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

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.

The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2023 held their graduation ceremony at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts May 11.

Cheers and tears of joy filled the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa as students of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2023, along with their families and friends, brought a four-year medical school journey to an end during a commencement ceremony May 11.

The 179 senior medical students of the Class of 2023 represented a transitional period for the Morsani College of Medicine. The group was the last to begin medical school at the USF Health main campus location in north Tampa. They finished medical school in the new Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute in downtown Tampa. Additionally, they were one of few graduating classes to experience medical school before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rhea Law, JD, president of the University of South Florida. 

Kicking off the ceremony was Rhea Law, JD, president of the University of South Florida and an alumna of USF. In her address to the students, she urged the students to be in a state of constant reflection and display perseverance as they work toward their goals in health care.

“Before you walk across the stage, I encourage you to reflect on your ‘why?’ Why did you choose the University of South Florida for your medical education? Why did you choose to become a health care professional?” said Law.  “I urge you to keep pursuing your goals and never underestimate yourselves. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”

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 USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, next addressed the students. He complimented the class on their perseverance and their unique perspective on how crucial patient-centered health care is during and after a pandemic.

“You had front-row seats to observe that those who practice medicine are vital to preserving our society.  Your own education was disrupted, access to research impaired, and despite the demands of learning your craft, you volunteered countless hours at COVID test sites and clinics,” Dr. Lockwood said. “You’ve arrived here today because 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 we could not be prouder of you.”

Stephen Liggett, MD, vice dean of research for the Morsani College of Medicine and associate vice president for research at USF Health, was designated a Distinguished Professor by Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. 

Read Dr. Lockwood’s complete remarks here. 

Following his remarks, Dr. Lockwood named Stephen Liggett, MD, a USF Health Distinguished Professor.  He is the vice dean of research for the Morsani College of Medicine and  associate vice president for research at USF Health.  The designation is given to senior staff and faculty who have distinguished themselves within and outside of USF Health.  Dr. Lockwood said Dr. Liggett exemplifies all three of USF Health’s missions: research, clinical care, and education.

Jane Castor, mayor of the City of Tampa, received the 2023 Dean’s Award from Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. 

Dr. Lockwood also presented Jane Castor, mayor of the City of Tampa, with the 2023 Dean’s Award for her swift actions taken to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Tampa.  Additionally, Dr. Lockwood commended her for her “sure and steady hand” as he described her leadership through other public health crises including access to vaccinations, and actions taken before, during and after Hurricane Ian.

“Never become complacent. Always stay curious. Treat every one of your patients as if they were a family member. Wherever your life’s journey takes you, remember you always have a home here in the city of Tampa,” Castor said in her address to the students. “No one arrives in the position you’re in without the assistance of others and that rings true for the Dean’s Award as well. I accept that with a great deal of gratitude. But also with the understanding of all of the hands that went into our community and region being able to navigate the pandemic as successfully as we did.”

Following Mayor Castor’s remarks, Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH, FACP, vice dean for educational affairs at the Morsani College of Medicine and chair of the Department of Medical Education, welcomed the newest member of the MCOM Academy of Distinguished Educators, Vinita Kiluk, MD. Dr. Kiluk has distinguished herself as both a clinician and educator.  She is a pediatrician and co-course director for Doctoring 3.

Bri Anne McKeon, MD, FACOG, assistant dean for clinical curriculum at the Morsani College of Medicine, led the students in the Oath of Hippocrates. USF President Rhea Law conferred the Doctor of Medicine degree to the class, signifying their official transition from medical student to doctor.

One by one, students came center stage to be presented their academic hoods by Milind Kothari, DO, FAAN, and Marna Greenberg, DO, MPH.

After all students received their hoods, a special group of students took center stage for a different type of ceremony; a military commissioned officer promotion ceremony. Air Force Capts. Ana Capati-Fernandez, MD, Tyler Palbicke, MD, Emma Weiland, MD, and Army Capt. Erik Este, MD, were welcomed by a thunderous ovation from the crowd in recognition of their commitment as doctors and as military officers. After reciting the Oath of Office, family members came on stage to pin their new rank on their shoulders.

Left to right: Air Force Capt. Ana Capati-Fernandez, MD, Army Capt. Erik Este, MD, Air Force Capts. Tyler Palbicke, MD, and Emma Weiland, MD, recite the Oath of Commissioning prior to being promoted.

Paige DeBlieux, MD, co-president of the Class of 2023, was voted on by her classmates to deliver the farewell speech. Her message was one of hope and comradery. “Cling to your principles and ideals. Seek contentedness where you are. When others are choosing the route of selfishness, I hope that you cling to what is right. Meet failure and disappointment with courage. Failure and disappointment are necessary to experience success and fulfillment.”

Deborah DeWaay, MD, FACP, associate dean of undergraduate medical education for the Morsani College of Medicine, delivered the charge speech to the students. “It doesn’t matter what culture you’re from, what religion or lack thereof you practice, what part of the world you live, wherever you live, life and balance have never gone together. Life is messy, and fantastic,” she said to the class.

The new doctors will take the next step in their careers when they begin their residencies July 1.

More photos from the ceremony:

Story and photos by Freddie Coleman, video by Allison Long, USF Health Office of Communications.

For senior medical students at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, it’s the day they’ve been waiting four years to celebrate.  One by one, the class of 2023 opened envelopes that told their futures during Match Day 2023.

The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2023.

MCOM has proven time and time again there is no medical school in the country that celebrates Match Day like MCOM.  Friends, families, husbands, wives, and even a few pets gather at Ulele, a popular restaurant on the Hillsborough River.  This year’s theme was “Luck of the Match,” a perfect theme considering the day.

Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, USF Health executive vice president and Morsani College of Medicine dean, kicked off the event by telling the families and friends the importance of the day. “This is an incredibly important moment for them.  It sets the stage for the next stage of their career, and they’ve worked incredibly hard to get here.”

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

At MCOM, it pays to be last place.  The long-standing tradition is that every student who gets called to the stage has to donate one dollar to a pot of money.   The last student to be called to read their match will go home with the pot of money.  This year’s lucky winner was Lauren Linkowski, who is headed to the University of Pennsylvania for residency.

Lauren Linkowski.

The national match process is handled through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).  Students apply and interview for residencies with institutions across the country, then rank their preferences.  Match Day is when students learn which residency programs chose them and where they will train for the next three to seven years.

Match Day is held simultaneously at all medical schools across the country to reveal where senior medical students will spend their residency years, the first stop in their journey as doctors.

Nationally, 42,952 certified applicants applied for 40,375 residency positions. More information about national statistics can be found at https://www.nrmp.org/match-data-analytics/residency-data-reports/

MCOM Match Day by the numbers: http://bit.ly/3ZV91gD

• 180 students graduating.
• 44% will participate in residency programs in Florida.
• 36 will participate in residency program at MCOM.
• 34% entering a primary care residency.
• 7 will participate in residency programs Lehigh Valley Health Network.
• 3 will graduate to become military doctors.

The class of 2023 will complete their medical school journey at their graduation ceremony May 11 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

More images from Match Day 2023:

Medical students from the nine USF Health Morsani College of Medicine collegia compete to take home top honors of the 2023 Collegia Olympics.

One day out of the year, the future doctors of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine put away the text books and stethoscopes to compete for the pride of their collegia at the Collegia Olympics.   This is the day when the burdens of medical school are put aside to welcome camaraderie through a series of games culminating in a single champion.  One student described it as “old school field day in elementary school.”

• 3 way tug-o-war
• Human foosball
• Dodgeball
• Volleyball
• 4-on-4 basketball
• Team trivia
• Trivia relay
• Miniature boat building
• Inflatable obstacle course
• Mechanical bull riding

The Farmer collegia, signified with their light blue colors, took home top honors for the 2023 Collegia Olympics.

Farmers Collegia took the top honors as Collegia Olympic champions in 2023.

During the event, new officers for the Collegia Program were also selected.

• President: Nishanth Chalasani
• Director: Zachary Schwartz
• Events Director: Samuel Cockey
• Treasurer: Abigail Demers
• Bourne Collegia: Grace Hollis
• Debakey Collegia: Lindsey Blacher
• Farmer Collegia: Julia Wright
• Galen Collegia: Shaliz Alfatooni
• Hippocrates Collegia: Enrique Trevino
• Koch Collegia: Rithvic Jupudi
• Lower Collegia: Timothy Nehila
• Osler Collegia: Jaynie Cirscione
• Paracelsus Collegia: Benjamin Antill

The Collegia Program, comprised of students from across all four years of medical school,  was established in 2012 to enhance the Career Advising Program.  It has since grown into a non-residential learning community model that engages students in and out of the classroom. The program strives to provide a supportive, reflective, learner-centered environment for the personal and professional development of each individual student.

More photos from 2023 Collegia Olympics

This year’s top stories highlight USF Health as an academic medical center.  Stories of patient gratitude, innovative research and development, and affirmation that the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is truly the fastest rising medical school in the country.

Take a look at the top USF Health stories of 2022.

1. USF Health and Weill Cornell Medicine earn funding to further develop artificial intelligence that uses voice to diagnose disease. 

2. A USF Health patient had very few answers to her condition until she met with Dr. Jolan Walter.

3. Congratulations to our USF Health physicians who made the 2022 list of the country’s top doctors. 

4. The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is on the rise faster than any medical school in the country. 

5. A USF Health psychiatry expert explains how the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased number of patients with Social Anxiety Disorder.

6.  No medical school in the country does Match Day like the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. 

7. USF Health and Tampa General Hospital neurosurgeons are the first in Tampa Bay to offer game-changing ultrasound. 

8. USF Health was awarded $3.2 million to develop blood tests designed to detect Alzheimer’s Disease. 

9. Researchers begin to unlock how gut and oral microbiomes are linked to brain health in older adults. 

Hariom Yadav, PhD, (standing) and Shalini Jain, PhD, were recently recruited to research on the gut-brain connection (gut-brain axis) in relation to cognitive function.

10. Take a look at all of the USF Health physicians who made the Tampa Magazine list of Top Doctors in 2022. 

The Department of Internal Medicine room at the Gallery of Specialties.

Expert physicians, professors, department chairs and division chiefs from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine came to the downtown campus Sept. 14 to speak to students about their specialties during the first ever Gallery of Specialties.

The round-robin style event, organized by the Department of Medical Education, was the first full-student event held in the downtown campus since it opened in 2019.  Students had the option to visit three of the specialties, sit in on their information sessions and participate in a question and answer session.

Haywood Brown, MD, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and vice dean of Faculty Affairs, speaking with second-year medical student Janae Cornwall.

“This event represents everything we wanted to do with this building,” said Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH, FACP, vice dean and chair of the MCOM Department of Medical Education. “The ability to flex the space, create intimate settings for the doctors to speak to students, and have all the students be here at one time is truly beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.”

Across the four-year medical school journey, each student will narrow down what they plan to specialize in, and eventually apply for residencies in that specialty.   The event offered students an inside look at what it takes to be competitive in certain specialties, what it takes to be successful in their specialties, and with whom they will likely be working if they decide to pursue residencies at USF Health.

Summer Decker, PhD, Morsani College of Medicine professor and director of 3D Clinical Applications for the USF Health Department of Radiology speaking with two medical students interested in pursuing radiology as a specialty.

Some USF Health leaders, experts, and world-renowned doctors took time out of their schedules to pass on their knowledge and passion for their specialties, including Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, USF Health executive vice president, MCOM dean and international expert in obstetrics and gynecology..

“This is a great event.  They are getting to meet the experts, ask questions they wouldn’t normally get to ask, and truly get an in-depth understanding of how to navigate applying for residencies in the specialties,” Dr. Lockwood said.

One student described the event as “It was an opportunity to reaffirm or reconsider the specialty I want to pursue. I know what I want to do and this was an opportunity to address some misconceptions and ask more in-depth questions so I have a clearer picture of what it takes to be a successful doctor in this specialty.”

Patricia Emmanuel, MD, chair of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics explainsher specialty to students during the Gallery of Specialties event.

“It’s great that so many leaders, division chiefs and chairs showed up to this,” said Haywood Brown, MD,  USF Health Faculty and Academic Affairs senior associate vice president,  Morsani College of Medicine associate dean of diversity, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology professor.  “This is the true testament to how invested they are in helping our medical students succeed.  Additionally, it’s great to figuratively ‘take off the executive leader hat’ and just speak to students about our specialties.  Before I became an executive, I was, and still am, a passionate OBGYN.”

Full list of specialties and representatives from the event:

Anesthesiology: Jason Hall, Stephanie Lewis, Nan Schwann, Jeffrey Weiss, Peter Wu

Dermatology: Cynthia Bartus, Basil Cherpelis, James Grichnick, Joshua Levin

Diagnostic Radiology: Summer Decker, Krishna Nallamshetty

Emergency Medicine: David Burmeister, Mama Greenberg, Enola Okonkwo, Shawn Quinn, Andrew Thomas

Family Medicine: Eric Coris, Eduardo Gonzalez, Drew Keister, Elizabeth Lawrence, Oliver Oyama, Sassnk Peramsetty, Kira Zwygart

General Surgery: Swaroop Bommareddi, Lucian Lozonchi, Michael Pasquale, Daniel Relles, Adham Saad, Murray Shames, Jason Weinberger

Internal Medicine: Brian Costello, Aryanna Jordan, Vandin Lalldass, Jose Lezama, Michelle Ouelette, Asa Oxner, Harold Paul

Interventional Radiology: Cliff Davis, Glenn Hoots, Jamil Shaikh

Med Peds:  Erika Abel, Patricia Emmanuel

Neurosurgery:  Walter Jean

Neurology: Alfred Frontera, Clifton Gooch, Milind Kothari, Megan Leary

OB/GYN: Christina Black, Amy Brown, Haywood Brown, Charles Lockwood, Catherine Lynch, Bri Anne McKeon, Stephanie Lynch

Ophthalmology: Swetangi Bhaleeya, Mitchell Drucker, John Jarstad, Masayuki Kazahaya, Mamta Patel

Otolaryngology/ENT: Kestutis Boyev, Mathew Mifsud, Tapan Padhya, Arjun Parasher, Abhay Sharma

Pathology: Anne Champeaux, Nicole Riddle

Pediatrics: Stephen Ford, Nathan Hagstrom, Kristen Pendergast, Meridith Plant, Kris Rooney

Plastic Surgery: Michael Harrington, Robert Murphy, Randolph Wojcik

PM&R: Clifton Gooch, Kristopher Kaleibe, Marissa McCarthy, Jeffrey Radecki

Psychiatry: Glenn Catalano, Daniel Fallon, Zeeshad Javid, Edward Norris, Deborah Sanchez

Radiation-Oncology: Jessica Frakes, Dennis Sopka

Radiology: Devang Gor, Errin Hoffman

Urology: Rafael Carrion, Justin Parker, Trushar Patel

Vascular Surgery: Mila Ju, Desiree Picone

More photos from the event: 

Story and Photos by Freddie Coleman, USF Health Communications and Marketing

The USF Health College of Public Health (COPH) Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program emphasizes advanced public health education and training designed to prepare individuals for leadership roles in practice-based settings. Traditionally, the program is taught through a hybrid format of primarily distance-learning courses and three, five day on-campus institutes, but COVID-19 forced these live in-person institutes to shift to virtual delivery in 2020 through Microsoft Teams. The program is designed for working professionals in the public health field, with most recent cohorts averaging five or more years of field experience, to gain the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other doctoral students in both the DrPH and PhD programs and strengthen their skills for public health leadership, practice and research without interrupting their careers. These doctoral students come from a wide range of fields including epidemiology, county and state level disaster and emergency preparedness and response, health education, health law, laboratory operations management, maternal and child health, social work, food insecurity, and others. They work across federal and state government agencies along with local county health departments, healthcare organizations, non-profits, universities, consulting practices, to name a few.

COVID-19 clearly had other plans in mind for the program and for the careers of current USF Health DrPH students who immediately became key parts of COVID-19 operations across the country and abroad. These students stepped up, represented public health in their organization’s interprofessional teams and really demonstrated the College of Public Health’s motto, “our practice is our passion.” The following biographical sketches provide summaries of the backgrounds and a focus on the roles these DrPH students are contributing in their communities in the fight against COVID-19.

 Stephanie Anspaugh-Naples, MPH

State Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Coordinator, Florida Department of Health (DOH)

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – Anspaugh-Naples’ job on a daily basis is to help plan for the mass dispensing and mass vaccination of the State of Florida. The importance of her role heightened when COVID-19 broke out and once the vaccines became available, “all the work we’ve done to build partnerships, upgrade systems and learn from previous responses will be put to the test,” Anspaugh-Naples said. “It’s exciting and terrifying.”

In addition to being the chairperson for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) MCM Coordinators Workgroup, she is currently part of the state’s COVID-19 Response Team for Emergency Support Function 8 – Public Health and Medical (ESF-8) and leads the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Planning Workgroup. “We are developing strategies to ensure that everyone in the state will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine as doses become available,” Anspaugh-Naples said. “Florida is a very diverse state, so we are engaging other agencies and organizations to work through existing channels to expand our ability to reach everyone in the state.”

Anspaugh-Naples is based out of Pinellas County, Florida, but the rest of her Bureau working on this effort together is in Tallahassee. Her work in public health response is always a collaborative effort and when it’s all-hands-on-deck for an outbreak like COVID-19, the teamwork not only includes internal partners at DOH but also other state agencies, community partners, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida Hospital Association, American Medical Response, International Medical Corps, county emergency management agencies and many others. “Relationships are a critical part of preparedness and response work,” Anspaugh-Naples said.

Stephanie Anspaugh-Naples at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Florida. (Pre-COVID photo courtesy of Anspaugh-Naples)

Originally a USF Bull, Anspaugh-Naples’ educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Biology from USF and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Emory University. In 2016, she returned to her alma mater for the DrPH program because it was the only program that was flexible enough for a working professional and had the ability to tailor the education based on her interests. “When I looked at other public health doctoral programs, there wasn’t another DrPH program that paralleled USF’s,” Anspaugh-Naples said. “I only applied to USF and my plan was to continue applying until I got in. Thankfully, I was accepted on my first try but I was ready to be persistent for however long it took.”

Her studies in the program have focused on public health preparedness and response and systems thinking/theories. Since Anspaugh-Naples started the program prior to COVID, she was able to participate in an in-person fall institute. In her first class, Joe Bohn, PhD, MBA, assistant professor and deputy director of the USF Health DrPH Program, covered systems thinking and similar theories which really resonated with her. Dr. Bohn soon became her faculty advisor and has helped her shape her doctoral project. Through discussions with Dr. Bohn and Marissa Levine, MD, MPH, FAAFP, professor and director of the USF Health Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice (CLPHP), about her doctoral project, she learned about Cynefin, a conceptual framework used to aid decision-making. “When the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Planning Workgroup first started, I shared a graphic of the Cynefin framework with the team,” Anspaugh-Naples said. “Planning a mass vaccination campaign with so many unknowns has been a challenge but employing concepts from Cynefin helped me to focus on what we do know, rather than on what we didn’t/don’t know.”

COVID-19 has reinforced her passion for public health preparedness and response. “There’s a certain ebb and flow to the work that ensures I’m never bored or unchallenged and I appreciate that. Plus, I feel like the work I’m doing helps people, even if they never know I’m doing it,” Anspaugh-Naples said.

Planning a state mass vaccination campaign has slowed down the progress Anspaugh-Naples wanted to make on her doctoral plan, but she’s grateful to have friends in her cohort who are in a similar position and remind her that, “every step, no matter how small, is still a step forward.” Anspaugh-Naples stresses the importance of maintaining professional working relationships and she feels that the best part of the DrPH program has been her ability to build those lasting relationships with her classmates and professors.

Jarad Schiffer, MS

Supervisory Health Scientist and Advisor for Laboratory Preparedness, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

ATLANTA, GA – At the beginning of the outbreak, Schiffer was running an immunology laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In March, his team was asked to stand up serology testing for COVID surveillance. “We took a research assay to measure anti-Spike IgG and modified it to increase the throughput from 10 specimens/run to 88 specimens/run, validated it using ~100 PCR-confirmed COVID samples and ~300 negative samples we had left from pre-COVID studies,” said Schiffer. “From April to October we tested a little over 112,000 specimens. Our data was the basis for Dr. Redfield’s interview where he indicated that there were ~10 unconfirmed cases for each confirmed case.”

Schiffer’s laboratory was originally set up for the Anthrax Vaccine Research Program and then they went on to work on the Pertussis vaccine as well as provide laboratory support for the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, the 2014 Ebola outbreak and STRIVE vaccine trial, and the 2016 Zika outbreak. Once COVID-19 began, like most organizations, all but the most critical non-COVID work was put on hold. “Our work practices changed to maximize telework and social distancing for laboratory work, working in shared spaces felt more like working in the BSL-3 laboratory,” said Schiffer.

Schiffer changed jobs in October, where most of his current work is not COVID-related, but instead, looking at ways to improve laboratory preparedness for emergency responses across CDC, and in state and local public health laboratories. The one exception is the new collaboration with Operation Warp Speed on a non-human primate trial to try to establish a correlate of protection for COVID vaccines.

In August 2020, Schiffer enrolled in USF Health’s DrPH program. He originally was concentrating in Clinical Laboratory Science and Practice but has since switched to Advanced Practice Leadership to better suit his change in jobs. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology and a Master of Science in Biology. “While my Biology background and experience is strong, I do a lot of collaborations with epidemiologists,” said Schiffer. “I have learned on the job what I needed for each project with them, but always felt that I had gaps in my knowledge of epidemiology in general.” Schiffer had been looking for several years for some type of doctoral program, but most required either on-site or full-time learning, and he did not want to leave his current job. “The USF program is the first one I found that was both highly rated and feasible to do while working full time,” said Schiffer. The DrPH program is his first experience with extensive online remote learning, but thanks to COVID, his youngest is also using Canvas for virtual high school, so they’re learning to navigate online school together.

The courses in the DrPH program are already making a difference in Schiffer’s career, as he was able to make useful contributions towards the CDC’s new framework for Public Health Preparedness and Response research, with emphasis on a systems approach and improving health equity, without having to first play catch-up on those issues. Schiffer also excitedly recalls that the gap in his research toolbox is already shrinking because, “in a recent meeting with our extramural research director she started talking about the social determinants of health, and thanks to my first semester courses I actually knew what she was talking about.”

Jennifer Gunderman, MPH

Director of the Maine Area Health Education Center (AHEC), University of New England

PORTLAND, ME – As a leader in workforce development with specific focus on rural and underserved communities, the work of the Maine AHEC Network highlights the strengths, challenges, and opportunities faced by populations vulnerable to health disparities. “COVID-19 has not changed my role, just the urgency in which things need to get accomplished,” said Gunderman.

The Maine AHEC Network has used CARES Act funds for health profession education programs to promote the use of telehealth technologies and continue its mission to provide workforce development opportunities while enhancing the prevention, preparation, and response to COVID-19. Preparation activities have included Project ECHO programming, trainings at health profession schools, and continuing education on self-care and resiliency. UNE has recently become a Project ECHO hub and AHEC staff have completed training to implement ECHO sessions.  The Program Office is working with students in health profession programs to offer COVID-19 related training on PPE, screening, testing, treatment, and control measures. “None of the work of Maine AHEC could be done on our own,” said Gunderman. “We rely on networks of health care, public health, community-based organizations, private partnerships, governmental agencies, etc. Our work revolves around interprofessional and multisector collaborations. It takes a system to create sustainable change.”

The Program Office and Regional Centers is collaborating with health systems, Maine Chapters of healthcare affiliations, and others to offer continuing education opportunities to healthcare professionals related to self-care, resiliency, and mental health first aid. The Program Office is also partnering with Gateway Community Services, a community-based program serving refugees and immigrants, to assess the impact of COVID 19 on the community of immigrants and refugees and to identify ways to improve health outcomes.

In September 2020, Gunderman enrolled in USF Health’s DrPH program with a concentration in Advanced Practice Leadership. “I wanted to become the student,” said Gunderman. “I feel like I have reached a point in my personal and professional life that my skills could be enhanced and strengthened to have greater impact on public health.”

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Health Policy and Management from Providence College in Rhode Island, and a Master’s in Public Health with a certificate in Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology from Emory University in Georgia. Gunderman chose the University of South Florida for her DrPH because of the focus in leadership development and public health practice within the context of application in the real world. “I appreciate the general care the faculty and staff have for the students and creating an authentic learning environment,” said Gunderman. “While I am still in my first semester, the course work has been immediately applicable to my work. The models and concepts taught by Dr. Levine has been immediately applied to enhancing my leadership style as I guide my team of staff through these unprecedented times. What I have learned about social marketing in Dr. Pasha’s class has allowed me to use this framework when talking about addressing the infodemic related to COVID-19. I even included it in a panel in which I participated.”

The work of public health professionals is often happening behind the scenes, but COVID-19 pushed it to the forefront and turned on a spotlight for the general public to have a better understanding of what public health does and its important role in our world. “Public health is in everything,” said Gunderman. “With public health’s foundation in equity and justice and basis in science, the core principles and values should be applied to just about anything we do in this world.”

Sarah Scharf, MPH

Founding Member and Chief Administrative Officer of MD1 Program

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – While working full time at Rutgers University as Program Manager of Population Sciences in Administration and Planning at Rutgers Cancer Institute, Scharf helped found as a 501c3, the MD1 Program. MD1 specializes in bringing 24/7, immediate life-saving care to the scene of an incident when patients are unable to get to the hospital such as in the case of entrapment or a mass casualty incident. In regards to COVID-19, MD1 has also trained more than 120 first responders on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), helped facilitate logistics for various testing and vaccination programs in New Jersey and across the United States and intubated patients while wearing powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) in order to reduce risk of viral transmission to paramedics. “COVID has pivoted our life saving model. With fewer cars on the road, fewer citizens out and about and fewer flights in the skies, COVID has become a main focus of our life saving endeavors, especially during the peak of the pandemic in the NJ/NY area,” said Scharf.

An MD1 doctor demonstrating intubation while wearing a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR). (Photo courtesy of Scharf)

In August 2020, Scharf enrolled in USF Health’s DrPH program with a concentration in Advanced Practice Leadership. Her educational background includes a Master’s in Public Health from Rutgers University. “The field of public health is rapidly expanding due to several factors and will continue even more so to need passionate, dedicated and trained individuals,” said Scharf. “I decided to pursue a DrPH to gain new perspectives, insights, and techniques to build upon my current skill set. I hope to develop advanced problem-solving skills and help strengthen my credibility as well as increase opportunities.” She chose to continue her education at USF because the program is ranked among the top 5 online DrPH programs. So far, Scharf has been enjoying the intellectually rich environment, passion and expertise of the faculty and diverse group of cohorts, and she looks forward to the day when it’s safe to meet some of her classmates in person.

“Ultimately my aim as a public health professional is to promote and protect the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and play,” said Scharf. “I wholeheartedly believe this Doctorate of Public Health in Advanced Practice Leadership will help me become a better leader and make a greater impact towards the overall betterment of society. I am truly honored to have been accepted into this program and look forward to this enriching journey.”

An MD1 EMS Physician on the scene of a car accident. (Photo courtesy of Scharf)

Alida Gertz, MD, MPH, MSc

Core Faculty in the Family Medicine Residency Program, WellStar Healthcare System

ATLANTA, GA – Dr. Gertz is a Board-Certified Family Physician and helps to take care of patients in outpatient clinics and hospitals in the WellStar Healthcare System. Since COVID-19, her calendar became a bit more packed with multiple weekly team meetings about implementing new safety protocols for the family medicine outpatient clinic, reviewing current literature for clinical care of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 and discussing, approving and guiding COVID-19 research conducted within WellStar hospital and clinic. “The decisions we make have a direct impact on the care given to our patients,” Dr. Gertz said. “One of the biggest challenges is people are really scared of COVID-19, including our staff.” One decision that was presented at the outpatient clinic faculty meeting was whether COVID-19 testing should be offered at the clinic. While offering rapid testing breaks now barriers to access for patients, it also encourages potentially COVID-positive patients to come to the clinic, putting the staff, residents and students at risk. Once the clinic’s team determined that they had the proper protocols in place, such as enough personal protective equipment (PPE), they ultimately made the decision to offer COVID-19 testing.

Another challenge was the clinic normally offered home visits which was a critical way to reach the more vulnerable populations such as the working-class African Americans and Hispanic, Latinx and Vietnamese immigrants living just South of Atlanta. Like for many healthcare systems, COVID-19 pushed WellStar’s telehealth platform to be rolled out across the entire healthcare system instead of its previously limited availability. Unfortunately, telehealth often leaves out the more vulnerable populations and so the clinic staff are, “trying really hard to continue to offer them services, but in a safe way for the staff,” Dr. Gertz said.

Dr. Gertz’s educational background includes a Medical Degree and Master of Public Health from Case Western Reserve University and a Master of Science in Epidemiology and a Professional Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She completed two years of Internal Medicine residency at Johns Hopkins University, and two years of Family Medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a Global Health Fellowship at the University of Washington and another through Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Gertz decided to pursue a DrPH with a concentration in Advanced Practice Leadership, because she was interested in transitioning to a career in public health and while she already has an MPH, she wanted a more solid, formal training in public health as well as additional experience and training in statistics and particularly using SAS

While completing her first semester of the DrPH program, Dr. Gertz is developing an anti-racism curriculum for her resident students at WellStar. “I received input from my professors on the best way to develop the program so that it is grounded in research and the curriculum can be evaluated in a meaningful way,” Dr. Gertz said. “It wouldn’t have been as well designed without the supervision and guidance from my professors because it wouldn’t have been done in such a systematic and structured way.” The assignments in the program are often directly or indirectly influenced by the pandemic and Dr. Gertz notes that she feels a unique sense of urgency to complete her work because the research can influence the current state of affairs. For example, in her Social Marketing course, she is on a team that is focusing on decreasing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among African Americans.

Already following through with her desire to transition to a career in public health, Dr. Gertz recently accepted a position with the CDC in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. According to the CDC, their mission is to, “reduce morbidity and mortality among immigrants, refugees, travelers, expatriates, and other globally mobile populations, and to prevent the introduction, transmission, and spread of communicable diseases through regulation, science, research, preparedness, and response.” COVID-19 created the need for a team member specifically dedicated to COVID-19 protocols and that will soon be Dr. Gertz’s role. The job is based out of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and focuses on traveler health for various major airports in the U.S. as well as for a number of seaports.

While each student shares a desire to gain more knowledge and expertise in the public health field, each student has their own specific interests and different needs. Even just one semester into the program, Dr. Gertz appreciates the individualized attention she has received from the supportive and responsive faculty. “The faculty are kind and caring and very knowledgeable about their areas of expertise. They each bring their own perspective and a lot of experience,” Dr. Gertz said.

For more, continue to Part II of this story.

Closely huddled by attentive residents and students, USF physician Charles Edwards, MD, performs his daily rounds of patients inside Tampa General Hospital. Dr. Edwards is a hospitalist and as such, he and his team care for hospitalized patients until they are well enough to be discharged. Patient stays range anywhere from 12 hours to many months.

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Regardless of stay length or ailment, these in-house doctors known as hospitalists lead a team of other specialists such as physical therapists, nurses and pharmacists, to best provide safe and efficient patient care.

“We see every type of patient at this hospital so it’s hard to say that there is a typical pattern and that’s one of the unique challenges for a hospitalist,” said Dr. Edwards.

During patient visits, Dr. Charles Edwards takes time to connect with his patients to learn about their lives and individual challenges that may effect health outcomes.

The hospitalist role is fairly new in medical practice, just two decades since the position first began to appear. Its purpose was to eliminate needless transportation time for primary care doctors so they could focus more on office visits and so that the hospital can provide immediate personalized care to their patients. Currently there are 34 USF Health hospitalists working at Tampa General Hospital.

“We are here, we are here 24 hours a day. Available immediately to see patients, if needed,” said Dr. Edwards who takes pride in connecting with his patients, “though [my care] may not continue, while they’re here [I’m] going to care for them as much as their primary care doctor does.”

On a typical morning you’ll find Dr. Edwards and his team reporting on their patients’ progress with details about medication, mental status and sleep or eating patterns. They will see between 15 to 20 patients throughout the day. However, patient care involves more than bedside visits. For physicians like Dr. Edwards, responsibilities extend into his personal life and he is passionate about it. He might read more about the symptoms of a patient he’s not sure about or catch up on the latest from his favorite medical journal.

Residents and students evaluate patients’ progress with Dr. Edward’s guidance.

Dr. Edwards’ profession is not just about patient care, it’s an “innate curiosity about medicine,” and a balance of at least four other roles. In addition to being the director of the Division of Hospital Medicine, vice-chairman for Clinical Operations in the Department of Internal Medicine and chief of staff at TGH, he is also an associate professor at USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine.

Patient records are updated as Dr. Edwards and his team complete morning rounds.

“Without a doubt teaching is my main inspiration,” said Dr. Edwards. “The one thing I can do and enjoy, [is to] go around with my students, residents and my team to see our patients.”

Many doctors were inspired to pursue their profession by personal reasons, or wanting to do something important in life. Dr. Edwards had these reasons, but his active role as an educator is a daily reminder of the benefits of his kind of work.

“I’m constantly around other people who are learning,” said Dr. Edwards. I constantly have to try and teach younger physicians and that’s one of the best ways to learn, is to teach. They certainly keep you on your toes.”

Dr. Charles Edwards and his team provide non-surgical patient care throughout Tampa General Hospital.

Aside from his patients, mentorships and dedication to keep up with medical advancements, Dr. Edwards has his mind set on the future of hospital medicine.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to make the hospital safer,” said Dr. Edwards. He’s referring to the main challenge his profession faces: The transition of patient care.

Caring for patients has a multi-level set of tasks that include bedside visits, medical charting, preventing infections, avoiding unnecessary tests, not delaying patient stays, and the continuum of patient care beyond their hospital stay.

“One of the things that you must do is make sure you understand the challenges a particular patient is going to face when they’re discharged so that you can try to best address them,” said Dr. Edwards. “But it is often a source of anxiety when patients leave the hospital.”

The final stage of Dr. Edwards’ care involves updating the patient’s records and sharing the hospitalization charts with the primary doctor. Patient medical information is private and protected by federal HIPAA laws, which limit how hospitalists and primary doctors can exchange records.

Medicine, as most professional fields, has been increasingly harnessing the powers of technology. The transition of patient care is eased by the standardization of electronic health records and USF Health’s Physicians Group patients will benefit even more with its transition to EPIC– the same EHR used at TGH, thus providing a stronger continuity of care. With a unified records system, interdisciplinary caregivers can access thorough medical data about a patient. Hospitals, clinics and physicians can share details about their patient’s outcome and will help relieve the worry that hospitalists have when treating or discharging patients. But for Dr. Edwards, the best assurance has a personal touch.

“Technology will certainly play a big role in improving the transition of care in the future, but there’s no substitute for good old-fashioned verbal communication with fellow colleagues.”

Story and multimedia by Sandra C. Roa, USF Health Office of Communications. 

Three words: Safe. Team. Commit. That’s the message Charles Paidas, MD, urged more than 230 new resident physicians to take away from their recent all-day orientation, their official welcome to the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM).

“If you remember nothing else about the next 15 minutes, I want you to remember those words,” said Dr. Paidas, professor of surgery and vice dean for Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education at MCOM. “These are your goals for your residency. Graduate as a safe doctor, be able to work in a team, and commit to your obligations of lifelong learning, your patients your peers and students, your department, and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.”

The June 30 orientation at the USF Alumni Center and was likely be the only time the entire group will be in the same room together. The next day – July 1, the national start to residency training programs – the new-to-USF residents were deployed to the many clinical facilities and hospitals throughout the Tampa Bay area affiliated with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

This year’s entering group includes 238 physicians, with 147 residents and 91 fellows. Of the residents, about half are entering their first year of residency. Called PGY1s (post graduate year 1), these physicians are experiencing the first day of their medical careers – they just graduated from medical school a few months ago. The other incoming residents are beginning the next step in their residencies, transitioning to a narrower focus within their specialty. Fellows have finished their residencies and are now conducting additional, more specialized training within their specialty. Fellowships are typically highly competitive positions in superior programs. While most of the new resident physicians are from MCOM (40), the rest are graduates of schools and programs from farther afield, including China, Colombia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Mexico, among others.

The annual influx of new residents and fellows marks a significant moment for these doctors, but probably a bit more so for the PGY1s. It’s when the paradigm shifts, Dr. Paidas said.

“As a medical student, decision making was ‘virtual’ and practiced in the shadows of the care team,” he said. “Now, the responsibility shifts to the intern, or first-year resident. Although not completely in charge, the first-year resident has graded responsibility and team trust is earned and rewarded with more responsibility. The first-year is all about learning the drill.

“And it’s the very first time an office or hospital patient looks at you as one of their docs, begins to develop a relationship with you, and trusts what you say.”

One such resident is Lindsey Ryan, MD, a PGY1 from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Her first day included making early rounds at Tampa General Hospital with a team from Pediatric Surgery.

Dr. Ryan, who is specializing in otolaryngology, said that USF’s program rose above others when she was interviewing residency programs.

“On interview day, you look for a program you will fit into,” Dr. Ryan said. “That’s a big thing. There are great programs all over, but it’s that extra piece you look for. I loved the program and the faculty here and I felt right at home.”

Fitting right in on rounds at TGH, Dr. Ryan walked in and out of pediatric patient rooms with the health care team that included more seasoned residents, a chief resident, an attending physician, a nurse practitioner, and a USF medical student. These are the first patients she is seeing as a physician, a realization she doesn’t miss.

“I’m having a very good day,” she said.

USF’s residency program has more than 80 residency and fellowship training programs with more than 700 trainees. The program is considered strong, Dr. Paidas said.

“It’s all about the depth and breadth of patient populations,” he said. “The USF affiliates attract a wealth of patients and provide the substrate for the maturation of the resident. Tampa Bay has historically been an attractive geographic locale. In addition, we have a superb clinical faculty able to balance their work with patient care and education. Think about it. Our affiliates include the Number One ranked hospital in the State, level 1 Pediatric and Adult trauma Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center, two VA’s, Family Health Clinics. Our affiliates give us an unbelievable depth of patients.”

This year’s residents and fellows totaled 238. About 45% are starting at Tampa General Hospital, 25% at the Haley VA Hospital, 15% at Moffitt Cancer Center, and the remaining are at various other sites. Internal medicine welcomed the largest number of new residents and fellows, with 73, followed by surgery, with 25.

Here is a breakdown of the entire group:

Dermatology, 5

Emergency Medicine, 10

Family Medicine, 10

Cardiology, 7

Internal Medicine, 73

Medicine / Pediatrics, 6

Neurology, 18

Neurosurgery, 4

Obstetrics & Gynecology, 7

Ophthalmology, 5

Orthopaedics, 7

Otolaryngology, 3

Pathology, 8

Pediatrics, 15

Preventive/Occupational Medicine, 2

Psychiatry, 13

Radiology,20

Surgery, 25

Story by Sarah Worth, and photos by Sandra C. Roa, USF Health Office of Communications.