17
COM Outlook . Winter 2014
Faculty Focus -
Activities, Achievements, and Awards
Donald Altman, M.D.
, clinical
professor of pediatrics, was
granted distinguished fac-
ulty status in October, join-
ing a select group of clinical
faculty members recognized
for providing extraordinary
and lasting service to the
college. Dr. Altman, who has
practiced pediatrics in the local
community for over 58 years,
took part in establishing and
supporting the role of Miami
Children’s Hospital as a site to
train NSU-COM students and
residents in pediatric medicine.
Sandra
Bertman,
Ph.D.
,
clinical
associate
professor
of psy-
chiatry, is
slated to receive two lifetime
achievement awards in 2014:
the Janice Palmer Award for
Outstanding Leadership at
the 25
th
Annual Conference of
the Global Alliance for Arts &
Health (formerly the Associa-
tion for Arts in Healthcare)
on April 12 in Washington,
D.C., and the Herman Feifel
Award from the International
Workgroup on Death, Dying,
and Bereavement in Victoria,
Canada, on May 1.
Stanley R. Cohen Ed.D.
,
professor of humanities and
executive vice dean for educa-
tional support at NSU’s Health
Professions Division, served as
program chairman for the na-
tional convention of the Asso-
ciation for the Behavioral Sci-
ences and Medical Education
(ABSAME) held October 17-19
in Newport, Rhode Island. The
ABSAME also honored him
with its Lifetime Achievement
Award in recognition of his
devoted service to the cause of
improving the lives of many
thousands of students.
Joseph De Gaetano, D.O.,
M.S.Ed, FAAFP, FACOFP
,
professor of family medicine,
associate dean for clinical cur-
riculum and graduate medi-
cal education, and executive
director of the Consortium for
Excellence in Medical Educa-
tion, received the Guardian
of the Profession Award from
the American Osteopathic
Association. The AOA also
named him an
Unsung Hero
because he has enhanced the
image of osteopathic medicine
by living each day as an ex-
ample of what an osteopathic
physician should be and has
served as an outstanding phy-
sician and role model.
Stephen
G. Grant,
Ph.D.
,
formerly a
College of
Pharmacy
faculty
member,
joined the NSU-COM faculty
team in October as an associ-
ate professor in the Master
of Public Health Program
and is also working with the
college’s Institute for Neuro-
Immune Medicine.
James T. Howell, M.D.,
M.P.H.
, professor of public
health and rural medicine and
assistant dean of professional
relations, was appointed by the
president of the Palm Beach
County Medical Society to the
organization’s board of trust-
ees in November.
Bruce M. LeClair, M.D.
,
clinical associate professor,
received the 2013 Educator
of the Year Award from the
Georgia Academy of Family
Physicians. Dr. LeClair is a
residency rotation director and
a core educator for the Medical
College of Georgia at Georgia
Regents University.
Heather McCarthy, D.O.
, as-
sistant professor of medical
education and osteopathic prin-
ciples and practice and director
of the Simulation/Standardized
Patient Lab, participated in the
COMLEX-USA Level 3 Final
Exam Review held November
7- 9 in Chicago, Illinois.
Anthony
N. Ottavi-
ani, D.O.,
M.P.H.,
MACOI,
FCCP
,
clinical
professor
of internal medicine, regional
dean, and director of medi-
cal education at Largo Medi-
cal Center in Largo, Florida,
received the American Osteo-
pathic Association (AOA) Dis-
tinguished Service Certificate
during the Osteopathic Medical
Conference and Exposition
held September 30-October
4 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
accolade is the AOA’s highest
honor, which is granted only
to deserving members for out-
standing accomplishments in
scientific or professional affairs.
Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O.,
Pharm.D., M.Sc., FACOFP
dist.
, NSU-COM dean, received
the Guardian of the Profession
Award from the American
Osteopathic Association. The
honor recognizes an osteopath-
ic physician who advances the
culture of osteopathic medicine
by having served in a local,
state, or national osteopathic
leadership role. A guardian
also demonstrates a strong
sense of pride in the osteopath-
ic medical profession.
NSU-COM Bids Farewell to Drs.
Jon Dodds and Gary Hill
On September 25, the college coor-
dinated a farewell reception for
Gary
Hill, D.O., FACOI
, assistant professor
of internal medicine. Dr. Hill was also
one of the three physicians who ran
the Employee Health and Wellness
Center. He left the college after more
than 11 years to become associate
dean for clinical affairs at the Edward Via College of Osteo-
pathic Medicine in Auburn, Alabama.
(Pictured are Elaine Wal-
lace, D.O., M.S., executive associate dean, and Dr. Gary Hill.)
On December 12, the col-
lege coordinated a farewell
reception for
Jon Dodds
Ph.D., M.P.H.
, assistant
director of the Master of
Public Health Program. Dr.
Dodds, who joined NSU-
COM full-time in 2000, was recognized by many colleagues
for his commitment to the college. He plans to combine the
pleasure of his retirement with consulting work.
(Pictured are
Dr. Silvagni, Dr. Dodds, and Cyril Blavo, D.O., M.P.H. and T.M.,
director of the M.P.H. Program.)
