The Florida State University College of Medicine was well-represented among the more than 800 attendees at the Florida Academy of Family Physicians (FAFP) Winter Summit, held December 8-10 at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.
From the honorees at the opening day FAFP “Academy Awards” to the installation of the 77th President of the FAFP and the announced establishment of the FAFP Hall of Fame, College of Medicine personnel were front and center.
Three of the six “Academy Awards” winners are inextricably connected to Florida State, with Diana Twiggs, M.D., FAAFP, introduced as the 2023 FAFP Family Physician of the Year. Twiggs completed her undergraduate degree at FSU and stayed in Tallahassee where she completed the Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS - 1994) prior to completing medical school at the University of Florida.
The award is provided in recognition of outstanding service as a family physician and acknowledges dedication to the profession and compassion to patients.
She has been practicing family medicine at Baptist Primary Care in Fernandina Beach, Florida since 2000. Involved in organized medicine since medical school, she served as FAFP President (2017) in addition to numerous other positions within the organization and also sat on the Florida Medical Association (FMA) Board of Governors and also an FMA delegate.
In addition to her practice, Twiggs has more recently served in the mission field, providing medical care in Warsaw, Poland and Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Krista Brinkerhoff (M.D. 2017) was honored with the 2023 FAFP Young Leader Award, which recognizes outstanding service and dedication to the FAFP and the specialty of family medicine. In addition to practicing with Florida Health Care Plans in Orange City, Florida, Brinkerhoff has been a clinical assistant professor at the College of Medicine’s Daytona Beach Regional Campus, where she completed her clinical training at FSU, since 2021.
In her practice she treats substance abuse disorders, and shares her passion in that area by teaching medical students and practicing physicians about patient care for those with opioid abuse disorder.
Brinkerhoff graduated in the top of her class at the College of Medicine and received the AMWA Glasgow-Rubin Citation for Academic Achievement.
The Art of Medicine Award recognizes a physician’s compassion, proven by personal example so that the patient received the full benefit of total care only when the science of medicine is practiced as an art. The 2023 Art of Medicine Award was presented posthumously to Daniel Van Durme, M.D., MPH, FAAFP.
In addition to being decorated with awards for teaching, service, humanitarianism and mentoring over the course of his career at Florida State and the University of South Florida, Van Durme held numerous leadership positions including service to the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the AAFP Foundation and as FAFP Past President.
He is responsible for developing Family Medicine Scholars at the FSU College of Medicine to produce specialty leaders in the future. Van Durme was Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Community Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, among many other roles, when he passed on May 30, 2023.
Pat Van Durme, his wife of 42 years, accepted the award.
George Bernardo, M.D.
On Saturday morning, Daytona Beach Regional Campus Dean George Bernardo, M.D. was installed as the 77th President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. Bernardo was joined at the event by his wife Peggy Bernardo, and College of Medicine graduate sons Joe (M.D. 2018) and Wyatt (M.D. 2022).
Bernardo came through the PIMS program at Florida State in 1985 and graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1988. He has been in private practice in Port Orange, Florida since 1991 and joined the College of Medicine faculty in 2007. He has held multiple leadership positions with the FAFP.
He is most recent in a long line of presidents who are connected to the College of Medicine. The list of past presidents includes Christie Alexander (2020), Twiggs (2017), his Daytona Beach Regional Campus predecessor Luckey Dunn (2016), Dennis Mayeaux (2009-10), Cyneetha Strong (2007), Dennis Saver (2004), College of Medicine Interim Dean Alma Littles (1999) and Van Durme (1996).
The morning session also included the announcement of the establishment of FAFP Hall of Fame as a way of recognizing former or current members or non-physicians affiliated with the organization who had an indelible impact on the Academy and the specialty of family medicine throughout Florida.
Following a video tribute, which you can watch here, Van Durme was enshrined as the inaugural FAFP Hall of Fame member.
In addition to the honors presented, the FAFP recognized a number of leadership positions for 2024, which included a significant number with connections to the College of Medicine. Joining Bernardo on the Board of Directors is Christy Cavanagh, M.D., Family Medicine Residency Program Associate Director and professor at Lee Health in Fort Myers. Cavanagh will also serve as one of two AAFP delegates.
Board members with connections include Kristin Dimas (M.D. 2016), residency faculty at Lee Health-Fort Myers and Nathan Falk, M.D., College of Medicine Professor, Assistant Dean of GME, and founding program director for Family Medicine Residency, BayCare Health in Winter Haven, Florida.
Joanne Saxour, M.D., Family Medicine Director and Informatics Clerkship Director at the Daytona Beach Regional Campus, was the presidential appointee to the Board. Bailey Creighton (M.D. Class of 2024) will represent the FSU College of Medicine as its Student Director.
Alfred C. Gitu, M.D., FAAFP, Professor and Family Medicine Program Director at Lee Health-Fort Myers, will serve as the Residency Director Council Chair.
Photo below: Diana Twiggs, M.D. (far left), Pat Van Durme (third from left), wife of the late Daniel Van Durme, M.D. and Krista Brinkerhoff, M.D. (third from right) were among those to accept awards at the FAFP Academy Awards
Photos and videos courtesy Florida Academy of Family Physicians
