TAMPA, Fla (April 8, 2022) – The board of directors for the USF Tampa General Physicians has named Mark G. Moseley, MD, MHA, FACEP, the first president of the newly formed academic medical group.  Dr. Moseley will assume the new position April 11, 2022.

“Dr. Moseley is the perfect person to serve as the president of USF Tampa General Physicians. With his deep familiarity of the faculty practice plan and decades of experience in academic health and clinical operations, Dr. Moseley will bring immense value to the role at this critical juncture,” said Charles Lockwood, MD, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “As USF Tampa General Physicians grows, Dr. Moseley’s vision and exemplary leadership will be needed to further our mission of providing unparalleled patient care to our region.”

“Dr. Moseley is the natural choice to become the inaugural leader of our new organization, one of the state’s largest academic medical groups,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “Under Dr. Moseley’s leadership, our physician groups will be more strategically aligned, allowing for enhanced collaboration between our organizations as well as our private practice physicians. Together, we will be able to increase access, improve quality and decrease costs for our patients, ultimately benefiting the Tampa Bay community, the state and beyond.”

Launched in January 2022, USF Tampa General Physicians is a new organization providing management and support services for the physicians of both USF Health and TGMG. The creation of the organization follows nearly two years of transition planning since announcing the broadened affiliation in July 2020.

Moseley joins USF Tampa General Physicians after having served at USF Health for over five years, most recently as the chief clinical officer for USF Health, associate vice president for USF Health, and vice dean for Clinical Affairs in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. He will retain his academic titles and teaching roles at USF Health.

Through coordinated services, USF Tampa General Physicians will help drive growth, improve quality, and increase access to world-class, academic medical care across the community, as well as serve as a recruiting tool for leading academic physicians from across the country. The new organization will further elevate the national reputation of both USF Health and TGH, which will help attract additional research dollars and support the economic engines of Tampa Bay’s health market.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to be a part of this first chapter of USF Tampa General Physicians,” Moseley said. “Our team members will help to power our physician practices, and provide high reliability, world-class services to our physicians, providers, and patients. USF Tampa General Physicians is the tangible manifestation of the power of TGH and USF Health working together in unison, aligned and united in advancing academic medicine and its benefits for Tampa Bay.”

In his new role at the helm of USF Tampa General Physicians, Moseley will lead the approximately 1,400 team members who have joined USF Tampa General Physicians and serve and support physicians employed by USF Health and TGMG, providing practice infrastructure, clinical management, and related operational and administrative support services. Moseley will also work with private practice physicians on staff at Tampa General to offer purchased services and management services through the new organization.

Moseley joined USF Health in January 2017 to oversee the clinical operations of the faculty practice group and all clinical care that takes place at USF Health, build strategic hospital partnerships, and lead other key areas, including quality, safety, risk, and patient experience. He is also a professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine of the Morsani College of Medicine and holds a courtesy appointment as professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management within the USF Health College of Public Health.  He also is a member of the medical staff at Tampa General.

An Ohio native and alumni of the Ohio State University College of Medicine and College of Public Health, Moseley is the first graduate of OSU’s combined five-year MD/Master of Health Administration dual degree program. He completed a residency in emergency medicine at Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Del., serving as chief resident in his final year of training. Moseley came to USF from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, where he served in numerous leadership capacities for 12 years.  Moseley was a core academic faculty member, medical director of the Emergency Department, and vice chairman for Clinical Affairs in OSU’s Department of Emergency Medicine.  His senior leadership roles at OSU were as assistant chief operating officer, medical director for Patient Flow Management, and medical director for Utilization Management.

Tampa, FL (Dec. 2, 2020) – USF Health and Tampa General Hospital have been selected as a site for a clinical trial testing the Novavax NVX-CoV2373 vaccine for COVID-19. They join over 100 research sites expecting to enroll more than 30,000 adult participants as part of the global search for a safe and effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

The USF Health/TGH research physicians are seeking more than 250 Tampa Bay area volunteers to participate in the trial; enrollment is targeted to begin in the next few weeks.

Photo courtesy of Novavax.

The Novavax Phase 3 clinical trial is evaluating NVX-CoV2373, an investigational vaccine that has shown promising results for increasing the body’s immune response to the COVID-19 virus. Clinical trials are used to develop new prevention methods and medical treatments. The research community and study volunteers are critical to demonstrate that a vaccine can reduce the number of outbreaks and deaths caused by COVID-19.

“USF Health is committed to advancing evidence-based medicine, and serving as a site for the Novavax Phase 3 clinical trial of NVX-CoV2373 is an opportunity to join the global effort of securing a successful vaccine,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “By engaging in this rigorous scientific study, USF Health will contribute to the discovery of a public health solution that can quickly and safely bring an end to this terrible pandemic. This is just the latest way in which USF Health is combating the epidemic.”

Participating in a complex vaccine trial is possible because of the infrastructure TGH and USF Health have in place as a leading academic medical center, said TGH President and CEO John Couris.

“As an academic medical center, we have the experts and the infrastructure in place to help lead research that will ultimately win the fight against COVID-19,” Couris said. “We are continuing to invest in research and innovation that will push medical discovery forward to help save the lives and health of all Floridians.”

Leading the USF Health/TGH effort as principal investigator is Carina Rodriguez, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. This study is one of the phase 3 vaccine trials supported by the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), a multisite international collaboration effort funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) that brought infectious disease experts to address the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Novavax NVX-CoV2373 vaccine and its ability to prevent COVID-19 illness in individuals 18 years and older. The trial will be inclusive of individuals at risk due to age, occupation, underlying medical conditions, and people of racial and ethnic groups who have been impacted in greater numbers by the pandemic, including African Americans, Latinx, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. We are eager to contribute to the rigorous and innovative science that is working to bring a safe and effective solution to this health threat,” Dr. Rodriguez said.

Photo courtesy of Novavax.

Two out of three people participating in the clinical trial will receive two intramuscular injections of the vaccine spaced at three weeks apart. The vaccine is designed to prevent COVID-19 by stimulating the immune response against the virus and helping to create neutralizing antibodies to fight COVID-19 infection. The remaining 1/3 of participants will receive injections of a placebo made of saline (sterile salt water) solution.

All participants will be randomly selected to receive the vaccine or placebo. Participants will be followed for 24 months post-vaccination to monitor their health and safety.

Having some people receive the investigational vaccine and others receive placebo is the best way to determine whether the vaccine is effective in preventing disease. To find out more about this clinical trial, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov

Enrollment information for participating in the USF Health/TGH COVID-19 clinical trial will be shared in the coming weeks.

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 Taneja College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and USF Health’s multispecialty physicians group. The University of South Florida is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News & World Report’s national university rankings than USF. For more information, visit health.usf.edu

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 1006-bed non-profit academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. It is one of the nation’s busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital’s footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track.  As one of the largest hospitals in Florida, Tampa General Hospital is first in the state to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost.  For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

The new office will allow the previously separate offices to combine resources and elevate their research efforts to improve health care for all Floridians

TAMPA, Fla (Nov. 30, 2020) — Tampa General Hospital and USF Health today announced the creation of a joint TGH-USF Health Office of Clinical Research to strengthen and expand current jointly conducted clinical trials, including translational studies that bridge laboratory discoveries and benefit patient care.

Both organizations are working to create Florida’s leading academic medical center dedicated to outstanding patient care, education and research. The restructuring will allow TGH and USF Health to combine resources and work together more seamlessly to initiate, operate and coordinate clinical trials looking at new ways to prevent, detect and treat disease.

“We already have established and invested in a strong foundation for clinical research,” said Tampa General President and CEO John Couris. “Combining the efforts of TGH and USF Health is the next step to elevate the world-class research we do to push forward to the edge of scientific discovery.”

“The joint office will allow for expansion of that portion of our clinical research portfolio occurring at TGH and to conduct that research with greater efficiency,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.  “A robust research portfolio is a core component of all academic medical centers – and clinical trials are an essential part of what we do to advance the science leading to evidence-based health care. We expect this joint office to streamline the clinical trial process, thereby providing greater opportunities for both hospitalized patients and outpatients to participate in leading studies investigating new treatments.”

The joint TGH-USF Health Clinical Research Office will build upon the success over the last seven months of researchers and research staff at both institutions working to collaboratively launch about 35  COVID-19 clinical trials investigating a range of diagnostics, antiviral and anti-inflammatory medications, treatment protocols, vaccines and surveillance registries. Several, such as the joint studies testing Regeneron’s combination monoclonal antibody therapy in sick people or those exposed to the virus, are part of larger national clinical trials.

Including those COVID trials, TGH and USF Health now are working together on about 350 research studies. In July, TGH and the University of South Florida signed a new clinical affiliation to further solidify one of the largest academic medical centers in Florida and build upon their longstanding relationship and commitment to improving health care in Tampa Bay.

Clifton Gooch, MD, professor and chair of neurology at USF Health, was appointed co-vice president of Clinical Trials and Translational Research, and Rachel Karlnoski, PhD, was named executive director of the joint TGH-USF Health Office of Clinical Research.

This move to better align joint clinical research includes new leadership appointments:

• Clifton Gooch, MD, and Abraham Schwarzberg, MD, were named as co-vice presidents of Clinical Trials and Translational Research for the joint office. Dr. Gooch is professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Tampa General Hospital Endowed Chair in Neurology. Schwarzberg is senior vice president of network development and chief of Oncology at TGH.

• Following a national search, Rachel Karlnoski, PhD, director of clinical research operations for USF Health, was selected to fill the new role of executive director of research. Karlnoski will report to Gooch and Schwarzberg for the oversight of all clinical studies involving both USF Health and Tampa General Hospital. She retains the position directing clinical research operations for USF Health, which she had held since 2018. For all USF Health trials except those based at TGH, Karlnoski continues reporting to Stephen Liggett, MD, vice dean for research at USF Health.

The administrative research changes will not affect USF Health’s participation in clinical studies with Moffitt Cancer Center, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital or other community and academic partners. Nor will the changes affect TGH’s partnership in clinical studies with Moffitt Cancer Center, TeamHealth, the Florida Orthopedic Institute, or other private practice physician partners.

TGH and USF sign founding document that will create a new organization dedicated to world-class patient care, education and research

Tampa, FL (July 23, 2020) — Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida today announced the formation of a new clinical affiliation, a significant milestone that will further solidify one of the largest academic medical centers in Florida and build upon their longstanding relationship and commitment to improving health care in Tampa Bay.

The enhanced affiliation enables the two organizations to align administrative and clinical practice areas into a new organization, an effort mirrored across the country as most top-ranked medical schools and hospitals move towards integrated models that bolster both academics, research and clinical care. TGH’s Board of Directors and the USF Board of Trustees previously approved the new organization, which will be jointly governed by both organizations.

The new USF and TGH focus means Tampa Bay’s best health care providers are well-positioned to deliver the cutting-edge care and innovative treatments that are a hallmark of academic medicine.

The new affiliation will benefit patients across Tampa Bay by enabling the region’s only academic medical center to provide seamless, comprehensive care for patients, said John Couris, TGH President and CEO, and Steven C. Currall, President of USF.

“This is a great day for health in Tampa Bay,” Couris said. “TGH, USF and our private practice physicians have always had the most success when working together to improve health in Tampa Bay. Now that we are more strategically aligned, we can create a powerhouse that delivers world-class health care on the west coast of Florida.”

TGH and USF have worked closely together for nearly 50 years, since the opening of the medical school in the early 1970s. This new endeavor builds on this long-standing relationship and will enable the two organizations to advance more quickly and broadly on a variety of strategic goals.

“Strengthening and expanding upon the affiliation between the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital presents extraordinary benefits and new opportunities for education, health care and research in the Tampa Bay region and beyond,” Currall said. “Our joint vision is to become one of the nation’s most outstanding academic medical centers.”

The ultimate beneficiary of this agreement is the community, as physicians from both groups are coming together to provide tightly coordinated, seamless patient care.

“As the only academic medical center in the region, USF and TGH are uniquely positioned to offer premier, nationally ranked, academically productive sub-specialty programs to enhance our residency and medical student training efforts, as well as increase academic support funding for research and enhance our growing ability to recruit top talent,” said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, senior vice president for USF and Dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “We are stronger together and we’ll offer an environment full of collaborative clinical care and research opportunities for the future physicians of Florida.

The new affiliation also will benefit the private practice physicians on staff at Tampa General Hospital by offering purchased services and management services through the new company.

“Our private practice physicians are integral partners to Tampa General Hospital and USF, and providing them the opportunity to participate in this partnership in a way that benefits their practices was a cornerstone to our agreement,” Couris said.

Next steps include launching a national search for an executive to lead the new organization and implementing clinical integration.

TAMPA, Fla. (Jun 18, 2019) — Tampa General Hospital is leasing up to 25,000 square feet of space in the new USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute building now nearing completion in downtown Tampa, creating even more synergy with the university and its primary teaching hospital.

John Couris, CEO of Tampa General Hospital, and Dr. Charles Lockwood, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.

“Tampa General Hospital is very proud of and committed to its strong relationship with USF Health,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. “This public/private partnership is an example of promoting and driving innovation, collaboration and partnerships related to the advancement of cutting-edge world-class health care and teaching the future physicians for Florida and our country.”

USF Health’s 13-story, 395,000 square foot building is scheduled to open in late 2019 in Water Street Tampa.  The building is a key anchor for the transformation of the downtown waterfront district created by Strategic Property Partners.

“We are excited to share our new space with Tampa General Hospital,” said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “Such proximity with TGH offers an environment full of collaborative clinical care and research opportunities. This is one of the many kinds of collaborative endeavors we envision for our new facility in the heart of Water Street Tampa, and with TGH, our primary partner and teaching hospital.”

Under the terms of the arrangement, Tampa General will pay $20 million to USF Health and lease space in the new building for 25 years. The first floor will feature a TGH urgent care center and an imaging center in collaboration with TGH, Tower Radiology and USF Health. TGH also will lease space on the ninth floor for future use and on the 12th floor for an executive wellness program in collaboration with USF Health. Patients will benefit from world-class care as health students and residents learn and scientists collaborate on research in these spaces.

Tampa General and USF have collaborated closely for years, partnering to provide strong education programs for students across all health disciplines and combining cutting-edge medical research with a hospital that is recognized as one of the best in Florida. The medical school’s new location in Water Street Tampa brings it closer to Tampa General and will pave the way for newer and even stronger partnerships.

“This promising new agreement solidifies our strategic partnership and paves the way for increasing partnerships,” Dr. Lockwood said. “It clearly represents another step in the journey for both of our organizations to become a premier academic health system.”

“The innovative changes happening in downtown Tampa today are spurring us to think and behave differently,” Couris said. “Our strong academic health system is developing a medical district that will complement that transformation.”

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1007-bed non-profit academic medical center, delivers world-class care as the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. It is one of the nation’s busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Advancing medicine through innovation, Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, an 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a state-certified spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation center. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

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 Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and the USF Physicians Group. The University of South Florida, established in 1956 and located in Tampa, is a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. USF ranks in the top 25 nationally for research expenditures among public universities, according to the National Science Foundation. Visit health.usf.edu for more information. 

Charles Lockwood, MD, (center) senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, with some members of the Class of 2022.

The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine’s incoming medical students donned their first white coats Friday during a ceremony at the downtown Tampa Convention Center — less than a mile from where their new 13-story medical school is rising from the ground.

The college officially welcomed 178 first-year medical students, its most impressive class yet, at the annual White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 31. These students will be among the first to inhabit the college’s new building, now under construction in Water Street Tampa, when it opens in late 2019.

The MCOM Class of 2022 is the most competitive  in the college’s history.  Of the nearly 52,000 applicants attempting to find spots in 150 allopathic medical schools this year, more than 6,000 applied to MCOM, which means that each new student’s chance of getting in was less than 4 percent.  This class attained the highest Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores on record at USF.  They also achieved the highest MCAT score in Florida, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges — with a median score in the 92nd to 93rd percentile of all undergraduates taking the exam nationally.

Dr. Lockwood addresses the new USF Health medical students.

“We are thrilled to have assembled such a brilliant group of future doctors,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, senior vice president for USF Health and MCOM dean. “We are very proud of your academic achievements and inspired to see how you will further enrich our college and university as well as the future of medicine and health care.

“The trust and bond shared between you and your patients is one of the most powerful healing agents at your disposal – use it.  It is precisely that trust and bond that is symbolized by your new white coats.”

Dr. Lockwood introduced special guest John Couris, MS, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital (TGH), the primary teaching hospital of MCOM. TGH, a main place where USF medical students and residents obtain clinical training, was a generous contributor to the this year’s White Coat Scholarship Campaign.  Beyond covering the cost of the students’ white coats,  Dr. Lockwood said, donors from the community, faculty, student families and alumni contributed more than $163,000  toward the Class of 2022 Scholarship Fund — four times as much as was raised at the first white coat scholarship drive four years ago.

Special guest speaker John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine’s primary teaching partner.

The health care industry nationwide is experiencing an unprecedented amount of disruption and change, Couris said, turning to the students from the podium.  “But, innovation, and a willingness to challenge the status quo and take risks, is going to set you apart from the rest,” he said. “You are joining an organization, both at USF and TGH, that is predicated on healing, innovation and teaching.”

Among the first-year USF Health medical students at Friday’s ceremony – a milestone on their journey to becoming practicing physicians — were Tampa Orlando Hutchens and Estelle Cervantes.

Jean Fils, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, was among the MCOM faculty members presenting students with their first white coats.

Hutchens, 26, grew up in an impoverished neighborhood in Tampa. He said he learned early that “access to care and education came at a premium,” yet with a good support system of family and friends, he overcame several obstacles that made him appreciate his entry into medical school even more.  After earning his bachelor of science degree in biomedical sciences at USF in 2014, Hutchens worked several years as a clinical research coordinator and head recruiter at a clinical trials firm specializing in mental and behavioral health, and as a clinical research data specialist at Moffitt Cancer Center.

“As soon as I was accepted by USF, I decided it was where I wanted to go without considering other offers.  I was already excited about the research and volunteer opportunities, and the top-notch quality of medical education here – so the new building downtown was icing on the cake,” Hutchens said. “It’s fantastic that we’ll be pioneers in this new era of USF’s medical school and right next to TGH where we’ll spend a lot of time in our clinical years.”

Tampa Orlando Hutchens says the research and volunteer opportunities, as well as top quality education, made USF his first choice for medical school.

Cervantes, 22, who received her bachelor of arts degree in molecular biology and biochemistry with a minor in French from Rutgers University in New Jersey, had the opportunity to go to medical school in Philadelphia – but chose USF Health’s SELECT MD program.

“I really liked that USF took my research interests into consideration during the admissions interview process,” said Cervantes, who as an undergraduate research fellow studied genes in fruit fly embryos to learn more about how cells grow.

A certified emergency medical technician who volunteered with a rescue squad, Cervantes says her world view has been shaped in part by travel and hiking in more than 100 national parks. She also enjoys amateur photography focused on scenery and wildlife.

Estelle Cervantes says she and her fellow medical students are determined to make positive changes for their future patients and the health care system.

Despite challenges confronting the U.S. health care system, she is optimistically confident that her generation of physicians will make a difference in the value of care provided.

The Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2022 is a very well-rounded, diverse group of individuals who will work well together and with students in other health professions, Cervantes said.  “Because we’re all very aware that health care is not as good as it can be, we are passionate about making change that will be meaningful for our future patients, our communities, and our profession.”

The White Coat Ceremony marks a rite of passage beginning the four years of undergraduate medical education for Cervantes, Hutchens and their classmates.

Family members and friends take photos of the medical students receiving their white coats

“We’ve all dreamed for so long about becoming medical professionals and worked so hard to get into medical school. I’m very excited to share this day with my family and friends,” Cervantes said.

“The ceremony makes you realize that becoming a doctor is really a lifelong commitment,” Hutchens said, “and that’s what I’m prepared to do.”

The ceremony featured remarks from the MCOM student council president and faculty speakers, and culminated with the Class of 2022 reciting the traditional Oath of Commitment — a promise they make to the health care profession and their patients.

Kira Zwygart, MD (’98), associate dean of student affairs for MCOM, served as the master of ceremonies.

What They Said:

“It’s a rewarding road getting to medical school, but like everything in life there will be ups and downs… so support each other. Celebrate all your accomplishments together as a class and help one another through the struggles… Put your patients first and enjoy the journey together.  These will be some of the best, most difficult, and rewarding years of your life.”

Gilbert Murimwa
Fourth-year medical student
President, MCOM Student Council

“You are surrounded by a lot of very smart people. You will differentiate yourself not by how smart you are — but by your kindness.”

Karim Hanna, MD (’14)
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine

“Everyone will attest to (the impressiveness of) their MCAT scores, but in these first two weeks I’ve been with this class I can say that they understand the importance of humanity.”

Deborah DeWaay, MD
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education
Morsani College of Medicine

“We want to recognize your family and friends for all the support they’ve given you in helping you get here today.  I ask you to give them a big round of applause.”

Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH
Vice Dean, Educational Affairs
Morsani College of Medicine

Less than a mile from the MCOM Class of 2022 White Coat Ceremony, the students’ new 13-story medical school is rising from the ground. They will be among the first to occupy the facility when it opens in late 2019.

MCOM Class of 2022 By the Numbers

178 incoming first-year students
49% women, 51% men
15%  underrepresented minorities
63% Florida residents, 37% Out-of-state

-Photos by Eric Younghans, Torie Doll and Freddie Coleman, USF Health Communications

Tampa General Hospital’s next president and chief executive officer, John Couris, officially started his new job earlier this week (Aug. 28).  Couris joins TGH from Jupiter Medical Center, a 327-bed not-for-profit hospital where he served as president and CEO since June 2010.

The TGH Board organized a CEO search committee in January 2017 and hired a consultant to conduct a nationwide search. Through an exhaustive and in-depth process, the committee interviewed numerous candidates from various backgrounds and finally decided to offer the position to John Couris because of his experience and passion in academic medicine, his knowledge of the Florida market, his executive experience and his high level of energy and enthusiasm.

John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital

“Tampa General is at a critical juncture in its continuing evolution to become a world class medical center. As the teaching hospital for USF Health, the only Level I Trauma Center on the west coast of Florida and a leading safety net hospital in the state, it is critically important that we have the best possible leadership. I am confident we will have that in John Couris,” said John Brabson, chairman of the TGH governing board. “He’s a dynamic leader with a passion for quality, innovation and excellence.”

Dr. Charles Lockwood, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, was a member of the search committee and praised the selection.

“I am very much looking forward to working with Mr. Couris,” Dr. Lockwood said. “John has shown a deep understanding of TGH and its unique role as one of the top teaching hospitals in Florida.”

Couris launched his professional hospital career in 1990 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, one of the premier academic medical centers in the country. During his nearly 10 years at Mass General, he served in various leadership positions.

He joined the BayCare system in August 2000 as a vice president at Morton Plant Mease Health Care in Clearwater. In September 2006, he was named Morton Plant Mease North Bay Hospital’s chief operating officer.

In 2010 he became the CEO and president of Jupiter Medical Center, where he forged partnerships with such notable providers as Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

Couris was involved in the formation of a clinically-integrated network with more than 300 physicians to provide high-quality, low-cost care to the community and regional businesses. He also led a $50 million expansion plan that included a $30 million investment in medical technology, a new pediatric unit, and a comprehensive cancer institute.

Couris also established a $300 million fundraising campaign for critically needed medical services, including advanced cardiac care, expanded pediatric services and comprehensive stroke care.

During his tenure at Jupiter Medical Center, the hospital earned an “A” rating from LeapFrog Group and a four star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Those performance rankings helped place Jupiter in the state’s top 10 percent of hospitals.

“It is a true honor to be selected as the next leader of TGH,” said Couris. “It is a great institution with a long history of excellence. Working together as a team, I know in my heart that TGH’s best days lie ahead, and together with USF and all the members of our medical staff, we will achieve its full potential as a world class destination for healthcare excellence.”

-Photo by Daniel Wallace, Tampa General Hospital