March 2025

AAP Annual 2026 Conference 

Christopher White, MD, Department Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

This year’s Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Conference was held in San Juan Puerto Rico from February 17th–21st. The conference brought together leaders and rising stars in physiatry and rehabilitation for four impactful days of education, collaboration, and connection.

Attendees participated in hands-on learning, shared research, built meaningful professional relationships, and explored innovations shaping the future of the field. The event empowered participants to strengthen their clinical skills, inspire change within their institutions, and grow as leaders in rehabilitation medicine.

Department Chair Dr. Christopher White poses with PM&R residents, medical students, and staff at the AAP Conference.

From left: Residents Drs. James Jabara, Lea Jarrett, Cole McDonald, and Tyler Peterson; medical student John Kaster; resident Dr. Joshua Kim; and Dr. Charlotte Ball.

Morgan McIlwee's Future Plans

Farewell to Dr. Mary Elizabeth Nelson-Biersach

We have plans in place to continue moving our pump program forward by drawing on the strengths of our team, including our APPs. Dr. Colton Sauer will gradually assume a stronger leadership role in this area, working alongside our Spasticity physicians to align and strengthen best practices across both Pediatric and Adult Rehab. The Spasticity section is already evaluating ways to enhance care delivery and expand the program.

Thank you to everyone involved in this transition for your collaboration, adaptability, and commitment. While the program will continue to evolve over the coming weeks and months, I am confident we are positioning ourselves for continued growth and improvement. Change creates space for innovation, and I believe we will build on our solid foundation to make the program even stronger."

-Christopher L. White, MD  

Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Yacub Martin on her Lecture on Stoke Rehabilitation in Nepal 

Congratulations to our very own Dr. Jennifer Yacub Martin on her contribution to the training program at Dhulikhel Hospital in Nepal, where she delivered a lecture titled “Strengthening the Stroke: Chain of Survival.”

She received an honorary letter from the hospital expressing sincere appreciation for her expertise, dedication, and impactful role in advancing timely, coordinated, evidence-based stroke care at their institution and neighboring hospitals—ultimately helping to improve patient outcomes.

Way to go, Dr. Yacub Martin!

PM&R Holiday Party

This year’s PM&R holiday party kicked off on Friday, January 30th at the Milwaukee Public Museum — and what a night it was! Guests had exclusive access to the museum’s first floor exhibits, including Streets of Old Milwaukee & European Village, A Sense of Wonder, Exploring Life on Earth, and the Third Planet Costa Rican Rainforest.

The evening was filled with laughter, fun, and meaningful connection. It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen bonds, meet new colleagues, and celebrate the season together in a truly unique setting.

A special shout-out to Administrative Associate Monika Szczerba and Administrative Assistant Sr. Rhiannon Shewczyk for organizing such a memorable and magical evening — their dedication, attention to detail, and hard work truly made the celebration shine!

From left: Education Program Coordinator III Leah Pape, Education Program Coordinator III Haylee Hopp, Administrative Supervisor Monika Szczerba, Education Program Coordinator II Mary York, Mary York’s significant, Clinical Research Coordinator II Jaimy Petit, and Clinical Program Coordinator II Megan Hughes.

Pictured above is a scenic view of the charming cobblestone streets within the European Village exhibit, capturing the timeless beauty and old-world atmosphere of the display.

TOXINS 2026 8th International Conference in Madrid Spain

The 8th International TOXINS Conference was held January 14th–17th in Madrid, Spain. Recognized as a premier forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest advances and clinical applications of neurotoxins, the conference brought together internationally renowned experts from around the world.

The comprehensive scientific program offered valuable insights for both researchers and clinicians across a wide range of specialties, including neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, dermatology, aesthetic medicine, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, urology, gastroenterology, and pain management.

The event was hosted at the Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center, providing an ideal setting for collaboration, education, and innovation in the field of neurotoxin research and clinical practice.

PM&R Celebrates "National Wear Red Day"

National Wear Red Day is an annual event that raises awareness about heart disease and stroke. Heart disease has touched so many people in our department and community as patients, clinicians, and researchers. Risk factors for heart disease include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, a family history of early coronary heart disease, and age (for women, 55 and older). Preventable measures to reduce your risk of heart disease include not smoking, eating a heart-healthy diet, aiming for at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, and having your doctor regularly check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose.

On Friday, February 6th, members of the PM&R Department wore red to show support for the patients we care for and the stroke research we conduct. Thank you to everyone who participated and wore red to demonstrate their support! Below are photos of members of our Department wearing red!

Making PM&R Bright: Holiday Office Decorating Contest Winner

Congratulations to Administrative Assistant Sr. Rhiannon Shewczyk, who was voted the winner of the 2025 Making PM&R Bright Holiday Office Decorating Contest! Her creative and festive theme, “Cats in Hats: Merry Catmas!”, brought extra cheer and holiday spirit to the office. In recognition of her outstanding decorating skills, Rhiannon was also presented with a trophy for a job well done!

PM&R Pet Spotlight

Join us in congratulating Resident Tate Halfman, MD and his wife, Abbie Halfman, on the arrival of their son, Elliott Halfman!

PM&R Philanthropy Case 

Please contact Meg Bilicki, Senior Director of Development  mbilicki@mcw.edu for more information.

To support Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation click on this link!

Department Mascot's Outfit for this Quarter

"In this quarter’s newsletter, our favorite mascot, Randy the Rhino, takes us down memory lane with a throwback photo of him and his buddy Ryan, cheering for their teams during last year’s March Madness."

The answer to the riddle below will be provided in our next newsletter. 

"How can you drop a raw egg from a height onto a concrete floor without cracking it?"

Answer to our last newsletter's riddle: "light"

10 Ways To Lower Your Cortisol Levels When You're Stressed Out

Mental well-being is especially important during stressful times. While short-term stress is normal, chronic stress can take a toll on both physical and mental health. Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, rises in response to stress to help us react quickly. However, when cortisol remains elevated for extended periods, the body stays in survival mode, which can disrupt digestion, immunity, sleep, mood, and blood sugar balance. Below are simple, effective ways to help lower your cortisol levels and support overall well-being.

1. Eat a whole-food, plant-based diet.

An unhealthy diet filled with added sugars and processed foods will raise blood sugar, cortisol and other proinflammatory reactions that put you at greater risk for high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and autoimmune diseases. Make sure you’re getting enough fiber (fruits and vegetables are great sources) because fiber helps to regulate gut bacteria, which in turn helps to reduce systemic inflammation and regulate hormones. A healthy diet is critical for disease prevention—it’s 80% of the battle.

2. If needed, add supplements.

Supplements shouldn’t replace a well-balanced diet and should be monitored by a doctor. But if recommended, one the most important minerals we use in our clinical practice is magnesium, which helps to regulate hormones, including cortisol. Vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin C can also help support the metabolism of cortisol.

3. Take deep breaths.

Several studies reveal the benefits of deep-breathing exercises for at least five minutes, three to five times a day. Research shows that it helps to lower cortisol, ease anxiety and depression and improve memory. To get started, try using a deep-breathing app like Insight Timer or Calm.

4. Reduce your caffeine intake.

Those with chronic stress can experience adrenal dysfunction leading to imbalanced cortisol. With imbalanced cortisol, you may feel extremely tired and may rely on caffeine to get through the day. It’s a vicious cycle: the caffeine wears off and exhaustion recurs. Caffeine can raise cortisol and it doesn’t address the root of the problem, which is balancing hormone levels.

5. Get adequate sleep.

To allow the body to heal, we need at least seven to eight hours of sleep. It’s so important yet often gets put on the back burner amid our busy lives.

6. Exercise regularly.

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine recommends 30 to 50 minutes of daily exercise. And walking your dog doesn’t count—you should be pushed to a limit where you can have a conversation but not be able to sing.

7. Write in a journal.

Sometimes just getting thoughts down on paper is helpful. If they’re happy thoughts, you can relive them, and if they’re stressful thoughts, you can purge them so you’re not going over them continuously in your head.

8. Indulge in hobbies.

Playing an instrument, drawing, crafting, gardening—participating in activities that bring you joy are helpful distractions from stressful thoughts and situations.

9. Go outside.

Simply being in nature among trees, flowers, birds and plants may have a calming effect on the mind. If you can, take a walk around the block, sit on your front porch. As the weather gets warmer, it will become easier to take breaks and spend time outdoors.

10. Don’t lead with fear.

Putting fear first can be distracting. It allows us to make inappropriate, impulsive decisions we wouldn’t make otherwise. Being mindful, taking deep breaths—taking part in the above tips—will help you lead with positivity. You don’t need to tackle all of these tips at once—I know that can seem overwhelming. The best way to make lasting, positive changes is to do so little by little. Incorporate one or two into your routine at a time until they become habit and slowly add in others. Slow and steady often wins the race. You can find more information here. 

Featured Healthy Recipe - Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ Cups oats old fashioned oats or rolled oats
• 1 ¼ Cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 whole egg
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups ripe bananas mashed (about 3-4 bananas)
• ½ cup oats old fashioned oats
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.

3. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk the egg, oil, and vanilla until well combined.

4. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The mixture will be quite dry at this point.

5. Add the mashed bananas and fold them into the batter. Continue folding until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

6. Divide the batter evenly into a muffin tin that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with paper liners.

7. In another bowl, mix the oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter to make the topping. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the muffin batter.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

*If you would like to share a favorite healthy recipe in next quarter's newsletter please email Rhiannon Shewczyk at Rshewczyk@mcw.edu

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Each March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), and our partners work together to create a social media campaign that highlights the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the communities in which they live.

March Month-long Observations

• Gender Equality Month
• Greek-American Heritage Month
• Irish-American Heritage Month
• National Colon Cancer Awareness Month
• National Kidney Month
• National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness and Education Month
• National Women's History Month

Important March DE&I calendar dates:

• March 2 – Purim begins at sundown (Jewish)
• March 3 – Magha Puja Day (Buddhist)
• March 4 – Holi (Hindu)
• March 6 – Employee Appreciation Day
• March 8 – International Women's Day
• March 14 – Pi Day
• March 16 – Laylat al-Qadr (Islamic)
• March 17 – St. Patrick's Day
• March 19 – Chaitra Navratri begins (Hindu)
• March 20 – Ostara (Wicca/Paganism)
• March 20 – Eid-al-Fitr/End of Ramadan (Islamic)
• March 20 – Ostara - (Southern Hemisphere) Wicca/Paganism
• March 21 – Naw Ruz (Baha'i)
• March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day
• March 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• March 27 – Chaitra Navratri ends (Hindu)
• March 29 – Palm Sunday
• March 31 – International Transgender Day of Visibility
• March 31 – Mahavir Jayanti (Jain)

April is Autism Acceptance Month

Autism Acceptance Month celebrates and honors the experiences and identities of Autistic individuals. It emphasizes understanding, inclusion, and support, moving beyond awareness towards meaningful acceptance.

April Month-long Observations:

• Arab-American Heritage Month
• Celebrate Diversity Month
• Earth Month
• National Child Abuse Prevention Month
• National Volunteer Month

Important January DE&I Calendar Dates:

• April 1 – Passover begins (Jewish)
• April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
• April 3 – Good Friday
• April 5 – Easter
• April 9 – Passover ends (Jewish)
• April 10 – National Day of Silence (LGBTQ+)
• April 13 – Vaisakhi (Sikh)
• April 19 – Patriot Day
• April 20 – Start of Ridvan (Baha'i)
• April 22 – Earth Day
• April 13 – Yom Hashoah begins at sunset (Jewish)
• April 30 – Beltane - (Northern Hemisphere) begins at sunset - Wicca/Paganism

May is ALS Awareness Month

May is ALS Awareness Month, observed to raise awareness of and foster research for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disorder of upper and lower motor neurons. The cause of ALS is not known, and no cure exists.

May Month-long Observations:

• Haitian Heritage Month
• Indian Heritage Month
• Jewish-American Heritage Month
• Mental Health Awareness Month
• National Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Older Americans Month

Important May DE&I Calendar Dates:

• May 1 – Visakha Puja Day (Buddhism)
• May 1 – Beltane (Wicca/Paganism)
• May 5 – Samhain - (Southern Hemisphere) Wicca/Paganism
• May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
• May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
• May 18 – Victoria Day (Canada)
• May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
• May 21-23 – Shavuot (Jewish)
• May 23 – Declaration of the Bab (Baha'i)
• May 24 – Pentecost (Orthodox Christian)
• May 25 – Memorial Day
• May 26 – Eid al-Adha (Islamic)
• May 29 – Ascension of Baha'u'llah (Baha'i)

COVID-19 Guidelines 

MCW and our affiliate hospital partners are committed to containing the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. MCW includes COVID-19 vaccination in our Mandatory Vaccination Program requiring students and learners who participate in clinical care to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption accommodation to be considered compliant. The COVID-19 vaccine requirement has been discontinued for employees effective June 13, 2023, following recent guidance from the CDC and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Learners who participate in clinical care will submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to commencement of their educational program at MCW or MCWAH (residents). To be compliant, individuals must have received both doses of a two-dose vaccination.

To submit proof of vaccination, please send a picture or screenshot of one of the following documents to IOHCovid@froedtert.com:

• CDC vaccine card
• Epic record
• Wisconsin Immunization Registry record (or other state registry)

MCW continues to strongly recommend COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters to protect against COVID-19, but vaccination is not required as a condition of employment with MCW. While COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required for employees at this time, MCW reserves the right to modify requirements under this program at any time.

Learners who obtain boosters somewhere other than Froedtert IOH should submit their documentation to IOHCovid@froedtert.com with the subject line, “ COVID Vaccine Records.” Additionally, School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy students should upload documentation to CastleBranch, and Graduate School students should email it to Angela Backus.

You can learn more information here.

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