​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.

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

​

The annual Florida State University College of Medicine faculty and staff awards were presented Dec. 4 at a lunchtime celebration in the Durell Peaden Auditorium.

Assistant Professor Mike Drury, Psy.D., who chairs the Faculty Council Executive Committee for the 2023-24 academic year, presented the awards. Drury was assisted by Assistant Dean and Chief Financial Officer Dawn Snyder, who handled master of ceremonies duties. Awards were presented to outstanding faculty educators and researchers, Guardian of the Mission and Service and exemplary staff.

The recipients of the 2022-23 awards are as follows:

Guardian of the Mission & Service Award: Allison Justice, PA-C, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Program
Outstanding Junior Faculty Educator Award: Ramiz Kseri, M.D., Department of Clinical Sciences
Outstanding Junior Faculty Researcher Award: Tyra Dark, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine, CHASE Program Director Center for Translational Behavioral Science
Outstanding Regional Faculty Educator Award: Megan Verdoni, PA-C, CAQ-EM, Sarasota Region Campus Education Director and Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine
Outstanding Senior Faculty Educator Award: John Bastin, DMSc, MHS, PA-C, Assistant Professor Physician Assistant Program
Outstanding Senior Faculty Researcher Award: Jose Pinto, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Director of the Pinto Lab
Exemplary Staff Member Award: Lilly Lewis, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Program Director
Exemplary Staff Team/Group Award: Angela Brown, Jessica Scott, Melissa Oglesby and Carla Dunn,
Student Support Coordinators (Main Campus) 

In addition, the following College of Medicine employees were recognized for their longevity of service: awards.

20 Years
Elizabeth Foster, Research & Graduate Programs
Choogon Lee, Biomedical Sciences
Robert Glueckauf. Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine
Mary Gerend, Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine
Christopher Clark, Information Technology
Claudin Pierre-Louis, Information Technology
Regina Scott, Geriatrics
Sandra Nevels, Student Affairs
Yanchang Wang, Biomedical Sciences

15 Years
Jose Diaz, Biomedical Sciences
Chip Orth, Information Technology
Mark Stavros, Clinical Sciences Emergency Medicine
Crystal Grey-Hewett,, Autism Institute
Katelyn Hunley, Autism Institute
Melanie Hill, Faculty Development
Susan LaJoie, Family Medicine & Rural Health
Veronica Jones, Autism Institute
Renee Holland, Autism Institute
Allison Leatzow, Autism Institute
Renata McCann, Medicine Instruction
Laura Rosenthal, Autism Institute
Joy Moore, Autism Institute
Patricia Armstrong, Autism Institute
Sheldon White, CQI
Cathy Levenson, Biomedical Sciences
Amy Wetherby, Autism Institute

10 Years
Diana Paquette, Finance & Administration
Yi Ren, Biomedical Sciences
Giuliana McQuirt, Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine
Matthew Hohmeister, Information Technology
Judi Traynor, Central Administration, Fort Pierce Regional Campus
Robert Moore, Central Administration, Tallahassee Regional Campus
Yuxia Wang, Behavioral Science & Social Medicine
Matthew Pouliotte, Information Technology
Hongying Deng, Information Technology
Sara Green, Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine

 

The College of Medicine’s Medical Student Council hosted its annual Recognized Student Organization (RSO) Awards Night on Dec. 8 in the Durell Peaden Auditorium.

The ceremony recognizes the most outstanding RSO’s, in addition to their leaders and events as the calendar year draws to a close.

The 2023 RSO of the Year honor was presented to PRIDE (Promoting Recognition of Identity, Dignity & Equality) in Healthcare. The organization provides support to LGBTQ students and the community through education, service, advocacy, collaboration, mentorship, and support.

In addition to the team honor, PRIDE officer Dillon Buckley (M.D. Class of 2026) collected the Medical Student Council Leadership Award.

In another leadership category, Elizabeth Ruelke was honored as RSO President of the Year. Ruelke (M.D. Class of 2026) headed up the Business and Medicine (BAM) organization and served as the coordinator for the inaugural Specialty & Business Symposium in August, which drew 150 students with an interest in medical careers.

Women’s Health Day, held Nov. 1 on Landis Green and presented by the FSU chapter of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) and the College of Medicine, received RSO Event of the Year honors. The daylong event is a free health education and resource for students, graduates, faculty and staff, and it promotes physical, clinical, mental, financial and sexual health through a variety of activities.

Not coincidentally, AMWA advisor Casey Rust, M.D. received the RSO Advisor of the Year Award.

Philanthropic Event of the Year honors went to FSUCares’ MADSO Madness, a collaboration with CollegeTown’s Madison Social to support FSUCares’ mission to provide health services, medical care, education and counseling to those who would not otherwise have access to them.

Service Event of the Year honors went to the HOME (Homeless Outreach Medicine and Education) Street Medicine Drive, which is organized through the School of Physician Assistant Practice. HOME conducted two separate seasonal drives, collecting items including clothing, hygiene products, sunscreen, and bug repellent, which in turn are provided to Tallahassee’s unsheltered population during visits to their encampments.
 

On the eve of graduation, the Florida State University School of Physician Assistant Practice Class of 2023 gathered in a Student Union ballroom for the annual dinner and awards ceremony.

The Friday evening program for the 58-member class included the presentation of awards for students, faculty and staff, recognition of PA national honor society inductees, as well as recognition for eight supporting agencies of the PA program.

Program Director and Associate Dean Ben Smith presided over the event, which is highlighted annually by the presentation of four major awards to graduating class members.

Molly Williams, from East Palatka, Florida, received the Academic and Clinical Excellence Award, presented to the student who has demonstrated excellence in both areas.

Miami native Priscilla Yost was selected for The Spirit of FSU PA Award, which recognizes the student who exhibited dedication to the goal of becoming a PA while exhibiting integrity, professionalism and persevering in the face of adversity.

Christina “Christy” Hofman, whose hometown is St. Louis, Missouri, collected the Mission Award, which is presented to the student with exceptional achievement in striving to meet the needs of medically underserved communities, especially elder, rural, minority and underserved population throughout the state of Florida.

The Director’s Award recognizes students who distinguished themselves through leadership, integrity, cooperation and understanding, while maintaining the high professional, academic and clinical standards of the program. Vero Beach native and class President Karen Post and Tallahassee native Michaela Manias were dual recipients of the honor.

Eight members of the Class of 2023 were also recognized for their selection to Pi Alpha Honor Society, the national PA honor society organized for the promotion of PA student and graduates. 

 Hofman, Sonya Ivanova, Manias, Monica Rowe, Jennifer Scott, Williams, Amber Winton and Christian Yann were introduced as the newest Pi Alpha members.

Membership in the society requires significant academic achievements, leadership, research, community/professional service and other activities. The society also encourages a high standard of character and conduct among students and graduates.

In addition, the evening also included the presentation of the following School of Physician Assistant Practice faculty and staff awards:
•    Faculty Guardian of the Mission and Service Award: Allison Justice, PA-C
•    Outstanding Senior Faculty Educator Award: John Bastin, PA-C
•    Outstanding Regional Campus Faculty Award: Megan Verdoni, PA-C at the Sarasota Regional Campus
•    Exemplary Group/Staff Service Award: Melissa Oglesby

Smith opened the evening by recognizing eight supporting agencies of the PA program: Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare; HCA Florida Healthcare; Dermatology Associates of Tallahassee; Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic; Tallahassee Primary Care Associates; North Florida Women’s Care; Talcor; and Capital Health Plan.
 

Contact Bob Thomas at robert.thomas@med.fsu.edu

Below: Class President Karen Post, shown here delivering the class address during Saturday's Commencement Ceremony, was one of two recipients of the Director's Award. (Photo by Colin Hackley for the College of Medicine)