Issuu

SUMMER 2016

A Dream Within Reach p. 5

TOURO COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY SYSTEM Where Knowledge and Values Meet Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 18,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has 29 branch campuses, locations and instructional sites in the New York area, as well as branch campuses and programs in Berlin, Jerusalem and Moscow. New York Medical College; Touro University California and its Nevada branch campus; Touro University Worldwide and its Touro College Los Angeles division; as well as Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois. are separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, visit www.touro.edu/news.

t n t a n w a WeWewPECAECE PEA

Our Message to You Dear Alumni, This has been an unsettled year

might owe them, but rather on what

on college campuses across the na-

they owe others and on how they can

tion.

grievances,

make the world a better place. This

curtailment of free expression, mi-

shift in focus from self-centered to

cro-aggressions,

learning

other-centered is what distinguishes

communities — these are just some

Touro College and can be seen in the

examples of issues challenging stu-

pages of this publication. Victimhood

dents

jour-

is not a productive stance, and indeed

neys, and sometimes derailing them.

it is missing from the articles found in

I am particularly disturbed by the as-

LINKS. Here you will find many stories

cent of the Boycott Divestment and

of students and alumni taking charge

Sanctions (BDS) movement on college

of their lives in spite of overwhelm-

campuses. Aside from the fact that the

ing hardships, and contributing to the

movement is anti-Semitic at its core, it

building of a better society.

Special

interests,

their

unsafe

educational

serves to stifle productive communica-

I am so proud of Touro College,

tion and is antithetical to what an open

our students and alumni and their

learning community should be. I would

accomplishments. I hope you enjoy

like to propose an alternative at Touro

reading about the richness and vi-

College — BBDDSSS — building bridg-

brancy found in the Graduate and

es, dignified discourse, shared schol-

Professional Divisions.

Dr. Nadja Graff, Vice President, Division of Graduate Studies

ILLUSTRATION: KS REVIVO

arship and solutions. The

educational

community

Best,

Touro College is exceptional. We provide a safe haven, an environment infused with values. Our students and faculty focus not on what others

EMAIL DR. GRAFF AT NADJA.GRAFF@TOURO.EDU

SUMMER 2016 SUMMER 2016

FEATURES

SERVING OUR VETERANS

Touro Law Center, School of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Social Work

BRAVE NEW WORLD

TouroCOM & School of Health Sciences

ON THE EDGE OF A MEDICAL FRONTIER Touro College of Pharmacy

Alumni News & Notes 27

1.7 million veterans

in the U.S. are younger than 35

www.touro.edu

3D printing machine in action, p. 25

One alum took an unusual path to a healthcare career pAGE 9

PROFILES | Summer 2016

ON THE COVER

Graduate School of Education Alum, Tracee Murren, is Transforming Lives. See the whole story on page 5.

| TRACEE MURREN

RIVKY REICH

A Dream Within Reach

Movinâ€™ Up

Graduate School of Education

Graduate School of Business

ESAU REYES-PESANTE & CLEMENT OKEGBE

RABBI BARUCH FOGEL

Worlds Apart, One Dream

Graduate School of Jewish Studies

Graduate School of Technology

A Work in Progress

Murren digs in where the real work and the real impact lies: with the students.

SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION

SEE HOW THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION IS BUILDING LEADERS LIKE TRACEE MURREN, AT GSE.TOURO.EDU

COMMUNITY GROWTH

A Dream Within Reach Building a School from the Ground Up

TRACEE MURREN Acting Principal of Kingsborough Early College Secondary School (KECSS) in Brooklyn

Tracee Murren runs through her days. She dashes up crowded hallways greeting students by name, then checks in with a teacher in need of an answer. She races downstairs to observe a Tae Kwan Do class, she spots a handful of recent grads and hurries to catch them before they round a corner. As acting principal of Kingsborough Early College Secondary School (KECSS) in Brooklyn, Tracee supervises and mentors a team of teachers, support staff, and a student body comprised of over 500 diverse learners, grades 6-12, drawn from communities often underserved by the educational system. During this daily race, Tracee relies on the skills developed and the mentoring she received, while earning an MS in School Leadership at Touro Graduate School of Education.

students and teachers suggest that this isn’t just any inner city school. At KECSS, students know that if they work hard and stay focused, an Advanced Regents Diploma and an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, the equivalent of 60 college credits, will be their prize. With the help and support of school administration and staff, each KECSS student follows the standard high school curriculum and, after successful completion of the 8th grade, participates in college level courses at Kingsborough Community College. This allows them to complete the equivalent of the first two years of college during their high school years and enter college as juniors, reducing their tuition costs by half. The success of this program is evident: sixty-five percent of graduating students at KECSS earned their AA degree in the 2014-2015 school year. Tracy is no stranger to the dream of a college education. Twenty years ago, as a high school student in Trinidad and

NOT JUST ANY HIGH SCHOOL Despite the school’s last century brick façade, the energy and enthusiasm among KECSS

5 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Tobago, she hoped to land a scholarship for entry into an American college. After winning scholarships for both academics and sports, she settled on an academic one and attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where she completed her degree in economics. A subway ad inspired Tracee to try her hand at teaching and she entered the New York City Teaching Fellows program in 2003, which, in return for teaching in an underserved neighborhood, paid for her to attend graduate school for a Master’s in Education. “I applied, got the job and fell in love with teaching,” explains Tracee, who taught math in an underserved area of the Bronx, while attending graduate school at night. Towards the end of her third year in grad school, Tracee heard about a chance to be a founding teacher in a brand new school. “I was excited about the opportunity to start something,” she recalls. She, along with four other teachers and a school principal, planned the school from the

Immediately, Tracee felt right at home there. “People understood what it was like to work in inner city schools, they knew about our challenges.” The Touro curriculum excited her, too. “Leadership for the 21st Century, a class taught by Dr. Alan Sebel, really inspired me,” she recalls. The course, which examined current research and encouraged students to explore educational leadership, vision and collaboration in practice, really suited Tracee. The knowledge she gained as well as the A FOCUS ON LEADERSHIp insight it gave her into her own KECSS’sleadership style has helped her Notwithstanding growth and success, Traceeenormously as she moved into knew there was still more to do.her current position at KECSS The school’s original plan calledand as an adjunct professor for a solid succession programat Touro teaching Supervision to ensure strong leadership go-and Instruction during the suming forward, and so, a few yearsmer session.

ground up. “We decided everything. What kind of desks, the curriculum, whether or not to have lockers.” Initially housed on the Kingsborough Community College campus, the school opened in 2006 with 81 students drawn by lottery from two underserved districts in Brooklyn and one in Staten Island. By 2008, the student body had outgrown its location and a larger space was found in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where it stands today.

Looking back over the last 15 years, it’s the kids that have always kept Tracee going. “I’m committed to helping highneed, under-represented students with their education, kids who without me, might fall through the cracks.”

6 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

www.touro.edu

ago, Tracee began to consider ways that she might develop herself. One of her colleagues, a Touro graduate, recommended Touro Graduate School of Education for its small classes and kind, understanding faculty and administration.

Murren says that keeping an open dialogue with the teachers is vital to her team’s success.

SPOTLIGHT ON TECHNOLOGY

TECH CONNECT

Worlds Apart, One Dream Two Touro students with identical goals land technology jobs of their dreams

ESAU REYESPESANTE Chief Liason at the New York City Department of Transportation

CLEMENT OKEGBE Customer Service Representative in the Web Unit at New York City Department of Transportation

Esau Reyes-Pesante loved computers. “I always dreamed of a career in technology, but back home in Puerto Rico, I didn’t see a way to make this happen.” Halfway around the world in Nigeria, Clement S. Okegbe had the same goal. With Touro’s help, these two ambitious young men not only turned their dreams into realities but now work side-by-side. Esau traveled to New York City, landed a job with the NYC Department of Aging, and through research online, identified Touro Graduate School of Technology (GST) as the route to a career in his field. He applied, was accepted and began to pursue his degree in the evenings, after his workday was over. Beginning in 2012 and until graduation in 2013, GST’s Career Service Office helped Esau write a resume, cover letters and prepared him for interviews for jobs geared to the technology field. Esau landed a position as a Computer Aide with the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), the New York City government agency overseeing transportation infrastructure management for the City. “The help I received from Touro played an important role in my being selected for this position,” Esau recalls. Last fall, this enthusias-

tic young man was promoted to Chief Liaison, serving as the go-between for the IT Department and the Correspondence Unit, the group that responds to the thousands of inquiries and complaints regarding New York City’s streets. pAVING THE WAY Soon after this promotion, Esau learned of an opening in his department for an intern. Having stayed in touch with Touro through Robert Grosberg, Director of Career Services at the Graduate School of Technology, he contacted him about the position. “Touro was instrumental in helping me land my position at DOT; I knew they would help us find a strong candidate,” recalls Esau. When Clement Okegbe, a Touro College student in his final year, learned about the job, he was extremely interested. Like Esau, Clement, had traveled to New York City from his home country (Nigeria), enrolled in Touro College and focused his studies on technology. “I felt at home at Touro,” he explains. “There were a lot of students like me from other countries. Touro is very open to helping students from all over the world who attend their school.” Clement went to work on his resume and underwent mock interviews with the help of Touro’s Career

7 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Services Office and feedback from fellow students. When he secured the internship, Clement was thrilled. “This is my first real career job,” he explains. “Many of the skills I’m using at DOT, I learned at Touro and now I’m able to put them into practice,” says Clement, who works down the hall from Esau. To Clement’s delight, he has recently learned that he will be able to stay on at DOT following his Touro graduation. GIVING BACK Clement is extremely grateful to Esau for contacting Touro about the internship and his on-thejob support. “I’m looking out for Clement and helping to make sure he has the tools needed to apply for positions within the agency,” says Esau. “Touro helped me in both my education and in finding my first position at DOT and so I want to give back,” he says. Clement hopes to one day return to Touro where he will earn his Master’s Degree in Technology. “At DOT the mission is to make sure of the safe movement for people and goods throughout the City. For the two of us,” says Clement, “with Touro’s help, we’re applying the same principle to our careers and personal goals as we move forward in our lives.”

“Touro was instrumental in helping me land my job. I knew they would help us ﬁnd a strong (internship) candidate.”

Esau (left) and Clement shared the same dream before coming to work at DOT. They now use their combined efforts and technology know-how to make New York City’s streets safer.

www.touro.edu

FIND OUT WHERE TOURO’S GRADUATE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY IS LEADING ITS STUDENTS TODAY, AT GST.TOURO.EDU

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS

CHECK OUT OUR MBA pROGRAM AND MORE OF TOURO’S BUSINESS OFFERINGS AT GSB.TOURO.EDU

HELpING HANDS

Movin’ Up

An Unusual Class Assignment Opens Doors

RIVKY REICH Ofﬁce Manager, Primary Care, Center for Health Education, Medicine, & Dentistry (CHEMED)

THE TABLES TURN

When Touro Graduate School of Business (GSB) Professor Gena Bardwell assigned an interview with a CEO as part of the Strategic Management course curriculum, Rivky Reich was puzzled. “I had no idea who to call and, if I did, why someone would want to talk to me,” she recalls. Rivky, plucky, practical and an eternal optimist, decided her best shot would be finding a CEO at a company with a focus similar to that of her current employer, a healthcare facility in Brooklyn, where she’d worked her way up from receptionist to manager, while pursing first her undergraduate degree at Touro College in Flatbush and then her graduate degree at GSB. While Rivky wracked her brain, she had an idea. “Why not reach out to a CEO and make a connection in a locality where I may one day want to live?” Rivky, unmarried at the time, had a number of friends who had moved to a community in Lakewood, New Jersey, a place where she’d thought of one day living and raising a family. Research into Lakewood healthcare organizations turned up the Center for Health Education, Medicine, & Dentistry (CHEMED), a healthcare center there providing a range of medical services to underserved populations.

“I sent an email explaining the assignment to the CEO, Dr. Dovid Friedman, and asked if he had twenty minutes to talk to me.” Rivky received a response immediately and scheduled the interview. “He was gracious and answered all my questions.” After thirty – not twenty – minutes had passed, Rivky thanked Dr. Friedman and prepared to leave.

“All of a sudden I was being interviewed by them.” But, to Rivky’s surprise, he asked her to stay longer. “He said, ‘Hold on. Now I have some questions for you,’ and then called in the COO. All of a sudden I was being interviewed by them,” she recalls. Two hours later, the interview finally ended, Rivky thanked Dr. Friedman for his time and prom-

9 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

ised to send him a copy of the finished essay she would write based on their meeting. A few weeks later, after reading her work, Dr. Friedman wrote back and encouraged Rivky to contact him, if she found herself living in the area and looking for work. Rivky was thrilled. Fast forward ten months and Rivky, now engaged, contacted Dr. Friedman saying that she and her fiancé were relocating to Lakewood and she was interested in a position. With one semester at Touro to go, the couple moved to Lakewood, and Rivky landed a job at CHEMED as an office manager in primary care and commuted to Touro for classes. “The management classes really kept me going as I worked toward my degree,” recalls Rivky, who one day hopes to run a medical facility. “I would find myself with a management problem at work, bring it to class and the solution would be right there for me,” she says. “I’m forever grateful to Touro for their help and support. They were instrumental in my finding a new position and my Master’s Degree provides a foundation that will keep me growing and moving forward in this ever-changing and expanding field.”

10 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

www.touro.edu

Reich takes a personal approach in her role at the Center for Health Education, Medicine & Dentistry.

SPOTLIGHT ON JEWISH STUDIES

DOING FOR GOOD

A Work In Progress For Touro’s Rabbi Fogel, It’s All About Connecting

RABBI BARUCH FOGEL Campus Rabbi at Touro Law and New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS)

The best part of Rabbi Baruch Fogel’s day is the people. As campus Rabbi for Touro Law Center, his days are filled with moments of connection – a kind word here, a brief conversation there, some back and forth about school pressure, family stress, financial strains. “The first two years of law school can be extremely challenging,” explains Rabbi Fogel. “I’m here to hang out with the kids and talk about anything relevant to their lives, including relationships, school/life balance, and ethics for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike.” In addition to counseling, Rabbi Fogel lectures on aspects of Judaism with topics ranging from “The Why and What of Kosher,” to “What is Kabbalah,” to “Legal Rights vs. the Commandments.” His role at school also involves sharing Jewish celebrations with students and faculty. Last year, the whole student body was invited to the school patio to celebrate “Sushi in the Sukkah.” Students and faculty enjoy his innovative approach to the Passover meal celebration, which features twelve food stations with traditional Passover foods, each with a placard explaining the different stages of the Seder. Rabbi Fogel’s affiliation with Touro began six years ago, as a student in the Graduate School of Jewish Studies (GSJS). Trained in a traditional Yeshiva

environment, much of his prior schooling focused on developing a rigorous command of rabbinic and theological texts. At Touro, Rabbi Fogel found the focus different immediately. “Here learning is analytical and expansive and I’ve studied with world experts. Dr. Judith Bleich’s class on modern Judaism was extremely enlightening and inspiring.” The course provided Rabbi Fogel with a classical perspective for looking at and reacting to the world today. “As a Rabbi who is dealing with the modern world, I continue to draw upon the learning from this and other courses, especially when counseling students” says Fogel. The outlook I have developed allows me to see current issues, such as the challenges that a Jew in the modern world faces, or the issues of integrating into modern society while maintaining one’s faith, from the standpoint of Jewish thought. My courses at Touro have greatly enhanced my Jewish education.” Rabbi Fogel’s role at Touro is an ever-growing work in progress. He arrived at Touro first as a graduate student, then he took on some additional responsibilities, and eventually a recommendation by GSJS Dean Michael Shmidman, PhD landed him the position with Touro Law Center. In addition to his role there, he also serves as campus Rabbi for Touro New York

11 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

“As a rabbi who is dealing with the modern world, I draw upon my learning from the Graduate School of Jewish Studies every day.” School of Career and Applied Sciences and lectures at the School of Health Sciences on medical topics such as ethics, blood donation, heart health, all with a theological perspective. “As a Rabbi, I’m on three different Touro campuses, and I’m put into contact with a lot of different kinds of people,” he explains. “I try to bring them some kind of positive message that will help them get through their day, I try to have a positive impact, give them some framework and context so that they enter the world in a socially conscious way.”

“I try to have a positive impact so that the students enter the world in a socially conscious way.”

Rabbi Fogel’s main focus is the people.

WANT TO KNOW HOW THE JEWISH STUDIES pROGRAM CAN HELp YOU HELp OTHERS? GO TO GSJS.TOURO.EDU TO FIND OUT.

12 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Imagine a trip to the drug store to fill a blood pressure or cholesterol prescription and leaving with a medication tailor-made just for you. No worries about adverse drug reactions, side effects or whether or not the medicine will work. Such a day is not too far off says Dr. Zvi Loewy, Professor, former Dean of Touro College of Pharmacy and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences. A pioneer in the field of genomics for decades, Dr. Loewy was among the first experts in DNA fingerprinting for law enforcement, recovery and issues of paternity. Now Dr. Loewy is leading a program at Touro College of Pharmacy in pharmacogenomics, the study of how a person’s genetic makeup, or genotype, impacts his or her reaction to medication. Using the ever increasing amounts of genomic data collected from large populations to evaluate various approaches to disease, drug applications and development, researchers now better understand how an individual’s genetic makeup influences responses to disease, medical conditions, and the drugs that treat them. As a result, the field of pharmacogenomics has emerged as key in identifying drug therapies that promise an entirely new personalized approach to medicine. This new field of science is expected to dramatically alter what and how we take medications for simple and complex illnesses and conditions.

ON THE EDGE OF A

A Medical Frontier Pharmacogenomics Comes to Touro

Dr. Zvi Loewy is Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences.

13 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Preparing Students For Tomorrow Touro College of Pharmacy is focused on preparing its students for this growing field through course offerings and rotations. Studying pharmacogenomics at Touro involves learning its foundations, including a basic review of mechanisms of gene expression and gene regulation, along with genetic concepts and history. Other topics studied include DNA sequencing, microarrays, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), all of which are viewed within the context of drug discovery and development, and in the human genotyping of genes involved in drug metabolism and transport. To complement coursework, Touro students can pursue additional exposure to pharmacogenomics during rotations. The school has teamed up with Genewiz, a global genomics service company involved in DNA sequencing, gene synthesis, molecular biology and bioinformatics. During rotations at Genewiz, pharmacy students gain real world work experience in this exciting and rapidly growing field. In addition, members of the Genewiz staff are now serving as guest lecturers at Touro. The school is expanding its educational reach to the broader medical and pharmacy community with continuing education programs for working pharmacists and practicing physicians interested in developing a foundation in pharmacogenomics and the ways patients can benefit from these new approaches to diagnosis and treatment. “Through both our curriculum as well as the pharmacogenomics experts we are attracting to the school, Touro is providing our students with exposure to this cutting edge area,” explains Dr. Loewy. “Our goal is for students to be prepared so they can land jobs and take part in this exciting new phase of pharmacy.”

TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

www.touro.edu

Helping Our Veterans Giving back to those who gave the most

INTERESTED IN VETERANS AFFAIRS? GO TO WWW.TOURO.EDU/DEPARTMENTS/VETERANS-PROGRAM

15 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

ouro’s commitment to knowledge, service, compassion and social justice is making a difference in the lives of those who have made the ultimate contribution–the men and woman involved in or returning from United States Military service. After a tour of duty, a host of challenges can accompany a veteran’s homecoming, both physically and emotionally. Phys-

9.4 M

The number of veterans age 65 and older

ical impairments and emotional ones such as PTSD, as well as stresses can make transitioning from military to civilian life difficult. These include reconnecting with families, finding jobs and housing and returning to school. Other unexpected issues can arise around forgotten traffic tickets, debts, obtaining appropriate benefits, and accessing scholarships and grants for more schooling.

7.4 M

veterans, ages 18 to 64, in the labor force

Touro has developed a range of programs that provide support to our military families and returning veterans. This includes training students studying in fields such as law, social work and health sciences to be attuned to and skilled in their unique issues. There are also efforts underway to reach out to veterans interested in advancing their educations or professional training, and to provide a supportive network to the

1.7 M

veterans are younger than 35.

more than 200 veterans and members of military families currently enrolled in Touro programs.

Touro Veteran’s Affairs Program In 2014, the office of the President formally established the Veteran’s Affairs Program at campuses in New York City and Long Island. Headed by recently retired U.S. Army Colonel Geoffrey Slack, the program’s primary purpose is to help veterans and their dependents. “Our goal is to assist veterans through the process of entering Touro College at either the undergraduate, graduate or professional program level, and to

of all veterans in the workforce are employed.

continue to offer direct assistance throughout their education here,” he explains. The program begins with the applicant and continues its support for students throughout their time at Touro and beyond. “We work with vets to help them find the best ways to use their skills and experience to achieve their educational and career goals,” Geoffrey Slack continues. “This includes asapplying for grants and scholarships.” In addition, Touro cultivates a supportive educational environment for vets through programs that recognize their special contributions. Most importantly, Touro reaches out to this group to encourage their participation in programs geared to veterans’ issues, where their involvement can bring an important perspective to both the classroom and ultimately their workplaces.

60%

of homeless veterans were located in shelters or transitional housing programs, and 40% were in unsheltered locations.

www.touro,edu

sisting them as they navigate the often confusing process of

Ken Rosenblum, director of Veteranâ€™s Clinic at Touro Law, with students.

17 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Geoffrey Slack heads Touro’s Veterans Affairs Office.

Returning to School after Military Service to Support Fellow Veterans It had been ten years since Jinette Moore had left the military. Although she had a family and a good job working in hospital administration, she felt like she wanted something more from her life. “I’m someone who likes helping people,” she says. “It felt like that was missing.” Jinette began to consider pursuing additional training in the healthcare field in Occupational Therapy. “I knew there were a lot of veterans returning with functional issues. I thought, if I’m going to help somebody, it’s going to be a veteran,” she recalls. the PTSD, the readjustment issues, the injuries, so OT seemed like

“The things veterans go through while serving stay with them for a lifetime... I talked to Geoffrey about it and immediately I felt like he understood.”

a good choice.” Jinette applied to Touro School of Health Sciences and was admitted to its OT program. Immediately she felt drawn into the school’s welcoming atmosphere and appreciated the support she received from professors and administrators. “I loved the smaller classes and the courses, especially ones like Development. Now in her third year, Jinette is currently doing fieldwork at a Veterans Hospital on Long Island. Throughout her time at Touro, Jinette has felt its support for veterans and has utilized the range of services available to them. “When I had a landlord issue, I received help from the Veteran’s Clinic at the Law Center and was able to work it out,” she recalls. Feeling the weight of her decade of military service weighing her down recently, she sought counsel from Geoffrey Slack, Director of Veterans Affairs. “The things veterans go through while serving stay with them for a lifetime,” explains Jinette. “I talked to Geoffrey about it and immediately I felt like he understood. He told me, ‘Let’s take a breather. Let’s pause and figure this out.’ It just made so much sense to me at the time. It helped knowing that there was someone there for me to go to for help.” Upon graduation in the spring of 2016, Jinette hopes to land a position working with veterans in vocational rehabilitation. “I want to help vets develop the skills that will help them get back to their lives,” she says. “Ideally, this would be a position at the VA. There I could help vets of all ages with all different kinds of life experiences. I think I could make a real difference.”

18 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

www.touro.edu

“As a vet myself, I understand a lot of the struggles they have --

Touro Law student, Anthony Avitable, at his military internship at Fort Bliss.

Advocating at the Touro Law Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic It had been a simple fender-bender. The two drivers would fill out

concentrations of veterans anywhere in the country. It is also the

accident reports and be on their way. But for one of the drivers, a

site of a major VA Hospital,” explains Ken Rosenblum. “The clinic

recently returning veteran looking forward to celebrating Christmas

gives priority to matters that will prevent or relieve homelessness or

in just a few days with his children, there was a complication–out-

remove barriers to reintegration of veterans into civilian life.”

standing parking tickets that the vet had no idea existed. Plus, these

Anthony’s work at the clinic involves providing free legal assis-

tickets had accumulated huge delinquency fines while the vet had

tance to veterans and their families, visiting veterans’ homeless

been deployed overseas. If he didn’t get everything paid, he’d be

shelters, participating in stand-downs, and presenting programs

hauled off to jail and spend Christmas there.

advising veterans of their legal rights. There he had the opportu-

Not if Anthony Avitable, third year law student at Touro Law Cen-

nity to represent actual clients with real legal problems and hone

ter, had anything to say about it. Anthony, a volunteer at the Touro

his professional skills. Originally, Anthony, whose family has been

Law Center Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic, went to

involved in the military and law enforcement for several generations,

work. “I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t go to jail,” says Anthony.

had entered Touro with a plan to join the FBI or DEA upon gradu-

Working within the system, Anthony was able to have the fines re-

ation. After becoming involved in the clinic, he began considering

moved and the vet was able to pay the cost of the original tickets.

military law as a legal career, through JAG, Judge Advocate Gener-

“It felt so good to know that with our help, the vet spent Christmas

al’s Corps, the branch of the military concerned with military justice

with his family.”

and military law.

Under the leadership of the Clinic’s Director, Ken Rosenblum, As-

Anthony interned over the summer in military law at Fort Bliss, in

sociate Dean for Administration, and former U.S. Army Judge Ad-

El Paso, Texas and was soon convinced. “I had 6 AM physical train-

vocate General’s Corps (JAG) officer, Anthony learned an enormous

ing sessions, and then spent the day working in the JAG office.” In

amount about veteran’s law. “There’s a high need in Suffolk County,

the fall of 2015, Anthony applied to the JAG Corps and was accept-

Long Island for veterans’ legal services, which has one of the largest

ed. He will enter the JAG Corps following graduation in spring 2016.

19 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Patricia Chery Simon, military wife and military fellow at the Graduate School of Social Work

“The vets I see sense that I understand what it’s like for them. It makes a difference. And now I am developing the tools so I can really help.” A Military Spouse Offers a Welcome Perspective Patricia Chery Simon knows firsthand the challenges facing mili-

perspective and experience can be enormously helpful to

tary families and veterans during the road back to civilian life. Her

this group.

husband returned home in ’08 and she witnessed the stresses

In 2013, Touro Graduate School of Social Work began offering

that her husband experienced. Plus, as a member of the military

Military Fellowships to MSW students interested in becoming so-

and veteran community, she knew about the bigger problems,

cial workers serving the veteran community. Five, third-year stu-

including substance abuse issues, and how many young men and

dents are awarded fellowships in the form of tuition reduction,

women suffered with physical limitations.

while they pursue field work and course studies focused on veterans with the goal of serving this population upon graduation.

school to pursue a degree in social work, with the plan of work-

As a Military Fellow, Patricia works with veterans at New York

ing with children or the elderly. When she discovered that Touro

City’s Samaritan Village, a residential treatment center offering

Graduate School of Social Work focused a portion of its curric-

substance abuse treatment. There she works one-on-one with

ulum on veterans’ issues, she was surprised. “I had no idea that

patients and holds workshops on drug and substance abuse ed-

there was such a thing,” says Patricia. “I was really excited when

ucation. Course work at Touro includes a year-long seminar with

I discovered this about Touro.”

other Fellowship participants focusing on the issues, needs and

Explains Tina Atherall, LMSW, Director of MSW Recruit-

services to veterans and their families. The three-credit course is

ment, Outreach and Enrollment Management at the Touro

divided into three sections: the first addresses military culture and

Graduate School of Social Work, “Military families have a

the soldier’s job; the second covers behavioral health issues and

different dynamic than civilian ones. At Touro, we have an

treatment for both veterans and their families; and the third part

opportunity to teach students this while they are in school.”

provides an overview of the existing systems that serve veterans.

One of the goals of the Touro Graduate School of Social

Patricia has found that her experience as a military spouse has

Work is to both expand awareness of and training in the spe-

been extremely helpful to her. “The vets I see sense that I under-

cial needs of veterans and military families and to encour-

stand what it’s like for them. It makes a difference. And now I am

age veterans to become social workers, since their unique

developing the tools so I can really help.”

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www.touro.edu

Several years ago, Patricia decided to apply to graduate

Cyber Anatomy Lab helps medical students see human anatomy in a life-like environment.

BRAVE NEW WORLD Technology Revolutionizes Training for Physicians & Healthcare Professionals

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOUROCOM AND SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES, AT TOUROCOM.TOURO.EDU & TOURO.EDU/SHS/HOME

21 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

www.touro.edu

t ’ s no secret

that technology has revolutionized the practice of medicine. Now it’s changing how physicians are trained, too. At Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM), innovations in computing, holography, and robotics, along with an improved understanding of how a person learns, are dramatically altering approaches to teaching. No more packed lecture halls filled with students hearing important material for the very first time. Today’s med students access course content via computer when they want and where they want, and come to the classroom ready to do a deep dive into the subject materials presented before class ready to answer case-based questions using iClickers and participate in discussion. Learning life-saving techniques such as intubation are first tried in a simulated environment utilizing a task trainer or computerized mannequin rather than a human being. Touro is on the frontlines of these sweeping changes with approaches and methods that take full advantage of available technologies. “Touro Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem and Middletown are rich in the latest technology to drive an excellent medical curriculum,” says Robert Goldberg, DO, Executive Dean and Professor, and Chief Academic Officer at Touro Osteopathic Medicine in New York City. At Touro’s School of Health Sciences, cutting edge technology is incorporated into its Occupational Therapy curriculum with the use of 3-D Printing. This same technology is on the drawing board for Physical Therapy students in coming months. the dynamic flipped classroom A cornerstone of medical teaching at Touro Schools of Osteopathic Medicine on Harlem and Middletown campuses is the flipped classroom. This approach delivers lectures online, outside the classroom, and moves class activities to explorations of topics in greater depth and evaluation of student progress in real-time. In its own fully-equipped production studio, TouroCOM faculty creates first rate presentations that are then downloaded by students and reviewed before they attend class. Students watch

on their own schedule, at times when they learn best. Class time is then devoted to discussion, critical thinking skills, and assessment. “This approach both saves time for students, who don’t have to travel to and from school to attend lectures, as well as faculty, whose lectures are captured and improved semester to semester, with modifications that keep them current,” says Kenneth J Steier, DO, Dean of the Middletown Campus. “Our classroom is built on students already having done the prep work and we take class time to a different level assessing what has been learned and clarifying concepts.” Incorporating the use of iCLicker, a web-based tool for instructors and students that provides immediate feedback when answering in-class questions, instructors can gauge the level of understanding from a large class of students within seconds. “Using this method, professors can see immediately what the students understand, what they may need to spend more time on, making it possible to alter teaching and material throughout the semester for optimum learning,” explains Dean Goldberg. “Such assessment means better trained students, and ultimately better trained physicians.” medical simulation Imagine a completely authentic emergency room filled with gurneys of patients. Take a closer look and each patient is a life-like robotic mannequin, pre-programmed to simulate a medical emergency requiring immediate problem solving. In another examination room, a medical student meets with a living human “standardized” patient and performs an initial exam. A camera installed in the room allows medical simulation educators to observe the stu-

23 TOURO LINKS SUMMER 2016

Touro’s simulation lab gives students the opportunity to practice on robots who can be pre-programmed with a host of medical issues.

Virtual Reality On the Middletown campus, a group of students enter a classroom and slip on 3-D glasses. But this isn’t some kind of special Hollywood movie film screening. It’s Cyber Anatomy lab. Here students study human anatomy with 3-D holographic imaging via the 3-D zSpace Cyber Anatomy System. With the help of this 3-D virtual holography, students can manipulate anatomic structure in ways that were unimaginable only a few years ago, and are able to see human anatomy within a lifelike environment. Offering 13,000 identifiable anatomy features, students use a stylus to carefully remove skin, separate muscle groups, organs and study them from any direction to “virtually dissect” a section of the human body. Then they put the pieces back together. Utilized in conjunction with plasticized figures as well as traditional cadavers, work in the 3-D lab enhances and extends understanding and learning. Explains Dr. Steier, “In cadavers, everything is lumped together and once it’s separated it can’t be put back together. 3-D Anatomy allows a student to dissect a portion of the body and put it back together again and again and learn at her or his own pace.” As one of the first schools to integrate 3-D anatomy into it curriculum, TouroCOM’s students, many of whom grew up in the virtual worlds of video games, are excited about working in 3-D. “The lab connects the textbook with the cadaver,” explains Johnson Zhang, a first year student at TouroCOM Middletown. “It links the academic and clinical perspectives of anatomy.”

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www.touro.edu

dent. Called medical simulation, these “pretend,” real-life scenarios are powerful teaching tools for students preparing to practice medicine and a key component in the TouroCOM curriculum. Students have a chance to hone their examination skills via filmed, simulated patient exams involving patient actors “cast” to portray a patient with a particular health condition or issue. During such simulated sessions, students practice taking medical histories and developing rapport with patients. Following each session, the recording of the student’s exam is replayed by the simulation educator for the supervising physician educator and student to serve as the backdrop for discussions on ways to improve a student’s approach to care. The TouroCOM Simulation Center looks exactly like an emergency room. Inside, gurneys of robotic patients manifest a range of pre-programmed symptoms from dilated pupils, to elevated blood pressure, to fevers. The mannequin patients express human reactions too, including coughs and moans. Teams of students treat mannequins with an array of conditions from acute asthma, to stroke, to emergency delivery of a baby. Such scenarios demand that students react, utilize therapeutic and diagnostic procedures, decision-making and teamwork. Following each simulation, a discussion takes place involving the physician educator and students to see what worked and what could be improved in their approach, problem solving and teamwork. The Simulation Center also features lifelike models of body parts designed for students to practice certain techniques of care such as intubation. Called Task Trainers, these provide students with a way to have continued practice of individual techniques, while protecting real patients from unnecessary risks.

Leeman, who wrote the curriculum, and librarian Laurel Scheinfeld, who initiated the effort, students’ designs are converted into programmable files by a bioengineering team at the University of Cincinnati. From there a device can be printed for just pennies.

Printing Squared New 3D technology delivers a promise for occupational therapy that Touro is harnessing

OT Student Davida Shubowitz with her tweaked version of a baby bottle holder, created with a 3D printer.

ou probably think 3D printing is for tech whizzes. Not so. At Touro School of Health Sciences, third year occupational therapy students are learning to harness the power of 3-D printing to develop assistive devices that can help patients with day-to-day activities. Student creations range from a spoon with an oversized grip custom-sized to a patient’s hand, a holder for a baby bottle, a key turner and a straw stabilizer. “The only limitation for students is their imagination. If they can create a prototype, out of something as simple as pipe cleaners, it can be engineered and 3-D printed,” says Blanche Leeman, Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Department at Touro. “The goal was for third year students to look at a patient and diagnose how they could improve a patient’s functioning through the use of adaptive equipment. With guidance from Professor

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COLLABORATIVE EFFORT The printer, a Makerbot Replicator, arrived at the School of Health Sciences through an interdepartmental collaboration for funding between Health Sciences Librarian, Laurel Scheinfeld and Ms. Leeman. Housed in the SHS Library, the printer is expected to be an important tool in rehabilitative healthcare. Plans are also underway at SHS to expand training in 3-D printing to other healthcare programs such as Physical Therapy. “We are very excited about the Makerbot’s potential both as a teaching tool and for advancing patient care,” says Ms. Scheinfeld. “It is a great example of the importance of interdisciplinary and intradepartmental collaboration.” “Touro OT students will bring their 3-D printing knowledge into the workplace,” says Professor Leeman. “We are also making our designs available to the greater rehabilitative community. Files for each student’s device will be stored on a website dedicated to sharing user-created designs where they will be available for other practitioners to download and print.” As a result of this effort and collaboration with librarians Joan Wagner and Laurel Scheinfeld, Professor Leeman has been awarded a Dean’s Seed Grant for research for “Motivation of students in the use of 2 different physical pathways for the creation of an adaptive device using 3-D printing technology.” The original project was funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, under Contract No. HHSN-276-2011-00003-C, with the University of Pittsburgh.”

Alumni News & Notes BARBARA GRIFFITH

MEGAN TOMLIN

NECHAMA (SAKOWITZ) TURK

Barbara studied to become a Physician Assistant at Touro, later became a doctor and served as Regional Medical Director for the Department of Corrections covering 13 prisons in New York City. She will soon be starting a new chapter in her professional career as she joins a private practice in family medicine.

Megan is a Partner at the Law Offices of Michael J. Alber, P.C. where she focuses on matrimonial and family law.

Nechama is employed in an elementary charter school as occupational therapist. She recently started her own personal organizing business to help people improve their lives and live clutter-free.

Touro Law Center, 2011

“The Family Law clinic and practice law module were fundamental to my career. I was able to gain real world experience as a law student, and I felt not just prepared, but conﬁdent that I would be successful in my career.”

School of Health Sciences, 1976

“Life has come full circle as I have recently become Vice Chairman for Nuclear Medicine and Radiology at New York Medical College, a division of Touro College & University System. I am also Director of Nuclear Medicine and Attending radiologist at Westchester Medical Center.”

Graduate School of Jewish Studies, 2006

Graduate School of Technology, 2014

“Touro’s Masters of Web and Multimedia Program gave me the

CHANA LAZAR

Graduate School of Social Work, 2012 Chana is a clinician at Pesach Tikvah Family & Children’s Services in Boro Park, as well as the outpatient center’s director of training initiatives.

courage to continue my education and learn new skills to incorporate into my career. At AmEx, I’m now responsible for making sure all assets designed by our team follow the global brand standards. I also make sure that all

“Social work excites me because it is

assets are created perfectly for print and

about helping people ﬁnd solutions that

digital release.”

enable them to function the best they can. I help people understand their feeelings and through play therapy, I help children solve problems. Social

MOSHE MILLER

JOSEPH CARDENAS

Joseph is a production artist at American Express.

PERRY GERARD, MD

Perry graduated from Touro’s PA program, later became a doctor and specialized in radiology.

School of Health Sciences, 2013

work allows me to externalize the idea that changing the world starts with helping one person.”

Moshe is teaching Judaic Studies at Lander College for Women and Jewish History at Lander College for Men.

ANGELA LAVEGLIA

Graduate School of Education, 2015 Angela is a 4th grade special education teacher at PS 307 in Queens.

“The kids are the reason I come here every day. I love being able to watch the lightbulb go on.”

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School of Health Sciences, 1975

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