Setting the pace for academic medicine
The contributions of our faculty and staff set the pace for academic medicine in our region.
Welcome to the fall edition of Academic Matters, the quarterly newsletter of the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.
As the year comes to a close, I take tremendous pride in the strides we have made as a college to continue our mission to heal, comfort, educate and to discover during challenging and unprecedented times. The contributions of our faculty and staff set the pace for academic medicine in our region and I am thankful to all who work for the improved health of our community.
Honoring an inspirational leader
We are forever touched and impacted by the life and legacy of Leon L. Haley Jr., M.D., MHSA, the former dean of the College of Medicine – Jacksonville and CEO of UF Health Jacksonville. July marked one year since his sudden passing. As we continue to mourn and heal, leadership dedicated the last week of July to remember and reflect on his life and contributions.
In his memory, faculty participated in a special art project, painting rocks with #HaleyStrong, encouraging words and messages that reflected Dr. Haley’s kind and generous spirit. To end the week, purple was worn to honor Dr. Haley as it was his favorite color and the signature color of his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Dr. Haley has left an imprint on our hearts and we are grateful for the time we had with him and will keep his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Residents and fellows begin training
The start of July is an exciting time for the college, ushering in the beginning of a new academic year. We welcomed nearly 100 new residents and fellows to the UF Health family as they began their training. Incoming residents represent 24 states and 8 countries, which speaks to the diversity of our training programs.
It is significant to note, of all the individuals who matched, 35% of them completed a student rotation on our campus. We are thrilled to have them and are confident they will receive top-tier training under the leadership of our faculty and staff.
UF Health East
The opening of UF Health East is an exciting development for our organization as we continue to provide high-quality care in Northeast Florida. The medical facility, located near the intersection of J. Turner Butler Blvd. and Kernan Blvd., will officially open its doors in December 2022 in collaboration with Jax Spine & Pain Centers, an independent pain management services provider.
There, UF Health will offer what will be Jacksonville’s largest freestanding ambulatory surgery center on the first floor. The surgery center will be home to four operating rooms, four procedure rooms and two endoscopy suites. On the second floor, six subspecialties – neurosurgery, general surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, gastroenterology, orthopaedic surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology – will conduct daily operations. The third floor will house Jax Spine & Pain suites. We look forward to expanding our reach to serve the southeast quadrant of Jacksonville.
UF Health leaders cut the ribbon at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for UF Health East.
Looking toward the future
For several years, we have steadily moved toward the designation of regional medical campus. This would allow UF students to become familiar with faculty members in Jacksonville, while giving them greater exposure to diverse patient populations. In January 2023, the College of Medicine in Gainesville will have their site visit to renew Liaison Committee on Medical Education accreditation. Our potential designation as a regional campus will come after the site visit, pending further discussion with stakeholders and colleagues in Gainesville. We will keep you abreast on developments on this project.
Staff updates
Recruiting efforts continue for the chair of the department of anesthesiology. During this period, faculty have remained dedicated to developing the next generation of anesthesiology leaders. Thank you to Jason B. Widrich, MD, MBA, who currently serves as interim chair, for his superb leadership as we continue our search.
Leading at the Speed of Trust
There has been an overwhelming response to the latest Leadership Development Institute training. Around 300 individuals have participated in the last four interactive sessions and showed great interest in bolstering their leadership skills. The training, focused on “Leading at the Speed of Trust,” discusses behaviors of high trust and the 4 Cores of Credibility (integrity, intent, capabilities and results). We are proud to have excellent faculty who seek to implement these principles and tools in their daily routines and interactions.
As always, it is an honor to serve as your dean and I look forward to the positive days ahead.
