EDUCATION - Western University of Health Sciences

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Dr. Aksone Nouvong, Chair of Podiatric Medicine, Surgery and Biomechanics at WesternU, left, workson wrapping a cast of a patient during a clinic at UCLA-Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar, CA.FromOperatingRoom toClassroomDr. Aksone Nouvong sees her new position as theCollege of Podiatric Medicine’s Chair of PodiatricMedicine, Surgery and Biomechanics as anopportunity to embrace four of her passions at thesame time.“It’s a great clinical opportunity, as a teacher; asurgical opportunity, also as a teacher; a chance to doresearch; and a chance to stay involved with theadministrative side of things,” she said recently fromher office on the second floor of the Nursing ScienceCenter.Teaching, surgery, research. Check. But passion foradministration?“Oh, I love that part,” she said with a laugh. “I likethe planning, the figuring out of schedules, all of it.”Sound planning and scheduling have been a criticalpart of Nouvong’s professional life for several years, asshe’s worn several hats during her journey toWesternU. She remains chair of the Department ofPodiatric Medicine and Surgery at the Department ofVeterans Affairs’ Greater Los Angeles HealthcareCenter, and is an adjunct professor, instructor, directoror attending physician at institutions ranging fromthe David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA to theNew York College of Podiatric Medicine, the CaliforniaSchool of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel MerrittUniversity and the Midwestern University PodiatricMedicine program.She also chairs the National Field AdvisoryCommission on Quality Assurance for the VA’sPodiatry Central Office; served as President of theAmerican College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons,Division Council; and is a member of the AmericanDiabetes Association, American Podiatric MedicalAssociation, California Podiatric Medical Associationand the Los Angeles County Podiatric Medical Society.But that information doesn’t fully communicate herenthusiasm for what she does. What Nouvong reallyenjoys is working with podiatric medical students and,especially, improving the lives of her patients whileusing their conditions as opportunities to teach.“I’m always excited for students to come,” either intoa classroom or into clinical or surgical settings, shesaid. “Podiatric health is very important, and studentsand teachers can really come together to educatepatients and help fix whatever problems they’rehaving.”WesternU’s College of Podiatric Medicine will welcomeits inaugural class in August. About 50 students areexpected to join their fellow pioneers in optometryand dentistry as the University opens three newcolleges simultaneously. WesternU’s CPM will be justthe ninth of its kind in the United States.Nouvong is excited not only about the students’arrival on campus – “I can’t wait for them to get here”– but about the enhanced research opportunities her14 Western University of Health Sciences
position at WesternU will allow. She and some of hercolleagues in other programs are in the midst ofseveral research projects, including:• Hyperspectral imaging, a method of study thatcollects and processes information from across theelectromagnetic spectrum. Unlike the human eye,which just sees visible light, hyperspectral imagingcan see visible light as well as from the ultravioletto infrared. Its capabilities allow Nouvong to studymicrocirculation, which can help her pinpointproblems in diabetic patients with ankle and feetpathologies.Meet theCollege of Podiatric MedicineLawrence Harkless, DPMFounding DeanLester Jones Jr., DPM, MSExecutive Associate Dean ofAcademic Affairs• Windowed casting, which allows for directtreatment of diabetic foot ulcers while the footremains protected in a cast.• A pregnancy study focusing on the enduringchanges women’s feet undergo during and afterpregnancy, and determining if these changes canbe prevented.• Gene therapy to locally promote and improvecirculation for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.Dr. Lawrence Harkless, founding dean of the Collegeof Podiatric Medicine, said he could not have askedfor a better addition than Nouvong to the collegefaculty and administration.“Dr. Nouvong will play a pivotal leadership role in theCPM as chairman of the Department of PodiatricMedicine, Surgery and Biomechanics,” Harkless said.“Her passion and comprehensive approach topodiatric medicine and surgery at the Greater LosAngeles VA and Olive View UCLA has provided herwith a unique perspective on the integration ofpodiatric medicine in an academic health sciencecenter. This will serve the CPM well as we developand become an integral part of the University.“Her experiences will be key in CPM’s contribution tointerprofessional education.”— Jeff KeatingRobert Christman, DPM, MEdDirector of Curriculum andInstructional TechnologyAksone Nouvong, DPMChair of Podiatric Medicine,Surgery and BiomechanicsMichelle BaitxExecutive AssistantVictoria GalvezAdministrative AssistantFor more information call(909) 706-3505 or e-mailmbaitx@westernu.eduWesternU View Spring/Summer 2009 15
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EDUCATION - Western University of Health Sciences

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