Porta inducted into the Academies for Excellence in Clinical Practice
November 19, 2019
Professor Carolyn Porta, PhD, MPH, RN, SANE-A, FAAN, was inducted into the Academies for Excellence in Clinical Practice, which is the premier recognition given to faculty members at the University of Minnesota for clinical care. Those inducted have demonstrated the highest level of ethics and professionalism during their career.
Porta, who also serves as the inaugural associate vice president for clinical affairs, has been a sexual assault nurse examiner for 23 years. Every medico-legal exam that Porta conducts includes an assessment, treatment, evidence collection, and referrals and collaboration with physicians, advocates, staff nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists for optimal evidence-based, trauma-informed patient care.
“With maturity, life experience, and the unique knowledge that she has attained through years of providing care to victims of sexual violence, Dr. Porta excels at making meaningful connections with patients. It is these connections which facilitate a patient’s healing,” her nomination letter stated.
Since 2013, Porta has been appointed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services commissioner to serve on the Special Review Board, which hears the petitions of civilly-committed sex offenders. She has served on a statewide Sexual Assault Investigation Work Group, appointed by the Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, to generate a report that informed 2019 legislative actions, including establishment of a multi-sectoral committee to improve investigation of reported sex crimes.
Porta also was appointed to the University of Minnesota President’s Initiative to Address Sexual Misconduct advisory board and is co-chair of the research sub-committee.
Porta’s leadership roles for the International Association of Forensic Nurses have included serving on the Board of Directors and as an associate editor for the Journal of Forensic Nursing.
In addition to Clinical Practice, the Academies for Excellence recognizes outstanding faculty in the areas of scientific research, educational scholarship and team science.
This year's recipients will be honored at a reception in December and their names and photos will be added to the Academies for Excellence wall plaques in Moos Tower.