News and Events

John McFadden also discusses proposed cuts to Florida Resident Access Grant

John McFadden, program administrator for the Barry University Master of Science in Anesthesiology program, was invited to meet with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist March 19, discussing one-on-one current issues in both health care and higher education. McFadden received the invitation through his role as the president of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists, a position he has held since October 2007. The meeting took place in the Governor’s Suite in Tallahassee, where McFadden was also able to bring the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists Board of Directors, including several other Barry personnel – Director of the Anesthesiology program, Tony Umadhay, recent graduate Kathleen Sullivan, clinical instructors Mike Steighner and Bruce Weiner and current Barry student Gwen Randall. “This was not a year in which we were lobbying for specific issues,” McFadden said. “This was an opportunity to reach out to policy makers about how we as nurse anesthetists can help, and how we can all work together to improve health care in Florida.”

John McFadden, program administrator for Barry's Master of Science in Anesthesiology program is pictured with Gov. Charlie Crist. McFadden was invited to meet Crist as part of his role as president of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

“This was not a year in which we were lobbying for specific issues,” McFadden said. “This was an opportunity to reach out to policy makers about how we as nurse anesthetists can help, and how we can all work together to improve health care in Florida.”

Through the meeting, several issues were brought to the table – the impact that proposed cuts to the Florida Resident Access Grant would have on higher education and health care professions, access to health care in the Governor’s newly proposed health care plan, the role of nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners in Florida health care and new technology in the anesthesia profession.

Of particular significance to many in higher education is Gov. Crist’s proposed budget, which cuts the Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG). The FRAG currently awards $3,000 to in-state students attending private institutions, and eliminating this funding would spike tuition at Florida’s 28 independent colleges and universities.

This cut would have a dramatic impact across the board in higher education, but according to McFadden, will greatly reduce the number of students able to pursue an undergraduate education in health care related professions, and thus have long-reaching effects on health care in South Florida.

“So many of those who receive FRAG go into helping professions such as nursing,” McFadden said. “FRAG funding encourages those going into nursing at the undergraduate level, and that in turn affects our pool for advanced practitioners. Restricting access to undergraduate education restricts our pool.”

By restricting students’ access to undergraduate and graduate education, this will in turn limit the diversity and total numbers of the profession.

“Our profession is committed to adding richness through diversity, and promoting cultural competence,” McFadden said. “The rich mix of ethnic and cultural backgrounds in this program and profession helps us provide perspective when we are in the clinical setting.”

In addition to discussing FRAG cuts with Gov. Crist, McFadden also brought to the table several issues specific to the nurse anesthetists and advanced nursing professions. In particular, McFadden and Gov. Crist discussed the Governor’s proposed state health care plan, and how removing insurance requirements may affect – both positively and negatively – Florida residents’ access to health care. Also related to this, the two also discussed the role of nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists in state health care.

“There are a number of underserved and underprivileged areas in the state of Florida,” McFadden said. “We just need to make sure that nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists are able to serve in their fullest capacity without being unnecessarily restricted.”

The meeting wrapped up with a discussion of new technology, which could automate delivery of anesthetics, and thus eliminate the continuous presence of a nurse anesthetist or physician anesthesiologist. The technology is currently under consideration for FDA approval and could be brought first into the state of Florida, removing the human factor from anesthetic delivery, an issue that concerns McFadden.

“Every patient receiving anesthesia deserves a human being at the head of the bed making decisions,” he said. “There are some decisions and the caring aspects that cannot be delivered by a computer. The Governor himself used this analogy; ‘we have autopilot on airplanes, but that doesn’t mean we eliminate the pilot.’”

And, while the subject matter was serious, according to McFadden, the Governor was receptive and made all in attendance feel relaxed.

“Gov. Crist was personable and a true gentleman,” McFadden said. “I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the challenges we face in health care and education. There is no doubt the Governor left with a favorable impression of nurse anesthetists and, of course, Barry.”

McFadden is using this recent advocacy experience towards another trip that will be made to Washington April 14-15. While in Washington, McFadden hopes to meet with federal policy makers, including Sen. Mel Martinez, Reps. Connie Mack, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Florida Rep. Ari Porth.

At Barry, McFadden oversees the Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesiology program. Barry’s degree program is the largest in the state of Florida, and one of the largest in the nation. A nurse anesthetist is a specially-trained nurse who administers anesthesia in the form of medications to patients who are undergoing surgeries or specific procedures. Nurse anesthetists not only administer the anesthesia, but also stay with patients through the course of the procedure. Individuals administering anesthesia must be licensed and credentialed as either a nurse (nurse anesthetist) or a physician (anesthesiologist).

Barry University’s Office of Commuter Affairs is pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 AppLE Awards.

The awards are given each year to university faculty and staff who embody the Barry mission – helping students both inside and outside the classroom.

This year’s winners are:

Outstanding AppLE Award:
Dr. Gerhild Packert, School of Natural and Health Sciences

Special Recognition Awards:
Dr. Artur Poczwardowski, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences
Jennifer Harris, School of Nursing
Dr. David Bosworth, Department of Theology and Philosophy
Indra Hershorin, School of Nursing
The Appreciation for Leading Educators (AppLE) began more than four years ago, as a way for commuter students to recognize Barry faculty and staff. Since then, the nomination process has been opened to all Barry students, and is the only formal recognition given from students to faculty.

Dr. Gerhild Packert, professor in the School of Natural and Health Sciences, is recognized with the 2008 Outstanding AppLE Award. Students nominate faculty and staff for the award, which recognizes them for service inside and outside the classroom.

“These nominees all have a pattern of caring for students,” said dean of student, Maria Alvarez, PhD, in her welcome at the event.

Recipients were honored at the AppLE Awards ceremony, held Wednesday, April 2. Congratulations to all faculty and staff who help provide a caring environment to Barry students on a daily basis.
The full list of SNHS nominees for the 2008 AppLE Awards is below:

• Dr. Gilbert Ellis
• Dr. Douglas Mitchell
• Dr. Laura Mudd
• Dr. Edward Orr
• Dr. Gerhild Packert
• Dr. Teresa Petrino-Lin
• Dr. Asma Sayed
• Dr. Evelio Velis

The Master of Science in Health Services Administration is offering two elective courses for Summer I 2008, which can greatly benefit anyone working or studying in a health care field.

HSA610 Financing and Delivery of Health Care Services: A comprehensive review of the organization of the health care system and the proposals for system reform. This course will discuss complex issues related to financing in the public and private sectors. Dr. Patti Rose brings her extensive health care executive and academic background to the classroom, teaching both theory and application.

HSA635 Essentials of Managed Care: A survey of the managed care continuum in the United States. The concepts of risk and control are studied with a specific focus on issues related to health care management and clinical care. Dr. Jeffrey Ritter has spent many years in the managed care industry and is an expert on the complex issues associated with this aspect of health care.

Lina Arencibia, a Barry University senior biology major, recently received national recognition for her work when she took home one of 10 certificates of achievement in molecular biology from the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS).

The annual conference is the largest multidisciplinary student conference in the United States, with over 2,600 students and assisting faculty presenting their research every year. Students come from over 285 colleges and universities, all pursuing advanced training in the biomedical sciences.

Arencibia was recognized for research performed during summer 2007 through a summer undergraduate research program at the University of California San Fransisco. There, Arencibia studied the molecular mechanisms that regulate fat metabolism. Working under Dr. Kaveh Ashrafi, the research focused on the fly-3 molecule, whose location within the cell assists cell regulatory mechanisms, which in turn, determines fat balance within many tissues.

Arencibia presented a poster on this research at the conference, held Nov. 5 through 8 in Austin, Texas. The presentation was judged by four judges from various disciplines.

At Barry, Arencibia is a graduating senior biology major. Her summer research, and additional research with Barry’s Dr. Leticia Vega, is funded under the MARC U*STAR program, created by the National Institutes of Health-National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to increase the number of biomedical and behavioral scientists from underrepresented groups. In particular, the program aims to prepare students for future Ph.D.s in biomedical programs. Arencibia intends to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in pharmacogenomics after graduation from Barry in December.

For more information, please contact Dr. Flona Redway, associate director of the MARC U*STAR program at (305) 899-3542. Otherwise, for more information on the ABRCMS, you may visit the website at http://www.abrcms.org/index.html.

Thirteen students, looking towards their graduate education in the sciences, attended a workshop last Saturday, Sept. 29. The workshop, entitled "The Graduate School Admissions Process," was held by the School of Natural and Health Sciences and hosted by Dr. Gita Bosch. Dr. Gita Bosch holds several titles at the nationally recognized Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in New York City. In addition to serving as associate dean at the center, she also acts as associate director of Graduate Studies at its associated Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. MARC, RISE and other PhD bound students attended the program to gain resources on graduate education. Dr. Bosch spent the day bringing students up to date on the latest trends in graduate education, what to expect in the graduate school admissions process and also conducting mock interviews. There are currently 13 students participating in the MARC and RISE programs, both of which promote biomedical research careers for minority students.

Dr. Gita Bosch (pictured) hosted a workshop on graduate education for students in the School of Natural and Health Sciences. Dr. Bosch holds several titles at the nationally recognized Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Workshop gave advice to SNHS students on graduate school admissions process

The Mentor-Mentee Club, from the School of Natural and Health Sciences,volunteered at this year's fifth annual South Dade E-Fair & Festival held at the Miami Metro Zoo Saturday, Sept. 22. Seven students from the organization attended, passing out resources on environmental awareness, earth literacy, ethics and good stewardship. Students also provided information on Barry's environmental science program, run through the School of Natural and Health Sciences. While there, the students also enjoyed live entertainment, food and the unique animals at Miami Metro Zoo. The mentor-mentee club is an organization within the School of Natural and Health Science that matches up freshman or transfer students with mentors within their majors. The program currently has over 70 active participants, representing a range of majors from within Natural and Health Sciences.

Student volunteers passed out resources on environmental awareness

Two faculty members from Barry University’s Master of Science in Anesthesiology program recently received national recognitions from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). Steve Clarke, MS, CRNA, clinical coordinator and assistant director of Barry’s anesthesiology program, was named Outstanding Clinical Instructor of the Year at the association’s annual meeting in Denver, Colo. The award, presented to one instructor a year who exemplifies excellence in nurse anesthesia education, was one of two presented to Barry faculty members at the meeting. Diana Quinlan, program lecturer in Barry’s program, was also recognized with the Agatha Hodgins Award for outstanding contributions to the nurse anesthetist profession. Both Clarke and Quinlan have been long-time contributors to both Barry’s program and their profession. Clarke helped establish Barry’s nurse anesthesia degree with Dr. Norman Wolford in 1993, and Quinlan has been conducting research and lecturing on her chosen topic, chemical dependency in health care providers, for over 20 years. Clarke was instrumental in positioning Barry’s program as the first master’s degree for nurse anesthetists in Florida, and one of the largest in the country. He currently supports over 50 students in eight hospital settings at the program’s Orlando site, with over 400 students graduating as nurse anesthetists in his time at Barry. “Sometimes it’s like having 50 kids,” Clarke said. “But there is no doubt this is the toughest program any RN could choose. But, who wants a mediocre CRNA? It has to be tough.” Quinlan has helped advance Barry students’ understanding of substance abuse in health care professions through in-depth lectures and strict self evaluations. She will assist Program Director John McFadden in teaching sections of the fifth semester course, “Leadership and Health Care Systems,” this year. In addition to the faculty members recognized, 14 students and seven faculty members represented Barry at the annual meeting, Aug. 4-8. Jenny Dgertsen, a second year student in the program, represented Barry for the first time by competing in the College Bowl. “Barry was well represented at the meeting this year; everywhere you turned, somebody from Barry was winning an award, speaking, or being involved in a meeting activity,” said Tony Umadhay, adjunct assistant professor of anesthesiology. The latest faculty recognitions follow-up a string of accomplishments for the program. With 126 full-time graduate students currently enrolled, Barry’s Master of Science in Anesthesiology is recognized as the largest program in the state of Florida, and one of the largest in the nation by the AANA.

Students and faculty from the Master of Science in Anesthesiology program are pictured at the annual meeting for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Two faculty members, Steve Clarke and Diana Quinlan were recognized at the event.

Over the summer, eight students involved with the MBRS RISE and MARC U*STAR initiatives carried out research at research-intensive laboratories throughout the United States. Students involved in these programs through the School of Natural and Health Sciences participated in research ranging from biology to psychology, in labs located in prestigious institutions throughout the country. The research prepares them for future careers and degrees. “This was my first experience doing research outside of Barry,” said Yaniery Cruz, a senior Chemistry major at Barry who participated in research at the University of Florida. “I was very independent in the lab, I felt like a real graduate student. I am now sure that I will go to graduate school.” Students performing research this summer were: Cindy Cuello, RISE-Biology (University of Pennsylvania) Mallory Jorif, RISE-Biology (University of Colorado) Alison St. Paul, RISE-Biology (University of Missouri) Lina Arencibia, MARC-Biology (University of California) Odaine Gordon, RISE-Chemistry (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Yaneirys Cruz, RISE-Chemistry (University of Florida) Ileana Pazos, MARC-Chemistry (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Hans Saint-Eloi-Cadely, MARC-Psychology (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) The MBRS RISE Program was created by the National Institutes of Health-National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to enhance the research environment at minority-serving institutions. The overall goal is to increase the interest, skills, and competitiveness of biology and chemistry majors in pursuit of biomedical research careers. Many students rise to the MARC U*STAR program and continue to prepare for PhD programs in biomedical sciences. The MARC U*STAR Program was created by the National Institutes of Health-National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to increase the number of biomedical and behavioral scientists from underrepresented groups. The biomedical and behavioral sciences include Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Mathematics and Computer Science. A key objective of the MARC Program is the successful preparation of these students for PhD programs in biomedical sciences. For more information on either program, see: www.barry.edu/marc   www.barry.edu/mbrsrise

Yaneirys Cruz, a senior Chemistry major, works in the University of Florida lab as part of her summer research through the MBRS RISE program. The initiative, one of two run through SNHS, enhances research opportunities for minority students.

Barry University’s Master of Science in Health Services Administration degree has been ranked the 16th largest program of its kind in the country, according to Modern Healthcare magazine. It is the third consecutive year the program has been included in Modern Healthcare’s annual list, ranking the 25 largest Health Administration degrees out of over 300 nationwide. The ranking, an improvement from last year’s rank at 22, places Barry’s Master in Health Services Administration among those of other large and prestigious institutions such as University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NYU, Columbia and Boston University. “This continued success attests to the excellent career outcomes of our alumni and current students,” said Dr. Alan Whiteman, director and associate dean of the program. “Contributing to the program’s growth and successes are the partnerships, which have evolved with local healthcare organization in the tri-county area…This point of delivery model brings graduate education directly to healthcare workers and physicians who otherwise might find it hard to drive to campus.” The list, published in the Aug. 20 issue of Modern Healthcare, is based on the total number of students enrolled, taken from a 2006-2007 survey of programs. There are currently 97 students enrolled in Barry’s degree. For more information, please contact Whiteman at (305) 899-4014.

Barry's Master of Science in Health Services Administration was recently ranked the 16th largest program of its kind by Modern Healthcare magazine. It is the third consecutive year the program has been included on the list.

The National Society for Histotechnology (NSH) accepted the following posters for presentation at the 32nd Annual Symposium Convention of the NSH held in Phoenix, Arizona, September 2006:

"A Comparative Study of Different Staining Techniques for Pneumocystis carinii in AIDS Patients." Zuniga, A.A., Al-Khunaizi, K., and Velis, E.

"A Brief Study of the HTL Practical Examination and its Outcomes." Al-Khunaizi, K., and Zuniga, A.A.

"A Brief Review of Pathologic Prions in Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease." Zuniga, A.A., and Fernandez, A.

Kadhim Al-Khunaizi is a graduate student from the B.S. Biology/Histotechnology Specialization Program (2005). He works as a Lab Assistant for the Adult Biology Evening Programs. Dr. Velis and Dr. Fernandez are adjunct faculty members. Dr. Zuniga is Associate Professor and Program Director of the B.S. in Biology/M.L.S., and the B.S. in Biology/Histotechnology Specialization Programs.

The evening B.S. in Biology with a Specialization in Histotechnology is the only four-year program in the United States that is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

Students graduating from the B.S. Biology/Histotechnology Specialization are eligible to sit for the National Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) licensure, the national histotechnologist/histotechnician certification. Certification agencies and the Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel may change the qualifying requirements. It is the student's responsibility to meet
those requirements. Barry University is not responsible for such requirements.

The B.S. in Biology/Histotechnology Specialization is accredited for the maximum five years by NAACLS (National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences), 8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670, Chicago, IL
60631-3415; Telephone (773) 714-8880; Fax (773) 714-8886; E-mail: naaclsinfo@naacls.org.

The Summer Science Camp is designed to provide a caring environment for learning on a variety of levels.  Activities will include recreation, experiments, presentations, special guests, interaction with SNHS faculty, and field trips in order to sharpen science knowledge and refine the human spirit.

For additional information, please contact Carey Courson at 305-899-3873 or ccourson@mail.barry.edu.

Registration forms and other materials are available online:  www.barry.edu/snhs

Tuition is $160 per child, per week (Discounted rate of $140 for Barry University employees and multiple children.)

The Cardiovascular Perfusion Program at Barry University won first place in the poster presentation at the 42nd International Conference of the American Society of Extracorporeal Technology, held in May 2004.

The presentation was entitled “Supply and Demand of the Perfusion Graduate.” The project was a collaborative effort between State University of New York, Ohio State University, Medical University of South Carolina, Drexel University, and Barry University. The prize was accompanied by a $500 award which was donated to the Perfusion Program Director’s Council to fund future studies.

A three year retrospective study was completed with the abstracts’ conclusion as follows: The developing trends in the supply and demand for the new perfusion graduate suggest that there will be a shortage of perfusion graduates in the next five years. In response to this prediction perfusionists should redouble their efforts to recruit quality individuals into the field.

The National Society for Histotechnology (NSH) accepted the poster "Study of Lewy-Bodies in Parkinson Disease" to be presented at the 2004 Symposium /Convention in Toronto, Canada, on September 19-21, 2004, in the NSH exhibit hall of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Authors: Alicia A. Zuniga and Patricia Gonzalez.

Dr. Zuniga is Associate Professor and Program Director of the B.S. in Biology/M.L.S.; B.S. in Biology/Histotechnology; and Biology Single Major programs. Patricia is a graduate student from the BS Biology/Histotechnology Program ('91). She works as a Lab Assistant for the Adult Biology Evening programs.

American College of Healthcare Executives
Southern Florida Regent’s Advisory Council
2nd Annual Case Competition Graduate Program, 2004

2nd Place - Barry University Team

• Carlos Urrea, M.D.
• Renee Stanford
• Maria Pacheco

The Barry University MSHSA Graduate Team competed against St. Thomas University and Florida International University.

Barry Universtiy's Master of Science in Anesthesiology Program recently won the Waterford Crystal Apple. This award celebrates innovation and excellence in today's educational environment. The winning course, Introduction to Nurse Anesthesia (ANE 699S), is designed to prepare students for Nurse Anesthesia studies.

Thinking about becoming a Nurse Anesthetist? Don't know if you are ready, or have the academic background to be successful? Well you are in luck!

The Master of Science Program in Anesthesiology offers a special course for those interested, but not sure...

ANE 699S, Introduction to Nurse Anesthesiology, is a newly developed course designed by the Barry University faculty in anesthesiology just for those interested in accessing the academic preparation involved. The course is offered as an independent study; it is self-paced, and you don't even have to come to campus. You need Internet access.

The course is offered year round, so if you are thinking anesthesiology, take the challenge. It is only 2 credits, and may give you some great information about academic rigors for this specialty. Don't delay. Learn more, earn more.

Contact Mercedes Diaz-Rodriguez at mrodriguez@mail.barry.edu.

Her research focused on Molecular Expression and Electrochemical Analysis of Phenylalanine-Tyrosine Transporter from Anopheles gambiea.  This research was conducted at the Whitney Laboratory in St Augustine, Florida, during the summer between her freshman and sophomore year.

Poincyanne is a sophomore majoring in biology and a member of the MBRS RISE program.

Dr. Graham Shaw of the Schools of Natural & Health Sciences and Graduate Medical Sciences will represent Barry at this year's SLOAN-C International conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks in Orlando, Florida from November 14 - 16th. Dr. Shaw will present his paper "The use of ALN in tracking student-patient interactions during clinical rotations at geographically dispersed locations" coauthored with Dr. Stephen Morewitz and Dr. Joel Clark.

The conference will be attended by individuals from over 230 institutions, 43 states, and 9 countries, with a common interest in distance learning, online education, and web-based technologies. College-level faculty and administrators, instructional technology professionals, and instructional designers will be representing their respective institutions. 

Dr. John C. Hitt, President of The University of Central Florida, will deliver the key note address and Susan Metros, Deputy Chief Information Officer and Executive Director for e-Learning at The Ohio State University will be the Plenary speaker.

Dr. Gil Ellis, assistant professor of physiology in the School of Natural and Health Sciences, was featured in the Miami Herald on August 18 for innovative classes he and his colleagues are teaching this fall.

Ellis was awarded a $137,000 curriculum improvement grant to develop new lab-based life science courses for non-science majors. Ellis and colleagues, Betty Hays, Gerhild Packert, and Jeremy Montague, have put together an array of intriguing new lab offerings that beckon to the secret sleuth aspirations in science and non-science majors alike.

Gil Ellis

New courses include: the Biology of Crime, Disease Detectives, The Six Senses, Sustainable Ecology, and a new version of the course titled The Biology of Women. On the horizon are two additional courses titled: The Alien Empire, Barry's Bugs (an entomology course) and Designer Genes (a human genetics course).

In addition to the course development, Dr. Montague is working on a website which will feature all course offerings that will be available for non-science majors.

The entire program will be evaluated by Dr. David Molnar and the projected success of the new course offerings will be reported to NSF as a model for other colleges and universities to enhance their life science curriculum for non-science majors.

The new technologies in science have widened the scientific literacy gap among college graduates. Several universities in conjunction with NSF are addressing the issues of how to narrow that gap by introducing students to recent concepts in research through innovative lab-based course development.

An interdisciplinary faculty team from Barry University has been selected by Duke University Medical Center to participate in a $1.5 million faculty development grant project to bring genetics education to primary health care providers.

The Genetic Interdisciplinary Faculty Training (GIFT) Project, is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Barry is one of 25 graduate faculty teams selected from across the United States.

Claudette M. Spalding, Ph.D., ARNP, leader of Barry’s interdisciplinary team notes, “I am honored to lead Barry’s faculty team. We expect to incorporate genetics knowledge into our graduate health care curricula and to ultimately improve patient knowledge and care.”

Emphasizing the importance of genetics in primary care disease prevention, Spalding said, “In the patient’s pedigree we look back three generations at the picture of the family’s health history. If grandma experienced breast cancer at age 35, it behooves the patient to seek screening before age 40,” Spalding stressed.

Charles Culver, MD, Ph.D., agrees, “The reason for the GIFT Project’s significance is that there have been enormous discoveries in genetics in the past decade. In order for health professions students to keep pace, it is vital to increase genetics content in graduate school health professions curricula.”

Barry Team Members

• Dr. Claudette Spalding, assistant professor and director of MSN specialties, Barry University School of Nursing
• Dr. Charles Culver, Professor of Medical Education, Barry Physician Assistant Program, Barry University School of Graduate Medical Sciences
• Dr. Gerhild Packert, Assistant Professor and geneticist, Barry University, School of Natural and Health Sciences
• Ms. Jeanne Gottlieb, Director, University of Miami Nurse Midwifery Program.

GIFT Advisory Group Member

• Theresa A. Johnson, M.S., PA-C, Assistant Professor of Medical Education, Associate Program Director, Barry University Physician Assistant Program.

Nancy James, RN, MA, and GIFT Program Coordinator at Duke University said, “The faculty team from Barry is exceptional and their sharing of information has contributed to the success of the project. I have asked Dr. Charles Culver to lecture on ethical issues in genetics to next year's GIFT class, in June 2004. I am confident the Barry team will achieve major strides in incorporating genetics into the curricula of their programs.”

If you are pursuing your first bachelor's degree you are eligible for a Merit Scholarship valued between $500 to $6750 per semester if you reside on campus, and $500 to $5000 per semester if you commute to campus. The amount awarded is based on your cumulative grade point average (GPA) on previous college-level course work. This scholarship is renewable every semester of the program as long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA. Other federal, state, and institutional grants are available if you qualify.

If you are a second degree (bachelor or higher) student you are eligible for a Merit Scholarship valued at $3,000 per semester if your cumulative grade point average (GPA) in your last degree program is 3.0 or higher. This scholarship is renewable every semester of the program as long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA.

The CVP Merit Scholarship is administered by the Office of Financial Aid (finaid@mail.barry.edu).

Learn more about the Cardiovascular Perfusion program.

Ed Gray '01 doesn't approach anything casually. He attacks it with a boundless energy that amazes peers half his age.

A Boca Raton occupational therapist, he works 50 or more hours a week, many times seeing 25 elderly patients a day. He splits duties with his wife, Jodi, a full-time physical therapist, raising their children Sydney, 11, and Justin, 5. In his spare time, he competes nationally in a relatively new extreme sport called adventure racing.

Some might wonder how Gray, 44, managed to complete this bachelor's degree in Barry's OT program.

"I spent a lot of nights sitting up 'til 10 or 11 at night studying," he recalled. "If I had a free moment I'd study.

"Plus I've done a lot of studying of successful people," he continued. "They all had non-deterred focus. And nothing would stand in the way of my getting that degree."

Classmates might also credit his intensely competitive nature. Irma Coupet, for instance, got to know Gray through three years of commuting, every other weekend, to classes on Barry's Miami Shores campus. Two others, Kathleen Crim and Marylu Maldonado, joined Gray and Coupet on the 60-mile trek.

He chose to return to school after earning an associate of science degree from Lynn University. Working full-time and raising two children, he attended the bi-monthly weekend sessions at Barry, taking three classes per semester for three years.

"What was amazing was that half the class came in from out of state, every other weekend," he said. "I was attending class with students from Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina."

One attraction, he believes, was the quality of Barry's Occupational Therapy program. "They taught me to think and how to figure out problems, versus just doing what the book might say." That comes in handy, he said, in a field that requires him to integrate a client's mental, physical, and professional lives.

Since graduating in 2000, Gray has devoted much of his boundless energy to Adventure Racing, a relatively new sport that he calls a "triathlon on steroids." He and partner Mike Merman, a 30-year-old physical therapy assistant, formed "Team Road Kill," finishing seventh nationally last year.

Adventure racing involves running 5-8 miles, off-road (many times mountain) biking 10-15 miles, and kayaking 3-5 miles. In the midst of these highly frenetic activities, contestants have to stop and complete one special test, like figuring out a puzzle, or using a compass to gain orientation and find certain landmarks.

"That's the thing that makes Ed such a good partner," Merman said. "He loves to go fast, yet he can settle down and really focus."

Competing with younger athletes requires work and concentration. No problem. Gray, who ran track and wrestled for his high school team in Virginia, follows a strict regimen. He rises at 5:30 every morning, runs several miles or rides 20 miles on his bike. Lengthy practice sessions with Merman fill each weekend, leading to the once-a-month competitions. He even has the blessings of his wife, Jodi.

"She doesn't care," he said, "as long as I take out more life insurance."

"That's Ed, he always speaks his mind," said Merman. "He's a funny, wild guy and it really works for him."

Our graduates have demonstrated success in the sciences for well over 35 years. Within the last ten years, 364 students have graduated from the undergraduate program in Biology.

Statistics:

• 33% are Hispanic,
• 17% are African American,
• 27% are Asian, and
• 70% of these are women.

Where are they today?

• 107 are in medical, dental, and veterinary schools
• 55 are in graduate schools
• 62 are in allied health professions
• 16 are teachers
• 11 are in research.

Approximately 98% of our graduates are employed in their field of study. A caring, mentoring faculty supports our diverse student body. We address biological, biomedical, and health issues that impact national and international health care and scientific research. Our goal is to prepare you to be an informed, involved, and educated leader.