Susanna Zorn,M.D., Class of 2017

When she became a med student, Susanna brought with her a history of mission work and a passion for serving others. In this interview from May 19, 2017, she focuses on the creation of the Chapman Community Health Program, a partnership between the College of Medicine and Maryland Oaks Crossing, a low-income housing community in Tallahassee.

Tamara Marryshow Granados,M.D., Class of 2017

In her enthusiastic interview May 19, 2017, Tamara admits that she expected medical school to be cutthroat – until she encountered the welcoming, collaborative atmosphere here at FSU. She had started a career in finance but took a leap of faith. Her advice to prospective students: “Take a chance on yourself. Dream big!”

Emily Kaltz, M.D., Class of 2017

Emily talks about what she learned from patients, how her medical education prepared her for becoming a physician, and what it was like on the first day of her OB-GYN rotation when the attending physician had her step up ... and deliver a baby. This interview took place May 19, 2017.

Paulin Gotrace, M.D., Class of 2017

What makes FSU different is the support you get from faculty members and fellow students, Paulin says in this May 19, 2017, interview. He especially appreciates the support he got for an outreach project after a hurricane ripped through his hometown in Haiti.

Clint Dunn, M.D., and Clarissa Lomonaco, M.D., Class of 2016

These two got married during their fourth year and were a real power couple. Both were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Clarissa was promoted to captain in the Air Force. Clint was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and received the J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award and the Orlando Campus Dean’s Award. They both went into pediatrics. She matched with the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, and he with Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. They did this interview May 20, 2016.

Ivana Simpson, M.D., Class of 2016

Ivana “Ivey” Simpson was a National Health Service Corps scholar, a Summer Research Fellow and an Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society inductee. At the end of her fourth year, she received the Access to Care Award and the ACOG District XII Outstanding Medical Student Achievement Award. One of her clerkship directors called her “the student you dream of having on your rotation.” Ivey matched in OB-GYN at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. She did this interview May 20, 2016.

Kristen Dimas, M.D., Class of 2016

Immokalee was where Kristen Dimas grew up, and it’s where she eventually hopes to practice medicine among migrant families. Her steadfast pursuit of that goal is the reason she received the College of Medicine’s Mission Award. She matched in family medicine with the FSU College of Medicine at Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, not far from Immokalee. She did this interview May 20, 2016.

Alejandro Chavarriaga, M.D., Class of 2016

Childhood asthma gave Alejandro Chavarriaga valuable insights into the world of medicine, but it certainly didn’t slow him down – not as a soccer player and not as a student. At the College of Medicine he was president of his class all four years. And at the end of his fourth year, he received the Individual Achievement Award — and matched in general surgery at Atlanta Medical Center. He did this interview May 20, 2016.

Joanna Meadors Hales, M.D., and J.D. Hales, M.D., Class of 2015

These two high achievers met here at med school; they maintained their relationship even though Joanna was at the Orlando campus and J.D. was at the Daytona Beach campus; and they married just before they headed off to the University of North Carolina for residency. At graduation time, Joanna (who had worked three years at the NIH before med school) received awards for altruism in medicine and excellence in pediatrics; J.D. was recognized for leadership and for being the top student at his regional campus. They did this interview May 15, 2015 — about three weeks after they were married, and one day before they graduated.(10m:34s)

Colin Swigler, M.D., Class of 2014

For a year and a half after college, Colin Swigler worked at Outback Steakhouse — because he had doubts about becoming a physician. Well, he certainly overcame those doubts. Just before graduation, he received the J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award. Then he headed off to the University of Tennessee in Memphis for residency training in orthopedic surgery. But he promises he’ll return to Florida. He did this interview May 23, 2014. (8m:36s)

Brett Thomas, M.D., Class of 2014

Brett Thomas was president of his class all four years, received numerous scholarships and had his name called half a dozen times during the pre-graduation awards ceremony. He matched in the family medicine residency program at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Sale, N.C., but plans to return to Florida. He did this interview April 28, 2014. (10m:14s)

Jason Boothe, M.D., Class of 2013

At the end of his four years in medical school, Jason Boothe received the Altruism in Medicine Award and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He did this interview May 16, 2013, two days before graduation. (7m:30s)

Laura Davis, M.D., Class of 2013

Laura Davis, who grew up west of Tallahassee in the small town of Blountstown, took home three major honors from the College of Medicine. She received the Mission Award, was named Outstanding Graduate in Family Medicine and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She did this interview May 16, 2013. (9m:44s)

Zach Folzenlogen, M.D., Class of 2013

This former graphic designer at the Miami Herald became the first College of Medicine student to match in neuroscience. He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism honor societies, and he received both the Excellence in Surgery Award and the J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award. He did this interview May 17, 2013. (6m:45s)

Katie Alonso, M.D., Class of 2012

Here’s an excerpt from Katie’s interview: “Having that one-on-one experience with [attending physicians] is irreplaceable. They’re giving every bit of knowledge they have to you. And I don’t think you can get that anywhere else.” (5m:15s)

Ricardo Sequeira, M.D., Class of 2012

Having been an illegal immigrant, Ricardo Sequeira hopes to improve medical care to immigrants and migrant workers. Before medical school, he served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy. In medical school, he received the Pensacola Regional Campus Dean’s Award and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He did this interview after he matched in family medicine at Eglin Air Force Base and just before graduation in May 2012. (5m:21s)

Vanessa Escobar, M.D., Class of 2011

At the end of her years in medical school, Vanessa Escobar received the Regional Campus Dean’s Award in Pensacola. She did this interview just before graduation in May 2011. (3m:25s)

Abby Hunter, M.D., Class of 2011

Abby Hunter, who matched in pediatrics at Wake Forest, received the College of Medicine’s J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She did this interview just before graduation in May 2011. (7m:35s)

White Coat Excitement (Class of 2021)

Donning a white coat for the first time is a humbling experience for most medical students. Three members of the Florida State University College of Medicine Class of 2021 share their thoughts about the path that brought them to medical school – and their excitement about the upcoming White Coat Ceremony. (2017, 5m:04s)

White Coat Highlights (Class of 2020)

Class of 2020 White Coat Highlights (2016, 2m:23s)

Joseph Chen, White Coat Excitement (Class of 2020)

Class of 2020 student Joseph Chen shares the importance of the white coat to him and his family, and what medical school holds for him. (2016, 1m:28s)

April Graham, White Coat Excitement (Class of 2020)

Class of 2020 student April Graham gives insight into how medical school will help her achieve her goals, and what the white coat means to her. (2016, 1m:38s)

Jacob Hentges, White Coat Excitement (Class of 2020)

Class of 2020 student Jacob Hentges shares his journey to medical school, and what the white coat means to him. (2016, 2m:43s)

Abby Peters, M.D. Speaking at White Coat

Abby (Hunter) Peters, who graduated from the College of Medicine in 2011, received her pediatric residency training at Wake Forest and has just returned — along with her husband, classmate Jeff Peters — to practice in Tallahassee. Here she speaks to the Class of 2018 at their White Coat Ceremony, giving them words of wisdom for the tough years ahead of them. (2014, 14m:25s)

Brett Thomas Speaking at Graduation

Class President Brett Thomas got a standing ovation for his 10-minute reflection on the past four years: “We ultimately learned that a ‘good pathological case’ always came with a price. Sometimes it was a left-behind elderly spouse or a stroke survivor, once a social butterfly, now unable to speak. Somewhere during our third and fourth years, we began to understand the weight of the responsibility we’d soon be carrying. But if not for these experiences, we wouldn’t have received clarity on our specialty choice, met our match or gained the experience to care for our future patients.” (2014, 12m:1s)

Myron Rolle Testifying Before Congress

Myron Rolle, a former college football player and Class of 2017 medical student, delivers his opening statement before the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on College Athletes and Academics. (2014, 5m:5s)

Angela Guzman Speaking at the White Coat Ceremony

During her Gold Humanism Induction Ceremony speech at the White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2017, Angela used the story of a non-compliant patient to remind the first-year students that what ultimately matters is not what you know but what you do. (2013, 8m:33s)

From Ideas to Outcomes: The Story of the FSU College of Medicine

This 24-minute video follows the journey from the Program in Medical Sciences, to a fledgling medical school housed in trailers, through the obstacles surrounding accreditation, to recognition as one of the country’s most innovative medical schools. (24m:31s)

Defining the Century: Florida State University and the Future of Health Care

Darrell Kirch, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, was the keynote speaker at our main anniversary celebration. Excerpt: “You have the most focused mission statement I’ve ever seen for a medical school. And you’ve been relentless in every one of your programs to line up your activities with that mission statement.” (Oct. 7, 2010, 47m:06s)

The Patient-Centered Doctor

After his keynote speech, Darrell Kirch spoke briefly with FSU Headlines about health care in the United States and about the part that the College of Medicine is playing. (Oct. 7, 2010, 2m:40s)

Congratulations from Orlando

Mayor Buddy Dyer sent his best wishes by video. Excerpt: “You’ve proven that the vibrant medical community of Orlando can serve as an excellent stage for medical education.” (October 2010, 1m:25s)

The Creation and Accreditation of the First U.S. Medical School of the 21st Century: A President’s Perspective

FSU President Emeritus Sandy D’Alemberte recalled how it all began, with additional remarks from state Sen. Durell Peaden, Myra Hurt, Charlotte Maguire, Ocie Harris, Alma Littles, Mollie Hill, Ken Boutwell, Margaret Lynn Duggar and members of the inaugural Class of 2005. (April 2010, 58m:41s)

“From Ideas to Outcomes” Lectures

This special series of Grand Rounds lectures focused on what various College of Medicine departments, divisions and campuses had achieved in the 10 years since the medical school’s creation – and what might lie ahead.

• John Fogarty: The College of Medicine’s dean peered into the future in his lecture, “The Next Ten Years.” (Nov. 18, 2010, 1h:5m)
• Paul McLeod: The senior associate dean for regional campuses spoke about the College of Medicine’s network of campuses distributed throughout Florida. (Aug. 26, 2010, 45m:40s)
• Mike Muszynski: The associate dean for clinical research elaborated on the past and future of the College of Medicine’s research program. (Oct. 21, 2010, 1h:3m)
• Richard Nowakowski: The topic for the Department of Biomedical Sciences chair was “Biomedical Sciences: Foundations of Clinical Medicine.” (Nov. 4, 2010, 56m:21s)
• Harold Bland: The subject for the chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences was “The Medical Home for the Complex Pediatric Patient.” (Sept. 16, 2010, 54m:43s)
• Dan Van Durme: The dean of the Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health explained how his department was “Meeting the Mission” of the College of Medicine. (Oct. 14, 2010, 56m:41s)
• Ken Brummel-Smith: The Department of Geriatrics chair’s topic was “Evidence-Based Models of Geriatric Care.” (Sept. 9, 2010, 58m:14s)
• Janine Edwards: The chair of the Department of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences focused her lecture on “Expanding Horizons.” (Dec. 2, 2010, 51m:53s)
• Les Beitsch: The associate dean for health affairs discussed “The Florida Physician Workforce” and its impact on health care in the state. (Sept. 2, 2010, 59m:45s)
• Chris Leadem: The associate dean for student affairs and admissions led a discussion of his department’s approach. (Sept. 30, 2010, 55m:09s)
• Helen Livingston: The assistant dean for undergraduate and graduate programs, and her colleagues, discussed “SSTRIDE-ing to Increase Diversity.” (Sept. 23, 2010, 46m:54s)