March 17, 2003

Contact:
Jennifer Meriam, Director (954) 262-5355
Mike Laderman, Associate Director, (954) 262-5354
Mara Kiffin, Coordinator, (954) 262-5350

NSU-COM Students Win First Prize at Research Competition

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL-Two students from Nova Southeastern University's College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-COM) received first-place recognition at the 29th Annual Eastern-Atlantic Student Research Forum held recently at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Second year students Tirdad Zangeneh and Seth Politano, both from Davie, were recognized for their public health/epidemiology poster presentation comparing the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among rural and urban communities in Jamaica. NSU faculty members Paula Anderson-Worts, D.O., M.P.H., served as faculty advisor and project coordinator, while Jon Dobbs, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Patrick Hardigan, Ph.D., assisted the students on the project.

The award marks the second time in three years that NSU-COM students earned top honors at the research forum, which allows students from medical schools in the Atlantic and eastern states to exhibit clinical and basic science research they have conducted. Over 50 research projects were presented and judged on completeness of study, organization, originality, methodology, presentation quality and answering of questions. NSU-COM was the only osteopathic college entered in the competition.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine at NSU is part of the Health Professions Division, which also offers programs through the College of Allied Health, College of Dental Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, College of Optometry, and College of Pharmacy.

For more information about the Health Professions Division at NSU, visit http://hpd.nova.edu/