As USF celebrated its first day of the fall semester, USF Health welcomed the first 53-strong charter class in its brand new College of Pharmacy.

Earlier this month, the College of Medicine saw the largest class ever begin, with 19 additional students in the SELECT program.

Ashley Connelly (left) from Tampa, and Jameica Dunscomb from the Bahamas are both entering students in the College of Nursing.

USF Health First Day Highlights

College of Pharmacy: Charter Class
Charter class includes 53 students (68% female, 32% male, and 53% Caucasian, 46% minority and 1 undisclosed ethnicity).

The USF College of Pharmacy was established in 2007. From the outset, founding Dean Kevin B. Sneed, PharmD, set out to build a program unlike that at typical pharmacy schools: One that will be a pacesetter in pharmacy curriculum and clinical experience, incorporating the 360-degree approach that, although drug research and treatment are sciences, every patient is a unique individual with distinct needs.

College of Medicine: Largest Incoming Class Ever
This year welcomed the largest incoming class in the history of the USF College of Medicine, with 139 students – 79 men and 60 women. This group includes 19 inaugural students from SELECT MD program (a partnership of USF College of Medicine and Lehigh Valley Health Network), which lead to this incoming class having the largest number of students from out of state.

College of Public Health: Influx of Undergraduates
This fall welcomed more than 300 students into the College’s newest offering: an undergraduate degree in public health, the first of its kind to be offered in Florida by an accredited college of public health. The new program resulted in a 31.23 percent increase in the number undergraduate students at COPH over last fall. Approved by the Board of Governors earlier this year, the Bachelor of Science degree program will provide the student-centered courses required for entry-level public health jobs found in government agencies, health corporations, community non-profit organizations and health care facilities.

College of Nursing: Growth and New Learning Opportunities
The College continues to address both national and statewide priorities for nursing education and easing the nursing shortage and this state’s critical need for bachelor degree prepared nurses. This fall, there are several new milestones. The College has doubled enrollment in its Doctorate of Nursing Practice program, admitting 14 students this fall. USF nursing students can now participate in a new Clinical Collaborative with Sarasota Memorial Hospital. And the College is offering bachelor students the opportunity to participate its new interprofessional education initiative, in which they work with other USF Health students, learning about each other’s role, learning together, and providing care together through the use of joint education and simulation activities.

School of Biomedical Sciences: More Diversity
College of Medicine’s PhD program saw a high level of diversity and superior credentials among their applicants. Of the 102 applications, 21 students are currently enrolled in courses, with an average GRE score of 1230 and an average GPA of 3.45. Students come from within Florida, as well as from California, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York and Virginia, as well as five international students.

School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences: Increase in Out-of-State Students
The SPTRS saw an increase in the number of students from out of state, many of whom have Florida connections and sought undergraduate degrees beyond Florida but returned for their professional education. In addition to pulling from undergraduate programs throughout Florida, many students starting in the SPTRS this fall came from out of state, including programs Purdue, Indiana, Butler, Georgia, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Michigan, Illinois State University, University of Mississippi, Tennessee Tech, Winona (MN) State.

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