Nima Mowzoon, M.D., wants to be well prepared for the dramatic changes in the nation’s health care system. "As physicians, we have to take a leading role in health care reform," said Mowzoon, a board-certified neurologist and medical director, stroke and neurovascular services for Lee Memorial Health Systems in Fort Myers. "With the explosion in medical technology, the shift to prevention and wellness, the aging of America and the increased cost of care, the old fee-for-service model is breaking down. Instead, providers need to integrate our systems, and that requires professionals who understand the business of medicine."
 
With that goal in mind, Mowzoon enrolled in the University of Miami School of Business’ Executive MBA (EMBA) in Health Sector Management and Policy Program. In January, he and other seasoned professionals – including physicians, administrators, consultants and accountants – began the two-year weekend program, recently ranked No. 2 in the nation by Modern Healthcare magazine.
 
"I’ve found a new passion for learning," said Mowzoon. "The classes are phenomenal and the structure of the program is very practical for someone in full-time practice." He added that the UM program has the distinction of dual accreditation by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and CAHME (Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education).
 
"Our program emphasizes the development of business, technical, administrative, and leadership concepts as they apply to the healthcare industry," said Steven G. Ullmann, Ph.D., professor and director, of the School’s programs in health sector management and policy. "We look at health care policies, demographic trends and business practices, helping students get a better understanding of the future, as well as providing them with practical ideas and tools they can use immediately."
 
The School of Business has offered the health care industry-focused EMBA program for more than 30 years. The School also offers a joint MD/MBA program in partnership with the Miller School of Medicine, as well as a major and minor in health sector management and policy at the undergraduate level.
 
For Teresa Glynn, DPT, PT, the School of Business’ EMBA program offered an appealing opportunity to add to her portfolio of administrative skills. "I have a strong clinical background as a physical therapist," said Glynn, who is vice chair for clinical services in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "I am also an experienced health care administrator who is very loyal to my profession.
 
In looking to the future, Glynn said, "I want to be as well prepared as possible for both the challenges and the new opportunities facing healthcare. This program is just right for me."
 
One weekend a month, Paul Adams, M.D. travels from Central Florida for three days of EMBA classes. "It’s not like going to work," he said after the first class sessions in January. "I can see this will be a lot of fun as well. It’s really a priceless learning opportunity."
 
A board-certified radiation oncologist with Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute in Oxford, Adams says many physicians have resisted the changes in healthcare. "Instead, I want to understand what’s happening and try to create change from within. Physicians, hospitals and other providers certainly know the problems because we live with them. But to solve them, we need a proactive attitude, and work together to build a better system."
 
Gabriel Decaran-Voigt, director of strategy and marketing for a Miami law firm, chose the EMBA healthcare program for a variety of reasons. "I wanted to be taught by professors who have mastered their subjects," he said. "The faculty members have created a rich learning environment for us, and as a passionate learner I feel surrounded by motivated, successful and accomplished students."
 
Five years ago, Decaran-Voigt has a life-changing experience, when his infant nephew was diagnosed with congenital heart disease and spent four months in Miami Children’s Hospital. "That planted a seed for me, and I became a volunteer and a fundraiser for the hospital," he said. "I saw that my skills and abilities could be applied to the healthcare industry."
 
Since Decaran-Voigt has an international business background, the School of Business’ many ties to the Caribbean and Latin America were also an important factor in choosing the program. "I consider the UM brand far superior to other regional players," he added. "For me there is no greater honor than to use the knowledge from the program to better myself as a professional and make a difference in the lives of others."


Nursing has become a highly sought out and in-demand profession. Author of The 150 Best Recession-proof Jobs, Laurence Shatkin calls nursing “gold”, noting that despite socioeconomic status, people will continue to get sick and corporations can’t outsource nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that between 2008 and 2025 the projected job growth for nurses is 581,500.
 
Nursing Shortages
The Bureau of Labor Statistic states that the 2012 growth in the healthcare profession is even larger than it was in 2011 – with 1 out of every five jobs being in the healthcare field. With the growth in nursing employment up 22%, is it surprising that the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has issued warnings about nursing shortages? The AACN has found that by 2025 the shortfall will be 260,000 nurses.
 
A contributing factor to the shortage is the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which gives healthcare access to 32 million additional Americans. The ACCN reports that the 5.1% increase of new students into nursing college programs is not enough to meet the increased demand for nurses.
 
Additionally, the ACCN reported in their publication, 2011-2012 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, that 75,587 qualified prospective students were turned away from nursing colleges because of “insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints.”
 
While the current shortage in nurses is difficult for the field and patients, it also presents a certain level of job security for nurses. With the average RN making a respectable $64,690, nursing is a strong option for those looking for a secure and rewarding career.
 
Types of Nursing Degrees
Within the nursing field there are a variety of different degrees, which require different levels of education and training. They vary greatly, especially with the addition of specialties. However, there are 4 basic levels.
• CNA – Certified Nurse Aide – This requires a certificate, less than a year of schooling, and has limited contact with the patients. This position has the least level of responsibility.
• LPN – Licensed Practice Nurse – Requires at least one year of education and classes on nursing and patient care.
• RN – Registered Nurse – can be earned through a diploma school, which teaches while students are actively working in a hospital – though this is less common. There are roughly 100 diploma schools in the US. More common is a 2-year program of study, followed by passing the NCLEX-RN.
• BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing – is a four-year program, which includes general education requirements. BSN graduates also have to take the NCLEX-RN.
 
Florida National University – Nursing Program
As a prestigious South Florida nursing university, FNU offers many different degree options, both on campus and through distance learning. FNU is proud of the achievements of their programs, and of the students who continue on to be successful in the nursing profession.
 


True leaders inspire others to do the unimaginable. As Director of the Healthcare MBA Program at Florida International University (FIU), Dr. Nancy Borkowski has shown on many occasions that she has what it takes to engage students with an open heart and mind. Her busy schedule never stands in the way of assisting her students. Whether it is on the phone, online or during her time off, Dr. Borkowski is always available; even when she is travelling outside of the country. To ensure the success of her students, she tries to assume the best in everyone by treating every student with the same level of respect and acceptance. Her staff is magnificently trained to deliver the best possible service daily. Together, they frame the Healthcare MBA Program in a way that satisfies the needs of everyone who dreams of becoming a leader in the healthcare industry.
 
When I joined the program eighteen months ago, I was searching for something more than just being successful at work because I understood that life is more than a sum of dollars and sense. As a result, I needed a professor who could teach and inspire me at the same time; and no one else has proven to be better at this than Dr. Borkowski.
 
Commentators stress the idea of integrity, in the business world, as being honest to oneself. They emphasize the concept that core values like honesty, hard work and fairness reflect an individual’s integrity. Being a healthcare student, I see myself as a future leader in the industry. I look up to someone who represents a source of trusted values and integrity. Dr. Borkowski’s ability to lead by example fills me up with that kind of assurance and confidence. Her actions portray herself as someone with vision and purpose; someone I can turn to for clarity during times of uncertainty. Dr. Borkowski’s unique philosophical thinking makes her a transformational leader and she inspires me to become one as well.


In January, Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-COM) received approval for a new medical specialty – correctional medicine – that was developed at NSU-COM in collaboration with the Florida Department of Corrections. NSU-COM became the first medical school in the country to gain such recognition when the standards developed by the college for this distinct specialty were approved by the American Osteopathic Association. NSU-COM now has the first accredited and approved correctional medicine fellowship program in the country.
 
The classification of correctional medicine as a medical specialty is an important milestone because recent statistics show that 7.1 million men and women are under adult correctional supervision, and more than 1.5 million are cared for by physicians who work full time in this challenging environment.
 
David Thomas, M.D., J.D., professor and chair of the college’s Department of Surgery and Division of Correctional Medicine, described the innovation as “very, very rare. The last new specialty I can remember was the creation of emergency medicine in 1976.”
 
NSU-COM established a two-year correctional medicine fellowship in 2010 that offers broad interdisciplinary experience in oncology, radiation therapy, orthopedic surgery, and hospice care and leads to both board certification and a Master of Public Health degree. The program includes inpatient/outpatient supervised clinical experience in acute and chronic settings in jails/prisons, medicolegal experiences and responsibilities, quality management and review, and mortality review and control.
 
The new correctional medicine specialty represents a milestone in medical treatment. “Correctional health care was looked upon for many years as a last refuge of barely competent practitioners,” Dr. Thomas explained. “It is not. It is a complex, intricate field where you are taking care of people, many of whom are very ill, because they have not accessed care outside of the correctional environment—ever. It takes sophisticated doctors with significant training to handle both the illnesses and the unique correctional environment. This is the first step in bringing recognition to the care that correctional doctors provide.”


Garth Hutton, R.N., M.S.N., has been named Corporate Director of Nursing for Dade Medical College (DMC) and will be responsible for the operation of all of the institution’s diverse and growing nursing programs on six campuses. He replaces Sharon Rodriguez, who will also assume a new position, as Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Southernmost Florida, a Dade Medical College learning affiliate.
 
Hutton is a former Emergency Department nurse who worked in a number of South Florida hospitals before deciding to focus on nursing education. He is excited by the opportunity to help fulfill DMC’s mission and promote careers in nursing, a profession that he finds challenging and rewarding.
 
“I believe that we need to be responsive to the needs of the community, to determine what the healthcare facilities are seeking in human resources. They need well-prepared people who can meet their needs as they serve their patients and the community. I want to move DMC to a place where we are sending out the very best graduates to work in those facilities,” says Hutton.
 
DMC has experienced significant growth in the past few years. Founded in 1999, DMC’s main campus and corporate offices are located in Miami. Other campuses are located in Miami Lakes, Homestead, Hollywood and West Palm Beach. The newest addition to the DMC family is the Jacksonville campus.
DMC’s programs of study include Associate of Science degrees in diagnostic cardiac sonography; diagnostic ultrasound; general radiologic technology; massage therapy; medical assisting; medical billing and coding; and nursing. The nursing program includes the Associate’s degree program as well as an LPN program and a program for RNs who wish to pursue a Bachelor’s degree. A new paramedic-to-RN program and a physician-to-RN program are planned, as well as an RN to BSN program that is fully online.
 
Hutton worked while raising a large family to gain essential experience and educational credentials to expand his options as a nurse. He has advanced rapidly and is eager to share his enthusiasm for nursing and other healthcare careers with anyone who is considering the field. He came late to nursing, following a career in the corporate world, and had an unusual introduction to becoming a nurse. In 1980, shortly after he graduated from high school, Hutton walked into a bookstore and saw a title that attracted his attention. “The book was called, So You Want to be a Nurse? and I bought it,” he recalls. “But I put it away somewhere and never bothered to read it. I was drawn to helping people and had considered medical school, but it was too expensive. I never thought about nursing until I saw that book, and it sparked something in me. But I ended up majoring in industrial engineering.”
 
After college, Hutton, a native of Jamaica, married Odette, his childhood sweetheart. They had five children and she worked as a teacher while he became an operations manager and industrial engineering supervisor for UPS. It was a good position, but Hutton still felt a magnetic pull towards healthcare and remembered that book he purchased 15 years ago. “Amazingly, I still had it. I finally read it and at the end, I knew that my answer to the question was a definite yes, I did want to be a nurse.”
 
There were few male nurses in Toronto in 1998, and Hutton decided to move to the U. S. where he thought attitudes might be more accepting. His wife took the plunge, too, going to nursing school first. “My wife became a medical-surgical nurse and her experience made it easier for me. I attended nursing school at Miami Dade College and got my BSN from Nova Southeastern University. I eventually specialized in the Emergency Department and loved it. We often had students there and I enjoyed serving as a preceptor for them.” Eventually, Hutton moved to California, where he obtained his graduate degree from Dominican University while teaching part-time. He served as the director for two campuses of Unitek College for four years, but came back to Florida, where he loves to live and work.
 
“I love DMC because the school’s philosophy resonates with me,” he says. “I believe in helping students realize their dreams, and the philosophy here is that we will do whatever is necessary to help students. Regardless of their age or where they are in their lives or careers, we want to help by providing the resources they need. We emphasize the benefits of education, not the cost.
 
“Nursing is a great profession. The possibilities are limitless! My daughter is in nursing school; my wife and I both encouraged her. We tell her to select an area within nursing and specialize, and continue her education all the way to the highest level. If I had a chance to do it over, I would go straight into nursing. It’s the most satisfying profession. I often think of how it felt when I was an emergency nurse and a patient was brought in, basically lifeless. A week later, you see that patient walking out of the hospital, saying ‘Thank you for saving my life.’ There is no paycheck better than that.”