Program History

USF Medicine International, originally named Office of International Affairs College of Medicine, was established in 2005 by the Dean of the Morsani College of Medicine and Senior VP, USF Health Stephen Klasko. The office was created because of a growing recognition of USF as a Global University. Our history and guiding philosophy dates over a decade ago, with the founding of the Center for Health and HIV/AIDS Research and Training (CHART-India), in 1998. This Center was the initial venture of USF's Division of Infectious Disease into international medical activities. Under the leadership of John Sinnott, MD, Kiran Patel, MD, and Eknath Naik, MD, the Center united the efforts of the Division with the USF College of Public Health, several not-for-profits, hospitals and academic institutions in India.

Since the establishment of CHART-India, faculty from the Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine became involved in numerous collaborative research and training activities related to HIV/AIDS with partner institutions in India. Over the decade, the international activities of the Division have grown exponentially thus creating a plethora of opportunities for exchange programs between the Morsani College of Medicine and institutions throughout the world. The Morsani College of Medicine is now affiliated with 24 institutions across five continents.
The Center for Health and HIV/AIDS Research and Training (CHART-India) was founded by Dr. Eknath Naik, Dr. John Sinnott, Dr. Kiran Patel and later consolidated by Dr. Sagar Galwankar. In 2003, CHART-India was named a Type 3 Center within the University of South Florida. The initial funding was provided by Dr. Patel's philanthropy and the support of the Division of Infectious Disease and its faculty who contributed their time, effort and personal finances. CHART-India is a joint effort of the Morsani College of Medicine and the College of Public Health. CHART-India is based on the philosophy of collaboration between the United States and India with capacity building and shared knowledge goals. With the help of health care professionals who specialize in HIV/AIDS, training and education programs began across several resource-deprived regions in India.
The Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine's initial international activities through CHART-India from 1998-2003 included:

Creating an HIV Medicine Intensive Training Course, which is the first such intensive course in HIV management training offered in India in 2002

Establishing the Annual National HIV Update Symposium in India in 2002. In conjunction with the HIV Intensive course, this two day conference gathers the best and brightest from India and the US to share the most current information in HIV treatment

Fellowships for Indian physicians to train at USF in 2002, coordinated by Dr. Eknath Naik, sponsored in part by Dr. Kiran Patel

Collaborative HIV/AIDS related research with Indian institutions Providing scholarships for Infectious Disease fellows since 2002 to attend International HIV/AIDS conferences

Publication of an infectious disease journal in India

Presentation of papers at national and international HIV and infectious disease conferences

Infectious Disease & International Medicine faculty have worked in 26 different countries, donating ~$450,000 in time and personal philanthropy cumulatively

Recruited Dr. Sanjay Pujari as research faculty member in Pune, India

22 physicians from across India were trained at USF in 2002-2003

Assisted in establishing and developing Vasai Regional AIDS Control Society (VRACS) in Maharashtra, India in 2003

Helped launch state-of-the-art Leadership Training Center in Southern India with SVYM (Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement)

Organized multiple training programs for nurses and paramedicals in India
US-India live videoconference in January 2004

Dr. Jeffrey Nadler and Dr. Sanjay Pujari were involved in developing the National Antiretroviral Treatment guidelines for India in 2005

Sent first public health student to learn about infectious diseases at the Dr. Salvador Gautier Hospital in the Dominican Republic in April 2006

Trained 49 physicians and public health officials including Public Health Minister from Maharashtra, India, in 2004 - 2005

International Health Service Collaborative (IHSC) builds sanitary project in rural community of Dominican Republic 2005

Developed AIDS curriculum in Kazakhstan in 2005

Development of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement Leadership Institute in India

Established an exchange program for students, interns and faculty

Sponsored a medical school scholarship for a student from a developing country since 2006

More than 150 Indian physicians trained in India and at USF from 2002-2007 on infectious disease care and prevention

Over 2,000 physicians have participated in the HIV Update annual course until 2007
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru: January 2012

Tianjin Public Health Bureau, Tianjin, China: April 2011

Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador: March 2011

La Universidad CES, Medellin, Colombia: March 2011

La Universidad de Panama, Panama City, Panama: September 2009

La Universidad Latina de Panama, September 2009

Gansu Provincial Health Department, China: January 2009

Instituto do Coracao INCOR, San Paulo, Brazil: April 2008

Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand: November 2008

Ain Shams University, Egypt: August 2008

Capital Medical University, China: January 2007

Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, School of Medicine, Dominican Republic: August 2006

Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriques Urena, School of Medicine, Dominican Republic: August 2006

Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, China: May 2006

The Doctor Salvador B. Gautier Hospital, Dominican Republic: May 2006

The Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Government of Maharashtra, India: January 2006

Kripa Foundation, India: April 2003

Sterling Hospital, India: November 2002

Sir Sayajirao General Hospital and Medical College, India: August 2002

Indu Health Research Foundation, India: August 2001

M.G.M. Medical College, Devi Ahillya Vishwa Vidhyalaya, India: March 2001

Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, India: March 2001

Ruby Hall Clinic/Grant Medical Foundation & Hope Foundation: March 2001

Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, India: March 2001
Deputy Director of the Gansu Province Health Department, China and other officials, March 2009

Dr. Somchai Santiwattanakul, Dr. Somkiat Wattanasirichaigoon & Dr. Suthat Ruhgruanghiranya from Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand, November 2008

Dr. Atul Patel, India: October 2008

Ashraf El-Ghamrawy & Ashley Ansara, from Cairo, Egypt, August 2008

Derek Lloyd, President, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay, 2006

Dr. Miguel Escala, INTEC, November 2006

Dr. (Flt Lt) M. A. Balasubramanya, Dr. M.R. Seetharam, Dr. Padmaja, Founders, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement: June 2006

Dr. Monica Thormann, Infectious Diseases Director, Salvador B. Gautier Hospital: May 2006

Dr. Guo-Tong Xu, Associate Director for the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine: May 2006

Dr. Vimal Mundada, Health Minister, Government of Maharashtra, May 2005
Physician training program, Gansu, China

Online certificate program of core science lectures for international medical students

AIDS education in the Caribbean
USF-Ruby Hall Annual Course in HIV Management: taught by faculty of the Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine and colleagues from India

Collaboration with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement: The Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine provides HIV management training and technical support to health care professionals. Sponsorship of a learning center, medical student scholarship for students from Mysore Medical College, and commitment to teaching in SVYM's leadership program

Collaboration with Directorate of Health Services, Maharashtra, India: Training of forty-nine policy makers and public health physicians from Maharashtra between June 2004 and May 2005, USF conducted four capacity building training programs aimed to educate physicians and administrators from Maharashtra, India.

Medical Curriculum in Kazakhstan: USF Health faculty participated in a multifaceted academic intervention in Kazakhstan in March 2006.

Indu Health Research Foundation, Gujarat: USF Health works closely with Indu Health Research Foundation to improve blood safety and tissue banking in India.

Sterling Hospital and USF Health: Update on Neurological Manifestations of HIV in November 2004.

Partnership between Kripa Foundation and USF's CHART-India: established the Vasai Regional AIDS Control Society. Faculty from the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine trained all of the VRACS physicians in HIV medicine. The Division also provides technical assistance in HIV research and management.

Stephen Klasko Clinical Observership Program: taught by faculty of various departments for international medical students hosted at USF Health