Nearly one person every day died from a drug overdose in Volusia County in 2022. More than 1,000 overdose deaths have occurred since 2020.

Dr. Stephen Viel and Jamie Ponti, an advanced practice registered nurse, have seen the ravages of drugs up close after working for years in Halifax Health emergency rooms.

On Wednesday, they opened the doors of Shoreline Medical Addiction Treatment, a clinic specializing in pharmacotherapy, the use of medications to treat addiction to opioids, alcohol, and other substances.
 

Three Florida State University College of Medicine faculty collaborators were recognized by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) and the U.S. Public Health Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health (COF) at a recent awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Benjamin J. Smith, Niharika Suchak and Debra A. Danforth were selected for honorable mention recognition under the category of Health Communications and Health Technology, which was titled: Using Simulation for Skill Building in Teams: Modified Use of Simulation in Teams for Students in Training (MUST-SIT) Together.

Florida is the fastest growing state in the nation, according to new Census Bureau data, with approximately 900 people per day arriving to live here in recent years - which is making an existing shortage of doctors worse.

To combat the shortage, Florida State University College of Medicine operates six regional campuses around the state - including one in Fort Pierce that has already supplied the Vero Beach area with several physicians.

Amy Wetherby, distinguished research professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Clinical Sciences and director of the university’s Autism Institute, is profiled in Spectrum, the leading source of news and expert opinion on autism research.

John Weng (M.D. Class of '24) shares how a patient-encounter during his psychiatry rotation has positively impacted his approach to medicine as a future physician.

"I am forever grateful for this powerful experience and the opportunity to witness the power of empathy and understanding in patient care," Weng wrote.

The international publication Food Ingredients First discusses the impact of the recent World Health Organization evaluations of aspartame on companies, the public scrutiny of the artificial sweetener and a possible International Agency for Research on Cancer (IACR) reassessment with scientists and industry experts.

Pradeep Bhide, professor at Florida State University College of Medicine, was among those interviewed by the publication.

With Independence Day just around the corner, plans for outdoor fun are underway, but state and local officials warn Florida residents to be leery of a certain pesky intruder: mosquitoes.

Accounting for the recent resurgence of malaria in the state, Leon County is working with the Florida Department of Health to educate the community with best practices for the summer nights ahead.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning that malaria could be spreading in the United States for the first time in 20 years, following the confirmation of four domestic-borne cases in Sarasota County, Florida. Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite and is primarily spread to humans bitten by infected Anopheles mosquitoes, which can be found across the U.S.

Symptoms can include headaches, fever, nausea and muscle aches.

"You always want to protect yourself from mosquitoes in Florida," said FSU College of Medicine professor Dr. George Rust, Director of the Center for Medicine and Public Health. The CDC recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts and using a bug repellent with DEET.  

"There are a lot of things that are more common [that can cause illness]," Rust said, adding that it's too early to panic. "[Malaria] is very low on a scale of things that can kill you."

FAFP Past President ('96), Daniel (Dan) James Van Durme, M.D., age 61, passes away on May 30, 2023, in Tallahassee, FL. He was born on September 25, 1961, in Dansville, NY. Dan is survived by his wife of 42 years, Patricia, his children Felicia, Stephanie (Shawn), and Luke, his grandchildren Bella and Killian, and his siblings Norah, Jean, Michael, Claire, Tommy, Mar, Matthew, Rachel, and Patrick. He was a gifted teacher who won numerous awards and mentored hundreds of doctors worldwide. At USF, he was one of the family doctors for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Mutiny, and USF Athletics. While at FSU, he was instrumental in forming the Family Medicine Scholars and the Chapman Chapter of the Gold Humanism Society. Under his direction, FSU Primary Health was conceived and implemented, maintaining the mission of the school to provide doctors to underserved, rural, minority, and elderly populations.

Partnering with the Kearney Center, the FSU College of Medicine School of Physician Assistant Practice's HOME Street Medicine outreach program, is providing medical support and essential items to the unsheltered in Tallahassee.

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The Florida State University medical community is mourning the loss of its Chief Medical Officer Dr. Daniel Van Durme.

Known for his leadership, friendship and larger-than-life personality, his presence and influence on FSU and the community will live on for many years, Dr. Alma Littles, the FSU College of Medicine's interim dean, said in a statement

Neuroscientist Lataisia Jones, the first Black woman to earn a biomedical sciences Ph.D. from the Florida State University College of Medicine in 2017, was among 120 women working in STEM fields represented with a bright-orange sculpture displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. earlier this spring. The #IfThenSheCan exhibit, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institute and the If/Then initiative that connects girls with female leaders in science and technology, was recently featured in Washingtonian magazine.

FSU SeniorHealth providers place a high priority on improving the self-management skills of older patients. They work in conjunction with primary care providers to provide comprehensive evaluations and develop integrated care plans for seniors diagnosed with a wide range of health issues.

Second-year College of Medicine medical student Alex Tolbert, participating in the AMA Medical Student Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., offered some real-life perspective on how the shortage of federally-funded graduate medical education (GME) positions is a stressor on aspiring physicians.

Florida State University College of Medicine student Alex Tolbert outlines some of the benefits for those look to build their leadership experience through organized medicine. 

As Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced his $114.8 billion proposed state budget, it includes millions of dollars that would go toward Florida State and Florida A&M universities as well as Tallahassee Community College.

While FSU would be getting an $88.5 million in specific funding this year under DeSantis’s “Framework for Freedom” proposal for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, FAMU would receive $33.4 million and TCC would get $6.7 million.

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The rising cost of health care has had a dramatic impact on vulnerable communities like historic Newtown, within Sarasota’s city limits.

Sarasota Regional Campus students, faculty and community board members took part, along with physicians with the FSU College of Medicine Internal Medical Residency Program at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. 

Dr. Vida Farhangi, Newtown Internal Medicine Clinic director, helped lead the project and oversaw residents like David Jerez (seen in photo). Drs. Karen Hamad, Cynthia Samra and Washington Hill joined the residents and medical students at the fair.

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It was the first day of my inpatient internal medicine rotation and I felt as excited as ever to bein the hospital, participating in rounds. “How’s your day going?” I asked automatically in a cheery tone as I entered my first patient’s room.

“How do you think it’s going? I’m in the hospital,” the patient snarled dismissively. I stood there, a deer in the headlights, completely caught off guard.

A tractor-loader-backhoe, bulldozer and skid steer are parked next to a large sign that has been erected on a sprawling, dusty, brown parcel of property just north of Panama City Beach, Fla., along State 79 near Philip Griffitts Sr. Parkway.

On the sign is the colorful rendering of a new health care campus.

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is expanding its footprint west of the capital city with a new medical campus in partnership with Florida State University and The St. Joe. Company.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place last week for the FSU Health-Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Medical Campus in Panama City Beach.

Florida State University’s College of Medicine dean position is no longer vacant as the university’s very own Dr. Alma Littles, senior associate dean for Medical Education and Academic Affairs, is appointed as the interim dean.
 

PANAMA CITY BEACH − The Beach celebrated a long-awaited milestone on Tuesday that will benefit local residents and tourists.

With about 200 people in attendance, local officials held a construction celebration for the FSU Health-Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Medical Campus, which is being built through a partnership between the St. Joe Company, Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Hospital have moved forward in a big way by breaking ground on their shared medical campus in Panama City Beach. The project is part of FSU’s long-term goal of climbing higher in national rankings and will also serve a massive retirement community that just completed its 1,000th home.

Paul Casto recalled the days, well within his lifetime, when Panama City Beach was without an ambulance.

“If there was an emergency, they had to send one from the old Bay Medical,” said the Ward 1 representative on the PCB City Council. “We’ve been talking  about the need for a hospital on this beach for 40 years.”

COVID-19 activity is picking up as a new subtype of the omicron variant - XBB.1.5 - makes its way across the United States.

Florida State University College of Medicine's Daniel Van Durme, M.D., said the new subvariant seems to bypass previous immunity and resist treatments such a monoclonal antibodies, though there has not been enough research to determine whether XBB.1.5 will be more severe than its predecessors.

"Get the newest booster," Van Durme said. "It can keep you out of the hospital and can literally save your life."

The FSU College of Medicine's Department of Geriatrics, through a federal training grant, partnered with Tallahassee Police and Leon County Emergency Management Services, to create training video that show how to better respond to emergency situations involving persons with dementia.

Aspartame, a sweetener used in thousands of products, produced anxiety-like behavior that can even pass on to future generations, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences earlier this month.

Florida State University College of Medicine researchers have found that aspartame, a commonly used artificial sweetener found in nearly 5,000 diet foods and drinks, is linked to anxiety-like behavior in mice.

Retiring Daytona Beach Regional Campus Dean Luckey Dunn, M.D., was honored for his 15 years of service to the College of Medicine during a farewell luncheon.

"Luckey was the perfect choice to be the founding dean here," said George Bernardo, M.D., who succeeds Dunn. "He started a tradition of excellence that our students get at the Daytona Beach campus. He just did a perfect job of getting us to where we are today."

Recent research suggests that high blood pressure may lead to an increase in neurotic behaviors.

FSU College of Medicine's Anthony C. Speights, M.D., senior associate dean for Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences and director of the Bridge to Clinical Medicine master's program, shares his thoughts on the importance of access to health care for rural and underserved populations.

Regular physical activity is now strongly recommended for people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to the new summary guidelines on integrative therapies from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). Benjamin J. Smith, interim program director and associate dean of the Florida State University School of Physician Assistant Practice, was the co-principal investigator of the guidelines, which were presented at the Nov. 13 annual ACR Convergence Conference in Philadelphia.

Compared with non-Hispanic white women, women of other races and ethnicities waited significantly longer for pregnancy-related emergency care, according to study data.

“The United States has dramatic inequities in severe maternal morbidity and mortality compared to other high-income nations, with three to four Black women dying compared to every one white woman during the perinatal period,” Megan E. Deichen Hansen, MSW, PhD, research faculty in the department of behavioral sciences and social medicine at Florida State University College of Medicine, told Healio. “Since access to high-quality emergency care is essential to addressing severe maternal morbidity and mortality, this study sought to examine whether inequities were present within emergency room wait times.”

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - A new healthcare facility has made its way to Bay County.

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Physicians Partners - Primary Care is now accepting new patients. The company held a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate the grand opening of its new location in Panama City Beach. The move is the first step in a partnership with the St. Joe Company and FSU College of Medicine.

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The global coronavirus pandemic disrupted almost everything about our lives, from how we work and go to school, to how we socialize (Zoom happy hours, anyone?!), and ultimately strained trust in many of the overarching systems we depend on, from health care to government.

New research suggests it may have changed Americans' personalities, too, and not for the better.

American adults experienced about a decade’s worth of personality change in just two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new study revealed.
The research, published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE, found declines in extroversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness among adults, with the most dramatic shifts displayed in people under 30.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare say they are teaming up to bring a big economic boost to the area.

“I’m very excited,” shared FSU President, Richard McCullough.

“It’ll have a big impact,” added TMH CEO, Mark O’Bryant.

(CNN) — Covid-19 changed a lot – how we socialized, where we went, and even what work looked like. A new study shows the pandemic may have changed our personalities as well.

Psychologists have long believed that a person’s traits stayed pretty much the same, evenin the wake of stressful events. But by looking at pre-pandemic levels of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness and comparing that to data collected in 2021 and 2022, researchers found notable personality changes among the United States population, according to the study.

A nearly $5 million grant to Florida State University's College of Medicine can possibly change the trajectory of young adults affected by the HIV epidemic, which remains a main health concern decades after the initial outbreaks in the U.S.

Florida State University invites the community to engage in the research process as its scientists look to better understand complicated diseases and other medical conditions.

The institution has joined ResearchMatch (researchmatch.org), a nonprofit program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where people - healthy or not - can sign up to participate in health-related research.

Florida State University College of Medicine professor Dr. Jonathan Appelbaum said the similarities between COVID and monkeypox data among Black and Hispanic populations is "just a microcosm of the health inequity in this country."

Florida college students are back on campus just as monkeypox is spreading quickly in the state, including among young adults.

But while universities are posting information and offering fliers about the disease, few are prepared for a campus outbreak. They have yet to announce how they plan to isolate students with the virus and help them keep up with classes, and few have acquired the Jynneos vaccine being used for people at high risk of monkeypox.

Susanna Zorn (M.D. Class of 2017) has joined the Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic staff as a primary care sports medicine physician.

Florida State and Florida A&M officials are focused on educating students as they return to campuses in the midst of a nationwide monkeypox outbreak.

Fourth-year College of Medicine medical student Hayden Greene shares how connecting with a terminal patient provided an important lesson on her path to becoming a physician.

"I came to understand that the conscious  decision to make connections is what fortifies our ability to serve others as physicians. Our patients not only teach us about medicine but, more importantly, unconditional kindness, humility and empathy. These interactions and stories we carry throughout our careers ground and remind us of our 'why' we chose to practice medicine."

Dr. Jonathan Appelbaum speaks up in attempt to curb stigmatization and misinformation surrounding monkeypox.

Study International listed Florida State University's College of Medicine among five universities around the world that use games to enhance learning.

Work in the FSU College of Medicine Biomedical Sciences lab of Sanjay Kumar "is an important step for developing therapies to help patients."

FSU College of Medicine researchers have found a link between a protein in the brain and a heightened chance for neurodegeneration in people with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Families who breastfeed their children need support, according to guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and that requires social and systemic changes when it comes to workplace access and feeding stigma.

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