This episode features a candid discussion with Dr. Brian Nester, President and CEO of Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), a 1988 graduate of PCOM’s DO program, and a 1994 graduate of our Master of Science program. As head of one of the region’s major health networks, Dr. Nester has spent the last year navigating LVHN through the COVID-19 global health crisis. As we begin life on the other side of the pandemic, Dr. Nester offers insights on the future of health care delivery and developing innov...
Jul 19, 2021•27 min
This episode features a discussion with Andrea Mann, DO, FAAP, PCOM Georgia’s new dean and chief academic officer of the osteopathic medicine program. We discussed Dr. Mann’s plans for success in her role, her leadership philology, as well as some of the challenges she will face as we transition back to campus following an unprecedented year. We also talked about priorities for both the College and PCOM Georgia during the next five years and the task of creating a clinical footprint in Georgia, ...
Jun 22, 2021•17 min
In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on our communities and our country, claiming the lives of over half a million Americans. With this influx of deaths, medical coroners find themselves on the frontlines combating the disease. Accurately classifying deaths is an essential part of understanding the disease, as well as allocating resources to areas that are most affected. This episode features a discussion with PCOM's Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Chair ...
Apr 30, 2021•18 min
This episode features a discussion with Michael Tecce, DO ‘15, resident physician in plastic surgery and assistant instructor in surgery at Penn Medicine and a PCOM alumnus. After spending five years in public accounting, Dr. Tecce transitioned his career in pursuit of full-time academics in medicine. As a student at PCOM, Dr. Tecce completed a one-year graduate fellowship in bioethics and served on multiple medical mission trips to Guatemala. He also founded the Philadelphia Surgical Conference...
Apr 20, 2021•23 min
This episode features a discussion with PCOM's Chief Admissions Officer, Adrianne Jones, MLS, on the increasing number of medical school applications from traditionally underrepresented communities. As our population continues to grow more diverse, the need is critical for health professionals to be representative of the people and communities they serve. PCOM has an important role to play in creating a more equitable system of healthcare across the country, and I hope you enjoy this frank conve...
Mar 17, 2021•17 min
Each year, our three campuses nominate one student for the Student DO of the Year, a nationwide award presented by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. The students are selected by their classmates and faculty members based on their service to the college, their leadership and research experiences, and their dedication to the osteopathic profession. In this episode, we discuss why these nominees chose osteopathic medicine, how they’re making the most out of medical schoo...
Jan 20, 2021•24 min
With a focus on our students, this episode features a discussion with PCOM leaders Patience Mason, MEd, and Patrick Wolf, MBA, about the College’s response to the challenges we have faced due to the pandemic. Patience is the College’s Chief Student Affairs Officer and leads the student affairs operation for our 2,800 students at the Philadelphia, Suwanee and Moultrie campuses. Patrick is the College’s Chief Occupational and Environmental Safety Officer. He is responsible for ensuring PCOM work e...
Nov 23, 2020•21 min
This episode features a discussion with PCOM South Georgia’s Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology Stacie Fairley, PhD. Since making its way into our country earlier this year, COVID-19 has impacted all areas—urban and rural. The rural areas have seen devastating effects of the pandemic with contributing factors such as under-resourced health systems, disproportionate rates of poverty and food insecurity, limited internet access, and economies largely built on essential industries a...
Oct 13, 2020•20 min
This episode features a discussion with PCOM's chair of school psychology, Jessica Kendorski, PhD. The fight against COVID-19 has drastically affected how students around the country will be receiving their education this fall. Dr. Kendorski gives guidance for parents as they determine the best plans for their family and what they can do to support their children's mental health as they return to school. In addition to advice on back-to-school planning, Dr. Kendorski and I also discuss the long-...
Aug 31, 2020•15 min
Along with social distancing, hand sanitizing and wearing a mask, the development of a vaccine is seen as the foremost way to combat COVID-19, a global pandemic with far-reaching effects. Currently, there is a race taking place among researchers and laboratories to develop a vaccine to immunize citizens of the world against this novel coronavirus. PCOM Georgia faculty members discuss with PCOM President Jay S. Feldstein, DO, the process involved in developing, testing and distributing a vaccine....
Jul 16, 2020•35 min
This episode features a discussion with PCOM students Hiral Patel (DO ‘22), PCOM Georgia, and Gabi Yankelevich (DO ‘21). Looking for ways to support their communities as the COVID-19 crisis deepened, Hiral and Gabi gathered with classmates and decided to organize and make a difference. In Suwanee, Hiral and others established a student-run service offering grocery shopping to local residents. In Philadelphia, Gabi and her classmates responded to the urgent need for personal protective equipment ...
Jun 15, 2020•16 min
This episode features a discussion with Dr. Erik Polan, assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, PCOM Transitional Year Program Director, and core faculty for PCOM Internal Medicine residency. Most recently, Dr. Polan has been working on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19 with internal medicine residents at Roxborough Memorial Hospital . Our discussion explored what life has been like for Dr. Polan and his residents; the unique challenges this public health crisis p...
May 15, 2020•15 min
This episode marks February as American Heart Month and features a discussion with Cathy Hatcher, PhD associate professor of neuroscience, physiology and pharmacology, on her research into the abnormal processes in cardiovascular development that can lead to congenital heart defects. Our conversation touched on the prevalence of those defects, the future of research in this area, and how students play an incredibly important role in her laboratory. Listen now and subscribe on SoundCloud or iTune...
Feb 19, 2020•10 min
The January podcast, which features a discussion with Dr. Ruth Maher, a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at PCOM Georgia, is now live. Professor Maher is a board-certified clinical specialist in women’s health from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Prior to joining academia, she owned and ran private physical therapy practices in Dublin, Ireland, and in the United States specializing in women’s health and chronic pain conditions. In this episode, we discuss Dr. M...
Jan 24, 2020•23 min
PCOM Perspectives: Diversity in Health Care by Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dec 18, 2019•11 min
The November podcast, which features a discussion with Dr. Harold Komiskey, a professor of neuroscience, physiology and pharmacology at PCOM Georgia, is now live. Dr. Komiskey has a strong background in neuroscience, aging, pharmacology, toxicology and astrocyte research. For the past decade, he has been investigating an astrocyte model to study signaling mechanisms involved in age-related neurologic disorders and environmental toxicants. He has successfully competed for state and national fundi...
Nov 11, 2019•22 min
This episode features a discussion with Brian Balin, PhD, professor of neuroscience and neuropathology, chair of biomedical sciences, and director of the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging, whose work focuses on discovering and targeting pathogens that may trigger the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Our conversation touched on the state of current Alzheimer’s research, and how his hypothesis differs from others that—until now—have been more popular; how his area of research is growing; how PCOM...
Sep 26, 2019•16 min
This episode features a discussion with Terri Erbacher, PhD, clinical associate professor of school psychology, whose work focuses on various aspects suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention response and the traumatic impact this loss has on those left behind. The discussion touched on how parents can spot troubling behavior early on; how physicians and behavioral health practitioners can work together to mitigate risk of suicide attempt; and how schools play an important role in the me...
Aug 28, 2019•12 min
The July podcast features a discussion with Gary Freed, DO, a clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics at PCOM Georgia. Dr. Freed is referred to as the state “expert” on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Safe Sleep by the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A graduate of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Des Moines University and a neonatology fellowship at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University, Dr. Freed worked as an award-winning p...
Jul 22, 2019•20 min
Dr. D’Angelo is the course director for cellular anatomy in the Structural Principles of Osteopathic Medicine course for DO students, and also teaches anatomy to students in the biomedical sciences and physician assistant studies. In her lab, she has been exploring novel and effective treatments for osteoarthritis. Currently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—NSAIDS— are used to treat the symptoms of OA but these can lead to long-term health complications and they do not stop the progression ...
Jun 18, 2019•9 min
This episode features a discussion on obesity and weight management with Michelle Lent, PhD, associate professor of clinical psychology. Dr. Lent’s research interests span pediatric obesity treatment, psychosocial factors in bariatric surgery, school and community-based obesity prevention and treatment initiatives, food addiction, urban consumer food purchasing behaviors and cognitive-behavioral interventions for adult obesity. She also directs the Weight Management Program though PCOM’s Center ...
Apr 15, 2019•11 min
The March episode features a discussion about the pharmacy profession with Shawn Spencer, PhD, RPh, the dean of the PCOM School of Pharmacy at PCOM Georgia. Topics include Dr. Spencer's vision for the School of Pharmacy, how he measures success, as well as the evolution and future of the pharmacy profession. Other items discussed include the role that pharmacists and pharmacy education can play regarding medical cannabis, the expansion of programs in South Georgia, and the challenges of establis...
Mar 27, 2019•12 min
This episode features a discussion on the thriving research division at PCOM with Mindy George-Weinstein, PhD, chief research and science officer. Dr. George-Weinstein is a prolific researcher in her own right. She and Jackie Gerhart— Coordinator of the Research Support Staff and Director of the Bio-Imaging Facility—discovered cells at PCOM which are now part of a multisite, multimillion dollar research project that seeks to find effective treatments for blindness, neurodegeneration, chronic wou...
Feb 21, 2019•16 min
The January episode features a discussion about interprofessional education (IPE) at GA-PCOM with the PCOM School of Pharmacy Director of Interprofessional Education Sara (Mandy) Reece, PharmD, an associate professor and vice chair of the department of pharmacy practice at GA-PCOM. Topics included the evolution of IPE at GA-PCOM, the key ingredients for the success of the year-long course for DO, PA, PharmD and PT students, and how IPE fits into the healthcare ecosystem in terms of value-based h...
Jan 25, 2019•10 min
This episode features a discussion about PCOM South Georgia, the college’s developing location in the Southwest Georgia region, with Michael J. Sampson, DO, FAOASM, the new campus’ associate dean and chief academic officer. Dr. Sampson provides a progress update, discusses his vision for the Moultrie location, provides thoughts on the new school’s regional impact, and describes his experience of residing in South Georgia.
Dec 18, 2018•9 min
This episode is the first of a two-part series on interprofessional education (IPE), and features a conversation with Stephanie Felgoise, PhD, professor and chair, clinical psychology and director of the doctorate program in clinical psychology. IPE provides a unique educational experience for students from across academic programs to learn with and from each other. Dr. Felgoise and I discussed the ways PCOM is using this approach to train our students to become skilled members of the healthcare...
Nov 14, 2018•9 min
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this episode features a discussion about breast cancer research with GA-PCOM’s Assistant Professor of Anatomy, Abigail Hielscher, PhD. Dr. Hielsher discusses how the tumor environment facilitates breast cancer growth, her long-term goals with this specific research, how the field is progressing, and how our students participate in the research process.
Oct 15, 2018•11 min
This episode features a discussion about osteopathic manipulative medicine with GA-PCOM’s Professor and Director of OMM, Dr. Walter Ehrenfeuchter. As you may know, Dr. “E” is the principal author of five chapters in a widely used osteopathic medical textbook, “Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine.”
Sep 18, 2018•12 min
This episode features a conversation with Scott Glassman, PsyD, clinical assistant professor of psychology and associate director of the master’s program in mental health counseling. Dr. Glassman’s work focuses largely on the integration of behavioral health in primary care settings, and we discussed how this can lead to better patient outcomes and better training opportunities for our students. We also discussed the need for better behavioral health support for medical students and physicians, ...
Jul 25, 2018•21 min
The opioid epidemic is one of the most pressing public health crises of our time. Our latest episode features a conversation with David Festinger, PhD, director of substance abuse research and education at PCOM about research on and treatment of substance abuse disorders and how physicians, pharmacists and mental health professionals—indeed, all health care practitioners—should be working together to address this epidemic.
Jun 20, 2018•14 min
