HSC Newsletter, January 8, 2004

It's a natural fit: connect students from the USF Health Sciences Center with people and groups in the community who need our expertise.

That's the basic premise of the newly formed HSC Service Corps. The new interdisciplinary student group is sponsored by the USF Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and is designed so students in Medicine, Nursing, Public Health and Physical Therapy can participate in service activities together, said Ellen Kent, coordinator of Special Projects with AHEC. The program is based on a proposal made by associate deans from the three HSC colleges, Elizabeth Gulitz, PhD, Judith Karshmer, PhD, and Paul Wallach, MD, said Cynthia Selleck, DSN, director of the AHEC.

"The purpose of the HSC Service Corps is to find opportunities for students in all areas of the HSC to work together on specific events, as well as new ongoing projects throughout the year," Kent said.

In addition to helping groups in the community, students benefit from the HSC Service Corps, as well, Kent said.

First-year medical student Kathy Dunaj teaches studentst at Clark Elementary for the Great American Teach In, a recent event of the HSC Service Corps. Photo by Ellen Kent.

They can gain volunteer work experience, meet and network with future employers, learn about new career opportunities and even earn awards, she said. The Great American Teach In, for example, allowed 60 medical, public health and physical therapy students to tell young community members in more than 60 classes at 16 Hillsborough County public schools about the health professions and the HSC.

"The feedback we received from our students has been very positive," Kent said. "And we heard from many teachers, principals, and guidance counselors, as well as the elementary, middle and high school students, that our HSC students did a fantastic job."

In addition to the Teach In, recent examples of the HSC Service Corps in action include National Primary Care week, the CATCH health fair and free flu shots at COPH. Several one-day, short term, and ongoing, long-term service projects are being planned for the spring. HSC students are invited to learn more about the HSC Service Corps and these projects at a lunchtime HSC Service Fair from noon to 2 p.m., Feb. 2 in the courtyard near the College of Nursing. Kent said that they are always looking for new projects that are a good fit for the HSC Service Corps. Anyone with ideas is welcome to e-mail her at ekent@hsc.usf.edu or call her at 813-974-6622.

Check out www.hsc.usf.edu/ahec/hscservice_corps.html for more information.

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Construction Update

Faculty workgroups continue CEII planning

Work progresses at the HSC as construction continues on the building project's first phase, the new College of Nursing building (Critical Element I). And as fences go up and machinery hum, faculty continue to work behind the scenes planning the next phase, the Healthcare and Education Center (Critical Element II). Faculty workgroups are evaluating assessments from consultants and will make their recommendations this year to Interim Vice President for Health Sciences Robert Belsole, MD, on how to continue to grow the practice.

"The Healthcare Education Center is not a building. It's a concept. A transformation," Dr. Belsole said. "We will develop and market a state-of-the-art clinical care delivery system that is strongly linked to teaching and research. To do this, some present facilities will be maintained, others redesigned and new ones built."

The next stages of this process are critical, Dr. Belsole said, and include a number of outside factors: Legislative success, private bonding approvals, and private fundraising success.

"Congratulations will be in order if we can meet our timeline," Dr. Belsole said. "It's ambitious. One key advantage is that this building project is the number one priority for the entire USF Legislative effort. We're standing together to make this happen."

Here's how things need to happen. CEI is now underway and fully funded. For Critical Element II, USFPG bond potential is $20 to $25 million and will be decided by the end of the year. Fundraising is seeking between $10 and $25 million by 2006, PECO funding request for 2004 will be $15 million (USF's #1 legislative priority) and for 2005, the request will be $9 million. Critical Element III is the redesign of the USF Medical Clinic into education and clinical skills assessment laboratories.

USF architect Rick Lyttle said that current construction is on schedule and that the new canopy and entrance for the USF Medical Clinic should be completed by Feb. 1. At that point a construction fence will go up around the site of the new College of Nursing building and "you'll start to see the college come out of the ground," Lyttle said. In addition, Lyttle said that construction for the Children's Medical Services building will begin in March, which includes the razing of the University Dialysis Center at the corner of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and Holly Drive.

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Flu shots sell out

HSC faculty, staff and students took advantage of the free flu vaccinations last fall and the result was a "sell out." More than 800 doses of the vaccine were administered at the USF Medical Clinic to faculty, staff and students, nearly triple last year's 300 doses, said Dede Craig, ARNP, director of Health Administration for HSC.

"We're very happy to have had such a good response," she said.

Craig said vaccines for next year have already been ordered and that the number was increased. The vaccination campaign was coordinated by Anita Fisher, RN, of the USF Medical Clinic, which provided the space and staff to administer the shots, and the COM Dean's Office, which paid for the vaccine.

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COPH faculty member's Fulbright Scholar Award strengthens USF presence in Venezuela

A College of Public Health faculty member's Fulbright Scholar award has been a springboard for expands USF's presence in underserved communities in Venezuela. Wayne W. Westhoff, PhD, assistant professor and associate director for the Global Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Action at USF, was awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture and conduct research at the University of Carabobo (UC) in Valencia, Venezuela, from Sept. 2003 through May 2004. He is one of 800 U.S. faculty and professionals who have traveled abroad for the 2003-04 academic year through the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Dr. Westhoff teaches courses in health education and disaster management and conducts workshops in community health and development at UC and the Office of Civil Defense in Valencia. He is working with researchers from the host university to investigate the community's readiness for disaster and to implement a disaster surveillance plan. The Fulbright award has allowed COPH to build upon the collaborations forged the last several years between UC and USF's Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Engineering. HSC faculty are now helping UC officials develop Venezuela's first school of public health, and several USF public health students completed field placement experiences in Venezuela.

"The foundation laid by Dr. Westhoff has helped strengthen USF's global health initiative," said Ann DeBaldo, PhD, associate dean for research and international affairs at COPH. "The scholarship has been a conduit to encourage our teaching and research faculty and our students to share their knowledge and experience with other health professionals and students in Venezuela."

This fall, Dr. Westhoff obtained U.S. Embassy funding to bring more than a dozen USF health sciences faculty to UC and other universities in rural Venezuela. Starting in January, the faculty will teach short credit courses, workshops and weekend seminars on such topics as disaster management recovery, domestic violence prevention, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and tobacco prevention and control. The programs will help UC students and Venezuelan public health and civil defense professionals earn credits toward a public health degree or certificate. In addition, USF's Center for Disaster Management has begun broadcasting a series of video teleconferences on such topics as emergency management planning, disaster recovery, and terrorism to the U.S. Embassy in Caracas.

The Fulbright Program, the United States' flagship international educational exchange activity, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Fulbright Scholar recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement and the demonstration of extraordinary leadership potential in their fields.

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In the News

The Dec. 30 front page of the Tampa Tribune featured the cardiac rehab study being conducted by Theresa Beckie, PhD, assistant professor of nursing.

Third-year medical student David Winchester made the front page of the Tampa Tribune Dec. 20. He is the first USF medical student elected chair of the American Medical Association's student section.

On Bay News 9 Dec. 17, USF cardiologist Bengt Herweg, MD, described a new therapy for atrial fibrillation, a common arrhythmia of the heart, called catheter ablation.

John Sinnott, MD, director of the division of infectious diseases, discussed in a Dec. 15 St. Petersburg Times story the break down of the U.S. public care system in treating the uninsured.

Joel Strom, MD, professor of cardiology, commented in a Dec. 13 Tampa Tribune story about how rescue crews and emergency rooms and doctors treat patients with severe heart attacks.

J.K. Williams, MD, associate professor of Ob/Gyn, discussed menstruation suppression � staying on birth control longer than the typically prescribed 28-day cycle � for Ivanhoe Broadcast News, a subscription news service broadcast in 250 markets reaching 80 million U.S. households. The story was picked up by KXXV-ABC in Waco, TX; WLMT-UPN Ch. 30 and WPTY-ABC 24 in Memphis, TN; and WPTV-NBC NewsChannel 5 in West Palm Beach.

Paul Wallach, MD, associate dean of medical education, discussed teaching and testing medical students bedside manner for an Ivanhoe Broadcast News story released Dec. 1. Fourth-year medical student Kelly Chamberlain demonstrated the techniques she has learned. The story aired on WPTZ-NBC in Burlington, VT, and on WPTV-NBC NewsChannel 5 in West Palm Beach.

On Nov. 22, Dennis Ledford, MD, associate professor of allergy, asthma and immunology, discussed food allergies on WLVU 1040 AM's Talking Health Care.

By Marissa Emerson

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Mark your calendars: Mini Med is coming

The eighth year of USF Mini-Med School is set for Feb. 9, 16 and 23. Classes will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Louise Lykes Ferguson Hall. This year's topics for the free community event include the following:

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Monday, Feb. 9:
Taking Greater Responsibility for Your Health Care
� Health Education of the Future: Robert Belsole, MD, interim dean of COM and interim vice president for Health Sciences.
� Integrated Education: A Peek Behind the Curtain: Paul Wallach, MD, associate dean for medical education, and Judith Karshmer, PhD, associate dean for nursing.
� The Indoor and Outdoor Environments: How They Affect Your Health: Richard Lockey, MD, director, Div. of Allergy and Immunology.

Monday, Feb. 16:
Avoiding the "Pre's"
� Priorities and Prevention: The Obesity Epidemic and Its Consequences: Duane Eichler, PhD, professor, Dept.of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; and Frances Sahebzamani, PhD, ARNP, assistant professor, Dept. of Family Medicine.
� Recognizing and Preventing Depression: Eric Pfeiffer, MD, professor, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and founding director of the Suncoast Gerontology Center.
� Be Good to Your Heart: Theresa Beckie, PhD, associate professor of nursing, and Douglas Schocken, MD, acting director, Div. of Cardiovascular Disease.

Monday, Feb. 23:
Aging Well
� Be Good to Yourself: Positive Health and Yoga: Ann DeBaldo, PhD, professor, Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health and associate dean at COPH.
� Falls: Problems and Preventions: Patricia Quigley, PhD, ARNP, James A. Haley VA Patient Safety Center.
� Prepare Now to Die: Living Wills and Advance Directives: Jay Wolfson, DrPH, JD, professor of public health and director of the Florida Health Information Center.

Dr. Ted Williams to chair AAMC group

Ted Williams, PhD, associate dean for COM Diversity Initiatives, was elected national chair-elect for the Group of Student Affairs (GSA) Minority Affairs Section of the Association of American Medical Colleges. The election took place at the annual national meeting in Washington DC in November and comes after serving three years as chair of the Southern Region of the GSA-MAS

As chair-elect, Dr. Williams will serve in the absence of or at the direction of the current chair. He will also be responsible for planning the GSA-MAS program for the next AAMC annual meeting. His term is for two years, at which time he will become chair of the group.

"This election provides an excellent opportunity to further the national recognition profile of the USF College of Medicine and to impact medical education for minority students." Dr. Williams said.

The purpose of the GSA-MAS is to advise on issues of minority concerns at national and regional levels, help develop and implement ways to enhance recruitment, enrollment, retention and post-graduate education of minority medical students, and provide for the interchange of ideas and perceptions between minority educators and administrators and others concerned with medical education through approved AAMC channels.

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USF med student to lead AMA section

Third-year medical student David Winchester was elected the next chair of the American Medical Association Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS), a national leadership role that is a first for USF. He was elected to a one-year term in December at the AMA Interim Meeting in Honolulu, HI. Following six months as chair elect, Winchester will take over in June 2004 as chair of the largest, most influential organization of medical students in the country.

"I'm honored and humbled at this chance to serve organized medicine," Winchester said. "My hope is that the medical student section of the AMA will continue to push the envelope and keep the AMA thinking about important student issues, as well as improving the health of America by striving for better access to health care."

"David has been a leader at the USF College of Medicine and across the state through his activism on behalf of medical students and the profession of medicine," said Steven Specter, PhD, associate dean for COM admissions and student affairs.
"This is an outstanding recognition of his capabilities by his peers nationally."

Winchester has engaged in political discourse impacting physician education and practice since his first year at COM, when he was elected president of his freshman class. As president of the USF Chapter of AMA-MSS, he testified this spring at hearings before Florida legislators studying the issue of medical malpractice reform. He worked with other volunteers from the USF chapter to help elect a physician to the state House this fall. Winchester was a Governing Council member of the Florida Medical Association's Medical Student Section, and served on several FMA committees. He has been a student representative to both the FMA and AMA House of Delegates. He currently serves on the AMA-MSS Committee on Long-Range Planning. This year, Winchester received the AMA Foundation's Excellence in Medicine Award.

A native of Tallahassee, Winchester holds bachelor's degrees in microbiology and sociology from the University of Florida.

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Medical student has photographer's eye

Second-year medical student Rhonda Cooke was one of 14 semi-finalists in the 2003 USF International Photo Competition, sponsored by International Affairs, the Office of Study Abroad, and Eagle Photographic in Tampa.

The contest gave students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to share their international experiences with the community through their photography. More than 350 photos were submitted, and photographs from 14 semi-finalists were displayed during International Education Week, Nov. 17 to 21, in the William and Nancy Oliver Gallery of the Fine Arts Studio, USF Tampa Campus. International Education Week is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education.

The judges selected winning images based on the photo's artistic merit and its ability to communicate the essence of a cross-cultural experience.

Three grand-prize winners were chosen. Cooke's photo, Cremation Man, was among the remaining 11 Honorable Mentions. Cooke received $25 and her image will be framed and permanently displayed with all of the winning images in the International Affairs Department in Cooper Hall.

About her photo of a man at a cremation in Bali, Cooke offered the following:

Rhonda Cooke at the awards ceremony. Photo by Amanda Welch.

"Everyone in the entire village takes part (in the ceremony). An elaborate "hearse" is built for the deceased and decorated lavishly with fabric, flowers, and food-, and the deceased lies atop the entire construct. As the carriage is hoisted through town by six men, the people gather behind musicians and townspeople carrying a lavish array of food. At this cremation, four people carried by a huge roasted pig! After the body (and indeed the entire wooden structure) is completely burned, the village hosts a huge party, with much celebration. The entire ceremony takes the whole day.

"My photo is of the father-in-law of the deceased, who was happy to speak with me, as we waited for the body to completely burn (a process that is aided by dual gasoline torches, but still requires about two hours). I found him striking and when he consented to have his picture taken, I was only a few feet away from him. His eyes are somewhat red-rimmed from the smoke, because the family of the deceased is in charge of the burning process of the body and carrying structure and tends the bonfire at first.

"The cremation was dramatic, to say the least. My husband Gene and I were very honored to attend this sacred gathering."

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PhD alum earns FDLE award

COM Medical Sciences graduate Robyn Ragsdale was named the Forensic Scientist of the Year by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. She is a forensic scientist with the FDLE and her work has linked evidence found at crime scenes to hundreds of suspects
.
Ragsdale's job is to analyze the blood, semen or saliva samples collected from the crime scenes of homicides, sexual assaults, aggravated batteries and carjackings. She extracts DNA and tries to match it like a genetic fingerprint with others in the state's collection of more than 200,000 samples from convicted offenders, as well as with those in the FBI's database of more than 1 million samples. She earned the Forensic Scientist of the Year award primarily for her work in evaluating and researching robotic DNA evaluators, which the FDLE will begin to install next year.
Ragsdale earned her PhD degree in medical microbiology in 1990.

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Make time: Feb. 26 is HSC Research Day

Faculty and students from the Colleges of Public Health, Nursing and Medicine are are asked to submit abstracts to participate in the HSC Research Day Feb. 26. The day-long event features poster presentations of current research that line the HSC breezeways. Posters are judged by a committee of faculty members and awards are given for those rated as "superior presentations." In addition, the Watson Clinic Award is presented to a fourth-year medical student whose poster presentation is deemed outstanding.

At noon in the HSC Auditorium, the Roy H. Behnke, MD, lecture will feature Eric Green, MD, PhD. Dr. Green has his research laboratory at the Intramural Program of the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health. His research focuses on mapping and sequencing mammalian genomes and isolating genes causing human genetic diseases. The awards ceremony will follow the featured presentation at 1 p.m.

Abstracts may be submitted online at http://hsc.usf.edu. The deadline for abstract submission is Jan. 19. For more information, please contact Charmaine Disimile at cdisimil@hsc.usf.edu or call 974-5200.

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CON students give toothbrushes, vitamins, gifts to local fourth, fifth graders

When USF nursing student Jamie Underwood learned that a local holiday service program did not include fourth and fifth graders, she wanted to help. Underwood turned to her fellow nursing students who bought and collected toothbrushes, vitamins, clothes, shoes, school supplies and toys to give to 15 Oak Grove Elementary fourth and fifth graders who teachers identified as in need of these items this holiday season. Underwood's mother Susan Persebacker is lead teacher at Oak Grove Elementary, one of the local schools adopted by Sincerely, Santa � a local holiday service program that gives gifts to children in need who are in pre-kindergarten through third grade in Hillsborough County. Underwood wanted to pick up where Sincerely, Santa stopped � fourth and fifth graders. WTVT Fox 13 came to catch some of the holiday cheer. The story aired Dec. 18. Photo by Eric Younghans.

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Dr. Kailie Shaw appointed to APA residency review

Kailie Shaw, MD, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, has been appointed the American Psychiatric Association representative to the Residency Review Committee (RRC) of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)

The ACGME is responsible for accreditation of approximately 7,800 allopathic graduate medical education programs in the United States. Most of the nominees for such positions have a demonstrated track record of leadership in graduate medical education at a national level. The appointment is for three years, ending in December 2006.
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Biodefense center director named to NRC committee

The National Academy of Sciences has appointed Jacqueline Cattani, PhD, director of the USF Center for Biological Defense, to a National Research Council committee charged with establishing scientific standards and policies for decontamination of public buildings exposed to biological hazards.

Dr. Cattani, a professor of public health, was one of 16 academic and business leaders named to the committee. Members will examine the issue of appropriate cleanup levels for public facilities contaminated by exposure to harmful biological agents based on exposure and risk analysis. The committee's study is sponsored by the federal Department of Homeland Security, and its recommendations will be reported to the public following review. The National Research Council is part of the National Academies, which also include the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine.

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