Spotlighting the medical class of 2008

Kurt Scherer has received many awards that reflect his achievements during medical school, but what is most extraordinary is that his highest honors were awarded to him by his medical student peers.

First there was the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine award presented to Scherer during the Chapman Society’s annual banquet in March. Scherer was selected by his fellow students based on his display of humanism and community service.

“The award has great meaning for me because as we’ve been taught by our faculty it’s not only about how much you know, but also how much you care,” Scherer said upon receiving the humanism in medicine award, which is sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. “When you surround yourself with good people, it is not hard to have a little goodness rub off on you.”

A month later Scherer was honored for his commitment to medical education with the Student Hippocratic Award and the Deanne Barlow Romrell Professionalism in Medicine award at the Senior Student/Faculty Awards Banquet

“Kurt is probably the most compassionate and nicest person you will come across in your lifetime,” said Bhavin Adhyaru, academic chair for the class of 2008. “That compassion was apparent on the wards. He treated his patients like he was treating a friend.”

Even though these days Scherer is best known for his multiple awards, he might best be known for his musical talent. He performs with his brother Philip, a second-year medical student at UF, and their sister Ingrid Roberts, playing at church, community events and the occasional College of Medicine event. The trio — with Ingrid on violin, Philip on viola and Kurt on cello, have played at a dinner honoring former dean C. Craig Tisher and at the COM campaign kick-off event.

Kurt, who has played instruments since he was a child, said it is second nature.

“When I think of myself, one thing I think of is ‘I play the cello,'” he said in an interview for the March 2007 The Post.

Scherer will spend his intern year at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and return to the University of Florida for a residency in radiology.