By Lee Revere, Ph.D., FACHE
The UF department of health services research, management and policy celebrates the accomplishments of our staff, dedicated faculty and future health care leaders. As we respond to the evolving needs of our students and stakeholders, I am pleased to feature notable achievements, events and program changes highlighting our focus on educational excellence, research contributions and service to our community.
- Our UF Master of Health Administration student team won first place at the 18th UAB Health Administration Case Competition. We are thrilled to be the first Florida university to win this highly competitive case competition and showcase our students’ leadership excellence. Additional UF M.H.A. teams will compete next month at The Ohio State University Case Competition and the South Florida Case Competition. Case competitions provide our graduate students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.
- Dr. Yulia Strekalova and Ph.D. student Rachel Galvin organized and led an AI Undergraduate Research Experience over spring break for the NIH-funded Human BioMolecular Atlas Program. More than 20 students participated, including eight PHHP students. Students submitted five abstracts to the UF Undergraduate Research Symposium, and all submissions include PHHP co-authors.
- Eight students and two faculty will attend the ACHE National Congress in Chicago at the end of March. We will host a UF M.H.A. and PHHP alumni, students and friends mixer to connect and celebrate with the greater Gator family during the event.
- As on-site principal investigator for an NIH NIDDK P30 grant, Dr. Ashby Walker spearheaded and participated in an AI and Diabetes Workshop, “Using Artificial Intelligence to Address Inequities in Diabetes.” The collaborative event was held in partnership with NIH, Georgia Tech, Children’s Mercy and Emory University. About 130 people were in attendance, with 69 more participants attending virtually.
- Over the last calendar year, our faculty’s research productivity has doubled with annual receivables increasing from $1.2 million to $2.4 million, including Dr. Ashby Walker’s recent Hemsley Charitable Trust award ($1.49 million) and Dr. Yulia Strekalova’s multiple new initiatives ($677,000). To date, there are 11 proposals under review.
- Our programs are expanding! We are excited to offer a fully online M.P.H. in population health management degree and are developing numerous new undergraduate courses for students interested in building a foundation in health care administration.
Please join us as we honor these achievements. Our department remains committed to advancing health care research, education and practice.
Revere is a professor and Florida Blue Endowed Chair at the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions’ department of health services research, management and policy