The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences class of 2020

Students in the Class of 2020 for the USF School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences officially began their journey to join the health care field after receiving their white coats Oct. 19 during the Commitment to Professionalism Ceremony at the School of Music auditorium.

The class of 50 students is the largest and most geographically diverse class of Doctorate of Physical Therapy students in the history of the school.  The 31 females and 19 males making up the group come from 18 different states with an average undergraduate grade point average of 3.71.  Dr. Swisher’s message to the students was about the importance of professionalism and its role in health care.

“One of the things we recognize is that professionalism is an interprofessional enterprise and we can’t do it alone.  The best care is delivered by teams committed to each other and the common goal of professionalism,” said Laura Lee “Dolly” Swisher, PT, MDIV, PhD, FNAP, FAPTA, interim director of SPTRS.

Justin Moore, chief executive officer of the American Physical Therapy Association, was the keynote speaker for the event.  His words to the class emphasized the important role physical therapists play on the health care team.

“We are afforded the unique opportunity to change the priorities of health care especially with growing emphasis on exercise and mobility as key interventions across health care,” said Moore.  “The path you choose will make all the difference in your journey toward advancing the health care of communities and individuals.”

Several awards were also handed out to staff and students to recognize their contributions to the school and the community.

– Spirit of Interprofessionalism Award:  Teresa Gore, PhD, DNP

– Community Partner Excellence in Teaching Award: Kelly Tucker,

– Gregory R. Nicolosi Commitment to Professionalism Award: David Kroger, Class of  2019

– Vorholy Memorial Scholarship:  Sarah Norris, Class of 2018.

– Kurtzman Scholarship: Rachel Harrington, Class of 2018.

– Future Professional Scholarship: Laura Zilke, Class of 2019.

– Tiedemann Circle of Motion Scholarship: Eric Lopez, Class of 2020.

USF Health Research Day 2017 is only a few days away.

Students and faculty from all USF Health colleges, programs and disciplines are gearing up to showcase their scientific research for peers, judges and the USF community from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24, at the USF Marshall Student Center.

The 27^th annual event features well-known microbial ecologist Jack A. Gilbert, PhD, professor of surgery in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Gilbert, an expert in human microbiome research, will discuss Invisible Influence: The Microbiome and Human Health, focusing on microorganisms in natural, urban environments and their relations to human ecosystems. Dr. Gilbert said he is looking forward to speaking to future USF scientists and health professionals about revolutionary collaborative research, applying next generation sequencing technologies to learn more about the microbial interactions we share with our environment.

“Medicine, the way we treat patients and the way we understand how the body works, is undergoing through a small but important revolution,” Dr. Gilbert said. “We’re starting to understand that the body is an ecosystem of interconnected processes similar to a rainforest or a backyard. In these natural spaces, plants, animals, insects and bacteria all interact together. The body is no different. So, we’re starting to treat people as a community of organisms and find ways to fine-tune that ecosystem to help them maintain good health.”

Jack A. Gilbert, PhD, an expert in human microbiome research, will be the keynote speaker at USF Health Research Day.

To view a video about Dr. Gilbert’s work, click here.

During the event, more than 10 students will give oral presentations in the USF Marshall Student Center’s Oval Theatre, and more than 340 students, faculty and staff will display research posters in the USF Marshall Student Center’s Ballroom.

Following the presentations, USF Health will host an awards ceremony where judges will announce several winners, followed by an ice cream social for everyone in attendance.

The day-long event, led by Phillip J. Marty, PhD, associate vice president for USF Health Research, brings together researchers from across all USF Health colleges, programs and disciplines, as well as guest researchers from USF programs studying the science of health.

This is one of the biggest USF research events of the year. So, stop by to look at the work of some of the brightest researchers from USF Health.

For more information on USF Health Research Day, including access to the poster abstracts, visit http://health.usf.edu/research/past-research-days.htm

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.