MEET A MAKO 

Kenneth Johnson, D.O. 

Executive Associate Dean, Tampa Bay Regional Campus and Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology 

When Kenneth Johnson, D.O. applied to the Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine in the early 1990s, he found a “very kind, caring, and highly energetic group of leaders” who had built a school that demonstrated their passion for educating students interested in medicine. 

“I knew that I wanted to be part of whatever it was they were doing,” he said. “And nothing’s changed in that respect for the last 30 years.” 

Before finding a home at NSU, Johnson served in the United States Air Force, eventually being promoted to captain as an air weapons controller instructor. Teaching the system in the military fostered his interest in educating others, but when he returned home, he spent a year at the Institute of Mental Health at the University of South Florida before deciding to focus on earning his degree in obstetrics and gynecology. After graduation, he moved to Chicago for his residency, but stayed in touch with the faculty and administration of his alma mater, which had merged with Nova University to form NSU.  

He was promised a position if he wanted to return to the university, which he did in 1996. He started as an instructor, working with his former professor and mentor, Danny Barkus, D.O.  

“He kept telling me my strength was teaching,” Johnson said. “He was an incredible mentor, loved by staff, faculty, and students.” 

Barkus inspired Johnson to develop the NSU Women’s Health Center, which offers a full range of obstetrics and gynecological services, including infertility treatments and genetic counseling. It also serves as a rotation site for NSU students in obstetrics and gynecology, providing them with a real opportunity to learn about women’s health. Another clinical site for students is Broward Health, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Florida. Johnson previously served as chair of the OB/GYN department there. He was also the chair of the OB/GYN quality committee board for 12 years prior to his move to Tampa Bay. 

During his career at NSU, Johnson also began to take part in clinical trials on women’s health. After serving as the principal investigator in several research projects, he now has the opportunity to pass that skill on to his medical students. 

“And then, if all of that wasn’t enough,” he added, “Dr. Hanbury invited me to build a $300 million palace in Tampa Bay. I had to pinch myself.” 

The palace Johnson refers to is the NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus, which includes a branch of NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. Johnson was an integral part of the campus’ development and currently serves as the executive associate dean of the campus. In that role, Johnson oversees campus operations, administration, and academic affairs.  

“As Dr. Hanbury and Dr. Patel envisioned, this campus has become a catalyst for our core values,” Johnson said. “We integrate state-of-the-art simulation and technological innovations.” 

Johnson is excited to share NSU’s Tampa Bay Regional Campus with anyone who is interested. Tours of the facility include an opportunity to interact with a labor and delivery simulator, an experience Tampa Mayor Jane Castor enjoyed on her recent visit to the campus. The demonstrations provide a glimpse of what students experience at the campus, although their training is constantly evolving to keep up with advancements in patient care.  

“We attract world-renowned faculty. We attract top students in the world,” Johnson said. “NSU has truly become global in our impact with respect to healthcare because of the students and faculty we attract. Our graduates have always been highly sought by the industry, and they are in great demand never more than now.”  

Johnson hopes that extending into the Tampa Bay region encourages even more NSU alumni to become involved with the school. 

 “Our alumni are preeminent in their field, I think that bodes well for the future,” he said. “How can you not be grateful for a school that is so gracious?”