The Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences (PCHCS) celebrates their 25 anniversary at Nova Southeastern University with a weekend celebration of medical education on Nov. 9.
The celebration begins with a symposium on Friday Nov. 9 from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and concludes with several continuing education credit events on Saturday Nov. 10. There are several continuing education events scheduled in the weeks to follow at both the Fort Lauderdale and Tampa campuses. The events are open to all NSU students, faculty, and alumni.
“The Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences began in 1993, and we are celebrating our 25 anniversary,” said Terry Morrow Nelson, assistant dean of student affairs and associate professor for the College of Health Care Sciences. “The goal of the celebration is to celebrate and learn together as a community of Interprofessional leaders and emerging professionals.”
Over the course of its 25 year history, PCHCS has provided several medical programs across the various NSU campuses to prepare students for their post-graduation goals.
“Our college is a leader in Interprofessional education and practice and serve our local, national and international communities in unique ways,” Nelson said. “Throughout the year, students and faculty engage in Interprofessional education and practice initiatives to learn how to best serve patients within our increasingly complex health care system.”
Health care is the central theme of the weekend celebration. Students and faculty that attend any of the anniversary events will learn about healthcare from various perspectives.
“Participants will enjoy a nationally renowned keynote speaker on health equity, hear from alumni panelists about best practices in health care, and engage in a fun Oxford-style debate about health care for all,” Nelson said.
The keynote speaker Daniel Dawes is an NSU alumnus. Through his work as an attorney, Dawes has been involved in several federal health policy negotiations like the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 and the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Dawes seeks to make changes to public health policies through nonpartisanship. An Oxford-style debate on if health care is a right or a privilege will take place. Two teams of professionals in various fields in health care sciences have been chosen to debate the two sides. The debate will be moderated by Calvin Finley, an associate professor and program director at PCHCS.
Four distinguished NSU alumni will also be among the presenters with extensive experiences that can be shared with students. Through her organization, Sharon Alexander, CEO of Unicorn Children’s Foundation, works to spread support and acceptance for those with special needs. Speaker Sherrilene Classen, professor and chair of the University of Florida’s department of occupational therapy and a professor at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, South Africa, has vast perspectives on the field of rehabilitation. Army veteran and physician assistant Bernard Loeffke has extensive health care experiences through his international medical outreach trips. Thomas Zeller, founder of Advanced Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, received the Florida Physical Therapy Association President’s Service Award in 2003.
“All are welcome,” said Nelson. “We expect attendees will gain valuable insight regarding our health care system and have fun while they learn.”
An RSVP is required for admission to each event. To RSVP email hp165@nova.edu by Thursday Nov. 8 at noon. For a full list of events visit https://healthsciences.nova.edu/studentaffairs/25th-anniversary.html
