COM Outlook Winter 2019

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 3 On July 28, Nova Southeastern University made history by hosting the first combined D.O./M.D. White Coat Ceremony in the United States. NSU is one of only three universities in the country with two medi- cal colleges. Both of NSU’s medical colleges bear the name of Dr. Kiran C. Patel. The White Coat Ceremony served as the official welcome for both the charter class of 53 M.D. stu- dents and the more than 240 D.O. students who are enrolled in NSU’s two medical colleges. The univer- sity is home to Broward County’s only D.O. and M.D. programs, and the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM)—the largest medi- cal college in Florida—offers one of only two D.O. programs in the state. Thirty-four osteopathic colleges are accredited to deliver instruction at 51 teaching locations in 32 states. Ceremony highlights included keynote addresses from medical leaders Tyler Cymet, D.O., FACP, FACOFP—a 1988 KPCOM alumnus who serves as chief of clinical education for the American Associ- ation of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine—and Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges. “We are facing a physician shortage, which will have drastic effects on the future of health care, our economy, and our collective well-being,” Cymet said. “NSU’s focus on educating health care professionals on the impor- tance of interprofessional respect and understanding provides its students with an edge in the real world.” To meet demands in its medical, health care, and life science programs, NSU is planning to construct a 250,000-square-foot, integrated medical education building on its Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus, in addition to opening its Tampa Bay Regional Campus in Clearwater, Florida. “NSU is making a major investment in health and health education for the betterment of our society,” said George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., NSU president and CEO. “This will spark major growth and opportunity with NSU’s projected $5-billion economic impact in Florida by 2020 and help bring us one step closer to being a nationally recognized, top-tier university of teaching, research, service, and learning.” † Dual D.O./M.D. White Coat Ceremony Makes U.S. History COM News