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 

Dr. Mehmet Oz watches as USF medical student Adam Schwartz draws from blood from a health screening participant.

USF Health was out in force to assist Dr. Oz when he visited Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute July 12 as part of his nationwide tour checking the health of key metropolitan areas, including Tampa Bay.  Nearly five dozen USF nursing, medical and public health students, with some residents and faculty, volunteered for “Dr. Oz’s 15-Minute Physical” event.   From early morning to afternoon, they helped screen pre-registered Tampa Bay area residents for potential indicators of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, enter data into laptop computers, and explain results.

Mehmet Oz, also known as Dr. Oz, is a Turkish-American cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and television personality. Starting on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004, Dr. Oz quickly became a leading health expert for a national audience, earning two Emmy Awards for his program, The Dr. Oz Show.

USF nursing student Matthew Hester pricks a finger for a blood sugar screening.

At Florida Hospital, an estimated 1,000 Tampa Bay area residents participated in the free 15-minute screenings, which measured cholesterol  and blood sugar levels as well as blood pressure, body mass index, waist size and neck circumference.  Florida Hospital, a strategic healthcare partner of USF Health, hosted the event along with Practice Fusion, a provider of free web-based electronic health records.

The USF Health volunteers, specifically trained for the 15-Minute Physical screening format, helped participants understand the results and whether they were good, borderline, or required further attention. Dr. Oz’s team is expected to analyze the cumulative results, noting averages, trends and other significant data points that will provide a “report card” on Tampa’s health.

USF nursing student Morgan Schmoll takes a waist measurement.

“It was a great opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills that our students learn in a classroom setting to patients in the community, before they are hospitalized in an acute care setting,” said Cheryl Zambroski, PhD, assistant dean of undergraduate studies at the USF College of Nursing.  “These activities help reinforce the critical need for prevention and screening to promote health in the community.”

“We greatly appreciate all of our volunteers for this collaborative service event between USF Health and Florida Hospital Tampa,” said Ellen Kent, coordinator for the USF Health Service Corps, which spearheaded the volunteer effort. “It is wonderful to see that we have had such a positive response and we thank our community partners at Florida Hospital for inviting us to participate in this amazing event!”

An estimated 1,000 Tampa Bay residents participated in the “Dr. Oz 15-Minute Physical” event at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute. USF Health students volunteered at the free health screenings.

USF nursing students Tracey Spronatti, left, and Laura McKenna, right, with VA Nurse Academy faculty member Betsy Keller.

Dr. Oz with USF medical student Adam Schwartz, Class of 2015

 Photos above by Eric Younghans/USF Health Communications
Click here to view photo album by Ellen Kent/USF Health Service Corps