Cardiac Simulation Center Dedicated in Honor of Longtime Cardiologist

Nova Southeastern University’s Health Professions Division (HPD) proudly dedicated its cardiac simulation center in honor of Dr. A. Alvin Greber, a longtime cardiologist at the university. Greber, a D.O. who teaches internal medicine and cardiovascular medicine, is currently HPD’s Associate Executive Dean for Professional and Extramural Affairs. HPD comprises the colleges of osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, dental medicine, allied health and nursing, optometry and medical sciences.

“Dr. Greber is the mentor to many of our most accomplished health professionals such as physicians, optometrists, dentists and physicians assistants based upon his academic skills and simulation in cardiac and cardiovascular care,” said HPD Chancellor Fred Lippman, R. Ph., Ed.D.  “He is the epitome of what a physician is all about.”

The dedication ceremony occurred on Monday, Oct. 22. Previously known as The Harvey Laboratory, HPD’s cardiac simulation center was renamed the Dr. A. Alvin Greber Cardiac Simulation Center during the ceremony. The center has a cardiology patient simulator -- called Harvey -- which emulates the bedside findings of almost all cardiac diseases at the touch of a button. It allows medical students and others who need such training to observe and feel pulses as well as listen to heart sounds and murmurs.

Some of the findings it can simulate include blood pressure, bilateral jugular venous pulsations, carotid and peripheral arterial pulsations, precordial pulse abnormalities and auscultatory events of each cardiac disease state. Greber, who has been teaching at HPD since 1989, began his illustrious career in his hometown of Philadelphia. He attended the University of Pennsylvania before going on to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the alma mater of his mentor, Arnold Berger, D.O., a beloved south Philadelphia physician. At HPD, Greber is credited for modernizing internal medicine and recruiting renowned faculty. He also single-handedly created the curricula syllabi and implemented an innovative log system to track medical students’ attendance and performance during their third and fourth year rotations.