Alumni in the News
Upstate College of Health Professions alumni make news every day, winning awards, improving their communities and changing the world for the better. Here, we present some of the highlights from our alumni in the news.
Upstate Medical University Class of ’13 DPT alumnus and faculty member Joseph Micca keeps Buffalo Bills playing at highest potential
Part of medical team that saved the life of Damar Hamlin
While Joseph Micca, DPT ’13, PT, SCS, is ardent about the game of football, he also knows firsthand of the risks that come with the sport. Micca is part of a team of medical professionals in readiness at every Buffalo Bills game, including the January 2023 game in Cincinnati when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest.
“It was a tense situation, but is something we practice and drill,” Micca said. “Many individuals were involved in saving Damar's life. I'm proud to be a member of such a great team of medical professionals and player care staff.”
Hamlin thanked Micca and all medical staff who assisted him in his recovery in a video that quickly went viral. “He is a brave young man and continues to improve,” Micca said.
Micca works with the entire Bills team in an active physical therapy treatment program to keep them playing at their maximum capacity.
Micca began his career with the Bills’ athletic training staff in 2016, and just completed his seventh season as physical therapist and rehabilitation coordinator. He is a board-certified sports specialist. Prior to joining the Buffalo Bills, Micca worked with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2014 season. The lifesaving experience at the start of 2023 is the pinnacle of Micca’s career so far.
When Micca began his education in the field of physical therapy at Upstate Medical University, he wanted to follow his ambition: to work with athletes, as he is an athlete himself, and have a positive impact on the lives of the players. While Micca knew he wanted a career in healthcare and was willing to dedicate his life to it, he wasn’t always certain of which program he would pursue. It was a teammate’s influence and Micca’s experience at Upstate that led Micca to the career that was meant for him. Today, Micca gives much credit to Upstate’s College of Health Professions for his success.
“The College of Health Professions Physical Therapy program pushed me in a great way,” said Micca. “It prepared me to take the required steps and propelled me in the right direction. I was influenced by highly reputable PT faculty members - Dr. Michelle Dolphin, Dr. Adam Rufa, Dr. Dale Avers, and Dr. Christopher Neville, to name a few.” All of them helped prepare Micca on his path to the NFL.
College of Health Professions Assistant Dean and Physical Therapy Associate Director Michelle Dolphin, DPT ’07, PT, MS, OCS, FAAOMPT, said, “As a doctoral student, Dr. Micca was extremely focused and driven. He identified early that post-professional education (residency and fellowship) were tracks that would serve his future patients well.”
“What is remarkable about Joe as a student was his singular focus on his dream to be a sports physical therapist with the NFL while being grounded in his love for family and home,” said Dale Avers, PhD, DPT, PT, FAPTA, professor emerita of Physical Therapy Education, College of Health Professions, “I admire his drive to be excellent and stay grounded.”
“Dr. Micca was a great student who was very passionate about treating athletes. I remember being impressed when he and a few classmates developed a study investigating an injury prevention screening tool. They were able to design the study, perform the testing and get it published,” recalled Adam Rufa, DPT ’08, PT, PhD, OCS, interim chair and associate professor of PT Education at Upstate’s College of Health Professions. “It has been exciting to see how successful he has been since leaving Upstate, and we are so thankful that he gives back to the program by sharing his expertise with our students as an adjunct professor.”
Growing up on the east side of Rochester, NY, Micca played high school football, among other sports, and continued with college football at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH. While at JCU, he was a semifinalist for college football’s premier scholar-athlete award before starting at Upstate. Micca’s JCU football teammate Michael Bogden persuaded him to consider the field of physical therapy.
“After Upstate, I completed my residency at the University of Pittsburgh. Their reputation of having the best Physical Therapy program in the country is paralleled with my experience at Upstate Medical University. I saw many similarities between both programs,” Micca said. “We are lucky to have a university like Upstate in New York.”
In addition to the opportunities received at the College of Health Professions, Micca also created his own. “While I was a student at Upstate, I sought opportunities and spent time in places that interested me to help determine if sports physical therapy was the right path for me. I observed the athletic trainer for the Onondaga Community College basketball team and did all I could with opportunities around me. I encourage healthcare students to do the same,” Micca said.
Dr. Dolphin noted, “Together with alumnus Dr. Sean Bardenett, Dr. Micca and I teach a hybrid Sports PT elective each fall that is eagerly anticipated by current students. Dr. Micca is an inspirational therapist and down-to-earth compassionate person. We share a commitment to humility and lifelong learning.”
Dr. Avers added, “Joe’s commitment to community extends to his Upstate family and the way he gives back through his teaching and student mentoring. Joe is a quality guy…just the best!”
“It is a true pleasure to know Dr. Micca as an Upstate DPT graduate and as a colleague. I am honored that he considers me one of his mentors,” Dolphin said.
To learn more about the Physical Therapy program at Upstate Medical University, click here.
To support current and future students in Upstate’s Physical Therapy program, click here.
Caption 1: Joseph Micca, DPT '13, representing his alma mater Upstate Medical University at Highmark Stadium, Buffalo, NY, home of the Buffalo Bills.
Caption 2: Buffalo Bills physical therapist and rehabilitation coordinator Joseph Micca, DPT '13, third from left, stands at the 2023 NFL Honors as a proud member of the medical team that saved the life of Damar Hamlin following his cardiac arrest during a Janurary 2023 football game in Cincinnati.
See additional photos of Dr. Micca and the Buffalo Bills here:
Dr. Micca & Bills Wide Receiver Cole Beasley
Dr. Micca & Bills Cornerback Tre'Davious-White
Dr. Micca with CHP PT student Asad Emi, Class of 2023
Dr. Micca on the field
Dr. Micca as a Bills fan, age six
Alumnus Bruce Searles, PhD, MS ’93, CCP, LP, CES-a, director and associate professor of the Cardiovascular Perfusion program, received the 2023 AmSECT International Fellowship Award this month.
His presentation, “A Graduate Level Immersive-Simulation Program for Teaching and Assessing Fundamental Skills in Entry Level Clinical Perfusionists” was selected for most outstanding abstract.
Congratulations, Bruce!
From the College of Health Professions:
Mark Spooner, MSEd '86, RT(R)(CT)(MR)MRSO(MRSC) has been promoted to associate professor. Mark joined Upstate in 2019 with primary responsibility for the MR BPS program, getting it up online while teaching our on-campus students in a range of courses.
In addition to departmental service responsibilities, Mr. Spooner serves on the CHP Interprofessional Research Committee and is a member of the Institutional Readiness Task Force, working toward excellence in delivery of online learning programs. He is Chair of the International Society for MR Radiographers & Technologists (ISMRT), New York Division.
Congratulations, Mark!
Physical Therapy alumna, faculty member and DPT student share their expertise on Upstate’s podcast
Michelle Dolphin, DPT ’07, PT, MS, OCS, FAAOMPT, associate professor in the College of Health Professions specializes in orthopedic physical therapy and DPT student Nicole Harry recently published a study of the injuries that occur with ballet dancers. Dr. Dolphin, a faculty member in Upstate's College of Health Professions specializes in orthopedic physical therapy. Harry is on track to graduate from the DPT program in 2023.
Achilles tendon disorders, and other lower-extremity problems, bedevil ballet dancers and athletes. Though most common in the two, this type of injury can happen to anyone. Dr. Dolphin and Harry explain how and why these injuries tend to occur among these performers.
Listen to: “Researching injuries in ballet dancers”
“The Informed Patient” is Upstate’s podcast covering health, science and medicine with the goal of helping to educate and inform the Central New York community. Journalists in Upstate Medical University’s marketing and university communications department create each episode.
Upstate DPT alumna becomes a credentialed Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Therapists
Michelle Dolphin
Michelle Dolphin, DPT ’07, PT, MS, OCS, FAAOMPT is an associate professor in the DPT Program at SUNY Upstate Medical. She is the associate director for the DPT Program and a College of Health Professions (CHP) assistant dean.
Dr. Dolphin recently recertified as an orthopaedic specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. In addition, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship program at Regis University and passed her qualification exams. Dr. Dolphin is now a credentialed Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Therapists.
Congratulations Dr. Dolphin!
College of Health Professions CP alumnus part of team to help Upstate receive national certification for life-saving heart and lung treatment program
Bruce Searles Edward Darling
Story from Upstate News
Upstate Medical University is now only the second hospital in the country to earn one of the nation’s top certifications for its Extracorporeal Life Support program (ECLS).
The certification, from DNV GL Healthcare, the nation’s fastest growing accreditation organization, means that Upstate’s life-saving program meets more than 50 standards and operates at the highest levels of coordination between interdisciplinary teams.
ECLS is the use of external machines to provide prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to patients whose heart and lungs are not able to function. The ECLS or ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine handles oxygen delivery to the patient’s body, allowing a person’s lungs and heart to rest and heal. Patients can rely on an ECLS machine for a few hours or weeks at a time. Read more.
Included in the Upstate team who completed work with ECLS experts from across the country to develop an exam to award an official ECLS Specialist certification, alumnus Bruce Searles, MS '93, CCP, director and association professor of the Cardiovascular Perfusion Program, alumnus Edward Darling, MS, CCP, associate professor of CP and Jeffrey Riley, MHPE, CCP Emeritus, LP, research associate professor of CP. Jeffrey Riley passed away in October of 2021. Read his obituary.
Read journal article in the NIH, National Library of Medicine
Caption: Christopher Tanski, MD, medical director of Upstate’s ECLS program, with an ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine.
Upstate alumni receive prestigious award
Matthew Norris, left, in his white coat and Norris with Martinez, right.
Congratulations to Matthew Norris, DPT ('22) for receiving the 2022 SUNY Chancellor Award for Student Excellence! Also receiving the award is Ingrid Martinez, DNP ('21) from the Upstate College of Nursing. Norris was also the 2021 recipient of the Health Professions Alumni Association, Kevin J. Reistrom Scholarship which is given based on overall academic and clinical performance, as well as demonstrated vision and passion for the Physcial Therapy profession. He also was the recipient for the Dale Avers Leadership Award. Congratulations to both Dr. Norris and Dr. Martinez!
CHP alumna featured in Upstate's Black History Month Awards
Shantel Henry, top right, is the manager of Interventional Radiology & assistant director of Radiology-IR at Upstate and is a 1999 graduate of Upstate's MIS program
Upstate’s Black History awards ceremony and keynote address will be live streamed on Wednesday, February 16 at noon. Upstate’s James Baines, Janell Gage and Shantel Henry, MIS '99 will receive employee contribution awards. The late “Manny” Breland and Jackie Warren-Moore will receive posthumous community contribution awards. Angela Douglas of Vera House Inc. will give the keynote address.
If you are not able to watch at that time, view the 2022 Black History ceremony anytime on Upstate Medical University’s YouTube channel.
Read more.