UConn Health Welcomes New Providers

August 28, 2015

Meet some of the new clinicians who recently have joined UConn Health.

Dr. Mario Perez	Dr. Mario Perez, a graduate of the UConn School of Medicine Categorical Internal Medicine Residency Program, is back at UConn Health as a member of the clinical faculty. Perez is a pulmonologist who primarily sees patients in the intensive care unit. He completed a pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship at the Yale School of Medicine and concurrently earned his MPH at the Yale School of Public Health. His M.D. is from Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogatá, Colombia. Perez is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, and critical care medicine. He speaks English and Spanish.
Dr. Ethan Bortniker	Dr. Ethan Bortniker is a gastroenterologist seeing patients at the UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion and the Colorectal Cancer Prevention Center in Farmington. He recently completed a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at the UConn School of Medicine and a residency in internal medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine, where he also earned his M.D. He is board certified in internal medicine and has clinical and research interest in colon cancer prevention and motility disorders. Bortniker holds the additional title of director of colorectal clinical research.
Dr. Ridhi Bansal	Dr. Ridhi Bansal is a primary care physician seeing patients at UConn Health in Canton. She is board certified in internal medicine and her clinical interests include women’s health, geriatrics, preventive medicine and endocrinology. Bansal completed an internal medicine residency at Danbury Hospital (affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine) and is a graduate of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in India. She speaks English, Hindi and Punjabi.
Dr. Tilahun Gemtessa	Dr. Tilahun Gemtessa is an infectious diseases physician who is working primarily with Correctional Managed Health. He also sees patients in the ID practice in the UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion. His areas of clinical interest include HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and international health. He is a graduate of the UConn School of Medicine Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, and did his residency training in internal medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx and Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. His M.D. is from Jimma University in Ethiopia. Gemtessa is board certified in internal medicine.
Lindsay Osborne, APRN	Lindsay Osborne is an APRN who sees patients in UConn Health’s family medicine practice in Plainville. She holds a master’s in nursing from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford and a bachelor’s in nursing from Simmons College in Boston.

(First photo by Peter Morenus, the rest by Janine Gelineau)

Clean Eating and Whole Foods

August 27, 2015

Clean eating and whole foods are buzzwords that you frequently hear about in the media or talked about in the gym. However, do you really know what the concept means? Is clean eating a passing trend or is it a healthy, sound approach to eating?

“Clean eating is not a diet or a fad,” says Lifestyle Medicine expert Brad Biskup. “It’s a lifestyle approach to eating food in its most natural state,” adds Biskup. Clean eating has been around for some time particularly among fitness, nutrition, and health conscious individuals who have been “eating clean” for years.

Biskup will present a free program about clean eating and whole foods on Wednesday, September 16, at 7 p.m. in UConn Health’s Keller Auditorium where he will discuss the principles of clean eating as well as:

How whole foods and eating clean are beneficial to your health
Reasons to avoid processed foods
How to incorporate a clean eating plan into your diet

The program is free and open to the public. Registration is required by calling 860.679.7692. The Keller Auditorium is located in UConn Health’s Main Building in Farmington. For directions, visit uchc.edu.

UConn Health’s Lifestyle Medicine Program offers individuals a way to be proactive in treating and managing various health conditions, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes by simply changing or modifying their daily habits. The program is very personalized. An individual’s specific risk factors, behaviors, and limitations are evaluated, and a lifestyle plan is developed.

Late-summer Art Exhibits at UConn Health

August 20, 2015

From "Garden Gems" by Edith Skiba LaMonica, at UConn Health July 30-Oct. 1 — From “Garden Gems” by Edith Skiba LaMonica, at UConn Health July 30-Oct. 1

Three art exhibits are adorning the walls of UConn Health in the late summer.

The first, “Garden Gems” by Edith Skiba LaMonica, is already here, and runs through Oct. 1 in the exhibition cases in the hospital lobby and mezzanine (near the escalator).

LaMonica’s work has been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer and the New Britain Museum of American Art Bulletin. She has lectured and taught studio art in New York and New Jersey, and is a member of the UConn Health Art Advisory Committee and the Canton Artist’s Guild. “Garden Gems” is a tribute to the influence of Monet, fusing impressionist color and light.

Two other exhibits go up Aug. 27 in the Celeste LeWitt Gallery (in the Food Court).

From "The Numinous World" by Tom Morganti — From “The Numinous World” by Tom Morganti, at UConn Health Aug. 27-Dec. 7, 2015

“The Numinous World” by Tom Morganti and “Of Water, Clouds and Light” by Carmine L. Angeloni will be here through Dec. 7.

Morganti is a practicing veterinarian in Avon and a self-taught artist who works primarily in acrylic and oil. His work explores the convergence of nature and religion and their interaction with the world.

Angeloni’s is a photography exhibit of landscapes and seascapes. He’s an amateur photographer who lives in Belchertown, Mass. Angeloni likes to capture images of nature in the Pioneer Valley, New England coast, and Long Island Sound.

The UConn Health Art Advisory Committee invites viewings from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

From "Of Water, Clouds and Light" by Carmine L. Angeloni — From “Of Water, Clouds and Light” by Carmine L. Angeloni, at UConn Health Aug. 27-Dec. 7

UConn Health’s collection of fine art serves to enhance the environment and promote the sense of a caring community for patients, visitors, staff and students. Art is selected, acquired and exhibited by the UConn Health Art Advisory Committee. To view a selection of the permanent collection visit: http://art.uchc.edu

Ceremony Marks Academic Building Addition and Renovation Project

August 19, 2015

https://youtu.be/eYgTsx55B4A

A groundbreaking ceremony on Monday marked an educational milestone for the UConn School of Medicine, UConn School of Dental Medicine, and the UConn Graduate School. The Academic Building Addition and Renovation Project will consist of a nearly 18,000-square-foot addition and several smaller renovations to UConn Health’s existing Academic and L Buildings located in Farmington.

The ceremony coincided with the start of the academic careers of 98 medical and 42 dental students who will benefit from the project.

“Today we mark an inspirational milestone in the history of UConn Health with the creation of a new academic addition for all of our schools. Welcome to our future,” said Dr. Suzanne Rose, senior associate dean for education for the UConn School of Medicine. “What will take place in this building in the years to come will impact the patients and lives of our communities in Connecticut and beyond for decades to come, and in immeasurable ways as young women and men learn to become scientists, dentists, and physicians,” added Rose.

Ground-breaking-Academic-Entrance — Dr. Steven Lepowsky, Chad Floyd, Dr. Suzanne Rose, Dr. R. Lamont MacNeil, Dr. Bruce Liang, Francis Archambault, Dr. Barbara Kream, and Dr. David Gregorio. (Janine Gelineau/UConn Health Photo)

The Academic Building Addition and Renovation Project is a component of Bioscience Connecticut that was championed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and approved by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011. “Our sincere gratitude to the governor for his vision and effort for Bioscience Connecticut which this is a part of,” said Dr. Bruce Liang, dean of the UConn School of Medicine. In addition to various building projects, Bioscience Connecticut calls for a 30 percent increase in the UConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine class sizes.

Dr. Steven Lepowsky, senior associate dean for the UConn School of Dental Medicine, concluded the ceremony by addressing the new medical and dental school students who attended the event by saying, “This project is all about you. This is all about ensuring that we provide our students with state-of-the-art facilities to get the best possible education.”

White Coat Ceremonies Welcome UConn Medical and Dental Students

August 18, 2015

2015 UConn School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
2015 UConn School of Dental Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
UConn School of Medicine students recite the Hippocratic Oath during the 2015 White Coat Ceremony, August 14, 2015.
Dr. Michael Goupil presents a white coat to a new dental student.
2015 UConn School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
2015 UConn School of Dental Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
2015 UConn School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
2015 UConn School of Dental Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
UConn School of Dental Medicine students recite the Dentist's Pledge during the 2015 White Coat Ceremony, August 14, 2015.
2015 UConn School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony.
Dr. Bruce Liang, dean of the UConn School of Medicine congratulates new medical students during the 2015 White Coat Ceremony.
2015 UConn School of Dental Medicine White Coat Ceremony.

The Classes of 2019 from the UConn School of Medicine and UConn School of Dental Medicine have received their student white coats, the symbolic start to their academic careers at UConn Health.

Dr. MacNeil, dean of the UConn School of Dental Medicine, addresses the incoming dental class at the 2015 White Coat Ceremony. (Blagoje Filipovic/UConn Health Photo)

Joined by family members Friday, 98 medical and 42 dental students took part in the traditional White Coat Ceremonies that are the culmination of student orientation for the new classes.

“The white coat has become health care’s symbol of compassionate and scientific patient care,” says Dr. Michael Goupil, associate dean for students at the UConn School of Dental Medicine. “The White Coat Ceremony represents the faith and trust the faculty has for the entering students to carry out their responsibilities for the welfare of their patients.”

The students represent the 47th entering classes for both schools.

“I’m really excited about today,” says medical student Pooja Patel. “Everyone I’ve met is incredibly nice and helpful. I’m just excited to start classes and get to know everyone better.”

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which supports efforts to foster humanism in medicine, provides support for the UConn School of Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony.

“I feel honored, because I’m a first-generation college student,” says dental student Richard Jimenez. “This represents, so far, one of my greatest accomplishments. Ten years ago I would never have seen myself here today.”

Jimenez comes from the Pacific Northwest and had never been to the Northeast before coming to UConn to study dental medicine.

As is tradition, after receiving their white coats, the new dental students recited the Dentist’s Pledge, and the medical students recited the Hippocratic Oath.

Class of 2019 Dental School Profile

42 students (55% women)
Average age: 24
55% Connecticut residents, 21% other New England residents
25 undergraduate school programs represented – 21% UConn, 7% other Connecticut schools
17% are underrepresented minorities
71% majored in science as undergraduates

Class of 2019 Medical School Profile

98 students – includes seven M.D./Ph.D. candidates (56% women)
Average age: 23
87% Connecticut residents
45 undergraduate school programs represented – 35% UConn; 9% other Connecticut schools
18% are underrepresented minorities
88% majored in science and/or health-related topics as undergraduates

UConn Health September 2015 Programs, Events

August 14, 2015

Here is a list of UConn Health programs scheduled for September and early October 2015. This information will be updated with any additions or other schedule changes. (Updated 9/9)

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, Sept. 3, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 860-679-4410 or email safo-agyeman@uchc.edu for more information.

Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2 to 4 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
The UConn Health’s Healthy Nutrition program invites you on a journey to a lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and healthier weight. Registration fee is $30. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

New 6-week “Ready to Lose” Weight Management Program Starts
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 5 to 6 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 2^nd floor east
The introductory session is followed by five weekly sessions through Tuesday, Oct. 20, that include a weigh-in, discussion of progress, and a timely nutrition topic such as eating out strategies, cooking light and right, emotional eating, exercise and activity, smart shopping, and summer holiday eating. Registration fee is $70, $50 for past participants. Call 800-535-6232 for more information.

Free Workshop: “Clean Eating and Whole Foods”
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7 to 8:30 p.m., UConn Health, Keller Auditorium
Physician assistant Bradley Biskup from UConn Health’s Lifestyle Medicine Program explains how whole foods are good for your health, why to avoid processed foods, and how to incorporate “clean eating” into your diet. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, Sept. 17, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Infertility Peer Support Group
Thursday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, 2 Batterson Park Road, Farmington.
The Greater Hartford chapter of RESOLVE, a national nonprofit resource for those facing the challenges of infertility, offers support, information and confidential, informal, peer-led discussions on the third Thursday of the month. To learn more or to check for weather-related cancellation, call 860-523-8337.

Childbirth Preparation Class
Saturday, Sept. 19, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
This one-day class covers anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and labor, emotions of pregnancy, nutrition, fetal growth and development, comfort measures for labor, working with unexpected events in labor, cesarean delivery, and practice of relaxation and breathing techniques for labor. Class size is limited to eight couples. Remember to bring two pillows and wear comfortable clothing. Light snack is provided. Fee is $100. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.

(Added 9/9)
18th Annual South Park 5K Road Race and Fitness Walk
Saturday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m., UConn Health
The students who help run the outreach clinics at the South Park Inn Shelter in Hartford invite the community to join them for their biggest annual fundraising effort. Registration fee is $15 in advance or $20 on race day. On-site registration starts at 8 a.m., race starts at 10 a.m., with music and refreshments provided. Free skin cancer screenings also will be available from 9 a.m. to noon. See http://bit.ly/15sp5k to register in advance or for more information.

Celiac Disease Nutrition Class
Monday, Sept. 21, 8 to 9 a.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
A registered dietitian leads a discussion for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This program now is scheduled to meet the third Monday of the month. Fee is $20. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.

Free Cosmetology Services for Cancer Survivors
Monday, Sept. 21, 1 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Outpatient Pavilion, 4^th floor
“Look Good…Feel Better” is a free program to help improve the self-image and self-esteem of women experiencing appearance-related side effects from cancer treatment. During this hands-on workshop, a trained volunteer certified cosmetologist will offer self-help instruction and education on hairstyling and coping with hair loss, skin care, makeup and nail care. Wigs, turbans and scarves will also be discussed. Classes are offered monthly and are not limited to UConn Health patients. Registration is required: call 800-227-2345 with your name, program date, phone number, and skin color. Kits are available in Light, Medium, Dark and Extra Dark.

Stroke Survivor Group
Wednesday, Sept. 23, noon to 1 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 3^rd floor
The UConn Health Stroke Center invites stroke survivors, families and caregivers to a monthly group meeting to discuss topics such as prevention, coping methods, support systems, rehabilitation tips, resources, and promoting independence. The Stroke Survivor Group plans to meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Call 860-679-4846 for more information.

(Added 8/26)
Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Free Workshop: “Things to Consider Before Joining a Research Study”
Monday, Sept. 28, 5 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
The UConn Health Human Subjects Protection Office offers an educational session about the rights and responsibilities of participants in research projects on the last Monday of the month. Registration is required: 860-679-8802 or cagganello@uchc.edu.

Free Discovery Series: Recognizing a Cancer Symptom
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7 to 9 p.m., UConn Health, Keller Auditorium
Dr. Peter Deckers, Dean Emeritus of the UConn School of Medicine and retired executive vice president for health affairs at UConn Health, is joined by a panel of cancer survivors, including former UConn men’s basketball coach Donald “Dee” Rowe, who will share their stories during a program designed to help you spot the first warning signs of cancer. Register online, for free, at http://discoveryseries.uchc.edu or call 800-535-6232.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, Oct. 1, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 860-679-4410 or email safo-agyeman@uchc.edu for more information.

Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2 to 4 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
The UConn Health’s Healthy Nutrition program invites you on a journey to a lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and healthier weight. This workshop usually is offered on the first Wednesday of the month. Registration fee is $30. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, Oct. 15, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 860-679-4580 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Directions to UConn Health are available at www.uchc.edu/directions/index.html.

CME Accreditation a First for UConn School of Medicine

August 12, 2015

For the first time, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education has awarded the UConn School of Medicine accreditation with commendation.

The distinction puts UConn’s medical school in a select group, as only 35 percent of American CME organizations have commendation status. It’s the ACCME’s highest level of accreditation.

“This reflects our state-of-the-art educational programming with educational and compliance rigor from our CME office,” says Dr. Suzi Rose, senior associate dean for education. “We are committed to excellence in education across the continuum of medical education and to fostering a culture of high quality educational offerings that promote lifelong learning, active learning and innovative educational pedagogies and programming.”

The ACCME oversees all continuing medical education for physicians and nurse practitioners for the entire country. There are an estimated 2,000 ACCME-accredited entities, academic and non-academic, that are credentialed by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education.

Dr. Leighton Huey, Christine McNally, Amy King and Barbara Caron led the UConn Health CME office in preparation for the ACCME’s site visit, including a review of all programs approved for granting accredited CME credit as part on an intensive self-study.

“The main issues involved in the review were having the Office of Community and Continuing Medical Education assure that each department or division or course where continuing medical education is involved based its educational offerings on the educational needs of its learners, and that the educational programs are free from commercial bias,” says Huey, professor of psychiatry and associate dean for community and continuing medical education.

The accreditation with commendation from the ACCME is good through July 2021.

CME accredit certificate — The UConn School of Medicine earns a six-year accreditation with commendation for the first time.

‘Awake Brain Surgery’ Uses Latest Technology to Preserve Patient’s Speech

August 6, 2015

“Why did this have to happen to me now?”

That’s what Martha Walker kept asking herself after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. The mother of three school-age children had just completed her master’s degree in social work. She had worked extremely hard and was looking forward to a new journey in her life, but the pecan-sized tumor in Martha’s brain threatened to derail those plans.

A major concern was that the tumor was situated dangerously close to the area of the brain that controlled her speech and language center. That’s why Dr. Ryan Zengou, a UConn Health neurosurgeon, recommended a procedure called intraoperative brain mapping or “awake brain surgery.”

Being awake during the operation allowed Martha to talk with speech therapist Karen Collins and answer her questions. Martha’s responses helped Dr. Zengou create a digital map of the functional areas of her brain and identify exactly where the tumor was. Anesthesiologist Fritze Bunke made sure Martha was asleep at the beginning and end of the surgery but sedated and awake in the middle.

Dr. Zengou successfully removed the entire tumor and Martha never lost her ability to speak or process language. Martha is impressed with the care she received along her entire health care journey at UConn Health – from the emergency department to the surgical team and now radiation therapy, where she’s currently undergoing treatments.

UConn Med Students Complete Milestone Cross-country Bike Trek

August 5, 2015

The 2015 Coast to Coast for a Cure riders at the beach in Madison, Connecticut — The 2015 Coast to Coast for a Cure is complete upon arrival to the Connecticut shoreline in Madison. (Photos from coast2coastforacure.wordpress.com)

In what has become an annual tradition at the UConn School of Medicine, a few rising second-year students spend their last free summer bicycling across the country.

Every summer the group changes, but the mission stays the same. They ride to honor the dying wish of Lea Economos, who was only 28 when she lost her 10-year battle with leukemia.

The riders make their approach for their UConn Health homecoming. (Photo from coast2coastforacure.wordpress.com)

Last week, when Erin Gombos, Carolyn Tusa, David Lam, Tom Presti and Alex Blanchette reached UConn Health after 3,700 miles over 53 days, then continued on to the shore in Madison, it marked the 10^th successful completion of Coast to Coast for a Cure.

“Although we were the people doing the pedaling, there were so many people that made this trip possible,” Blanchette says. “We would like to thank everyone that we met on the trip, everyone that offered us food, gave us shelter, showed us kindness; everyone that listened to our story and everyone that shared their story with us.”

Economos’s family created Lea’s Foundation for Leukemia Research to carry out her wish – that others could be spared the hardship she faced. The 2015 Coast to Coast for a Cure, like the nine previous rides, raised money exclusively for Lea’s Foundation.

The Hartford nonprofit has been a philanthropic supporter of UConn Health, most notably with a $1.25 million pledge that led to the creation of the Lea’s Foundation Center for Hematologic Disorders within the Carolle and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health.

From foreground: Erin Gombos, Alex Blanchette, David Lam, Tom Presti and Carolyn Tusa enjoy a stop at Niagra Falls July 27. (Photo from coast2coastforacure.wordpress.com)

“America always seemed infinitely large,” Gombos says. “When the trip started, it was about taking things one day at a time and finding joy in small things. For example, I became breathless by some of the views. Seeking help from team members who were going through the same things as me also helped. As the trip went on, America became a finite and even more beautiful place. The trip left me even more impressed with our country.”

This year’s ride started in Seattle, unlike previous years, which started on the shore of San Francisco Bay, in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge. The 2015 team followed a path that kept them in the northern states, through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, past the Great Lakes into Michigan and into Canada for a few days. They re-entered the United States near Niagra Falls and continued through New York State and into Massachusetts before reaching Connecticut.

The riders provided a near-daily account of their trip on a blog, complete with photos: coast2coastforacure.wordpress.com.

“When we crossed the border into Connecticut, the welcome sign had a wonderful poster attached to it with a congratulations to our team,” Presti wrote in the blog on the second-to-last day. “This really made it real that we were finally home.”

From left: Erin Gombos, Alex Blanchette, David Lam, Tom Presti and Carolyn Tusa find a sign welcoming them to Conneticut July 31. (Photo from coast2coastforacure.wordpress.com)

An injury forced a sixth student, Alex Tansey, to withdraw a few days into the trip.

Also unlike previous years, the traditional last leg of the trip, from Farmington to the Connecticut coast, was completed the same day as the UConn Health homecoming, Saturday, Aug. 1.

“Lea’s Foundation would like to extend their congratulations to the five UConn medical students who completed the 2015 Coast to Coast bike ride,” says Jaime Trajcevski, a member of the foundation’s board of directors. “They raised over $30,000 and the foundation couldn’t be prouder of all their efforts! Job well done!”

Coast to Coast for a Cure has raised more than $275,000 for Lea’s Foundation since it started in 2006.

“I am so honored to have been able to participate in Coast to Coast and I hope to translate the lessons learned into my career as a future physician,” Gombos says. “Riding across the country had been a dream of mine. What a cool and unique experience!”

Even though the pedaling has stopped, it’s not too late to make a pledge. Those who wish to support the 2015 Coast to Coast for a Cure can do so through leasfoundation.org,

250 Graduate From UConn Health Summer Enrichment Programs

August 4, 2015

Adobor Zakir — The Aetna Foundation, which provided an additional grant to expand the Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program at UConn Health, makes it possible for undergraduates like Hamza Zakir (left) and Akorfa Adobor to get a head start on their pursuit of careers in health care. (Photo by Mukhtar Suleiman)

Nearly 250 students graduated from summer enrichment programs offered by the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative (HPPI) at UConn Health last week.

The students, ranging in age from adolescent to young adult, took part in offerings designed to introduce them to, engage them in, and prepare them for the scholastic track needed to pursue careers in medicine, dentistry, research, nursing, pharmacy, and other health fields. The program seeks to create an educational pipeline for students from populations that historically are underrepresented in these disciplines.

“I learned that knowledge of both medicine and culture are intertwined in providing the best care, and that there is no substitute for empathy,” says Hamza Zakir, a UConn undergraduate who took part in the Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program. “But most importantly, the program helped motivate me from within. It helped me really believe that I can make the difference. For that I can’t be more thankful.”

Alexxus Hall, a University of Saint Joseph junior, says the Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program “has allowed me to meet so many great people and make so many different connections. I am very happy and pleased that I spent the summer participating in such a wonderful program that I know will benefit me in the future.” (Photo provided by Alexxus Hall)

Zakir worked with Akorfa Adobor, a junior at Quinnipiac University, this summer, producing the poster presentation “Engaging Patients in the On-Site Training and Assessment of MyCare Patient Portal: Internal Medicine.”

Adobor says her experience “exposed me to the realities of modern health care, as well as the complexity of medicine. The scientific part, although largely emphasized, is only part of the picture. A good physician must be a humanitarian and an excellent communicator. Medicine is an art form that I hope to someday practice.”

The Aetna Foundation, a longtime supporter of the Health Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP) at UConn Health, recently awarded an additional $80,000 to expand the Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program.

Another health disparities fellow, Rebecca Zapf-Pedraza, says shadowing physicians showed her income is no barrier to being able to deliver top-quality care to all patients.

“I learned ways in which physicians impact the lives of their patients outside of the office, such as prescribing vegetables and food coupons as well as making sure DCF is properly caring for the children it protects, and am now even more driven to pursue an M.D./Ph.D.,” says Zapf-Pedraza, who plans to graduate from Central Connecticut State University in December with a biology degree.

That was one of 10 summer enrichment programs that concluded Friday:

Great Explorations (27 middle school students)
Jumpstart 9 (36 incoming high school students)
Jumpstart 10 (31 rising high school sophomores)
Junior Doctors Academy (22 rising high school juniors)
Senior Doctors Academy (10 rising high school seniors)
High School Student Research Apprentice Program (10 high school students)
Bridge/Pre-college Academic Enrichment Program (28 incoming undergrads)
College Enrichment Program (2 undergraduates)
Medical/Dental Preparatory Programs (48 undergraduates)
Summer Research Fellowship Program (14 undergraduates)
Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program (19 undergraduates)

The Summer Research Fellowship Program is what enabled Oluwatoyin Akinnusotu, a UConn undergraduate going into his senior year, to spend this summer working in the neuropeptide laboratory of professors Elizabeth Eipper and Richard Mains.

“I was able to create a hypothesis, test it out with data, and see what my conclusion was,” Akinnusotu says. “I really liked the problem-solving aspect of the entire process in my research. And it’s helped me build my resume and my application. Research is a very important aspect of the medical school application. [This fellowship] also helped me form connections here at UConn Health.”

The first-generation American, son of Nigerian parents, aspires to be a neurosurgeon, and is considering UConn for medical school.

“This type of research exposure is so crucial to our mission,” says Dr. Marja Hurley, associate dean for Health Career Opportunity Programs and Aetna HPPI founding director. “We are grateful to the Aetna Foundation and all our funding sources for their continued support.”

Other funding sources include:

Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program, Office of Higher Education
Connecticut State Legislative Fund
The Hartford
William and Alice Mortensen Foundation
John and Valerie Rowe Health Professions Scholars Program
UConn Foundation, Friends of the Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs
UConn Health

Hurley says the Health Career Opportunity Programs have sent more than 400 participants to medical school, dental school, graduate school, or other health professional schools.

Frank Monney, a senior at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, shares his findings from the Summer Research Fellowship Program with Dr. Marja Hurley. “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t believe in myself enough to do that. But as soon as I came here I then decided I was going to do what really, really want to do, which is be a physician. This program gave me some amazing clinical exposure, and some amazing time in research,” Monney says. (Janine Gelineau/UConn Health)