Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO for USF Health and dean of the College of Medicine, makes a point while speaking with Jessy Divo de Romero, President (Rectora) of the University of Carabobo, and USF President Judy Genshaft.

The University’s global health initiative got a boost last month when USF President Judy Genshaft met with representatives from three Latin American universities -- the University of Carabobo in Venezuela, the University of Panama College of Medicine, and the Universidad Latina College of Health Sciences -- to sign agreements for collaboration.

During their two-day visit here, Sept. 21-22, top officials of the University of Panama and Universidad Latina also held extensive discussions with USF Health leadership on ways the College of Medicine can partner with their medical schools on education and research.
The guests met with Hispanic medical students and faculty. They toured the Morsani and South Tampa Centers for Advanced Healthcare, several USF Health-directed programs at Tampa General Hospital, USF Health’s new da Vinci Center for Computer Assisted Surgery, the Shimberg Health Sciences Library and the Center for Human Morpho-Informatics.

Stephen Klasko, MD, MBA, CEO for USF Health and dean of the College of Medicine, presented some recent achievements of USF Health and its medical college, including PaperFree Tampa Bay, simulation training, iTunes Health and others.

Leaders of USF Health and the Panama schools discussed institutional and regional needs in medical sciences. John Sinnott, MD, vice dean of International Affairs and director of Infectious Diseases, and Lynette Menezes, PhD, director of International Affairs for the College of Medicine, have facilitated faculty and student exchanges and capacity building to enhance HIV clinical research and infectious diseases education in Panama.

Discussions with Deborah Sutherland, PhD, USF Health associate vice-president for Continuing Professional Development, focused on ways to advance continuing medical education, technological training and leadership. With the support of IT technology, the discussions are continuing long distance to develop Memoranda of Understanding for approval.

“With these efforts the USF College of Medicine and USF Health are moving forward to achieve the global mission of USF,” said Carlos Callegari, MD, PhD, professor of public health and pediatrics and senior advisor for the Ibero-Americas Programs at USF Health, “We’re incorporating our distinguished friends from Panama and Venezuela into a long-lasting partnership committed to improving world health.”

After hours of hard work, the Latin American visitors joined their USF colleagues and members of the Hillsborough County Medical Association for a night of music and medicine at the Dean’s Lecture Series. They were entertained at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center by psychiatrist-pianist Dr. Richard Kogan, who played pieces by composer George Gershwin and spoke about the power of music to heal.

L to R: Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO for USF Health and dean of the College of Medicine; Dr. Ann DeBaldo, associate vice president, International Programs, USF Health; Jessy Divo de Romero, President (Rectora) of the University of Carabobo; USF President Judy Genshaft; Veronica Arce, secretary of Board of Directors, University of Latina; Dr. John Sinnott, director of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at USF; Dr. Julio Rodriguez, dean of the University of Panama College of Medicine; Dr. John Curran, USF Health associate vice president for academic and faculty affairs; and Maria Crummett, dean of International Affairs at USF.

Jessy Divo de Romero, President of the University of Carabobo, Venezuela, and USF President Judy Genshaft sign the collaborative agreement.

Top officials from medical schools at the University of Panama College of Medicine and the Universidad Latina College of Health Sciences met with USF Health leadership to discuss opportunities for educational and research collaboation.

Dr. Donald Hilbelink, director of the Center for Human Morpho-Informatics, which combines the resources of medical and engineering faculty, shows the visitors a 3-D computer reconstruction of human anatomy.

Dr. Carlos Callegari (right), senior advisor for Ibero-Americas Programs at USF Health, shows one of the guests the same reconstructed human anatomy on a personal hand-held device.

Dr. Julio Rodriguez, dean of the University of Panama College of Medicine, tries out the high-fidelity endovascular simulator at the USF Health Simulation Center at Tampa General Hospital.

Veronica Arce, secretary of the Board of Directors of Universidad Latina, checks out a device held by Dr. Lennox Hoyte, medical director of the USF Health daVinci Center for Computer Assisted Surgery.

L to R: Jessy Divo de Romero, President of the University of Carabobo; Dr. John Curran, associate vp for USF Health academic and faculty affairs; and Veronica Arce, secretary of Board of Directors, Universidad Latina.

- Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications, and Dr. Carlos Callegari, Ibero-Americas Programs at USF Health