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HEALTHCARE EDUCATION HEALTHCARE EDUCATION HEALTHCARE EDUCATION

Lakeside Medical Center's Family Medicine Residency

Program Celebrates 5th Annual Graduating Class

Family, friends and colleagues recently “When we were in medical school we all
gathered at Lakeside Medical Center to cel- wanted to help people, save lives, and truly
ebrate the graduation of three residents from make a difference,” said Justin Morgan,
its Family Medicine Residency Program. D.O., Co-Chief Resident. “Lakeside Medical
Richard Roche, Hospital Administrator and Center has provided these opportunities,
Chief Administrative Officer with the and so much more. I feel as though I have
Health Care District of Palm Beach County been a part something bigger. I’ve had the
welcomed the more than 60 attendees. This privilege to care for those in need while
is the fifth class of residents to graduate learning invaluable skills that will serve
from the program, which was established at countless others, and for that I have nothing
the acute-care facility in 2011 and is one of but gratitude to all those who have taught
the few of its kind to focus on the special me.”
health care needs of rural, underserved “It was the best of both worlds, a small
areas. program with lots of opportunities,” said
“The patient-to-primary care physician Samantha Choudhury, Co-Chief Resident.
ratio in rural areas is only 39.8 physicians “I’m from Palm Beach County, so I loved that
per 100,000 people, significantly lower than I was able to serve those in need from my
53.3 physicians per 100,000 people in urban community.”
areas,” said Darcy J. Davis, Chief Executive “I think it has been a good experience,”
Officer of the Health Care District of Palm (l-r) Richard Roche, Chief Administrative Officer and Hospital Administrator, Health said Elisa Diaz, D.O. “For me the highlights
Beach County, in a video address played at Care District of Palm Beach County; Elisa Diaz, DO, Graduate; Justin Morgan, DO, would be the outpatient family medicine
the event. “This unmet need and its impact Co-Chief Resident and Graduate; Samantha Choudhury, DO, Co-Chief Resident and clinic, the mentorship of the preceptors, the
on health is part of what makes the achieve- Graduate; Takela S. Golson, MBA, Family Medicine Residency Program Coordinator, varied patient population, and just doing
ment of our three graduating residents so Lakeside Medical Center; and Nikerson Geneve, DO, Family Medicine Residency hands-on outpatient care which I enjoy.”
important.” Program Director and Director of Medical Education, Lakeside Medical Center. Lakeside Medical Center, which is accredit-
The three graduates, Samantha Choudhury, ed by The Joint Commission and owned and
D.O., Elisa Diaz, D.O., and Justin Morgan, operated by the Health Care District of Palm
D.O., completed a rigorous three-year curriculum that included rotations in emergency Beach County, is the program’s primary clinical training site.
medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, geriatrics, general surgery, internal med-
icine, community and sports medicine, cardiology, dermatology, women’s health, radiol-
ogy, orthopedics, ENT, urology, ophthalmology and critical care. E-mail Your News Items to
editorial@southfloridahospitalnews.com

Cover Story: NSU Master of Public

Health Program Helps Students

Realize Their Potential

Continued from page 1
her epidemiology class, but ronment.
quickly became more than that By allowing and
when her professor suggested encouraging stu-
she make it a real initiative. She dents to be involved
then met with Dr. Blavo and her in public health ini-
advisors to bring her idea to tiatives from the
fruition. The pilot project is beginning of the pro-
expected to launch in Haiti this gram, students grad-
October. Dr. Bruno believes it is uate as strong public
the faculty’s proactive mentor- health practitioners.
ing that sets the program apart. They learn how to
Tony Swicer, a second-year apply new knowl-
NSU osteopathic medicine stu- edge in their current
dent, also comes from a clinical clinical setting and
background. Prior to enrolling Tony Swicer are encouraged to
as a dual-degree student to pur- pursue other inter-
sue both his Master of Public Health and ests in the health care field.
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees, The accredited Master of Public Health
he worked as a paramedic and later man- degree at Nova Southeastern University
aged an ambulance service. Swicer decided requires a minimum of 42 semester hours,
to pursue both degrees concurrently including public health field experience
because he believes understanding how all and a comprehensive examination. The
sides of the health system work will make course may be completed within two to
him a better advocate for his patients. five years of matriculation and is offered
Combining his paramedic experience on-site and online. Supervised elective
with his M.P.H. training, Swicer recently field-based courses and research opportu-
started working on a South Florida initia- nities are also available.
tive alongside physicians to improve car-
diac arrest rates by training local EMS For more information, visit
responders and initiating new practices. www.nova.edu/ph or contact Dr. Cyril Blavo
He believes the M.P.H. program teaches at (954) 262-1613 or cblavo@nova.edu.
topics other health professional training Shari Ramchal is Student Outreach
programs do not, such as the interconnec- Coordinator, Bachelors, Graduate, and
tivity of personal health and the built envi- Community Education.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com August 2017 23