The Magazine of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
MEDICINE
A TRANSFORMATIVE ACADEMIC ALLIANCE
A new collaboration between the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and Baptist Health expands physician training, research and patient care
ALUMNI
10
12
14
RESEARCH
FIU Medicine
Editors
Ileana Varela
Sissi Garland White Neon Media
Copy Editor
Mylena Vazquez
Art Direction
Aileen Solá
Writers
Ileana Varela
Sissi Garland White Neon Media
Eric Barton
Photography
Doug Garland White Neon Media
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Florida International University 11200 SW 8th St. AHC2 Miami, FL 33199 (305) 348-0570
Visit us at: medicine.fiu.edu
Patricio Lau ’09, M.D. ’13 provides life-saving care to children at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Florencia Goluboff’s ’13, M.D. ’20 and Michele Benjamin’s MBA, M.D. ’21 passion for better access to care spawns new venture
Farah Fourcand M.D. ’15 is the new stroke director at the Cleveland Clinic Florida
16
Researchers discover a new weapon against drug-resistant bacteria
18 Neuroscience experts investigate causes and potential therapies for Alzheimer’s and HIV
20
Stephen Black, Ph.D., leads a new era of FIU Medicine research. His vision extends to the FIU Center for Translational Science in Port St. Lucie
PHILANTHROPY
22 Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP is transforming community health care
Uchechukwu Uzomah, M.D. ’24, celebrates her “match” in interventional radiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Every student from the Class of 2024 who participated in the National Residency Matching Program secured a residency slot.
DECADE OF
HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Class of 2024 #42 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding, Public Medical Schools Blue Ridge Rankings #2
1,193 Physicians Graduated Class of 2024 Residency Placement Rate 100%
Most Diverse Medical School Nationwide U.S. News & World Report, 2023
Our student teams have made 14,000+ household visits to more than 3,500 underserved patients
FROM THE DEAN
MEDICAL SCHOOL 2.0
The foundation has been laid. A decade ago, the first Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine graduates entered the medical field as clinicians. Since then, our researchers have investigated solutions to some of the most pressing global health challenges. And the college has offered care to more than 3,500 patients living in our most vulnerable communities.
Today, I am proud to say that FIU Medicine is entering a new era, where we are seeing the fruits of the collective hard work of our students, professors, scientists, and administrators. We are hearing from our community that our physicians are providing excellent care. I recently received a letter from a patient who thanked the college for providing an education that trains physicians to take a holistic approach, considering patients’ emotions and home situations. “By listening and acting upon my fears of leaving the hospital, thus enabling more extensive testing, a very positive outcome was achieved from what could have been a tragedy,” wrote the sender. In the following pages, you will learn about more alumni who are serving our community as envisioned in our original mission (pg. 10).
Our researchers also are producing groundbreaking work — from battling HIV and drug-resistant bacteria to working with the FIU Center for Translational Science, led by Stephen Black, a leader in the field of pulmonary vascular disease, who was recently reappointed to the Biomedical Research Advisory Council, a group that provides analysis and guidance to the Florida surgeon general on the direction and scope of the state’s biomedical and cancer research programs (pg. 20).
As we mature in the field of medical education, we are also perfecting our curriculum (pg. 30). The StepUp Curriculum introduced last year builds on the college’s already successful communitybased model with a more integrated, experiential, and clinically immersive education. The result: a medical school experience that prioritizes student well-being and helps students make connections across the curriculum.
Finally, our successes have led to a partnership with Baptist Health South Florida that promises to greatly enhance our students’ clinical preparedness and revolutionize care in South Florida (pg. 4).
We are energized about this next chapter in FIU Medicine. I hope you will celebrate with us and help us thank the generous donors (pg. 22) who have helped fuel many of our successes.
Dr. Juan C. Cendan
Dean, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, FlU
TRANSFORMATIVE
ALLIANCE
FIU AND BAPTIST HEALTH UNITE FOR SOUTH FLORIDA’S HEALTH
In a groundbreaking move that addresses Florida’s projected physician shortfall of nearly 18,000 by 2035, Baptist Health and FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine joined forces to establish an Academic Medical Center Enterprise. The strategic alliance, formed in 2023, will expand physician training, research and patient care in South Florida.
“Today we are planting the seed,” said Dr. Juan C. Cendan, dean of the College of Medicine, when the partnership was announced. “In time, we will train more and more doctors, and our researchers will develop better drugs and treatments. And we will measure our impact in the number of lives we touch.”
A recent report commissioned by the Florida Safety Net Hospital Alliance and the Florida Hospital Association paints a stark picture of the challenges the alliance aims to overcome. With a shortage of nearly 6,000 traditional primary care specialists and an additional need for around 12,000 specialists, the Sunshine State is at risk of a health care crisis. However, the collaboration between Baptist Health — the largest not-for-profit health care organization in the area — and FIU offers a sustainable solution.
Baptist Hospital will become a statutory teaching hospital with the goal of attracting highly specialized physicians to lead groundbreaking research and clinical innovation. FIU students, including those in other health programs, will benefit from the
increased research as well as from a collaboration with the Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health. The alliance will also streamline residency training for FIU students and reduce redundancies, with programs beginning in 2025, including internal medicine, neurology, and diagnostic radiology.
An initial 22 new residency programs and the potential opening of a new clinical site at the main FIU campus are good news for local residents facing a physician shortage in that doctors tend to stay where they obtain their residencies. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges 2023 Report on Residents, more than half (57.1%) of the individuals who completed residency training from 2013 to 2022 in Florida stayed in the state.
In addition, Baptist will manage the FIU Health Faculty Group Practice. Since opening in 2011, FIU Health has been providing quality primary and specialized patient care to the community. The practice includes some of South Florida’s best physicians, anchored by the groundbreaking research and medical education at the university.
Baptist Health President and CEO Bo Boulenger sees this partnership as ushering in a new era. “This enhanced clinical and academic collaboration will be transformative in reshaping health care in the region. The elevation of Baptist Hospital to a statutory teaching hospital is a monumental leap that will expand undergraduate and graduate medical education programs, foster clinical research initiatives, and enhance patient care services.”
FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell emphasizes the significance of this partnership in raising health care standards. “There is a great deal of excitement around this collaboration because it elevates the work both FIU and Baptist are doing. We are creating a rich ecosystem that will result in some of the best health care in the nation.”
Building on a decades-long collaboration
The Academic Medical Center Enterprise builds on decadeslong joint effort between FIU and Baptist Health to meet the health needs of South Florida.
Starting in 2016, Baptist Health expanded the College of Medicine’s signature community-engagement program — Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP — to neighborhoods in South Miami and West Kendall with $8 million in transformational giving.
Consequently, local residents in critical need of primary and preventive care services are receiving household-centered care from a team of FIU health professionals, often through mobile health centers at community sites; patients also are connected to other community providers when needed.
“We are grateful for the support of Baptist Health South Florida, whose investment has enabled us to expand our reach and continue making a positive impact on the health and well-being of those we serve,” says Dr. David Brown, who is chief of FIU’s Division of Family and Community Medicine, leads NeighborhoodHELP and was also instrumental in establishing the Family Medicine Residency Program at West Kendall Baptist Hospital.
Historic signing, from left: Dean, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, and Senior Vice President for Health Affairs
Dr. Juan C. Cendan; FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell; Baptist Health President and CEO Bo Boulenger
FEATURE STORY
“Our program not only provides critical health services and resources to individuals and families in the catchment area of South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital, but also offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from and work alongside community members.”
In 2013, the College of Medicine and Baptist launched the West Kendall Baptist Hospital/FIU Family Residency Program. With four residents per year, the program offers an individualized approach to preparing clinically skilled physicians who work effectively as part of larger health care systems. Residents receive training in the full spectrum of family medicine, including management of acute and chronic conditions in adults and children, women’s health, sports medicine, health promotion and disease prevention. The first cohort of residents included two FIU alumni: Dr. Gabriel Suarez and Dr. Andres Rodriguez, who is now assistant dean of students at the College of Medicine.
In addition, Baptist Health currently provides clinical rotations for FIU medical students in 40 specialties and subspecialties. The new affiliation will provide College of Medicine students even further access to Baptist’s dedicated medical staff of more than 4,000 physicians in virtually all specialties, many with national and international reputations.
As South Florida undergoes a transformative shift in its health care landscape, the academic and clinical affiliation between Baptist Health and FIU promises a future where medical education, research and care converge for the greater good of the community. This transformative shift will produce the next generation of physicians, attract world-class experts and foster cutting-edge research.
“This collaboration is a testament to our shared commitment to pioneering health care solutions, creating a culture of continuous learning and innovation, and providing compassionate, highest-quality care for our community,” concludes Dr. Jack Ziffer, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at Baptist Health.
Medical student Juliana Cazzaniga on neurology rotation at Baptist Hospital with Dr. Ivan Matos.
THE CLINICAL PARTNERSHIP MEDICAL CENTER AT FIU
Improved access to health care, education and innovation will come together in FIU’s Clinical Partnership Medical Center, a state-of-the-art facility to be located on FIU’s main campus in southwest Miami-Dade County.
When built, the 100,000-square-foot facility will include an urgent care center, ambulatory surgery center, diagnostic suite, and primary care and specialty practices, including oncology, neurology, cardiology, and orthopedics, providing training opportunities for FIU medical and health professions students. The result will be expanded patient service in surrounding areas and an increase in physicians providing direct patient care in Florida.
HEROES HOMEGROWN
In 2013, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine graduated its first class, 33 doctors who put their trust in a new medical school that promised to prepare them to serve a diverse population. A decade later, the college has graduated more than 1,000 physicians and fulfilled its vision to provide much-needed doctors to a welldeserving community here in South Florida.
Many FIU med students ultimately establish their practice locally. In the following pages, you will read the stories of alumni who are providing exceptional care in the community they are uniquely prepared to serve.
CLASS OF 2013
Class Notes
Hanadys Ale, M.D.
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital Hollywood, FL
Dillon Arango, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic Specialists of South Florida Miami, FL
Edilberto Benitez, M.D. Internal Medicine
UF Health Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL
Tanya Bogle, M.D.
Family Medicine, Medical Director CenExel Tampa, FL
Alexander Bolanos, M.D.
Interventional Cardiology Orlando Health Orlando, FL
Daniel Castellanos, M.D. Pediatric Cardiology Boston Children’s Hospital Boston, MA
Trine Engerbretsen, M.D. Abdominal Transplant Surgery University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, TX
Nicholas Figueroa, M.D. Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology
Baptist Health Bethesda Hospital Boynton Beach, FL
Miguel Flores, M.D. Neuroradiology AdventHealth Orlando Orlando, FL
Joao Fontoura, M.D.
Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Suncoast Community Health Centers Brandon, FL
Molly Garland-Klezik, M.D. Surgical Oncology West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
Gillian Generoso, M.D.
Internal Medicine
Baptist Health Bethesda Hospital Boynton Beach, FL
Michael Hann, M.D. Psychiatry, Chief Medical Officer Brook Lane Hagerstown, MD
Erick Heckert, M.D.
Biology Professor Valencia College Orlando, FL
Boris Hristov, M.D. Trauma Surgery
One Brooklyn Health Brooklyn, NY
Welcome Back! Ten years after making history as our inaugural grads, many members of the Class of 2013 returned to FIU to reunite and reminisce about their student days.
Robyn (Monckton) Koeppen, M.D. Family and Sports Medicine
Atrium Health Huntersville, NC
Anupama Kotha, M.D.
Obstetrics & Gynecology
UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA
Anisha Kshetrapal, M.D.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL
Patricio Lau, M.D.
Pediatric Surgery
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Miami, FL
Peter Leahy, M.D.
Medical Genetics & Pediatrics
Northwestern Medicine-Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL
Eric Liss, M.D.
Ophthalmology
Quigly Eye Specialists Port Charlotte, FL
Edward Maharam, M.D.
Internal Medicine
AdventHealth Orlando Orlando, FL
Scott Mariouw, M.D.
Psychiatry
University of Michigan Health Ypsilanti, MI
Diana Morlote, M.D.
Molecular Genetic Pathology and Hematopathology
University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
Ariel Moses, M.D. Internal Medicine
Miami Comprehensive Medicine Group Coral Gables, FL
Kenji Ogura, M.D. Anesthesiology UCLA Health Los Angeles, CA
Raj Rohit, M.D. Internal Medicine
Radiation Oncology Fellow Ohio State University Columbus, OH
Anit Rastogi, M.D. Radiologist
Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging Las Vegas, NV
Michael Syme, M.D. Hospital Medicine
Baptist Health South Florida Miami, FL
Gabriel Thornton, M.D.
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Doctors Hospital of Augusta Augusta, GA
Kaiming Wu, M.D.
Vascular and Interventional Radiology
Baylor Radiologists Houston, TX
IN MEMORIAM
Christine Matthews Dalton, M.D. 1986-2014
THE FAMILY’S SURGEON
Alumnus provides life-saving care to children
PATRICIO LAU ’09, M.D. ’13 took a leap of faith in 2009, entrusting his education to a new medical school. Dr. Lau was accepted by nine schools, but his heart was set on the one that would allow him to blaze a trail — as one of FIU’s first medical students.
Lau was driven to serve the local community, which had encouraged and supported him since emigrating from Nicaragua when he was 15 years old. Ten years later, he has fulfilled his dream. He is a pediatric surgeon at Nicklaus Children’s Health System in Miami.
“I’m now serving the same community that served me,” Lau says. He empathizes daily with patients and parents from multiple nationalities who are struggling with language and cultural barriers at a challenging time in their lives.
Lau often works with parents who just learned their newborn will need surgery to help their bodies function correctly. What may be trivial for some parents whose kids don’t have an issue, Lau says, is huge for a mom and dad whose baby isn’t able to have a bowel movement, for example.
After medical school, Lau completed his residency at Baylor College of Medicine and a fellowship at Nicklaus. His training reaffirmed to him that it’s not just learning surgery, it’s learning how to take care of people.
“When you help a child, you help the whole family,” Lau says. It’s this impact that Lau first witnessed when he interned at what was then Miami’s Children’s Hospital; it motivates him and provides energy through what can sometimes be an 11-hour surgery.
Lau — who is married and has two boys, 10 and 12 — was the first in his family to graduate from a university. He inspired his younger sister Lee Seng Lau to pursue higher education. She is now a doctoral student in biomedical sciences at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
THE BUSINESS OF MEDICINE
Alumnae’s passion for better access to care spawns new venture
Amid the stress and chaos of new marriages, babies and medical school, a friendship took root that empowered two FIU students to create a business that aims to provide better access to health care.
FLORENCIA GOLUBOFF ’13, M.D. ’20 and MICHELE BENJAMIN MBA, M.D. ’21 met while in medical school at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. Their lives mirrored each other. Both were married and before graduation they both had kids. Soon the friends began planning the next stage of their careers together. They landed residencies at Baptist Health South Florida. And then they strategized ways to be able to raise their families while doing what they love.
While earning her Healthcare MBA at FIU, Benjamin — who was the first alumna to establish a scholarship for FIU medical students — learned about direct primary care, which gives family physicians an alternative to fee-for-service insurance billing, typically by charging patients a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee.
“Direct primary care improves access to health care and enables doctors to provide patients the attention and quality of care they deserve, all for a low monthly price,” says Benjamin, who lost her dad at a young age, and her mother raised her and her two siblings relying on government assistance. It was the kindness of a doctor who took her in when Medicaid would not cover her medical expenses that first drew her to medicine.
In 2023, Benjamin and Goluboff opened Awaken Health Direct Primary Care in Broward County. The physicians are able to limit the number of patients they see a day, offering each patient more time with them. Correspondingly, Benjamin and Goluboff can balance their personal and professional lives better with a set number of patients and monthly revenue.
Goluboff, who was born in Argentina, also holds a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering from FIU. She says this is better access to care. “We can focus on preventive care. And that is what we loved about primary care to start.”
INTO THE BRAIN
Alumna seeks deeper understanding of the most complex part of the human body
FARAH FOURCAND M.D. ’15 has always been fascinated with the brain. “It directs every other organ in the body. For me, understanding the brain is like space or sea exploration,” she says.
Dr. Fourcand’s spirit of exploration recently led her to accept the position of stroke director at the Cleveland Clinic in Vero Beach, Florida. She’s charged with building a comprehensive center that focuses on all aspects of stroke prevention, treatment and the management of complex cerebrovascular disorders.
The Haitian-American brings to the position a unique set of skills and experiences acquired in the last decade by following her curiosity. As an undergraduate student, the Miami native was a true Renaissance woman, majoring in biology, anthropology, philosophy and art history.
After graduating from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in 2015, she pursued a rare hybrid residency at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital that allowed her to conduct research at the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “It was research Disneyland,“ she says.
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, Fourcand saw an opportunity to be of service outside of the hospital walls. She published a 75-page book titled “Pandemic Manifesto: COVID-19 Basic Training From The Frontlines” that helped educated readers develop a framework to understand the barrage of information with which they were being inundated at the time.
The physician-scientist is also working on a startup, Brain Theory, that will offer supplements that contribute to brain health as well as provide education. In 2022, Fourcand received a patent for the product. “You see a lot of supplements, but not something that a neuroscientist actually developed. This is based on significant research,” Fourcand says.
Always in search of more ways to help people, Fourcand also recently added a Havanese puppy named Sheba to her family; she is training her to be a therapy dog.
THE ANSWER TO A GROWING WORLDWIDE PROBLEM?
RESEARCHERS DISCOVER NEW WEAPON AGAINST DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA
Masafumi Yoshinaga, Ph.D., Barry P. Rosen, Ph.D., Stanislaw Wnuk, Ph.D., and the chemical formula for arsinothricin.
RESEARCH
An arsenic-based antibiotic identified by FIU researchers working with an international team could be the answer to combatting pneumonia, MRSA and E. coli strains that no longer respond to existing drugs. A patented lab-made version could bring it to the masses — and may even stem the spread of malaria.
Antibiotic resistance has been called one of the biggest public health threats of our time. There is a pressing need for new and novel antibiotics to combat the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria worldwide.
FIU scientists have moved a step closer to producing drugs that could solve this urgent global health problem.
Researchers at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine are part of an international team that discovered a new broad-spectrum antibiotic that contains arsenic. The findings came out of a collaboration with the Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO in Japan.
The antibiotic arsinothricin, or AST, naturally occurs in soil. It is effective against many types of bacteria, explains Barry Rosen, distinguished university professor in cellular and molecular medicine and co-senior author of the study published in the Nature journal Communications Biology. “Arsinothricin is the first and only known natural arsenic-containing antibiotic,” he says, “and we have great hopes for it.”
“People get scared when they hear the word arsenic because it can be a toxin and carcinogen, but the use of so-called arsenicals as antimicrobials and anti-cancer agents is well established,” Rosen says. In 1908, Paul Erlich won the Nobel Prize in medicine after finding an arsenic-based cure for syphilis. Arsenicals are used to treat tropical diseases, to prevent infectious diseases in poultry and as a chemotherapeutic treatment for leukemia.
MEET THE LEAD RESEARCHER
The multidisciplinary FIU team has since earned a U.S. patent for a method to chemically synthesize a version of AST, which in its natural state can be difficult to harvest in sufficient quantities to treat diseases affecting millions worldwide.
“It’s very exciting,” Rosen says of the lab-made version, “and from a public health standpoint, the work is extremely important.”
In the United States alone, for example, some 2.8 million people are infected annually with drug-resistant bacteria, and 35,000 die as a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
Arsenic has been noted by scientists as “one of the most interesting and enigmatic elements of the periodic table” for both its use as an intentional poison and as a medicinal agent, particularly in the fight against some cancers. Lab tests conducted by FIU proved AST effectively defeated some of the most notorious bacteria, including E. coli and M. tuberculosis.
Another critical characteristic of the lab-made version: It can easily be modified, the researchers say, making possible its use one day as a treatment for a host of other diseases. “We see this as the first member of a family of arsenic-based drugs,” Rosen says.
Most recently, the team tested the AST against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. An estimated 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 malaria deaths were recorded, mostly in developing countries, in 2022.
The researchers found that AST not only successfully treats malaria but could potentially prevent further spread of the disease by rendering an ill person no longer infectious. With existing antimalarial drugs, there remains a period of communicability during which a mosquito can pick up the parasite by biting someone under treatment and then transmit it to others. AST, in contrast, would stop the cycle.
Barry P. Rosen, a distinguished university professor in the Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, is an international expert on arsenic and one of the world’s top experts on Escherichia coli. He has been continuously funded by NIH and NSF since 1972. Over his fivedecade career, Rosen has produced nearly 400 research publications with over 34,000 citations, earning him recognition as a Highly Ranked Scholar by ScholarGPS, placing him among the 0.05% of all scholars globally. His research has been featured on five scientific journal covers. Rosen has served on the faculty at three medical schools and relied on and mentored students and postdoctoral associates in the interest of high-level research. “Some of our major findings were serendipitous, but most were the result of hard work, with incremental advances,” Rosen said. “Like a crossword puzzle, lots of small findings fit together to reveal overall patterns and insights into the workings of living organisms.”
THE BRAIN
Neuroscience research at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine brings together experts across and social consequences. International and interorganizational collaborations remain hallmarks
ALZHEIMER’S
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death for those age 65 and older in the United States. Florida has the second-highest incidence of Alzheimer’s, with nearly 600,000 cases. FIU Medicine researchers are studying potential treatments and developing drugs and delivery systems to fight Alzheimer’s.
LiFu CLINICAL TRIAL: This Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and Baptist Health collaboration is one of 25 clinical trials nationwide using low-intensity focused ultrasound (LiFu) to target the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.
The buildup of beta-amyloid protein plaques is linked to AD. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to precisely guide ultrasound waves to target parts of the brain and temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, disrupting plaques.
FIU’s Dr. Patricia Junquera, chair of psychiatry and behavioral health, and Dr. Michael McDermott, chief of the neuroscience division and chief medical executive of Baptist’s Miami Neuroscience Institute, are co-PIs. The FDA-approved clinical trial, currently enrolling patients, is part of Florida’s Brain State initiative.
ORAL DRUG CANDIDATE: Sticky beta amyloid plaques on the brain can cause brain cells to die, affecting memory and cognition.
Researcher Kyung Bo Kim’s lab developed a potential new drug named AR-01 that promises to improve cognitive function regardless of amyloid buildup. Given orally, AR-01 could offer a more affordable treatment option for early symptomatic Alzheimer’s patients and could also be used with existing drugs to improve efficacy.
RESEARCH
across disciplines to investigate causes and potential therapies for diseases with cascading medical hallmarks of the college’s approach to some of the world’s most devastating and widespread illnesses.
HIV RESEARCH
The brain is an ideal hiding place for the human immunodeficiency virus, where it can lie dormant for years in a latent HIV reservoir. But, at any time, cells in these latent reservoirs can become active again and start making more virus. The blood–brain barrier prevents easy access to antiretroviral drugs and remains a major hurdle toward eliminating or permanently silencing the virus. FIU Medicine researchers are using nanotechnology for drug delivery to HIV-infected reservoirs and studying ways to mitigate the inflammation and neurodegeneration caused by HIV in the brain.
CBD THERAPY: FIU researchers, under the direction of Madhavan Nair, distinguished university professor, found CBD’s anti-inflammatory effects can essentially keep HIV-infected cells in the brain under control, preventing them from acting up.
This is important because neuroinflammation associated with HIV creates a dangerous domino effect: Inflammation causes infected cells hiding in the brain to activate, start the replication process and spread the virus back into the body. As published in Scientific Reports, the team showed CBD works at the molecular level to lower inflammation and keep these cells dormant.
NANOCARRIER GEL: Investigators in the same lab have developed a pioneering nanogel that could revolutionize treatment for various diseases. It has demonstrated the ability to cross the protective barrier surrounding the brain, potentially enabling targeted drug delivery to HIV reservoirs. The polymer-based compound, which includes linseed oil, also has fluorescent properties, which could facilitate tracking the nanogel in medical imaging procedures.
INTRANASAL DRUG DELIVERY: The neurological complications of AIDS, known as NeuroAIDS, include a condition called HIV-associated dementia (HAD). Virologist Nazira El-Hage is developing nanoparticles that carry and deliver special RNA sequences that can silence HIV genes, potentially reducing AIDS-related brain complications. These particles are coated in a sugar called mannose and delivered intranasally. Mannose helps the particles target specific brain cells where the virus hides. El-Hage’s team also uses tiny cell bubbles called extracellular vesicles (EVs) to transport and deliver drugs. EVs can be loaded with cargo such as brain growth factors, proteins, and genetic material and delivered to the brain. The goal is to decrease brain inflammation linked to HIV and reduce the brain damage associated with NeuroAIDS and HAD.
Associate Dean for Research Stephen Black, Ph.D.,
and Assistant Professor Manivannan Yegambaraman, Ph.D., at the FIU Center for Translational Science.
CATALYST FOR CHANGE
STEPHEN BLACK LEADS A NEW ERA OF FIU MEDICINE RESEARCH
In the realm of biomedical research, Stephen Black stands as a luminary, recently reappointed by Florida’s governor to the Biomedical Research Advisory Council, a prestigious group offering insights to Florida’s surgeon general on the trajectory of the state’s biomedical and cancer research programs. His influence extends beyond advisory roles, permeating the corridors of academia and research at FIU.
As the interim chair of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Black is tearing down walls. The days of working alone and publishing a paper now and then are over. “It takes a village now,” he says. His vision extends to the FIU Center for Translational Science in Port St. Lucie, where he serves as the inaugural director.
Established in 2022, the center represents a paradigm shift in research culture, cultivating a dynamic environment and fostering collaboration among researchers and institutes. His policy of open collaboration has been instrumental in catapulting grant awards from an initial $500,000 to an astounding $13 million, with projections signaling even greater financial support in the coming years.
Black’s leadership has attracted a cadre of distinguished researchers, often referred to as “rockstar scientists.” With expertise spanning neurodegenerative disorders, infectious diseases, spinal cord injuries, and more, these 15 principal
investigators now oversee multiple projects, each commanding a full team. Anticipating further growth, Black envisions the influx of investors and startup companies, transforming the research landscape.
“We are focused on discovery AND delivery,” says Black of researchers who work at the center.
Currently, Black himself has funding via several NIH awards, including two P01 awards focused on ventilator-mediated lung injury and pulmonary vascular disease.
His appointment to the state advisory council is not just a personal accolade but a testament to FIU’s dedication to pioneering research with tangible impacts. Dr. Juan C. Cendan, dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and senior vice president for Health Affairs, lauds Black’s recognition, emphasizing the pivotal role his vast knowledge will play in shaping critical decisions and policies governing biomedical research in Florida.
As FIU continues to be a trailblazer in biomedical research, Black’s leadership emerges as a catalyst for change. His visionary strategies, commitment to collaboration, and undeniable success in acquiring funding are securing FIU’s future as a powerhouse in biomedical innovation and other research areas.
“FIU is starting to get noticed,” Black says. “We are upping our game. We are going to punch above our weight in four to five areas. FIU is going to be known.”
$54M+ BLACK’S TOTAL CAREER FUNDING $47.7M NIH $6.9M FOUNDATION ACTIVE FUNDING $11.9M P01
$2.3M R01
(left)
Researchers Hoshang Unwalla, Ph.D., and Srinivasan Chinnapaiyan, Ph.D.
SMOKE SIGNALS INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF SMOKING ON HIV
In FIU’s smoke-free campus, a smoking robot aids Professor Hoshang Unwalla in groundbreaking research on the effects of smoking and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Backed by five NIH grants, including four R01s and a $2.56 million award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Unwalla decodes the airway epithelial transcriptome in HIV-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Combination antiretroviral therapy, popularly known as drug cocktails, has made HIV infection a treatable chronic condition. However, Unwalla notes that HIV patients die almost a decade earlier than the HIV-negative population from comorbidities, including lung diseases like COPD, pulmonary hypertension and pneumonia, which are prevalent among people with HIV.
“These coexisting conditions are exacerbated in HIV patients who are addicted to nicotine and smoke tobacco,” says Unwalla. His research lab focuses on identifying the factors that promote lung inflammation in people with HIV, aiming to develop drugs or other treatments that restore lung function or impede further deterioration.
In a recent breakthrough, Unwalla and researcher Srinivasan Chinnapaiyan obtained a patent for a revolutionary HIV-inducible self-inactivating CRISPR gene editing technique. This method targets the cellular gene CyclinT1, crucial for HIV replication only within HIV-infected cells, offering both safety and effectiveness in silencing the virus and mitigating associated comorbidities.
BEYOND THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT
Observing busy radiologists as part of a collaborative research project confirmed one FIU medical student’s choice of specialty.
Mona Roshan spent much of her second year of medical school watching the moves of experienced board-certified radiologists at Baptist Health in Miami. Roshan gathered data and insights around the use of a proposed new radiology reporting style with the potential to reduce dictation errors. She observed dozens of radiologists as they reviewed X-rays, MRIs and CT scans and listened to them verbally note their findings. She served as the first author of the study, published in the European Journal of Radiology.
Here, she discusses the value of conducting research in the field in which she hopes to practice.
Q: How would you describe the research experience?
A: I loved learning more about radiology through this experience. I went to different sites throughout the Baptist Health system and was able to shadow various types of radiologists in different specialties and recorded them with an eye-tracking device. While I was recording them, I was also able to observe their work more closely and how they put together reports.
Q: Do you want to continue doing research?
A: Medicine is a field that’s constantly evolving, and I want to be a part of that. That’s what research is for — lifelong learning and to contribute to discoveries that could advance medicine and the profession. I’m currently in the planning stages with Baptist Health on a cardiac imaging project.
Q: What drew you to the field of radiology?
A: Medicine is a service to humanity. What’s special about radiology is its role as a converging point for all medical fields and its central position in preventive care. Radiologists are at the frontlines of the diagnostic process when patients are admitted to the hospital. Radiologists also serve as physicians’ consultants, engaging in discussions about complex patient cases and offering management recommendations to the various subspecialties.
“The Green Family Foundation’s initial investment in the NeighborhoodHELP program has seen exponential growth and success over the last 14 years. Seeing its outreach and expansion into the greater Miami community has indeed exceeded all expectations...”
Kimberly Green President, Green Family Foundation
GENEROSITY HEALS
PHILANTHROPIC INTEREST IN NEIGHBORHOODHELP IS HELPING TRANSFORM COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE
More than a decade ago, a vision for health equity in South Florida laid the foundation for a groundbreaking initiative reshaping the health care delivery landscape.
The Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP) — brought to fruition through the vision and generosity of the Green Family Foundation, and spearheaded by the innovative, community-driven approach of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine — today stands as a beacon of innovation, embodying a commitment to social accountability and interprofessional household-centered care being adopted by other medical schools.
Recognizing the value of NeighborhoodHELP and the impact of the Green family’s founding gift, nearly a dozen organizations, including the Batchelor Foundation, Baptist Health South Florida and the State of Florida, have invested in the program, furthering its success.
Since its inception, NeighborhoodHELP has expanded to more than two dozen zip codes, adding services and mobile health centers. The program is not only the subject of several studies but also provides a rich environment to conduct research that can inform population health in the future. A new mobile app under development will soon assess a patient’s needs and offer a resource guide to the community.
In 2020, the program won the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Award for Excellence in Social Mission in Health Professions Education Program. And the Association for Medical Education in Europe’s ASPIRE Awards has twice recognized the College of Medicine’s unique approach to medical education, which focuses on social accountability, interprofessional teamwork and the social determinants of health.
“The Green Family Foundation’s initial investment in the NeighborhoodHELP program has seen exponential growth and success over the course of the last 14 years,” says Kimberly Green, president of the Green Family Foundation. “Seeing its outreach and expansion into the greater Miami community has indeed exceeded all expectations, while we continue to watch it grow with enthusiasm. The extraordinary team at NeighborhoodHELP has ensured its current success, and we could not be more proud of our commitment to their efforts.”
CLINIC WITHOUT WALLS
At the heart of NeighborhoodHELP lies a fundamental yet powerful principle: to immerse medical students in the fabric of the community, enabling them to understand and address the holistic health needs of individuals and families. In short, to decrease the distance between health professionals and those they serve who may have different socio-economic backgrounds and/or speak other languages.
“Students have a lot of enthusiasm. They want to do good, provide service. But in the traditional medical school, rotating through hospital wards and clinics, they don’t have continuity of care,” says Dr. David Brown, professor and chief of Family and Community Medicine. “At FIU, our students are assigned to households with needs, and they stick with them.”
The program’s cornerstone is its three-year-long household visits, during which students delve deep into comprehensive patient and household histories. These encounters are not merely about diagnosing ailments; they are about understanding the social determinants of health that underpin each individual’s well-being. Armed with this knowledge, students craft personalized care plans to improve household members’ health and quality of life.
Brown says FIU Medicine graduates understand context better than most. For example, if a patient is not following recommendations, it may be for cultural or economic reasons. Another approach could be more beneficial.
“[Prospective students] are attracted to FIU because they want to have this experience. Therefore, it’s no surprise that FIU is one of the most diverse medical schools in the country.”
Recognizing the critical need for accessible primary and preventive care services, NeighborhoodHELP operates mobile health centers at community sites. These centers serve as hubs of health care delivery, breaking down barriers to access and providing a continuum of services, from routine check-ups to chronic disease management. The program also facilitates referrals to other community providers, ensuring patients receive comprehensive care tailored to their needs.
ENDOWMENTS
“It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me,” says patient Sarah Gonzalez, who is known to stop by the mobile health center once or twice a week just to say hello.
In 2009, Gonzalez, then in her early 40s, was in severe need of psychiatric attention. She suffers from schizophrenia and paranoia — and wasn’t receiving the care she needed. Since NeighborhoodHelp rolled into town, she has received constant care. Her doctor checks her medications once a month and refers her to additional service providers if necessary.
“They have an amazing relationship with patients,” Gonzalez says. “My doctor learned how to speak, read and write Spanish just to communicate with all of us who don’t know English.” She adds: “I recommend them to all my neighbors and sometimes ask the doctors to follow up with them because I’m worried. And they do!”
Residents in the West Kendall Baptist Hospital-FIU Family Residency Program also participate in household visits and serve aboard the mobile units. This practice may be extended to future residency programs created by the new Baptist-FIU partnership.
The program’s impact on the community is quantifiable and profound. Over the years, NeighborhoodHELP has touched the lives of thousands like Gonzalez, with FIU students conducting more than 14,000 household visits to more than 3,500 underserved patients.
The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges, yet NeighborhoodHELP adapted swiftly, embracing telemedicine to ensure continuity of care. Through over 4,600 telemedicine consultations, the program continued to provide vital health services to those in need, demonstrating resilience and innovation in the face of adversity.
LEARNING AND GROWING
Recently, the Florida Blue Foundation, on behalf of BlueCross BlueShield, awarded the College of Medicine a grant to explore ways students can learn from and further expand NieghborhoodHELP’s efforts. The project will examine barriers and suggest interventions to improve health care access in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood, a community of predominantly Dominican and Central American residents.
The resulting research can inform future interventions by collecting data, filling in gaps, and determining the best practices learned from the Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP program. The program is expected to serve approximately 1,000 participants from 385 Allapattah households.
“At Florida Blue, we are committed to improving health equity and positively impacting communities. We are proud to partner with FIU in their efforts to address health care disparities and improve the lives of residents in the 33142 zip code,” said David Wagner, market president of Florida Blue for South Florida.
As NeighborhoodHELP continues to evolve and expand its reach, its legacy of community-centered care remains unwavering. By bridging the gap between health care and
community, this pioneering initiative is transforming lives and redefining the essence of health care delivery.
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine alumna and NYC native Katherine Lawrence M.D. ’16 — now a hospitalist and primary care physician at Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System-Brooklyn and assistant professor in NYU Langone Health’s Departments of Population Health and Medicine — applied to FIU because of NeighborhoodHELP. She says her education is a model for the future of health care. “It’s an extraordinary and innovative care delivery model,” she explains. “It changed my mind of what is possible, as to how to meet patients where they are.”
For Lawrence, returning to a health care model centered on visiting patients in their homes is the optimal way to care for a patient. “While in the program, I remember visiting with a patient and meeting her daughter, who had just returned from dance class, and then getting a tour of the house. This helped build trust and a strong doctor-patient relationship.”
Medical education in the United States has traditionally focused more on identifying and treating disease and less on populationoriented approaches. NeighborhoodHELP is changing that one household visit at a time — and succeeding at educating better doctors and improving health care for all.
More than 6,000 patients have received health services through the NeighborhoodHELP Mobile Health Center program.
Registered Nurse Lorraine Nowakowski takes Edward Prater’s blood pressure aboard the mobile health center in South Miami.
THE COST OF A DREAM
It’s not just tuition, which can be expensive — most people already know that. It’s also the extra expenses, like housing, food, and travel for things like hospital rotations.
When Brenda Abreu Molnar MD ’24, (pictured left in center) started planning for medical school, she had a clear advantage: her older sister, Diana, had already navigated the journey, graduating from FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in 2017. She warned Brenda to brace herself for medical education costs she might not expect.
It’s not just tuition, which can be expensive — most people already know that. It’s also the extra expenses, like housing, food, and travel for things like hospital rotations. Brenda, 29, says applying for residencies and out-of-town rotations can cost thousands of dollars. There were added costs for her when she took a gap year to do research and enhance her chances of landing a highly competitive dermatology residency. Between her third and fourth years of medical school, Brenda moved to Chicago to work with a renowned dermatologist on a study of a rare genetic skin disease. Stipends for such work are typically modest and insufficient to cover the costs of living in a new city.
MEDICAL SCHOOL COSTS TAKE A FINANCIAL AND MENTAL TOLL
“There’s a lot of information you have to study, and financial insecurity occupies brain space and mental well-being,” says Brenda. “When you’re studying medicine and balancing your finances, it’s challenging.”
Aspiring doctors often face a daunting reality: accumulating over $200,000 in debt, a substantial portion coming not from tuition fees but lesser-known expenses. Recognizing this challenge, the College of Medicine is seeking donors to establish funds to ease the financial burden on medical students, ensuring they can pursue their education without sinking into deep debt.
At FIU, in-state tuition for medical students is $32,000 a year. After factoring in the cost of living in South Florida and other expenses,
the total attendance cost is about $77,000 annually. Out-of-state students are looking at spending over $100,000 a year.
Medical school costs are a particular challenge for students from low-income communities. Cristina Arabatzis, director of admissions and financial aid, says about a third of FIU medical students qualify for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP), which covers some of the costs of applying to medical school. FAP eligibility is based on poverty guidelines and is an indicator of how many students need financial aid to afford a medical education.
Most medical students at FIU (about 88 percent) take out loans, Arabatzis said. However, federal loans have a $224,000 borrowing limit regularly exceeded by students, especially those like Brenda, who take gap years to gain added experience.
STUDYING AND LIVING IN MIAMI
Miami is a vibrant city home to large immigrant communities from Latin America and the Caribbean. The Class of 2027 is a microcosm of this diverse community, with students representing 19 countries.
A quarter of FIU medical school students are the first generation in their families to attend higher education institutions. These students are often navigating a financial world that is entirely new, including not being able to financially help their families until after graduation.
The rigors of medical school do not allow students to juggle a side job, which can tax the student and their families. “I often meet with students who ask if they can take on a job on the side to help support their families,” Arabatzis said. “I know their heart is in the right place, but this is medical school. This is a different ballgame.”
2023
NATIONAL MEDIAN STUDENT DEBT
$200,000*
STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS 77%
STUDENTS WHO BORROW FEDERAL LOANS 74%
STUDENTS WHO QUALIFIED FOR FEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM** 24%
$ MD DEGREE
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Many of these students worked while getting their undergraduate degrees. Some, like Brenda, put off medical school for a while, working for a few years after college to improve their finances before taking the leap into medical school.
Arabatzis handles recruitment, admission and financial aid and often meets with potential students to determine how FIU can attract the best talent by targeting scholarships. She also regularly meets with current students trying to manage their debt. Often, that’s figuring out how to handle a financial crisis.
“Life happens, so we have hardship funds…for what we call social determinants of education,” Arabatzis said. “Financial stress is hard to deal with, even more so in medical school.”
A critical debt burden for students is Miami’s high cost of living. “We want to attract the best and brightest from our community regardless of their financial circumstances. The reality is that the cost of living in South Florida is higher than the national average, while the median household income in Miami-Dade County is about $67,000 a year,” said Naomi Nixon, associate dean for Development. “Clearly, this is a challenge we must confront.”
A VISION FOR STUDENT ACADEMIC SUPPORT
The average medical school debt tops $200,000, a hefty load to bear for a young doctor starting their career. With a repayment timeline of over 20 years, they will be paying the equivalent of an extra mortgage payment to make headway on the loan.
As the chief fundraiser at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, one of Nixon’s top priorities is to dramatically increase the funding available for student support. This past year, the College created a new fund to support students like Brenda, who are seeking to spend a gap year doing research, which can be critical to matching in a competitive residency program following graduation.
“Each year, a handful of students apply for these opportunities, but for many, the cost makes it unattainable,” says Nixon, who aims to double the number of full-tuition scholarships over the next few years. “If we can do this, we can significantly reduce student indebtedness at the College. With the vision and generosity of our community, this should be within our reach.”
Nixon firmly believes that by helping medical students achieve their dreams, we enhance the quality and capacity of our health care system, and the entire community benefits. “This will yield big dividends for all — from the growing number of corporations relocating their workforces to Miami to the individuals who hope to raise families and retire here.”
To
TANOS ESTABLISH FOUR-YEAR M.D. SCHOLARSHIP
In 2023, longtime Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine supporters Dr. Albert and Debbie Tano created a new scholarship that will cover the tuition of one FIU medical student for four years. The first recipient is Roman Montes de Oca, who graduated from FIU in 2021 with a degree in biology.
“I’m so grateful to the Tanos,” Oca says. “This relieves a big financial burden from me and my family. I won’t have to worry about how much money I’ll make to repay my student loan. And I can work somewhere that may not have a very high salary, but where I can serve the community.”
Oca chose to pursue medical school at FIU because the college offers students the opportunity to provide the community with access to health care while learning medicine through the unique Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP).
A CULTURE OF GIVING
For more than a decade, the Rotary Club of Miami has helped FIU medical students pursue their dreams, alleviating their financial burden
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
The Rotary Club of Miami has contributed nearly $1 million in scholarships to support FIU medical students.
The impact of its Thomas B. McClelland (TBM) Scholarship extends across South Florida as the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine grows, educating new physicians to serve the local community.
Thomas McClelland, a horticulturist at the USDA, was a dedicated member of the Rotary Club of Miami from 1939 until his passing in 1980. In his will, he established a scholarship fund for Miami-Dade public high school graduates pursuing medical studies. “McClelland believed in the importance of more doctors,” says Rotary Club member Phil Seipp, who manages the TBM Scholarship trust with Diane Landsberg. Since 2009, the Rotary Club of Miami has awarded this scholarship to FIU students annually.
In its inaugural year, the TBM Scholarship granted a $2,000 award to a single student. This year, 51 FIU medical students received awards totaling $189,000. To date, the college has
received approximately $960,000, supporting 293 recipients.
“We’ve encountered exceptional individuals at FIU,” notes Seipp. “We’ve forged personal connections with them,” Landsberg adds.
Dr. Rebecca Lyn Toonkel, FIU’s associate dean of curriculum and medical education, received the scholarship while studying at Johns Hopkins University in the early 2000s. “I was surprised and deeply grateful,” she reflects. Today, Toonkel is paying it forward by supporting the Rotary Club of Miami financially and advising the college’s Rotaract Student Club.
FIU medical student Joey Luzarraga says the TBM Scholarship is critical to alleviate the financial burden on his family. “My sister is about to finish her undergraduate degree, and I know my parents continue to make countless sacrifices for us both. This award enables me to better support myself without accumulating further debt.”
In addition to their scholarships, recipients receive a TBM pin for their white coats, a proud symbol of their achievement and dedication.
PROFESSORS INVEST IN THEIR BEST AND BRIGHTEST STUDENTS
Dr. Carolyn D. Runowicz is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in women’s health and gynecologic cancer. As a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Runowicz, now retired, recognized the importance of giving back and helping academically successful students achieve their dreams. In the last 10 years, she and her husband, Professor Emeritus Dr. Sheldon Cherry, have donated over $1 million to the medical school to support research and
help ease students’ financial burden. Recently, the couple created a scholarship that will help the best and brightest FIU medical students complete their education with less financial hardship.
“It will help them reach for the brass ring,” Runowicz says. “They can go to the best residencies and follow their passions.”
The prestigious award will be conferred the next academic year.
ACADEMIC WE ARE
STEPPING IT UP
New curriculum paves way for better, more resilient physicians
STEP THREE
Clinical Medicine
STEP ONE
Foundations
Consists of one semester of foundational education that is completely pass/fail. Administrators hope students will use this time to figure out what works for them and what does not as well as gauge their strengths and weaknesses.
STEP TWO
Organ Systems
Starts at the end of the first semester and extends to the end of the second year. During this period, students will be immersed in an integrated approach to the organ systems.
FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine launched a new curriculum with the Class of 2027. The StepUp Curriculum builds on the college’s already successful model designed to address the changing health care landscape and prepare students to be well-rounded physicians of the future.
The new program of studies is intended to be more integrated, experiential and clinically immersive — as well as grounded in best practices for adult learning. The ultimate goal is to nurture self-directed lifelong learners.
“We are building on a strong foundation. Our curriculum has done very well,” says Dr. Juan Cendan, dean of the College of Medicine. “[But] we are continuously looking for ways to improve.”
Led by Dr. Rebecca Toonkel, associate dean of curriculum and medical education, the college examined every course syllabus, spoke to professors, held town halls to hear from students and reviewed peer institutions. Administrators looked for redundancies that could be eliminated, the order and timing of learning objectives, and areas in the curriculum the community felt could be approached differently.
The result: a medical school experience that prioritizes students’ well-being and helps them make connections across the curriculum.
Students will continue to work in interprofessional teams to provide household-based care throughout the South Florida community as part of the college’s signature Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP program. They will also continue to practice clinical skills in a controlled environment (before treating patients) at the college’s state-of-the-art Albert and Debbie Tano Medical Simulation Center.
In addition, the college is building a new 7,000-square-foot anatomy and 3D printing lab where students will engage
During this year, students complete core clinical rotations in internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, neurology, and pediatrics.
ACADEMIC
STEP FOUR
Advanced Clinicals
In addition to exploring their interests through electives, students complete experiences in emergency medicine, geriatrics, and research scholarship and participate in the subinternship experience.
“We believe this hands-on approach will better prepare our students for their clinical rotations and, ultimately, for their careers as physicians.”
Dr.
Rebecca Toonkel, Associate Dean of Curriculum and Medical Education
in hands-on dissection, prosection and simulated learning supported by the latest developments in anatomy teaching. The facility is slated for completion in the Fall of 2024 and will accommodate 17 cadavers.
Specifically, more exposure to cadavers, students say, is a major improvement that they feel will make them more confident and competitive as they look at residency programs.
“Medicine is a science but also an art,” says medical student Christina Taragjini, Class of 2026. “There’s a certain appreciation you have for the human body that will be better integrated into the new curriculum with more experience with cadavers.”
Dean Cendan says student input was critical. “We wanted to engage students at every level. We wanted to minimize the shock of entering med school — it doesn’t have to be a pressure cooker.”
“It’s great to see leadership taking action based on student feedback,” says Monica Reyes ’18, President of the Class of 2023. “We were involved early on, participating in curriculum meetings.”
Dr. Toonkel says, “Ultimately, our goal is to ensure our students achieve competency without sacrificing wellness!”
HEALTHY DOCTORS MAKE GREAT DOCTORS
The Student 2 Student Mental Health Liaison Program aims to produce emotionally strong doctors ready to serve their patients better
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of human connections to maintain good mental health. At the time, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine recognized that it needed a way for its students to maintain or improve their well-being and stay connected to each other. The college introduced the Student 2 Student Mental Health Liaison Program in response.
Four years later, the program has become a model for graduating resilient students ready to face the high-stress demands of the medical profession. Clinical psychologist Nathaly Shoua Desmarais leads the program. “Our mission is to graduate the healthiest students,” she says.
Even before the pandemic, the National Academy of Medicine found that “burnout had reached ‘crisis levels’ with…45-60% of medical students and residents reporting symptoms of burnout.” The academy defines burnout as an occupational syndrome characterized by a high degree of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (i.e., cynicism) and a low sense of personal accomplishment at work.
At FIU, Student 2 Student program volunteers work to nip that in the bud. The student supporters — about 10 students at a time — are charged with advocating for well-being within their cohort. They receive robust instruction throughout their tenure, including attending an eight-hour training session — Mental Health First Aid — offered through the National Council of Mental Well-Being.
The wellness champions are then expected to develop supportive relationships that help fellow students uncover their own solutions for mental health and wellness through support, reflective listening and providing information and resources; link students to College of Medicine or FIU-wide support services; respond to any student’s urgent situation; and partner with administrators to help them understand the learning experiences of students.
In addition, to alleviate stress and build community, wellness champions will often organize social events like beach volleyball the day after big exams. Student supporter Chelsey Ameda says the program and events like this help medical students be “gentler” with themselves and others.
The second-year medical student is always available if a fellow student needs to talk and is attuned to their needs. “The program gives me an opening to check in on someone who may not be acting like themselves.”
Recently, Student 2 Student peer supporter Laury Anne Jean-Paul M.D. ’24 — who is starting a psychiatry residency at Boston University this summer — conducted a survey of her peers about the initiative. Jean-Paul found the vast majority of students appreciated the program and felt it helped them succeed personally and academically. She presented her findings at the American Psychiatric Association conference in October, hoping to inspire other organizations to prioritize medical students’ mental health.
When FIU medical students are stressed, the best prescription is a petting session with Charlotte, a certified service and therapy dog. The four-year-old Whoodle, a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier mixed with a Poodle, visits with the doctors in training after exams. Charlotte’s pet mom is Assistant Dean for Student Success and Wellbeing Nathaly Desmarais. Desmarais started bringing Charlotte to campus in 2022.
ACADEMIC
“Coming out of the exam, [students are] full of stress hormones, and when you see a dog and pet the dog, it releases oxytocin, and a calming effect occurs,” said Desmarais.
Recently, students studying for exams had a chance to visit with Charlotte. “I feel better already,” said medical student Daniela Martinez after petting the canine.
Lexie Morales, class of 2025, pets Charlotte. The certified therapy dog belongs to Assistant Dean for Student Success and Well-being Nathaly Desmarais, Psy.D., (pictured right).
NARRATIVE MEDICINE
HOLDING HANDS
A SIMPLE TOUCH MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
In this first-person piece, Samantha Gogola M.D. ’24 shares her experience with a scared patient reluctant to engage with her. It all changed when she held the woman’s hand. Gogola’s narrative first appeared in Reflective MedE; it has been edited and abridged for FIU Medicine.
The nurse hands me the heaviest patient chart, and I’m grateful for arriving an hour early. “Ductal carcinoma in situ,” “BI-RADS 4,” and “sentinel lymph node biopsy” flash before me as I flip through the extensive reports. The nurse, leaving to bring in the patient, returns with a young woman. Shockingly young. A glance at the chart reveals she’s just 20 years old.
While the nurse completes consent forms, I observe the patient responding only in Spanish. My attempts at communication go unnoticed. Behind a curtain, she changes into a gown and reappears, surrounded by a flurry of activity. Standing in a corner, I spot her, and a realization hits me: she’s crying.
Squeezing through the crowded space, I instinctively take her hand. Surprisingly, she responds by gripping mine tightly. Amid the orchestrated chaos of medical personnel and equipment, I notice her distress. The anesthesiologist reassures her about the IV sticks, the nurse comforts her, and the doctor affirms the early detection of her condition. As the curtain closes, it’s just me and the patient.
“How are you feeling right now?” I ask, surprising even myself. Her grip tightens as she looks up at me, admitting her fear of losing control under anesthesia. We talk, and her heart rate, visible on the monitor, gradually decreases. The anesthesia team returns, and I continue holding her hand as she’s rolled into the operating room. The monitor displays decreasing numbers, and she expresses gratitude as an oxygen mask is placed over her face.
Walking away to scrub in, I reflect on the profound impact of holding someone’s hand. Throughout medical training, we’re told that touch can comfort patients, but its true power becomes evident in this moment. Despite the initial resistance from the patient, our connection allowed her to express genuine fears. The reasons for her hesitation — perhaps our age proximity or language barrier — become irrelevant. Though I initially felt hurt, my commitment to providing the best care and support prevailed, making a significant difference.
In the end, the experience highlights the transformative nature of human connection, emphasizing the importance of empathy and the ability to provide comfort beyond medical procedures.
Daniel Orlan M.D. ’23 wrote this piece in medical school, reflecting on the experience of watching a patient die. He is now an emergency medicine resident in Miami. This article first appeared in “in-Training,” an online publication for medical students. The story that follows has been edited and abridged for FIU Medicine.
Facing the specter of death is an inevitable rite of passage for every medical student. The first two years, filled with theoretical knowledge, shield one from the visceral reality of mortality. Then, the transition to clinical clerkships unleashes a palpable tension as death looms in hospital corridors, echoed in code blue announcements and rooms occupied by comatose patients. For many, the apprehension and anxiety associated with witnessing a patient’s death are unwaveringly present.
Halfway through my third year, the avoidance of such an experience seemed plausible until I entered the realm of trauma surgery. Dread replaced anxiety, and an eagerness to confront the inevitable emerged. A professor’s advice to “rip the Band-Aid off” echoed in my mind. On my second night in trauma surgery, a level 1 trauma case arrived — five gunshot wounds, unconscious and frightened. In the operating room (OR), the battle against time and odds unfolded.
The operation extended to five agonizing hours. Bullet fragments had shredded the patient’s bowels, arteries bleeding faster than we could address. Epinephrine and fluids failed to stabilize his blood pressure. Two hours in, he coded. Chest compressions became my responsibility, ribs fracturing beneath my palms. The gravity of the moment hit me: this would be the first patient I witnessed die. Amid compressions and defibrillation attempts, a fleeting pulse offered momentary relief. Despite our persistent efforts, his pulse weakened, revealing an aortic injury with slim chances of survival.
A call interrupted our efforts — a child required urgent attention in an adjacent OR. Resources dwindled, compressions ceased, and the room emptied, leaving me, an intern, a nurse, and a dying man. His weakening heart barely sustained life. My duty was to monitor his fading pulse and notify the surgeon at the time of death. The room, now silent, allowed the weight of the moment to settle. Surprisingly absent were fear and dread; instead, sadness prevailed for a life abruptly ended. Yet, pride emerged, not for personal accomplishments, but for participating in the relentless effort to save a stranger’s life.
The inevitable stillness of the aorta marked the end. Suturing wounds with precision, we maintained a solemn respect for the gravity of our task. Facing death that day was made tolerable by the collective efforts along the way. Powerlessness in the face of death dissipates with small, meaningful actions. The first-hand realization that even in the darkest outcomes, clinicians can offer a fighting chance or comfort to the grieving underscores the essence of medicine. While fear and anxiety will inevitably accompany my medical career, recognizing the impact of small efforts becomes a source of empowerment and solace.
Medicine’s imperfections and the inevitability of suffering are acknowledged, yet the small differences made in patient care provide hope and meaning. These nuances, often seemingly minimal, define the essence of medicine, making the challenging moments bearable and reinforcing the pride and confidence in joining this noble field.
NARRATIVE MEDICINE
FACING DEATH
EXPERIENCING THE DEATH OF A PATIENT FOR THE FIRST TIME
MAJOR MILESTONE
1,000th GRAD
Just before stepping onto the graduation stage, Jessie Limonta ’17, M.D. ’23 got handed a red card for the announcer to read. Surprise! She was the 1,000th physician to graduate from FIU. She is now a pediatrics resident at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Among the dignitaries on stage that day was Hanadys Ale ’08, M.D. ’13, the College of Medicine’s first graduate. Coincidentally, both Drs. Ale and Limonta began their medical journeys at the same pediatric residency program. Dr. Ale is now an allergy and immunology specialist at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
Dean Juan C. Cendan, M.D., is flanked by the college’s first and 1,000th graduates — Dr. Hanadys Ale (left) and Dr. Jessie Limonta.
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Florida International University
11200 SW 8th St. AHC2 Miami, FL 33199
FULL CIRCLE MOMENT
Lauren Csete and Kelly McKenney, Class of 2027, discovered a surprising connection at the start of medical school: they were both delivered by one of their professors, Dr. Rebeca Martinez. When the news spread, they learned that Dr. Martinez had also delivered a third classmate, Ian Cespedes-Correa, who had a photo to prove it. Small world!
