Category Archives: Family Medicine

Family Medicine

Baylor University research sheds light on Waco-area behavior … – Waco Tribune-Herald

A Baylor University anthropologists studies of behavior and attitudes associated with COVID-19 have helped inform doctors and continue to provide insights into the dynamics of how people in McLennan County responded to the disease during the first two years of the pandemic.

We have another paper getting close to publication right now, Baylor anthropology professor Michael Muehlenbein said Friday. This one is on the way peoples political leanings affect their behaviors associated with the disease.

Some of the results are more surprising that others, he said.

While people who lean Democrat are more likely to wear a mask in public than those who lean Republican, no surprise there, our surveys revealed that Republicans in McLennan County were not less likely than Democrats to receive a COVID vaccine, Muehlenbein said. That might surprise some people.

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Muehlenbeins publications have provided much needed insight into the experiences of members of the community, said Dr. Zach Sartor, a physician with Waco Family Medicine.

Any publication that helps us provide care in a more informed manner is incredibly useful, Sartor said.

Sartor said he and his colleagues gained understanding of the trends of what people were going through by taking in Muehlenbeins work and publications, helping them effectively tailor the care, counseling and recommendations they provided to patients.

In the early weeks of the public health emergency during March and April of 2020 Muehlenbein and his colleagues began to study how the disease was transmitted among children and anyone who had no symptoms.

By June 2020 his team knew other organizations had larger studies going on that would develop more conclusive understanding of the two problems he started looking at, he said. But he had a study group of 495 people willing to provide survey information on their attitudes, thoughts and behaviors associated with the disease.

The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation and the Cooper Foundation funded the survey effort, known as the Waco COVID Survey, that Muehlenbein led with a team of graduate and undergraduate students working in partnership with Waco Family Medicine and the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, according to a Baylor press release.

Our group of study subjects were self-selected, in that they came to us, Muehlenbein said.

He said the group does not represent a statistically valid random sample of the general population, so the data provides insight into how particular beliefs or practices affect response to the virus health risks, but he did not want to generalize conclusions beyond certain groups in McLennan County.

Some of the participants worked in health care or were first responders with high risk of exposure. Others worked in restaurants and other essential services, slightly lower risk of exposure, according to the statement. Still others followed stay home, stay safe guidelines scrupulously.

Muehlenbein said the surveys uncovered what he called unrealistic optimism among study participants.

Even among older men of color, with complicating chronic health conditions, some of the highest risk populations for severe disease we have in the county, we found that individuals felt less likely than others to develop the disease, Muehlenbein said. And if they were to develop COVID, they thought they would recover more easily than others.

The survey answers also validate what Muehlenbein called pandemic fatigue.

We found that as the pandemic wore on, people wanted to go without masks and return to life as normal, he said. We started to see this soon after the vaccines were introduced.

While the national public health emergency for the pandemic ended Thursday, Muehlenbein said he still sees people who test positive for COVID-19 without symptoms.

I had a student come into my office yesterday wearing a mask because of a possible exposure and I got an email today informing that the student tested positive, Muehlenbein said. This virus mutates readily and spreads easily. Its going to be with us for a while, and weve got to adapt.

The survey found that participants who reported wearing a mask in public more often were less likely to test positive, and that 75% of participants who tested positive were unvaccinated at the time of their infection, according to the Baylor press release.

The World Health Organization tracking chart for new cases reported around the globe shows some of the lowest totals since the virus emerged. Likewise, the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District COVID-19 data site shows four people locally were hospitalized with COVID-19 on May 1, then no day with more than two since. Last month saw two days when nine were hospitalized locally. The most recent days with 10 or more arrived in March.

Local health district data also show 64 new cases so far this month, with 38 in the seven days through Friday, and 231 new cases for all of last month. New case and hospitalization numbers in the county also are trending among the lowest since the virus emerged.

The health district has reported 23 deaths of McLennan County residents because of COVID-19 so far this year, with two last month.

The federal public health emergency for the pandemic expiring Thursday notwithstanding, COVID-19 remains a threat, said Dr. Marc Elieson, director of inpatient medicine at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center.

COVID still exists. Its highly transmissible, and vaccines still provide protection, Elieson said.

Elieson said he recently oversaw treatment for a COVID-19 patient who died.

Most of the patients we see checked in for COVID are old and frail and have one or two or more chronic health conditions as well, Elieson said of his recent experience at Hillcrest. Usually COVID has worn them down and they have stopped eating and drinking and become dehydrated. Most of the time we can turn them around quickly, but not always.

The dominant strain of the virus right now, an omicron subvariant designated XBB1.5, continues to be highly transmissible and produce a relatively mild form of the disease, much like the original omicron variant that caused a surge of cases months ago, Sartor said.

Things are looking good right now, but things can also change, Sartor said.

He encourages his patients to stay informed on what is going on with local and national trends in COVID-19 and respond by taking measures recommended by medical professionals.

For my patients who may travel this summer, I say to stay home if theyre sick, whether they have COVID or something else, Sartor said. And I always recommend washing hands often or using hand sanitizer. This and covering sneezes will prevent the spread of COVID and many diseases.

Sartor also continues to encourage everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to get a booster as they become eligible, he said.

Just because you may have had COVID and recovered twice in the last year doesnt mean your bodys immune system is prepared to fight a newly mutated variant, Sartor said.

The current dominant subvariant XBB1.5 was not the dominant strain five months ago, and 12 months ago it did not exist, Elieson said.

Now were seeing XBB1.6, XBB1.16 and XBB1.19. The virus continues to evolve and mutate, Elieson said. This is why people should get the updated vaccine.

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Baylor University research sheds light on Waco-area behavior ... - Waco Tribune-Herald

Family Medicine

Tech center students heading for national skills competition – Huron Daily Tribune

Students from the Huron Area Technical Center will be going to a national skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia this June.

The students qualified by participating in state competitions held by different career and technical student organizations, each of which supports different areas of study.

The first competition was the DECA State Career and Development Conference, held from March 9-10 in Detroit. This was primarily for marketing students and focused on DECA's four main goals: vocational understanding, leadership development, civic consciousness, and social intelligence.

"It was pretty unbelievable," said student Jacob Williamson about the Conference. "They had cars in the lobby. The view was amazing to be able to look over the whole city of Detroit. We were also able to meet a lot of new people there as well."

The second was the SkillsUSA State Conference from April 14-16 in Grand Rapids. The competitions were focused on hands-on skills and gave students the chance to challenge themselves and their technical abilities against other students.

In this competition, three tech center students placed first in their respective fields: Avery Budzisz in esthetics, Taylor Paape in cosmetology, and Jason Murawski in power technology.

"(The event) was challenging to put the (skills) learned here (atHATC) to use, but it was also very exciting to meet new people," Murawski said.

John Hunt, who competed in industrial motor control, will join the first place students at the national competition, even though he placed third in the state. The first and second place winners declined to attend states, so Hunt has the opportunity to go.

"It was a great learning experience," he said of the state competition. "It was good to see how my work compared to others."

The third and final competition was the HOSA State Leadership Conference from April 26-28 in Traverse City, in which three health sciencesstudents competed. Samantha Harder competed in Medical Law and Ethics, Colton Darbee in Pharmacology, and Madilyn Jimpkoski competed in Family Medicine Physician.

"It was an enjoyable experience," Darbee said. "It was very challenging and eye-opening."

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Tech center students heading for national skills competition - Huron Daily Tribune

Family Medicine

Number of Unfilled Medical Residencies Increases in Alberta and … – DARKDaily.com – Laboratory News

Family medicine academic departments in Canada are dealing with a shortage of applicants qualified for their residency programs, mirroring the shortage of pathologists

For the past decade, the number of medical residencies in Alberta Canada that went unfilled have increased each year. Now, just like in many parts of America, the province is experiencing severe medical staffing shortages that includes clinical laboratories and pathology groups.

According to data compiled by the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), after the first round of matching for post-graduate training spots as many as 12% of all spots went unfilled, especially in family medicine, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Though the trend seems to be worse in Alberta, the resident shortage is affecting the entire Canadian healthcare system. According to the Angus Reid Institute, approximately half of all Canadians cannot find a doctor or get a timely appointment with their current doctor.

That is fueling predictions of an increased physician shortage in coming years, particularly in Alberta.

Internationally Trained versus Home-grown Doctors

Canadas current doctor shortage appears to be rooted in red tape that determines which MDs qualify for residency matching. According to John Paul Tasker, a senior journalist at the CBC, theres no shortage of doctors in Canada. What we have is a shortage of licensed doctors. In his article, Canada Is Short of Doctorsand Its Turning Away Hundreds of Its Own Physicians Each Year, Tasker notes that there may be as many as 13,000 medical doctors in Canada who are not currently practicing.

Whats standing in the way of Canadian doctors becoming licensed to practice? Some claim the system of residency matching is discriminatory towards Canadian doctors who received their training outside of Canada. Rosemary Pawliuk, President of the Society for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad, is one of those who believe the system of matching is broken.

They have cute slogans like, Youre wanted and welcome in Canada, but when you look at the barriers, its very clear that you should not come home. Their message is essentially, Go away and so [doctors] do, Pawliuk told the CBC.

According the Pawliuk, the current residency selection system puts internationally trained Canadian doctors at a serious disadvantage, the CBC reported. The Canadian public should be entitled to the best qualified Canadian applicant. Whether theyve graduated from a Canadian school or an international school, whether theyre a Canadian by birth or if theyre an immigrant, they should be competing on individual merit, she added.

Canadas Medical School Matching Bias

In Canadas current matching system, medical schools decide who gets a residency. Critics say the schools are biased towards Canadian-educated doctors and overlook foreign-trained doctors. About 90% of all residencies in Canada are set aside for Canadian-trained doctors and the remaining spots are left for the physicians trained abroad, CBC noted.

It is important to note that these doctors who are trained abroad are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Thus, its not a question of citizens from other countries competing with Canadian citizens.

So, if a surplus of doctors are being shut out of residency training opportunities, why are there open slots in Alberta?Some believe this indicates individuals are not interested in practicing medicine in Alberta.

People arent interested in staying or coming to Alberta, family physician and Alberta Medical Association (AMA) President, Fredrykka Rinaldi, MD, told CBC.

But, Nathan Rider, MD, President of the Professional Association of the Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA), claims he has not heard of residents turning down Alberta. He notes that the factors of where a resident may want to go geographically often depend on factors such as proximity to loved ones, cost of living, and program culture.

Second Round Residency Matching Fairs Better

Not all are concerned about the vacancies in the first round of matching, however. University of Calgary Dean of Medicine, Todd Anderson, MD, and the University of Alberta Dean of Medicine and Dentistry Brenda Hemmelgarn, MD, PhD, both see the second round as more important.

But Rinaldi still has concerns, We may fill them with 42 disinterested people who have no interest in family medicine, she says.

Anderson admits that Across the country, over the last five or more years, family medicine has become less popular with medical students graduating from medical schools than it was in the years before.

Therefore, both Andersons and Hemmelgarns schools have changed curriculum to put more of an emphasis on family medicine. Perhaps with these changes, and possibly an opening for internationally-trained Canadian doctors to achieve residency positions, Albertasindeed all of Canadasresidency match days will be better attended.

In the United States, there is little news coverage about serious problems with the health systems in other nations. The experience of residency programs in Canada, as explained above, demonstrates how a different national health system has unique issues that are not identical to issues in the US healthcare system. What is true is that Canada is dealing with a similar shortage of skilled medical technologists (MTs) and clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs), just like here in the United States.

Ashley Croce

Related Information:

Alberta Doctors Sound Alarm Over Low Number of Grads Seeking Residency in Province

Doc Deficits: Half of Canadians Either Cant Find a Doctor or Cant Get a Timely Appointment with the One They Have

Canada is Short of Doctorsand Its Turning Away Hundreds of Its Own Physicians Each Year

B.C. Fights to Maintain the Barriers That Keep Foreign-Trained Doctors from Working

Cant Find a Family Doctor in Alberta? Training More Medical Students Is Not the Silver Bullet

Forbes Senior Contributor Covers Reasons for Growing Staff Shortages at Medical Laboratories and Possible Solutions

US Hospitals Continue to Be Squeezed by Shortage of Nurses, Rising Salaries

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Number of Unfilled Medical Residencies Increases in Alberta and ... - DARKDaily.com - Laboratory News

Family Medicine

Prepare for warm weather and migraines – Newsroom OSF HealthCare

stock photo of a person with a weather-induced migraine

For most adults, spring and summer thunderstorms bring the annoyance of driving in a downpour.

But others dread this time of year for migraines triggered by the environment.

What are migraines?

Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare, describes migraines as episodic disorders that cause severe, throbbing headaches, usually on one side of the brain.

The list of triggers is, unfortunately, long.

Emotional stress can trigger migraines. Moving, changing jobs, other stressful life situations, Dr. Ogun says. A change in sleeping habits can trigger a migraine. Skipping a meal. Your diet: wine, aged cheese, coffee withdrawal and foods high in nitrates.

Other common triggers include hormones, bright lights, loud sounds and changes in altitude. A propensity for frequent headaches can also run in the family, Dr. Ogun says.

You can prepare

Dr. Ogun says not much is known about weather-induced migraines. But most medical professionals agree there is some evidence for migraines caused by changes in barometric pressure.

How can you prepare?

Up and move, Dr. Ogun says, tongue firmly planted in cheek.

More realistically, watch the weather forecast. If theres a chance for a lot of dust or smoke in the air (think areas like California or Arizona), plan to limit time outside.

Stock up on medication after talking with your health care provider. Dr. Ogun says over-the-counter medicine like ibuprofen will help with pain and can even be taken ahead of when you know a migraine is coming.

They could have a headache diary where they write down what causes their headaches, where the pain is located, how long does it last, symptoms and what treatment helps, Dr. Ogun adds.

If your migraines are more frequent, feel different, or come with other symptoms like confusion, neck rigidity, weakness in the arms or legs, fever or chills, see a doctor right away. Some of those symptoms may be signs of a heart attack or stroke.

Any head trauma, like a sports injury or a car crash, should also be checked on by a doctor.

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Prepare for warm weather and migraines - Newsroom OSF HealthCare

Family Medicine

New and Expanded Primary Healthcare Clinics Boost Access … – Government of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotians deserve to be able to see a doctor, nurse and other healthcare providers in their communities more easily.

The government is investing in 60 new and strengthened clinics that will connect more Nova Scotians to primary care they can count on.

New and strengthened clinics will mean patients who previously would have to use an emergency department or wait to see a healthcare professional at an existing location will be able to get better care, faster than ever before, said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. This is just one of a series of efforts we are making to improve primary care for Nova Scotians.

This expansion includes collaborative family practice teams, primary care clinics, after-hours clinics, urgent care centres and urgent treatment centres. More information on the type and locations of the new and expanded clinics can be found at https://novascotia.ca/news/docs/2023/05/10/primary-healthcare-announcement-fact-sheet.pdf

The government is adding eight new collaborative family practice teams, strengthening 26 teams and adding a locum support team. Collaborative family practice teams are fully or partly funded by Nova Scotia Health and bring together a team of professionals like physicians, nurses and social workers to address patients various healthcare needs.

Four of the new or expanded collaborative family practice teams will adopt a new rapid onboarding process for healthcare professionals developed in partnership with Dalhousie family medicine. Other teams will start using this process over time.

Six new primary care clinics will be added, and 10 clinics will be enhanced. Nova Scotia Healths primary care clinics provide care to people on the Need a Family Practice Registry.

One new urgent treatment centre and two new after-hours clinics will be added, and an existing after-hours clinic will be strengthened. These facilities provide urgent, non-emergency care to all Nova Scotians. Currently, there are seven urgent treatment centres and three after-hours clinics.

There will be five new urgent care centres. These centres improve access for existing patients of participating private practices. Several healthcare providers work together from one clinic location to offer evening and weekend appointments to one anothers patients.

Nova Scotians can also access primary care through VirtualCareNS, mobile primary care clinics, 811 and community pharmacies.

This is one of several recent announcements about improving access to primary care, including:

Providing the care Nova Scotians need and deserve is part of Action for Health, the governments plan to improve healthcare.

We are excited to see this investment in primary care. We know that these strengthened and expanded practices will provide better access for patients to receive care at all stages of life. Its also an environment that will attract healthcare professionals, which is very important for recruitment.Dr. Maria Alexiadis, Senior Medical Director, Primary Health Care and Chronic Disease Management Network, Nova Scotia Health

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New and Expanded Primary Healthcare Clinics Boost Access ... - Government of Nova Scotia

Family Medicine

County appoints new hospital board Silvercity Daily Press – Silver City Daily Press and Independent

By JO LUTZDaily Press StaffThursdays meeting of the Grant County commissioners opened with a loan approval for the long-awaited Dos Griegos fire station, and closed with the appointment of the long-awaited Gila Regional Medical Center board of trustees.During the public hearing for an ordinance authorizing the loan agreement, attorney Luis Carrasco acted as the countys loan counsel. He explained that the New Mexico Finance Authority would loan $1,084,911 in principal to pay for a metal building to serve as the Dos Griegos Fire Station for the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department, which has long faced challenges responding to calls in the Dos Griegos area. The county would repay this loan plus about 3.3 percent interest over 30 years using money received from the State Fire Protection Fund.Carrasco said that the loan agreement authorizes the state treasurer to pay the fire protection funds directly to the Finance Authority to service the debt.If, down the road, state funding gets lower or stops, how responsible would Grant County be to pay this? asked Commission Chair Chris Ponce.Youre pledging only the dollars you get from those funds, Carrasco said, adding that the Finance Authority had done its own analysis and wouldnt move forward if it didnt find the pledged amount sufficient. The contract also allows for renegotiation in case of unforeseen circumstances.Last but far from least and postponed on the agenda until after a lengthy executive session commissioners passed the baton of hospital governance to an independent board of trustees. The five County Commission members have directly served as the hospitals Governing Board since a mass resignation of the last board of trustees in May 2020.They appointed seven new voting board members and three ex officio nonvoting members specifically the county manager and the hospitals CEO and chief of staff.The appointment did not pass unanimously, with District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards casting a no vote.Id like to thank everyone who applied as a trustee, she said. My challenge with the no vote isnt with who were appointing, its with who were not appointing. The hospital board has a long history of being overwhelmingly Anglo and underwhelmingly female. I believe we missed an opportunity to make more progress than we did.Other commissioners, though they cast yes votes, echoed similar sentiments of compromise.I dont think any one of us got exactly the board we would have individually handpicked, observed District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings.District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he also did not get the board he wanted, but he respected the process they went through.We gave full consideration to everyones perspective, he said. Hopefully it will only get better in terms of diversity. The way we staggered the terms was intentional, to help us get to that.Beginning in July, the seven voting members of the hospital board will be former District 2 County Commissioner Javier Salas, nurse practitioner Patricia McIntire, Silver Schools Superintendent William Hawkins, Freeport-McMoRan supply chain superintendent Seth Traeger, internal medicine Dr. Michael Smith, family medicine Dr. Fred Fox and retired economic developer Betty Vega.We took this seriously, Ponce concluded. This is probably one of the most important things that we do as commissioners.Thursdays public comment period saw the return of county resident James Baldwin with an update on his pursuit of reconciliation between the names Bear Mountain Road and Cottage San. He presented as evidence this time an atlas called the Gazetteer, which lists the road as Bear Mountain. He mentioned that he attempted to speak to county staff regarding this issue, and had not received a return phone call.He also weighed in on the increase in international migration expected this week accompanying the lifting of Title 42, the COVID-era emergency measure allowing Border Patrol agents to easily deport most migrants back to Mexico as a public safety measure.Remember on 9/11/2001, we had the Twin Towers? Baldwin said. Now we have 5/11/2023. The two events are similarly destructive to the United States of America. I hope the county will not permit any of the illegals, the migrants, to go through.He reported that two white buses had been seen but not photographed going west on U.S. 180, probably carrying people someplace.Next, Debbie Gray of accounting firm Kriegel, Gray, and Shaw presented the countys annual audit. The written opinion says the governments financial statements were fairly presented in accordance with accounting principles in other words, a passing grade on a pass/fail assessment.Gray reported total assets of $153 million and a net position, or equity, of $98 million. She said that although there were no noncompliance issues that impacted the financial statement, there was a deficiency in one component unit Gila Regional Medical Center related to the tracking of fixed asset values.The report for the hospital was also late, which Edwards clarified was due to the critical access cost report, for which the hospital had to wait on from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.Both Gila Regional Medical Centers chief financial officer and interim CEO were absent Thursday, leaving interim Chief Nursing Officer Cynthia Lewis to deliver a brief update on the March financials, deferring questions about a five-year facilities plan to her colleagues upon their return.Treasurer Patrick Cohn reported that the county had collected 94.2 percent of taxes due over the last decade, and that of the $7,024,806.69 uncollected, his office had begun to make progress with past-due mobile home owners, a topic which had come up in a previous meeting.The preliminary county budget for FY 2024 passed with minimal discussion, having been covered in Tuesdays work session. Browne did bring up that requested raises for elected officials such as the treasurer and assessor were not granted. County Manager Charlene Webb clarified that this was because the statute barred raises for elected officials in the middle of their terms.The county also approved Mountain Ridge Ace Hardwares lease on their part of the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center building. The lease was renewed for two terms for a total of 10 years, with an increase of $1 per square foot. Webb recalled that the square footage was about 19,000.Jo Lutz may be reached at [emailprotected]

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County appoints new hospital board Silvercity Daily Press - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

Family Medicine

It’s Always Construction Season for the Body The Hamburg Reporter – Hamburg Reporter

Prairie Doc Perspective Andrew Ellsworth, MD

Like a car racing along the interstate, exiting onto a highway, and finally reaching the family farm along a dusty gravel road, our blood circulates inside our bodies. There are the major blood vessels, such as the aorta running out of the heart, and there are the tiny capillaries allowing blood cells one at a time to carry oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in our bodies. The network of capillaries is so complex it is estimated there are over 40 billion in one person, and if stretched out in a single line they would cover over 100,000 miles.

Our blood is made up of a mix of liquids and solids. The liquid, plasma, is composed of water, salts, and proteins. The solids include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In general, the red blood cells deliver oxygen and carry away carbon dioxide, the white blood cells help fight infections, and the platelets help form clots if you get a cut.

Bone marrow is the spongy material inside our bones that helps make new blood cells, which only last so long. Red blood cells last about 120 days, platelets last 6 days, and white blood cells may last less than a day or much longer.

As with any stretch of road, accidents happen. The blood cells can become clogged, causing a stroke in the brain or a heart attack in the heart. Sometimes what goes wrong is a problem of overproduction causing a cancer of the blood. Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, lymphoma is a cancer of the tissues that produce and carry white blood cells, and multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma proteins. A cancer of too many red blood cells is called polycythemia vera.

While some cancers often cause the growth of a solid tumor, the overproduction of blood cells may be harder to detect. Symptoms are often vague, including fatigue, weakness, night sweats, bone pain, weight loss, frequent infections, enlarged lymph nodes, and other nonspecific symptoms.

Advancements in cancer therapies have made large strides in the treatment of blood cancers. Besides chemotherapy and radiation therapies, treatments can include stem cell transplants, immunotherapies, and targeted therapies which are more specific on the molecular level to what is being overproduced. Immunotherapies include modifying T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells.

The complexities of the human body are endless and amazing. Part of the wonder is how the cells in our bodies are constantly growing and being replaced. Just like our highway system, there is always construction.

Andrew Ellsworth, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc at http://www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc a medical Q&A show based on science, built on trust for 21 seasons, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

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It's Always Construction Season for the Body The Hamburg Reporter - Hamburg Reporter

Family Medicine

Peter F. Bidey, DO, Named Dean of the PCOM Osteopathic … – PR Newswire

PHILADELPHIA, May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After an extensive national search, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has named Peter F. Bidey, DO '08, MSEd, FACOFP, dean of the osteopathic medicine program in Philadelphia effective June 1, 2023.

"I plan to continue to advance this great institution further into the forefront of medicine." Peter F. Bidey, DO

"Dr. Bidey represents the best of our osteopathic tradition: providing holistic care for the communities he serves while upholding a deep commitment to the highest standards of medical education," said Kenneth J. Veit, DO '76, MBA, FACOFP, who held the position for 30 years and now serves as PCOM's provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. "His passion and pride for PCOM, combined with the relationships he has built across the college, will serve us all at a time of great complexity and promise."

A Philadelphia native and physician at Family Medicine at PCOM, Bidey is an alumnus of the college. "I owe my career to PCOM," he said. "I trained here, I was mentored here, and I even met my wife here. It is truly an honor to serve the PCOM community, and my duty now is to repay all that PCOM has done for me."

Since 2012, Bidey has served on the PCOM faculty and acted as vice chair of the Department of Family Medicine since 2018. Previously, he was the medical director of Family Medicine, and most recently, assistant dean of clinical curricular integration. He is a clerkship director and co-course director for various ambulatory, family medicine, and primary care skills courses.

Bidey holds a bachelor's degree from Duquesne University, a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from PCOM, and a master of science in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

"In this new role, I plan to continue to advance this great institution further into the forefront of medicine," Bidey said. "We serve communities from every walk of life, and I will ensure that we continue to train the most competent and compassionate osteopathic physicians of the future."

Founded in 1899, PCOM has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a "whole person" approach to caretreating people, not just symptoms.PCOM operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral and graduate degrees in the healthcare professions. For more information, visit pcom.edu.

SOURCE Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Peter F. Bidey, DO, Named Dean of the PCOM Osteopathic ... - PR Newswire

Family Medicine

Heartfelt support for family of E. Patchogue mother and baby killed in … – Greater Long Island

A Long Island family is feeling the love and support of a community deeply affected by the tragic deaths of an East Patchogue mother and her 14-month-old baby in a car wreck last week.

Hundreds of donors have given to two separate fundraisers to offset the medical expenses for little Joelaya Smoljan-Davenport and the funeral costs for both her and her mother Jacklyn Smoljan, 31.

Smoljan died at the scene of the May 4 accident in Yaphank; Joelaya was pronounced dead later, after attempts to save her life at Long Island Community Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital.

Jackie was the light in everyones lives, her positivity, strength and courage were unmatched. Her laugh was contagious, her family meant everything to her, reads a heartfelt dedication on a GoFundMe page established by Smoljans employer for the past 12 years, Port Jefferson Family Medicine. Joelaya was the light in Jackies life, like Jackie said I wasnt ready for you but god knew I needed you.'

Funeral services for Smoljan and Joelaya will be held Wednesday, May 10, at Robertaccio Funeral Home, 85 Medford Ave. in Patchogue, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Closing prayers will be said at the funeral home at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, before the mother and daughter are laid to rest at Washington Memorial Park cemetery in Mount Sinai.

The tragic deaths came less than two years after Smoljans father Joe died from COVID-19. Joelaya nicknamed JoJo by relatives was named after her grandfather.

Jackie and Joelaya we all love you so much, it is so painful and heart breaking that god had other plans for you, the little bit of peace we can find with this is that you are now with your dad and grandpa, reads the GoFundMe page created by Smoljans employer.

Joelayas distraught paternal grandmother Sheila DelValle established a second GoFundMe page to provide financial support directly to the Smoljan family.

I know I am supposed to say how I feel and how this has affected her family but I simply cant, she wrote on the page. Jacky JoJos mom was not ready for her as she often said but she rose and exceeded any expectation of what being a mom looked like.

She leaves behind so many that just do not know how to go on, DelValle continued. These things do not have a reference point. There is no gauge on how long anything takes or if it ever will pass.

The two GoFundMe pages created in connection to the tragedy have raised $27,400. To contribute to the fundraisers, click on the links below.

In loving memory of Jackie and Joelaya

Baby Joelaya Smoljan-Davenports Funeral

Smoljan is survived by her mother and Joelayas grandmother Kathryn Smoljan; her sister and Joelayas aunt Stephanie Smoljan; and her niece and nephew (Joelayas cousins), Mikaela and Gibson Joseph. Joelaya is additionally survived by her father and Nana Sheila DelValle, according to information posted by the funeral home.

On May 4 about 7:35 a.m., Smoljan was driving a 2019 Nissan Sentra northbound on County Road 101 when she struck a southbound 2019 Thomas Built mini bus that was attempting to make a left turn onto Express Drive South.

Joelaya was in a car seat in the backseat of the Nissan.

The driver of the bus, Jose Ducos, 73, of Medford, and Aria Mingo, 61, of Bellport, a matron on the bus, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

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NEW EXHIBIT OFFERS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF NATIVE … – High Plains Reader

Culture | May 12th, 2023

By Bree Hocking

bhocking@nd.gov

From the first step inside On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers & the Land at the State Museum in Bismarck you get the sense this truly is another world, says Exhibitions Manager David Newell.

Produced by the North Dakota Council on the Arts in association with the State Historical Society, the new exhibition, which opens to the public Thursday, explores connections between cultural practices, regional landscapes, and tribal oral narratives.

Its the result of a 10-year project by State Folklorist Troyd Geist to photograph landscapes sacred to Native American tribal nations that share geography with North Dakota and to record Indigenous stories relayed by elders and knowledge keepers related to these significant and spiritually powerful places.

As audiences move through the Governors Gallery, they will encounter unique sensory experiences allowing them to immerse themselves in the featured stories, landscapes, and artifacts.

With that in mind, I asked Newell to give us a behind-the-scenes look at some of the elements that set this exhibit apart.

1. The Power of Plants

As you enter the exhibition, free-standing walls following the curve of the Missouri River guide you first to the flowers and plants section. This area inspires you to think differently about nature, Newell points out. Images of elders collecting botanicals to be used for medicinal and spiritual purposes can be seen along with Ojibway herbalist and artist Marvin Baldeagle Youngmans exquisite beaded medicine bags. (Baldeagle Youngman is also pictured in one of the photographs.)

The bags, adorned with realistic nature-inspired designs, depict traditional medicines such as wild rose and yarrow. At four smelling stations you can even lift a flap and take in the aromas of cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and mint.

An adjacent display of tobacco, pipes, and accessories speaks to that plants importance in connecting people to the spiritual realm. Pipes act as a communication device, Newell explains. Prior to the exhibit installation, an elder conducted an outdoor ceremony making an offering to the land and blessing the ND Heritage Center & State Museum.

Part of this involved the blessing of red tobacco ties (small pouches stuffed with tobacco), which were placed in the gallerys four cardinal directions. These will remain in the space for the duration of the exhibition.

2. Guided Imagery and the Medicine Wheel

Standing in the center of a Medicine Wheel representing the four cardinal directions, visitors look at screens showing the view in those directions from the summit of Butte St. Paul.

Eight earphones are available for individuals or groups to listen as Dr. Linda Gourneau, a family medicine physician, narrates a five-minute guided imagery experience of hiking the butte accompanied by flute music.

By linking the trail walk with the Native American concept of the Medicine Wheel and its role in promoting well-being and balance, the space imparts a sense of calm and transports you to someplace else, Newell says.

3. Northern Lights Experience

This sense of calm continues seamlessly in a nearby space featuring a projection of the northern lights and the sounds of night animals interspersed with flute music by Mandan/Hidatsa storyteller Keith Bear. (Fittingly, Bears Native name OMashi! Ryu Ta translates to Bright Light That Waves in the North Sky.)

Here, visitors can sit on benches while immersing themselves in a visual and aural experience. Newell dubs this space a contemplation zone. Quotes from storytellers remind the viewer of the interconnectivity of life and the spiritual power of the natural world.

4. Story Spaces

The heart of the exhibit is the story spaces, where visitors can watch short videos of the elders and knowledge keepers recounting their narratives about significant landscapes. (As variations of the same story may exist, those on display here represent the individual storytellers version.) Interpretive panels provide an overview of each story along with comments and quotes from the elders.

Surrounding the kiosks are Geist and Swiss photographer Barbara Hausers stunning digital photographs on aluminum panels, as well as associated objects and artifacts, most of which are part of the North Dakota Council on the Arts collection.

Newell stops in front of a case containing a large cottonwood disk showing the star-shaped pith at its core. This is my favorite story in the whole exhibit, he says, referencing the Dakotah account of a little star that wants to come down to the earth and live amongst the people because they make it so happy. When the other stars tell him he can only do so if he hides himself, the star hides inside a tree. And hes still there.

The spaces surrounding the story kiosks are meant to immerse the visitor in the narration on the screens, allowing the words on the panels to recede and the experience to take over, says Newell.

Twenty offering stations, interpolated throughout the exhibition, contain an abalone shell smudge bowl filled with sage accompanied by a small red pouch of tobacco as a sign of respect and gratitude.

In some instances, elements from the narratives have been incorporated into this standard offering. For example, Hunkpapa Lakota elder Anna Littleghost told of the importance of keeping the supernatural Little People (said to inhabit the area around Spirit Lake) happy and noted their yen for red jellybeans, which she includes in her offerings to them. Newell sifted through six bags of jellybeans to procure the necessary amount of spicy cinnamon and red cherry jellybeans for the offering station in this area.

The exhibit concludes with a wall of prayers from the storytellers as they give thanks for the Earth's power and energy (Mary Louise Defender Wilson, Dakotah/Hidatsa) and meditate on the importance of stories to provide the connection, the ancestral lineage all the way back to Creator (Debbie Gourneau, Ojibway).

The sacred and contemplative nature of the landscapes and stories influenced all aspects of the exhibitions design and organization, from its low-lighting and tonal qualities to the decision not to include the locations of referenced sites.

Weve made a conscious effort to respect the sacred nature of the sites, says Newell. We are deeply appreciative of the trust these elders granted us.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers & the Land runs from April 27 through October 2024 in the Governor's Gallery at the ND Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck.

Editors note: Bree Hocking, Ph.D., is assistant editor for the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Her background in journalism and academia includes stints at U.S. News & World Report, Roll Call, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and The Open University in Belfast. The author of The Great Reimagining: Public Art, Urban Space, and the Symbolic Landscapes of a New Northern Ireland, she has published numerous articles on the intersection of spatial politics, art, and identity. When her nose isnt in a book, youll find Bree dancing and road-tripping her way through life.

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