Author: Jamie Stoskopf

The Department of Public Health Sciences has announced that the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program has achieved candidacy status granted by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). This candidacy status is the next major step toward accreditation.

Accreditation serves as a benchmark for excellence in the field, establishing a continuous mechanism for self-assessment and ensuring the highest quality educational experience. Graduates from CAHME-accredited programs gain a valuable competitive edge when seeking employment within the healthcare industry.

Dr. Rob Manske, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, has been selected as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The Catherine Worthingham Fellow is one of the highest honors in the field of physical therapy.  

Manske began teaching in the PT program at Wichita State in fall 1998 and served as chair from 2013 to 2018. He has taught in PT programs for over 25 years and has been recognized for his extensive research and contributions to the profession. He is credited for approximately 70 peer-reviewed publications and has authored or edited 13 books.  

Manske will be honored at the annual APTA Celebration in July 2024 in Kansas City. 

The College of Health Professions is pleased to host Drs. Brett Grizzell and Bassem Chehab with Ascension Via Christi for the presentation “Medicine in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation” at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 at the CAC Theater. The event is open to everyone at no additional charge.

Drs. Grizzell and Chehab are nationally renowned experts in heart surgery and are founding members of the Structural Heart program at Ascension Via Christi. Learn more about the exciting new technologies that are transforming medicine and healthcare.

Brett Grizzell, MD, with Wichita Surgical Specialists, is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, skilled in minimally invasive surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). He is a founding member of the nearly 10-year-old Structural Heart team at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, where he also serves as medical director of its Lung Cancer Screening program. Dr. Grizzell was raised in Wichita and in 2004 received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he did his residency in general surgery. He completed his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Washington University/Barnes-Jewish Medical Center in 2011.

Bassem Chehab, MD, with Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas, is board-certified in internal and cardiovascular medicine and specializes in complex coronary interventions and structural cardiology interventions. Dr. Chehab received his medical degree from Lebanon University in Beirut. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine; in 2012, he completed his fellowship in interventional cardiology and cardiovascular medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. During his training, he developed an extensive background in research, having worked on multiple pivotal clinical trials and research projects and being involved in pioneering work on TAVR and other minimally invasive procedures. Dr. Chehab was recruited to Wichita by CCK and Ascension Via Christi to join Dr. Grizzell in the development of a multidisciplinary Structural Heart program at St. Francis, where he now serves as medical director for the hospital’s Heart Valve Clinic and Structural Heart program.

Wichita State’s Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences is hosting an information session from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 via Zoom.

Faculty and students will give an overview of the Medical Laboratory Sciences program at Wichita State, the application process and career opportunities in the medical laboratory sciences profession.

Call 316-978-3146 to schedule a lab tour or in-person appointment.

The College of Health Professions is excited to announce the new Shocker Student Dental Discount Program with the WSU General Dentistry Practice.

The program offers discount pricing for dental care to WSU students and their spouses and children. Students can save approximately 25% from the average prices at a private dental practice. The discount applies on all dental services, including cleanings, fillings, teeth whitening, dental implants and more.

August is National Breastfeeding Month, and Wichita State has received the Gold Level Employer Supporting Breastfeeding award and has been designated as a “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” campus by the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition.

These designations acknowledge WSU’s efforts to incorporate lactation support into the university’s culture and establishes WSU as an employer concerned about the health and well-being of the campus community. WSU provides a supportive environment for faculty, staff, employees and students to reach their breastfeeding goals by providing private locations and flexible time to pump and have written policy to support lactating people.

Private, comfortable places to accommodate lactation needs of employees, students and campus visitors are available on the WSU main campus and satellite locations.

The College of Health Professions invites students, faculty and staff to an ice cream social from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23 in the Ahlberg Hall second floor lobby. Come mingle and beat the heat with ice cream at no additional charge.

The College of Health Professions (CHP) recently hosted the second annual Kansas High School Health Science Teacher’s Workshop, providing high school teachers with educational opportunities and insights into the latest industry topics.

The workshop featured speakers Dr. Sam Smith and Dr. Jennifer James from CHP, as well as Dr. Bassem Chehab and Dr. Brett Grizzell, leaders of the groundbreaking structural heart program at Ascension Via Christi, who presented about their innovative work on heart valve replacement technology and robotic surgery. The workshop also included a panel of Ascension Via Christi associates, led by former Shocker Ron Baker, who shared information about job opportunities, shadowing opportunities and community outreach.

Participants had the chance to tour cutting-edge laboratories in the CHP, including the Gross Anatomy Lab, Human Simulation Lab and School of Nursing Simulation Lab. The teachers received valuable resources and information to take back to their classrooms, with the goal of sparking interest in healthcare careers among young students.

Jolynn Dowling, associate educator, and Janice M. Riordan, Distinguished Professor in Maternal Child Health in the School of Nursing, contributed authorship to the article “Electronic Monitoring of Mom’s Schedule (eMOMS): A Qualitative Study of Experiences in a Lifestyle Change Program with Lactation Support” in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

A subscription may be required to view the article.

Dowling will also co-present with the lead investigator on the topic at the International Lactation Consultant Association Conference in August.

The Department of Physical Therapy, along with Davis-Moore Auto Group, is excited to sponsor the iCan Bike program at Wichita State. This program helps individuals with disabilities learn how to ride a two-wheel bicycle. The event will be July 31-Aug. 4 at the Heskett Center.

iCan Bike is part of iCan Shine, a national organization that provides recreational programs for people with disabilities.