Jefferson College of Health Professions

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Jefferson College of Health Professions

www.jefferson.edu/JCHP

06/01/2026

Check out this "day in the life" of our adjunct, Amanda who is teaching for our Nutrition & Dietetic Practice/RDN Program! She works as a lead clinical dietitian at Jefferson improving the health of our patients through evidence-based nutrition care. Dieticians are in demand and we are now offering an online part-time option. Learn more at www.jefferson.edu/MSRDN

05/29/2026

NEW FACULTY MEMBER ALERT!

Please welcome Dr. Fausto, of Filipino descent, as we celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! She joined our college in April and excited to have her on our team. Read more about Dr. Fausto and her accomplishments below.

What is your name and title:
Bernadette A. Fausto, PhD
Assistant Professor

In which department do you work:
College of Health Professions
Department of Health Science & Clinical Practice

Briefly describe what you do here at Jefferson including any special or significant research or scholarship projects you’re working on:
I am a full-time faculty member supporting the DHSc and PhD programs in Health Science. Currently, I serve as a research mentor and support instructor for didactic and research credit coursework in both programs. I am also building up my research program here at Jefferson and recently received funding to investigate: “Revolutionizing Earlier Alzheimer’s Detection: An Age-Agnostic, Non-Invasive Cognitive Mapping and Topological Approach Unaffected by Cultural and Educational Barriers”. I am also a Co-PI on an NIH-funded longitudinal study investigating risk and resilience factors for Alzheimer’s disease and on a randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of cardio-dance fitness to improve brain health in older African Americans.

How long have you been Thomas Jefferson University:
I joined Jefferson in mid-April 2026, so about a month and a half!

What is the best part of your job:
The best part of my job is the conversations with colleagues, collaborators, mentees, and research participants. Their different perspectives and experiences directly shape how I approach research questions and mentor the next generation. Those conversations reveal whether the work actually matters.

What’s one piece of advice you give students:
Seek out opportunities and be willing to put in intentional work to achieve your goals.

What’s something people would be surprised to find out about you:
I am a huge heavy metal head and have been to several national and international metal music festivals. I even listen to it when I’m writing manuscripts!

Please tell us about any awards or appointments you’ve recently received:
I was selected as a 2026-2028 Fellow of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) by NORC at University of Chicago, acknowledging my active contributions to rigorous scholarship using NSHAP data.

05/26/2026

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we are highlighting, Professor Medina-McCurdy from the Physician Assistant program (EF/NJ). In addition to her role as the assistant program director, she is actively involved in many university and college activities such as serving on our JCHP DEI committee.

Learn more about Professor Medina-McCurdy below.

What is your name and title:
Monica Medina-McCurdy, MHS, PA-C
Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director

In which department do you work:
Physician Assistant Program (East Falls and New Jersey)

Briefly describe what you do here at Jefferson including any special or significant research or scholarship projects you’re working on:
My faculty responsibilities include lecturing, hands-on teaching, course coordination, and advising graduate PA students. As Associate Program Director (APD) for the New Jersey campus, I work very closely with my counterpart on the East Falls Campus, also an APD, and the Program Director to ensure that the program fulfills our accreditation requirements and meets the university’s key performance metrics.

How long have you been at Jefferson:
I joined Jefferson on November 13, 2023, so I have been with Jefferson for 2.5 years.

What is the best part of your job:
The best part of my job is collaborating with an amazing faculty to train new Physician Assistants who will go on to significantly impact the lives of thousands of people over their careers.

What’s one piece of advice you give students:
The process of becoming a PA is life-changing and highly rewarding. When the journey becomes difficult, it is important to keep your “whys” at the forefront of your mind and heart, and to not let any setbacks dominate your perspective. Leaning on with trusted classmates and loved ones will help you keep your “whys” in focus.

What’s something people would be surprised to find out about you:
I grew up in the Big Sky state of Montana. My family is still there, and I feel grateful and fortunate that my parents decided to settle there. It’s a beautiful place to grow up.

Please tell us about any awards or appointments you’ve recently received:
I was inducted into the Pi Alpha National Honor Society last year, which is the national honor society for PAs.

05/22/2026

Still celebrating our graduates! Congrats to our Health Science student, Kai and Medical Imaging student, Shiyun! We are proud of your journey and everything you’ve accomplished so far.

https://www.jefferson.edu/news/2026/05/celebrating-the-jefferson-class-of-2026.html/

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Sara Jane Ward for being the recipient of the Educational Service Award by the Center for Substance Abuse Research at Temple. Dr. Ward has taught courses for our Medical Cannabis Science and Business program when it was first launched and we're excited for this well-deserved recognition!

05/19/2026

Although commencement is over, we are still reflecting on the incredible faculty who teach, support, and inspire our students everyday! Our sonography program team is fully staffed and ready for the summer semester. Thank you for your hard-work and dedication in preparing the next generation of sonographers!

Heidi Micolucci, MS, RDMS, RVT
Traci Fox, EdD, R.T.(R)(ARRT), RDMS, RVT, FSVU
Maureen McDonald, DHSc, RDMS, RDCS, FASE
Rebecca Zimmerman, BS, R.T.(R)(ARRT), RDMS, RVT, RDCS

05/18/2026

Check out this adorable social media trend featuring Dr. Wycoff, Program Director of our DHSc/PhD programs representing Jefferson and our college in the "city".

05/14/2026

On Tuesday May 12th we celebrated our JCHP graduates for their hard work, resilience, and dedication that led them to commencement. We are incredibly proud of all you’ve accomplished and excited for what comes next. Best of luck on the journey ahead. We know you will make a lasting impact on the world. Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

05/13/2026

Happy National Cytology Day!
Today we commemorate the birthday of Dr. George Papanicolaou the father of modern cytopathology and inventor of the Pap Smear which has become the most successful cancer screening program worldwide. We want to celebrate the critical role of cytologists and cytopathologists in cancer detection and healthcare.

Our Cytology graduates are making an real impact to patient care with their diagnostic skills and microscopy expertise. We are so proud and excited for the MS in Cytology - Class of 2026 for their own academic accomplishments this week before they join the pathology workforce.

Thank you to Program Director, Professor Lennen for your contributions in teaching our future Cytologists and to the profession!

Learn more about a career in Cytology - https://youtu.be/3wgOE4uc0TY?si=CUfZ84Et_8GLOvwP

www.jefferson.edu/MLSB

05/11/2026

On May 1st, our Physician Assistant Programs hosted a PA Program Networking Event to prepare students for a successful transition into clinical practice. This event featured real-world perspectives through presentations from Advanced Practice Clinician leadership and Human Resources, structured mock interviews, and direct engagement with representatives from the Pennsylvania State Society of Physician Assistants, Jefferson Alumni Relations, Career Services, and additional partners.

This event reflects a shared commitment to student readiness, professionalism, and meaningful workforce connection. Many thanks to the outstanding team whose collaboration and dedication made this experience impactful for our students, with special recognition to Professor McNicoll and the planning team for bringing this vision to life!

Address

901 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
19107

Telephone

+12155034943

Website

http://www.jefferson.edu/JCHP

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