General News
Orthotics & Prosthetics
Current Student News
Salus University started 2024 fully immersed in phase one of the impending merger with Drexel University and ended the year fully prepared to enter phase two by the end of 2025. Throughout the year, the University’s students, faculty, alumni and staff attained numerous goals and experienced many accomplishments.
Here’s a month-to-month look at the most interesting stories of 2024:
Several of Salus University’s academic programs secured top spots in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best Jobs and Top Healthcare Jobs rankings. Physician Assistants came in at No. 2 among top healthcare jobs and No. 5 among top jobs; Speech-Language Pathologists were No. 3 and No. 10; Orthotist and Prosthetists secured the No. 16 spot; Occupational Therapists, No. 4 and No. 19; Optometrists were No. 20 and No. 76; and Audiologists were No. 76. Read more here.
It started off with a toque and ended up with Akirta Sran, OD ‘20, and Brendan Connors, OD ‘20, getting married backwards and without a ring. And along the way, four attempted marriage proposals got delayed on account of rain, just to add another level of uniqueness to a love story that started at Salus University. Read more about the couple’s love story here.
The University’s Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program was granted initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), effective March 15, 2024. The initial accreditation is only awarded to those programs that have successfully demonstrated compliance with rigorous standards, ensuring the best possible educational experience for students. Read more here.
Salus University’s current Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) was originally established with a mission to elevate global standards in audiology, a commitment it has steadfastly upheld, solidifying its position as one of the nation's premier audiology programs. Although the name has changed since its inception, that’s exactly what it has done since launching the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree in 2000 making it one of the leading audiology programs in the country. Read more about the program’s history as we celebrate 25 years here. 
During his career, Salus University president Michael H. Mittelman, OD ‘80, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE, has said he has been lucky enough to be surrounded by some of the giants in aerospace medicine and Navy optometry. And, now it’s time to add his name to that list of giants. Dr. Mittelman was in Chicago as the inaugural recipient of the Rear Admiral (RADM) Michael H. Mittelman Award for Excellence in Navy Aerospace Optometry at this year’s Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) conference Navy luncheon. Read more here.
Over the past 14 years, Giri Sundar, MPhil, PhD, CCC-A, FAAA, developed the Osborne College of Audiology’s Distance Education programs into one of the most highly regarded programs in the world before calling it a career and retiring on June 30, 2024. Learn more about Dr. Sundar’s legacy here. 
Students and alumni participated in a daylong community outreach event at the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity on the grounds of Deliverance Evangelistic Church, 21st Street and Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia. The event was hosted by the National Optometric Association (NOA), which was in town for its national convention July 11-14, sponsored in conjunction with VSP Vision, a vision care health insurance company. PCO/Salus at Drexel was the host institution for a slew of events. During the convention, PCO/Salus at Drexel and the NOA honored Robert E. Horne, Doctor of Humane Letter (Hon), who was dean of Student Affairs at PCO. Read more here.
Incoming students enrolled in the Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), which provides underrepresented students of color within the Doctor of Optometry (OD) program a chance to get a head start into the academic year and a chance to adjust to the pace and rigor of graduate school before the fall semester. The program’s goal is to improve matriculation, attrition, and graduation rates of underrepresented applicants of color while fostering a safety net of support and mentorship. Read more here. 
Two Salus/Drexel students in the Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program traveled to Ecuador over the summer with the Range of Motion group. While there, the students helped make 21 lower limb prostheses for people who otherwise don’t have access to that type of care. Story here. 
A Salus/Drexel contingent that included nine OT students, one SLP student and two faculty members, traveled to Belize as part of a group offering speech-language pathology (SLP) and occupational therapy (OT) services for underserved communities in that country. The trip was coordinated by Therapy Abroad, which provides hands-on experience for undergraduate students, post-bacc and graduate students and professionals who are ready to step out of the classroom and gain real world experience in their specific areas of study. The OT students on the trip took part in evaluations, treatments, and assisted in maximizing independence with activities of daily living and overall safety for both children and adults. Story here.
Jeffrey L. Weaver, OD ‘85, MBA, MS, FAAO, FACHE, was appointed interim dean of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), effective October 1, 2024. Dr. Weaver is board-certified as an optometrist, healthcare executive and association executive, has authored dozens of academic and clinical articles, led numerous presentations, and holds memberships in multiple professional organizations. Read his full bio here.
A mission trip to Zacapa, Guatemala, sponsored by the humanitarian organization, Hearts in Motion, included 12 Physician Assistant (PA) Studies students and two faculty members from Salus/Drexel, Cara Orr, PA-C, and Jeanne-Marie Pucillo, DHSc, MSPAS, PA-C. The group saw 600 patients and provided multivitamins alone to an additional 88 individuals, making the total impact 688 people. Read more here. 
Asef Chowdhury ‘26OD was on a Zoom call when he found out he was named the 2024 Joseph C. Toland Memorial Scholarship winner for the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO). He was so excited that he pumped his fist so hard and almost fell out of his bed. Read the full story here. 
