The Florida State University College of Medicine ranks No. 12 among public medical schools for having the most graduates who practice in health professional shortage areas, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings of U.S. medical schools released July 23.

FSU also ranks No. 1 in Florida for having the most graduates who practice in health professional shortage areas and No. 17 among all public and private institutions rated in the category.

“This ranking is particularly important to us, as it speaks directly to our mission of preparing physicians who will deliver high-quality, patient-centered care in communities of greatest need,” said Alma Littles, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine. “This is why we are here — and this is one of the primary reasons why the Florida Legislature established this college 24 years ago. I am pleased that this ranking validates the commitment of our students, our alumni and the hard work of our faculty and staff who make this possible.”

Among all public colleges ranked in the survey, the FSU College of Medicine also achieved the following:

• No. 30 for the most graduates who practice in a primary care area such as family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics, general practice, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology. FSU is also No. 1 in Florida in this category.
• No. 39 as having one of the most diverse student bodies.
• No. 88 with the most graduates practicing in a rural area.

As of July 2024, the FSU College of Medicine has 1,953 physician alumni, with 1,074 in practice and the remainder either in residency or fellowship programs or having chosen another career path. More than 53% of practicing M.D. alumni work in the state of Florida.

Austin M. Spitz, a medical student (Class of 2026) working with Dr. F. Andrew Kozel’s FSU Neuromodulation Lab, was the lead author of an article published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Co-authors on the work, titled “The Relationship of Anxious Arousal with Treatment of Dysphoria Using Virtual Reality Mindfulness and Two Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocols,” were Kozel, Mariah Jensen, Isabelle Taylor, M.A., Kevin A. Johnson, Ph.D., and Megan C. Senda, B.S.

All the authors work at either Kozel’s lab, the FSU Neuromodulation™ Clinical Practice, or both.

As the article noted, “Dysphoria, defined as ‘a mood characterized by generalized discontent and agitation,’ is a symptom complex present in several medical conditions including major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain.”

The article is also posted on the journal’s website, www.psychiatrist.com. Spitz also presented the work in poster form at the College of Medicine’s 20^th Annual Research Fair on Feb. 9.

Now at the Pensacola Regional Campus, Spitz hopes to specialize in psychiatry.