There are not enough primary care doctors to go around, and that’s just one piece of the puzzle for why all of Southwest Florida is considered “medically underserved.”

It’s been this way for years, and at the rate we’re going, Florida is projected to have the second-largest physician shortage in the country by 2030.

According to the most recent data from Lee Health’s Community Health Needs Assessment, stacked up next to the state and the country, Lee County technically had a higher number of primary care physicians per 100,000 people before the pandemic. But add that we also have an older population, and supply is not meeting demand.

Read more

The Florida State University College of Medicine's Center for Child Stress & Health produced a video featured by its partner, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), in the July issue of its Spotlight Resource Guide. 

The video provides a brief overview of the mental health needs of unaccompanied children who have experienced significant trauma in their home countries and along their journey to the United States. Watch it here

The board of directors of the Foundation of Collier County Medical Society (CCMS) in Naples, Florida is pleased to announce that Alexzandra Mattia, a Naples resident in the class of 2025 at the Florida State University College of Medicine, is the winner of the Foundation’s 2021 Dr. William Lascheid Memorial Scholarship for Medical Students. 

The $12,500 award recognizes future physicians who are Florida residents and have demonstrated excellence in community service, in memory of Dr. Lascheid, co-founder of the charitable Neighborhood Health Clinic in Naples and a Past President of the Medical Society. It is the seventh year the Foundation has provided this scholarship.

“One of the primary goals of our Foundation is to provide much-needed financial aid to future medical professionals, and to recognize students who give their time and energy to charitable causes,” said Dr. Rolando Rivera, Foundation Chair. “Ms. Mattia is a terrific example of Dr. Lascheid’s dedication to caring for the underserved, and we are honored to award her this scholarship.”

"The Dr. William Lascheid Memorial Scholarship Foundation clearly identifies my husband’s mission of providing quality medical care for low-income workers, who are in need,” said Nancy Lascheid, co-founder of the Neighborhood Health Clinic. “Congratulations to Ms. Mattia, this year’s recipient, who illustrated in her application commitment and compassion for the underserved."

Ms. Mattia received her diploma from Barron Collier High School in Naples and her Bachelor in Biochemistry at Florida State University as a first-generation college student. Her community service activities have included volunteering with The Alzheimer’s Project; Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Mobility Clinic; and, as Service Director for Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-health honor society, organizing volunteer events and donation drives for homeless shelters, elementary schools, and nursing homes. One of her goals is to become a physician “who will champion empathy and make patients of all ethnic backgrounds feel more comfortable and empowered.” 
 
"I am beyond grateful to have been awarded the Dr. William Lascheid Memorial Scholarship, which will help me lift my financial burdens, and I am humbled and honored to have been selected," said Ms. Mattia. "My volunteer experiences gave me great insight as to how a provider treats a patient; more specifically, I learned patient-based healthcare first-hand, and it is my calling to dedicate my life to those most vulnerable. I will remain actively engaged with those communities during and after medical school."

The Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization launched by the Collier County Medical Society in 2012, with the mission to provide support and leadership to programs that address access to healthcare and promote health education. The Foundation’s signature fundraiser, the Docs & Duffers Golf Tournament on September 18, 2021, will help raise funds for its scholarship program and local healthcare programs in need. More information is available at ccmsfoundation.org and fb.com/ccmsfoundation.