Sherri A. Young, D.O., MBA, FAAFP, Cabinet Secretary for the West Virginia Department of Health, and Russ Crane, center, the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health, visited WVSOM on Sept. 17 to discuss issues, needs and ways to collaborate with WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D. Dr. Young is a WVSOM graduate, Class of 2003.
White Coat Ceremony celebrates 221 aspiring physicians
After seven weeks of classes, first-year students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) spent an afternoon away from their busy academic schedule for an important milestone.
The school’s White Coat Ceremony took place Sept. 13, celebrating the first step in 221 students’ paths to becoming physicians.
The ceremony, a tradition at many medical schools nationwide, is a rite of passage that marks students’ entry into the medical profession. The white coats are more than just attire; they are symbols of the commitment to serve others and uphold the highest standards of care in treating patients.
As members of the class crossed the stage to have their coats placed around their shoulders, they were applauded by family members, friends and WVSOM faculty and staff.
Miles Medina, D.O., a WVSOM Class of 2017 alumnus, served as keynote speaker. Medina, who is associate medical director of the emergency department and clinical director of the observation unit at Piedmont Henry Hospital in the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge, Ga., said his invitation to speak at the event made him think of the first White Coat Ceremony he attended — his sister’s.
“I remember being awestruck at the recognition, the prestige, the respect,” Medina said. “I was so eager to get a coat of my own. I watched as she flourished in her career, and I became inspired.”
Medina was born and raised in suburban Chicago and earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He worked as a paramedic prior to enrolling at WVSOM. During medical school, he served as president of his class and received WVSOM’s Student D.O. of the Year award as well as the Donald Newell Sr. Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior.
Earlier this year, he was recognized as Piedmont Henry Hospital’s Physician of the Year.
In his speech, Medina urged students to remember that they are well equipped to manage the rigors of medical school.
“Today marks a monumental step where you take the first of many toward your commitment to medicine,” he said. “You have worked tirelessly to get where you are today. You’ve prepared yourselves for this moment and the journey ahead. You may not realize it, but you sit in a place where thousands of successful graduates have started.”
He told students that medical school goes by “in the blink of an eye” and advised members of the Class of 2028 to savor the time they have together and the friendships made at the school. He spoke about his wedding, which was attended by more than 60 fellow WVSOM graduates.
“What matters most about this coat is the journey of the person who wears it, and that journey starts here. You might find one of your classmates officiating your wedding. You might throw a baby shower for one of them. You might even find the love of your life,” Medina said. “Or maybe you’ll be like me, and on your wedding day you’ll yell to your spouse, ‘This is why “Country Roads” is the last song,’ as you stare at a circle of alumni you deeply adore.”
In an introduction to the ceremony, James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s president, said the school produces physicians who practice across the U.S., and noted that WVSOM’s status as a leader in medical education wouldn’t be possible without the work of the founders who created the school more than a half-century ago.
“Fifty years later, we’ve populated small towns and cities throughout the state with highly competent, caring, dedicated physicians who serve their communities,” Nemitz said. “We also are populating communities throughout Appalachia and beyond. We have WVSOM alumni in every state of the union, practicing in every specialty and subspecialty.”
Linda Boyd, D.O., WVSOM’s chief academic officer, told students their coats represent the trust and confidence that they will earn from future patients as their careers progress.
“You walked into this room today as medical students, but when you don the white coat, you become a professional,” she said. “WVSOM holds high expectations for you, as does society, and I know you won’t let us down.”
Other White Coat Ceremony speakers included Randall Belt, D.O., chair of the WVSOM Board of Governors, and L. Faith Payne, D.O., secretary and treasurer of the WVSOM Alumni Association. Lewisburg Mayor Beverly White was among those in attendance at the event.
The ceremony closed with the assembled students reciting an oath of commitment, led by faculty member Jessica Smith-Kelly, D.O., in which members of the class pledged to maintain “a life of growth, to always expand my knowledge and to strengthen my understanding of human health and behavior.”
After seven weeks of classes, first-year students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) spent an afternoon away from their busy academic schedule for an important milestone.
The school’s White Coat Ceremony took place Sept. 13, celebrating the first step in 221 students’ paths to becoming physicians.
The ceremony, a tradition at many medical schools nationwide, is a rite of passage that marks students’ entry into the medical profession. The white coats are more than just attire; they are symbols of the commitment to serve others and uphold the highest standards of care in treating patients.
As members of the class crossed the stage to have their coats placed around their shoulders, they were applauded by family members, friends and WVSOM faculty and staff.
Miles Medina, D.O., a WVSOM Class of 2017 alumnus, served as keynote speaker. Medina, who is associate medical director of the emergency department and clinical director of the observation unit at Piedmont Henry Hospital in the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge, Ga., said his invitation to speak at the event made him think of the first White Coat Ceremony he attended — his sister’s.
“I remember being awestruck at the recognition, the prestige, the respect,” Medina said. “I was so eager to get a coat of my own. I watched as she flourished in her career, and I became inspired.”
Medina was born and raised in suburban Chicago and earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He worked as a paramedic prior to enrolling at WVSOM. During medical school, he served as president of his class and received WVSOM’s Student D.O. of the Year award as well as the Donald Newell Sr. Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior.
Earlier this year, he was recognized as Piedmont Henry Hospital’s Physician of the Year.
In his speech, Medina urged students to remember that they are well equipped to manage the rigors of medical school.
“Today marks a monumental step where you take the first of many toward your commitment to medicine,” he said. “You have worked tirelessly to get where you are today. You’ve prepared yourselves for this moment and the journey ahead. You may not realize it, but you sit in a place where thousands of successful graduates have started.”
He told students that medical school goes by “in the blink of an eye” and advised members of the Class of 2028 to savor the time they have together and the friendships made at the school. He spoke about his wedding, which was attended by more than 60 fellow WVSOM graduates.
“What matters most about this coat is the journey of the person who wears it, and that journey starts here. You might find one of your classmates officiating your wedding. You might throw a baby shower for one of them. You might even find the love of your life,” Medina said. “Or maybe you’ll be like me, and on your wedding day you’ll yell to your spouse, ‘This is why “Country Roads” is the last song,’ as you stare at a circle of alumni you deeply adore.”
In an introduction to the ceremony, James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s president, said the school produces physicians who practice across the U.S., and noted that WVSOM’s status as a leader in medical education wouldn’t be possible without the work of the founders who created the school more than a half-century ago.
“Fifty years later, we’ve populated small towns and cities throughout the state with highly competent, caring, dedicated physicians who serve their communities,” Nemitz said. “We also are populating communities throughout Appalachia and beyond. We have WVSOM alumni in every state of the union, practicing in every specialty and subspecialty.”
Linda Boyd, D.O., WVSOM’s chief academic officer, told students their coats represent the trust and confidence that they will earn from future patients as their careers progress.
“You walked into this room today as medical students, but when you don the white coat, you become a professional,” she said. “WVSOM holds high expectations for you, as does society, and I know you won’t let us down.”
Other White Coat Ceremony speakers included Randall Belt, D.O., chair of the WVSOM Board of Governors, and L. Faith Payne, D.O., secretary and treasurer of the WVSOM Alumni Association. Lewisburg Mayor Beverly White was among those in attendance at the event.
The ceremony closed with the assembled students reciting an oath of commitment, led by faculty member Jessica Smith-Kelly, D.O., in which members of the class pledged to maintain “a life of growth, to always expand my knowledge and to strengthen my understanding of human health and behavior.”
As part of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s national AACOM Advocacy Day, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., visited Washington, D.C., meeting with U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., to gain support for AACOM’s priorities.
As part of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s national AACOM Advocacy Day, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., and Dean Linda Boyd, D.O., at left, visited Washington, D.C., to gain support for AACOM’s priorities, meeting with U.S. Representative Carol Miller, R-W.VA.
Advocates for improved osteopathic care in rural communities take their case to Capitol Hill as part of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine's Advocacy Day. West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., and Dean Linda Boyd, D.O., and government relations consultant Mike Fulton visited Washington, D.C., meeting with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., and his staff.
Advocates for improved osteopathic care in rural communities take their case to Capitol Hill as part of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine's Advocacy Day. WVSOM President James W. Nemitz. Ph.D., and Dean Linda Boyd, D.O., visited Washington, D.C., to meet in person with members of Congress and the Washington media to promote AACOM's osteopathic medicine congressional priorities. Nemitz and Boyd met with three members of West Virginia’s Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.; U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; and U.S. Representative Carol Miller, R-W.Va. While at the nation’s Capital to gain support for AACOM’s priorities, Nemitz and Boyd also did interviews with reporter Steve Cohen of DC News Now.
First responders visit WVSOM to learn healthy ways to cope with trauma
Allen Lude, a West Virginia-based firefighter and emergency medical technician, Kari Mika-Lude, Ph.D., a licensed professional counselor who specializes in trauma in first responders; and Brian Hendricks, Ph.D., executive director of WVSOM’s CRCH; gather during WVSOM's presentation, “Code Grey: Finding Calm in the Chaos.” WVSOM’s Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH) and Marshall University’s Center of Excellence for Recovery sponsored the event.
ARTICLE:
LEWISBURG, W.Va. – During a Sept. 11 presentation on the campus of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM), a husband-and-wife team used a common household situation to illustrate how stress can affect emergency medical technicians, firefighters, law enforcement officers and behavioral health professionals.
“Think about laundry,” said Kari Mika-Lude, Ph.D., a licensed professional counselor who specializes in trauma in first responders. “You throw one shirt on the floor next to the hamper. No big deal. But then you keep throwing shirts, pants and socks on the pile and soon you have several loads of laundry to deal with. It’s the same way with trauma. It’s not one specific call that gets to you. It can be the cumulative effect of years of calls.”
The presentation, “Code Grey: Finding Calm in the Chaos,” was sponsored by WVSOM’s Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH) and Marshall University’s Center of Excellence for Recovery and was attended by about 37 first responders who received continuing education credits. The goal was to make workers more aware of their stress reactions and the impact they have on wellness. Recognizing these signs before they become problematic is critical in reducing burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions, and suicide — issues known to be more common in first responders than people in other professions.
Brian Hendricks, Ph.D., executive director of WVSOM’s CRCH, said offering education and opportunities to hear from members of this community is an important part of tackling the mental health crisis.
“Communities need to come together to offer opportunities, like the one today, to encourage the people who watch out for us each day to preserve their health,” Hendricks said. “The CRCH is committed to serving the state of West Virginia and helping to address the health inequities our rural communities and people experience.”
Mika-Lude’s husband, Allen Lude, a West Virginia-based firefighter and emergency medical technician, worked with the Transportation Security Administration in the years following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which the presentation served to commemorate. Lude said first responders need healthy ways to cope with the relentless procession of traumatic situations they face.
“Whether you’re a 911 dispatcher or working in an emergency room, you’re getting constant trauma, and that affects the body. But there are ways to de-escalate those effects,” Lude said.
Mika-Lude, whose doctoral dissertation centered on emergency personnel, spoke about the impact of first-responder culture and how public perception and the profession’s internal expectations can result in dehumanization — the idea that emergency workers are somehow superhuman and don’t need down time or help with mental health.
“First responders are often compared to heroes,” Mika-Lude said. “But the term ‘hero’ unintentionally deprives first responders of humanness and a need for care, and perpetuates the idea that they must be all things to all people, regardless of their own needs. According to my research, dehumanization, regardless of whether it’s coming from the public or the organization itself, is strongly linked to burnout and suicidality.”
Lude recounted an incident from his own early career that left an indelible mark. While working with the fire department in Davis Creek, W.Va., at about age 20, his team was called to assist with a truck rollover accident.
“We were the first on the scene, and I knew it was going to be a bad call because the cab was crushed. But even at a young age you have a sense of duty, so you respond. It was a male patient, but I didn’t look at his face because I knew there was a good chance I would know the person,” he said. “I did what I could do to save him until the medics arrived, and then we needed the driver’s license to do the report. That’s when I realized it was my uncle. I had to call my mom to tell her to go to the hospital. She asked, ‘Is he going to make it?’ And as much as I wanted to say yes, I knew he wasn’t going to.”
Lude’s subsequent feelings of guilt prevented him from telling his co-workers he was related to the victim, and eventually took a toll on his emotional health that nearly ended his career — and, he said, could have ended his life.
“No matter how many times I tell this story, it still hurts. I’m telling it because everybody here has a story. You might think you’re Superman or Wonder Woman, but the fact is you’re human and you feel pain. That’s why we often try to disconnect and not be human while we’re on these calls, because it hurts. That’s why it’s important to establish a process ahead of time to find help when you get to that point. There’s always a reason to live to see the next day,” he said.
The presentation was funded by a grant through Volunteer West Virginia, an agency that administers national service programs throughout the state. The grant has also allowed WVSOM’s CRCH to recruit volunteers to pack more than 300 backpacks with school supplies for students in Greenbrier and Monroe counties; offer additional school supplies at community events; purchase 200 National Geographic books about the Sept. 11 attacks to distribute to young people; and visit elementary schools to read the books, teach about first-responder careers and emergency preparedness, among other projects.
# end #
WVSOM is a national leader in educating osteopathic physicians for primary care medicine in rural areas. Visit WVSOM online at www.wvsom.edu.
=
Allen Lude, a West Virginia-based firefighter and emergency medical technician, Kari Mika-Lude, Ph.D., a licensed professional counselor who specializes in trauma in first responders; and Brian Hendricks, Ph.D., executive director of WVSOM’s CRCH; gather during WVSOM's presentation, “Code Grey: Finding Calm in the Chaos.” WVSOM’s Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH) and Marshall University’s Center of Excellence for Recovery sponsored the event.
ARTICLE:
LEWISBURG, W.Va. – During a Sept. 11 presentation on the campus of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM), a husband-and-wife team used a common household situation to illustrate how stress can affect emergency medical technicians, firefighters, law enforcement officers and behavioral health professionals.
“Think about laundry,” said Kari Mika-Lude, Ph.D., a licensed professional counselor who specializes in trauma in first responders. “You throw one shirt on the floor next to the hamper. No big deal. But then you keep throwing shirts, pants and socks on the pile and soon you have several loads of laundry to deal with. It’s the same way with trauma. It’s not one specific call that gets to you. It can be the cumulative effect of years of calls.”
The presentation, “Code Grey: Finding Calm in the Chaos,” was sponsored by WVSOM’s Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH) and Marshall University’s Center of Excellence for Recovery and was attended by about 37 first responders who received continuing education credits. The goal was to make workers more aware of their stress reactions and the impact they have on wellness. Recognizing these signs before they become problematic is critical in reducing burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions, and suicide — issues known to be more common in first responders than people in other professions.
Brian Hendricks, Ph.D., executive director of WVSOM’s CRCH, said offering education and opportunities to hear from members of this community is an important part of tackling the mental health crisis.
“Communities need to come together to offer opportunities, like the one today, to encourage the people who watch out for us each day to preserve their health,” Hendricks said. “The CRCH is committed to serving the state of West Virginia and helping to address the health inequities our rural communities and people experience.”
Mika-Lude’s husband, Allen Lude, a West Virginia-based firefighter and emergency medical technician, worked with the Transportation Security Administration in the years following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which the presentation served to commemorate. Lude said first responders need healthy ways to cope with the relentless procession of traumatic situations they face.
“Whether you’re a 911 dispatcher or working in an emergency room, you’re getting constant trauma, and that affects the body. But there are ways to de-escalate those effects,” Lude said.
Mika-Lude, whose doctoral dissertation centered on emergency personnel, spoke about the impact of first-responder culture and how public perception and the profession’s internal expectations can result in dehumanization — the idea that emergency workers are somehow superhuman and don’t need down time or help with mental health.
“First responders are often compared to heroes,” Mika-Lude said. “But the term ‘hero’ unintentionally deprives first responders of humanness and a need for care, and perpetuates the idea that they must be all things to all people, regardless of their own needs. According to my research, dehumanization, regardless of whether it’s coming from the public or the organization itself, is strongly linked to burnout and suicidality.”
Lude recounted an incident from his own early career that left an indelible mark. While working with the fire department in Davis Creek, W.Va., at about age 20, his team was called to assist with a truck rollover accident.
“We were the first on the scene, and I knew it was going to be a bad call because the cab was crushed. But even at a young age you have a sense of duty, so you respond. It was a male patient, but I didn’t look at his face because I knew there was a good chance I would know the person,” he said. “I did what I could do to save him until the medics arrived, and then we needed the driver’s license to do the report. That’s when I realized it was my uncle. I had to call my mom to tell her to go to the hospital. She asked, ‘Is he going to make it?’ And as much as I wanted to say yes, I knew he wasn’t going to.”
Lude’s subsequent feelings of guilt prevented him from telling his co-workers he was related to the victim, and eventually took a toll on his emotional health that nearly ended his career — and, he said, could have ended his life.
“No matter how many times I tell this story, it still hurts. I’m telling it because everybody here has a story. You might think you’re Superman or Wonder Woman, but the fact is you’re human and you feel pain. That’s why we often try to disconnect and not be human while we’re on these calls, because it hurts. That’s why it’s important to establish a process ahead of time to find help when you get to that point. There’s always a reason to live to see the next day,” he said.
The presentation was funded by a grant through Volunteer West Virginia, an agency that administers national service programs throughout the state. The grant has also allowed WVSOM’s CRCH to recruit volunteers to pack more than 300 backpacks with school supplies for students in Greenbrier and Monroe counties; offer additional school supplies at community events; purchase 200 National Geographic books about the Sept. 11 attacks to distribute to young people; and visit elementary schools to read the books, teach about first-responder careers and emergency preparedness, among other projects.
# end #
WVSOM is a national leader in educating osteopathic physicians for primary care medicine in rural areas. Visit WVSOM online at www.wvsom.edu.
=
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine students Sarah Lester of McDowell County and Emma Beatty, a native of Clay County and resident of Wetzel County, were having a good day at the WV Business Summit.
The two first-year medical students were at The Greenbrier for the announcement of their scholarships from The Health Plan.
The pair have been awarded The Health Plan Scholarship, which covers tuition and fees and is renewable for four years, meaning the students can graduate medical school without worrying about those costs. In return, the students will stay and practice medicine in West Virginia for at least four years.
During the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce #WVBusinessSummit, Jeff Knight, president and CEO of The Health Plan (THP), first row on the right, and I joined with the students to announce the scholarships.
Then it got better!
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III, I-WV, who spoke at the Business Summit on Thursday and was honored for his service to West Virginia, took time after his presentation to meet and congratulate the students.
Senator Manchin joined with Knight, Nemitz, State Senate Woodrum, and Lisa Spencer, WVSOM Director Financial Aid, in recognizing the students.
During his presentation at the summit, Manchin became emotional when talking about the late Governor Arch Moore, father of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., once calling Manchin’s father, who had campaigned against Moore, with an offer to help with a government issue, because, regardless of politics, Manchin’s father was Moore's constituent.
West Virginia’s senior senator then took time from the crowd gathered after his own fete to congratulate the two students – his constituents — and recognize The Health Plan and WVSOM.
I’m guessing our students — Sarah and Emma — might get emotional remembering the day Senator Manchin and their state legislators made time for two constituents.
The two first-year medical students were at The Greenbrier for the announcement of their scholarships from The Health Plan.
The pair have been awarded The Health Plan Scholarship, which covers tuition and fees and is renewable for four years, meaning the students can graduate medical school without worrying about those costs. In return, the students will stay and practice medicine in West Virginia for at least four years.
During the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce #WVBusinessSummit, Jeff Knight, president and CEO of The Health Plan (THP), first row on the right, and I joined with the students to announce the scholarships.
Then it got better!
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III, I-WV, who spoke at the Business Summit on Thursday and was honored for his service to West Virginia, took time after his presentation to meet and congratulate the students.
Senator Manchin joined with Knight, Nemitz, State Senate Woodrum, and Lisa Spencer, WVSOM Director Financial Aid, in recognizing the students.
During his presentation at the summit, Manchin became emotional when talking about the late Governor Arch Moore, father of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., once calling Manchin’s father, who had campaigned against Moore, with an offer to help with a government issue, because, regardless of politics, Manchin’s father was Moore's constituent.
West Virginia’s senior senator then took time from the crowd gathered after his own fete to congratulate the two students – his constituents — and recognize The Health Plan and WVSOM.
I’m guessing our students — Sarah and Emma — might get emotional remembering the day Senator Manchin and their state legislators made time for two constituents.
Our West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine students Sarah Lester of McDowell County and Emma Beatty, a native of Clay County and resident of Wetzel County, were having a good day at the West Virginia Business Summit.
The two first-year medical students were at The Greenbrier for the announcement of their scholarships from The Health Plan.
The pair have been awarded The Health Plan Scholarship, which covers tuition and fees and is renewable for four years, meaning the students can graduate medical school without worrying about those costs. In return, the students will stay and practice medicine in West Virginia for at least four years.
During the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce #WVBusinessSummit, Jeff Knight, president and CEO of The Health Plan (THP), first row on the right, and I joined with the students to announce the scholarships.
Then it got better!
Despite a full day of meetings, members of the West Virginia Legislature, second row left to right, took time from their schedules to meet and congratulate the students. Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates, State Senator Jack Woodrum, R-10th District, and State Senator Ryan Weld, R-1st District, joined the celebration.
Hanshaw, who represents Clay County and knows Beatty and her family, left fellow legislators to congratulation the medical students. Woodrum, whose 10th District includes Lewisburg and WVSOM, and Weld, whose 1st District includes Wheeling and The Health Plan’s main office, delayed attending other meetings to congratulate the students. The three state officials also recognized The Health Plan and WVSOM for working to provide doctors for West Virginia.
The two first-year medical students were at The Greenbrier for the announcement of their scholarships from The Health Plan.
The pair have been awarded The Health Plan Scholarship, which covers tuition and fees and is renewable for four years, meaning the students can graduate medical school without worrying about those costs. In return, the students will stay and practice medicine in West Virginia for at least four years.
During the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce #WVBusinessSummit, Jeff Knight, president and CEO of The Health Plan (THP), first row on the right, and I joined with the students to announce the scholarships.
Then it got better!
Despite a full day of meetings, members of the West Virginia Legislature, second row left to right, took time from their schedules to meet and congratulate the students. Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates, State Senator Jack Woodrum, R-10th District, and State Senator Ryan Weld, R-1st District, joined the celebration.
Hanshaw, who represents Clay County and knows Beatty and her family, left fellow legislators to congratulation the medical students. Woodrum, whose 10th District includes Lewisburg and WVSOM, and Weld, whose 1st District includes Wheeling and The Health Plan’s main office, delayed attending other meetings to congratulate the students. The three state officials also recognized The Health Plan and WVSOM for working to provide doctors for West Virginia.