College of Medicine

March 2015

At its Centennial Meeting on April 25, the American Medical Women’s Association honored two longtime members of the College of Medicine’s faculty.

Myra Hurt, Ph.D., received the Woman in Science Award. Suzanne Harrison, M.D., received an Exceptional Mentor Award.

“In its brief history, this medical school has benefited from a remarkable number of strong, talented women,” Dean John Fogarty said. “We’re delighted that AMWA is honoring two of our best.”

Hurt, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research and graduate programs (pictured right), was one of the founders of the College of Medicine and an architect of its emphasis on apprenticeship-style learning, collegiality and service to the underserved. She was the college’s first interim dean.

"Professor Myra Hurt has dedicated her scientific career to two main foci of research: improving medical education in the United States and biomedical research leading to the understanding of  mechanisms regulating cellular growth and proliferation, key factors involved in the occurrence and  progression of cancer,” read Hurt’s nomination, written by Harrison with contributions from other  faculty members. “She has been instrumental in her support for the female faculty at FSU at both a  local level and a national level, as the institutional representative to the Group on Women in  Medicine and Science at the Association of American Medical Colleges.”

Harrison, M.D., associate professor (pictured below), is the medical school’s education director for family medicine.  She’s involved in many service organizations, but probably none more than AMWA. At the school  level, she is the faculty advisor for the College of Medicine’s student branch of AMWA. On the  national level, she serves on AMWA’s board of directors and as co-chair of not only Physicians  Against the Trafficking of Humans but also AMWA’s Mentorship Committee and its editorial board.

Harrison had eight nominations from students. This is an excerpt from one of them: “She has been my mentor in every sense. She has shared with me her experiences, has advised me on professional decisions, has championed my choices, has aided me in networking, and has also been there for me as emotional support as I deal with my mother’s cancer.… She provides a safe space for all students.”