Chad Perlyn, Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, Dean, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine/ Executive Medical Director, NSU Health

In an interview with Invest:, Chad Perlyn, executive vice president and chief medical officer, and dean of the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), said that NSU is leading a transformative era in academic healthcare by integrating education, research, and clinical care. “We believe that if we’re delivering the best medicine, we’re also teaching the best medicine, and that’s the essence of our mission as a university,” he said.

What have been the significant milestones and achievements for NSU recently?

Let me first explain my role to give some context, and then I’ll talk about some of our accomplishments. I’m truly honored to have joined NSU — it’s been about four months now, and it’s been extraordinary. Before this, I helped lead Nicklaus Children’s Health System as senior vice president, where I also oversaw the physician group. When Harry Moon became president of NSU, we discussed the opportunity for me to return to academia, which has always been close to my heart.

I’ve always believed the best medicine happens when three areas converge: clinical care, research, and — very importantly — education. That convergence is what makes NSU such a special place. Our robust healthcare education program spans multiple colleges, including two medical schools. NSU is one of only four universities in the country that offers both osteopathic and allopathic medical education, which is a tremendous strength. This dual approach allows us to train physicians from both philosophies, giving future patients more choice, something we all know is vital in healthcare.

Beyond medicine, we have outstanding programs in dentistry, pharmacy, psychology, healthcare sciences, nursing, optometry, and more. On the research side, one of our marquee programs is the Hussman ALS Center. Recently, we received a $41 million donation to build what will be one of the finest centers for ALS research and treatment in the country. That level of support is a testament to the quality of care and innovation happening at NSU. I oversee much of this in my capacity as executive vice president and chief medical officer of the university. I also help lead NSU Health, our emerging, integrated network of healthcare services, which will continue to grow as we partner with community providers. NSU Health is focused on delivering exceptional clinical care while integrating education and research.

Building a healthcare system of this magnitude allows us to offer high-quality care to patients across Broward County, South Florida, and beyond, all while training the next generation of clinicians. We believe that if we’re delivering the best medicine, we’re also teaching the best medicine, and that’s the essence of our mission as a university.

Just recently, I was officially named Dean of the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine — our MD school. That’s another exciting development. Leading a major medical school here in Broward County means we can expand and elevate healthcare innovation, research, talent recruitment, and medical education throughout the region. There’s a lot ahead, and it’s all incredibly exciting.

The university recently received the R1 designation.  What does this recognition mean for NSU research, and how do you plan to leverage it?

This is a tremendous moment in NSU’s history. We are the largest private, not-for-profit research university in Florida, and the R1 designation validates our excellence, our forward-thinking vision, and our commitment to discovery. This honor spans across disciplines — healthcare, oceanography, and other sciences.

To put it in perspective, out of approximately 4,000 universities in the United States, only around 178 hold R1 status. This recognition places NSU among an elite group and affirms our leadership in research. What it means practically is that we’re now better positioned to attract top-tier scientists, industry partners, and research investors. I use the term “investors” broadly, not for personal financial return but for those looking to invest in science, public health, and community wellbeing.

Research is about the future. The discoveries we make today could lead to cures long after our time, and that’s the role of a university: to imagine and build a better tomorrow. The R1 status empowers us to do that on a larger scale.

How is the university adapting its programs to meet the evolving demands of both the healthcare industry and students?

One of our key initiatives is to reduce the time and cost of education. Traditionally, students would complete four years of undergraduate education followed by four years of medical school before even beginning their residency. In my own case, I spent nearly 10 years in training after medical school to become a pediatric plastic surgeon. That’s a significant time and financial investment.

To address this, we’re creating accelerated pathways, such as a condensed three-year undergraduate curriculum and six-year combined programs that link undergraduate and medical education. These programs, in both our osteopathic and allopathic schools, will help students enter the workforce more quickly or spend more time in advanced clinical fellowships.

From the healthcare system side, we are prioritizing partnerships. We want our students, whether they’re in medicine, nursing, or other fields, to rotate through and train with our local hospitals. Our goal is to keep our students in Broward County for training and, ideally, for their careers. The more they engage with local institutions early on, the more likely they are to stay.

In return, many local facilities are offering scholarship support to incentivize students to pursue high-demand fields like nursing and primary care. We’re also exploring new models of graduate medical education, including integrated residency pathways that start earlier in medical school. These innovations will help produce more targeted, efficient training, all while better serving our community’s needs.

How is NSU integrating innovation and technology into its academic programs and healthcare system?

I see AI as a powerful tool, not a replacement for physicians. AI can’t deliver care, provide empathy, or understand the human complexities that come with treating a patient. But it does offer incredible computational capabilities.

For example, I recently heard a talk at the AAMC conference about “shelved drugs” — medications developed for specific conditions that didn’t work as intended. Thanks to AI, researchers can now reevaluate these compounds for other uses, uncovering treatments we might have otherwise missed.

In global health, I saw AI in action in rural Peru, where a mobile unit was screening for tuberculosis using AI to read X-rays with remarkable accuracy. That’s a powerful tool, especially in resource-limited settings.

It’s important to remember that innovation in healthcare has always included new tools. The stethoscope was revolutionary in its time. Today, doctors can carry portable ultrasound devices that connect to their smartphones. AI is the next evolution, another tool to enhance what physicians do.

One under-discussed benefit is AI’s ability to process and analyze negative results. Historically, scientific journals focused on positive outcomes. However, AI can help researchers study failed experiments to extract insights, potentially leading to breakthroughs from what were once considered dead ends.

What are your long-term aspirations for NSU?

My vision is simple: for NSU to be recognized as Florida’s leader in academic healthcare. We already have an incredible foundation with our diverse educational programs. By integrating them, shortening training time, and enhancing quality, we’ll continue to produce some of the finest clinicians in the region.

As NSU Health grows, it will become the face of our clinical services, bringing knowledge from the classroom to the clinic, and ultimately to the community. That’s our motto, and it captures our mission perfectly.

As we expand partnerships with healthcare systems and leverage their strengths, everyone benefits, including the people of South Florida. The future is bright, and we’re proud to be right at the center of it.

It’s a truly exciting time for Broward. As NSU grows and our community hospitals expand, we’re seeing world-class care delivered locally. At a recent Broward Workshop event, someone said that no patient should need to leave Broward anymore, and I fully agree. Whether it’s pediatric care through Nicklaus Children’s or Joe DiMaggio, or advancements in oncology, cardiology, and orthopedics, extraordinary things are happening right here. NSU is proud to be at the heart of it all, contributing across education, research, and clinical care.