The Barry University Center for Community Health and Minority Medicine recently opened as the new physical facility housing the School of Podiatric Medicine and the graduate Physician Assistant Program. The center provides the school with an increased capacity to attract and train medical students from diverse backgrounds and enables the school to serve the medical needs of the medically underserved populations of South Florida, the state, and the nation.

Q&A with Dr. Chet Evans, D.P.M., Dean for the School of Podiatric Medicine, Barry University

How will the Center improve education and training opportunities for careers in medicine?

Dr. Evans: The Center’s central mission is to train the next generation of health professionals to provide health care for the many minority and medically underserved communities of South Florida. The Center will serve more than 400 health professional students with two state of the art classrooms and a new physical assessment lab with a full range of diagnostic equipment. The Center has offices and meeting rooms for the faculty and staff of the School of Podiatric Medicine and the Physician Assistant Program.

There has been one new podiatric school opened in Arizona and another school will open in 2009. What does the future look like for a career in podiatric medicine?

Dr. Evans: Yes, the newest podiatric medical school will open at Western University of the Health Sciences in Pomona, California in fall 2009. The future looks very bright for podiatric physicians who now provide 40 percent of all foot related health services in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth of about 16 percent in podiatric medicine between 2004 and 2014. The Podiatric Medicine Workforce Study, conducted by the Center for Health Workforce Studies in the School of Public Health at the State University of New York at Albany, suggests that the per capita demand for podiatric physicians will increase dramatically as the population ages, due to the greater risk of foot problems among the elderly and the U.S. health crisis created by the surge in rates of diabetes and obesity. Just to increase the supply of doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) sufficiently to keep pace with population growth podiatric medical schools would have to nearly triple their production of graduates. Moreover, to meet the increasing demand for foot care services generated by the increase in the elderly population and expected increases in obesity and diabetes, an even more dramatic increase in podiatric graduates would be needed.

Describe career opportunities in medicine in the State of Florida.

Dr. Evans: Two new allopathic medical schools recently opened at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and Florida International University in Miami. The opening of the two schools is to help address the nationwide shortage of physicians, especially in Florida. With the increased aging of the population and the large influx of immigrants, there is a health care professional manpower crisis. In addition, there is a lack of residency training programs in Florida. Unfortunately, after graduation many allopathic physicians are forced to train out of state and often end up practicing there. Because of the shortage of physicians, is an increasing demand for other primary care health professionals, including physician assistants and nurse practitioners. The expansion of the School of Podiatric Medicine and Physician Assistant Program at Barry University is governed by each programs’ accrediting body. The availability of resources to train students determines the ability to expand educational programs.

Why is medicine a great career choice?

Dr. Evans: There is a tremendous need for physicians and primary care health professionals of all types both in Florida and nationally. When the economy is in a downturn, there is usually an upswing in the number of applications to medical school. Medical students report feeling like they can control their own destiny when asked why they apply during hard economic times. Florida has one of the highest rates of ‘diobesety,’ the combined epidemic of diabetes and obesity. Physicians and other primary care practitioners are needed to care for the many chronic illnesses associated with these two diseases including kidney disease, hypertension, gangrene, non-healing wounds, and vascular disease, among others. In addition, primary care practitioners are needed to promote health education and disease prevention. At this time, health education and disease prevention is just as important as treatment. I highly advise students seeking a career to help others and to achieve a stable economic lifestyle, to choose the field of medicine.



Broward Health Broward General Medical Center’s new research-based sedation protocols allow for more consistent patient monitoring and enhanced care.

The change in practice is in accordance with The Society of Critical Care Medicine’s (SCCM) (2002) clinical practice guidelines. The guidelines are for the sustained use of analgesics and sedatives in maintaining optimal comfort for critically ill patients who suffer pain, anxiety and delirium.

Through collaboration among Broward General Medical Center’s ICU committee, a need was identified for a protocol-driven policy and intervention plan. This plan is focused upon best practice research to assist in the management of pain, sedation and the early detection and treatment of delirium.

Delirium presents serious implications for critically ill patients, and is an independent predictor of death with a three-fold greater risk of mortality. It is the most common mental disorder in ICUs and is experienced by 60 to 80 percent of mechanically ventilated patients. Delirium remains unrecognized in 66 to 84 percent of patients. The SCCM guidelines recommend that the emergence and/or persistence of delirium be regularly monitored in critically ill patients.

“For delirium, prevention is the key,” said Paul Brattan, RN, MS, clinical specialist in Broward General’s CCU/CVICU. “With best practice protocols and assessment scales in place, we can provide better patient care and improve outcomes, and that is our goal.”

Broward General Medical Center is leading South Florida in sedation best practice protocols with a new procedure that requires more consistent monitoring and enhanced care for critical care patients. Critical care physicians, nurses, clinical specialists, respiratory therapists and pharmacists from the Atrium Intensive Care Unit and the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (pictured) are currently being trained on sedation/analgesia/delirium and neuromuscular blockage therapy to support the program.

Broward General’s program involves education for all critical care nurses on sedation/analgesia/delirium and neuromuscular blockade therapy. The educational program highlights recognizing the difference between the clinical subtypes of delirium (hypo and hyper), and the appropriate management. A focus on including non-pharmacological pain interventions like noise reduction, environmental control and promoting REM sleep to avoid the onset of delirium are also introduced as an adjunct to traditional methods of treatment.

The program educates nurses to use the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) to routinely monitor patients for the presence delirium and the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) to simultaneously assess the need for sedation. The Adult Non-Verbal Pain Scale (NVPS) has also been adopted as the formal pain scale to be utilized in assessing pain in mechanically ventilated patients.

Clear and concise communication between physician and nursing staff along with clear pre-set, protocol driven goals intended for the delivery of comfort and safety is the common thread for all. Clinical success will be achieved when mechanical ventilator times, intensive care unit stays, mortality and cases of delirium are decreased by minimizing drug accumulation and the long term affects they can cause.

“Through interdisciplinary collaboration between physicians, nurses and pharmacists a program has been developed that will benefit our patients,” said Gary Richmond, M.D. “The implementation of these best practice protocols and assessment scales is another step forward in providing the world-class care we all strive for.”



Keiser University’s Graduate School is pleased to announce its new Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant (P. A.) program. The university has been awarded provisional accreditation by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Provisional accreditation is the status awarded to new programs that meet the rigorous standards established by the ARC-PA. This program is an intense study of patient care, theory, science and practice, combining didactic, laboratory and clinical study and experience.

Keiser University has a proven history of meeting the workforce demands of our state and local employers,” stated Belinda Keiser, Vice Chancellor for Community Relations and Student Advancement. “The access and affordability of quality health care in our nation is of the utmost concern for all Americans and it is our privilege to educate the future physician’s assistants that will be part of the solution to some of the challenges facing our current system,” she added.

According to the Department of Labor, the employment opportunities are expected to grow for physician assistants by 27 percent through 2016.

The first year is an intense study of basic sciences and clinically related didactic course work. The clinical year provides students with experience in emergency medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, family medicine, internal medicine, long-term care and one elective.

Students will come from a health care background, seeking positions as members of a health care team practicing medicine under the supervision of a physician in a variety of settings,” stated Dr. Helen Martin, Program Director.

This master’s degree is designed to meet the needs of students with regionally accredited baccalaureate degrees and appropriate required prerequisites. The deadline for application into Keiser University’s P. A. January 2010 class is December 18, 2009. Qualified applicants may apply either online at

KeiserUniversity.edu/GraduateSchool/PA, contact Manuel Christiansen toll free at 1-866-306-2172 or in person at our Graduate Campus located at 1900 W. Commercial Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale.



Technology professionals for the health services industry are in high demand, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. According to the Bureau, the health information technology occupation is among the fastest growing in the U.S. through 2008, due to new federal health information privacy regulations, which have fueled an even greater demand for the profession.

Organizations in many industries are increasing their reliance on technology, and the Florida health services industry is no exception. Hospitals, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and medical research laboratories all require qualified technology workers who understand the industry’s unique needs. Clinicians and IT professionals with an understanding of the health care industry tend to be the most qualified candidates for information specialist positions at hospitals.

In response to the increasing demand for technology professionals with an understanding of health-related fields, DeVry University/South Florida offers two bachelor’s degree programs in biomedical engineering technology and biomedical informatics and an associate degree program in health information technology.

The biomedical engineering technology baccalaureate degree program involves the design, implementation and maintenance of health services components, such as medical imaging systems or computer-based systems used during surgery or intensive care. The program provides students an understanding of biological processes, as well as skills in both engineering software and hardware.

The biomedical informatics baccalaureate degree program draws on computer technology, information technology, the biosciences and health care systems to prepare graduates for professional positions in two specialized fields of biomedical and health care informatics. Bioinformatics focuses on developing and managing information systems used in areas such as genomic research, forensics, and pharmaceutical and agricultural development. The second type of professional position for which DeVry University graduates are prepared is health care informatics, which combines knowledge of information technology, health care systems and life sciences to develop effective and efficient use of information to implement improved health care systems. Graduates in this program will apply advanced computer and information technology to biomedical and health care data systems.

Health data management and the information technology that supports healthcare record keeping are major components of the growing discipline of health information technology. DeVry’s associate degree program in this field will educate graduates who are able to analyze and manage healthcare data, implement applications software to support healthcare data analysis and management, as well as perform complex clinical coding tasks.

Long-term trends, such as the aging of the nation’s population and the increasing importance of technology to diagnostic and therapeutic applications, are driving the need for this type of expertise. As a result, graduates of DeVry’s programs will be well-positioned for long-term career success.”



Nursing “boot camp” starts this fall

Health care workers on the coast think the nursing shortage is bad there, but it’s much worse in the county’s rural communities. That’s why Palm Beach Community College is establishing a registered nursing program at its location in Belle Glade.

“We have a 25 percent vacancy rate for nurses,” said Mary Weeks, chief nursing officer for Glades General Hospital in Belle Glade. “We’ve offered incentives like sign-on bonuses and recruited nurses from as far away as the Philippines, but the nurses often don’t stay. We’re trying to keep an experienced base, but there are too many temptations out there. It’s hard to retain nurses other than those who grow up in the community.”

Hendry Medical Center in Clewiston has provided nursing scholarships for residents for the past 15 years, said Sue Seeley, chief nursing officer, but they’re still experiencing a shortage.

The Glades Initiative Partnership Council, the county Health Care District, the Everglades Area Health Education Centers from Nova Southeastern University, Glades General and Hendry hospitals, and an “access committee” of citizens from South Bay, Pahokee, Belle Glade and Clewiston first met three years ago, each pledging to do their part to establish the RN program at PBCC in Belle Glade. The program is scheduled to begin in January 2006.

The deadline for students to apply to the new RN program in Belle Glade is October 1, said Joanne Masella, registered nursing program coordinator. “We’re all pulling together—business people, health care providers, politicians and educators—for our rural areas to have their own health care that ranks with that on the coast. It makes more sense that people who are committed to the community will be committed to its health care.”

PBCC has converted the RN program’s prerequisite courses to online classes to provide access to rural students and upgraded the laboratory from the practical nursing (PN) program that began in 2001 (and has graduated three classes of practical nurses so far) to a combination PN/RN lab. The College has installed videoconferencing equipment to make it possible for RN students to be connected to the nursing lecture classes at PBCC in Lake Worth. This fall, the College will offer a “boot camp” program in Belle Glade to prepare students for the rigors of the nursing program.