Three Graduates Inducted into National Physical Therapy Student Honor Society

Three Belmont physical therapy graduates, Jack Davis, Jessie Mills and Shelby Smith, were inducted into the 2019 inaugural class of the National Physical Therapy Student Honor Society.

The National Physical Therapy Student Honor Society was established in 2018 by the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) to recognize and honor exceptional individuals who have demonstrated exceptional academic accomplishments and advocated for the profession of physical therapy.

Specifically, the mission of the Society is to recognize and honor physical therapy students who exemplify outstanding traits in leadership, research and service to society, as characterized by consistent demonstration of strong moral character and ethics. As a member of the Society, individuals are expected to uphold and implement the core values of the physical therapy profession.

Shelby Smith is inducted into honor societyJessie Mills is inducted into honor societyJack Davis Induction

Dr. Angela Clauson presents at Lilly Conference with other Belmont faculty members

Faculty at Conference

Five Belmont faculty and staff presented at the Lilly Conference on College Teaching in Ashville, North Carolina August 5-7. Participants included faculty from Pharmacy, Mathematics, Music Business, Computer Science and the Teaching Center. The 2019 conference theme was Innovative Strategies to Advance Learning.

Dr. Angela Clauson, director of experiential education in the College of Pharmacy, presented a session on “Utilizing TEAMMATES as a Way to Effectively and Efficiently Administer Team Peer Feedback” and also a poster, “Using an Audio Interview to Expose Pharmacy Students to Other Health Professionals,” that was included in the poster session.

School of Physical Therapy Recognizes Outstanding Alumnus

Dr. Ashley Campbell (2011) was recognized as our Outstanding Alumnus at the School of Physical Therapy hooding ceremony prior to August Commencement.  Dr. Campbell is  the Director of Rehabilitation at the Nashville Hip Institute.  She is an ABPTS board certified Sport Clinical Specialists and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, in addition to other sports related certifications.  Dr. Campbell is the Associate Editor and manuscript coordinator for the International Journal of Sport Physical Therapy.  She is an instructor for the North American Sports Medicine Institute as well as an adjunct inistructor in the Belmont School of Physical Therapy.  She has presented her research nationally and internationally.  At the 2018 International Hip Arthroscopy Meeting, both her poster and her platform presentation were awarded the “Best Research Presentation” .  Congratulations to Dr. Campbell for her outstanding accomplishments.

 

Pharmacy Today to Feature Dr. Montgomery Green

The feature, “Pharmacists on the Frontline: The Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance,” features Green and her responsibilities as an internal medicine pharmacist, professor and preceptor for residents and student pharmacists to lead antimicrobial stewardship efforts.

According to the article, “Green leads daily prospective reviews in her antimicrobial stewardship program. Using a clinical decision support system, she screens for positive urine or blood cultures, infections, duplicate therapies and antibiotic treatments longer than 72 hours. She also assesses high-risk or broadspectrum antibiotics and keeps an eye out for asymptomatic patients receiving antibiotic treatment. When antibiotic misuse is flagged during the review process, Green communicates her recommendations to the prescribers.” Read the full article at the link above.

Belmont Physical Therapy Students Swim with the Dolphins

Department of Physical Therapy students with Dr. Nancy DarrDr. Natalie Michaels, occupational therapy professor, and Dr. Nancy Darr, physical therapy professor, presented a fun-filled aquatic exercise session with the Nashville Dolphins summer camp on August 5.

Michaels and Darr were joined by physical therapy students Courtney Alama, Emily Averitt and Mallorie Sweat who performed aerobic exercises for children attending the camp.

Nashville Dolphins campers participated in aquatic exercise with Belmont faculty and students.

The Nashville Dolphins is a group of dedicated individuals, under the direction of Megan Kelly, who bring aquatic activity to children and adults with special needs.

More than a dozen children and young adults exercised in the water with Belmont professors and students. They reported having “a blast,” and workers at the facility commented on the dedication and professionalism of Belmont students.

Dr. Bynum Published in American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education

The article, entitled “Revisiting Faculty Citizenship,” resulted from a collaboration with faculty from University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, Western New England College of Pharmacy, Stony Brook School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy and Mercer University College of Pharmacy.

Dr. Diaz-Cruz Elected to Association of Biochemistry Educators Board

The 7th International Conference of the Association of Biochemistry Educators was held May 5-9 in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Diaz-Cruz also presented a podium and poster presentation entitled “Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities.”

Dr. Diaz-Cruz also has recently published two manuscripts. “If Cultural Sensitivity Is Not Enough to Reduce Health Disparities, What Will Pharmacy Education Do Next?” was published in Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning. In collaboration with Dr. Chris Barton in the Department of Biology and others, Dr. Diaz-Cruz was the co-author on “Enoxacin and Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Act Synergistically to Inhibit the Growth of Cervical Cancer Cells in Culture,’ published in Molecules.

Dr. Ham Mentors Undergraduate Students for Research on Colon Cancer Cells

Libby Nunn Presents Poster
Libby Nunn and her poster at the ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics

Working with Dr. Amy Ham, associate professor in pharmaceutical, social and administrative science in the College of Pharmacy, two pairs of students from the past two years have shed light on the proteomic profiles of exosomes from colon cancer cells. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that act in cell-cell communication and are involved in the progression and metastasis of colon cancer cells.

Libby Nunn, senior biology major, and Nancy Sharkawy, junior neuroscience major, completed this work for the 2018-19 year. In June, Nunn presented a poster entitled “Comparison of Sample Digestion and Fractionation Methods for Protein Biomarker Discovery in Exosomes” at the 67th Annual American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics in Atlanta, Georgia. Continue reading

Dr. Michaels Presents at Higher Education International Round Table at Oxford

Two Nursing Students Receive Credo Awards from VESNIP

VESNIP 2019 credo winners Emily Beck and Caitlin TurnerFor the past seven weeks, 19 Belmont nursing students participated in a summer internship program called Vanderbilt Experience: Student Nurse Internship Program (VESNIP) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) along with students from four other regional nursing programs.

Two nursing students were awarded the highest honors at the culminating awards ceremony held Wednesday, June 26. VUMC identifies those individuals who aspire to excellence and expert performance by exhibiting the following behaviors: making those they serve their highest priority, conducting themselves professionally, respecting others’ confidentiality, communicating effectively, having a sense of ownership, and a commitment to colleagues. The identified individuals are recognized with Credo Awards, which are based on feedback from nurse preceptors, nurse educators and the entire healthcare team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Belmont nursing student Emily Beck received the Credo award in the Pediatric Track while fellow Belmont student Caitlin Turner received the Credo Award in the Women’s Heath Track.

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Nursing Students Complete Behavioral Health Internship

During summer 2019 five Belmont nursing students participated in the Behavioral Health Internship Program (BHIP) engaging in service learning at TriStar Centennial Medical Center-Parthenon Pavilion and TriStar Skyline Madison Hospital. This is the second year for BHIP.

The students completed 252 hours of hands-on training in a variety of specialty units at both TriStar Centennial Parthenon Pavilion and TriStar Skyline Madison Hospital which serve patients across the lifespan with diagnoses such as mood disorders, chemical dependency, dementia and psychosis.

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Pharmacy Student Presents Research on Human Trafficking Training

Macy England Presents Poster at ASHP
Macy England Presents Poster at ASHP

During a poster session at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Summer Meeting in Boston, 2020 PharmD Candidate Macy England presented her research on the significant need for human trafficking (HT) training within pharmacy school curriculum and emergency departments (ED)

According to her presentation, “Impact and Necessity of Human Trafficking Training in the ED and Pharmacy School Curriculum,” there were more than 10,600 HT victims in the year 2017 who were reported to the National Hotline and BeFree Textline.

England said HT victims are exposed to a variety of physical ailments and conditions, and more than 88 percent of victims seek medical attention at some point in their captivity, two-thirds being in an emergency department.

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Inman Honored at McWhorter Society Luncheon

Gordon Inman accepts his award from the McWhorter SocietyAt the recent McWhorter Society luncheon at Belmont University, trustee and Vice Chairman of Belmont’s Board of Trust Gordon E. Inman was honored with the 2019 McWhorter Society Distinguished Service Award. This award was established to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the health and health care related academic programs at Belmont University and who’s life work serves as a powerful example for students.

Inman was a major contributor to the construction of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing complex in 2006. The impact of this facility allowed Belmont to triple its nursing enrollment while also providing expanded laboratories for other health care programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and social work.

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Belmont Ranked Top 12 Christian University in America

Belmont is one of the best Christian universities in America, according to a list by The Edvocate that ranked the University no. 12 on its recent list of 2020 Best Christian Colleges and Universities in America.

In addition to the overall list, Belmont tied for fourth place for outstanding undergraduate teaching. The site ranked Belmont no. 5 among regional universities in the South, highlighting the university’s offerings for veterans and degrees in music and music production.

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‘Hey Alexa!’ Pharmacy Students Build A.I. Program for Top 200 Drugs

More than 300 million patients currently take medications that fall under the top 200 medications prescribed in the United States. Belmont University College of Pharmacy third-year students Angelina Babakitis, Lanoi Chindavanh, Damitea Johnson, Mary Lankford, Inmar Osi and Austin Simmons recently published patient counseling and education for the top 200 prescribed medications on Amazon Alexa.

Amazon Alexa is a voice controlled artificial intelligence (A.I.) platform that has the ability to provide information upon request. As part of the Introduction to Healthcare Informatics curriculum in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Belmont University, the students worked as a team to develop an application, or “skill,” that is now available in the Alexa store.

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Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Announces 2019 Inductees

Health Care Hall of Fame inductees announced at McWhorter Society Luncheon
(L to R) Dick Miller, Clara Elam, David and Lynn Barton and Mary Bufwack, Ph.D.

Hall of Fame’s fifth class represents some ofTennessee’s most influential health care leaders

The Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame announced the seven health care professionals selected as this year’s inductee class at a luncheon on Belmont University’s campus today. With a mission to honor men and women who have made significant and lasting contributions to the health and health care industries, the Hall of Fame was created in 2015 by Belmont University, the McWhorter Society and the Nashville Health Care Council, a founding partner. The seven honorees will be inducted at a ceremony in October.

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Dr. Cathy Hinton retires after 20 years teaching at School of Physical Therapy

Dr. Cathy Hinton started teaching in the School of Physical Therapy in 1999 and therefore has had the privilege of having taught every single student to have graduated from the Belmont DPT program.  Hinton is well respected by her students, and best known for her compassion, caring and of course, the chocolate she provides to the students on exam days!  Dr. Hinton is the ultimate cheerleader for the profession of Physical Therapy, instilling that passion in her students through the years.  She has served in every position in the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association (TPTA) and has served in numerous capacities with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as well.  Dr. Hinton has been the recipient of the Mac Hensley Hall of Fame award for 25 years of continuous service to the TPTA, Carol Likens Award for exceptional service to the profession and the Special Recognition award for exceptional service. She was also awarded the Lucy Blair service award which is the highest service award by the APTA.

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Pharmacy Informatics Student Selected for Enterprise Research Pharmacy Internship

Physical Therapy Students Host Health Fair for East Cheatham Elementary

PT Students Host Health Fair

Belmont School of Physical Therapy students recently provided a Health Fair for about 80 elementary students (4thgrade) from East Cheatham Elementary.  The Belmont students spent the semester exploring different roles of the Physical Therapist in Health and Wellness related to topics in Dr. Pat Sells’ class.  The Belmont students then carefully prepared a series of newsletters that addressed such topics as First Aid, Heart Health, Lung/smoking risks, nutrition and stress management, among others.  These booklets of newsletters are packed with games, puzzles and other challenges to reinforce learning, and each student received the 32 page booklet of information.

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Dr. Diaz-Cruz joins Biology Faculty & Students to Publish Research

Their study reported the ability of two drugs to stop the growth of a number of cervical cancer cell lines. The paper, titled “Enoxacin and Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Act Synergistically to Inhibit the Growth of Cervical Cancer Cells in Culture,” can be found here.

Social Work Department Awards First DeEbony Groves Diversity Scholarship

Hayden MacMath (second from left) receives DeEbony Groves Diversity Scholarship.

At a recent Student Award Ceremony, the Belmont University Department of Social Work awarded the first DeEbony Groves Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship, renamed in May 2018 in honor of late student DeEbony Groves, is awarded to a social work student who “values diversity, upholds the spirit of inclusion and allied-ship.” Groves, a Belmont social work major, was killed one year ago today in a shooting at an Antioch Waffle House.

Dr. Sabrina Sullenberger, professor and chair of the Department of Social Work, opened the ceremony and began by speaking about the legacy Groves left at Belmont. “She shaped us because she was a part of our community,” Sullenberger said, continuing to say that diversity, inclusion and social justice were characteristics important to Groves. Sullenberger also noted how Groves didn’t call people out in situations but instead worked to “call people in” in her own way.

The recipient of the DeEbony Groves Diversity Scholarship this year is Hayden MacMath, a sophomore social work major. MacMath said he was “honored and humbled to accept this scholarship, because in a perfect world it wouldn’t exist.” He placed emphasis on his commitment to diversity and his passion for helping others. MacMath also said “I am committing everything about who I am to honor DeEbony.”

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OT Students and Faculty featured in Lebanon Democrat for efforts with Go Baby Go

Students and faculty in the Occupational Therapy program at Belmont University recently traveled to Permobil’s corporate headquarters in Lebanon, Tennessee to help outfit custom-fit toy cars for children with mobility impairments as part of the Go Baby Go program.  The event was covered by reporter Matt Masters of the Lebanon Democrat with a feature article in the newspaper, excerpted below.

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DNP Students Meet with Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander

AACN Policy Summit 2019

Doctor of Nursing Practice students Rebecca Carden and Jennifer Scanlon attended the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Student Policy Summit March 23-25. The three-day conference held in Washington, D.C.  immerses students in didactic program sessions focused on the federal policy process and nursing’s role in professional advocacy. On Monday,  students  joined a delegation of nursing deans and directors from Tennessee, led by Associate Dean of Nursing Dr. Martha Buckner, to visit the senate office staff of both Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Marsha Blackburn. Senator Alexander was able to join the group to discuss the importance of funding for nursing education and workforce initiatives.

Dr. Robinson and Dr. Williams Present at Tennessee Physical Therapy Association Meeting

Williams and Robinson

Dr. Kevin Robinson and Dr. Christi Williams, faculty in the School of Physical Therapy, presented a continuing education course for physical therapists throughout the state at the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association’s (TPTA) Spring Meeting.  The TPTA meeting was held at the Millennium Maxwell House in Nashville this past weekend.  The course taught by Robinson and Williams was entitled, “Are You Over or Underestimating Your Patient’s Strengths? New Technology for Today’s PT’s.”

Nursing Students, Faculty Provide Free Mobile Clinic

RAM clinic March 2019

On the weekend of March 16-17, six Belmont graduate nursing students and two faculty members participated in a free mobile clinic held in Cookeville, Tennessee. The clinic was hosted by Remote Area Medical (RAM), a major nonprofit provider of free mobile clinics.  Students and faculty provided triage, patient intake, primary care and even dental assisting. Overall, the clinic served 966 patients and provided $554,552 in services as calculated by RAM over the two days in Cookeville.

Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Erin Shankel noted, “Working with RAM was a great place for our students to practice their clinical skills, but more than that, it opened their eyes to the healthcare needs in our own state. We were all humbled by the appreciation and warmth we felt from patients who had been waiting outside since 6 p.m. the night before just for the chance to be seen. You don’t have to go overseas to participate in medical missions!”