, Planning and Program Evaluation Department (RPPED) to improve services for the citizens of North Carolina. On Wednesday, 11/21/2007 Mrs. Harris presented the results, Analysis of NCDVR Client Satisfaction Survey Data, to the NCDVR Director, Linda Harrington, RPPED staff and fellow doc students. Mrs. Harrington commented about the “usefulness of this data” and the professionalism of Mrs. Harris. This collaboration is an excellent example of how the Department of Rehabilitation Studies is able to collaborate with NCDVR to deliver more effective services and advance student learning.
Susie T. Harris, MBA, RHIA, CCS and Xiaoming Zeng, MD, PhD of the Department of Health Services and Information Management, have a new publication titled, "Using Wiki in an Online Record Documentation Systems Course" which will be published in Perspectives in Health Information Management.
News (January 23, 2008)
Ann McConnell, Clinical Laboratory Science Department, graduated December 15, 2007 from East Carolina University with a Master’s Degree in Adult Education, and also a Certificate in Community College Instruction. Ann has over 27 years of experience in the Clinical Laboratory Science profession, including employment at Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics at the University of Florida in Gainesville, and at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. She currently serves as the Student Laboratory Manager for the CLSC department, and teaches Normal Hematology Lab (CLSC 3410) and Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Science (CLSC 2000).
News (January 16, 2008)
Lloyd Goodwin, Ph.D., Director and Professor, Substance Abuse and Clinical Counselor education program, Department of Rehabilitation Studies, has a new publication out today titled, “A Comprehensive Substance Abuse Counselor Education Program: From Specialty Certificate to Ph.D.” published in the current issue of the Journal of Teaching in the Addictions.
Shari M. Sias, Ph.D., of the Department of Rehabilitation Studies, has a new publication out today titled, “A Scholarly Writing Resource for Counselor Educators and Their Student” published in the current issue of the Journal of Counseling and Development.
News (January 4, 2008)
Dr. Stephen W. Thomas, Dean, College of Allied Health Sciences, was elected Vice-Chair of the Council for Allied Health in North Carolina (CAHNC). Following the two-year appointment, Dr. Thomas will assume leadership of the Council as Chair in 2009.
The Council for Allied Health in North Carolina was formed in 1991 by allied health practitioners, educators and employers as a mechanism to ensure that North Carolinians will have access to a well-prepared, well-distributed allied health workforce that is representative of the diversity of our state's communities.
News (January 3, 2008)
Dr. Paul D. Bell in the Department of Health Services and Information Management recently had a book published. Self Regulated Learning and Epistemological Beliefs- A Predictive Model for Undergraduate Asynchronous Web-based Learning was published in October 2007 by VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller e.k., and is scheduled to hit the bookshelves very soon. The book is addressed to post secondary education professionals as well as researchers who are involved in the planning, design, and administration of asynchronous web-based (AWB) undergraduate courses.
3rd Annual Rehabilitation and Allied Health Research Day
Held Friday, November 16, 2007 in the Health Sciences Building
College of Allied Health Sciences 40th Anniversary Alumni Celebration
Held Saturday, October 27, 2007 in the Health Sciences Building
The 40 Distinguished Alumni were honored at this event.
