July 2023

SpineCare - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

P. Andrew Nelson, MD, Medical Director of Pain and Spine 

Chen Cui, MD will be joining the MCW SpineCare team in August. Dr. Cui graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2016. He completed his residency in PM&R at the University of Texas Southwestern followed by an ACGME accredited fellowship in Pain Medicine at the University of Wisconsin in 2021.  

Congratulations Meghann Sytsma on 15 Years of Service!

Meghann fell sideways into research after coming to the conclusion that she should NOT teach secondary education with her 5-year biology and chemistry degree. She started with MCW in 2007 as an AA III in Pediatric Surgery supporting bench research and found that the work perfectly fed her love of science. Her various roles with Pediatric Surgery expanded to include clinical research, grant and manuscript support and office management. From there she joined the Fetal Concerns Center as a clinical research coordinator before landing in PM&R. Since joining PM&R, her role again expanded to Manager Clinical Research and the research team has grown to a group of five research professionals, who are all delighted to support your research needs! She invites all of you to stop by her cube and talk research shop so she can continue to feed her love of science! Please be sure to congratulate her on 15 years of service! 

Congratulations Dr. Sayyad on her new role at Froedtert Hospital 

Dr. Sayyad joined MCW in 2021 and works in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and as medical director of brain injury medicine. She currently serves as a member on various boards and committees, including the MCW Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Committee, the MCW Brain Injury Improvement Team, the MCW Concussion Improvement Team, and the MCW IPR Workgroup Committee. Additionally, she serves on the Bluemound Quality Team and the Bluemound IPR Steering Committee for MCW and Froedtert Hospital.

Prior to joining MCW, Dr. Sayyad served as assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science: The Chicago Medical School in North Chicago, IL and as medical director of brain injury medicine, PM&R residency program director and physician director of rehabilitation services at Northwestern Medicine: Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. She also served as chief medical officer, Chestnut Health, Elgin, IL. She received her doctor of medicine degree from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and completed her residency in PM&R at Northwestern University: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).

Dr. Sayyad succeeds Dr. Alicia Pilarski in this role, who was recently named chief wellbeing officer for Froedtert & MCW. We are grateful for Dr. Pilarski’s service to the organization in this role and look forward to seeing how she continues to promote wellness throughout the health network in her new role.

Congratulations on your appointment to this role!"

 

Michael E. Stadler, MD FACS

Chief Medical Officer, Froedtert Hospital

Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Medical College of Wisconsin

Associate Professor, Division of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Reconstruction

Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences

Dr. Whitney Morelli Named Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine

In addition to her research accomplishments, Dr. Morelli is a current member of the Midwest ACSM Board of Directors and serves as the Chair of the Exercise is Medicine Committee for MWACSM. Dr. Morelli was honored during the ACSM Annual Meeting and World Congress on June 2^nd in Denver, CO.

The mission of the ACSM is to advance and integrate scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science. The ACSM represents 70 sports medicine professions and has more than 50,000 members and certified professionals from 90 countries.

Congratulations to Drs. Carley Sauter and Heather Curtiss!

Carley Sauter, MD and Heather Curtiss, MD have been outstanding teachers for both medical students and our PM&R residents. They have both accepted expanded roles in medical student education in the MCW medical school for the 2023-2024 academic year. Dr. Sauter will be serving as a Thread Director in Patient Skills in the new Fusion curriculum. This role involves weaving skills such as physical exam, procedures, documentation and other patient interactions through the curriculum, as well as oversight of the OSCE program. Dr. Curtiss will be serving as a Learning Community Faculty Navigator, mentoring medical students and educating in the professionalism of medicine as well as helping students individualize their career plans. Congratulations Drs. Sauter and Curtiss!

New Developments in Research

Dr. Stacy Stibb received notification from Spio Inc that they will be funding her investigator-initiated clinical trial “Assessing functional improvements with use of Spio X compression vest”. This study will begin enrolling in January 2024 and will examine whether the Spio X compression vest improves trunk control and functional stability in children with disabilities. Please congratulate Dr. Stibb on her first grant funded project for the department!

Dr. Matt Durand was invited to become an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Applied Physiology, which is published by the American Physiological Society. The journal publishes original research and review articles that examine novel adaptive and integrative physiological mechanisms in humans and animals that advance the field. Editorial Board members are invited based on scientific expertise and recognized stature in their field of academic medicine. Congratulations to Dr. Durand on this most prestigious accomplishment!

Dr. Alicen Whitaker-Hilbig was accepted into the CTSI Clinical Research Scholars Program. This prestigious program provides two years of focused training and mentorship in clinical research for junior faculty who have decided on a path of grant-funded clinical and translational research. Historically Dr. Whitaker-Hilbig is one of very few individuals to be admitted to this program as a postdoctoral fellow. Please congratulate Dr. Whitaker-Hilbig on this achievement.

We are also proud to announce that Dr. Whitaker-Hilbig received two prestigious awards related to her graduate work at the University of Kansas Medical Center.  First, she received the James P. Cooney Leadership Award during her Recognition and Hooding Ceremony on Saturday, May 13th. The award was given to one recipient from the School of Health Profession’s class of 2023. The award recognizes “outstanding leadership and contributions to the profession, community, program, and the University of Kansas School of Health Professions.”  Dr. Whitaker-Hilbig was also awarded the Post Professional Best Abstract Award from the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy at the annual American Physical Therapy Associations Combined Sections Meeting. This meeting brings together about 15,000 clinicians and scientists focused on rehabilitation. Alicen presented her abstract “Acute Bout of High Intensity Interval Exercise Attenuates Cerebrovascular Response in Older Adults and Post-Stroke” as a platform presentation at the conference.

"The research team wants to remind you that we are here to support your research needs! We want to hear your ideas for new research studies and support you in study development and execution. Come have fun with the science nerds! Contact Matt Durand (mdurand@mcw.edu) or Meghann Sytsma (mesytsma@mcw.edu) to chat about possible projects."

Matthew J. Durand, Ph.D., FAHA, FCVS

Associate Professor

Research Director

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Cardiovascular Center

PM&R Resident & Fellow Recognition Dinner 

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation held it's "2023 Resident & Fellow Recognition Dinner" on Thursday, June 15, 2023. This event was held at the Harley Davidson Museum downtown Milwaukee. This dinner was to celebrate our PM&R Residents and Fellow Graduates with their families and peers! 

2023 PM&R Residents and Fellow Graduates: Drs. Sam Kortes, Mateo Nicholson, Christopher Ng, Tyson Session, Lauren Shuda and Akash Jindal pose for a celebratory photo. 

Congratulations again to our PM&R Residents and Fellows on their Recent Graduation and Best of Luck in the Future!

PM&R Residents

Sam Kortes, MD – General Physiatrist, ProHealth Medical Group, Waukesha, WI

Chris Ng, MD, MBA – Sports Medicine Fellowship, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Mateo Nicholson, DO, MSED – Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Tyson Sessions, DO – Sports Medicine Fellowship, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ

Lauren Shuda, MD – Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellow

Sonia Shah, MD – General Physiatrist, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Dr. Sonia Shah pictured with Dr. Christopher White above at the 2023 Resident & Fellow Recognition Dinner 

Neurorehabilitation & Spasticity Management Fellowship

Sarah Wineman, MD – Neurorehabilitation Psychiatrist, Hennepin Country Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN

Dr. Sarah Wineman and Dr. John McGuire pictured above at the 2023 Resident & Fellow Recognition Dinner 

Congratulations to Tom Kotsonis, MD who received the Robert Boyle Teacher of The Year Award for 2023!

PM&R PGY2 Residents and Fellows starting July1, 2023

PM&R Residency 

PM&R Fellowship

June Medical Students

Please welcome the following medical students who joined us in June!

National APP Week is in September; Celebrate by nominating an APP starting July 1st ! 

This important group of providers elevate the fields of medicine and nursing to ensure our most vulnerable populations receive high-quality, evidence-based care. We utilize this week to celebrate the hard work of these professionals and to raise awareness of their unique roles in healthcare.

In advance of this celebration, National APP Week is opening submissions for two national awards: APP of the Year (Word document download) and Rising Star Award (Word document download). We want to celebrate your achievements and contributions to healthcare delivery. We encourage you to review the award criteria and nominate an APP beginning July 1 for these national awards! 

Stay tuned for more details about National APP Week! The Advanced Practice leaders of MCW, Froedtert Health, and Children’s Wisconsin look forward to celebrating the hard work and dedication of our APPs across the adult and pediatric clinical enterprises. 

Save the Date - Spine Day 2023 - Friday, 9/22/2023

Please plan to join the Department of Neurosurgery for Spine Day 2023 taking place on Friday, September 22^nd, 2023.  The theme for the conference will be “Caring for the Female Spine Patient”. Additional information on registration, additional speakers and their topics, and CME credits will be coming out soon.

PM&R Philanthropy Case 

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

To support Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation click on this link!

Administrative Associate Monika Szczerba enjoys the city of Montreal

Monika and her relatives pose for a photo opp. in front of Montreal's Olympic Stadium

Gorgeous views from Montreal's Botanical Gardens 

Resident Colton Sauer Spends his weekend with Veterans 

Resident Colton Sauer poses for a picture with a group of disabled veterans for their yearly fishing and boating trip at Camp American Legion. He went along with recreational therapists to help these veterans get outside and enjoy and the great weather. 

Department Mascot's Outfit for the Month of July

In honor of Independence Day Randy the Rhino celebrates by grilling vegetables near his favorite lake, dressing up in his red white and blue attire, and later shooting off fireworks! 

The answer to the riddle below will be provided in next month's newsletter. This riddle is courtesy of Alan Young, Clinical Research Coordinator:

"What runs around a yard but never moves?"

Answer to last month's riddle:  "the living room"

Monthly Wellness Feature: Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Energy

If you find yourself feeling sluggish, having difficulty staying awake, or chugging multiple cups of coffee just to make it to lunchtime, you’re not alone. Most of us are familiar with feeling worn out and weary at the end of the day. Fortunately there are plenty of healthy actions you can take to reduce fatigue and boost your energy levels. Health experts New York University nutritionist Samantha Heller, MS, RD and nutritionist Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, an associate professor at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York complied the following list of the top 10 energy boosters. Try one, two, or all 10, and you're bound to see your energy levels soar.

1. Increase Your Magnesium Intake

Eating a balanced diet can help ensure that your vitamin and mineral needs are met. But if you still find yourself exhausted, you could have a slight magnesium deficiency, Heller says.

"This mineral is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including breaking down glucose into energy," Heller says. "So when levels are even a little low, energy can drop."

In a study done at the Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, ND., women with magnesium deficiencies had higher heart rates and required more oxygen to do physical tasks than they did after their magnesium levels were restored. In essence, their bodies were working harder which, over time can leave you feeling depleted. The recommended daily intake of magnesium is around 300 milligrams for women and 350 milligrams for men. To make sure you're getting enough, Heller suggests:

• Add a handful of almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews to your daily diet.
• Eat more whole grains, particularly bran cereal.
• Eat more fish, especially halibut.

2. Walk Around the Block

While it may seem as if moving about when you feel exhausted is the quickest route to feeling more exhausted, the opposite is true. Experts say that increasing physical activity -- particularly walking -- increases energy.

In experiments done by Robert Thayer, PhD, at California State University, a brisk 10-minute walk not only increased energy, but the effects lasted up to 2 hours. And when the daily 10-minute walks continued for 3 weeks, overall energy levels and mood were lifted.

3. Take a Power Nap

Research has shown that both information overload and pushing our brains too hard can zap energy. But studies by the National Institutes of Mental Health found that a 60-minute "power nap" can not only reverse the mind-numbing effects of information overload, it may also help us to better retain what we have learned.

4. Don't Skip Breakfast -- or Any Other Meal

"Studies show that folks who eat breakfast report being in a better mood, and have more energy throughout the day," says nutritionist Samantha Heller, MS, RD.

Heller's personal theory is that breaking the fast soon after rising supplies your body with a jolt of fuel that sets the tone for the whole day. Additionally, studies published in the journal Nutritional Health found that missing any meal during the day led to an overall greater feeling of fatigue by the end of the day. 

5. Drink More Water and Less Alcohol

You may already know that it's easy to confuse signals of hunger with thirst (we think we need food when we really need water). But did you know that thirst can also masquerade as fatigue?

"Sometimes, even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic," says nutritionist Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD.

The solution is simple: a tall, cool glass of water. This is particularly important to boost energy after exercise, when your body is likely to be craving fluids. Conversely, if you find yourself frequently fatigued even after a good night's sleep, try cutting down on alcohol during the evening hours. By cutting down on alcohol before bedtime, you'll get a better night's rest, which is bound to result in more energy the next day.

6. Eat More Whole Grains and Less Sugar

The key here is keeping blood sugar balanced so energy is constant.

"When you're eating a sweet food, you get a spike in blood sugar, which gives you an initial burst of energy," Heller says. "But that's followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar, which in turn can leave you feeling very wiped out."

Do that enough times a day, she says, and by evening you're feeling exhausted.

"But, if you eat a lot of whole grains, which provide a slow and steady release of fuel, your energy will be consistent and balanced, so by day's end you'll feel less tired," Heller adds.

Indeed, a study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating more whole grains helped increase the body's sensitivity to insulin, allowing for that slow and steady release.

7. Have a Power Snack

Power snacking is more than just eating between meals. Nutritionist Keith Ayoob suggests a treat that combines protein, a little fat, and some fiber -- like peanut butter on a whole-wheat cracker, or some yogurt with a handful of nuts.

"The carbs offer a quick pick-me-up, the protein keeps your energy up, and the fat makes the energy last," Ayoob tells WebMD.

8. Get More Sleep

Many people cut into hours that should be spent in bed, such as pushing back bedtime to meet a deadline or study for an exam.

Not getting enough sleep can drain your energy levels, leaving you feeling lethargic, grumpy, and tired the next day. Although the amount of sleep a person needs can vary slightly, experts generally recommend aiming for at least 7 hours of sleep per night to boost energy levels and support overall health. If you have trouble sleeping, you may benefit from setting a regular sleep schedule and winding down at the end of the night by taking a bubble bath, reading a book, or listening to relaxing music. Some research also suggests that limiting your use of electronic devices, like your phone, laptop, or television, before bed could also help increase sleep quality and prevent daytime sleepiness.

9. Limit alcohol

Drinking alcohol can have a sedative effect and may make you feel drowsy and relaxed. Many people mistakenly believe that drinking an alcoholic beverage (or “nightcap”) can be an effective way to fall asleep faster. However, regularly drinking alcohol before bed can reduce the quality of your sleep. Alcohol can also act as a diuretic, meaning that it increases the production of urine. Therefore, if you have a few drinks right before bed, it could interrupt your sleep by causing you to wake up in the middle of the night. For this reason, it’s best to enjoy alcohol in moderation and limit your intake close to bedtime. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines moderation as one drink per day for women and two per day for men. If you have a hard time limiting your intake of alcohol or would like additional support, consider reaching out to a healthcare professional for more guidance. 

10. Connect with People

Social connections are incredibly important for maintaining good health. In fact, social isolation can cause low mood and tiredness, especially as you age. Some research even indicates that having stronger social support could be associated with improvements in physical and mental health as you age. If you feel tired and in low spirits, it can be helpful to try socializing with friends, joining a club or class, volunteering, or finding a new hobby that gets you out and about.

More Resources on How to Boost your Energy:

www.healthline.com

www.webmd.com

June 26th is National Disability Independence Day, which marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act! 

Signed into law in 1990, this act protects people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace, public spaces, and transportation. It is estimated that 26% of Americans have a disability, whether those disabilities are hidden or visible. While discrimination against people with disabilities is still common, this act made public life more accessible to all Americans, regardless of ability level. To learn more, consider watching the Netflix documentary "Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution", which follows the lives of many of the most important advocates in the disability rights movement. 

Other July Celebrations:

• US Independence Day (July 4th)
• Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha (July 9th-10th)
• International Nelson Mandela Day (July 18th)

COVID-19 Updates

Both Froedtert and MCW employees with an approved COVID-19 vaccination exemption are no longer required to wear masks at Froedtert & MCW facilities except when and where masks are required for all, effective immediately. To remain consistent in with all adult clinical spaces, MCW clinics will follow this same guidance. Masks have not been required for unvaccinated individuals in MCW non-clinical spaces since October 2022.

The COVID-19 vaccine requirement will be discontinued for employees effective Tuesday, June 13, due to recent guidance from the CDC and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters will continue to be strongly recommended, but not required as a condition of employment with MCW.  Vaccination will continue to be required for students and learners who participate in clinical care due to many healthcare partners who have not yet lifted their COVID-19 vaccine requirement. This requirement is being actively re-evaluated as a high priority, and we will provide follow-up information as soon as feasible. Individuals who work in partner healthcare facilities that require vaccination must also continue to follow the guidance and requirements of those facilities. 

For additional information visit the COVID-19 page on infoscope. 

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