Mir, a fourth-year UF College of Medicine student, and his childhood friend, Omar Ishaq, a fourth-year John Hopkins School of Medicine student, are the co-directors and founders of the Sunnah Foundation, a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization that provides housing to the homeless.

“Omar contacted me and was like, ‘Hey man, I met this homeless guy at Wal-Mart, and I’ve been talking with him every day, and I want to help him’,” Mir said. “We always wanted to do something big and make a sustainable change, so we said, ‘Why don’t we do it now?’”

UF fouth-year medical student Saad Mir will graduate May 19 and head to Boston for his residency training in neurology. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Mir and Ishaq began the foundation by using saved up loan money to purchase a house in Baltimore. Based on referrals from others, they chose five homeless men to live in the house, rent-free. They hoped providing the men with stable housing would help them to get an education and jobs.

“In normal shelters, people have to get in line daily,” Mir said. “How are you expected to get a job or education if you have to get in line somewhere? It’s not a good system.”

The five men lived in the house, located in East Baltimore near the John Hopkins Medical Campus, for several months. Ishaq stopped by the house daily to see the men’s progress, and Mir spent more than two months in Baltimore late last year to work on the foundation.

At the end of the men’s stay, one successfully completed the program and is now working toward a career as a social worker in Indiana. The other men, Mir said, were unable to complete the program for a variety of reasons: depression, drug abuse, psychiatric problems and incarceration for a past crime.

“Those are pretty difficult things to control when you’re a medical student who can’t be there all the time,” Mir said.

There will be a major overhaul of the program before another round of residents move in, Mir said. They are currently trying to find a home in a better part of Baltimore to house the program. The Sunnah Foundation accepts donations through their website, www.sunnahinc.org and is a 501(c)(3) application to be a tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

“We hoped for better, but now we know what to expect moving forward,” Mir said.

Mir did not publicize his foundation to his classmates and teachers, said Melanie Hagen, M.D., an associate professor of medicine in the UF College of Medicine. She learned about the foundation through a tagline on an email he sent her and clicked the link out of curiosity.

“I was very impressed,” Hagen said. “I knew he was inquisitive, thoughtful and hard-working, but I did not realize that he had such a vision of caring and compassion and a commitment to helping people.”

Mir will complete his residency training in neurology at a Partners HealthCare program in Boston. His first year will be spent in medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by training in neurology at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General.

Students from the UF College of Medicine and the College of Pharmacy held a seminar on prescription drug abuse April 18. Pictured are: (from left to right) Ross Harrison, president of the UF American Medical Association; Paul Doering, M.S., distinguished service professor emeritus from the UF College of Pharmacy; Nancy Hardt, M.D., professor and director of Health Disparities and Service Learning Program at the UF College of Medicine; Roya Tran, president of the UF American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists; and Thomas Munyer, R.Ph., M.Sc., a clinical associate professor at the UF College of Pharmacy. Photo by Grant Lowther

UF chapters of the American Medical Association and the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists hosted a joint meeting for members April 18. The seminar featured a discussion about prescription drug abuse, led by Nancy Hardt, M.D., professor and director of Health Disparities and Service Learning Programs at the UF College of Medicine, and Paul Doering, M.S., distinguished service professor emeritus from the UF College of Pharmacy.

The collaboration was a first for the two student professional organizations which allowed an opportunity to discuss the issue from the perspective of both disciplines. The event attracted nearly 120 medical and pharmacy students.

Prescription drugs, notably painkiller and anti-anxiety medications, are now the most commonly abused psychotropic substances, following only alcohol and marijuana. Both physicians and pharmacists play a role in reducing prescription drug abuse.

“I am proud to see our two professional student associations, medicine and pharmacy, leading the way in interprofessional efforts to learn how they can share their expertise to improve healthcare,” said Thomas Munyer, R.Ph., M.Sc., a clinical associate professor of pharmacotherapy and translational research and faculty advisor to UF APhA-ASP.

The webcast will be available at the start of the event. If you are experiencing trouble viewing the live video feed, please click here.

In just a few days, students from the UF College of Medicine’s class of 2012 will embark on the next chapter of their lives.

Some of the students’ friends and family, plus faculty, staff and alumni are unable to share in the excitement of the day. That is why, The Gator Nation and the College of Medicine’s class of 2012 will be live on graduation day. Those interested can take part in the College of Medicine tradition without leaving their computers during the UF College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony, Saturday, May 19.

Stay on top of live updates and join in the discussion on Twitter using #UFMedGrad and #UFGrad.

Photos from the ceremony will be available in the following week on the UF COM Alumni Facebook page.

*What you will need to watch the ceremony

Windows users: Windows Media Player 9.0 or later (FREE download available at Microsoft.com)
MAC users: Flip4Mac (FREE download available at Microsoft.com)

“We may have to amputate your leg,” said his doctor.

Devastated, Rimpel imagined what it would be like to never again play soccer, his favorite sport.

Rimpel and his wife, Maranatha, with their 2-year-old son, Aiden. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

But it was the passionate care of the skilled physicians who attended to his injury that healed Rimpel’s leg and also prompted the desire in the boy’s heart to pursue medicine.

“It was a defining moment in my life,” said Rimpel, a fourth-year UF College of Medicine student. “These men and women inspired me to become a physician and impact patients’ lives the way they impacted mine.”

At the age of 17, Rimpel emigrated from Haiti to South Florida with one of his older sisters in hopes of better education. Determined to succeed, he learned English quickly and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Florida International University.

As an undergraduate student, Rimpel took an emergency medical technician basic course, in which he could shadow emergency medical technicians and paramedics. He often rode in ambulances with them to respond to 911 calls.

He recalled a particular incident when an emergency call came in from an 8-year-old girl who knew her mother was having a seizure. Rimpel and the rescue team arrived at the scene and saw the woman on the bathroom floor.

“When I was interacting with the patient and her daughter, it pretty much sealed the deal for me,” he said. “I realized then that a physician’s work doesn’t just affect the patients’ health but also their families and the community around them.”

Rimpel began searching for a medical school that would best suit his need to stay within one-flight distance from his family back home. During his interview at the UF College of Medicine, he saw a supportive environment provided by the faculty and staff.

“I was confident that I would succeed at UF, one of the best medical schools in the state,” Rimpel said. “I also loved the fact that UF offered opportunities to participate in international health outreach trips to Haiti which allowed me to give back to my fellow Haitians early in my career.”

During an international health outreach trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Rimpel gained insight into the importance of preventative care. Photo provided by Ricardy Rimpel

Participating in the trips to Haiti and the Dominican Republic for four years, Rimpel was exposed to the unfortunate outcomes of health disparities and scarce resources. He also became more aware of the importance of preventative medicine.

Motivated by great mentors and “master clinicians” at UF, Rimpel matched in family medicine for his residency training at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, which was his first choice.

“Family medicine excites me because I want to be on the front line of preventative medicine,” he said. “Being the face of primary care offers infinite learning opportunities, something I find very appealing.”

Only a few weeks away from graduation, Rimpel thanks his wife, who is also graduating in May with a nursing degree, for taking care of their 2-year-old son, Aiden.

“A typical day in my second year here consisted of waking up after five hours of interrupted sleep and heading to school,” Rimpel said. “I could not have done this without my supportive wife who always understood what I needed to do.”

Luckily, the new parents had many classmates who volunteered to babysit and faculty members who showed great support during one of the most challenging times of Rimpel’s life.

“I have made long lasting friends and learned from wonderful role models at the UF College of Medicine,” he said. “I am very blessed and excited to be doing what I’ve always wanted to do—provide excellent care to my patients.”

Second-year student Miaoyuan Wang listens to a urology faculty member during the sixth annual Medical Specialty Speed Dating event. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

Second-year medical student Miaoyuan Wang has never been to a speed-dating event. But she decided she would give one a try since many of her classmates were going, too.

Wang, however, was not searching for a dating partner. She, like the majority of her classmates, was looking for information on a variety of medical specialty options.

“I’m interested in primary care at the moment, but I have not made any decisions,” she said. “I’m unfamiliar with some specialties, and I wanted to find out more about them here.”

Wang was one of the 73 second-year students who went to the sixth annual Medical Specialty Speed Dating event held April 24 and sponsored by the College of Medicine’s Office of Student Counseling and Development.

Wang and classmates interact with faculty members and residents at the emergency medicine specialty table. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

Forty-three faculty members and residents volunteered to sit at tables representing 18 different medical specialties to help second-year students get a closer look into each track. Fifteen fourth-year medical students also attended to share their recent experience during Match Day.

“The strength of this program is that so many of our own graduates who took advantage of this event during their second year in medical school come back to answer the same questions they once had,” said Beverly Vidaurreta, Ph.D., program director of the College of Medicine’s Office of Student Counseling and Development.

Students picked their top two preferences and were assigned four more randomly chosen tables to visit. Some chose to visit the specialties they already have in mind to pursue while others, like Wang, chose brand new specialties to explore.

Patrick Duff, M.D., associate dean for student affairs and professor of obstetrics and gynecology, talks with students about specialty and career options. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

Knowing she would get plenty of opportunities to work with primary care physicians during her third-year rotations, Wang chose urology and ophthalmology.

“I really like working with my hands and enjoy interacting with patients on a personal level,” she said. “The ophthalmology professor spoke about how gratifying it is to dramatically improve people’s vision.  Being a visually oriented person myself, I thought it could be a good fit for me.”

Patrick Duff, M.D., associate dean for student affairs, interacted with students who were interested in finding out more about his specialty, obstetrics and gynecology.

“This is a good time for second-year students to refine their plans and think seriously about career choices,” Duff said. “Events like these help our students make some of the most important decisions of their lives.”

Mark Scarborough, M.D., professor and chair of the department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, took time to answer students' questions about his specialty. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

After six rounds of conversation with the professionals, many students were able to set up shadowing opportunities with faculty members and learn what to expect during the last two years in medical school.

“I’m so grateful that so many of our faculty members and residents came out to share what they love about their jobs,” Wang said. “It helped me realize that medicine is a truly diverse profession. I am now more confident that I will find the best specialty for me.”

The webcast will be available at the start of the event. If you are experiencing trouble viewing the live video feed, please click here.

In just a few days, students from the UF College of Medicine’s class of 2014 will receive their white coats, signifying the transition from basic science studies to the beginning of clinical rotations.

Some of the students’ friends and family, plus faculty, staff and alumni are unable to share in the excitement of the day. That is why, The Gator Nation and the College of Medicine’s class of 2014 will be live on White Coat Ceremony day. Those interested can take part in the College of Medicine tradition without leaving their computers during the UF College of Medicine White Coat Ceremony, Sunday, May 20.

Stay on top of live updates and join in the discussion on Twitter.

Photos from the ceremony will be available in the following week on the UF College of Medicine Alumni Facebook page.

*What you will need to watch the ceremony

Windows users: Windows Media Player 9.0 or later (FREE download available at Microsoft.com)
MAC users: Flip4Mac (FREE download available at Microsoft.com)

Kenneth Caldwell (center) received the Alpha Omega Alpha award for his research project on overexpression of angiotensin in hematopoietic stem cells at the 2012 Medical Student Research Day on April 12. Greg Schultz, Ph.D. (left), director of the college's medical student research program and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Joseph Fantone, M.D., senior associate dean for educational affairs, presented the award. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

UF College of Medicine students set a new record during the 2012 Medical Student Research Day.

Ninety-five students showcased 86 research posters, which tightly packed the Broad-Bussell Atrium at the Biomedical Sciences Building on April 12.

“This is the highest number of students yet,” said Greg Schultz, Ph.D., director of the college’s medical student research program and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology.

Students presented on a variety of research topics ranging from arthritis to a comparison of different types of radiotherapy. More than 70 College of Medicine faculty members served as mentors.

The number of the annual research day participants has increased consistently each year. Almost three times as many posters were presented compared with two years ago. Schultz said this is because students are beginning to realize the importance of evidence-based medicine. As students get involved in research programs, they gain valuable experience interpreting and understanding scientific literature and data.

Conducting research also makes the students more competitive for residency programs.

Most of the research featured at the event originated from the summer research program in which many students participate before entering their second year of medical school.

“The quality of research and discovery is outstanding,” Schultz said. “It’s amazing what our students do in just 10 weeks.”

Six presenters were honored during the award ceremony:

Kenneth Caldwell – Alpha Omega Alpha Award ($1,000)

“Overexpression of Angiotensin (1-7) in Hematopoietic Stem Cells: A Novel Route of Delivery to site of Injury in Brain”

Keisin Wang – John Harrington Tanous Award for Distinguished Research in Cancer ($500)

“NSC185058 Suppresses Human Osteosarcoma Tumorgenises in mice”

Monica Roca – John Harrington Tanous Award for Distinguished Research in Cancer ($500)

“Dosimetric Comparison of Photon and Proton Radiotherapy for Unresectable Ewing Sarcoma for the Pelvis”

Elissa Finkler – Lawrence M. Goodman Research Award 1st place ($500)

“A Model of Arthritis driven by Local Ex Vivo Gene Transfer of Human IL-1b”

Michael Armbruster – Lawrence M. Goodman Research Award 2nd place ($400)

“Lipid Emulsions in Resuscitation from Hemorrhagic Shock”

Camila Avila – Lawrence M. Goodman Research Award 3rd place ($300)

“Regulation of NOTCH1 Oncogenic Pathway by Protein Phosphatase 6”

Years later, he took another leap of faith and quit his vice presidential job in a hedge fund company to dive into medicine.

Now, Boatright, a 29-year-old fourth-year medical student at the University of Florida College of Medicine, worked on orthopedic surgery rotations everywhere from UF to Emory to the University of Virginia.

His journey to medicine started in a swimming lane.

Jeffrey Boatright, a fourth-year student at UF COM, poses with his wife, Laura, on Match Day, March 16. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

He learned to swim at 4 and started competing when he was 6. He grew up in Waynesboro, Va., with pruney fingers and hair that smelled of chlorine. But by the time he’d reached his junior year of high school, he felt he’d squeezed in all of the training he could get from his town. He enrolled in the Bolles School, a private school in Jacksonville known for producing Olympic swimmers.

He made it to the 2000 Olympic trials, where he swam the 200-meter butterfly against Michael Phelps and other elite swimmers. He dove and the pressure washed over him. Competitors are generally relaxed during meets, but this one was different. It was all or nothing.

His time of 2:10.06 didn’t send him to the Olympics, but instead he led Florida State University to the Atlantic Coast Conference championships. Along the way, he saw injured teammates get back into their races because of orthopedic surgeons.

Two years into his time at FSU, Boatright had a change of heart. He still loved swimming, but could he make a living from it? He decided he couldn’t and set off to find a new calling.

He ended up following some investment-minded buddies to Atlanta into an entry-level brokering job at New South Capital Management. Three years later, he was vice president of trading operations. He spent those years entertaining investors, filing quarterly reports and making hard-and-fast decisions about when to buy or sell future commodity market positions, which are similar to stocks.

He said he could have made a great living with that career. He could have retired at that job. Yet something still didn’t feel right.

“My whole point of leaving Florida State and leaving swimming was to find out what I wanted to do,” Boatright said. “I just knew deep down inside. I just knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do forever.”

The son of an orthopedic surgeon, he said he was inspired by his dad’s love for his job.

“My dad was always happy, always ready to go to work,” he said.

So he jumped in.

He received a bachelor’s and master’s from Florida Atlantic University and started at UF’s College of Medicine in 2008.

He met his wife, Laura, during a patient training exercise and connected with her right away. They married in 2010. Boatright said he and his wife, a third-year medical student, keep each other centered.

Now in his senior year, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

“There is no longer any doubt in my mind that this is exactly what I was meant to do,” he said.

Heather Harrell, M.D., associate professor of medicine, clerkship director and director of fourth-year programs at the UF College of Medicine, welcomed faculty, residents, students and guests at the Alpha Omega Alpha induction banquet March 15. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

It was the evening before the highly anticipated Match Day when a roomful of UF College of Medicine faculty, staff, students and guests gathered to celebrate another occasion. 

The UF Beta Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, a professional medical organization, inducted 23 students, three residents and two faculty members during an event at the Biomedical Science Building on March 15. 

“Our medical students, residents and faculty are quite the whole package,” said Heather Harrell, M.D., associate professor of medicine, clerkship director and director of fourth-year programs at the UF College of Medicine, as she welcomed the group. “It’s not just about the academics but also about the things we do to make a difference in other people’s lives.”

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society recognizes and advocates for excellence in scholarship and the highest ideals in the profession of medicine. It values characteristics such as honesty, honorable conduct, unselfishness, ethical ideals, dedication to serving others, and leadership. Students who rank in the top 25 percent of the class are eligible for membership.

Patricia Abbitt, M.D., a professor of radiology at UF COM, congratulated and encouraged the new inductees. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

Patricia Abbitt, M.D., a professor of radiology, congratulated the new inductees and encouraged them to continue achieving high standards during her guest speech.

“Recognize your status as role models in the community,” Abbitt said. “Don’t get too busy doing what we do as physicians. Realize the impact we can have as individuals and as a group.”

Chris Matthews and Ana Velez-Hurtado, who are co-presidents of the UF Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, introduced the new members and their unique accomplishments that earned them a place in the medical honor society.

Chris Matthews and Ana Velez-Hurtado, co-presidents of the UF Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, introduced each inductees. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

“People will be looking up to you because of your character, leadership and service,” said Joseph Fantone, M.D., senior associate dean for educational affairs, during his closing remarks. “We also thank your families and friends because they are the ones who shaped you.”

Congratulations to the new inductees:

Faculty 

David Feller, M.D., associate professor of community health and family medicine
Robert Hatch, M.D., professor of community health and family medicine and director of medical student education

Residents

Andres Acosta, M.D.
John Massini, M.D.
Samantha Winterrowd, M.D. 

Students

Adam Bennett
Patrick Buchanan
Paige Comstock
Chelsea Connor
Aaran Drake
Christopher Favilla
Candace Glenn
Suraj Kabadi
Tessa Landa
Christa Matrone
Christopher Matthews
Christopher McAdams
Adam Mecca
James Melotek
Saad Mir
Melissa Parsons
Joshua Solano
Kathryn Stinson
Houtan Taba
Sean Timpane
Lauren Van Eldik
Ana Velez-Hurtado
Joshua Vickers

Those reactions as a child have not changed to this day. Van Eldik, a fourth-year student at the UF College of Medicine, is now only a few months away from medical school graduation.

Lauren Van Eldik poses with her father, Richard Van Eldik, M.D., a 1980 graduate of UF COM, in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium after her undergraduate commencement. Photo provided by Lauren Van Eldik

She has multiple physicians in her family, but Van Eldik was drawn to medicine and science on her own. She was always paying attention to the sick and wounded.

“I always knew she was going to be a physician,” said her father, Richard Van Eldik, M.D., a gastroenterologist who graduated from the UF College of Medicine in 1980. “Her going into medicine was a dream come true. Her going to the University of Florida and becoming a Gator doc is an ultimate dream come true.”

Lauren Van Eldik, kissed her grandfather, a former physician, as she walks down the stage after receiving her white coat. Her father, Richard Van Eldik, who is a COM graduate and gastroenerologist, also escorted her on stage. Photo by Priscilla Santos.

When Lauren Van Eldik first became a medical student, her hectic schedule and a plethora of new information crowded out everything else in her life. She soon realized that in order to learn well and provide the best care for patients, she needed to make time for herself and others.

“In the past four years, I’ve probably matured more than my entire life combined,” she said. “You come out of college as the cream of the crop, but being in med school is a reality check.”

Van Eldik is no stranger to working hard and maintaining balance in life. The winner of the 2003 National Hunter Seat Medal Final, a coveted equestrian prize, she made the list of the country’s top competitive horseback riders for several years.

Lauren Van Eldik. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

The equestrian titleholder hopes to go back to riding some day, but her true calling in life remains helping others through medicine.

Van Eldik’s original plan was to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, but after her surgical oncology and plastic surgery rotations, she fell in love with plastic surgery. 

“It’s a challenging but creative field,” she said. “I really want to work in reconstructive plastic surgery, working with cancer patients.”

Having found this new interest, she switched specialties after most of her classmates had already settled on their choices. Because of the late change, preparing her residency application was nerve-wracking. But with the help of the faculty at the UF College of Medicine, Van Eldik was able to get through. 

Lauren Van Eldik and her fiance and classmate, Andrew Kuykendall, at their White Coat Ceremony in 2010. Photo provided by Lauren Van Eldik

“We have the best faculty who are the biggest student advocates,” she said. “They really provide opportunities to help us get better.”

Van Eldik feels blessed to have met so many amazing people, including her future husband, classmate Andrew Kuykendall. The two will get married in April after couples matching in March. 

She looks forward to the next chapters of life, in which she hopes to continue learning and growing as an individual, wife and physician. 

“I think you are always a student in medicine,” she said. “That’s the beauty of medicine. But the responsibility to take care of a patient is a privilege.”

Inspired by Penny’s will to live for others despite her battle with numerous diseases, guest speaker Freeman-Keller, one of the new resident members of the Chapman Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, learned that her duty as a physician is to embrace the human spirit and learn to establish genuine relationships with her patients. 

“I encourage all of you to find your own personal Jiminy Cricket,” she said to a roomful of faculty, residents, students and guests during the ninth annual Chapman Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society banquet Feb. 27.

The society, which recognizes those who demonstrate compassion and humanism in medicine, inducted 25 fourth-year medical students, five residents and two faculty members during the ceremony at the Paramount Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. 

Approximately 15 percent of the fourth-year class is inducted each year. Student inductees are chosen by a selection committee and based on peer evaluation. Faculty and resident members are nominated by students.

Students, faculty, staff and guests shared laughter and hugs with one another as student inductees highlighted their classmates’ accomplishments and memories. New student members also introduced the new resident and faculty members.

Dean Yamaguchi, M.D., was the recipient of the Hugh A. Walters, M.D., Humanitarian Award. Walters, a graduate of the UF College of Medicine who died in a car accident in 2008, was posthumously inducted to the Chapman Society in 2009.

Tad Kim, M.D., who was the last year’s recipient, spoke on Yamaguchi’s behalf.

“DJ (Dean) said the UF College of Medicine is special because we have an awesome atmosphere of teaching thanks to the faculty members who bring out the best in our students,” Kim said.

Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine, congratulated and encouraged the newest members of the society.

“We have a long standing history of developing humanism in our medical students,” he said. “It’s an explicitly stated educational guiding principle. Please remember the ability you have as a physician to be compassionate.”

Congratulations to the 2011 – 2012 Chapman Society inductees:

Faculty

Phillip Barkley, M.D.
Richard Lottenberg, M.D.  

Residents

Morganna Freeman-Keller, M.D.
Stephanie Kirkconnell, M.D.
Constance Lee, M.D.
John Massini, M.D.
Matthew Odom, M.D.  

Medical students

Joshua Arenth
Adam Bennett
Robert Casey
Michelle Chaney
Paige Comstock
Samuel Davis
Laura Jacobsen
Kedar Kirtane
Patrick Lynn
Kari Mader
Stephanie McCullough
Bri Anne McKeon
Adam Mecca
Saad Mir
Adolfo Molina
Diana Narvaez
Sathavaram Reddy
Ricardy Rimpel
Xujia Smith
Joshua Solano
Elise Springer
Lauren Van Eldik
Monique Vaughan
Lora Yasova
Sarah Yong

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards recipients

Phillip Barkley, M.D. 
Ricardy Rimpel

The stroke that struck Katelyn Snyder’s great grandmother was unexpected and hard to understand. Now, Snyder knows exactly what happened. And she got the chance to explain it to her parents. 

It’s not every day that Snyder gets to show her parents the things she sees, touches and studies in her first-year classes at the UF College of Medicine, but on Saturday, Feb. 18, she gave her family a glimpse into her new world.

“It was great to have them see what we as students deal with on a daily basis even though it was so out of their norm,” Snyder said. “They were really interested in everything they saw and heard.” 

The Snyder family was among the 400 people who attended the college’s 34th Annual Family and Friends Day, hosted by the Office of Student Affairs. 

“Now that our first-year students have established a routine, we have their families come and see a day in the life of a medical student,” said Patrick Duff, M.D., associate dean for student affairs and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UF College of Medicine. “It’s also a great opportunity for the families to meet the leaders and faculty who play such an important role in the students’ education.”

Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine, welcomed the students’ families before the guided tours began.

“Thank you for allowing us to take your children on this incredible journey,” Good said. “We are going to help them become great physicians.” 

The day’s activities included an overview of the new curriculum, presentations on diversity and the admissions process, and sessions on clinical human anatomy, simulators in education and the human brain. 

During the sessions, students and families had an opportunity to examine a human brain together. Having recently finished their medical neuroscience course, the students eagerly showed off their knowledge of the intricacies of the brain and spinal cord. 

“When my parents were with me in the lab, I described the effects of a stroke on the brain,” Snyder said. “I thought it was cool that my parents had the privilege to see the brain and know what happened to my great grandmother.” 

But her experiences in Africa over the past four years opened her eyes to the specialty she wanted to pursue — dermatology.

The amount of need in Africa is so overwhelming, it can be hard to really change lives, Glenn said. Skin problems are rampant and although the conditions may seem minor to some, they cause a lot of misery for the people. Fortunately, many cases can be relieved fairly easily and inexpensively.

UF COM fourth-year student Candace Glenn sings with refugee orphans in Kajo Keji, South Sudan during her visit in 2007. Photo provided by Candace Glenn

“I saw dermatology as a way I can make a really practical difference over there,” she said. “It increases the quality of their lives and restores pride in one of the only things they own—their bodies and skin.” 

As graduation approaches, Glenn is hoping to match to a dermatology residency in the eastern U.S.

“It encompasses everything I like,” she said of the specialty. “I like the preventative aspects, the procedures, and the diversity of the patients and pathology.”

Growing up in the Orlando area, Glenn started a pre-medicine club in high school and majored in neuroscience at the University of Miami. She transferred to UF her junior year, after being accepted into the Junior Honors Medical Program.

The summer before starting her junior year at UF, she visited northern Uganda and southern Sudan for a little over a month with a group from Miami. They worked with an orphanage there, bringing them clothes and medical supplies.

“When I was over there, I kind of just fell in love but saw a lot of need,” Glenn said. “I returned home and immediately thought of going back.”

Malaria was a big problem there, exacerbated by limited housing and medical resources. Glenn coordinated several fundraisers that raised money to fund the construction of buildings to house the orphans and a small medical clinic.

In December 2007, Glenn returned to Africa to help with the construction of the buildings. She partnered with other aid organizations to staff the new clinic and find sponsors for the orphans.

In April, Glenn will return to Africa for a month, working with hospitals and bringing supplies to orphanages in Uganda and Tanzania.

Candace Glenn. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

Four years of medical school have also exposed her to other areas of medicine, like research. 

“As I progressed throughout each year in medical school, I am thankful for being exposed to so many exciting things that helped cultivate ideas for my future life and career,” Glenn said. “You learn about all the areas available to you and have the opportunity to find your individual passions within them.” 

One of her mentors is a dermatologist and UF assistant professor of medicine Christina L. Mitchell, M.D., who helped her start the dermatology interest group for students. 

“She’s just so energetic and very passionate about what she does,” Glenn said. “Seeing her work with her patients was one of the things that made me decide to do dermatology and hope to become the type of physician she is.” 

Engaged to UF otolaryngology resident Armon Jadidian, Glenn plans to practice in the U.S. but always wants to be able to carve out a few weeks a year for international work. 

“Medicine opens so many doors and touches so many lives,” she said.

Fourth-year medical student BriAnne McKeon talks with PACE Alachua student Brittany and teacher Allison Jones during a doctor-patient role-playing exercise at the UF College of Medicine. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

The teenagers stared at tiny premature babies fidgeting inside the incubators in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Shands at UF and touched a small diaper held by a nurse.

It was 16-year-old Jeremisha’s first time visiting a NICU, but she hopes to work with mothers and infants someday.

“I want to go to the Air Force and be a midwife,” she said.

Jeremisha was one of 10 girls, aged 13 to 17 years old, from the local PACE Center for Girls Inc. that visited with UF College of Medicine students Feb. 13.

PACE Alachua is one of 17 PACE centers in Florida. The school, located in Gainesville, provides counseling, education and training to about 40 at-risk female students, ages 12 through 18.  

“We’ve been doing this field trip for years and the girls say that it changes their lives,” said Emi Lenes, a counselor at PACE. “They realize that there are jobs in health care they’ve never even heard of that they can aspire to become one day.”

This year, five fourth-year medical students, who are all members of the local Chapman Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, organized the event. 

“I know how important it is in your teen and preteen years to have good role models and a supportive environment,” said medical student Sarah Yong. “It really impacts the choices you make.”

Brittany, a PACE Alachua student, gives a diagnosis to her teacher Allison Jones during a doctor-patient role-playing exercise at the UF College of Medicine. Fourth-year medical students (from left) Diana C. Narvaez, Paige Comstock and BriAnne McKeon look on with PACE Alachua student Bri, math tutor Debora Dumaine and counselor Emi Lenes. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Diana Narvaez, another medical student and the event’s main organizer, said the project takes some work and organization, but it’s worth it to introduce the girls to new opportunities.

Lenes said many of the girls have been through a lot in their young lives and need support, encouragement and positive role models.   

After touring the NICU, the PACE students also got a chance to delve into the world of patient simulation at the UF College of Medicine. 

At the college’s Harrell Professional Development and Assessment Center, the teens listened to various heart sounds and got an overview of the cardiovascular system from Ira Gessner, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist and UF professor emeritus of pediatrics. They also got to meet  “Harvey,” a cardiology patient simulator that models cardiovascular abnormalities, and practice doctor-patient scenarios in the Harrell Center’s mock exam rooms.

The event ended with a panel featuring various health care professionals, who talked with the girls over lunch.  

Lenes said she appreciated the time and energy UF and Shands students, faculty and staff gave year after year to PACE students.

“This field trip truly opens up the girls’ minds and hearts to possibilities that they would never have imagined existed for them,” she said.

Caroline Annette Cody, a member of the UF College of Medicine class of 2003, was tragically killed during her first year of medical school. At the class’ commencement, she was awarded a diploma posthumously, which her parents, Dr. William and Betty Cody, accepted on her behalf.

The scholarship committee invites nominations from students and faculty until Friday, Feb. 17. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a rising fourth-year medical student in the class of 2013 who has demonstrated the commitment to community service exemplified by Cody. Examples of community service include the Equal Access Clinic, local community projects and international health outreach trips.

The scholarship will be presented at the annual College of Medicine Honors Convocation and the recipient will have his or her name placed on a plaque by the Office of Diversity & Health Equity and the Office of Student Affairs.

Please send nominations to Beverly Vidaurreta, Ph.D., program director for Student Counseling and Development, P.O. Box 100228, Gainesville or email Robyn Sheppard at rsheppard@ufl.edu.

Even though Locke describes her experience in medical school as “an emotional roller coaster,” she makes juggling medical school and raising three young children look effortless.

Despite her busy schedule, Keya Locke, a fourth-year student at the UF College of Medicine, finds time to spend with her family. Pictured are (left to right): Keya's son, Zachary; Keya's daughters, Hafizah and Sairah; and her husband, Daniel Locke. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

Since her first day of medical school four years ago, Locke has faced financial trouble and doubted her performance in her roles as mother, student, employee and coach.

“This journey has taught me that to know yourself, is more than half the battle,” Locke said. “My medical knowledge, triumphs and failures do not define me, but simply, enrich me.”

As the end of the four-year journey nears, she credits those who stood by her.

“Through God’s mercy and the strength and the love of a family like no other, I am here,” she said. “And it is exactly where I belong.” 

Watch how Locke balances her passion for medicine with motherhood.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Preceptorships give first-year UF COM students, like Casey Luckhurst (left), clinical experience by pairing them with strong physician role models who demonstrate the relevance of basic science to the clinical practice of medicine. Luckhurst was paired with David Remmer, M.D., a family practitioner at Family Medicine at Haile Plantation in Gainesville. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

For Gainesville family practitioner Daniel Rubin, M.D., his preceptorship during his first year of medical school at UF cemented his desire to pursue a career in primary care.

He spent two weeks shadowing an internal medicine doctor in a small town in the Florida Panhandle and liked the connections the doctor had with his patients and community.

“I got to go through all the experiences he went through in a typical day,” said Rubin, a physician with Family Medicine at Haile Plantation. “And it had a very strong appeal to me.”

Now, the 1998 UF College of Medicine alumnus is a preceptor himself, helping current UF medical students gain valuable clinical experience for the first time.

The UF College of Medicine’s 130 first-year students recently completed the Introduction to Clinical Practice preceptorship, which is designed to expose students to strong physician role models demonstrating the relevance of basic science to the clinical practice of medicine while providing a glimpse into the contemporary practice of medicine in a community setting.

“It’s been relatively eye-opening,” said UF medical student Stephen Pape of his preceptorship with Rubin. “I think it really shows you how important preventive medicine is.”

During their preceptorships, students focus on taking a patient’s history, acquiring physical exam skills and helping with minor procedures.

“This is their first really significant patient contact,” said Robert Hatch, M.D., a professor and director of medical education at the College of Medicine.

First-year medical student Stephen Pape (left) with his preceptor, Daniel Rubin, M.D., a 1998 UF College of Medicine graduate and physician with Family Medicine at Haile Plantation. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

UF students are typically assigned to a practice within the 37-county Area Health Education Center area, which stretches from Volusia County to the tip of the Florida Panhandle. Students are randomly assigned numbers through a lottery, and based upon that number they choose their preceptor.

This year, however, 37 students, — the highest number ever – were assigned outside the North Central Florida area, including six students who did preceptorships in other states, said Cynthia Freeman, coordinator of UF’s Area Health Education Center Program. That’s up significantly from 2010, which had 19 students assigned outside the North Central Florida area.

That is due in part to a cut in state funding that helped pay for students’ transportation and housing for North Central Florida preceptorships, said Hatch. So this year, assignments were made that allowed more students to live at home while doing their two-week preceptorships, which fall right before the holidays.

“We have been locating doctors in their hometowns who are willing to give them the training they need,” Hatch said. “The biggest drawback is the exposure to rural settings has dropped way down.”

Choi Hyun-ji, a first-year UF medical student whose parents live in California, had a preceptorship at Kaiser Permanente in California. Two of her peers were also assigned to preceptors in California, while others were assigned to Texas, Virginia and Idaho.

“I get to interact with first-, second- and third-year resident physicians as well as family medicine practicing physicians who are involved in academic medicine,” Choi said.

Gabriela Fernandez headed back home to Miami for her preceptorship with pediatrician Margarita “Lily” Taboas, M.D., a 1999 UF COM grad, at South Florida Pediatric Partners.

Fernandez said working in a bilingual practice allowed her to learn medical terminology in Spanish and caring for children strengthened her diagnostic skills since children often can’t explain what’s wrong with them. Overall, the experience reinforced her desire to be a pediatrician.

“(Dr. Taboas) has seen these kids grow and she has such a great rapport with them—that’s what I want,” Fernandez said.

Not all medical schools offer preceptorships to first-year students, said Hatch, and many that do put students with doctors for a few hours between classes throughout the year. UF’s preceptorship program immerses students for three weeks, including one week of lectures and preparation, then two weeks of clinical experience.

Students begin to learn how to apply the basic anatomy and physiology they studied during the fall to real patients and to have a natural conversation with patients while collecting their medical histories.

First-year medical student Casey Luckhurst (left) with her preceptor, David Remmer, M.D., a 2001 UF College of Medicine graduate and physician at Family Medicine at Haile Plantation. Photo by Jesse S. Jones

“I think a lot of it is gaining that confidence and being comfortable with patients,” said Casey Luckhurst, whose preceptor is David Remmer, M.D., a family practitioner at Family Medicine at Haile Plantation in Gainesville.

Remmer, a 2001 UF COM graduate, said his own preceptorship in the Florida panhandle introduced him to patient care and small town life. The pediatrician he shadowed included him in both his work and home life, inviting him to family dinners and his children’s sporting events.

“They had four kids and I pretty much became their fifth kid,” Remmer said.

Reuben Brigety, M.D., the UF COM’s first African-American graduate, stands with medical students Dan Alexis and Jessica Covington. Alexis and Covington are two of the current UF COM students who attended Brigety's Jan. 12 History of Medicine lecture. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Reuben Brigety, M.D., began his journey in 1965 as the first African-American student to graduate from the University of Florida College of Medicine, but the college’s road to diversity wasn’t without its challenges. 

In fact, at the end of his first year of medical school, Brigety said he was given the option of repeating his first year or transferring to a historically black medical school. 

“I said I’ll repeat the first year,” said Brigety, who was determined not to give up. He and classmate Earl Cotman, M.D. were the first two African-Americans to graduate from the UF College of Medicine in 1970.

The Jacksonville obstetrician-gynecologist told his story to a roomful of students, alumni, faculty and staff — including Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine — as part of the college’s History of Medicine lecture series,. 

Brigety, born in 1944, grew up in Daytona Beach during Florida’s Jim Crow segregation laws. But early on, the idea of attending UF was planted in his mind when his grandmother told him about Virgil D. Hawkins, an African-American who tried to attend UF’s law school in 1949, but was denied admission. But Hawkins paved the way for George Starke, UF’s first African-American law student in 1958.

“I guess the imprint was there of the University of Florida,” he said. “I guess the imprint was there that this was something we couldn’t do, but something we were trying to do.” 

The Hon. Stephan Mickle, one of Brigety’s best friends who grew up with him in Daytona, also broke racial barriers at UF. Now a federal judge for the Northern District of Florida, Mickle became the first African-American to receive an undergraduate degree from UF in 1965 and the second black student to graduate from the UF College of Law in 1970. His wife, Evelyn Moore Mickle, became the first African-American graduate of the UF College of Nursing in 1967.

“Students wouldn’t talk to him, teachers wouldn’t engage him, people wouldn’t study with him,” Brigety said. “So I will always thank the judge for paving the road to diversity at the University of Florida.” 

John Downs, M.D., a 1969 UF COM alumnus, said he was one of two northerners in the class. The Illinois native remembered going to a local laundry with Brigety to drop off some shirts. 

A woman at the counter said, “We don’t do colored shirts.” Downs said he began to pull his non-white shirts out, but Brigety knew what the woman really meant – that she would not serve blacks – and he suggested they leave. 

Reuben Brigety, M.D., the UF COM’s first African-American graduate, (second from right) stands with first-year medical student Lauren Simmons (center). Also pictured are (from left to right): the Hon. Stephan Mickle, the first African-American to receive an undergraduate degree from UF in 1965 and the second black student to graduate from the UF College of Law in 1970; Evelyn Moore Mickle, who was the first African-American graduate of the UF College of Nursing in 1967; and Brigety's wife Barbara. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Although it wasn’t a welcoming environment, Brigety said he realized years later there were people who were pulling for him at UF, even if it wasn’t always obvious. 

As a student, Brigety encountered Hugh M. “Smiley” Hill, M.D., the college’s longtime associate dean for student and alumni affairs, and he recalled having to reluctantly ask Hill for a $1,500 loan to get married during medical school. 

“(Hill) said, ‘Brigety, I never thought you’d get this far, but you fooled me,’” recalled Brigety. “‘I’m not going to give you $1,500 — here’s $4,000.’”

First-year medical student Lauren Simmons said Brigety’s talk was energizing and illustrated the importance of determination, following your dreams and “to not let anyone stand in your way.” 

After graduation, Brigety completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Duval Medical Center in Jacksonville, and his feelings warmed toward his alma mater over the years. 

“Life is full of chapters; there are many chapters in the book and some of them are bad chapters,” Brigety said. “But if you give up, you know where that book is going to end — on that bad chapter.”

Chris Monsour, a first-year medical student at the UF College of Medicine, pours sand into a clear vase during the memorial service Dec. 6 to symbolize the donors’ contributions. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

“You were our first and most generous patient. You were the best and the most unforgettable teacher. Thank you.” 

The UF College of Medicine’s class of 2015 expressed their sincere gratitude and final farewells in a letter to the individuals who donated their bodies to science. The anatomy class presented the letter as part of a memorial ceremony held in the HPNP Auditorium Dec. 6. 

“It felt like a whirlwind this semester,” said Helen Zhang, a first-year medical student who earned her undergraduate degree at Duke University. “But to be able to honor the donors like this tonight is just incredible. All of us are going to remember this for the rest of our lives.” 

Students poured blue, green, and yellow sand into a clear vase to signify knowledge, gift and learning, symbolizing the donors’ contributions to their medical education. 

“In the past 14 weeks, we strived to honor the donors and their families by doing our best,” said class of 2015 President Michael Tudeen. “This celebration gives us all a moment to reflect on the magnitude of our donors’ gifts.” 

Victor Huang, a member of the class of 2015, performed a song during the ceremony in front of his class to express gratitude to the individuals who donated their bodies to science. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Throughout the evening, musical performances and poetry readings by the future physicians reflected their deep appreciation for the donors’ generosity. 

Kyle Rarey, Ph.D., a professor of anatomy and cell biology at the UF College of Medicine, said the ceremony serves as a reminder to the students why compassion is crucial to their daily lives as future doctors. 

“I didn’t want the students to move onto the next semester without having a chance to say thank you,” he said. “At the College of Medicine, we teach the science of medicine, the art of medicine and the heart of medicine. Tonight’s event signifies the heart of medicine.” 

Raffle items donated by local Gainesville businesses including Swamphead Brewery and Susan F. Harrison Fine Arts.

First and second year UF College of Medicine students united to celebrate the holidays, while helping the local community at the First Annual Holiday Social for Charity, held Dec. 2.

The American Medical Association at UF teamed up with local chapters of the Hispanic Medical Student Association and the Student National Medical Association for the toy and clothing drive.

The holiday charity event was a way for first- and second-year students to gather together before the first-year students start their preceptorships in mid-December, said Hasan Rasheed, who is the UF AMA’s community service chair and a second-year medical student.

“But at the same time we wanted to give back to the Gainesville community,” he said.

The two-part event featured a catered social at the Wildflower Apartments clubhouse and an ‘after party’ at Tall Paul’s Brew House. The price of admission to the social was two pieces of winter clothing, a toy or $5. Funds were also raised through a raffle for items donated by local businesses, including Swamphead Breweries and the Hippodrome. A $3 cover charge was collected at Tall Paul’s Brew House to raise funds for charity.

Clothes and toys collected by first- and second-year medical students.

About 100 students collected 60 items of winter clothing for the homeless, more than 20 toys for children and about $950 for Project Downtown, a local charity which providing services to homeless, disadvantaged and indigent individuals. The clothing will be handed out by Project Downtown Dec. 10 during their 1 p.m. lunch service.

Rasheed said the organizers were pleased with the turnout and hope the charity social will become an annual holiday event.

“We are hoping to have future groups continue this and keep this going,” he said.

Jade Gieseke and Christina Escobar, UF College of Medicine students, look at the photographs that Dona Reynolds, 23, brought to the EB awareness event. Photo by Maria Belen Farias.

Kim Merkel and Candace Glenn looked at the newborn and saw a challenge.

The baby had a rare form of epidermolysis bullosa, an inherited condition that caused the baby’s skin to be fragile and easily blister. Kim said it was difficult to treat or even hold the baby without causing pain, and many doctors and nurses hadn’t had a large amount of experience with EB before.

“It really hit me, and this is a great place that we can improve upon,” Merkel said.

Merkel, a chief dermatology resident in the College of Medicine, and Glenn, a fourth-year medical student in the College of Medicine, decided to help by recognizing International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week. During the last week in October, they set up a table by the Sun Terrace with information about caring for those with the condition.

Dona Reynolds, 23, joined them for one day to share what it’s like to live with epidermolysis bullosa. Reynolds receives care in UF College of Medicine’s division of dermatology.

Dona Reynolds, who receives care in UF College of Medicine's division of dermatology, shared what it's like to live with epidermolysis bullosa. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

“It’s pretty important because not a lot of people know about it,” Reynolds said. “It’s similar to burns, but it doesn’t go away.”

It starts from birth. A baby is born and the doctors and parents spend a few unnerving moments trying to figure out why the little one seems to be rubbed raw. Then come the bandages. Even the slightest bit of friction will cause a patient’s skin to blister and break, so parents learn to lather their children with Vaseline and bandage them with gauze.

Reynolds goes through about five 13-ounce Vaseline jugs and about 54 rolls of gauze a week, said her mother, Ann Reynolds. It takes 16 hours to change her bandages.

Dona’s mother said she’s thrilled to see people are taking the initiative to help raise awareness about this disease.

“A lot of doctors, nurses, health care people don’t even know about its existence, let alone how to help you with it,” she said. “They have done a great job with what they’ve been doing. It’s a first that I’ve ever come across.”

Volunteers sold cupcakes and lapel pins to raise money for DEBRA, the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America. They also set out boxes around UF departments where donations of Vaseline products could be dropped. All Vaseline donations were given to epidermolysis bullosa patients that are seen at UF.

“I’m hoping this is just the start of EB (awareness) at UF,” Merkel said.

Mark Barrow, M.D., a UF College of Medicine Class of 1960 alumnus, stands with other alumni and friends who attended his Nov. 10 lecture. Barrow is in the center of the photo and UF COM graduates Thomas H. Moore, Jr., M.D. '62 (third from left) and Steve H. Gilman, M.D. '60 (far right) are also pictured.

From yellow fever epidemics to making house calls by horse and buggy, early Gainesville physicians faced plenty of challenges. 

Mark Barrow, M.D., a College of Medicine alumnus from the class of 1960 and Gainesville cardiologist, presented stories of some of those early practitioners at a Nov. 10 lecture. 

“Fifty years can go by in the blink of an eye,” Barrow joked. “I’m living testimony to that.” 

Barrow has worked for years to preserve historical landmarks in Gainesville and on the UF campus, including the Matheson Historical Center and the Robb House. His talk, which focused on the history of early Gainesville doctors and the health center at UF, was part of the monthly History of Medicine lecture series. 

Alachua County’s first physician, Dr. George M. Payne, arrived here from Virginia in 1843, two years before Florida became a state, according to Barrow. 

More doctors arrived and by the turn of the century, there were seven physicians in Gainesville, eight in Micanopy and eight in Newnansville, which was Alachua County’s former county seat. 

Most of the physicians who had attended medical school went to the Medical College of South Carolina, Jefferson Medical College, Savannah Medical College and the Medical College of Georgia. 

But many of the physicians didn’t formally attend medical school, Barrow said. They just trained as an apprentice for two years with a doctor in practice and then went out on their own. 

“At that time there were few medical schools,” he said. 

One early Gainesville physician highlighted was Dr. Thomas W. McCaa. When a yellow fever epidemic hit Cedar Key, he was one of the few area doctors to risk his own life to treat the sick there. Often a community struck by yellow fever was simply quarantined and abandoned, said Barrow. 

Another early notable physician was Dr. Sarah Robb, who practiced in Gainesville from 1884 until about 1930, Barrow said. As a woman, Robb could not get into a medical school in the U.S., so she studied in Germany for four years to get her medical degree. She returned to the U.S. and set up her practice in Gainesville. 

“She delivered thousands of babies and made house calls in a horse and buggy,” Barrow said. 

Robb’s Gainesville home was later restored and moved from East University Avenue to Second Avenue. The Robb House serves as a medical museum that features some of the original furniture and medical equipment and instruments used by Robb. 

Barrow concluded his talk with memories of his own medical school days, which began with an impromptu interview with founding UF College of Medicine dean, Dr. George T. Harrell. After talking to Barrow for over two hours, Harrell told him that if he took three summer school classes, he would be given a seat in the first UF College of Medicine’s class. 

Of the 40 people in his class, 13 were chosen by Harrell after he interviewed them, Barrow said. 

“(Dr. Harrell) was the most visionary and…one of the smartest men I’ve ever known,” Barrow said.

UF College of Medicine School of Physician Assistant Studies' first-year students, Xenia Polorotoff, Mike Sussman and Casey Biggles helped promote the profession during National PA Week. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Saying “Happy PA Week!” to every passerby in the Shands Atrium was a great conversation starter for first-year UF physician assistant student Casey Biggles and her classmates, causing people to stop and ask, “What’s PA?” 

National PA Week, which is observed Oct. 6-12 every year, was an opportunity for the UF College of Medicine School of PA Studies’ first-year students to explain what PAs are and their role in as part of a team with physicians. 

“Most of the time, people think of something else when they hear PA,” Biggles said. “We wanted to raise awareness and recognize the importance of PAs in health care.” 

For three days during National PA Week, UF PA students hosted an informational booth, which was covered in orange and blue décor, candies and prizes. 

“More than 100 people stopped by,” said Mike Sussman, another first-year PA student. “I think it helped spark the interest in the PA profession in our community.” 

Tannelle Clarke, a first-year UF PA student gives visitor Nichelle Mulkey a blood pressure screening as part of National PA Week. Students also offered free body mass index screenings and information about preventative care. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Students also offered free blood pressure and body mass index screenings to visitors and highlighted the benefits of preventative care. 

Hanging next to the booth was a large poster that read “Thank you PAs!” which was signed by the school’s class of 2013. 

“We want to recognize the PAs who work at Shands for all they do,” Biggles said. “We also wrote thank you cards to all of the PA faculty this week.” 

Aspiring PA students and second-year PA students also participated in promoting National PA Week. 

“Celebrating the week is a great representation of the evolution of our profession,” said Lauren Kelley, second-year PA student and class president. “PAs at Shands are our role models and support system.” 

Students sold PA Week shirts and raised more than $200, which will go toward the cost to attend the annual American Academy of Physician Assistants conference in January. They plan to host more fundraising events in the coming months. 

The UF School of PA Studies is the only state-funded graduate level educational program for physician assistants in Florida. The program received ‘school’ status two years ago, demonstrating the significant role the program serves at the college as well as reflecting the tremendous need and demand for PAs in the health care industry. 

“UF has a reputable program with amazing faculty who are invested in their students,” said Xenia Polorotoff, a first-year PA student. “Many PA alumni I know have said they felt prepared because of the best education they received here.”

“It’s the best experience of the first year, because you get to apply everything you’ve learned,” said Foster. “The trips kind of keep you going, recharge you and remind you why you got into medicine.” 

This fall, UF College of Medicine students, many of them in their second year, are busy raising funds and awareness for six different international health outreach trips, held during spring break, March 3-10, 2012. 

By MELANIE STAWICKI AZAM 

Dr. Help 

Dr. Help, which travels to rural sites in the mountains of the Dominican Republic, is the largest international health outreach trip at the UF College of Medicine with 43 participants this year. The trip, now in its 15th year, also includes volunteer dentists to provide oral health services. 

Dr. Help aims to raise $35,000 this year for the trip, to cover travel expenses and supplies. It will hold about a dozen fundraisers and has already held a few events at local restaurants and bars. A new event this year is an upcoming Oct. 22 soccer tournament. 

The volunteers, comprised of UF physicians, dentists, a nurse, and select medical and pharmacy students, sleep and have their meals at a monastery and set up clinics in churches or people’s houses. 

“It’s an awesome trip — you work hard,” said trip leader Marcos Mills. “We saw 1,600 people last year in five days.” 

Besides helping to treat a range of health problems at the daily clinics, the students also try to focus on public health issues and preventative health. This year, they plan to focus on educating patients about healthy oral hygiene habits and visit a local school to talk to teens about contraception and STDs. 

For more information, visit the Dr. Help website or contact Marcos Mills at DRHELP2012@gmail.com.

Dr. Salud 

Dr. Salud also is an international health outreach trip to the Dominican Republic, but it travels to the city of San Francisco de Macoris. 

Participants work in conjunction with local medical students from Universidad Catolica Nordestana to provide health care to underserved Dominicans. Approximately five clinics serving more than 500 patients per day are organized during the weeklong trip. 

Trip leader Kevin McCarthy, said 32 people, including medical students, physicians and pharmacy students, will go on the 2012 trip. The goal is to raise $30,000. 

“The money we raise goes to the plane tickets, supplies and medicines, lodging, and transportation,” he said. 

Dr. Salud team members are selling T-shirts and UF Medicine decals to raise funds. For more information, visit the Dr. Salud website or contact Kevin McCarthy at kj88@ufl.edu.

Project Yucatan 

Project Yucatan, which began in 2003, is an international health outreach trip that travels to several rural villages in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. 

This year 29 medical, pharmacy and physician assistant students and physicians, will work alongside Mexican medical students to provide health care for up to 400 people a day. This is the first time a surgeon will be going on the trip, said Carolyn Zahler. 

“There are several Mexican medical students who live in the Yucatan that work with us when we’re down there too,” said Zahler, one of Project Yucatan’s organizers. “It’s a very interdisciplinary trip.” 

Project Yucatan organizers’ hope to raise $25,000 for the trip by selling sweatshirts, T-shirts and hosting various club nights to raise money. They also plan to hold their annual dinner fundraiser at Las Margaritas later in the year. So far, the group has raised about $3,000. 

For more information, visit the Project Yucatan website or contact Carolyn Zahler at czahler88@gmail.com. 

By JESSICA JINAH SONG

Project Haiti 

Project Haiti, the oldest international health outreach trip at UF, was first organized by Serge Geffrard, M.D. ’98, and Eloise Harman, M.D., a professor of medicine and chief of critical care services, in 1996. Since then, UF College of Medicine students, faculty and staff have visited Haiti and the Dominican Republic every spring for a week and provided free health care. 

Project Haiti has often traveled to the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic because of UF’s travel restrictions largely due to the unstable political climate and the earthquake devastation. This year, however, the restriction has been lifted so the team will be working in a Haitian city near the border, Fond Parisien. 

“Due to the recent disasters and lack of development, there is a broad range of needs in Haiti,” said Tammy Ju, one of this year’s trip leaders. “This trip brings an integrative team together to serve the people of Haiti and anyone who needs help.” 

This year, the Project Haiti team is learning more about Haitian culture and basic phrases in Creole to become more socially conscious and responsible travelers. 

The team, consisting of 30 students, physicians and pharmacists, has a goal to raise $25,000. They have raised about 30 percent of this goal through the Project Haiti 5K Run. They also hosted a tailgate event to raise funds. 

In January, Project Haiti will auction artwork from Haiti and the Dominican Republic at a gala hosted by Club Creole, the Haitian Student Association at UF. Project Haiti has also partnered with a local coffee company, Sweetwater Organic Coffee, to raise funds. Pounds of different coffee roasts are available for purchase. All proceeds will go toward medical supplies to care for patients in Haiti. 

For more information, visit the Project Haiti website or contact Tammy Ju at tju234@gmail.com. 

Project HEAL 

Project HEAL, an interdisciplinary team of UF health care students and professionals, has been providing care to rural and indigenous Ecuadorean villages since 2002. HEAL is an acronym for Health, Education and Learning which embodies the philosophy of the team’s mission to identify public health concerns, to educate people in preventative practices, and to provide care for underserved Ecuadorians. 

“Our hope is to provide continuous care,” said Heather Applewhite, one of the 2012 trip leaders. “We visit the same site every year to establish contact locally in order to sustain what we do even after we leave.” 

Currently, Project HEAL has two ongoing fundraisers. The team sells different items that are brought back from Ecuador every other week at the Haile Village Farmers’ Market. Supporters can also find Project HEAL members in front of the Emerson Alumni Hall before football games, handing out colored bead necklaces for donation. 

This year, Project HEAL is hosting a new fundraiser event in November at Gainesville’s annual Downtown Festival & Art Show, featuring Ecuadorean merchandise for sale. Visitors can also get basic health screenings provided by Project HEAL members. 

In January, Project HEAL will invite the Gainesville community to participate in the 5K for HEALing event. The team’s goal is to raise $30,000. So far, approximately 10 percent of the goal has been met. 

“Ecuador is farther away than some of the other international trips,” said Kim Le, another trip leader. “It has less international support because of the distance and we believe our service will leave a greater impact.” 

For more information, visit the Project HEAL website or contact Kim Le at lek@ufl.edu. 

Project Thailand 

In 2004, an Australian couple, who established a school in northern Thailand for the Akha tribe children, contacted a team of UF physicians who were in Thailand to provide humanitarian relief after the tsunami. Since then, physicians and medical students have traveled to Thailand to provide health care. Project Thailand officially became one of the international health outreach trips in 2009. 

As the youngest international health outreach trip, Project Thailand primarily provides care to a pediatric population, said Ross Harrison, this year’s trip leader. 

“There are many opportunities to grow and develop the trip,” Harrison said. “It’s exciting to be a part of that process.” 

This year, the team has grown to include nearly 30 medical students, physicians and dental residents participating in the trip. Financially, Project Thailand wishes to raise around $20,000 through various fundraising events. 

For the first time, Project Thailand members organized a 5K run event, which had 150 participants and community sponsors. They have also hosted social events and campaigns to raise more funds. 

On Nov. 20, Project Thailand will host one of its biggest fundraising events — a golf tournament at the Haile Plantation Country Club, sponsored by local businesses. Members of the community are invited to form teams and participate. 

For more information, visit Project Thailand website or contact Ross Harrison at ross.f.harrison@gmail.com.

Jean Bennett, M.D. '60, spoke to a group of medical students on Sept. 9. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

Jean Bennett, M.D., recalled the advice she received from UF’s first College of Medicine Dean George T. Harrell, M.D., when she enrolled in medical school in 1956: Don’t marry a doctor, don’t marry in medical school and wait to start a family until after establishing a practice. 

With a laugh, Bennett said, “I married a medical student my junior year and when I graduated, I was six months pregnant.” 

However, the first female graduate of UF’s College of Medicine was determined to have a long, successful career working as a physician, while raising two children. 

“I never wanted to do anything in life except be a doctor and a mother,” she told an auditorium of medical students during her Sept. 8 lecture at the UF College of Medicine. The talk was part of the monthly History of Medicine lecture series. 

Bennett, a member of the college’s charter class of 1960, practiced as a pediatrician for more than 40 years in Clearwater. She was president of the medical staff at Morton F. Plant Hospital in Clearwater, named Florida Pediatrician of the Year in 1984 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and was inducted to the UF COM Wall of Fame in 1988. 

“Medical education is a privilege, not an entitlement,” she said. “ I never interrupted my residency nor my practice at any time.” 

When she gave birth to her first child, she was given two weeks maternity leave, which was her two weeks paid vacation for the entire year. She had her second child during the senior year of her pediatrics residency. 

Bennett said it was her calling to be a doctor and to commit herself to that job fully. She values the education she received and feels it was her obligation to use the skills and knowledge she attained to the maximum. So, sometimes work and family went together. 

Jean Bennett, M.D. '60, talked to College of Medicine students, Tammy Ju and Anna Kowalczyk. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

“When I made house calls, I’d take the children with me — and the dog,” she said. “People loved it.” 

But she admitted that she also needed a support system to succeed in both roles. She hired a caretaker for her children that she could trust, had a supportive husband and employed excellent support staff at her practice that she treated well. Her parents also lived nearby and helped out. 

Breakfast and dinner were eaten together as a family and time was carved out for church, the children’s sporting events and other activities, like UF athletics. Bennett said she’s only missed three Gator football games since 1960. 

At the office, it is important for physicians not to get discouraged and lose “the joy of practicing medicine,” Bennett said. Sometimes, it is necessary to hire people to deal with the finances and paperwork of a practice, so a physician can focus on the patients. 

Bennett, who is originally from West Virginia where her father was a coal miner, was determined to succeed from the start. When her family dropped her off at medical school, she recalled her dad telling her, “Babe, God don’t sponsor no flops.” 

She was one of three women in her class at the new medical school, but she said she felt no discrimination at school or in the workplace. 

“From the very outset, the playing field at this medical school was even,” she said. “I was never given anything as a woman and I wasn’t taken from either.” 

The faculty consisted of many young doctors, who were “not yet established, but had potential and possibilities,” she recalled. One of the youngest, Richard Smith, M.D., the college’s founding pediatrics chairman, was the reason Bennett became a pediatrician.

“I said, ‘Please God, let me be one-tenth as good as he is’ – and I never looked back,” she said.

Medical school was quite different 50 years ago. Students were transported to clinical sites in Lake City and Jacksonville on an old bus, discarded by the athletic department, nicknamed “The Blue Goose.” Children died from leukemia, tetanus and other conditions that now have much improved treatments. Conditions like intestinal worms and croup in children were common. 

But some things haven’t changed. At the UF College of Medicine, it was ingrained in her that a patient was a person, not a disease, and doctors needed to sit down and listen, Bennett said. 

“Understand the practice of medicine is an art, simply coupled with the tools of science,” she said.

UF College of Medicine's new student blog, "Becoming a Physician." (Right click to view blog)

Medical school can sometimes feel like a bizarre world of its own, especially at the start.

Between the countless hours studying and anatomy lab, it’s hard being a first-year medical student. It’s also one of the most exciting and invigorating times for young soon-to-be-physicians.

It’s a journey the University of Florida doesn’t want to miss, so two energetic first-years have agreed to write a blog, “Becoming a Physician,” for UF’s College of Medicine. The blog will document the thrills and stresses of medical school as these two encounter their first cadavers, first patients and other firsts that lead to becoming a physician.

The bloggers are:

Lauren Simmons is a Pembroke Pines native who attended Everglades High School — also home of the Gators. She went on to study chemical-biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she spent her free time as a guard for MIT’s women’s basketball team. After spending numerous hours at her local doctor’s office to correct lazy eye, she became interested in medicine. She spent about 20 days in Accra, Ghana, in the summer of 2008 as a Global Impact Fellow with Unite for Sight, an experience that she said “motivated and inspired me to pursue a career in medicine, so that I could continually improve the lives of others each and every day.” She is a recipient of the  Cullen W. Banks, M.D., Scholarship.

Girard Cua is a Palm Beach Gardens native who moved to Gainesville in 2009 with his mother and sister. He attended the University of Florida, where he studied English literature. He enjoys tennis, drawing and writing. Always wanting to expand his horizons, he took classes in Dutch and German in college and tries to practice the languages every day. He chose medicine after taking some chemistry and biology classes in college to see if he’d like them. He is a Florida Medical Opportunity Scholarship recipient.

Readers can follow Simmons and Cua by entering an email address in the “Subscribe to our blog” section of the blog’s menu.

Xenia Polorotoff, a physician assistant student, pays her respect to the donors. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

UF School of Physician Assistant Studies students silently lit 12 candles and presented a dozen roses, in honor of the men and women who gave them the ultimate gift —their bodies to learn from after death. 

For the first time, the UF School of Physician Assistant Studies students held an Aug. 24 memorial service to remember the 12 cadavers in their anatomy class, which was taken during the summer ‘B’ session. 

“It was a privilege to be able to learn from our donors,” said student Mason Bonner, who led the ceremony. “People who in life we never knew, but who allowed us to begin our journey as health practitioners.” 

The 60 students of the school’s class of 2013 held the service at a lecture hall in the Health Science Center Auditorium. They remembered the donors, who they knew only by age, occupation and cause of death, with poems and other reflections on what their lives may have been like. 

Physician assistant students, gave a rose and lit a candle for every cadaver used for anatomy class. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

The UF School of Physician Assistant Studies is one of only a handful of Physician Assistant educational programs in the nation that provide human cadavers for dissection in the gross anatomy course, as well as the advanced clinical practicum course. 

“I would like to thank him for giving us an opportunity most don’t have,” said student Tannelle Clark of her group’s male cadaver. 

Besides learning firsthand about the intricacies and workings of the human body, students also saw the impact certain conditions, like diabetes or hypertension, had on people physically. 

Cian Drewry thanked his cadaver for his “unconditional gift” that allowed him and his classmates to learn how to care for future patients. 

“You have given me an amazing gift of knowledge,” he said.

UF COM welcomes Class of 2015 

By MELANIE STAWICKI AZAM

The 136 members of the UF College of Medicine’s class of 2015 arrived at the Communicore Building Monday morning in their best suits, ready to begin the challenging—and rewarding—journey that is medical school.

Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine, welcomed the first-year students as their orientation week kicked off.

“Congratulations – the road to get here is not easy,” he told the roomful of students.

In fact, Ira Gessner, M.D., immediate past chair of the college’s medical selection committee, said the Class of 2015 saw the highest number of applicants the college has ever received—2,853 applications, which is up 200 from last year.

Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of UF College of Medicine shares the college's history and accomplishments with the new class. Photo by Jesse S. Jones.

“You’re here because you belong here and deserve to be here,” he told the students.

More than half of the class was made up of UF undergraduates —74 regular graduates and 12 from UF’s junior honors program. Still, Gessner said those accepted students make up only about 10 percent of the 700 to 800 applications the college received from UF undergraduates.

Once students are accepted however, the college wants to see them succeed, said Patrick Duff, M.D., associate dean for student affairs and professor of obstetrics and gynecology. The COM has a 96 percent graduation rate for four years and offers opportunities to work in small groups with their peers, plus faculty mentoring.

“You’ll be well prepared to be great physicians,” said Good.

UF COM first-year students listen to faculty presentations during their orientation.

The UF COM also offers students opportunities to be involved in medical outreach on a local and international level, do research in dozens of different areas and have access to a wealth of resources across UF’s Health Science Center campus, Good said.

He highlighted medical innovations UF physicians have developed over the past five decades, plus current accomplishments of the college’s alumni.

“This is what being a physician is all about—changing people’s lives,” Good told the college’s newest medical students.

A family dinner

By JESSICA JINAH SONG

Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of UF COM, greets first-year medical students at the welcome dinner. Photo by Jesse S. Jones.

After a full, first day of orientation, first-year UF medical students were invited to a “family dinner” at Emerson Alumni Hall, hosted by Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine. 

“Good news,” Good said, greeting the class of 2015. “I heard you all passed your first day.” 

The evening began with a message from the dean as new students and faculty sat at round tables to enjoy food and company. 

“Families share meals together and care for one another in many different ways,” Good said. “We are a family here at the College of Medicine.” 

He continued on by encouraging students to “begin with the end in mind” to plan ahead and find balance in the tough journey physicians face. Then he emphasized the importance of the bonds students will form in the next four years. 

Michael L. Good, M.D., gets to know the new class of medical students. Photo by Jesse S. Jones.

“I guarantee you that people you meet today will be your lifelong friends,” Good said. “Get to know one another and get to know the faculty.” 

Ross Zeitlin, a first-year medical student who attended Washington University in St. Louis for his undergraduate degree, shared his reasons for choosing UF.

“I really like the communal and collaborative aspect of this program,” he said. “I’m happy with how friendly everyone is. I look forward to a positive and successful career at UF College of Medicine.”

Peter Hong, another first-year student who is also a UF graduate, commented on his first day. 

“Our first day was great,” he said. “I feel like faculty and second-year students make quite an effort to incorporate us into the family and ease the anxiety of being first-year students.”

First-year UF COM students interact during the dean's welcome dinner. Photo by Jesse S. Jones.

Patrick Duff, M.D., associate dean for student affairs and professor of obstetrics and gynecology, also attended the event and conversed with new students and faculty. 

“The intellectual caliber of this group is excellent,” Duff said. “We have newly renovated basic science auditoriums and plans for students to encounter patient contact this week. It is going to be great.”

New doctorate students at UF COM Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences. Photo by Charles Poulton

The Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences at UF College of Medicine hosted a reception to welcome 30 new doctorate students on Aug. 17. 

Paul Gulig, M.D., director of the IDP in Biomedical Sciences and new students at the welcome reception. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

The new class joins more than 230 current IDP students and is one of the most diverse groups of students ever admitted to the program. The class is composed of national and international students representing 12 different countries. 

The students will begin choosing research labs across the Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry, as well as other colleges, to perform three seven-week research rotations which will help them find a dissertation mentor. Graduates of the program go on to careers in research in academic, industrial, and governmental arenas.

Office of Development and Alumni Affairs' Chantele Martin, director of medical alumni affairs, and Joan Andrek, director of external relations, present a stethoscope to Toni Jackson, a first-year medical student from Florida Atlantic University. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

There is a meaningful tradition that happens every year during the new student orientation week at the UF College of Medicine. The Office of Development and Alumni Affairs presents a surprise gift made possible by an anonymous donor to all first-year medical students. 

On Aug. 17, each student in the class of 2015 experienced this tradition and received his or her personal stethoscope. 

“I’m flattered that we’ve been given this great surprise gift from the alumni,” said Victor Huang, a first-year medical student who earned his undergraduate degree from UF.

At the beginning of the event, Emily Tanzler, M.D., a 2009 COM graduate currently completing her residency at Shands at UF, shared her thoughts on medical school. 

“You will be studying the art of becoming physicians,” Tanzler said. “Stethoscopes are a unique symbol in the medical community. It allows people to know that we can help them.” 

First-year UF COM students eagerly open their surprise gifts from an anonymous donor. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

She also talked about how Alumni Affairs supports students throughout their journey and helps alumni to reconnect after graduation. 

Joan Andrek, director of external relations for the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, and Chantele Martin, director of medical alumni affairs, presented the gifts with a special message inside that read, “Listen to your patient.” 

“This symbolizes not only the beginning of their educational journey, but also their initiation into the medical alumni association,” Andrek said. 

Upon receiving their gifts, first-year students eagerly — and carefully — opened their boxes and put the stethoscopes around their necks.

First-year students pose with their new stethoscopes. Photo by Maria Belen Farias

“I am very surprised and excited,” said Lauren Simmons, a first-year medical student and a graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “This is our first step to save lives and listen to the heart. Before I could only look, but now I can hear.” 

Stephen Pape, an FSU graduate, agreed that the stethoscope signifies the beginning of his class’ journey. 

“This is a very generous gift,” said Zachery Boucher, a UF graduate. “What a great way to start off my College of Medicine career.”