Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

My Path From Undergrad To Dentistry, Yanina Cox

Pre-Health Day

Coming from a large family of dentists, I have always known that I wanted to be a dentist myself. It was important for me to attend a college where I would be able to have the education that would make me a competitive candidate for dental school.

I began undergrad at NSU in 2003, majoring in Biology, and graduated in 2006 with my Bachelor’s in Science. I was involved in several extracurricular activities and had a student job on campus. In 2007, I began my journey as a dental student at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, where I …

My Journey Through The Pharmacy Profession, Jennifer Gershman

Pre-Health Day

You can definitely say the pharmacy profession runs in my family, as both my father and sister are pharmacists. My father inspired me to pursue a career in pharmacy, through his dedication to the profession. Pharmacists play such an important role in patient care, and I wanted to make a positive impact on the community. I completed the Dual Admissions Pharmacy program and then went on to receive my Doctor of Pharmacy degree at NSU. Postdoctoral training was the path for me, so I completed a Drug Information Residency. This residency inspired me through my role as a teacher, mentor, …

My Path From Farquhar Collefe Of Arts And Science To The Field Of Medicine, Crystal Romero

Pre-Health Day

As an undergraduate student in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences I was confident that I wanted to be a physician; however, I was also intrigued by the field of Public Health. Consequently, I pursued a Master’s degree concentrating in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Personally, I saw the attainment of this degree as a means of developing a skill set for future practice as a physician. Public health concentrates on community health needs, while medicine focuses more on the needs of an individual patient. During this time I worked on a project at the Broward County Health Department that allowed …

Journey To Internal Medicine, Luke C. Williams

Pre-Health Day

My name is Dr. Williams, or as most people call me Dr. Luke. Currently, I work in South Georgia as an ED physician. The road to where I’m currently sitting and to where I started has been long, trying but mostly fun! I started my undergraduate at Valdosta State University; to say the least I was completely lost. My hometown has about 5000 people in the entire county so being at a bigger city seemed overwhelming. I had no friends really and my social life was subpar. I started out as a premed major but quickly realized that these college …

Freshman At Farquhar To Pharmacy Professor: The Reality Of The Journey And Tips For Success, Nicholas Carris

Pre-Health Day

The path to becoming a healthcare provider is a commitment to lifelong learning, constant hard work, and a career that is not about you. Every class you take, everything you learn, every experience you engage in is preparing you to be a competent and compassionate healthcare provider, so that one day you can walk into the room of a desperate patient and help them. The pay is average at best, especially considering the years of training. People will be angry at you when you are doing your best to help them. People will be angry when you do not want …

How A Biology Major Lead Me Into Public Health And Working For A Non-Profit Organization, Viktoriya Yudovina

Pre-Health Day

In the beginning, I wanted to be a physician, a scholar of everything medicine. And while my greatest passion is still medical science and research, my path has taken me in a slightly different direction. Currently, I manage the Afterschool Meal Program and Summer Food Service Program for FLIPANY, a non-profit organization, whose “mission is to empower youth and their families through physical activity and nutrition education programs while raising awareness and creating policies for a healthier community”. Working in an arena of health and wellness, I am able to touch base on both my undergraduate days of biology in …

From A B.A. In Speech Language Pathology To Becoming An Occupational Therapist; Change Is Good!, Kailtkin Dudziec

Pre-Health Day

Everyone thinks college is a time for you to pick a career and decide what you are going to do with the rest of your life. This is true in a way, but it is also a time for you to find yourself and decide who you want to be as a person in the future. Day 1 of my undergrad career consisted of my switching majors from elementary education to speech-language pathology. Going through some of the pre-requisite psychology classes, I also decided I wanted to be a psychology major, so I added that in my second year of …

Advice To My Undegraduate Self About Pursuing A Carrer In Medicine, Daveda Maharaj

Pre-Health Day

The journey I’ve traveled, literally and figuratively, to become an anesthesiologist has been both challenging and rewarding. When I was a student at Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, I hit the ground running with ambition and goals to achieve. A minor detour teaching high school in between undergrad and med school was a huge learning experience, and I still fulfilled my career goals of becoming a physician. I’m not sure I ever imagined that this is what the “real world” would be like for a practicing anesthesiologist, but I’ve come to learn some of the best and worst ways …

From Undergrad To Pediatric Dentist, Claudia X. Harriehausen

Pre-Health Day

I have always known that my desire to become a dentist came during my childhood. Therefore, during my undergraduate years at NSU I reinforced that desire by participating in many activities related to dentistry, such as volunteering for non-profit organizations as dental assistant, and providing oral hygiene education for underserved communities. By working with patients at that time, I learned many interpersonal aspects of dentistry that are not covered in textbooks, which enhanced my commitment and dedication to this type of work. I could not envision a more rewarding and compassionate career to spend my life by promoting the wellness …

Optomestrist And Educator, Michael Bacigalupi

Pre-Health Day

Dr. Michael Bacigalupi grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His father was a letter carrier for the US Postal Service and his mother was an office manager for a local optometrist. He decided at a young age that he wanted to become an optometrist and has never regretted this decision. He is proud of his career and hopes to inspire others to consider the profession of optometry. Dr. Bacigalupi earned an Associate of Arts degree in Chemistry from Schreiner University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Optometry from the University of Houston. In 1993, he graduated magna cum laude …

The Knight Who Saved The Shark, Alberto J. Panero

Pre-Health Day

Reaching one’s goals is never an individual effort. I enrolled at NSU in the year 2000, joining the Men’s soccer team and pursuing a career in sports medicine. High school was easy, managing being a student athlete did not pose many challenges. I could study for an exam the night before and do quite well on it. After getting a 68% on my first biology test in college, I quickly realized this method would no longer work. Developing a new study strategy and keeping up with the demands of being a full time athlete and social life was not easy. …

Road Less Taveled: My Journey To Becoming A Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist, Carlos Almirola

Pre-Health Day

I didn’t arrive in Public Health through conventional means. My father is a physician and I grew up thinking medicine was in my future. Towards the end of my undergrad I started to learn about other careers and eventually came across Public Health. I saw the importance of helping avoid problematic health issues in our community through early intervention. My Public Health training when combined with my background in Biology opened new doors I never knew existed. Grad School gave me the opportunity to have involvement with different community health initiatives in Baptist Congregational Health, UM Docs Program, and as …

The Journey To Becoming A Dentist: Advice To My Undergraduate Self, Katherine Lorenzo-Machado

Pre-Health Day

Growing up with a few family members who were dentists, I was always exposed to the profession. When I started undergraduate school at FIU, I knew that was what I wanted to be, and focused most of my time on getting there. Juggling undergraduate school, working at different dental offices, and studying for my DAT while maintaining my social life with family and friends was tough, but I was able to achieve that and get my undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 3 years. I went straight from undergraduate school to dental school, which made some …

The Path To Optometry, Mari Holderby

Pre-Health Day

The path to optometry, although at times challenging, is extremely rewarding. I personally had my eyes set on becoming an optometrist since I was 16 years old, when I attended a Dual Enrollment program called College Academy at Broward College. I had graduated high school with an Associate of Arts degree, and therefore by the time I attended Farquhar, I knew what my long-term goals were. I was lucky enough to be accepted into the Dual Admission program for optometry, in which I had a guaranteed seat in NSU’s optometry school once I completed my three years at Farquhar. It …

From Undergrad To Ph. D., My Lessons, Ivan Jozic

Pre-Health Day

Although the road to becoming a scientist is often riddled with many hurdles, the rewards of self-discovery and potential to revolutionize the world, are priceless. It is said that a PhD is pursued by those who are driven to do something original and those who are have the passion to discover the unknown; but also those that have dedication, persistence and resilience. My journey began at the intersection of College Ave and SW 30th St back in 2004. As with many other Biology majors, I was unsure where my career path should lead to, but I knew it had to …

From Undergrad To Audiologist, The Road Less Traveled, Ashley Lawrence

Pre-Health Day

College is a challenging yet rewarding time in life and if you stay motivated and keep your eyes on your long-term goals, you will be successful regardless of your career choice. I learned about who I was as a person throughout my college years, and I can offer some guidance on both the good choices and mistakes I made on my path to becoming a medical professional. I began undergrad at NSU in 2002, long before the days of the University Center and when the NSU mascot was still a Knight. I majored in Biology and graduated in 2006 with …

My Career Journey, Cecelia Rokusek

Pre-Health Day

Dr. Rokusek currently serves as Assistant Dean for Research and Innovation, Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Prior to joining Nova, Dr. Rokusek served as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of South Dakota, School of Medicine. She served as Professor and Dean of Education at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota and Dean of Health Professions at Governors State University in Illinois and at Florida Gulf University in Ft. Myers, Fl serving as the first dean to bring all of the 5 health professions program in the newly established university to …

My Path To Pharmacy School, Daven Sawh

Pre-Health Day

came from Trinidad, and when I started I had no idea of how to approach the process. I depended on the advisors and people on the same path to guide me. This was not the best approach. I should have done my own research and mapped out my own path. But I was determined to become a pharmacist and I completed my prerequisites as required for the COP at that time....or so I thought. I was not a competitive candidate and my first application left me devastated. However I learned what I needed to do. I worked on my GPA …

Journey To Becoming A Surgeon, Jill C. Gorsuch

Pre-Health Day

I began my path to become General and Bariatric Surgeon at the University of Florida earning my B.S. in Microbiology and Cell Science. I then spent a year at the University of Miami, Diabetes Research Institute studying islet cell transplantation. In 2005, I began medical school at NSU, College of Osteopathic Medicine where I earned both my D.O. and M.P.H. I then completed my general surgery residency at Michigan State’s Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, Michigan. While in residency I decided I wanted to advance my general surgery skills and pursue a career in Bariatric surgery. I am currently completing …

Taking The Nontraditional Route To Medical School From Nurse To Physician. Are You Sure You Want To Embark On This Journey?, Zaki Darojat

Pre-Health Day

Changing careers takes a lot of guts regardless of what career you had initially and the decision to embark on the journey of becoming a physician is a long one. I will discuss some factors that one should consider before making this leap. Medical school was not easy but it is definitely a rewarding career and I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else; However, I have colleagues who do not share the same sentiment. I hope to shed some light into the pros and cons of medicine and help you make an informed decision.

The Big Picture Of A Career Behind The Microscope: Life Lessons From A Thirty-Something Woman In Medicine, Marta M. Van Straten

Pre-Health Day

I consider myself fortunate to pursue a career whose steps were laid out before me. The umbrella of medicine is broad, however, and many major life events occur between the time a young person starts college and a career truly materializes. Looking back on the past fifteen years since graduating high school, I’ve learned more about people and the world around me than any single topic taught in a classroom. From one detour after finishing my undergraduate degree, to another after graduating medical school, my path to becoming a pathologist was not the direct one I envisioned. Since graduating from …

Symptom Patterns Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Deaf Trauma Survivors, Melissa L. Anderson, Amanda Sortwell, Kelly S. Wolf Craig, Douglas M. Ziedonis

JADARA

Details about Deaf people’s pattern of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain relatively unknown due to inaccessible methods used in most epidemiological research. We conducted semi-structured American Sign Language interviews with 16 trauma-exposed Deaf individuals to explore their PTSD symptom patterns. Half met criteria for current PTSD, a rate higher than the general population. Underlying this disparity may be heightened rates of dissociation and psychogenic amnesia reported by many Deaf trauma survivors. Future research with large samples of Deaf survivors is needed to clarify this hypothesis, and to inform interventions that more accurately target Deaf people’s pattern of trauma symptoms.

Innovations Volume 1: Issue 2, Ron And Kathy Assaf College Of Nursing

Innovations Magazine

No abstract provided.

Teaching Strategies To Prepare Prelicensure Nursing Students To Teach-Back, Mariann Kerr

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Prelicensure nursing programs prepare generalists with essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes to practice in complex health care environments. Nurse educators determine which teaching strategies will best prepare the nurse generalist. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a teaching plan that combined the strategies of pretest/posttest, classroom activities, and a problem-based learning activity: a clinical immersion experience. The skill of "teach-back" was taught and evaluated. Theoretical framework: Two theories guided the teaching plan for this research. Adult learning theory (Knowles, 1975, 1980, 2012) addressed how and why adults learn, and social cognitive theory (Bandura, …

Qualitative Descriptive Study Of The Experiences Of Nurse Educators In Developing And Implementing Concurrent Enrollment Adn-Bsn Programs, Janice Evans Hawkins

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Nursing leaders have called for more bachelor-of-science-in-nursing-(BSN)-prepared nurses to meet workforce demands. There is limited capacity in BSN programs to meet the projected demand. Currently, associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs produce the majority of registered nurses. To increase the number of BSN graduates, nurse educators recommend innovative educational models for seamless progression from the ADN to the BSN. Concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs offer one potential model to produce more BSN graduates. The purpose of this study was to describe the process of developing and implementing concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs. The research question was as follows: What is the experience …

Predictive Factors Impacting Intent To Stay Teaching For Associate Degree Adjunct Clinical Nurse Faculty, Julie Ann Woodworth

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The full-time nurse faculty shortage has resulted in nursing programs employing adjunct nursing faculty heavily into the clinical teaching component to fill the gap. Many adjunct faculty members continue to teach semester after semester; however, there is a lack of evidence to support the predictive factors that facilitate intent to stay teaching. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand predictors of intent to stay teaching for associate degree (AD) adjunct clinical nurse faculty. Theoretical Framework: Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor motivator-hygiene theory (1959) was utilized as a foundation to explore the factors that impact intent to stay teaching. …

Emotional Intelligence And Empathy Of Nursing Students In An Immersive Capstone Clinical Course, Michelle L. Finch

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background. Today’s baccalaureate nursing students need to be prepared to care for patients in an ever-changing, high acuity environment. Many programs offer a capstone immersive clinical experience. However, the benefits of this experience have not been fully explored, and the effect on patient care is unknown. Purpose. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a change in levels of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and empathy in senior students who completed a capstone immersive clinical experience in the final semester of a baccalaureate nursing program. Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework for this study was the Mayer and Salovey’s …

Influence Of Academic Self-Efficacy On The Early Academic Success Of Underrepresented Minority Nursing Students Enrolled In The First Semester Of A Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Connie Hataway

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The identification of reliable predictors of early academic achievement is imperative for the retention and graduation of all nursing students, and particularly underrepresented minority (URM) students. Students with a high sense of academic self-efficacy exhibit greater persistence and interest in their academic performance, a premise that led to this investigation of self-efficacy as a variable affecting early academic success among baccalaureate nursing students. The purpose of this study was to (a) to determine if a significant relationship existed between academic self-efficacy and successful progression for first semester baccalaureate nursing students in general and URM students specifically, (b) determine the predictive …

Initiating A Perinatal Depression Screening Protocol In A Community-Based Hospital, Mari Seidu

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), perinatal depression (PD) is the most common childbirth complication. About 10% of pregnant women and about 13% of postpartum women experience a mental health disorder, primarily depression (WHO, 2016). One of the WHO (2015 a) goals for maternal mental health includes providing strategies for the promotion of psychosocial well-being and prevention of mental disorders of mothers during and after delivery. Purpose: The purpose of this performance improvement project was to establish a perinatal depression risk screening protocol and improve nursing knowledge on PD at a community-based hospital in Miami. Theoretical Framework: Beck’s …

A Comparative Evaluation Of Endodontic Irrigation Methods For Removal Of The Smear Layer, Ramzi Walid Alhashimi

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this in vitro study is to compare the effect of various irrigation systems on smear layer removal in curved root canals. Root canal irrigation plays an important role in the debridement and disinfection of the root canal system. It has been well documented that the flushing component of the irrigants is as important as the tissue dissolving capability. Therefore, the efficacy of the irrigant might also be influenced by the method by which it is introduced. Fifty-one recently extracted molar teeth with root curvatures of more than 30° were selected according to Schneider's method. The teeth were …