A Day for Children Offers Entertainment, Health Services for Families

For more than 20 years, some 100,000 residents have attended the university’s Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital – A Day for Children. Crowds returned this year for the event, which offered free and low-cost health and wellness services, education for vision, medical, speech, behavioral, and dental health, as well as physical and occupational therapy.

It’s part of NSU’s comprehensive and longstanding commitment to research, education, and community outreach efforts that recognize healthy children are more likely to grow into healthy adults.

Demonstrating this commitment to children is NSU Health, connecting families to the care they need through a single integrated, coordinated network. NSU Health specializes in pediatric services, providing centers for children’s dental care, eye care, mental health, osteopathic manipulative medicine, and hearing care. Learn more.

Among this year’s participating partners were Broward County Libraries, Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Broward Healthy Start Coalition, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Flamingo Gardens, Florida Children’s Theatre, Hungry Howie’s Pizza, and South Florida Cloggers.

President-Elect Inducted into Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Dr. Moon

Dr. Moon in Edinburgh, Scotland

For Dr. Harry K. Moon, being named Fellow ad hominem of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd) was a capstone to a pre-eminent career of healing and helping people.

The Royal College, founded five centuries ago under a royal charter from King James IV, is the oldest surgical college in the world and now has more than 32,000 members in more than 140 countries. Dr. Moon was inducted into the college, an institution that includes the world’s most renowned surgeons, on Sept. 6.

In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Moon, Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) president-elect, executive vice president, and chief operating officer, called his induction “the honor of a lifetime.”

Dr. Moon, an internationally renowned reconstructive and plastic surgeon, has had a distinguished medical career and has been instrumental in the development of medical, research, and educational programs in South Florida for the past quarter century.

“For me, the greatest joy of medicine is taking care of the patient,” he said. “Second is the joy of expanding the perspective and horizons of young surgeons still forging their paths forward.”

Dr. Moon also addressed the graduates of the college in the ceremony’s closing speech.

“You are the future of surgery, of health care,” he said. “Outside of our care for the patient, our commitment to those who come next is and always has been critical to the progression and future of our profession.”

Royal College Fellows are expected to champion the highest standards of surgical and dental practice while also fostering the development and use of advanced technology such as virtual reality, robotics, and simulation. Certification as a Royal College of Surgeons Fellow is reserved exclusively for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Dr. Moon has led the integration of NSU’s clinical practices to create NSU Health, a university-affiliated health care network. He has been a clinical associate professor of surgery in NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2008 and is now also a professor of anatomy at NSU’s Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences.

Dr. Moon will begin his tenure as NSU’s seventh president in January 2025. View his full bio here.

TeamSTEPPS Offers Training in Health Care Teamwork May 4

NSU’s Interprofessional Simulation Institute, in partnership with NSU’s Center of Interprofessional Education and Practice, is hosting its first community health care event called TeamSTEPPS® , a training program designed to revolutionize teamwork in health care.

It is open to health care professionals in the community, as well as NSU faculty, alumni and students. The training will be offered as a Zoom session on Saturday, May 4, and presents an evidence-based approach that equips health care professionals with the tools they need to optimize patient outcomes through enhanced communication and collaboration.

Dawn Wawersik

“This event marks a groundbreaking moment for the Institute and its mission to foster a culture of excellence in interprofessional collaboration,” said Dawn Wawersik, executive director of the Institute.

Wawersik, a decorated Navy veteran and critical care nurse, joined NSU in 2023 to lead the Institute. She has worked across colleges to enhance simulation training and standardize processes. Her career includes clinical practice, simulation center leadership, and a Ph.D. in Health Professions Education and Simulation.

“TeamSTEPPS®  will empower our community to deliver the highest quality care possible,” Wawersik said.”

Space is limited. Register today.

Posted 03/29/24

NSU Hosting NSU Health Job Fair, March 9

Are you passionate about health care and looking for exciting career opportunities at NSU Health? Look no further. We’re thrilled to announce multiple job openings in the health-care industry.

Positions Available:

  • Dentist Assistants
  • Patient Access Coordinators
  • Patient Management Coordinators
  • Sterilization Techs
  • Medical Assistants

Date: Saturday, March 9

Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location: Carl DeSantis Building: 3050 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd.

Parking:  Library Parking Structure: 3051 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd.

Why Attend:

  • Connect with hiring managers from top health care facilities.
  • Discover diverse career paths in health care.
  • Participate in onsite interviews for immediate consideration.

Bring your resume and dress for success. Don’t miss this opportunity to take your health care career to the next level.

Posted 02/23/24

NSU Names Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for NSU Health

richard james

Richard James, former chief development officer for HCA Healthcare’s East Florida Division, has been named NSU’s chief strategy and operations officer for NSU Health, effective Jan. 2, 2024.

Richard James

“James will join Vice President for Clinical Operations Leonard Pounds and the NSU Health leadership team as they continue to partner with deans, providers and researchers to pursue this exciting new vision for NSU Health as a preeminent, university-affiliated health care system that offers a new standard of health care to its patients and the community,” said NSU President George Hanbury. “With Dr. Harry Moon now serving as the university’s president-elect, as well as our current executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) for the university, it was important for us to bring in a health care expert like Rick James to replace Dr. Moon’s former role as COO of NSU Health.”

“As NSU Health’s new chief strategy and operations officer, Rick will be in charge of developing and managing NSU Health’s growth and oversight, from integration of operations to exploring opportunities at regional locations to expanding clinical partnerships and new health care specialty offerings,” Dr. Moon said.

James was a key member of HCA Healthcare’s executive leadership team. He was responsible for driving business growth in a region spanning Vero Beach to Miami, including 14 hospitals, 12 ambulatory surgery centers, 98 physician practices with 400 physicians and 60 urgent care clinics with 22,000 employees and $5 billion-plus in revenue.

“I look forward to collaborating with the academic and research communities to achieve a path to preeminence for NSU Health in the years ahead, seeing it become a high-quality, self-sustaining health care system,” James said. “Working together, I believe we can further elevate NSU’s clinical operations to fuel future growth, enabling us to attract the most talented and highest quality providers, and deliver the best care for our patients.”

NSU Health has provided 20-plus years of care delivered by a nationally recognized faculty and researchers in eight health care colleges and programs, offering accessible patient-centered care. NSU Health’s services include medical, dental, vision, family therapy, hearing, mental health, occupational and physical therapy, speech-language pathology and a community pharmacy.

Posted 01/14/24

 

NSU Health Veterans Care Receives $5 million from the State

From left, President George L. Hanbury II, Dr. Leonard Pounds, Sen. Alexis Calatayud, and Executive Vice President, COO and President-Elect Dr. Harry K. Moon.

On Tuesday, Oct. 3, Florida state Sen. Alexis Calatayud came to the Alan B. Levan l NSU Broward Center of Innovation and presented a check for $5 million from the State of Florida to Nova Southeastern University’s NSU Health Veterans Care.

On hand to receive the check were Dr. Leonard Pounds, NSU’s Vice President of Clinical Operations; NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II; and Dr. Harry K. Moon, NSU’s COO, Executive Vice President, and President-Elect.

Posted 10/09/23

Interprofessional Education, Simulation to Open Gateway to Future of Health Care at NSU

For years, NSU has been raising the bar on health care in South Florida through interprofessional education and simulation. Our philosophy and practice have focused on training future professionals to interact with patients and collaborate as members of health care teams before practicing in real-life health care environments.

To enhance and expand our current world-class health care facilities, NSU Health is seizing the opportunity to put them under one roof at the future site of a brand new, standalone Interprofessional Simulation Complex, or SimCom.

This facility – spearheaded by EVP and COO Dr. Harry Moon and NSU Health – will serve as the cornerstone of NSU’s health care footprint on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus, strategically located near the health care colleges, NSU Health’s clinics, the Center for Collaborative Research, and the HCA University Hospital. The facility’s infrastructure will be used by students on campus as well as all regional campuses virtually. Slated to open in 2025, SimCom will be supported by NSU Health’s new Interprofessional Simulation Institute – led by Executive Director Dawn Wawersik. The Institute – which already oversees the administration and operations of simulation activities for the university.

These cutting-edge endeavors will culminate in a uniquely beneficial asset to NSU students, educators, and researchers across all our regional campuses, as well as the health care community and industry at large. The much smaller former Dolphins training facility building, previously considered to house SimCom, will be repurposed to address much-needed office and classroom space on campus.

Learn more about these exciting endeavors.

Posted 09/26/23

NSU to Hold Free Community Health Fair August 5

Come join us at this fun and educational event and find out how healthy you are! The medical students and faculty of the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine will be providing free health screenings for adults and children, and our NSU Health pediatricians will be providing back-to-school physicals. Backpacks, courtesy of the United Way of Broward County, will be given to those K-12 students who get a physical and/or participate in the health screenings.

  • Date and Time: Saturday, Aug. 5, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Where: Sanford L. Ziff Building, 3200 S University Drive Davie, FL
  • Registration: No appointment needed
  • Cost: Health screenings are free. Back-to-school physical is $25 (No Insurance Billing)

Posted 07/21/23

NSU Research Continues to Break New, Expanding Ground

Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D., associate provost and senior vice president for the Division of Research and Economic Development

$145 million in active grants. 170 grants. 100 different funding agencies.

“All of those numbers are record highs for the university,” said Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D., associate provost and senior vice president for the Division of Research and Economic Development (DoR). “We expose our students to genuine research, where they’re developing knowledge rather than just learning knowledge.”

NSU is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 Doctoral University with high research activity. In 2022, the National Science Foundation ranked the university 70th out of all private universities in the United States for its research efforts. And, for the first time in the school’s history, NSU received a U-Rise grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health. This $1.5-million grant funds opportunities for undergraduates to work in research labs and get paid for doing so.

In addition, research from NSU faculty and staff members and students was published 750 times during the last year—a 35 percent increase in publications from the previous year.

“The colleges, the faculty and their students, and the staff are the engines of research for the university,” said Dawson-Scully. “I’m just the person who gets to brag about all these wonderful things and gets to serve these individuals through research administration while bringing researchers together, internally or with other companies and institutions looking for collaborators.”

Dawson-Scully joined NSU in 2021. Prior to his current role, he was a professor and administrator at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). In his FAU lab, he conducted research on fruit flies to explore how to protect the brain from different types of neurodegenerations and stress. He also served as the head of institutional partnerships at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, where he developed programs partnering the world-class researchers at the institute with student trainees from FAU.

“I got to the point where, instead of developing those programs, I was managing them,” he said. “An opportunity came along at NSU to be in a leadership position and start building again. When I moved to Florida in 2008 from Canada, I didn’t know about the research profile of NSU. But, when I applied for the position in 2020, NSU had grown so rapidly, and put such an enormous investment into research, that my mind was blown, and I was excited to be a part of its exponential growth.”

The DoR administers research for the university. This includes—but is not limited to—handling patents and copyrights, assisting faculty members in finding and applying for grants, ensuring that projects are compliant, conducting clinical research, and bolstering the university’s research infrastructure at the Center for Collaborative Research.

“Our core facilities are available to every faculty and staff member within the university, and we even offer our services to the community,” Dawson-Scully said. “When research comes into the university, it helps build a better environment for teaching for our faculty and a better environment for learning for students.”

In the Campaign for Preeminence, NSU has a goal of raising $500 million in cumulative research funds by 2025. As of early March, more than $418 million—84 percent of the university’s goal—has been raised. The university continues to be on an upward trajectory for growth in research, and Dawson-Scully and his team are looking for ways to continue accelerating that growth.

NSU Health is one of the university’s research accelerators. The initiative brings the university’s clinical practices under one umbrella to enable NSU to better serve the community, give students better experiences, and increase the university’s research infrastructure.

One example of how NSU Health is accelerating research in in the work of Eduardo Locatelli, M.D., M.P.H. He sees patients who suffer from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He also runs clinical trials on new drugs that have the potential to stave off this horrible disease, and one of the drugs he was working with recently received FDA approval. The medication has the potential to double the life span of patients diagnosed with ALS.

“Locatelli’s research not only increases our clinical research profile, but also brings students at the undergraduate and graduate levels who are working with this cutting edge, clinical research,” Dawson-Scully said.

The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation is another entity that increases the university’s research capabilities. Faculty and staff members and students interact and innovate with everything from phone apps to interacting with NASA and the space foundation. The Levan Center is attracting large grants from federal agencies, as well as local, state, and county sources.

Dawson-Scully established a Changing Lives scholarship for undergraduate students who want to pursue research. Donors can also create a scholarship fund or programming endowment.

“It’s always a positive thing to be able to donate, because it’s used toward creating knowledge and giving our students that edge,” Dawson-Scully said.

For more information on research at NSU, please contact Alissa Hechter, Assistant Vice President of Development & Alumni Engagement, at (855) 792-2230 or ah833@nova.edu

Posted 07/02/23

NSU Health to Hold Annual Optical Style Show on April 5

Let’s get in a fashion-forward frame of mind. The Eye Care Institute at NSU Health is hosting its annual Optical Style Show on April 5, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will showcase top brands, such as Ray-Ban, Gucci, Prada, Versace,  Tom Ford, Rag & Bone, Kate Spade, and more. Fabulous eyeglasses are just the beginning. There’s so much more to see at the Optical Style Show: delicious bites and fun raffle prizes as you shop, eat, and score the perfect pair.

Open to the public on the 2nd floor of the Sanford L. Ziff Health Care Center, the show offers a 25% discount on all frames and lenses. * Discounts are available at all locations on show day, including the Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach locations. Prizes and giveaways are only available at the show location. Outside prescriptions are accepted. * Discounts not valid with insurance or other discounts.

Posted 03/08/23

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