On November 13, the School of Physical Therapy celebrated the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Class of 2022 as they completed their coursework and transitioned to full-time clinical education experiences in preparation for Graduation in August 2022. The White Coat Ceremony and Reception were sponsored by Upstream Rehabilitation. In addition to students and their families and guests, the ceremony was also attended by College of Health Sciences & Nursing Dean Dr. Cathy Taylor, Regional Vice President Benchmark Physical Therapy Dr. Rob Colasso and School of Physical Therapy faculty and staff. Dr. Casey Kalb, Vice President of Operations at Upstream Rehabilitation, addressed the Class offering encouragement and wisdom. The ceremony also included the Presentation of White Coats by the students’ advisors, Blessing of the Hands led by University Minister Heather Daugherty and the reading of a Professional Oath.
Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy was well represented at the 2021 Educational Leadership Conference recently held in Atlanta, Georgia.
A collaborative effort of the APTA Academy of Education and American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT), the Conference is designed to excite, educate, invigorate and facilitate discussion among all stakeholders in physical therapy education. The conference seeks to provide opportunities to meet and engage in collegial discussions with physical therapy educators from across the country. This year’s theme was “Habits for the Development of an Impactful and Sustainable Future for All.”
Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education at Belmont Dr. Gary Austin (pictured above) presented a poster on “Healthcare educator’s knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about pain” submitted by he and his co-authors Sue Curfman and Ryan McConnell.
From left to right and top to bottom: Austin Mondloch, PharmD, Matthew Sherman, PharmD, Chresten Hanna, Jacquese Reed, Phuong (Ngoc) Truong, Alyssa McIntosh
Drug Information Fellows Dr. Austin Mondloch and Dr. Matthew Sherman, working at the Christy Houston Foundation Drug Information Center within Belmont University, have formulated an Amazon Alexa Skill to give users precise information on what standards a website detailing health information must meet to be deemed credible.
Drs. Mondloch and Sherman crafted the skill as a follow up to the “Belmont Talk” they offered during the campus’s Presidential Inauguration Week regarding online misinformation, titled “How to Assess and Interpret Online Health Information.” With the influx of information at the hand of every consumer, it can be difficult to decipher what is reliable from what is not.
The Amazon Alexa skill “Check Online Sources” will perform the task of listing criteria for a credible website relaying health information as designated by Health on the Net (HON). HON is a nonprofit corporation that works with the World Health Organization (WHO) to certify quality of health information on the internet.
“We are trying to point people in the right direction in terms of where they get information, specifically wanting them to critically think when they are utilizing the internet,” said Dr. Mondloch.
The skill was developed in collaboration with the following Belmont University College of Pharmacy student pharmacists: Chresten Hanna 2022 PharmD Candidate, Jacquese Reed 2022 PharmD Candidate, Phuong (Ngoc) Truong 2023 PharmD Candidate, and Alyssa McIntosh 2024 PharmD Candidate.
Future steps for the project include incorporating specific HON qualified websites. Alexa would then be able to give a user specific examples of credible websites to visit for trustworthy health information online.
Dr. Hope Campbell, associate professor in Belmont’s College of Pharmacy, has been selected as a member of the American Association Colleges of Pharmacy’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-racism Advisory Panel.
Campbell and the other members will provide recommendations on how AACP can enhance programs and services to achieve the Association’s DEIA goals.
Campbell is a co-writer of the paper “Teaching Systemic Racism in Pharmacy Curriculum is Essential to Improving Health Equity,” which analyzes several pharmacy program curriculums and their teachings of racial issues within the healthcare system. The paper was recently published in Pharmacy Times, and Campbell’s passion for educating future pharmaceutical employees on the issues in our healthcare system is evident.
Belmont University’s School of Nursing is one of 23 nursing programs from across the country to have been named a 2021 National League for Nursing (NLN) “Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.” Belmont was formally recognized in the “Enhance student learning and professional development” category at the Honors Convocation during the 2021 NLN Education Summit this fall.
The Center of Excellence designation is a public expression of the ongoing, high quality, day-to-day work that Belmont faculty and staff do in preparing the next generation of professional nurses and nurse practitioners, reflective of a sustained pattern of excellence in nursing education set long ago.
Associate Dean of Nursing Dr. Martha Buckner said, “I am so grateful for the heritage of strong past leadership of this program and for our current faculty, staff and students who give their all in pursuit of excellence.”
Buckner said the designation came after a year-long process of faculty reflection, planning, collaboration, data collection and writing. The lengthy application describes the School of Nursing as “a community of learners that fosters high levels of student engagement and professional development.” The key emphases of the application included dynamic curricula at both undergraduate and graduate levels, Belmont’s nationally accredited simulation center, a focus on interprofessional education and rich opportunities for service learning and community service.
The NLN Centers of Excellence in Nursing Education program, established in 2004, publicly recognizes schools of nursing and health care organizations that set high standards, are committed to continuous quality improvement and demonstrate sustained, evidence-based and substantive innovation. These organizations are applauded for their vision to go beyond the norm and achieve excellence in student learning and professional development, pedagogical expertise of faculty or the science of nursing education.
“National League for Nursing Centers of Excellence help raise the bar for all nursing programs by role modeling visionary leadership and environments of inclusive excellence that nurture the next generation of a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the health of the nation and the global community,” said NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FANN.
Since its opening in 1972, the School of Nursing at Belmont University has remained focused on its mission of fostering a Christ-centered community that creates a culture of openness and mutual respect, excellence in teaching and the privilege of service. Belmont’s School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, an accelerated second degree program, a Masters of Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. The school prides itself in its student’s exceptional success rates. In 2019, the NCLEX passing rate was 93 percent and the FNP Certification pass rate was 100 percent. The School of Nursing takes pride in being a Center of Excellence and looks forward to future successes to come.
The 2021 NLN Centers of Excellence include honorees in the following categories:
Enhance student learning and professional development
Belmont University
Community College of Philadelphia
Georgia College and State University School of Nursing
Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing
Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing
Rutgers, School of Nursing-Camden
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Tennessee Health Science Center – College of Nursing
Ursuline College
Western Governors University
Promote the pedagogical expertise of faculty
Emory University
Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing
Uniformed Services University Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing
University of Florida College of Nursing
University of North Carolina-Greensboro
University of North Carolina-Wilmington
Creating workplace environments that promote the academic progression of nurses
Cleveland Clinic
Duke University Health System
Morton College
The University of Kansas Health System, Kansas City Division
Advance the science of nursing education
Duke University School of Nursing
Indiana University School of Nursing
University of Texas at Arlington-College of Nursing and Health Innovation
Dr. Chelsa Deanes, Clinical Pharmacist Fellow in Drug Information with Belmont University College of Pharmacy and Aegis Sciences Corporation, earned board certification in medical affairs through the Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA).
The ACMA’s mission is to raise the bar for pharma industry professionals with a particular focus on Medical Affairs and Medical Science Liaisons.
When asked about this achievement, Deanes shared, “Studying for the BCMAS certification while maintaining my responsibilities as a fellow was challenging. Honestly, I was somewhat intimidated by the process but, hard work always pays off! I am so thrilled to have accomplished my goal of earning my BCMAS certification. In addition to the intensive training that I have received as a fellow over the past year and a half, I am confident that I will excel in my future endeavors.”
The expertise gained from this prestigious specialized training will serve Deanes well as she continues to engage with the Belmont University College of Pharmacy students, faculty and staff in advancing the strategic priorities of the college and advancing pharmacy practice.
