Corralling the details of every college activity, project and job has been greatly simplified for USF Health students with the unveiling of the new USF Health Student Portfolios.

The online software helps students from throughout USF Health collect information about every degree, award, presentation, job, research project, and activity while they are at USF Health, helping them create a personal bio sketch and CV that grows across time.

In addition to building a resume, the goal of USF Health Student Portfolios is to help students have an interactive conversation with mentors about their activities and goals, said Melissa Metzger, director of Academic Technologies and Digital Media for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

“It’s a place where students can have a back-and-forth with their mentors and counselors and fine-tune their portfolio as they progress to graduation, a process that, for medical students, can help them build the letters they use to apply for medical residencies,” Metzger said.

Another plus, Metzger said, is that the interaction is completely confidential because students and mentors are viewing the shared content via the secure Portfolios website.

“It’s all behind a log-in, so the virtual assistance is private and confidential, which isn’t the case with emails and attachments,” she said.

In addition to tracking academic experience and using the data to create customized and in-depth resumes and bio-sketches, Portfolios is accessible beyond graduation, allowing USF Health graduates to continue building on their career journeys.

Programs like Portfolios are becoming common among universities, Metzger said, especially medical schools, which will soon be required to have them by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME, the accrediting body for all U.S. medical schools) to have a system in place for students to evaluate career options and apply for residency programs.

“The good news is that we are way ahead of the requirement that is coming from the LCME,” Metzger said.

Portfolios was started in 2012 as a pilot project in the College of Public Health (COPH), in collaboration with Deanna Wathington, MD, MPH, associate dean for COPH Academic and Student Affairs, and David Hogeboom, MSPH, statistical data analyst at COPH. The goal was for COPH students to build a strong portfolio based on their degree work as they progressed toward graduation.

Portfolios quickly became the go-to place to track academic experience and has been expanded to now include all USF Health students, said Anne Jones, project manager for USF Health Information Systems, which designed and implemented Portfolios.

“A program like this is vital for student success in today’s academic settings,” Jones said. “Having a place to interact with mentors and accumulate countless details that can then be customized to fit every career need is invaluable.”

Hands-on experience with the program proved the point, as well.

“Student portfolios are a means of building your career visibility in a focused manner, avoiding duplication of efforts,” said Samuel Matos-Bastidas, a doctoral student in the College of Public Health.

“The Graduate Student Portfolio is a helpful tool to track relevant information throughout your graduate program,” said Kristin Steffen, a master’s student in the College of Public Health. “It helps me to know what competencies I am mastering as I progress through the Master’s program here in the College of Public Health.”

And the expansion to every USF Health student greater opportunities for lining up careers.

“Our curriculum reinforces the concept of developing a professional portfolio to be used as a networking tool in residency showcases, professional events and job opportunities,” said José G. León-Burgos, second-year student in the College of Pharmacy, who helped USF Health IS test the Portfolios expansion. “I think this digital portfolio will streamline the process of keeping our portfolio updated and I know that my colleagues will be very excited to start using this program.”

Mary Striby, USF Health IS assistant director of application development, was part of the team who unveiled Portfolios  to USF Health students at the grand opening of The WELL, the new student services center for USF Health students.

Some of the key features of USF Health Student Portfolios include:
• Pools all of your information to create a strong and in-depth CV.
• Allows for info from beyond the classroom, like community service, jobs, and outside activities.
• Data merges into Word so it can be rearranged to customize as needed.
• Accessible by advisors, mentors and counselors via log-in to track program progression and offer suggestions.
• Offers full access beyond graduation to continue adding career details.
• Merges with GEMS so USF teaching and research employment can be easily added.
• Offers flexibility in reporting for customized bio sketches.
• Uploads event attendance with a swipe of ID card, which instantly fills the calendar section of Portfolios.

There is no registering; every student with current USF Health account can login and start inputting information to build an academic experience portfolio.
Visit now – Portfolios.health.usf.edu

Story by Sarah Worth, photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications

With a concerted pull of the drape hiding the sign, the formal name of the USF Health student services center was unveiled: The WELL.

Several hundred staff, faculty and students from throughout USF Health gathered Jan. 16 to learn the Center’s new name and to help officially open what is now the entry point for every new USF Health student, the hub for services critical to student success, a central place for forming new and lasting collaborative inter-professional and team-focused relationships, and a place to relax between all of those endeavors.

Headlining the day was Joe Ford, assistant vice president for USF Health Shared Student Services, who shared with everyone the journey that was taken to make this student-centered facility a reality and then thanked and recognized the many people who carried it through.

“We asked these dedicated professionals and teams to think outside the box and to dream big and not be encumbered by history, precedent, personality and old ways of doing,” Ford said.

“We encouraged them to shape the future of student services at Health. We celebrate today because of your tireless energy, passion for this program, and creative vision for what an old, very dated medical clinic could become. We are giving birth today and it was worth every labor pain we experienced together during delivery. Just look at this beautiful baby. We turned an ugly duckling into a swan. It is simply amazing.”

Joining in the celebration were deans, administrators and students from all four USF Health colleges, schools and programs, members of the USF Board of Trustees, and Provosts, as well as administrators of support services from across USF.

“This collaborative space is truly a labor of love,” said Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, interim senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the USF College of Public Health. “While there were some challenges, the focus was always on the students. It is at the hub of USF Health, at the heart of Health. Every student will begin their education journey here and become part of USF Health and our community.”

“We started with our students to create an environment that not only meets their needs but is also a place for them to come together.” — Dr. Donna Petersen

One by one, student leaders from every facet of USF Health shared what such a student-centric center would mean for the entire USF Health community – Kristin Steffen from the College of Public Health, Kumar Jairamdas from the College of Nursing, Kelley Kinsella from the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Matthew Schneller from the College of Pharmacy, Lauren Terpak from the Morsani College of Medicine, and Keirsten Reilly from the School of Biomedical Sciences.

Then, with a snip of large gold scissors, a green ribbon was cut, signifying a new era for USF Health students. 

The WELL – standing for Wellness, Engagement, Leadership and Learning – was named following a contest that drew more than 200 entries and reflects the mission of USF Health, as well as serves as a metaphor: a central resource where a community can gather. The WELL is the creation of Lynne Arric, EdD, director of Student Services for the USF Health College of Pharmacy.

Designed with input from students, faculty and staff as a way to enhance services the USF Health colleges and schools currently do for students, The WELL integrate support for USF Health students in one place. The colleges occupy the main sections of the Center but are connected in a cohesive way, providing a sense of unity in the shared space.

In addition to student affairs, financial aid, and registrar services, the Center also includes computer support, USF Health Service Corps, and multiple spaces for students to meet and study, from open lounges and a computer bar to enclosed conference rooms and quiet study spaces. More than 50 staff members fill offices in this first phase of the project.

The space not only serves as a central place for students, but also brings staff together to share ideas, collaborate and work in teams.

USF Health is the Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, and the Doctors of USF Health. In total, USF Health enrolls more than 5,400 students, nearly 12 percent of the USF System student body.

USF Health students from left are Keirsten Reilly from the School of Biomedical Sciences, Kelley Kinsella from the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Kumar Jairamdas from the College of Nursing, Lauren Terpak from the Morsani College of Medicine, Matthew Schneller from the College of Pharmacy, Kristin Steffen from the College of Public Health, with USF Health Senior Vice President Dr. Donna Petersen.

The official cut was made, from left: Keirsten Reilly, Dr. William Quillen, Kelley Kinsella, Dr. Harry van Loveren, Kumar Jairamdas, Dr. Michael Barber, Lauren Terpak, Dr. Kevin Sneed, Matthew Schneller, Kristin Steffen, Dr. Donna Petersen, and Dr. Dianne Morrison-Beedy.

Story by Sarah Worth, photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications.

There was plenty of activity at the new USF Health Student Services Center as workers installed furniture in the new collaborative space, one of the final steps before support staff from all four USF Health colleges moved in Jan. 2.

Designed with input from students, faculty and staff as a way to enhance services the USF Health colleges and schools currently provide students, the project is right on schedule for its grand opening , said Joe Ford, assistant vice president for USF Health Shared Student Services.

The official unveiling of the Center, as well as the announcement the Center’s new name, which was chosen among submissions provided by students and staff, is set for noon on  Thursday, Jan. 16.

“Our first step was to truly integrate support for USF Health students from the four colleges and the physical therapy and biomedical sciences schools in one place and this new Center meets that goal and more,” Ford said.

The initial phase included a complete renovation of the front half of what was the USF Medical Clinic. The colleges occupy the main sections of the Center but are connected in a cohesive way, providing a sense of unity in the shared space.

“We wanted the groups to come together in this shared space primarily as a central place for students, but also to bring staff together to share ideas for doing much of the same types of services, and to forge new ways of working in teams,” Ford said. “We want it to be student service centered, while facilitating talking with each other to improve those services.”

In addition to student affairs, financial aid, and registrar services, the Center also includes computer support, USF Health Service Corps, and multiple spaces for students to meet and study, from open lounges and a computer bar to enclosed conference rooms and quiet study spaces. Students from throughout USF Health – including the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and the Schools of Biomedical Sciences and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences – are welcome to make use of the Center.

More than 50 staff members have filled offices in this first phase of the project. Additional phases will come later, Ford said, including proposed plans for a wellness center with a fitness center, a dining facility, and additional meeting space.

Story by Sarah A. Worth, photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications 

It’s another year of firsts and breaking records for the colleges and programs at USF Health.  Both Pharmacy and SELECT welcomed their second group of students, each more than last year’s charter classes. And both Nursing and Public Health added programs that broadened their reach to more students.

The buzz of the first day is on!

The following are some of this year’s statistics for USF’s Health incoming students.

College of Nursing
Several milestones welcomed students joining the USF College of Nursing this fall: The school admitted 190 students to its revolutionary new RN to BS program, the highest number ever admitted in a single semester; this summer marked the College reaching a total of 8,000 degrees it has granted at all levels since opening in 1975; and the College has created a first-of-its-kind Introduction to Military and Veteran Health course open to interdisciplinary students in Fall 2012.

New and returning students take a break in a College of Nursing gathering space.

 As for the incoming group of students: there are 537 starting this fall, with 120 in its core bachelor’s degree program, 190 in the new RN to BS program, 180 in its master’s program, 30 in the nurse anesthesia program (based at USF Health’s highly innovative Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation), 5 in the PhD program, and 12 in the doctorate of nursing practice program.

New baccalaureate nursing students started classes with Go Bulls!

College of Pharmacy
 USF Health’s youngest college welcomed its second cohort of students, which boasts 13 more students than in last year’s charter class to the USF College of Pharmacy. This year’s group of 66 includes 48 percent men and 52 percent women.

College of Public Health
The USF College of Public Health welcomed nearly 700 students this fall: 254 in its undergraduate program, 404 to its masters programs and 38 to its doctoral programs.

This record-breaking increase is attributed mostly to the College’s innovative online courses. This fall boasts 75 online courses (seven of which are new), with 33 graduate-level courses and 42 undergraduate-level courses. In addition, nine of the College’s 23 graduate certificates are completely online, and some master’s degree programs are all online.

The increased reach means that USF’s College of Public Health now has more than 3,700 students enrolled in its online courses.

Read more…

College of Public Health students enjoy some fresh air between classes on their first day.

 Morsani College of Medicine
USF’s medical school has once again admitted its highest number of students, with 164 future physicians. Helping to push that total up is the second group of the school’s SELECT MD program, a partnership program of the USF Morsani College of Medicine and Lehigh Valley Health Network.  This year’s group includes 120 in USF’s core MD program and 44 in the SELECT MD program (last year’s SELECT charter class had 19 students). Of the total group, 57 percent are men and 43 percent are women.

First day also meant pizza for these medical students.

School of Biomedical Sciences
 The Morsani College of Medicine PhD program is also breaking some records. The USF School of Biomedical Sciences attracted its highest number of applicants – having increased by 40 percent in the past two years – and the 20 new students joining this fall boast the School’s highest average GRE score. In addition, the School was able to secure partial or complete external (to the MCOM through USF Presidential, University Graduate and National Science Foundation fellowships) funding for nearly half of this year’s group, again a record high. The students represent all four regions of the U.S. (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, West) and five countries outside the U.S.

School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
 The USF School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences welcomed its Class of 2015, 40 students, with 28 women and 12 men. Seventy percent are from within Florida, while 30 percent are from throughout the Southeast and Midwest.

The first day has to include a run to the USF Health Bookstore.