UHI Annual Report 2020-21- FINAL

USF Health
International

MAKING LIFE BETTER—GLOBALLY

2020-2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Table of Contents

A Message From Dr. Lynette Menezes.................................................................3



Our Work Goes On.................................................................................................4



A New Partnership Develops.................................................................................5



Staying Connected.................................................................................................5.



Research Never Stops........................................................................................6. -7



A New Spin On Study Abroad............................................................................8-9



Student Experiential Learning.............................................................................1. 0



Virtual Language Exchange.................................................................................11



USF Health Research Day....................................................................................11



Global is Local......................................................................................................1. 2



Local is Global......................................................................................................1. 3



Peer Connections...Student to student conversations.....................................14



Scholar Spotlight..................................................................................................1. 5



In Their Words.......................................................................................................15



Global Emerging Diseases Institute (GEDI).......................................................1. 6



Dr. Julia Toman Continues Her Work in Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa.....16



USF Health Lead Innovative 3D Printing To Fight COVID-19...........................1. 7



Social Marketing Goes Global.............................................................................1. 7



Global Virus Network (GVN)................................................................................18



USF Institute On Microbiomes............................................................................1. 9



Making A Difference........................................................................................20-21



Interprofessional Education At USF...................................................................22



Leading Peace Corps Coverdell for the State................................................... 23



Looking Towards the Future...............................................................................24

A Message From
Dr. Lynette Menezes

The past year has been tumultuous for global programs like it has been for every sector, industry,
and community around the world. Each time we saw the light at the end of the tunnel, the journey
seemed endless. Despite the many setbacks, our friendships with committed partners remained
strong—reimagining the impossible to make it possible. We forged ahead welcoming 6 new
partners, building new friendships, and bringing our total collaborations to 92 institutions in 38
countries. We invented new ways to collaborate by creating a virtual platform to host our global
health conversation series with experts from four continents sharing knowledge with participants
around the world, overcoming the challenges of time and space to stay connected. Faculty from our
College of Nursing inaugurated three virtual study abroad programs. USF Health students built
peer-to-peer connections organizing and participating in conversations with health profession
students in Belize, Colombia, Japan, Mexico, and Spain and spearheaded a virtual medical
language exchange program. We remain grateful to our partners who graciously hosted twenty
students for virtual global health research and educational experiences. Our public health faculty
have been making a difference through their Latin Health initiative in Ecuador, Panama, and the
United States.

The pandemic reaffirmed the premise that “global is local and local is global”. Locally, alongside our
county health department's leadership, our global health faculty led the public health response for
the University and the Tampa Bay community, assisting with exposure assessments and contact
tracing, conducting surveillance testing, and predictive modeling. We educated the community with
emerging knowledge about prevention including mitigation measures and immunizations,
developed pop-up clinics to bring vaccines to the homeless, refugee, and other underserved
communities. Lastly, our global health clinical faculty led the medical response with their teams
serving thousands of patients via telehealth and outpatient clinics and saved hundreds of lives by
providing timely evidence-based care in the hospital setting and vaccinating our community. Tampa
General’s newly established Global Emerging Diseases Institute with USF Health will further our
mission of partnering with global communities to prevent and manage emerging outbreaks through
education, cutting-edge research, and clinical care.

As we venture into a new year, we remain steadfast in our mission to build the next generation of
health leaders both here and abroad. We look ahead with hope and optimism to a future where
together we will grow to deliver the best health care to all. With much gratitude and awe, I share this
annual report that highlights the inspiring work of our students, faculty, and staff with our committed
global partners under the most difficult of times.

Lynette J Menezes, PhD
Assistant Vice President
USF Health International

3

WHEN IT COMES TO
GLOBAL HEALTH,

THERE IS NO 'THEM'
ONLY 'US'

- GLOBAL HEALTH NETWORK

Our Work Goes On...

We all encountered many obstacles to our global health efforts
during this catastrophic pandemic. Yet, our students, faculty, and
staff forged ahead, innovating alongside our global partners to
deliver education, conduct research, provide clinical services and
care for our communities.

4

A New Partnership Develops...

Dr. John Adams expands our collaboration
with the Faculty of Tropical Medicine,
Mahidol University. This new partnership will
allow for student exchange and collaborative
opportunities for faculty research. Dr.
Adams collaborates with Dr. Chootong,
Mahidol Faculty of Medical Technology and
with Mahidol Oxford Research Unit on their
NIH grant in pursuit of a malaria vaccine.

92 Collaborations in 38 countries

5 New Agreements
3 Renewals
1 Clerkship Agreement

Staying Connected...

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we developed new platforms to collaborate
remotely with our partners and stay connected. These virtual collaborations are
stimulating new opportunities for both faculty and students in global health research,
virtual study abroad, COVID-19 response efforts, field experiences, and clinical
training activities.

Brazil – FEEVALE University

Colombia – Universidad del Norte

Mexico – Universidad Nacional Autonoma de
Mexico (UNAM)

Senegal – Institut Pasteur de Dakar

Thailand – Chulalongkorn University

USF Health International meets with a delegation from the Faculty United Kingdom – University of Exeter
of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand to plan Uganda – Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital
collaborative activities including clerkship exchange, faculty
teaching and sharing best practices for their new international 5
medical school

Research

Despite the many challenges caused by the pandemic, our faculty have
continued their outstanding research with their global partners. Our
researchers have leveraged the use of digital platforms to expand their
research into the digital space as well as in-person collaboration.

Dr. John Adams
Immunological Characterization of the P-vivax DBP (PI). NIH/R01
Chemogenomic Profiling of Plasmodium Falciparum Drug Responses and
Resistance (PI). NIH/R01
Evaluation of Ivermectin as an Antimalarial Therapy Against P. falciparum Liver
Stage (PI). NIH/R21
Accelerating discovery of an efficacious Plasmodium vivax multivalent multi-stage
vaccine (PI). NIH/U01
Discovering the Essential Genome of Plasmodium falciparum (PI). NIH/R01

Dr. Liwang Cui
Southeast Asia Malaria Research Center (PI). NIH/U19
Molecular mechanisms of Artemisinin Resistance with China Medical University,
China (PI). NIH/R01
Training in Malaria Research in Myanmar. NIH/D43 Fogarty

Dr. Summer Decker
Department of Justice grant with a subcontract to the University of Leicester in
England.

Dr. Loree Heller
Accurately Inferring Demographic Histories of Human Populations Using Large
Whole Genome Sequence Data (PI). NIH/R01

Dr. Richard Heller
Thermal Assisted Gene Electro Transfer to the Skin (PI). NIH/R01
Efficient Delivery of Plasmid DNA to Achieve Appropriate Transgene Expression
(PI). NIH/R01
Controlled Delivery of Plasmid DNA via Low-Temperature Ion Deposition (PI).
NIH/R01

Dr. Ben Jacob
Targeted mosquito control through spectral fingerprints (PI). Joy McCain Fdn.

6

Never Stops

Dr. Jeffrey Krischer
Data Coordinating Center for Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet (PI). NIH/U01
Follow-up on Subjects, Integrative Data Analysis and Measurement of Viral
Antibodies in the Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in Young Study (TEDDY)
(PI). NIH/U01
Follow-up on Subjects and Immunological Assessments in the Environment
Determinants of Diabetes in the Young Study (PI). NIH/UC4
Multicenter Interventional Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Early Disease Trial (MILED) –
DCC (PI). NIH/U01

Dr. Xiaoming Liu
Accurately Inferring Demographic Histories of Human Populations Using Large
Whole Genome Sequence Data (PI). NIH/R01

Dr. Jun Miao
Development of CRISPR/dCas-based Epigenetic Gene Regulation Tools in Malaria
Parasite. (PI) NIH/R21

Dr. Robert Novak
Using drones to combat malaria in Mekong River subregion in Cambodia (PI). The
Gates Fdn.

Dr. Mahmooda Pasha
The use of social marketing to reduce salt intake in four Latin American countries–
Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica and Paraguay. PAHO

Dr. Monica Uddin
Transgenerational Epigenomics of trauma and PTSD in Rwanda (Co-PI). NIH/U01
Epigenomic Predictors of PTSD and Traumatic Stress in an African American Cohort.
(PI) NIH/R01

Dr. Thomas Unnasch
Community-directed Vector Control to Enhance Mass Drug Administration for
Onchocerciasis Elimination in Uganda (PI). NIH/R01
Development of a tool kit for human filarial transfection (PI). NIH/R21

Dr. Derek Wildman
Epigenomic Predictors of PTSD and Traumatic Stress in an African American
Cohort. (Co-PI) NIH/R01

7

A New Spin

USF Health College of Nursing faculty Dr. Elizabeth Jordan, Dr. Barbara Smith,
Dr. Ivonne Hernandez, and Dr. Tiffany Gwartney have led the way in creating and
launching three virtual study abroad programs. These programs included 27 USF
students and 68 international students. Lead faculty benefited from the COIL
(Collaborative Online International Learning) training. These synchronous virtual
global engagements (VGE) allow students from multiple universities to compare
health systems and evidence-based approaches in clinical care and disaster
prevention in each country. VGE encourages cultural sensitivity while learning
new culturally appropriate interventions.

"Understanding the planning
and preparation needed for
successful disaster
management was a
meaningful experience."–
University of Stirling
student

"Working with my Scottish
partner and getting to share our
experiences about nursing
school with one another was
meaningful. It was interesting to
see the similarities and the
differences of nursing on a
personal level, let alone the
global level." – USF Health
Student

Dr. Tiffany Gwartney from the USF College of Nursing and Dr. Marianne Fairley-Murdoch from
the University of Stirling Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport worked with 13 nursing students
to compare disaster management practices between the United States and Scotland.

8

On Study Abroad

"El intercambio virtual global fue
muy valioso porque podemos
aprender entre todos temas
relacionados con la salud." –
UniNorte Student

"The global virtual exchange was
beneficial as it increased cultural
competency. First, it helps to be
able to concretely see that
differences exist in other countries
and to hear perspectives from
people who live in the country
rather than media." – USF Health
Student

"The global virtual exchange was
very valuable in learning between
different professions and
countries." – University of Exeter
Student

Dr. Ivonne Hernandez, Dr. Barbara Smith, Dr. Denise Maguire, and Dr. Elizabeth Jordan
worked alongside Dr. Nicki Saulsbury, Dr. Alison Marchbank, and Patrick Coniam from the
University of Exeter and Dr. Claudia Guevara, Fiorella Rivera, and Katherine Acuña from
Universidad del Norte, Colombia to deliver two virtual study abroad courses focused on each
country's health system and their efforts towards achieving the UN sustainable development
goals, particularly during this pandemic. More than 80 students participated.

9

Student Experiential Learning

Nine medical students from the USF Morsani College of Medicine have been
engaged in virtual research with our partners on projects related to COVID-19 in
Japan and Brazil, vivax malaria in Myanmar, and breast cancer in Mexico. At the
College of Public Health 21 MPH and MSPH students are participating in virtual
international field experiences with partners in Brazil, Panama, Lebanon, Australia,
and Thailand.

“Through imSC, I’ve been able "My virtual IFE is moving along.
to learn how to both design and We are currently finalizing a
implement a research proposal codebook, preparing to analyze
while working with mentors in study data, and find applicable
Tampa, as well as in Japan. literature to assist with writing
This opportunity has allowed my draft analysis. I am learning
me to explore international the power of collaboration
health while learning the basics to achieve public health
of how to construct a research outcomes."
project.” - LaKese Brown, MPH Student

-Matthew Udine, MSI

"In the midst of a public health "My tasks in the MPH internship
crisis, USF Health, and the imSC in are to develop public health
particular, kept their virtual doors content for the Salud Latina
open. As a medical student, I was website, that is distributed on the
provided opportunities to learn and USF public health social media
grow by doing virtual research with platforms, and also developing
mentors in the US and abroad. data collection tools. Overall, I
Virtual communication sharpened feel that the experience I'm
my professional skills as well as getting through this internship
taught me how to be proactive and with be extremely useful,
dynamic as a current student and especially for communicating
future provider." public health content."

- Catia Sleet, MSI - Suzana Lakić, MPH Student

"Recently I had the opportunity to start working with virologist experts Drs. Fernando
Spilki and Juliane Fleck of Brazil’s Universidade Feevale analyzing patient data
regarding COVID-19. It is an honor and an unparalleled educational experience to
be able to join global partnerships and work alongside esteemed and renowned
researchers and scientists towards a common goal that benefits humanity."

- Zayn Mohamed, MSIII

10

Virtual Language Exchange

USF Health’s Virtual Language Exchange (VLE) Program links students across
USF Health with students from our global partner institutions for a medical
language and cultural exchange. This new innovative program allows students
to learn practical clinical terminology in another language, but more importantly,
it gives students the confidence to use that terminology in a culturally
appropriate way. Students are paired in their first semester and can choose to
continue with their partner throughout their time at USF. Currently, 76 students
participate across three international institutions.




Inaugural Virtual Language Exchange Session "Living in Tampa, FL, the need to know
Spanish is critical, especially in healthcare. My
personal experience with the VLE program has
been fantastic; I practiced my medical Spanish
in patient interviewing skills, learned about
cultural differences in healthcare between
Mexico and the U.S., improved my Spanish
language proficiency, and connected with a
medical student from another culture. I highly
recommend this program to all medical
students seeking to become culturally
competent and compassionate physicians for
our Latino community".

- Brian Longbottom, MSI

USF Health Winner of
Medical Student Research Award, Year 3 & 4
Research Day
Christian Borton, MSIV, Morsani College of Medicine
At USF Health Research Day 2021, Faculty mentor, Maria-Carla Saleh, PhD, Pasteur Institute,
over 300 students submitted France
research posters. Many students
across USF Health presented 11
global research projects that were
conducted with international
mentors from our partner
institutions.

Global is Local...

Led by the USF COVID Taskforce Chair and Dean of Public Health, Dr. Donna
Petersen, our faculty and staff were extensively involved in the COVID-19
response and recovery including educating the community about prevention,
assisting health departments with exposure assessments, and contact tracing,
conducting surveillance testing and predictive analytics, developing 3D swabs
for diagnostics, providing clinical care and vaccinations to thousands in the
Tampa Bay community and leading numerous research projects and clinical
trials.

Dean Donna Petersen was recognized by USF President Currall
with the President's Fellow Medallion for her exemplary service
to USF, the Tampa Bay region, the state of Florida, and beyond.

Global USF Health faculty
led the response for USF

and the Tampa Bay
community

USF Health Faculty starting on top and moving clockwise.
Dr. Charles Lockwood, Dr. Christian Brechot, Dr. Tricia Penniecook,, Dr. Asa Oxner, Dr. Thomas Unnasch, Dr. Lynette
Menezes, Dr. Andrew Myers, Dr. Seetha Lakshmi, Dr. Angela Garcia, Dr. Ivonne Hernandez, Dr. Charurut Somboonwit,

Dr. Edwin Michael, Dr. Denise Maguire, Dr. Kami Kim, Dr. Douglas Holt, Dr. Summer Decker, Dr. John Sinnott.

12

Local is Global...

As the world was being crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic, USF Health
International in collaboration with the Global Virus Network hosted two virtual
Global Health Conversation Series comprising of 13 webinars on “COVID-19
Response and Best Practices Globally” during Fall 2020 and “The Impact of
COVID-19 on Global Health” in Spring 2021. Twenty-eight USF faculty,
international speakers, and moderators shared their expertise on emerging
knowledge related to diagnosis, treatment, prevention, mental health, nursing
practice, refugee health, predictive modeling, and other topics. This
conversation series invigorated us to engage with our international partners
through shared experience, highlighting the devastating impact on other global
health problems and learning from best practices worldwide. We had over
1,750 people register for our events. We are grateful to our USF speakers and
moderators, and particularly our global partners who shared their real-world
experiences on managing the COVID-response in Mexico, India, Uganda, and
Thailand.

13

Peer Connections...

Student to student conversations

USF Health students worked with our international partners to establish a Global
Health Student Conversation Series. Each session featured a conversation
between students from one of the USF Health colleges and a global partner
institution to discuss commonalities and differences in healthcare delivery. We had
over 110 students and 17 faculty members from seven universities across six
countries participate in our student conversation series.

Dr. Hoare from USF and Dr. Harris-Thurton from the University of Dr. Menezes from USF worked alongside Dr. Yamamoto and Dr. Imafuku
Belize guided USF Public Health students and Pharmacy students from from GIFU University in Japan to facilitate a discussion among medical
the University of Belize on global perspectives of fieldwork preparation students from both institutions on telehealth's augmented role in the
by universities in Belize and the U.S. across different health disciplines. healthcare systems of the United States and Japan over the course of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the future.

Dr. Oxner and Dr. Menezes, alongside Dr. Tabtieang and Dr. Dr. Hernandez from USF College of Nursing, Dr. Vazquez from Universidad
Doungkamchan, led medical students from Chulalongkorn University, del Norte (UniNorte), Colombia and Dr. Hernandez and Dr. Olvera from
Thailand, and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in a National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) led a conversation with
conversation about Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy influences and the nursing and medical students from USF, UniNorte, and UNAM about the
pandemic response in the United States and Thailand. pregnancy journey and childbirth experience.




14

Scholar Spotlight

USF Health is glad to have continued working with our international visiting
scholars throughout the 2020–2021 year. The International Scholar Spotlight
Series provides an opportunity for our medical students to interview visiting
international scholars and highlight the important research that they are
engaging in. These interviews serve not only as a warm welcome, but also as a
opportunity to increase our global reach for future research.

Apporva Ravichandran Nicholas Farrat interviewed Ivana Radosavljevic interviewed
interviewed Dr. Priyanka Bhatt Dr. Raquel Bezerra Dr. Daniel Moreira Silva

Dr. Bhatt earned her PhD from the Dr. Bezzera has earned two PhDs, the Dr. Moreira's current research focuses
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda first from Sao Paolo University and the on the analysis of the interaction
in India. She is actively working in the second from Italy. She is currently between Alzheimer's disease and
field of ocular drug delivery using novel working on molecular mechanisms to diabetes. He comes to USF Health with
nanocarrier strategies. produce and purify biochips from extensive experience on
photosynthetic organisms and look at neuropsychopharmacology, especially
the in-vitro activity of biochips. regarding Alzheimers, the
endocannabinoid system, and memory.

In Their Words...

The In Their Words Series provides an opportunity for USF Health students to
interview faculty that work in the field of global health and learn from their
experiences. Our faculty have a wide range of expertise in global health, and
part of training the future workforce is helping them gain insight into the paths
chosen by others before them.




USF Health Nursing, Medicine and Pharmacy students interview Dr. Sharlene Smith, Dr. Minal Ahson, and Dr. Angela Garcia

15

Global Emerging Diseases
Institute (GEDI)

GEDI is a new center of excellence between Tampa General Hospital and USF
Health. Led by Drs. Sinnott, Kim and Lakshmi, GEDI provides the next
generation of clinical care for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Additionally, GEDI faculty are involved in cutting-edge clinical research and plan
to work with global partners to provide trainings in infection prevention, quality
assurance and quality control, antimicrobial stewardship, and patient safety.

Dr. Julia Toman Continues her Work in
Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa

Despite the constraints of COVID, Dr. Julia Toman, Otolaryngologist,
has developed a research-focused collaboration with the African Bible
College School of Audiology in Malawi. This collaboration has
supported two research projects, pairing Malawian students with USF
Audiology students, with plans to expand to in-person clinical
experiences.
Over the past year, Dr. Toman has been working with collaborators in
Cape Town, South Africa to evaluate previous hearing health projects
to better understand barriers to seeking care. Findings from this
evaluation will be included in the new Lancet Commission report on
Otitis Media and will inform interventions for preventable hearing loss.

16

USF Health Leads Innovative
3D Printing to Fight COVID-19

Dr. Summer Decker was instrumental in developing a 3D nasal swab

design to test for COVID-19. As the pandemic began to spread, swabs

were in high demand and extremely limited in supply. Dr. Decker and a

team from the USF Health’s 3D Clinical Applications Division created an

initial design, working with Northwell Health and collaborating with

Formlabs to develop prototypes and secure materials for a 3D printed

alternative. Over the span of one week, the teams worked together to

Summer Decker, PhD develop a nasal swab prototype and test it in the USF Health and
Director of 3D Clinical Northwell Health labs. In two days, USF Health and Northwell Health,
Applications, Dept. of using Formlabs’ 3D printers developed prototypes which are now being
Radiology

Vice Chair for Research and used all around the world.
Innovation, Dept. of Radiology

Assoc Professor, College of

Medicine Radiology

Social Marketing Goes Global

Dr. Mahmooda Khaliq Pasha, Assistant
Professor of Social Marketing and Associate
Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre
on Social Marketing and Social Change at
the USF College of Public Health, is training
public health practitioners on how to apply
social marketing to their ongoing global work
and help achieve results. This new initiative
is hosted on PAHO's (Pan-American Health
Organization) virtual campus and has been
one of the most successful courses that
PAHO has had on its platform.

17

Global Virus Network

Global Virus Network (GVN) President Dr. Christian Bréchot and GVN Vice
President Linman Li, of the USF Health Division of Infectious Disease and
International Medicine, lead the new GVN Southeast U.S. Regional
Headquarters. They focus on regional efforts to expand public and private
research funding, as well as research and training initiatives. GVN
encompasses virologists from 63 centers of excellence and 11 affiliates across
35 nations, all working to prevent illness and death from viral diseases posing
threats to humanity.

Christian Brèchot, MD, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Research in Global Affairs, USF Health Morsani College of
Medicine
Associate Vice President for International Partnerships and Innovation,
USF Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
President, Global Virus Network

Linman Li, MBA, MPH, PMP, CPH
Director, GVN Southeast U.S. Regional Headquarters, USF Health
Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida
Vice President, Global Virus Network

Dr. Brechot’s Health Research & Care Blog
USF Health’s Christian Brechot, MD, PhD,
President of the Global Virus Network, and Mrs.
Linman Li, Vice President for the Global Virus
Network, share the latest on coronavirus
research and care.

Clinical Trial
Modulation of gut microbiota with NBT-NM108 for the early treatment of COVID-19 in
patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Asa Oxner, University of South Florida and Dr. Liping Zhao,
Rutgers University

18

USF Institute on Microbiomes

Based at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Dr. Christian Brechot leads
the new USF Institute on Microbiomes. This new Institute builds upon an
ambitious initiative begun two years ago and is dedicated to harnessing the vast
population of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes inhabiting our bodies
and our planet, known as microbiomes, to improve health and develop new
treatments. That USF Institute on Microbiomes has sparked interdisciplinary
collaborations across the university to better understand how this diverse
collection of microorganisms, unique to each person, might be exploited to
benefit human health. It also includes studies of marine and soil microbial
communities, which hold the potential to protect the environment by mitigating
climate change, food insecurity, and generating alternative energy sources.

International Speakers for the Institute on Microbiomes

Pierre Belichard, PhD Maria Carla Saleh, PhD
CEO, Enterome Principal Investigator, Viruses and RNAi
Unit
Department of Virology
Institut Pasteur Paris

Karine Clement, MD, PhD Laurence Zitvogel, MD, PhD
Sorbone University, INSERM UMRS Group Leader, Tumor Immunology and
NutroOmics Immunotherapy of Cancer
Faculty of Medicine Institut Gustave Roussy
European Academy of Tumor
Mathilde Gendrin, PhD Immunology
Junior Group Leader, Microbiota of
Insect Vectors Group
Institut Pasteur de la Guyane

19

Making a

USF Health is committed to working with our global partners to build local capacity. Our
partner Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda has become the referral hospital for
all COVID-19 cases in the Entebbe region. In an effort to both help with the current
emergency and long-term needs, USF Health worked jointly with Entebbe hospital to:

Install a water filtration system for the entire hospital
Build a resource center with computers and internet service to access up to date
information, in addition to hosting virtual trainings for hospital staff
Install a laboratory management software system for the hospital
Conduct an assessment of COVID-19 impact on MCH outcomes with Dr. Chris Nsereko

Installing a patient management screen Installing a water filtration system to provide portable
water to Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital

Students Leading COVID-19 Relief Efforts

International medicine scholarly concentration students (imSC), partnered with Upgrade
For Africa to assist with COVID-relief for Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital (EGH), in
Entebbe, Uganda. EGH is currently facing heartbreaking shortages in medicine, oxygen,
medical equipment and supplies, PPE, human resources, and vaccines. imSC students
were able to create a fundraising campaign, as well as organize a 5K run to benefit EGH.

20

Difference...

Although student organizations were unable to travel because of the pandemic, our
students pressed on by engaging with both local and global stakeholders to assist their
communities. Project World Health (PWH), supported by Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez, redoubled
their efforts to work virtually with their global partners in rural, Jarabacoa, Dominican
Republic. PWH was able to donate over $13,500 in medications, critical PPE, and other
supplies to local clinics, hospitals, schools, and churches in Jarabacoa.

Left photo: Residents of Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic with donations that arrived
Right photo: PWH students packing donations to be sent to their partner clinics in the Dominican Republic

Salud Latina (Latin Health Initiative)

The “Salud Latina” webinar series was conducted wholly in Spanish for the Spanish-
speaking local and global communities to discuss the current pandemic and vaccines in
Ecuador, Panama and the United States.

Dr. Dinorah Martinez-Tyson, Dr. Arlene Calvo, Dr. Ismael Dr. Reina Ortiz had eight virtual speaking engagements in Brazil,
Hoare, Dr. Abraham Salinas, and Dr. Miguel Reina-Ortiz Ecuador, Colombia, and Canada. He also co-organized a symposium
hosted a public health education series with community with Colombia and is the co-chair of ASTMH.
members in Ecuador, Panama, and the United States in
Spanish

21

Interprofessional
Education at USF

USF Health International collaborated with the Office of Interprofessional
Education and Practice to help organize the 3rd annual Interprofessional
Education (IPE) day, which included Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
(UNAM). This was the first IPE Day with international participation from a global
partner. The event focused on the globalization of infectious diseases with three
keynote speakers.

Ali S. Khan, MD, MPH
Dean and Professor of Epidemiology
University of Nebraska Medical
Center
College of Public Health

Johan Neytz, PhD
Professor of Virology
Director of Global Virus Network
Center of Excellence
University of Leuven, Belgium

Amber Gum, PhD
Associate Professor
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental
Health Institute
College of Behavioral and Community
Sciences
University of South Florida

Our IPE day included a case competition between several interprofessional cohorts of students. A panel
of experts, including our global partners at UNAM, chose the winning team for the case competition.

22

Leading Peace Corps

Coverdell for the State

Faculty across USF raise the benchmark in Florida by leading five of the eight
Coverdell Fellows programs in the state of Florida, two housed in the USF Health
Colleges of Public Health and Nursing. The College of Public health hosted six
Coverdell Fellows and the College of Nursing hosted two Coverdell Fellows. In
addition, the colleges of Arts and Science, Engineering, and the Patel College of
Global Sustainability also host a Coverdell Fellows program.

Denise Maguire Barbara Smith, PhD, Jesse Casanova, MS Patricia Roque, BA Somer Burke
PhD, RN, FAAN RN, FACSM, FAAN
Senior Associate Dean of Interim Director of Assistant Director Academic Services Administrator EdD, MPH, CPH
Alumni, Community & Global
Global Nursing Study Abroad & Experiential Learning Assistant Director
Programs Visiting Professor
Associate Professor College of Nursing International Programs College of Public Health Experiential Learning
College of Nursing
USF Health International College of Public Health

Kelly M. Gaskell, MA, MPA James Mihelcic, PhD Tara Deubel, PhD Kiki Caruson, PhD
Assistant Director of Professor of Civil and Env. Engineering Assistant Professor and Interim Vice President,
Development
Dept. of Civil & Environmental Graduate Director USF World
Patel College of Global Engineering Dept. of Anthropology
Sustainability USF College of Arts and 23
USF College of Engineering

Sciences

Looking Towards the Future

Although the pandemic is leaving behind new obstacles, we remain resolute to meet
the challenges ahead. Our successes in global virtual engagement encourage us to
incorporate more virtual offerings to our students and international trainees to bridge
the gap during this ongoing pandemic. However, we look forward with hope and
optimism to reintegrating our in-person global programs in the months ahead. These
include our:

Service-learning experiences for our student organizations
Research, field experiences, and clinical electives for USF health students and
residents
Training programs for hospital administrators and sub-specialty physicians
Clinical Observership Program for international medical graduates
Medical Student Exchange Program
Global Health Fellowship Program for graduated medical residents

Jessica Garcia, COPH student in Panama IHSC students at UNAM, Mexico

2020 Observer Jia Tang 2019 LEAD trainees visiting CAMLS

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