The Significance of IT in Higher Education
In developing the medical school of the future, technology is central to the story. It’s not just because I enjoy technology. It’s because IT is now foundational to everything we do in modern medical education.
In the not-so-distant past, IT in higher education was often seen as an add-on rather than a core component. I remember visiting campuses where tech teams were tucked away in underutilized spaces—often called upon only when something broke. That mindset has shifted dramatically. At OCOM, IT was part of the conversation from day one, and its integration into the educational and operational fabric of our institution has been intentional and strategic.
We are incredibly fortunate to have Shazam Mohammed, MBA, as our Director of Information Technology (his name really is Shazam - I have seen his driver's license). He and his team have not only built our IT systems from the ground up but have also helped shape a future-focused, user-centered technology environment. They’ve embraced our vision of creating a seamless, intuitive, and secure experience for faculty, staff, and students.
As far as I know, I am the only medical school dean who is an Apple Distinguished Educator which has given me a deep appreciation for the ways in which technology can enhance learning—when implemented thoughtfully. At OCOM, our goal has always been to leverage technology in a way that supports the training of the physician of the future without becoming a barrier or a burden.
The first decision that we had to make was which hardware platform. This was an easy one. Apple hardware is known for their incredible user experience and a famous study by IBM showed that you actually save up to $543/year/user. This includes all hardware, software, and support personnel costs. We are actually seeing a great reduction in cost. For example, a recent medical school that had gone with a Microsoft platform needed to have eight personnel to help manage, troubleshoot, secure, and fix problems. On our founding IT team, we have just four (IT Director, Systems Administrator, Technology Educator, and Media Engineer/IT Specialist). This team provides spectacular service and spends more of their time focusing on improving what faculty, staff, and students do and educating them on ways to leverage technology. We have aspirations to be Florida’s first medical school that is an Apple Distinguished School and we are well on our way.
Choosing a collaboration platform was another major decision—and in higher education, that usually comes down to Google Workspace versus Microsoft 365. We carefully evaluated both, and the choice to go with Google Workspace was ultimately a no-brainer. Google’s platform stands out in several key areas: its cloud-native design means seamless access from any device, automatic saving, and real-time collaboration without version conflicts. Google Workspace also offers a simplified user interface, which reduces onboarding time and training needs for our faculty, staff, and students. The integration between Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides is incredibly tight, resulting in a more fluid user experience and fewer technical hiccups. From an administrative standpoint, the platform is easier to manage, with granular controls, robust security features, and single sign-on capabilities that help us maintain a secure environment without added complexity. Another major advantage is cost-efficiency. Google Workspace provides enterprise-grade functionality—without the bloat of unused features that often come with Microsoft licensing models. And because it’s fully web-based, we don’t need to worry about software installations, updates, or compatibility issues. Lastly, Workspace has given us early and campus-wide access to Google Gemini, allowing every student and employee to harness generative AI within the tools they already use. The impact of AI on productivity and learning is significant, and having that built directly into our environment is an enormous advantage.
In our physical spaces, technology is part of our design philosophy. We want open, transparent environments that protect confidentiality in meeting rooms. Our solution is Casper Film—a brilliant, almost sci-fi-like cloaking film that renders digital screens invisible from the outside while preserving the transparency of the room itself. It’s small touches like this that reflect our commitment to thoughtful technology integration.
Ultimately, our goal is to create a learning and working environment where technology empowers rather than impedes. That’s exactly what’s happening at OCOM—and the results speak for themselves. In a recent satisfaction survey, over 90% of students, faculty, and staff reported a positive experience with our technology—a figure nearly unheard of in higher education, let alone medical schools. I credit Shazam and the entire IT team for making this possible.
To hear more about our approach to technology at OCOM, I encourage you to check out our latest podcast episode, where Shazam and I dive deeper into what makes our IT ecosystem so effective: OCOM Podcast IT Episode
