Regardless of the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic threw at USF Health and University of South Florida, the halls and common areas of the campus are filled with students excited to begin their school year on campus, August 23, 2021.

“We are excited for our return to activity across our beautiful campuses,” said Rhea Law, interim USF System President, in a recent welcome letter.  “I have a lot of faith in our Bull nation.  It’s critical that we take steps to prioritize the health and safety of our community.Doing our part, we can ensure a healthy and productive semester for all.”

In a recent townhall with USF and USF Health leadership, Donna Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, dean of the USF Health College of Public Health and director of the USF COVID-19 Task Force, emphasized that preventive measures, such as staying socially distant, wearing masks, using hand sanitizer, and ensuring anyone who isn’t feeling well doesn’t come to campus, have proven to be the most effective means to help curb the spread of the virus in addition to the vaccine.

Students should feel safe and informed with the many resources and information the campus has compiled to help make Fall 2021 a success.  USF Health leaders and experts have emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated.  Those who aren’t vaccinated can get the vaccine free of charge.  For more information, visit www.usf.edu/vaccine-info.  Returning students can access essential information to begin the semester on USF’s Return to Campus website at www.usf.edu/coronavirus.

Check out these stats on incoming students to some of USF Health programs

 School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences

Doctor of Physical Therapy:

• 50 new students – 29 male, 21 female
• 18 students completed undergraduate degrees out of state
• Overall GPA – 3.73
• 20% underrepresented minority

Professional Athletic Training:

• 22 new students – 5 male, 17 female. Includes 2 international students (Japan). Recognized as one of the largest cohorts in program history
• 8 students completed undergraduate degrees out of state
• 32% underrepresented minority

Taneja College of Pharmacy

• 93 new students
• 32% first-generation college graduate
• 48% received undergraduate or master’s degree at USF

College of Public Health – 769 new students (all programs)

Largest Cohorts: 

• Undergraduate – BS in Health Services Support – 391
• Graduate – Masters in Public Health – 243
• Doctoral – Doctor of Public Health – 20

Morsani College of Medicine Graduate Programs

• 331 new students (213 female, 118 male)
• 111 students completed undergraduate degrees out of state
• Average GPA: 3.36

 USF College of Nursing 469 new students (all programs)

• Graduate – 292 (245 female, 47 male)
• Undergraduate – 177 (158 female, 19 male)
• 426 students are Florida residents

Additional Resources

Student Tool Kit:  https://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/index.aspx

Vaccine Clinic Information: https://www.usf.edu/coronavirus/returning-to-campus/vaccinations.aspx

COVID-19 News: https://www.usf.edu/news/listing.aspx?category=COVID-19

USF Health students, staff and faculty during a White Coats 4 Black Lives demonstration outside of the USF Health Morsani Center, in June 2020.

In December 2020, Susan Moore, MD, an Indiana physician, died of COVID-19 after alleging she experienced racial discrimination while undergoing treatment at a hospital operated by Indiana University Health System. “Moore’s story of her pain being dismissed reinforces what studies have repeatedly shown: Even taking wealth, education and insurance status into account, Black patients receive worse medical care and face worse outcomes,” a Washington Post article on Dr. Moore’s death said.

Just one month before Dr. Moore’s death, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) shared an article that touched on a 2016 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science which included a survey that revealed that 40% of first- and second-year medical students endorsed the belief that “Black people’s skin is thicker than white people’s.” The study also showed that the trainees who believed this myth were less likely to treat Black people’s pain appropriately.

This article brought to light the continued need for institutions to address racial bias in healthcare starting with health education. USF Health is doing its part by building curriculums that teach the next generation of health care providers about social determinants of health and how to provide value-based and patient-centered care, and recruiting and retaining the diverse educators to teach it.

“Your goal as the practitioner is to truly understand who the patient is and all of the different aspects of the patient which may have some impact on their medical care,” Deborah DeWaay, MD, FACP, associate dean of undergraduate medical education for USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM), said. “It helps the provider battle unconscious bias because when they individuate patients in their mind, they’re less likely to give biased care.”

In 2016, MCOM started focusing on incorporating course objectives that examine prejudice, assumptions and privilege, such as Safe Zone training and poverty simulation activities. In 2019, Shirley Smith, MA, director of student diversity and enrichment for MCOM, became the College’s integration director for cultural competency. Using the AAMC’s objectives for cultural competency, Smith spent hundreds of hours reviewing the entire MCOM curriculum, and will continue to do so on an annual basis, highlighting places where the objectives were not being met to the highest level. These findings were then presented to the curriculum committee who make the final decision about changes to curriculum and if approved, provide recommendations for moving forward. In addition, Smith provided feedback to faculty about where there may be bias within the didactics. “It’s been really refreshing to have faculty embrace this and leadership like Dr. Lockwood, support this,” Smith said. Students also have the ability to provide real-time feedback to Smith and her team via an anonymous survey. “What we’re really trying to do is not have any judgement attached to the feedback,” Dr. DeWaay said. “We’re trying to create a method for our faculty who are teaching, to deal with their unconscious bias in a safe environment.”

USF College of Public Health Dean Donna Petersen, participating in the 2019 poverty simulation along with other USF Health deans, faculty, staff and students. Pre-Covid Photo.

MCOM is also in the process of partnering with Wake Forest University in North Carolina to create curriculum that can be used at both universities in order to maximize resources and reach more people. This material will become a curricular thread integrated across all four years of medical school which USF MCOM calls Humanism in Action. Smith quoted Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH, vice dean of MCOM educational affairs, when she explained that the important part of this effort is to make sure that they’re “baking things in” and that the curriculum is “not an à la cart menu.” The curriculum teaches students the communication skills necessary to elicit the values of their patients and then integrate those values into the patient’s medical plan. “It’s physically impossible in four years to teach students every single nuance about all the ways a human being or population can be different,” Dr. DeWaay said. “It’s far more important to teach the attitude that they need, the skills to illicit the information from the patient and the skills to keep up on the literature, so that they have the tools that they need moving forward, to take care of any patient that’s in front of them.” According to Smith, the objective is to teach students not to assume anything about their patient, not to project their own values onto the patient and not to deviate from what is fact or what is in the evidence. Janet Roman, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the USF Health College of Nursing (CON), added that it’s not just about what question is asked, but about how it is asked. The way a question is worded can be loaded with an assumption and be offensive to the patient. “If you ask me, “Do I have access to healthy food?” now you’re assuming that I don’t,” Dr. Roman said. “If you ask me, “Where do I get my groceries?” then that gives you the answer.”

A taskforce is also being formed to include faculty and students who will help build and implement this new Humanism in Action curriculum and be a resource to faculty for recommendations or feedback on revamping lectures, small groups and activities. One component of change cultivated by the COVID-19 pandemic is the acceptance of virtual guest speakers and virtual learning by students and educators. This will allow for a more diverse representation of speakers to be a part of the courses as well as private, small group activities that can foster more vulnerable discussions. “These beliefs have to be socially unwoven through intentional, meaningful conversations and interactions with depth and the goal is to give students that opportunity,” Smith said. “I’m just planting seeds. I may never see the tree, but I must believe that the possibility is there.”

In January 2020, MCOM earned recognition from the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society for their dedication to diversity and understanding in various patient populations. The medical school was one of two medical schools in Florida to receive an Award for Excellence in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in Medical Education and Patient Care. The award recognizes medical schools, and their associated AOA chapters, that demonstrate exemplary leadership, innovation, and engagement in fostering an inclusive culture that transforms the ideas of inclusion, diversity and equity into successful programs that support student, staff and faculty diversity in service to the community.

After the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, students pleaded for a call to action for faster implementation of changes to the curriculum. “The morbidity and mortality that social determinants of health, systemic racism, and health care disparities have cost people living in this country, far surpasses the toll COVID will take, and yet we’re not tackling it with the same resources,” Dr. DeWaay said. “With COVID hitting, it shows us on a local, regional and national level, what we’re capable of doing when we’re really worried about something.” Fueled by the same passion as the students who have championed these efforts from the very beginning, Smith and Dr. DeWaay returned to the curriculum committee and presented a 15-point, call to action. The committee mandated the plan in June 2020.

Dr. Deborah DeWaay (center), associate dean of undergraduate medical education for USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, with medical students. Pre-Covid Photo.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is increasing evidence that Black, Indigenous and Latinx communities are suffering disproportionately from COVID-19. This is the kind of information that can spark a myth about minorities if the root of the cause is misunderstood. Black Americans are infected with COVID-19 at nearly three times the rate of white Americans and are twice as likely to die from the virus, according to a report from the National Urban League based on data from Johns Hopkins University. This is not because of any biological differences between the two groups, but instead, social determinants of health and systemic racism. This is evident in the report which shows that Blacks are more likely to have preexisting conditions that predispose them to COVID-19 infection, less likely to have health insurance, and more likely to work in jobs that do not accommodate remote work. “Your zip code may be the biggest determinate of your health outcome more than anything else,” Kevin Sneed, PharmD, dean of the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy (TCOP), said.

Understanding these social determinants of health is instrumental in dispelling myths and providing patient-centered care and is another key component of USF Health education. Social determinants of health are conditions in the places where people live, learn, work and play that affects a wide range of health and quality-of life-risks and outcomes. Factors can include a person’s education, financial literacy, discrimination, and access to healthy food and safe places to exercise. Students in the USF Health College of Nursing learn about disease processes such as heart failure, hypertension and diabetes, and at the same time, “we want to point out to students which populations are disproportionately affected and then give them that background on why, so that we can help close that health disparity gap,” Dr. Roman said.

According to Dr. Sneed, one of the most meaningful courses offered at the Taneja College of Pharmacy, one that has been a requirement for first-years ever since the inaugural class of 2011, is the introduction to public health course. The course was developed by the USF Health College of Public Health (COPH), continues to have input from their faculty, and mainly focuses on social determinants of health. “You spotlight that in a course and then when you give the demographics of what that means for these various communities, it really does help broaden the expanse of how people view communities of color and why we do things like Bridge Clinic and Tampa Bay Street Medicine,” Dr. Sneed said. “We’re going to have to push to a different level of comfort, maybe even discomfort for many people in order for it to really take hold.”

A pharmacist has a unique place in the community. “Not everybody has a physician or has health insurance, but anybody can go to CVS and say, “my child has a fever,” Tricia Penniecook, MD, MPH, vice dean for education and faculty affairs for COPH, said. The patient benefits if the pharmacist has a public health world view and can help make decisions that are best for the patient’s situation.

USF College of Pharmacy Dean Kevin Sneed, PharmD, and Tricia Penniecook, MD, MPH, vice dean for education, participating in a Voices in Leadership panel discussion during USF Health Multicultural Week in 2019. Pre-Covid photo.

While colleges of medicine, nursing and pharmacy focus on helping patients where they are downstream, sick that day, public health looks upstream and tries to address what has happened to bring them to that point. Instead of individual-based care, public health professionals look at the care of groups of people in the population and find and fill gaps in their access to health care or the conditions for people to be healthy. That’s why interprofessional education is a critical part of USF Health because both kinds of roles are important. “As part of the discipline of public health, you’re supposed to take care of those who are at a disadvantage,” Dr. Penniecook, said. “The structures and systems in this country have put certain populations immediately at a disadvantage just because of that’s who they are when they are born.”

An integral part of every accredited college of public health in the United States is making sure that students learn about health inequities that are based on disparities. At USF Health’s COPH, students not only have courses specifically on health inequities, but the topic is addressed in every public health course from the undergraduate to the graduate level. Having this thread at every level means that students learn what the basis of those health inequities are, what they look like and how to address them no matter where their career takes them. According to Dr. Penniecook, this means that if the student is going to be working in the community, they’ve learned about community education and teaching people about self-advocacy in the healthcare system; if the student is going to be working within the system, they’ve learned about how to measure and address health inequities; or if the student is going to have a leadership role, they’ve learned about being proactive in looking for ways to solve the health inequities such as policy development.

Prior to COVID-19, COPH started working on an academic master plan. Dr. Penniecook, described an academic master plan as a road map within the strategic initiatives of the institution, that tells you what you need to do academically to get to your goals. In response to the murder of George Floyd, Dr. Penniecook asked Donna Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, dean of the USF Health COPH, if they could integrate structural racism into the academic master plan. Just like MCOM’s Dr. Bognar was previously quoted as saying that these changes have to be “baked in” the curriculum, Dr. Penniecook wanted these efforts to combat structural racism to be more strategic and woven into everything they do and who they are, so that it’s more likely to stick. A variety of work groups will be formed to include faculty, staff and students to look at admissions, curriculum, teaching methods, educational spaces and recruitment, and then make recommendations to the college structure. While this master plan is a work in progress and was paused when COVID-19 first hit, Dr. Petersen has already impacted and set the tone for the two freshman courses she teaches as a part of the Master of Public Health program. She has always had a required summer reading list, but this past summer, the entire list was equipped with books on structural racism. In addition, different aspects of structural racism have been the topic of several of the College’s townhall meetings, some lead by students, as well as episodes of the Activist Lab’s Activist Lab on the Road podcast.

An interprofessional student team across the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health, and the School of Physical Therapy, at the 2018 USF Health Research Day. Pre-Covid Photo.

The curriculum used to educate our future health care professionals is only one piece of the puzzle. The faculty who teach it are the other. “Student exposure to those from impoverished backgrounds may occur for the first time when they are in medical school,” Haywood Brown, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, associate dean of diversity for USF MCOM, and vice president for institutional equity for the University of South Florida System, said. “They don’t get that in the classroom because there is so few, diverse faculty teaching the curriculum.” According to a board diversity statement from the American Council on Education (ACE), diversity in university student bodies, faculties and staff, enriches the educational experience, promotes personal growth and a health society, strengthens communities and the workplace, and enhances America’s economic competitiveness. “If you do not have a diverse workforce, the patients don’t benefit as much because you’re learning from each other,” Dr. Brown said.

In November 2020, the USF Health College of Nursing appointed Usha Menon, PhD, RN, FAAN, as the new dean after serving as interim dean of the College since February of that year. According to Dr. Roman, under this new leadership, one of the College’s initiatives is to increase the diversity, equity and inclusion not only in the curriculum, but also in the student, faculty and staff populations. As a part of this initiative, Dr. Menon realigned her senior administrators which included creating a director of diversity role, now filled by Ivonne Hernandez, PhD, RN, IBCLC, assistant professor at the USF CON. “What we are developing now, before we even start recruiting, is a way to retain,” Dr. Roman said. “We are nurse scientists, and we treat our patients and our students by the evidence. We are doing the same thing with diversity, equity and inclusion, and what our data shows is that when we have persons of color, they don’t stay.” CON’s strategic goals include increasing the diversity of research faculty by 35% and of clinical faculty by 10%, by 2023. One retention method coming soon is a mentoring program.

According to Dr. Roman, CON is not making these changes just to check off a box for diversity on a list of requirements. “The College of Nursing is doing a 360,” Dr. Roman said. “We’re changing everything. We are doing the right thing for all people and it’ll be a complete culture change.” A healthy and safe culture and work environment will also help retain high quality, diverse faculty. “We have to reiterate that incivility is not tolerated, and micro and macro aggressions are not tolerated,” Dr. Roman said. “We also have to bring to the forefront what already exists in the University processes for what to do if you feel violated and not to suffer in silence.”

Even outside of the university classrooms, USF Health students are coming together to fight racial disparities in the healthcare system. In August 2020, MCOM became an official chapter of the national White Coats 4 Black Lives. Open to all USF Health students, the goal of the organization is to safeguard the lives and well-being of patients through the elimination of racism. To accomplish this goal, WC4BL and the USF Health chapter look to foster dialogue on racism as a public health concern, end racial discrimination in medical care, and prepare future physicians to be advocates for racial justice. “It’s everyone’s responsibility, but it’s only a priority to some,” Smith said. “For those who make it their priority, we want to give them tools to learn how to engage in these spaces that make it safe for them and make it safe for the other person to have these kinds of courageous conversations. Equipping the next generation of thought leaders so they can change the thoughts out there.”

Participants of the first meeting of the first language exchange between USF Health students and medical students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Photo courtesy of Melissa M. Islas Upequi, MD, head of the UNAM School of Medicine International Relations Office GlobalFacMed.

More than 50 members of USF Health and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) recently gathered via an online meeting for a first language exchange, as part of a virtual language exchange program between the UNAM College of Medicine students and MCOM students in the Medical Spanish Language Club.

The goal of the group is to support each other in learning medical English and medical Spanish.

MCOM, and all USF Health students, have access to Canopy Medical Spanish, an online course that follows the outline of the first year of medical school.  In the self-paced course, Spanish phrases learned by USF Health students are reinforced by their UNAM counterparts, while MCOM students simultaneously teach UNAM students medical English.

The importance of learning a foreign language is increasingly important, especially  in an extremely diverse area like Tampa, said Caitlyn Johnson, co-president of the club.  Some specialties require their physicians to be bilingual.  This club offers students another tool for when they become doctors.

“One of the contributing factors in positive patient outcomes is patients trusting their physicians.  One way to help build that trust is being able to understand them if English isn’t their first language,” said Johnson.

Shirley Smith, director of MCOM’s Office of Student Diversity and Enrichment, added that doctors often earn the trust of their patients by simply attempting to learn the native language of patients who don’t speak English.  “This often gives patients the feeling their physician has their best interests in mind and they want to make sure none of the information they have is lost in translation. This will help enhance the relationship, which leads to better patient care and better outcomes.”

Nearly one in five people in the US are of Hispanic origin. We urgently need bilingual providers that can provide the best care to these patients and improve their health outcomes. I believe this unique virtual language exchange program between USF and UNAM medical students will foster the next generation of bilingual doctors at USF who can serve patients here in the US and abroad. And in doing so, I envision that our USF medical students will cultivate life-long friendships with their colleagues in UNAM. – Lynette Menezes, PhD, associate vice president of USF Health International

The Charter Class of the USF Health Physician Assistant (PA) program made their commitment to the profession during the inaugural White Coat Ceremony on May 26 at the USF Gibbons Alumni Center.

During the event, the Class of 2019 took the oath and received their first white coats in front of friends, family, guests and USF Health leaders – marking the beginning of a remarkable journey into the PA program at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

The Charter Class of the USF Health Physician Assistant (PA) Program.

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, welcomed the PA inaugural cohort and congratulated them for entering into one of the fastest growing careers in medicine.

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, speaks to students and attendees at the inaugural PA white coat ceremony.

“We’re delighted to have assembled our first-ever group of compassionate and brilliant PA candidates,” Dr. Lockwood said. “This future belongs to you and it all starts here today. The white coat you will receive is not only a uniform, not only a marker for the beginning of your course as a physician assistant, but a well-recognized symbol of trust and understanding – a commitment to provide great patient care, and also to accept great personal responsibility.”

Dr. Lockwood also recognized donors for their continuous support and contribution to the USF Health PA program, and who sponsored 100 percent of the white coats for this Class of 2019.

“Thank you to all the people who generously donated to our White Coat PA Scholarship fund and are supporting the PA students’ academic success,” Dr. Lockwood said.

The USF Health PA Program was established to help meet the growing demand for health care providers, especially those in primary care. The 30 students in the charter class were chosen from more than 1,500 applicants (50 to 1 ratio, or 2 percent). Students officially began classes on May 8.

“It’s incredible to be one of the few select students to be part of the Charter Class of 2019,” said Katherine Lucas, PA student. “USF Health is a reputable institution and well-known in the community, so to be part of this program is a really special feeling.”

During the inaugural ceremony, Todd Wills, MD, assistant dean and program director for the USF Health Physician Assistant Program, discussed the importance of the white coat and its significance as a sign of respect and compassion between patients and clinicians.

Todd Wills, MD, assistant dean and program director for the USF Health Physician Assistant Program, discusses the importance of the white coat and its significance for PA students.

“Today, you become our colleagues as we share a high interest in the well-being of our patients and the health of our community,” Dr. Wills said. “Your journey to get here has been long, and the journey ahead will be even longer. But with the support of USF Health faculty, staff, leaders and peers, this will be the beginning of an outstanding career and a day to be remembered.”

Students then one-by-one walked to the stage to receive the white coat — taking a symbolic step on their journey toward becoming PAs. Along with the white coat, they also received a special white and gold lapel pin, which signifies the students’ commitment to the care and dedication of their future patients. Beaming with pride and excitement, PA student Shivani Shah said the ceremony was an unforgettable moment.

Students receive their white coats.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for a very long time,” Shah said. “It will be a tough two years, but today pushes us to work hard and commit to the wonderful journey of becoming physician assistants.”

Before the end came for the ceremony, which was in part sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, students recited their Physician Assistant Oath, a students’ pledge to follow the highest professional code of ethics and always make the patients’ health, safety and privacy their highest priority.

PA students recite their Physician Assistant Oath.

“Your job here at USF and going forward is not only to become a great physician assistant, but also to grow as a person who engages in routine self-reflection and one who goes out of your way to establish trust, respect and a sense of belonging among and between all of your unique selves here at USF,” said Gretchen Koehler, PhD, senior associate dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and assistant vice president of USF Health.

Gretchen Koehler, Ph.D. senior associate dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and assistant vice president of USF Health, makes closing remarks.

The Charter Class of 2019 includes:

Story by Vjollca Hysenlika, USF Health Marketing and Communications
Photos by Frederick Coleman, USF Health Marketing and Communications

Strengthening the education and training of the nation’s nursing workforce is critical to advancing patient care in an increasing complex health care system.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor emphasized the importance of highly skilled nurses during her Feb. 13 tour of the newly renovated USF College of Nursing George and Marian Miller Center for Virtual Learning.

Castor met with USF Health leaders, faculty, students, staff and local media to highlight the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act that she recently helped introduce in the United States Congress. The legislation would provide federal funding for advanced programs and initiatives to help prepare top-quality nurses – enhancing training that addresses an aging population, diversity, primary and acute care, as well as interprofessional education and practice.

“Nurses work tirelessly to keep our communities healthy, and they need our support,” said Castor during her visit. “This bill, if passed, would help prepare the nurses of tomorrow and provide a pathway to good-paying jobs across the country, especially in our state.”

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor speaking to USF Health leaders, faculty, staff, students and local media about the Title VII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act.

“We appreciate Castor’s efforts of introducing this bill in Congress,” said Charles Lockwood, MD, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine “This opportunity would provide much-needed financial support for education and training programs that help prepare top-quality nurses and future faculty as well as minimize the existing nursing shortage across Florida.”

During her visit, Castor toured through the state-of-the-art experiential lab and met with students as they practiced basic health skills learned in the classroom.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor met with nursing faculty and students in the newly-renovated experiential lab.

The new space, which includes 12 hospital–like patient rooms, four separate simulation rooms, a skills lab, a community health room and a lab classroom, provides students a more realistic learning environment.

“Our goal was to design a high-fidelity simulation environment where students felt like they’re training in a real-world healthcare facility, and I think we’ve done that,” said Teresa Gore, PhD, associate professor and director of experiential learning in the George & Marian Miller Center for Virtual Learning.

Castor also visited USF College of Nursing on Bull Nurses Week, a student-organized celebration running Feb. 13 through 17. The week-long event recognizes students and their commitment to nursing education, clinical training and community involvement.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor meets with USF College of Nursing students as they celebrate Bull Nurses Week.

“Nurses are the backbone of health care,” said Donna Petersen, ScD, senior associate vice president of USF Health, dean of the USF College of Public Health and interim dean of the College of Nursing. “Investing in nurses is an investment in our communities, it’s an investment in our health and our sustainability as a vibrant society.”

To view more photos, click here.

Story by Vjollca Hysenlika, USF Health Communications 
Photos by Jessica Samaniego, USF Nursing Communications

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAK-1kfJPV8

On Thursday Oct. 13, USF Health celebrated 10 years of presence at the City of Knowledge, Panama. The event aimed to emphasize the common vision shared by USF Health leadership and many of the academic and research partners in Panama; it also featured a keynote address by guest professor Anne Firth Murray of Stanford University, human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Dr. Murray spoke eloquently about the economic impact of investing in women´s health and education across the life span.

Donna Petersen, ScD, senior associate vice president of USF Health, dean of the College of Public Health (COPH) and one of the founders of the Panama program, talked about how, through the recommendation of COPH alumna Dr. Arlene Calvo, she came to Panama and “was immediately inspired by the impact that public health had on the construction of the Panama Canal, Panama´s biodiversity, and more importantly the enthusiasm of those Panamanian visionaries, Dr. Rodrigo Tarté and Prof. Jorge Arosemena, who were starting to develop the City of Knowledge concept. That inspiration, turned into motivation to establish a USF presence with a global health focus at the City of Knowledge, the old U.S. Clayton Military Base, now transformed into a research and innovation park, a campus for foreign universities and the home of many international NGOs.

In his remarks, Charles Lockwood, MD, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, mentioned the “increased collaboration in education, research and clinical care between USF faculty and students and their counterparts in Panama as well as health professional and organizations across the Americas.” He then thanked the Panamanian partners for their continued support to help provide “research opportunities for more than 1,100 undergraduate and graduate students and medical residents as well as for over 175 faculty members from the USF and other U.S. institutions.”

USF Health Panama´s research and academic initiatives have trained more than 2,000 health professionals and field workers throughout Panama and the Latin American region.

Through the USF Health Panama Program, students across a variety of disciplines gain hands-on experience in rural or indigenous communities throughout Panama and conduct innovative research to complete their master’s and doctoral theses. They work alongside Panamanian physicians and health care workers in public and private hospitals, complete field studies in cooperation with humanitarian agencies, intern with business and industry leaders, and participate in service missions across the Panama region. USF faculty, affiliate faculty and alumni in Panama engage in cutting-edge research and health education grant projects on HIV/AIDS, Zika virus, malaria, influenza, dengue, domestic violence, cervical cancer, nutrition, diabetes, data systems, and policy analysis. Dr. Lockwood thanked Dr. Nestor Sosa, director of the Gorgas Memorial Research Institute for Health Studies (ICGES), for rich discussions on topics of joint interest and mentioned his interest in working more on vaccine development and other research areas of joint interest.

During the evening reception, Dr. Anne Debaldo was recognized for her instrumental role in the development of the Health and Education International Foundation in Panama. In addition, partner institutions such as the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies (ICGES), the National Secretariat of Science Technology and Innovation (SENACYT), INDICASAT, the City of Knowledge and the University of Panamá were specially honored for their years of joint collaboration and support.

The Ministry of Health, the National Obudsman’s (Defensoría del Pueblo) office, Vital Voices, the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC), Centauri Technologies, Forest Finance, the National Association against Cancer (ANCEC), PROBISIDA Foundation, UNICEF, The Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO), as well as faculty from the Oncological Institute (Instituto Oncológico), the Children´s Hospital (Hospital del Niño), the Social Security Hospitals , the Santo Tomás Hospital and Regional Health Centers were also recognized.

The Health and Education International Foundation Board members were present at the event, including President- Roberta Burford, JD, Vice-President Joann Strobbe, MsEd, Greg Vannette, CPA, Cristienn Joudaane, MBA, MS, Jay Evans, MBA, MPH, Lynette Menezes, PhD and Constance Visovsky, PhD, and the USF Health Panama team members Arlene Calvo, PhD, MPH; Aracely Quintero, BS; Jeanette Galvez, BS; Gladys Bernett, MBA, MHA, and alumni Morgan Hess Holtz, MS and Arturo Rebollón, MD, were also thanked for their dedication in advancing the USF’s mission in Panama.

Strong academic collaboration was the main highlight of the evening. There was potential and enthusiasm to keep working together on initiatives aimed at improving the health, education and quality of life of our communities, our hemisphere and the world.

Story by Gladys Bernett, video by Sandra C. Roa/ University Communications and Marketing, photos by Tarina Rodriguez

For 26 years, Willie Mitchell has helped thousands of medical students navigate through medical school.

He is the first person visitors see in the Office of Student Affairs for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM).

He plays important roles in key events for medical students, from orientations as they begin freshmen year, to Clinician Ceremonies as they transition to third year, to Match Days as they learn where they will be resident physicians, and to Commencement Ceremonies as they reach the culmination of their efforts and officially become doctors of medicine.

Willie Mitchell is retiring after 38 years at USF, 26 of which were on staff in the MCOM Student Affairs Office.

And he is forever a positive force for USF Health, notorious for his smile, laugh, and calming demeanor, not to mention his extensive collection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia.

On June 26, Willie Mitchell will step out of those roles and retire.

“We’ve developed a family atmosphere in Student Affairs, a place for every situation – fun or tough times – for us and for students,” Mitchell said. “It’s a place of calm, peace and family. We still meet, eat lunch together, and gossip, just like a family.”

Mitchell joined USF in 1977 and the MCOM Office of Student Affairs in 1993, giving him more than 38 years of fond memories. Many of those stories revolve around changes taking place on campus and within the Morsani College of Medicine, including personalities of each entering class of freshman.

How do today’s medical students differ from those of two decades ago? Mitchell, who is a staff assistant in the MCOM Office of Student Affairs, sums it up this way: While all students understand the impact they will have as physicians, today’s medical students seem to be “more appreciative for being able to be a physician,” he said. “They’re taking the humility part another step further and are getting to know better the person, the patient and the classmate.”

In total, Mitchell has helped multiple generations of medical students experience the key milestones of their four years at MCOM. Of all events, Mitchell doesn’t hesitate to say that Match Day is his favorite. The annual rite of passage is when senior medical students across the country find out simultaneously where they will conduct their medical residencies, the next step in their medical education. The USF MCOM Office of Student Affairs coordinates the entire event for USF medical students, an effort that includes weeks of planning.

“Match Day is my favorite because I like to see the medical students with their families,” he said. “And it’s an event where everybody works so well together to make it happen.”

Mitchell has also witnessed vast changes to facilities at USF Health, saying he has always been impressed by USF’s growth and the University’s efforts to constantly build space for more and more students, including those in MCOM.

“The changes to the study spaces for medical students, and the new people joining in, like Pharmacy, Physical Therapy and SELECT, has improved us and made us better,” he said.

For Mitchell, students always come first and he has always been amazed at their ambition and talents. To gain a slight sense of what they experience as medical students, Mitchell said he would participate in Dr. Lois Nixon’s annual summer reading and movie list for medical students and the USF Health community at large.

“I wanted to watch what they’re watching and read what they’re reading,” he said.

That effort to put students first also earned him an Outstanding Staff Award and the USF-Gabor Employee of the Year Award, both in 1999.

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Mitchell is father to three grown boys: Damien, 18; Javon, 19; and Eric, 21. He is active in church, acting as youth director. Once retired, he said he hopes to become involved with more programs, fundraising efforts and working with the elderly.

And, he will continue exercising, a pastime he enjoys but was recently urged to increase when he had a medical scare that pushed him closer toward diabetes. That is why some of his first activities in retirement will revolve around vegetable gardening so he can continue his good eating habits.

“One of my first things to do is to renew my library card so I can read more about growing vegetables,” he said. “My diet now has so many more vegetables in it but I want to grow my own. I’m going to start with collards, tomatoes and mangos, and go from there.”

He also plans to take classes and workshops to bolster his farming efforts, starting with a workshop on building his own rain barrel.

Walking into retirement brings an intensity of mixed emotions for Mitchell. The people in the MCOM Office of Student Affairs have had tremendous impact on his life, he said.

“They are wonderful people to work with,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to work with some outstanding people who truly care about students, about the school. There is lots of love in this group and that will carry me for quite a while.”

While Mitchell has such fond words for USF, there are lots of people who know and love him in return. Here are words of gratitude and fond memories from several MCOM staff and faculty who have worked with Willie Mitchell over these past decades.

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“I remember as a student, it was always comforting to see Willie’s smiling face upon entering the Office of Student Affairs.  We always knew he would help us with anything we needed, even if it might have been insignificant or tedious.  Now that I am a part of the office of Student Affairs, it has been great to know that today’s students have the same thoughtful and caring resource to help them.”

Kira Zwygart, MD, (Class of 1998) Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean of MCOM Office of Student Affairs.

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“Willie Mitchell and I worked together in Student Affairs for 13 years.  Every day he brought a warm and friendly attitude to work, thus I referred to him as Mr. Sunshine.  He was the first person everyone encountered upon entering the Student Affairs Offices and he made each person feel welcomed and important.  Willie Mitchell is as fine a man as any who has worked at USF.”

Steven Specter, PhD, Associate Dean for MCOM Alumni Relations and Advancement.

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“I’ve never met anyone who has tried to improve himself and to help an institution more than Willie. It was wonderful to see him progress in his work and provide such real value to the College. And he had real impact on the students. Carolyn and I attend alumni reunions and students ask how a lot of people are doing and Willie is always at the top of the list. He really is a truly decent human being.”

Greg Nicolosi, PhD, retired USF Professor of Physiology, former Executive Associate Vice President and Interim Dean/Vice President for the USF College of Medicine and Health Sciences Center, and current member of the USF MCOM Alumni Society Board.

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“I was extremely fortunate to be able to hire Willie in our Student Affairs Office. He wasn’t hired initially to be the frontline person but it became crystal clear very quickly that his talents were with interacting with people and that’s where he needed to be. He is an incredible person. For years he took care of his mother and raised those boys and still he found time to help other people. I remember seeing a stack of brand new shoes in boxes and bags and hearing him say he was buying them for a family he met at his bus stop who didn’t have any shoes for the children. That’s who Willie is – always thinking of others.”

Carolyn Nicolosi, former Assistant Dean of Student Affairs in the USF College of Medicine and current member of the USF MCOM Alumni Society Board.

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“I remember when I was a first-year student meandering through orientation week, wide-eyed and lost as I stumbled into our Student Affairs office. Willie was the first person I saw as I came up to the front desk.  His smiling face has put countless other students like me at ease as they were finding their way through the tumult of medical school.  Willie makes MCOM feel more like home for our students.  He’s a testament to the fact that sometimes the cure to what’s ailing you is a warm smile and a gentle voice telling you that you need to focus on staying well and that everything really is going to be okay.  All students at our school can look to Willie for inspiration in his unending generosity of support. The MCOM family will deeply miss him, and the student body will do all we can to live truly to the legacy of kindness and service that he’s imparting in our community. There were 26 years of him leaving his mark on every student that walks past his desk to the murky waters beyond.  After all that, there’s a little bit of Willie Mitchell in every doctor’s office, operating room, or hospital ward of the MCOM graduate. The world is one thousand-fold better because of that legacy.”

Neil J. Manimala, MS4, Medical Student Council President.

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“I can’t imagine the student affairs office without him there. Willie was one of the first people I interacted with when I started medical school at USF. Over the 4 years of medical school, and intermittently in the years since, I have never once stepped into the student affairs office without seeing him with a big smile on his face — his positive energy is practically infectious. He is one of those unique people that has the ability to make you feel really good about yourself and brighten your day with nothing more than a caring ‘hello’ and his trademark smile. I am not sure that I could remember the specifics of a conversation with Willie, but I will never forget how those conversations always left me feeling more calm, especially during those high stress exam times. Willie always seemed to genuinely care about the medical students and was always there to help out if you needed anything.”

Nishit S. Patel, MD, (Class of 2010) Assistant Professor, Associate Program Director, and Associate Director of Clinical Research for the USF Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery.

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“Willie Mitchell is an amazing individual and it has been a blessing and honor to have worked with him.  He is my dear friend and colleague and I can’t even imagine Student Affairs without him.  His smile and kind disposition define our office.  He has served the students and the university for 38 selfless years and he and his kind and gentle disposition will be missed. He’s definitely leaving some really big shoes to fill.”

Phyllis Ridgeway, Office Manager, MCOM Office of Student Affairs.

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications

When higher education and business leaders rallied this spring to announce Graduate Tampa Bay, a campaign to boost the number of local college graduates, a new USF College of Nursing program was among those cited for helping to elevate the region’s 21^st century workforce.

USF has launched a “first-of-its-kind”  RN-to-BS degree that provides an entirely online curriculum to assist nurses with obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

With a focus on clinical practice, education, and leadership, the College of Nursing’s online program allows students the flexibility to study and learn at a time and place that’s most convenient to them. The 30-credit program can be completed in three semesters if attending full-time, and costs less than $6,000. In spring 2012, the college enrolled 50 students in the program, and another 85 were enrolled this summer.

USF President Judy Genshaft,left, with USF nursing student Cheryl Combs at the Graduate Tampa Bay event in March 2012. – photo by Eric Younghans/USF Health Communications

“We’re really trying to prepare them for not only what they’re facing now, but what they’ll be facing in the next 20 years,” said Rita F. D’Aoust, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs and interprofessional initiatives at the USF College of Nursing.

Dr. D’Aoust was quoted in a recent article about the innovative curriculum posted by 83 Degrees Media. The story also included comments by Cheryl Combs, a home health nurse currently enrolled in the online program.

“I can tell I’m going to become a better nurse,”  Combs said in the article. “A lot of the projects they’re having us do are making me better at my profession.”

To read the full article, visit the 83 Degrees website at “USF Attracts Nurses To New Degree Program, Tampa.” 

But last October, she toured USF’s soon-to-open Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS). Tour guides for the framed out space promised suites filled with state-of-the-art equipment for learning and practicing a range of medical procedures. They noted how the $38 million facility was the only one of its kind and that the 90,000-square-foot building would bring an unprecedented level of technical and teamwork training, simulation and competence assessment under one roof, as well as significant research and device innovation capability.

Lloyd Ohls and Hayley Suratt practice critical operating room skills at CAMLS.

So when USF asked her to join its CRNA program, her choice was easy, she said.

“CAMLS solidified my decision that USF is where I want to go,” said Marciano, who is currently a nurse at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. “I know the level of education I’ll receive at USF will put me way above other programs. The training I’ll get is incomparable. How can you even compare?”

Marciano is one of 33 students who will start the graduate-level course this fall. This CRNA group is the College of Nursing’s largest since it recently added 13 spaces to the 6-year-old program –a 40 percent increase from last fall. To help meet the demand, the College has added three new graduate level simulation courses and doubled its faculty.

A STRONG REPUTATION FOR QUALITY
In 2011, USF’s CRNA program received a full 10-year reaccreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. The program’s graduates have an overall licensure exam pass rate of 100 percent with a first-time pass rate of 89 percent. In addition, the program boasts an employment rate of 100 percent for its graduates.

Those milestones, coupled with the move to CAMLS, have pushed the recent surge in growth and meant a spike in the number of applications, said Erik Rauch, DNP, CRNA, assistant professor and director of the Nurse Anesthesia Concentration at the USF College of Nursing.

“Word is definitely getting out about the quality of our program and our connection with CAMLS has really put us in the national spotlight,” Dr. Rauch said. “We’re drawing a lot of interest and have seen a huge increase in the number of applications, especially from beyond our state. Nearly half of this new class of 33 is from outside of Florida, representing nine other states, as well as Guam.”

“The USF College of Nursing is nationally recognized for our cutting-edge research, and innovative educational programs,” said Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, senior associate vice president for USF Health and dean of the College of Nursing. “We are proud to have one of only 112 accredited nurse anesthesia programs in the nation. With the recent move to USF CAMLS, our nurse anesthesia faculty and students have access to world-class simulation technology, including both civilian and military patient simulators, that establishes USF as the leader for nurse anesthesia education and training in the Southeastern United States.”

THE ADVANTAGE IS THE TRAINING
Although the young CRNA program has always had simulation built into its curriculum, its new home at CAMLS offers an entirely new environment with more simulation equipment offering greater specialization, including training suites with 20 anesthesia scenarios.

CRNA student Charlotte Symonds uses CAMLS simulation to perfect skills under watchful eyes of CRNA program Director Dr. Erick Rauch and fellow student Chad Koerlin.

“USF nurse anesthesia students train on the most advanced, high-fidelity patient simulation in the nation through CAMLS,” said Rita F. D’Aoust, PhD, ANP-BC, CNE, FAANP, associate dean for Academic Affairs, director for Interprofessional Initiatives at the USF College of Nursing.

“And through CAMLS, our students also have opportunities for interprofessional experiences that will give them a decided advantage when they enter their profession. Training with those additional scenarios will help our graduates feel very comfortable when they get to a real hospital setting and the OR. And it’s not just about the scenarios, but about building and practicing strong communications and teamwork skills that will truly make the difference.”

That is exactly the feeling of Michael Lupari, who is a senior in the USF CRNA program.

“Simulation provides the backbone for training anesthetic providers by creating real-life scenarios for rehearsing common and life-threatening problems without any risk to a real patient,” said Lupari, who was a critical care nurse in Fort Lauderdale before moving to Tampa to attend USF.

“As nursing and medical education changes its paradigm to a competency-based curriculum it has become increasingly important to evaluate ability using simulation. On a much larger scale, the public has been the major impetus for these changes as they demand more qualified and competent providers in the medical industry.  One way to meet these changes head-on is through the use of simulation.”

Joanna Bailey, Lloyd Ohls, Hayley Suratt, and Chad Koerlin build important team communication skills at CAMLS

Bolstering that training are three new simulation courses the College was recently approved for and will incorporate into its curriculum starting Fall 2012.

“These new courses complement our desire to offer a unique simulation addition to our anesthesia didactic courses that are already in place,” Dr. Rauch said. “They will allow students to apply everything they are learning in their courses to a simulation operating room environment prior to ever stepping foot in a real operating room. This is a huge benefit to promoting a higher quality education and preparing the most qualified nurse anesthetists upon graduation, which ultimately equates to higher quality care and patient safety.”

A HIGH-DEMAND JOB OPPORTUNITY
A nurse anesthetist is a nurse who has acquired graduate-level education for the administration of anesthesia and is board certified.

CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered, from traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms to offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists, as well as with the U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities. CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly half of all hospitals and more than two-thirds of the rural hospitals in the United States. Nurse anesthetists also serve our country by providing 100 percent of all anesthetics for the United States Army frontline facilities.

“CRNA’s are in high demand and carry a heavy load of responsibility, but they can expect to be compensated accordingly,” Dr. D’Aoust said. “There are great job opportunities, high autonomy and responsibility, and compensation.”

“Not only do CRNA’s provide more than half of the anesthesia in the nation, they are also the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines,” Dr. Morrison-Beedy said. “At USF, we have veterans and reservist faculty in our nurse anesthesia program who bring their knowledge and skills of military health issues to train CRNA’s in high demand by all the military services.”

Training nurses for all of these environments before they graduate is the differentiating factor for the USF program. And that difference comes directly from CAMLS, Dr. Rauch said.

“Almost everything we do in the classroom will be coupled with simulation training at CAMLS,” he said. “CAMLS is now THE greatest resource in the country for nursing.”

That fact is front and center for incoming student Marciano. She said she knows her choice to go with USF will help her stand out when it comes to finding a job because the program is that much better.

“I have several friends who are heading to CRNA programs all across the country,” she said. “After hearing about my decision and about USF and about CAMLS, now they’re all saying ‘I wish I had known about that!’ “

Story by Sarah A. Worth, USF Health Office of Communications.
Photos by Ashlea Hudak, USF College of Nursing Communications.

TAMPA, FL (April 4, 2012) — Simbionix, a leading global provider of medical education and simulation training, has sponsored the first fellowship at the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS).

The one-year USF fellowship will allow students in health professions at the graduate or postgraduate levels to develop leadership in healthcare simulation education and training.  The fellowship, to begin July 1, 2012,  will be open to students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health professions.

“We are proud to support this fellowship that will cultivate leaders in medical simulation education,” said Gary Zamler, CEO of Simbionix USA Corporation.  “Our company is committed to patient safety and improving outcomes for complex medical procedures. The same is true for USF.  We’re a powerful combination.”

“We could not be more excited about the growing relationship with Simbionix and CAMLS,”  said Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “Our simulation partnership will help to transform health care by making sure health professionals are competent to use advanced technology safely and most effectively.”

Simbionix and USF Health have had a longstanding, warm and productive collaboration for more than four years, and will continue working together to achieve innovation in medical simulation.

Just one example: With the support of a grant from the U.S.-Israeli Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation, the Israeli subsidiary of Simbionix, USA Corp., and USF Health have developed the world’s most advanced  laparoscopic hysterectomy simulation module for training GYN surgeons in minimally-invasive surgery techniques.

In addition, USF Health CAMLS is among the handful of institutions worldwide designated one of Simbionix’s PROcedure Rehearsal Studio  Centers of Excellence, which allows 3D visualization for patient-specific endovascular procedures.
 

About USF Health
USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. The University of South Florida is a global research university ranked 34th in federal research expenditures for public universities.

About Simbionix USA Corporation
Simbionix is the world’s leading provider of simulation, training and education products for medical professionals and the healthcare industry. The company is committed to delivering high quality products, advancing clinical performance and optimizing procedural outcomes. Visit: www.simbionix.com

Media Contacts:
Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Public Affairs, University of South Florida
abaier@health.usf.edu or (813) 974-3303

Susan Vetrone, US Director of Marketing, Simbionix USA Corp.
susanv@simbionix.com or (216) 229-2040, Ext 180