Focusing on patients as people as well as the data of their lab tests and medical histories is the foundation of true patient care.

This advice, shared with USF Health’s newest medical students and their families at this year’s White Coat Ceremony, was offered by Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

“Patient care is not simply the endpoint of genetic sequences, lab tests or complex diagnostic and treatment algorithms,” Dr. Lockwood said. “It is also an appreciation that your patients are living, breathing people with hopes and dreams, fears, and anxieties, all of which are magnified when they are sick.”

The 182 students representing the Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2027 received their first white coats during the White Coat Ceremony held Sept. 5 at the Tampa Convention Center.  This cohort of students represents another academically strong class and the most diverse yet, with a record 23% of students identified as traditionally underrepresented in medicine, including 15% who are Black, one of the highest percentages among medical schools not affiliated with a historically Black college or university.

Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, USF Health executive vice president and Morsani College of Medicine dean.

Dr. Lockwood also thanked the students’ family and friends for their support of the students as well as donors to the event, who contributed more than $175,000 toward the Class of 2027 scholarship fund.  He called on the students to recognize that part of donning their white coats is making a commitment to pursuing a career of life-long learning.

“The physician’s life is a noble one,” Dr. Lockwood said. “But it’s not an easy one.  There will be times when you’re overwhelmed, when you’re frustrated, when you doubt your abilities. These challenges will never abate.  They will span your career.  But the passion and perseverance, grit, and determination that got you here today will see you through.  So keep your eyes on the higher purpose you serve.”

Peter Chang, MD, vice president of Healthcare Design for Tampa General Hospital

Peter Chang, MD, is vice president of Healthcare Design at Tampa General Hospital, MCOM’s primary teaching hospital and clinical partner as well as the primary sponsor of the White Coat Ceremony.  Dr. Chang, an MCOM Class of 2008 graduate, told the new students how he felt when he got his white coat and offered them some encouraging words.

“Today marks a momentous occasion in the beginning of your career as a physician, a day you will remember for the rest of your life — as I did mine. It’s hard to believe that I would be on this stage as a USF medical student 20 years ago,” said Dr. Chang. “I can’t wait to hear about the amazing future you guys will hold and the amazing things you will achieve.”

Ashley Mason, Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2024.

Ashley Mason, a Class of 2024 MCOM student, also spoke.

“This white coat represents a chance to meet people in their most vulnerable moments in life and take time to offer compassion and empathy,” she said. “Importantly, this compassion and empathy occurs not just when in clinic, but with every interaction you have during your lifelong career in medicine.”

Students selected Jennifer Costa, MD, assistant professor of Family Medicine, for the second consecutive year as the faculty member they wanted to address the class. Dr. Costa explained the importance of giving back to their communities throughout their medical careers.

“Your white coat is your portal to humanity and yet also it is a call to action.  We ask that while you’re wearing it, you bear witness to the human experience,” Dr. Costa said. “We chose you to be here because you have proven to be the type of person that does not back down when faced with adversity.  We ask that with your white coat on, you be the type of person who fights for those who can’t fight for themselves.”

Following Dr. Costa’s remarks, students came up in groups to have their first white coats placed on their shoulders by the physician educators who will help guide them during medical school.

Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH, FACP, vice dean of Educational Affairs and chair of the MCOM Department of Medical Education, led the students as they recited the Oath of Commitment, dedicating themselves to a career of life-long learning, community service and patient care.

The memorable evening ended with families and friends congratulating the newest medical students and commemorating the occasion with hugs, happy tears and pictures with the students wearing their new white coats.

Class Profile:

182 Students: 126 Core, 56 SELECT

Median GPA: 3.91

Median MCAT: 518

52% Male, 48% Female

23% Under-represented in medicine

Residency: 47% Florida, 53% Out of State

More photos from the event:

Story by Freddie Coleman.  Photos by Ryan Rossy and Freddie Coleman

From Dr. Kira Zwygart, associate dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Office of Student Affairs regarding the Class of 2027 White Coat Ceremony:

Dear class of 2027,

I just want to let you know that given the timing of hurricane Idalia and its projected path, the location of the Convention Center on the water, as well as the closure of the Tampa airport, we will need to move the date of the White Coat Ceremony.

The Convention Center has given us a couple of alternate dates based on availability for the next few months, ranging from next week to early October. We are actively exploring all options and taking into account your academic calendar along with major events scheduled for the downtown Tampa area.

We anticipate making a determination within the next 24 hour as we continue to work closely with University leadership and the Convention Center to make the best decision possible. 

We notify you as soon as a decision is made.

Dr. Zwygart

Irene Davis, PhD, PT, FACSM, FAPTA, FASB, professor in the USF Health School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, is trying to understand the intricate relationship between lower extremity mechanics and overuse injuries in runners. With a focus on transforming the way runners experience pain and preventing injury, Dr. Davis and her team are researching gait retraining for injury prevention. 

Subject crossing the force plate at a constant velocity to test the three-dimensional components of force being produced on their joints.

At the heart of their research is a force plate used at the center of an elongated runway. This allows individuals to simulate a complete running cycle, starting from acceleration, and crossing the force plate at a consistent velocity. The force plate captures not only vertical forces but also forces in all three dimensions, offering a clearer picture of the intricate nature of the forces exerted when landing. This three-dimensional analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of how alignment and mechanics contribute to the risk of injury.

Reflective markers attached to a subject’s body which supply data with a multi-dimensional perspective on joint movement. Essential for understanding the mechanics involved in running.

To access this data, the research team attaches reflective markers to the subjects’ bodies, which are then tracked by multiple cameras. These complex algorithms decipher the markers’ movements, enabling the researchers to see the angles at the ankle, knee, and hip joints. This approach supplies a multi-dimensional perspective on joint movement, essential for understanding the mechanics involved in running.

The integration of force plate data and marker tracking empowers the team to calculate joint loads and torques, giving a complete picture of the forces experienced by various joints during a runner’s gait cycle. This holistic approach enables Dr. Davis and her team to identify problematic mechanics and design interventions that could alleviate pain and reduce the risk of injury. 

By applying their findings, her team is pioneering an innovative approach to runner rehabilitation. Through a series of sessions involving real-time feedback and targeted practice, the research team has started receiving results. A notable example is a study focused on addressing knee pain, in which participants underwent a tailored gait retraining program. Participants experienced improvements in their alignment and mechanics, easing the persistent pain that they have dealt with for years. 

This groundbreaking research challenges the traditional notion that gait patterns are fixed and unalterable. By bridging the gap between scientific understanding and medical practice, Dr. Davis and her team have proven that gait retraining is not only possible but also effective in alleviating pain and preventing future injuries. The success of their interventions underscores the transformative potential of multidimensional biomechanical analysis in sports medicine. 

The researcher is analyzing data provided by the force plate.

In a field where innovation meets application, Dr. Davis and her team are revolutionizing the way we think about running mechanics and their impact on injuries. This has not only raised awareness but also instilled hope for countless runners who want to run free of pain. Dr. Davis hopes that science and medicine can work hand in hand to reshape runners’ lives.

“We hope our clinic and our research will offer injured runners a solution so they are able to continue to run pain-free,” Dr. Davis said. “We really have pioneered this idea of retraining gait patterns.”  

Story, photos, and video by Ryan Rossy.

Excitement, anticipation, a few tears of joy were all part of the experience at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute today as the medical students of the Class of 2027 celebrated their first official day of class.

Edwing Daniel, PhD, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine assistant dean of admissions.

The admissions team, led by Edwing Daniel, PhD, sorted through more than 5,500 applicants to select 182 of the best and brightest candidates representing a wide variety of backgrounds including (unique prior careers).  This cohort of students represents another academically strong class and the most diverse yet, with a record 23% from those groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine (URM).  The life experiences and previous careers of the class are equally diverse with students who were NCAA athletes, weightlifters, gardeners, and musicians.

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, gave a presentation on the book The Obstacle is the Way, which provides a framework for turning obstacles into opportunities.  He said whether in medical school or as a practicing physician, obstacles will be a mainstay in health care.  Knowing how to navigate those obstacles will be the difference between success and failure in medical school, and positive patient outcomes as a physician.

“Life is tough. Medical school is really hard. There are a lot of obstacles ahead of you.  You’re going to embrace them.  When you do, you’re going to be incredibly successful,” said Dr. Lockwood to his newest medical students.  “You’re entering, truly, one of the most noble of professions.  We have a joyous job. But it’s also one of the hardest jobs you can imagine.”

The new medical students will receive their first white coat during the Class of 2027 White Coat Ceremony Aug. 31.

Class Profile:

182 Students: 126 Core, 56 SELECT

Median GPA: 3.92

Median MCAT: 518

52% Male, 48% Female

23% Under-represented in medicine

Residency: 47% Florida, 53% Out of State

More Images:

Story by Freddie Coleman.  Photos by Freddie Coleman and Ryan Rossy.

John Sinnott, MD, will step down July 1 from his role as chair of the Department of Internal Medicine in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

Dr. Sinnott will continue service as the James Cullison Professor of Medicine.  Harry Van Loveren, MD, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, will serve as the interim chair as a national search for a new chair of Internal Medicine takes place.

Dr. Sinnott leaves behind a legacy as a renowned physician and dynamic teacher and mentor.  During his 10-year run as chair of USF Health’s largest department, he has ushered in a culture that has helped the department achieve unprecedented growth and achievement. Three internal medicine specialties are nationally ranked among the top 50 for Tampa General Hospital by U.S. News and World Report. The department has accumulated $46.4 million in NIH funding, placing them 35th nationally by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

“It is difficult to tally Dr. Sinnott’s many contributions to the Morsani College of Medicine in his 40 years on our faculty and as an outstanding leader, physician, teacher and advocate,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “He is a tireless advocate of the Morsani College of Medicine and its mission. …We are deeply grateful for all that Dr. Sinnott has done for USF Health, the Morsani College of Medicine, his colleagues, his students, and his patients.”

Dr. Sinnott was only the third person in the college’s history to be the chair of Internal Medicine. As the largest department within the Morsani College of Medicine, his success came from his trust and confidence in all of his division directors and vice chairs.  When he first stepped into the role of department chair, one of his priorities was to continue to build on the successes of Allan Goldman, MD. Dr. Sinnott’s priority as department chair was to continue investing in faculty development and being patient-centered, he said. Having a patient-centered approach to their key missions of research, clinical and academic excellence was the catalyst to the department’s rise in national prominence and increase in the number of community-based programs established by internal medicine physicians.

“One thing I’m particularly proud of is a legacy of supporting parts of humanity that are often left behind,” Dr. Sinnott said, referencing the USF BRIDGE Healthcare Clinic, the department needle exchange program and other clinics for underserved populations started by physicians within the department. “We’re at a stratospheric level when it comes to teaching.  I have some of the best teachers in the world.  I love our commitment to absolute quality.  That quality is why I never stay awake at night worried about physicians making mistakes.  That quality is what has resulted in the rise in patients for the Morsani College of Medicine.”

Lynette Menezes, PhD, assistant vice president of USF Health International, with John Sinnott, MD, former USF Health Department of Internal Medicine chair.

Dr. Sinnott will continue to work with Lynette Menezes, PhD, assistant vice president of USF Health International. Starting July 1, Dr. Sinnott will take additional roles in that program. The program is committed to enhancing the health of populations worldwide through an interdisciplinary collaboration between the USF Health colleges and its international partners.  Drs. Sinnott and Menezes started the program in 2006.  According to the program’s 2020-2021 annual report, program participants took part in 92 collaborations across 38 countries.

Dr. Sinnott said his first step in his new role is listening, so that he gains an understanding about where the program is and where he wants to take the program, which has experienced great success under the leadership of Dr. Menezes.  In the future, he hopes to treat international patients who come to USF Health from their home countries, and continue to expand collaborative relationships to allow physicians to travel abroad and treat patients.

Dr. Sinnott’s interest in international medicine was sparked in the mid 1990s, as he began working with doctors who had immigrated from Latin America.  Additionally, Korea began pioneering advanced imaging technology, and France started to become a world leader in molecular biology. His interest in health care developments across the world helped him track medical innovations in other countries’ health care systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A specialist in infectious diseases, Dr. Sinnott became one of the resident COVID-19 experts who regularly spoke to media outlets during the pandemic.  In addition to the interviews with local, regional and national media outlets, he regularly kept in contact with his international colleagues to get a firm understanding of what was working for them and what wasn’t. The relationships between USF and its international colleagues were essential to the sharing of information.

“Health care is a global initiative and the University of South Florida is a global university,” he said. “I feel that our international programs have had reciprocal benefits for our student and international partners. Our students and physicians have the opportunity to gain a multitude of perspectives of how different countries practice medicine. Our international students and physicians who spend time with us are able to take some of our best practices back to their countries.”

Dr. Sinnott said he is a person who truly bleeds green and gold.  He earned his master’s degree at USF and attended residency and fellowship at USF Health after he graduated from the University of South Alabama’s medical school. Between his graduate education, residency and fellowship, as well as his faculty service, he has been a presence at USF Health for approximately 45 years, he said.  He’s held several high-level leadership roles within the college, including director of the Division of Infectious Disease, and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Disease.

His interest in spending his career at USF stemmed from the dedication of College of Medicine leaders to developing future leader. Dr. Sinnott always felt that he was able to advance within the organization.  He is known for a humble and warm presence that extends into all aspects of his life, accompanied by a firm belief that no one gets where they are without tremendous support.

“I want to thank my students, my trainees, my faculty, my directors and people in senior administration,” Dr. Sinnott said. “What I am today is a product of all these people’s efforts.  This is not my success; this is very much their success.  USF has provided me with a career beyond my wildest dreams.  If you’re going to pick an institution to stay with, USF is the place to stay.”

What others have to say about Dr. Sinnott:

“As a teacher and mentor, Dr. Sinnott is unmatched.  For him, every interaction is a teaching moment for the mentor and the mentee, each learning from each other. Always an innovator, Dr. Sinnott continues to be extremely creative, brimming with new ideas and always being one step ahead of a new innovation.  He taught me about ChatGPT before I could get around to it. As the founding associate dean of international, Dr. Sinnott expanded the global footprint of USF tremendously and inspired me and many other faculty to choose global health as a career path. He has continued to support countless students, residents, fellows and faculty engaged in global activities.  It’s been an honor to work with him and I look forward to his continued support and engagement in our global efforts at USF Health.” – Lynette Menezes, PhD, assistant vice president of USF Health International

“John, I speak for many in thanking you for your friendship and support professionally and personally.  You’ve had such a profound impact on the lives of so many. My experience began one summer on a tennis court in 1967.  Besides tennis, you taught us the joy of reading, respect for others and an open mind.  You challenged us to set high expectations and, with hard work, to exceed them. Over the years, this story has been repeated…changing the lives of countless others.  You have received many awards…even having the award for the best clinical teaching faculty named after you.  The best news is that your contributions are continuing.” – Douglas Holt, MD, FACP, FIDSA, professor of medicine, USF Health Department of Internal Medicine

Who said engineering and neuroscience aren’t good bedfellows?

Two University of South Florida professors are proof that disparate disciplines can work together for a common cause – gaining a better understanding of a common health emergency.

Ashwin Parthasarathy, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Maxim Mokin, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, are collaborating on a device that could help prevent strokes in patients during surgery.

(L-r) Dr. Ashwin Parthasarathy, PhD, and Dr. Maxim Mokin, MD, PhD, at Tampa General Hospital as Dr. Parthasarathy tests probes for electrical activity.

“We’re looking to see how new technologies can help drive patient care,’’ Dr. Parthasarathy said of their multi-disciplinary work. “As an engineer, I’m interested in the technology aspect and as a neurologist, Maxim is interested in the medical aspect. But I can address what his needs are and come up with solutions.’’

The engineering department is on the USF campus in northeast Tampa, while much of the work in neurology takes place downtown, at the USF Health South Tampa Center and Tampa General Hospital, USF Health’s primary teaching partner. Traditionally, most teamwork among scientists is done in closer proximity.

“It’s quite rare to be doing this because physically, we don’t even run into each other on campus,’’ Dr. Mokin said. “Engineers live and breathe in their silos and we clinicians don’t get exposed to what they do.’’

The faculty members recently were awarded a two-year, $400,000 research grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a part of the National Institutes of Health. The money will help them collect more quantitative data from their new device, with the goal of improving treatment for patients. They also will purchase tools to refine the technology and make it fully automated, capture more data points, and hire a research coordinator.

“We’re working to make it more robust and easy to use,’’ Dr. Parthasarathy said.

Called a DCS − for diffuse correlation spectroscopy − the optical monitoring tool uses fiber optics to emit light and capture a returning signal. The light monitors blood flow to the brain during surgery and gives real-time information. Any abnormalities in how the light travels alerts doctors to a potential problem, such as a stroke or brain bleed. An explanation of their initial research findings has been published in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery.

For years, neurologists have used MRIs, CAT scans and transcranial dopplers to take images of the brain, but these don’t always give surgeons the information they need at a precise moment. The new, non-invasive device – which has been tested on more than a dozen patients at TGH − uses small plastic caps attached to the head that send real-time data to a monitor in the operating room.

An image of the before (left) and after treatment delivered at Tampa General Hospital.

“The others are good tools but they’re bulky and only give you a snapshot,’’ Dr. Mokin said. “This is a small portable device that studies brain functions in an acute setting, and it gives a continuous recording.’’

The faculty members believe their invention could be a breakthrough in a critical aspect of health care. Each year, nearly 800,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke – one every 40 seconds, according to the American Heart Association. The majority of these incidents are ischemic, meaning blood flow to the brain is reduced or blocked.

“This device is giving us more data to better understand brain signals that might indicate a stroke,’’ Dr. Mokin said. “We need to know more about what is noise, what is normal function, what are the thresholds, and what changes indicate that something bad is about to happen.’’

The more information gathered in the operating room the better, the doctors say, as it will lead to efficiencies on the engineering bench.

“It’s an exciting way to do science,’’ Dr. Parthasarathy said. “I’m able to get instantaneous feedback on how my device is working, so it’s not just me toiling alone in the lab.

“Our hope is to show how this technology has great clinical value, maybe by predicting if a patient is getting better or worse. That’s the end game − predictive value in our measurements.’’

– Story by Kurt Loft for USF Health News; photos by Allison Long, USF Health Communications 

Moving an entire clinic can be a very daunting and cumbersome task, especially when you have to get it ready for patients only a few days later.  The staff and faculty of the USF Health Physical Therapy Center managed that process recently when they relocated the clinic to its new home.

Matt Lazinski, PT, DPT, OCS, associate professor and director of the clinic, and his team didn’t miss a beat when it came to patient care.  The team continued to see patients until noon June 16 and began packing the clinic at 1:00 p.m.  By 3:00 p.m., a moving company starting packing all of the therapy tables, and heavy machines.  The first load of machines arrived at their new home by 5:00 p.m. and the clinic team immediately began organizing the space.  Dr. Lazinski and his team worked through the weekend to make sure the clinic was ready to see patients by Monday.

Dr. Lazniski said there are some key upgrades that come with moving to a more modern space:

• A first-floor location means easier access for patients with mobility issues
• Bigger treatment rooms
• More efficient and functional space
• Televisions to assist in patient education
• Co-located with USF Health family medicine providers

“Moving over the weekend was for our patients so we aren’t canceling appointments,” Dr. Lazinski said. “My team has been great.  This has been a long time coming with a lot of starts and stops and they’ve been very patient throughout the process.  I can’t say enough good things about my team.”

The new clinic is located at 3500 E. Fletcher Ave. Suite 100 in the University Professional Center.

Additional photos:

By Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM

Executive Vice President, USF Health

Dean, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

As I welcome a new grandchild into my family, this Father’s Day has added joy. But I also find myself thinking more and more about the daunting challenges faced by new parents. As a grandfather and an educator, I am especially concerned that our children and young adults seem to be in crisis. Young people face unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, and while some of this may reflect decreased stigmatization of mental illness with correspondingly increased reporting, suicides among teens and young adults have increased an alarming 57 percent over the past decade.

I hear lots of theories as to the cause of this silent epidemic. In a new report issued last month, the U.S. Surgeon General tied the risks of social media use to this epidemic of mental illness among teens. Others argue that Millennial and Gen- Z generations have been subject to unusual stressors like the Great Recession and COVID-19.  But my parent’s generation was subjected to far greater stressors including the Great Depression and WWII; they witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust and use of atomic weapons; and they fought another war in Korea and then worked incredibly long hours to build the most powerful economy in the world, all without an increase in mental illness. My generation witnessed the world at the brink of nuclear destruction during the Cold War, the trauma of the Civil Rights movement and Vietnam, massive social unrest, and serious economic turmoil, but again with no uptick in generational mental illness. So unless human DNA has recently been modified, external stressors and mean-spirited social media postings are unlikely to be the primary causes of this mental health crisis.

Sadly, I think we may have spent too much time teaching the wrong lessons to our youth. In a well-intentioned effort to protect our youth from all conceivable sources of danger, we have developed a culture of what authors Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt describe as “safetyism” in their book, The Coddling of the American Mind. Safetyism values risk aversion, avoidance of uncomfortable situations, and emotion-driven heuristic reasoning (i.e., biased rules of thumb) over embracing reasonable risks, challenging situations, and dispassionate thinking. All too often it has reinforced young people’s anxiety and depression – especially among those too dependent on social media.

This culture of safetyism has taken hold of much of mainstream education, and in a particularly virulent form at many elite private universities. There it encourages students to see the world as black and white, on identifying potential harm and dangers, on equating exposure to dissenting views as the equivalent of physical harm, and to view those who disagree with you as not just wrong but manifestly evil. It is a flawed, stunted sort of thinking that suppresses open discussion and debate, abates the sharing of new ideas, and promotes superficial understanding. Worse, it is a new inquisition that rails against the very things that make us resilient and strong.

In his book Antifragile, Nassim Taleb, the author of the Black Swan, takes the argument one step further by arguing that many, if not most, of contemporary society’s failings and crises come from trying to remove all external stressors. He notes that this obsession with safety and stability has, paradoxically, made the modern world highly fragile and vulnerable to black swan (unanticipated) events such as the Great Recession and, I would add, the socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19.

How do we combat safetyism and restore resilience to our young people and students? The antithesis of the safetyism mindset is Stoicism. I was introduced to this philosophy as a sophomore at Brown University and it has been my own inner fortress through all the trials and tribulations, successes and failures, joys and sorrows that life has offered.

When you mention the word stoic – people naturally think of someone in control of their emotions, able to endure great hardship, who is pragmatic, and stays focused during a crisis. All that is true, but there is far greater richness to Stoic philosophy. A great modern interpretation of Stoicism can be found in Ryan Holiday’s book, The Obstacle is the Way, which I recommend to everyone at USF Health, especially our students.

Stoics hold that you should always maintain objectivity, perceive problems from multiple perspectives, and practice “Ta eph’hemin, ta ouk eph’hemin.” That Greek phrase roughly translates to differentiating the things you can control from the things you can’t – and the need to focus on the former. It’s the basis of Reinhold Niebuhr’s lovely serenity prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

But there is another critical concept from Stoic philosophy that is a crucial antidote to the pernicious effects of safetyism and that is the joyful embrace of new challenges and obstacles to your success, and thus, the title of Holiday’s book. The great Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, whose statue I walked by every day in college, wrote: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”  Enthusiastically embracing new challenges calls forth creativity, ingenuity, courage, and grit. It is essential to learning and acquiring new skills, indeed to our happiness as fully functioning, self-actuated humans.

Finally, Stoics embraced the concept of amor fati, which translates to loving one’s fate. They believed that everything that happens in life, all your successes and failures, even suffering, is inherently good, or at a minimum necessary to reaching your fullest potential.

At every medical school graduation, I challenge our new doctors with a quote from JFK, derived from Greek stoics, that the “definition of happiness is the full use of your powers along lines of excellence in a life affording scope.”  As they move on to the next stages in their medical careers, my hope is that they will appreciate that it is in embracing life’s obstacles that we become more resilient, competent, and serene.  An iron will, coupled with the support of like-minded colleagues, is far more likely to lead to fulfillment than the intervention of a coddling bureaucracy or government agency. Indeed, an easy life is the worst prescription for making good health care providers.  And I would argue that all this is also good advice for parents.

As we celebrate Father’s Day, I hope we will all pause to think about how we can honor our fathers by helping the next generation to seek happiness by embracing challenges.

Give credit to your dad’s gene for keeping you safe during those long months in your mother’s womb.

Because without this genetic warrior, you might have succumbed to any number of viral infections that otherwise could be fatal to a fetus. A new paper published this week in the journal Cell Host & Microbe explains the mechanisms behind this anti-viral protection.

Hana Totary-Jain, PhD, associate professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology and Heart Institute at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

“What’s unique about this gene is how it produces a form of defense for the baby in the womb,’’ said Hana Totary-Jain, PhD., associate professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology and Heart Institute at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and senior author of the paper.

Their research focused on viruses that affect a pregnant mother and consequently her fetus, which are highly vulnerable to infection because their immune systems are immature. Some viruses, including Zika, rubella, and other serious infections, are rarely transmitted from mother to fetus in utero and can cause devastating consequences.

But the biological processes that protect a fetus from most viral infections are less clear. In the new paper, titled “SINE RNA of the imprinted miRNA clusters mediates constitutive type III interferon expression and antiviral protection in hemochorial placentas,’’ Dr. Totary-Jain and her team describe how a certain gene in the placenta is always armed for the battle.

“The placenta, in human and in mouse, is the first organ the fetus develops, and it is constantly exposed to maternal blood. This increases the chances of transmitting viral infections from the mother to the fetus. Therefore, the placenta has evolved robust defense mechanisms to prevent this transmission. We discovered a gene in the placenta that is expressed only from the paternal allele and produces a viral mimicry response. It tricks the placenta into thinking it’s infected and induces a constant state of antiviral defense”, Dr. Totary-Jain explained.

“So when we turned on this gene in other cells, we could protect the cells from several viruses. This is evolution’s way of protecting the baby. Without it, chances are you wouldn’t have made it into childbirth.’’

Ishani Wickramage, a PhD candidate in Dr. Totary-Jain’s laboratory and a lead author of the study added: “This research fills the gap in our knowledge about how many viruses that may infect a pregnant mother, including SARS-CoV-2, only rarely affect the fetus.’’

“Learning more about how the placenta shields the fetus from viruses also has important implications beyond childbirth,” said Dr. Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, one of the paper’s authors, who also is dean of the Morsani College of Medicine and executive vice president of USF Health.

“This is a novel placental mechanism that protects the developing fetus from transplacental transmission of most viruses,” Dr. Lockwood said. “This is the kind of knowledge that could lead to the development of new anti-viral medications to fight viruses that can be deadly for fetuses and newborn babies.”

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Totary-Jain and a team of researchers at USF spent five years investigating this intriguing phenomenon in collaboration with Dr. Thomas Tuschl’s lab at Rockefeller University, who performed the sRNAseq and bioinformatic analysis, including researcher Klaas Max and Kemel Akat; and Drs. Kimiko Inoue and Atsuo Ogura from RIKEN and University of Tsukuba, Japan, who provided the mouse model that was used to show that the mouse placenta also developed the same mechanism to protect the fetus from viral infections.

Other USF Health members of the research team are: Jeffrey VanWye; John H. Lockhart; Ismet Hortu; Ezinne F. Mong; John Canfield; Hiran M. Lamabadu Warnakulasuriya Patabendige; Ozlem Guzeloglu-Kayisli; and Umit A. Kayisli.

— Story by Kurt Loft for USF Health News

The Class of 2023 at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine had just started medical school when the pandemic changed the world. “You had front-row seats to observe that those who practice medicine are vital to preserving our society – and just how all-consuming the demands of medicine can be,” Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, told the graduates Thursday. Here is his commencement speech. 

By Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM

Welcome, everyone. It is an honor to address you on this memorable occasion.

Let me begin by thanking our outstanding faculty, staff, donors, and alumni for their dedication to our program.

In particular, I would like to express our gratitude to Frank and Carol Morsani, who are in attendance today, for their invaluable support of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and its students.

I also would like to recognize one of our exceptional faculty leaders, Dr. John T. Sinnott, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Sinnott recently announced his plans to retire from this leadership role.

John, on behalf of your colleagues, your students, and the many patients you have treated, I want to thank you for your many contributions to improving the health of all Floridians. We are all deeply grateful for your extraordinary commitment to medical student teaching. John won the medical student teaching award so often that we named the prize after him!

Let me also recognize the parents, family members, friends, and loved ones of this remarkable class. You have been our students’ chief advocates and principal supporters. So, thank you for making all this possible.

But most importantly, please join me in welcoming our class of 2023. Congratulations, doctors!!

As your dean, it has been my unique privilege to watch your progression over these four years, and each of you should take great pride in reaching this milestone.

Today marks both an end and a beginning — a time to recall what first motivated you to become a physician, and what now inspires you to pursue your chosen career path.

You have arrived here today because of your sustained commitment to the noble goal of becoming a physician and your resilience has paid off.

I speak for all of USF Health when I say that we could not be prouder of you…all the more so because you have made your way through medical school during a time of unprecedented challenges to health care, to your own education and to society as a whole.

You were still in your first year of medical school when a global pandemic showed us just how demanding the profession you planned to enter could be.

You had front-row seats to observe that those who practice medicine are vital to preserving our society – and just how all-consuming the demands of medicine can be. Your own education was disrupted, access to research impaired, and, despite the demands of learning your craft, you volunteered countless hours at COVID testing sites, in clinics, and even manufacturing the viral test kits that the Morsani College of Medicine developed to help the world combat this scourge.

And yet here you are!

The great stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Like other stoics, he believed that life’s obstacles were simply opportunities to not only learn and practice patience, humility, and courage but also resourcefulness, creativity, and deep reasoning, shorn of emotion.

And surely, there can be no better example of this philosophy in action than how you overcame the past four years’ challenges. Each of you has already faced your first great career obstacle — and you are all stronger for it.

You enter medicine with a fierce urgency and a sureness of purpose. You have succeeded by exhibiting remarkable humility, patience, innovation, logic, and grit.

And these are precisely the characteristics that you will need to be successful in the noblest of professions.

For just as the world is at an inflection point, so is medicine.

In the 21^st century, health is global, not local; dynamic, not static; and medical knowledge, as I have told you on countless occasions, is accelerating at an unimaginable rate.

To succeed in this new environment, the medical profession must continuously evolve.

In the past few months alone, we have witnessed a vast leap forward in this evolution, as Artificial Intelligence has shown us just a glimpse of a new world of possibilities.

I have no doubt that AI and other new technologies will provide great benefits to medicine. At Tampa General Hospital, AI is already alerting us to the earliest, most subtle signs of sepsis, the leading cause of hospital deaths, and assisting radiologists in evaluating mammograms and chest X-rayss.

AI will soon act as a personal scribe, freeing up time currently spent documenting electronic medical records, and provide decision support prompts to avoid errors and optimize patient management.

A new generation of surgical robots will soon aid in ever more complex and precise surgeries. New genomic and immunologically-based therapies will provide us with cures we can’t even imagine yet.

So in addition to the virtues I just mentioned, as physicians, we must also embrace a commitment to self-reflection, lifelong learning, and scientific inquiry.

Yet even as we integrate these new technologies into our practice, and embrace each successive challenge to the status quo, we must also hold fast to the empathy and humanism that make physicians more valuable than any computer program.

The Generative Pretrained Transformer (or GPT), whether version 4 or 8 or 100, will never deliver babies into this world, nor hold the hand of a dying patient to comfort them.

Caring for patients is still the heart and soul of the art of medicine.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Surgeon General stated that we are suffering from an epidemic of loneliness in our society. He stressed the importance of caring for our patients holistically, of treating not just their symptoms but asking larger questions about the social supports and emotional bonds that help keep them healthy.

We must ask these questions of ourselves and each other as well – for the pandemic attacked not only our bodies but also the social networks that keep us whole. The past few years, we have spent too much time apart – and we need to re-dedicate ourselves to the value of connection and collaboration to our family, friends, and colleagues.

I just attended a reunion of my residency colleagues, and it reminded me of just how critical they all were in helping me get through those very challenging years of apprenticeship.

So I urge you to stay true to all the values you have acquired at the Morsani College of Medicine – and strive for excellence in all you do.

And as I tell every graduating class, live up to the ancient stoic admonition that: “True happiness lies in the full use of your powers, along lines of excellence, in a life affording scope.”

We are very excited to see all that you will accomplish in your careers. Wherever your future takes you, please know that you always have a home here at the Morsani College of Medicine. Congratulations, Class of 2023!

USF Health Distinguished Professor Remarks

And now it is my pleasure to announce the faculty member who will be the newest recipient of one of the highest academic honors that USF Health can bestow – being named a USF Health Distinguished Professor.

Established in 2007, this title is awarded to senior members of our faculty who have distinguished themselves among their peers both within and outside the university.

The title is awarded through a process of nomination and external peer review and identifies those holding it as outstanding members of their profession.

This year, the Morsani College of Medicine’s recipient of this honor exemplifies all three of our mission areas — education, patient care, and research. At a moment when science is often greeted with skepticism, it is more critical than ever that our medical school shines as a beacon, illuminating the value of scientific inquiry.

I am happy to say that under the leadership of Dr. Stephen B. Liggett, vice dean of research, we are doing exactly that. Research awards to the Morsani College of Medicine have increased from $128 million in 2014 to $305 million in 2021.

Dr Liggett leads by example as well. In his own research, which focuses on studying genomics and receptors as they relate to heart and lung disease, Dr. Liggett holds 15 patents and has over 25 years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Please join me in congratulating our newest USF Health Distinguished Professor, Dr. Stephen B. Liggett.

 Dean’s Award Remarks

Finally, I have the privilege of announcing the recipient of this year’s Dean’s Award, presented for outstanding contributions to the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and to the public’s health.

This year’s award winner is Mayor Jane Castor, leader of our beautiful city of Tampa.

Mayor Castor has just completed a remarkable first term in office, providing innovative and courageous leadership during an incredibly challenging time. And she was sworn-in a few weeks ago for her second term after a landslide electoral victory.

When COVID-19 struck in 2020, Mayor Castor acted swiftly to protect our citizens, taking steps to reduce COVID cases in the city, organizing relief efforts and increasing access to vaccines. She was able to balance public health measures with continued economic development of the city, perhaps better than any other big city mayor in America. And she did that all with remarkable grace and humor.

We have seen her same sure and steady hand in other public health crises as well, including the city’s response to Hurricane Ian.

We at USF Health are incredibly grateful for her friendship, her continuing partnership, and her commitment to making the city of Tampa a healthier place to live and work.

Jane, I am exceptionally pleased to be recognizing you with the 2023 Morsani College of Medicine Dean’s Award. Congratulations!