inside: scholarly concentrations p2 student focus p2-3 | alumni spotlight p5 SPTRS p5 | class notes p10 calendar of events p12
the bulletin
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE ALUMNI NEWS
points of pride nn The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences is proud to welcome 34 new students to its class of 2013. After receiving 257 applications for the DPT program the office admitted the 34 slots to a class with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.73. We are all very proud of our SPTRS students and are delighted that we get to welcome another great new class with such awesome accomplishments already to date. nn On Monday August 2nd 2010 USF welcomed 120 new medical students who comprise the class of 2014. The newest entering class had an average undergraduate GPA of 3.75 and an average MCAT of 31. nn During the 2010/2011 academic year, USF College of Medicine alumni will begin hosting an alumni lecture series for current COM students. This initiative of the USF College of Medicine Alumni Board’s student programming committee, chaired by Carolyn & Greg Nicolosi, aims to bring MD alumni back to campus to teach students what they know about their specialties, current events, and life in general. If you are interested in participating please email cbrown7@health.usf.edu today! nn USF Health has received a transformational $5.66 million gift from The Patterson Foundation to launch Bringing Science Home, a model program that will develop new ways of learning and caring to help people approach their lives with chronic illnesses optimistically.
from the Board President The new College of Medicine Alumni Society Board was formed last summer. This year the board of directors has focused on creating programming that will bring alumni back and engage them with USF’s College of Medicine and their peers. We are currently in the process of planning the 2011 reunion for the classes of 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2006, as well as planning regional alumni events. And we are always looking for ways that you can get involved with medical students. We need you to help move the programs forward. As role models for future USF medicine graduates, we are beginning an alumni hosting program in which USF alumni invite current students who are either doing residency interviews Diane M. Duffy, MD or externships in their city to stay or meet with them. We are also doing a lecture series initiative in which USF COM alums come back to USF and give talks to current medical students on their specialty, newsworthy topics related to their specialty, work-life balance, and the like. We would like to be a visible presence for the students throughout their medical school years to inspire and support them. If you are interested in participating in either of these initiatives please let us know! This year we sponsored the second Alumni Path of Honor in which alumni lined the aisle at commencement as the graduates processed. This is a great way to welcome the graduates to their alumni society and hopefully inspire them to participate in the society in the future. As you all can clearly see, change is happening fast here at the USF College of Medicine Alumni Society. There are many ways, some not even listed, in which alumni and friends can get involved through the alumni society. If you are not a member of a committee and are interested in volunteering in some way I encourage you to visit medicine.usfhealthalumni.net and learn about the various ways you can get involved and then contact Christina Brown-Wujick at cbrown7@health.usf.edu. Thank you for your support of the USF College of Medicine Alumni Society. I hope to see you at a medical school reunion soon! Diane M. Duffy, MD
student focus
Scholarly Concentrations
Educational Program For Medical Students Found within the University of South Florida College of Medicine’s mission statement is the vision to actively nurture and provide for the education of medical students not only in the professional health sciences but also by making interdisciplinary education available to students by providing diverse learning opportunities. With this in mind, over the past several years the USF College of Medicine has made several changes to the traditional core curriculum. The intent is to inspire and develop students to go beyond the boundaries of the health sciences and to cultivate their unique talents and passions. The Scholarly Concentration Program at the College aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program is comprised of eight unique areas of study: Research, Public Health and Global Medicine, Business and Entrepreneurship in Medicine, Health Disparities, Medical Education, Law and Medicine, Health Systems Engineering, and Medical Humanities. The program begins January 1st of Year I of the MD program and continues throughout their medical school journey. Dr. Susan Pross, Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine at the College of Medicine and the Director of the Scholarly Concentration Program, was instrumental in forming this program. “We started the program USF COM alumni news l 2
two years ago because we are excited that the students entering the College have other interests and we want to help them cultivate those interests. Being a part of the Scholarly Concentration program is purely elective for the medical students, but the benefits of being involved will follow them throughout their personal lives and careers. Because its focus is beyond what is traditionally emphasized in medical school, it builds a connection beyond health and makes for a well-rounded physician. It’s okay if a student decides not to participate in the
Program because what is important is the opportunity to make the choice.” Concentrations continued next page…
student focus
Student Focus: Scholarly Concentrations Program When fourth-year medical student Courtney Bovee arrived at the USF College of Medicine campus, medicine was not the only subject she was excited to learn more about during her four-year journey. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Business from the University of Florida, Courtney’s continued interest in business and finance led her to apply to the College of Medicine at USF. “One of the reasons I chose USF over other medical schools was because of the Scholarly Concentration Program that was offered. The Business and Entrepreneurship Scholarly Concentration Program allows me to continue cultivating my interests in business.” Courtney along with other students involved in the Business Scholarly Concentration meet once a month to discuss a variety of business-related topics and when available interact with a guest lecturer. Courtney is a vital part of the student leadership within the concentration. She is involved with planning the meetings and selecting topics as well as guest lecturers. “We have had the
president of the American Florida Medical Association speak, we have had lectures on billing and coding. This past fall we had a three-part lecture series on the presidential campaign health reform and how it affects physicians. In a recent meeting, a panel of lawyers lectured on professional estate planning, legal issues of setting up a practice and asset protection.” said Courtney. She feels that the knowledge gained in the business arena is vital to medical students and that they will be more successful in the real world. Courtney understands that in medicine there is more to just being a doctor than helping patients and saving lives. “There’s a lot more that goes into practicing medicine, like running a staff or operating a clinic,” Courtney says. “The business concentration teaches you the things that you wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to learn until after you have graduated medical school. “ With her professional goal and desire to someday integrate her business background and her medical skills to assist the medical
profession in providing innovative, high quality and cost-effective medical care, she will be in a position to recognize those business opportunities and practices that will contribute to achieving her goal. Students are not required to be a part of a concentration, but Courtney thinks it is worthwhile and beneficial to each medical student should they choose to get involved. “I think it is such a wonderful thing. It leads to being a better-rounded physician. It’s the difference between simply practicing medicine and going beyond to provide the highest quality health care to our patients. And it is a great avenue to grow and expand your networking. I think that it is helping to create world leaders because it’s helping to grow people that are already passionate and ready to make a difference.” It will be interesting to watch Courtney Bovee and the other members of the Class of 2011 who are participating in the Scholarly Concentration Program over the years. Who will be the first to come back and lecture to a new group of students in the Program? Who will help enhance a concentration based on their experiences? Who will be recognized by their peers as an expert in not only their medical specialty but in their area of concentration? Maybe a member of the Class of 2011!
Concentrations from page 2… When the Scholarly Concentrations Program first started, faculty wondered if anyone would be willing to sign up for it, especially since it meant that the student would be adding to their workload of the MD program. “You have a tension in medical school – you have smart, creative students who want to expand their horizons, yet the workload is already so great. ” states Dr. Pross. “We were pleasantly surprised when students said that they would find time to do this. What an opportunity for passionate students to be with other passionate students and extremely devoted faculty. It’s been fabulous!”
The USF College of Medicine is not the first to have the program, but it does help to put the College on the map with other prestigious medical schools such as Duke, Brown and Stanford. “It gives the College national
prominence. We are now interacting in a leadership basis with schools throughout the country and people are sharing ideas and talking about it” says Dr. Pross.
How you can get involved The Scholarly Concentration Program at the USF College of Medicine is looking for alumni interested in getting involved in this unique program! Speakers with expertise in one or more concentration areas are needed for monthly meeting as well as one-on-one mentorships with students. If you are interested in learning more about specific needs and requirements to participate in this exciting program, please contact Dr. Susan Pross, Director of the Scholarly Concentration Program, at spross@health.usf.edu or 813-974-2065. For more information on the Program and details of the areas of concentration go to www.scholarlyconcentrations.com. volume 4 / fall 2010 l 3
alumni spotlight
Medicine through the eyes of an artist: Dr. Navid Eghbalieh Class of 2010 Alumnus, Dr. Navid Eghbalieh, has always seen the world through the eyes of an artist. He sees the world in lines and colors, light and shadow. He meets people and imagines how he would compose a painting around them. Sometimes he would rather paint than sleep. So would you be surprised to know that Dr. Eghbalieh’s painting brought him to medicine – and has helped him choose the specialty he will pursue?
for homeless people at the Santa Monica pier. Eghbalieh sketched a doctor helping a mother with three children. He came home and put the picture on his wall. And then he found he couldn’t take it down.
When Eghbalieh graduated this past May, not only did he receive his MD but he was also recognized for completing a Scholarly Concentration in Health Disparities. This particular concentration focuses on the historical and topical details of barriers for the medically underserved as well as the crosscultural issues in health care.
He began volunteering as a patient escort and shadowing doctors. As a college student at UCLA, he worked as an emergency medical technician. When he entered USF’s College of Medicine, he first thought he would become a surgeon. But then he discovered radiology. It spoke to his artistic sense. “With radiology, it was a visual approach to a diagnostic puzzle,” he said. His interest in radiology deepened as some of his family members faced medical challenges, and he saw the importance of imaging firsthand.
Since growing up in Los Angeles, he has had an ongoing interest in the homeless and other underserved populations. As a teenager, he would roam the neighborhoods and sketch homeless people. Each picture would hang on his bedroom wall for a while as he thought about what he learned from the process of converting what he saw then to what he was seeing on his wall. What did it tell him about his subjects’ experience? He’d think about it, mull it over and then the picture would make way for a new one. Sketching was a way to make sense of a world that wasn’t always easy for the Eghbalieh family. Of Greek-Persian descent, Dr. Eghbalieh was born in Iran, the youngest of three brothers. When he was six years old, his family fled the country abruptly, in fear that his oldest brother was about to be conscripted. Starting a new life in Los Angeles required his parents to work multiple jobs and the three brothers to share a bedroom. Gradually, things became better. “I was very lucky,” he said. “We were able to get to where we were because people helped us and that is important in life.” The rotating art gallery in his room ended the day Eghbalieh came across a free clinic USF COM alumni news l 4
All along his medical school journey, Dr. Eghbalieh maintained his interest in helping the homeless. He found the Health Disparities Scholarly Concentration Program would be the bridge between the pictures on his wall and the career he was pursing. As part of his project for the Program, he volunteered with homeless shelters throughout the Tampa Bay area, giving talks on preventive medicine and displaying his artwork, including a series of paintings of homeless children that he created to raise awareness about the many challenges they face. Participating in the Health Disparities Scholarly Concentration was a perfect fit for Dr. Eghbalieh because
A painting by Dr. Eghbalieh entitled “Stages” depicting orphans in Haiti along with the various stages of dealing with crisis in the human life as portrayed in each child’s face. it allowed him to continue to use his talents and pursue his passion for art during medical school. It also helped him to expand his knowledge about the medically needy and underserved populations in the Tampa Bay area and around the world and become a part of the educational process for those communities’ health concerns. Dr. Eghbalieh started his residency in June at the University of San Francisco, where he will spend a year before heading to Tulane University for his diagnostic radiology residency. And while he will be enhancing his medical skills to diagnose his patients health puzzles, you can be assured that he will also volunteer his time and use his art to help serve his local community and the world beyond. To read more about Dr. Navid Eghbalieh and view some of his paintings, visit www.artbynavid.com.
School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Services
SPTRS Commencement Lunch 2010 On Saturday May 8th, 2010 the USF School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (SPTRS) held a commencement lunch for the SPTRS class of 2010, alumni, faculty, and the graduate’s families. During the reception Dr. William S. Quillen, Associate Dean of SPTRS, recognized the graduates. The new graduates were also honored with gifts from the alumni presented by SPTRS alum, Dr. Jason Highsmith. The luncheon was a first for SPTRS alumni and we look forward to seeing more alumni participation in May 2011. Mark your calendars to attend next year’s event!
SPTRS Alumni Reception The School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences held its first ever alumni reception on Thursday April 8th 2010 at The Venue in Clearwater. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were sponsored by Supplemental Healthcare, an employer of SPTRS graduates. Alumni and faculty enjoyed an opportunity to network and reconnect with each other in an informal setting. Future events for alumni will be planned in the Tampa Bay area, so watch for your invitation to reconnect with classmates and professors!
volume 4 / fall 2010 l 5
community focus
Annual College of Medicine Scholarship Reception “Listen to your patients…Hold their hands….Look into their eyes. When you can’t cure, you have the greatest responsibility to care.” These were some of the capsules of wisdom Dr. Kiran Patel prescribed for scholarship recipients at our annual Scholarship Reception on March 2, 2010. Dr. Patel spoke fondly of his experience as a physician. Comparing the decision to pursue medicine to taking the road less traveled from Robert Frost’s renowned poem, he encouraged students that even though their medical journey would be demanding it would make all the difference if they always remembered to be good doctors. He also challenged them to participate in the life game of giving and to make contributions that leave the world a better place.
USF COM alumni news l 6
A cardiologist and founder of companies such as Wellcare and Freedom Health Plan, Dr. Patel is recognized for his leadership and philanthropy in health, education, arts and culture. He and his wife, Dr. Pallavi Patel, are strong supporters of the university and founding donors of the Kiran & Pallavi Patel Endowed Scholarship in Medicine. The annual scholarship event recognizes the generosity of donors to the College of Medicine. To illustrate the impact of their commitment Nishit Patel, a member of the Class of 2010 and one of three recipients of the Drs. Patel scholarship, briefly mentioned the science of paying for medical school and how scholarships help to alleviate the staggering debt graduates face. Equally meaningful were his stories
of medical school, which underscored how scholarships “help individuals reach their full potential.” Nishit expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of classmates who were the first in their families to attend college, much less medical school, colleagues who were trying to support a family while studying, and friends who would have to abandon a lifelong dream if weren’t for the kindness of strangers. This year, 60 scholarships totaling more than $250,000, nearly double last year’s awards, were presented to 55 students in both the doctor of medicine and medical sciences graduate programs. To learn more about supporting the cost of medical education, go to medicine.usfhealthalumni.net.
Alumni Focus
College of Medicine Volunteer Opportunities! Hosting Program One of the most important volunteer opportunities that the College of Medicine’s Alumni Board is sponsoring is the hosting program. We are seeking to build a database of alums around the country who are interested in allowing fourth year medical students to stay with them either during their residency interviews, or for the more ambitious, during externships. Approximately 120 fourth year students are interviewing around the country spending money that they don’t have on flights and hotel accommodations. If you can help USF’s fourth year students during this busy and expensive activity please contact us today!
Alumni Lecture Series One of the initiatives that students here on campus are excited about is the Alumni Board’s push to bring alumni back to campus to speak. We are looking for alums from every specialty that are willing to travel to campus, or teleconference in via Skype, to talk to current students. Lecture Series topics can cover anything from alumni speaking about their specialties and their journey to get there, to research findings, work life balance, building and managing a practice, and beyond! If you are interested in giving back with a 1-2 hour time commitment, call or email for more information.
Mentoring Program
One of the long-term goals of the Alumni Board is to develop a database of alumni who are interested in serving as mentors for current medical students. Mentoring can mean as little involvement as a note in a first years white coat and a phone call a couple of times a year for encouragement to a more specialized contract between alum and student. Before this program can get off of the ground we need a list of volunteers who are willing to reach out to current students. If you are interested in this initiative, the students are looking for you! Please direct all inquiries regarding volunteer opportunities to Christina BrownWujick at cbrown7@health.usf.edu or at 813-396-9635.
On August 13, 2010 the USF College of Medicine officially welcomed one hundred and twenty first year medical students by presenting each with their first white coat. Thank you to the 54 alumni who were the inaugural White Coat Sponsors! For more information on how you can sponsor the Class of 2015,please contact Ryan Kipp at rkipp@health.usf.edu or 813-396-9485.
volume 4 / fall 2010 l 7
student focus
Cinco de Mayo The College of Medicine Alumni Society hosted a graduation fiesta in the College of Medicine courtyard for the Class of 2010 on May 4, 2010. As the medical students kicked back and relaxed, they chatted about the exciting and hectic years that led up to their big graduation day as well as all of their plans for the future! There was lots of Mexican food, a live mariachi band, a visit from Rocky D. Bull along with a superlatives presentation given by the class presidents. The College of Medicine Alumni Society extends congratulations to the Class of 2010!
USF COM alumni news l 8
Alumni Focus
Alumni Path of Honor 2010 On May 6th, 2010, the USF College of Medicine Alumni Society held its Second Annual Alumni Path of Honor during the College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony. Our new College of Medicine Alumni Board President, Diane Duffy, led the alumni procession that lined the pathway for the graduates. Alumni relived their commencement as their new colleagues followed in their footsteps. Thank you to the alumni, faculty and staff who once again made one of our Alumni Society’s newest traditions, the Alumni Path of Honor possible. Please mark your calendars now for the 3rd Annual Alumni Path of Honor at the USF College of Medicine Commencement on May 5, 2011.
volume 4 / fall 2010 l 9
Alumni Focus
Class Notes Dr. Elisa Schuetz, ’75, is an anesthesiologist in Bristol, Tennessee. Dr. Robert Pope, ’77, is the Medical Director of the Sleep Center at the St. Mary’s Medical Center in Evansville, Indiana. Dr. William Kiser, ’78, is a Commander in the U.S. Navy at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. Dr. Steven Rothrock, ’78, is an emergency medicine physician in Winter Park, Florida. Dr. Michael Wenkstern, ’78, is an orthopedic surgeon in Martinsville, Virginia. Dr. Richard Boothby, ’80, is a gynecologic oncologist at Lakeland Regional Cancer Center in Lakeland, FL. Dr. Terry Clanton Dodds, ’80, is a pediatrician at Mulberry Pediatrics in Lenoir, North Carolina. Dr. Neil Baron, ’85, is a radiologist in Orlando, Florida.
Avery on list of powerful physician executives Dr. James Avery, ’81, is the Chief Medical Officer at Golden Living and has been named to the list of the most powerful physician executives in the nation by Modern Healthcare magazine. This honor is part of the magazine’s fifth annual ranking of the “50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare.” Dr. Avery was ranked No. 29. Modern Healthcare and its sister publication, Modern Physician, co-sponsor the annual “50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare” recognition program. The winners were selected through voting on a final ballot, for which more than 11,000 nominations were submitted. The final ballot was based on those nominations and nearly 70,000 were cast during the voting period. Modern Healthcare and Modern Physician both have articles on this honor in their issues. Congratulations, Dr. Avery!
Help us find our lost alumni! In this issue of the alumni newsletter we would like to highlight the “lost alumni” of the classes being honored at the 2011 reunion. If you know the phone numbers, email addresses, last known city, or anything else that might help us get in touch with one of your classmates please contact Christina at the alumni office at cbrown7@health.usf.edu or 813-3969635. Thank you for your help!
Dr. Stephen Burnett, ’85, is a selfemployed dermatologist in Sarasota, Florida.
Howard McVeigh, ‘76 Steven Roth Jr., ’86 Geoffrey Greene, ‘86 Corklin Steinhart, ‘86 Marc David, ‘91 James Jarvis, ‘91 John Riley, ‘91 Dennis Koselak, ‘96 Peter Kaufer, ‘96 Craig Wardell, ‘96 Theodore Turnquest, ‘96
Dr. Todd Tobiassen, ’89, is an emergency physician in Orange Beach, Alabama. Dr. Karen Westberry, ’90, is a self-employed pediatrician at Vero Pediatrics in Vero Beach, Florida. Dr. Anthony Piazza, ’92, is an assistant professor at Emory University. Dr. Aseem Shukla, ’95, is the Residency Program Director for Urology at the University of Minnesota and the Director of Pediatric Urology at the Amplatz Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. USF COM alumni news l 10
Dr. Jillian Glass, ’00, is a psychiatrist in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Liana Lera-Ayotte, ’02, is an attending in Emergency Medicine at Union Hospital in Elkton, Maryland. Dr. Jason Mensch, ’02, is an assistant professor at the University of Kansas. Dr. Brian Corliss, ’04, is a pediatrician in Cullman, Alabama.
Dr. Tiffany Harris, ’05, is an anesthesiologist in Panama City, Florida. Dr. Robert Byrne, ’06, is a RSS Surgeon in the 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment in Vilseck, Germany. Dr. Brian Derby, ’07, is a plastic surgeon in Springfield, Illinois. Dr. Natalie Kissoon, ’08, is a pediatric resident at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
2010 Reunion Weekend oveRvieW Friday, October 22
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Alumni and Family Reception at the Florida Aquarium
Saturday, October 23
REGISTRATION INFORMATION Please R.S.V.P. by Friday, October 15th Register online at: medicinehealthalumni.net then click on the 2010 reunion link!
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Alumni and Family Picnic at the uSF College of Medicine 11:30 a.m. Tours of the uSF College of Medicine 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Cocktails and dinner at the Tampa Bay History Center volume 4 / fall 2010 l 11
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE ALUMNI NEWS PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA Judy Genshaft, PhD
USF College of Medicine Alumni Society 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, MDC 70 Tampa, Florida 33612
CEO USF HEALTH DEAN, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA
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PRODUCED BY: USF Health Development & Alumni Relations University of South Florida EDITORS: Leanna Baylis, Christina Brown-Wujick, and Madison Hanshaw PHOTOGRAPHY BY: USF Health DESIGN BY: In Focus Design USF Health is dedicated to creating a model of health care based on understanding the full spectrum of health. It includes the University of South Florida’s colleges of medicine, nursing, and public health; the schools of biomedical sciences as well as physical therapy & rehabilitation sciences; and the USF Physicians Group. With more than $360 million in research grants and contracts last year, USF is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged, four-year public universities designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.health.usf.edu.
Upcoming Events October 21 SPTRS Commitment to Professionalism Ceremony October 22 APTS Golf Tournament October 22-23 COM Reunions 2010 November 7 USF Health Alumni Reception in Washington DC March 3 COM Scholarship Reception March 17 COM Match Day May 5 COM Commencement and Alumni Path of Honor May 7 SPTRS Commencement and Alumni Reception
Naples Alumni Reception On Friday June 18th, USF Health held an alumni reception at Tavern on the Bay in Naples, Florida. This event brought together alumni from the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, and College of Public Health for a chance to discuss the past, present and future of USF Health with some very special guests. The event was hosted by Cyndi Yag-Howard COM Class of 1993 and COM Alumni Board member. Dianne Morrison-Beedy, the new Dean of the College of Nursing, and Greg and Carolyn Nicolosi were special guests. The guests had a great time talking with our special guests and each other. It was amazing how alumni from the different colleges had crossed professional paths. All agreed this was the start for an
annual event in Naples. Check out the College of Medicine Alumni Society facebook page for pictures. The alumni office is planning two additional USF Health Alumni events outside of the Tampa area for the coming year. Stay tuned for the details so if you are in the area you can stop by!