Tag: Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences

2023 White Coat Ceremony Welcomes Future Sonographers

Class of 2025 White Coat Ceremony

On June 20, the class of 2025 was officially welcomed into the sonography fold at the Annual White Coat Ceremony, which was held at the beautiful Tampa Bay Campus in Clearwater.

For the 20 students comprising the class of 2025, the White Coat Ceremony served as an auspicious experience that officially marked their entry into the medical profession. The White Coat Ceremony tradition will be continued with where family, faculty members, and administration members proudly watch students receive their white coats.

Posted 07/17/23

NSU Staff Member Sings National Anthem at Marlins Game

Physician assistant students, faculty, staff, and family members on the ball field

The Department of Physician Assistant (PA) and the PA new faculty and staff, traveled recently to several different retreats together. During the department’s members gathering, they listened and learned quite interesting facts of their new attending members.

Staff member Trish Gennodie sings the national anthem.

One of department’s new staff Trish Gennodie, is one of the PA clinical support team. They listened and learned that she currently of her unknown talent, the passionate to sing and had started a YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVwHjRkdvjc. She continued to say, that one of her countless desires in her life is to perform in-front of a large crowd.

Therefore, the PA department wanted to make her dream real and reached out to the Florida Marlins. They sent to the Florida Marlins team coordinator’s one of Gennodie videos; in addition, they asked if she may perform in one of their upcoming game’s U.S. National Anthem renditions. Surprisingly soon after that, the Florida Marlins game coordinator, contacted the PA department and said, that they would be excited to have her perform in one of their upcoming game, Miami Marlins vs. Kansas City Royals on June 7 at 6:30 p.m.

PA student Olivia Castallanos delivers the lineup card to the head umpire with Florida Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker.

The Department of Physician Assistant members pitch-in and rallied the PA students, faculty and staff members, and families. There was over 100 that attended and supported Gennodie and the Florida Marlins team. 

What a performance she gave the audience! 

In addition to, the PA faculty members, were able to get a few of the PA group members down on the field to snap a picture for the group members along with one PA second-year student, Olivia Castallanos, to deliver the lineup card to the head umpire with Florida Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker. 

Posted 07/16/23

PCHCS Director Appointed to Editorial Board

Moya L. Alfonso, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.

Moya L. Alfonso, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., director of the Health Sciences Ph.D. and D.H.S. programs and associate professor, was recently appointed to the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Public Health at https://www.apha.org/Publications/American-Journal-of-Public-Health.

As an editorial board member, Alfonso will help to determine policy for the journal and address publishing issues as they emerge. The journal is a top tier journal in the public health field and has been published for more than 100 years. She is proud to serve in this professional capacity in addition to her role as director.

Posted 06/18/23

Audiology Department Attends Orlando Special Olympics Games

The Special Olympics of Florida Summer Games returned this May for the first time in three years. A large part of the State Games includes the Healthy Athlete program, which provides those athletes with free health screenings, treatment, and access to necessary medical devices and education. The 2023 Summer Games provided the athletes with over 3,500 screenings across multiple disciplines ranging from vision, fitness, dental, and hearing, just to name a few.

From right, Karah Gottschalk, assistant professor of audiology; Jackie Davie, audiology professor; and Au.D. students, class of 2027, Kathryn Dziwulski, Tamara Blemur, Amanda Cole, Taylor Morales, Katelyn Jacobsen, and Carly Kosciolek, in front of Disney ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida.

Healthy Hearing has been a part of the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete program for many years, and the NSU Department of Audiology, has played an active role in the Healthy Hearing program since 2010.  This year was no exception. Jackie Davie, Ph.D., NSU audiology professor, and South Florida regional coordinator for Healthy Hearing program helped organize and run the event. She was joined by eight NSU Doctor of Audiology program students and fellow faculty member, Karah Gottschalk, Au.D., Ph.D., NSU audiology assistant professor, who all volunteered for the 2023 Summer Games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando. The NSU students were joined by fellow audiology and speech pathology graduate and undergraduate students from across the state. In total, nearly 40 students and ten audiologists helped with the event.

Five hundred and twenty-five athletes had their hearing screened over the two-day event. In addition, about 100 athletes received ear cleanings thanks to faculty member Gottschalk and several of our students, while over 25 were identified as having significant hearing loss that can be helped with the use of hearing aids. The athletes with significant hearing loss were provided with vouchers through the Starkey Cares program. This program provides the athletes with free hearing aids and follow-up care. One athlete returned to the NSU Audiology clinic shortly after the games, where she was fit with her own hearing aids thanks to the Starkey Cares program.

Taylor Morales, Au.D. students, class of 2027, and Special Olympics athlete after a hearing screening.

The Healthy Athletes program can only continue to provide help to the underserved athletes and individuals with intellectual disabilities with the help of medical professionals and students. In addition, students gain valuable experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities. The reward of service not only benefits the athletes, but it also benefits the volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer with the Healthy Athletes program, feel free to contact faculty member, Jackie Davie at Jackie.davie@nova.edu, for additional information.

Posted 06/18/23

Audiology Heads to ‘The Hill’ for Advocacy Day 2023

On May 19, 2023, 12 Doctor of Audiology students from Nova Southeastern University traveled to Capitol Hill, accompanied by three faculty members, Patricia Gaffney, Au.D., Alyssa Needleman, Ph.D., and Erica Friedland, Au.D., to advocate for the profession of audiology and raise awareness for current legislation affecting the field.

The Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) advocacy day was in coordination with the American Academy of Audiology (AAA). AAA organized 11 meetings with the offices of senators and representatives from the home states of the students. The group of students represented Florida, Minnesota, Delaware, Massachusetts, and California. Advocating on Capitol Hill was a first for eight of the students who attended this year with the remaining four also participating in an advocacy day in Tallahassee in March 2023. The NSU SAA chapter strongly believes that promoting hearing health, spreading healthcare awareness, and participating in advocacy opportunities are necessary to become more involved.

NSU SAA’s government relations chair, Tyler Sponder, coordinated with Susan Pilch, of the American Academy of Audiology’s Government Relations department, to ensure NSU would have a strong voice on the Hill. The student advocates attended meetings in groups with one student as primary, which allowed each participant to independently have a voice and bring their personal stories to the table. Ally’s Act (H.R. 477/S.41), the Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act, and the soon to be introduced Medicare Audiology Access and Improvement Act were emphasized during each meeting.

Each student had the opportunity to share how these critical issues are contributing positively and/or negatively to the audiology profession. The students expressed that this trip encouraged them to feel empowered. They stated that they will continue to advocate in the future as well as help audiology remain well-represented on Capitol Hill.

The students and faculty members would like to thank everyone involved in the planning of this trip and those who contributed to its success. The doctoral students had a great time expressing their voices for their future profession.

Posted 06/04/23

Speech Language Pathology Brings Clinical Training to Classroom

A recording of our Virtual Patient (VP) male patient (top photo), and two SLP students working with their VP in a Zoom session.

In summer 2022, Fred DiCarlo, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor and director of academic and faculty support, started implementing a pilot assignment, the Virtual Patient Education (VPE) activity in his course, SLP 6055, Dysphagia, in collaboration with Laura Lenkey, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, adjunct professor at Radford University in Virginia.

The VPE activity recently was implemented into all sections of SLP 6055. This course activity examines virtual intervention strategies and virtual platforms utilized to facilitate graduate student pedagogy, while the students engage with virtual patients.

For example, the students are assigned volunteer virtual patients, who previously had dysphagia. This provides the students with an opportunity to link theory to clinical practice. Course survey information completed by the students who took part in the VPE activity during the past three semesters indicated positive outcomes.

Posted 05/21/24

National Study Focuses on Oral Health of Hispanics

Dr. Elías Morón presenting in 2023 national Oral Health Conference.

With the great support from CareQuest Institute of Oral Health and the Hispanic Dental Association, Part 1 of the white paper “Addressing the Oral Health Needs of Hispanics in the U.S.: An Exploration of Oral Health Status, Dental Needs, Utilization of Dental Services, and Workforce” has been published.

Dr. Elías Morón, D.D.S., M.P.H., M.H.L., M.H.S.M., was one of the principal investigators of this project and he was representing Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine and the Hispanic Dental Association at symposiums for the 2023 National Oral Health Conference (NOHC)  on April 19, 2023, in Orlando, Florida.

This white paper:

  • Provides an overview of the current data in several oral health areas related to Hispanics.
  • Shows important trends in oral health status and utilization of dental services.
  • Shows diversity trends in dental education and dental workforce influencing U.S. Hispanic populations.
  • Shows the data gaps at the national and state levels which do not allow analyzing the current context in oral health in specific Hispanics groups and other minorities.
  • Identifies the relevant data to develop policies supporting oral health for our minorities communities.
  • Includes recommendations for policy changes to improve health and quality of life for Hispanics in the United States.

Two non-profit organizations have come together to run a national study on Hispanics and other minorities in the area of oral health through the collaboration of Dr. Eva Chiang (NSU College of Dental Medicine), Dr. Alina Perez (professor at the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences), and Dr. Katherine Velasco (starting faculty position at NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus in June 2023), National Research Advisors, National Faculty Advisers, International Research Advisers, Dental Students Leaders, and Minority Leaders in Public Health who participated in different phases of analysis and recommendations.

Posted 05/21/23

NSU CREATE Launches Dental Photographic Exhibit

From left, Sandrine Gaillard-Kenney, Ed.D., Brianna Black Kent Ph.D., Heidi Schaeffer, M.D., and Guy M. Nehrenz, Sr., Ed.D., M.A., RRT

On April 20, 2023, The NSU Coalition for Research and Education Against Trafficking and Exploitation (CREATE) opened the photographic dental exhibition “Trauma-informed Care Through the Lens of Survivors,” at the NSU Alvin Sherman Library. The exhibition presented recent research findings through a visual display of photography.

CREATE was funded by NSU Quality of Life Faculty Community Based Applied Research Grant in July 2022 with the Nancy J. Cotterman Center as its Community partner. The research explored Human Trafficking Survivor’s experiences of the delivery of trauma-informed dental services.

This exciting event gathered over 60 members of the NSU community as well as advocates and leaders of the Anti-Trafficking movement. Heidi Schaeffer, philanthropist, and longtime advocate for trafficked victims generously gave $25,000 through the Heidi Schaeffer Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward to continue her support of CREATE in delivering services to survivors.

The photographic exhibit remains on display on the second floor of the Alvin Sherman Library through May 7, 2023. We hope you will take the time to visit the exhibition and learn about the impact of trauma-informed dental care for Survivors of Human Trafficking.

Posted 05/09/23

NSU’s Graduate and Online Programs Shine in Latest National Rankings

The 2023 U.S. News & World Report higher education rankings are out, and Nova Southeastern University continues to be ranked among the nation’s best in several important categories.

The “Best Graduate Schools” category includes NSU’s highly ranked physician assistant program (M.M.S. in Physician Assistant) offered in Fort Lauderdale through the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences.

NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law topped the U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Schools” list for its highly regarded “Health Care Law,” “Legal Writing,” and “Trial Advocacy” programs, and both the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine and Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine were recognized as national leaders in “Diversity” among the “Best Medical Schools.”

The “Best Online Programs” category features NSU’s information technology program (M.S. in Information Technology) offered through the College of Computing and Engineering, and nursing (M.S.N.) program offered through the Ron & Kathy Assaf College of Nursing, which earned high national rankings.

“As NSU continues to forge ahead in its path to preeminence, such national recognitions are a product of a culture dedicated to providing top-notch educational opportunities and innovative academic and research programs on its many campuses,” said NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. By collecting school data annually, U.S. News & World Report presents the most current figures on enrollment, job placement, faculty and other critical quality indicators that help prospective students make informed decisions.

NSU routinely has been ranked among the best by U.S. News & World Report. University-wide, in 2022-2023, NSU was recognized as a top “National University,” a “Best Value School,” and among the best colleges for “Social Mobility.”

Graduate Student Awarded ‘Changing Lives Scholarship’

Ashley Turner, 2023 winner of the “Make the Most of the Dash” and Ashley Hess legacy scholarship.

Many people knew and loved Ashley Kaye Hess, a cheerleader, dancer, teacher, and NSU speech-language pathology master’s candidate, before she was killed in a tragic car accident on May 14, 2016, at the age of 28.

On May 14, 2023, Ashley Turner, B.A., shall be awarded the 2023 “Make the Most of the Dash and Ashley Kaye Hess Changing Lives Scholarship.”

Ashley Turner is currently a graduate student at Nova Southeastern University pursuing her master’s degree in speech-language pathology. She is the current NSU SLP NSSLHA chapter president.

She received her bachelor’s degree from University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Fla., in Pre-K Primary Education (Age 3- Grade 3). She worked for Broward County Public Schools for 10 years ending in June 2022 so she can complete her SLP clinical rotations.

Ashley has a special interest in working in augmentative and alternative communication especially with children with autism and adults with ALS.

Posted 05/07/23

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