The 2025 Florida State University Faculty Awards Ceremony was held Oct. 7 at the Augustus B. Turnbull Conference Center, and five from the College of Medicine were among the honorees.

Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences Robert Tomko Jr., Ph.D., won two, including the university’s most prestigious honor for teaching, the Distinguished Teacher Award. He also won the Developing Scholar Award.

Professor Antonio Terracciano, Ph.D., of the Department of Geriatrics won the Distinguished Research Professor Award.

Associate Professor Debra Cole, Ed.D., PA-C, who is director of Didactic Education in the School of Physician Assistant Practice, and Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine Yang Hou, Ph.D., were each honored with an Inclusive Teaching & Mentoring Award.

Ann DelRossi, program manager of the Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences bachelor’s degree program, won the Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Award.

The awards were announced in April and were to be presented at the annual Faculty Awards Celebration on April 22 in the Student Union ballroom, but the event was postponed after a mass shooting at the Student Union on April 17. 

College of Medicine Dean, Alma Littles, M.D. and IMS Associate Dean, Elizabeth Foster, Ph.D. participated in Tuesday's press conference on the FSU Panama City campus, announcing the launch of the IMS program next fall. (Photo by Andrew Wardlow)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — A new biomedical sciences program at Florida State University Panama City was officially announced Tuesday, offering a major step forward in health care education for Northwest Florida. The Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS) program, launching fall 2026, is designed to prepare students for a wide range of careers in health care — from clinical practice and medicine to health care management and policy.
 
The program, offered in partnership with the FSU College of Medicine, aims to improve access to high-quality education in the clinical aspects of health care and support workforce development in the region.
 
“This new program will serve to improve access to a high-quality education in the clinical aspects of health care — it will be an investment in future health care providers for Bay County and surrounding areas,” said FSU Panama City Dean Randy Hanna.
 
The IMS program will be open to first-time-in-college students as well as transfer students from state and community colleges.
 
“We are constantly finding ways to address the shortage of health care professionals throughout the state of Florida,” said Dr. Alma Littles, dean of the FSU College of Medicine. “FSU Panama City is a tremendous resource for the people of Northwest Florida and a great springboard for students wishing to enter the health care professions. I am delighted the College of Medicine has expanded its IMS program, which will help students achieve their goals of preparing for a rewarding career.”
 
Students in the IMS program will earn a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, combining a rigorous science core with service learning, developmental seminars and a capstone experience. The program is structured to help students discover their most suitable health care career path, build professional skills and mindset and develop a deep understanding of community health needs.
 
“We have been working on establishing this program for around one year,” said FSU PC Associate Dean Amy Polick. “A great deal of work was undertaken to ensure this program maintained the same quality experienced in Tallahassee, while being highly specialized and effective for Panama City students.”
 
Courses will be taught in-person in Panama City by a mix of current and newly recruited faculty. The degree prepares students for further study or careers in fields such as: 
•    Medicine (MD/DO), Dentistry (DMD/DDS), Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Veterinary Medicine 
•    Child welfare, Disability and elder care services, Health policy, Non-profit and research sectors
 
“The options are endless,” said Tory Peek, who will serve as the program coordinator. “This degree could lead to careers in the non-profit sector, research field, community care or health policy and informatics.” 

Tuesday’s press conference featured remarks from leadership at FSU PC and the FSU College of Medicine, alongside representatives from local hospitals, Bay District Schools, Gulf Coast State College and area high schools. Students from across the region, including those interested in pursuing the new degree, attended the press conference.
 
“We have a solid track record of student success, and I am happy we can extend the reach of the IMS program to serve even more students and improve the health care environment in Northwest Florida,” said Dr. Anthony Speights, senior associate dean for IMS. “Of the program’s 688 graduates, 54 have matriculated into the College of Medicine’s M.D. program and 30 into its School of Physician Assistant Practice, and many others are successfully working in other health care professions.”
 
Hanna expressed his appreciation to the various faculty and staff, including Tyler Towne and Liz Foster, for their roles in developing the curriculum and forging cross-campus collaboration.
 
“This was a team effort, and students will see that commitment when they enroll,” Hanna said. 

Prospective students can find program prerequisites and additional information on the FSU College of Medicine IMS website or by visiting the FSU Panama City IMS page.
 

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Alfred Gitu as Lee Health’s new Chief Academic Officer. Since joining Lee Health in 2012, Dr. Gitu has demonstrated exceptional academic leadership and a strong commitment to preparing physicians for the next phase of their careers.

In his new role, Dr. Gitu will oversee education, research and training programs to ensure the highest standards of academic and clinical excellence. He will play a key role in expanding Lee Health’s academic programs, focusing on creating a leading teaching institution in the region and beyond.

Dr. Gitu will also lead the development of innovative programs to expand career opportunities for medical residents. He will champion cutting-edge medical research, enhance training initiatives, and attract top talent from around the world.

“Dr. Gitu is deeply committed to preparing the next generation of physicians and growing a skilled healthcare workforce for Southwest Florida,” said Lee Health Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Iahn Gonsenhauser. “As a core member of our team, he has been instrumental to Lee Health’s success, and I am confident that in his new role, he will further strengthen and elevate both our health system and academic programs.”

Dr. Gitu earned his medical degree from the University of Nairobi in Nairobi, Kenya. Before joining Lee Health, Dr. Gitu was a faculty physician for the Self Regional Healthcare Family Medicine Residency Program in Greenwood, SC, where he had also completed his residency training.

Since joining Lee Health, Dr. Gitu has helped to provide training for resident physicians and medical students in the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program based at Lee Memorial Hospital. The program welcomed its first class in 2014. In 2018, Dr. Gitu was named the program director. Under his leadership, the program has maintained a 100% board pass rate with zero citations. He spearheaded the expansion of the program from a total of 24 residents a year to 33 residents a year.

Due to the success of the Family Medicine Residency program, Lee Health also collaborated with FSU to create the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Cape Coral Hospital. The program, which takes three years to complete, is approved to accept 20 residents a year for a total of 60 at full capacity.

Lee Health has also received approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to launch a four-year obstetrics and gynecology residency program and a one-year transitional year program at Cape Coral Hospital, in collaboration with the FSU College of Medicine.

Resident doctors are medical school graduates who are training to specialize in their chosen medical field. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), about 60% of residents choose to practice medicine in the state where they trained. For primary care, the in-state retention rate is 70%.

Training new doctors in the community creates a network of physicians ready to practice medicine in Southwest Florida, addressing the nationwide physician shortage and the healthcare needs of our community. Lee Health’s residency programs play a vital role in preparing physicians to help treat Southwest Floridians with the high-quality, innovative healthcare the community trusts.

(Note: This article was published in the South Florida Hospital News)