Excitement, anticipation, a few tears of joy were all part of the experience at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute today as the medical students of the Class of 2027 celebrated their first official day of class.

Edwing Daniel, PhD, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine assistant dean of admissions.

The admissions team, led by Edwing Daniel, PhD, sorted through more than 5,500 applicants to select 182 of the best and brightest candidates representing a wide variety of backgrounds including (unique prior careers).  This cohort of students represents another academically strong class and the most diverse yet, with a record 23% from those groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine (URM).  The life experiences and previous careers of the class are equally diverse with students who were NCAA athletes, weightlifters, gardeners, and musicians.

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

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, gave a presentation on the book The Obstacle is the Way, which provides a framework for turning obstacles into opportunities.  He said whether in medical school or as a practicing physician, obstacles will be a mainstay in health care.  Knowing how to navigate those obstacles will be the difference between success and failure in medical school, and positive patient outcomes as a physician.

“Life is tough. Medical school is really hard. There are a lot of obstacles ahead of you.  You’re going to embrace them.  When you do, you’re going to be incredibly successful,” said Dr. Lockwood to his newest medical students.  “You’re entering, truly, one of the most noble of professions.  We have a joyous job. But it’s also one of the hardest jobs you can imagine.”

The new medical students will receive their first white coat during the Class of 2027 White Coat Ceremony Aug. 31.

Class Profile:

182 Students: 126 Core, 56 SELECT

Median GPA: 3.92

Median MCAT: 518

52% Male, 48% Female

23% Under-represented in medicine

Residency: 47% Florida, 53% Out of State

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Story by Freddie Coleman.  Photos by Freddie Coleman and Ryan Rossy.

Amy Westcott, MD, MHPE, CMD, FAAHPM, AGSF, associate professor of medicine at Penn State University College of Medicine led a two-day Stanford Clinical Teaching Program for Medical Educators at the USF Health Morsani College and Heart Institute.

A group of Tampa Bay area medical educators recently participated in a Stanford Clinical Teaching Program for Medical Educators seminar at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

Using didactic presentations, group discussions and practical application exercises, participants are more equipped to set recommendations on how to improve the clinical teaching environments of their institutions.

James Mayer, MD (left) and Andrew Galligan, MD, MS compare notes during a group activity as part of a two day Stanford Clinical Teaching Program for Medical Educators seminar held at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute.

The seminar covered five key areas:

• Defining a learning climate
• Communication goals to learners
• Identifying key approaches to promote understanding and retention
• Describing at least two teaching behaviors
• Recognizing the importance of self-directed learning

The seminar is derived from the program created by the Stanford Faculty Development Center at Stanford University. Seminars embrace the philosophy that teaching improvement programs do not have to be primarily remedial in function.  Alternatively, seminars reflect the belief that teachers of all levels of experience and expertise can benefit from an organized review of their teaching.

From the participants:

“This was such a wonderful event.  We had a diverse group of educators from multiple institutions who were able to bring their experiences and perspectives to the table. I’m hoping this becomes an annual initiative cultivating a cadre of innovative [medical] educators in the Tampa Bay area.” – Milind Kothari, DO, associate dean and vice chair of the MCOM Department of Medical Education.

“The Stanford Course was a great opportunity to sit down with other educators across MCOM’s GME and UME, and discuss best practices to reach learners. I appreciated the self-reflection time on my own style of teaching.” – James Mayer, MD, MCOM clinical curriculum and MD career advising assistant dean.

“This informative hands-on workshop helped in personal goal setting. I honed my knowledge and skills in understanding learning climate, session control, goal communications, and promotion of understanding and retention of clinical topics. This workshop also further enriched my knowledge of evaluation, feedback, and promotion of self-directed learning strategies.” – Rahul Mhaskar, MCOM Office of Research, Innovation and Scholarly Endeavors (RISE) director.

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