HEALTH PROFESSIONS DIVISION
Frederick Lippman, R.Ph., Ed.D.
HPD Chancellor
COM Outlook
is produced by
Nova Southeastern University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
3200 South University Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328-2018
MANAGING EDITOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Scott Colton, B.A., APR
COM/HPD Director of Medical
Communications and Public Relations
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Debra R. Gibbs, B.A.
Medical Communications Coordinator
EDITORIAL CONTACT
Scott Colton
(954) 262-5147 (phone)
(954) 262-3887 (fax)
Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O., Pharm.D., M.Sc.
Dean
EDITORIAL BOARD
Lynne Cawley, M.Sc.
Scott Colton, B.A., APR
Marti Echols, Ph.D.
Debra R. Gibbs, B.A.
Robin Jacobs, Ph.D.
Ken Johnson, D.O.
Jennie Q. Lou, M.D.
Alina Perez, J.D., M.P.H.
Delfina Wilson, Ph.D.
COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
COM
Outlook
Spring 2014
Volume 15, Number 2
Every medical school develops its own culture that is a re-
flection of its education process and students. Having taught at
many schools, I have seen various cultures within each one. I
came to NSU-COM in 1998 and embraced all of the new build-
ings, the growth in academic excellence, GME, research, and
the opportunity to further shape this college’s culture.
I took a very active role in admissions, getting involved in
the selection process to develop an even greater culture of compassion, caring, and giv-
ing by students who were academically excellent and qualified to meet the threshold
of a quality physician. Our process seeks students with distinctive characteristics that
meet the mission first established by Dr. Morton Terry of caring about the medically
underserved and answering the global challenges of health care today.
The generous, familial culture that exists at NSU-COM is reflected in the many pro-
grams that support our community, such as the REACH Fair, Doctor’s Bag, Medical Ex-
plorers, holiday donation drives to help the homeless, fund-raising for breast cancer
awareness, and many others. Each year, approximately 150 students participate in our
international selective rotations and/or medical outreach trips, enhancing patient-cen-
tered and community-oriented care in medically underserved areas of the world.
Our COM Student Ambassadors create a welcoming and informative first look for
applicants. The hours they spend—taking applicants on tours of our college, demon-
strating the way students work together with Facebook groups and note-taking, as well
as attending labs and lectures—provide a major link in building a support system and
communicate what it means to be an osteopathic physician.
I believe this guidance and leadership promote our research, many of our programs,
and the creation of a successful dual degree—D.O./D.M.D. Many students also work
on their M.P.H. while pursuing their medical school degrees. That interest and success
make us the school that graduates the most physicians with a concurrent M.P.H. degree.
I encourage the contact and support of our applicants with our students. I truly be-
lieve if you have a choice, you will most likely want to attend a college that has students
who represent all you want to be. Our students have embraced the culture of compas-
sion and made it their own. It is theirs to perpetuate. Individuals—faculty members and
administrators—will come and go, but the student body as an entity will always be here.
If that culture lives from class to class, through contact with applicants, we will continue
on the successful course we have created thus far.
Our students keep me in awe with their desire to improve peoples’ lives. The work
they do amazes me. Many schools spend a great deal of time trying to get students
involved because they are so overburdened by academics. At NSU-COM, we have the
same academic responsibilities, but I often advise students to stay aware, not to do too
much in our communities, so they can continue to excel in their courses.
One of the most gratifying things for me is my belief that this successful culture of
compassion will continue long after my tenure as dean. This dynamic network of beliefs
and practices represents one of my proudest achievements, and is now on autopilot.
We find ourselves continuing in a very positive direction.
Dean’s
Message
By Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O., Pharm.D., M.Sc., FACOFP dist.
2
COM Outlook . Spring 2014
