Schmidt College of Medicine

👏 Congratulations to the Department of Population Health and Social Medicine at the Schmidt College of Medicine for their 2024 MMJ Clinical Outcomes Research Proposal, “Medical Cannabis Use among Pregnant and non-Pregnant Women of Reproductive Age” receiving funding from the State of Florida!

Dr. Yiota Kitsantas and her team are investigating the increasing use of medical cannabis in pregnant and non-pregnant women of reproductive age. The results from their research will have the potential to inform patient care and create a deeper understanding of medical cannabis' impact on public health.

✨White Coats-4-Care: Community Doctor’s Voices ✨

🩺 61 years ago, Dr. Anthony Dardano entered medical school as an M1, proudly wearing white coat from day one. This coat has been with him through every step of his journey—basic science, clinical years, internship, residency, and practice. It's a constant reminder of who he is and what is required ethically and professionally.

Graduating from medical school brings a new white coat, marked with "MD." This coat carries a power and privilege few possess. Beyond the physical tools like stethoscopes and reflex hammers, remember to carry compassion. A professor once told Dr. Dardano, “Sometimes you can cure more patients with your mouth than with your pills.” He found this to be profoundly true. Compassion and kind words can uplift patients, helping them recover or cope with difficult prognoses.

At 82 years old, Dr. Antonio Dardano, Chief Medical Officer at Delray Medical Center and Clinical Professor at the Schmidt College of Medicine, still wears his white coat with the same enthusiasm he had 61 years ago. He hopes incoming medical students will share this enthusiasm and find joy and satisfaction in this profession. Becoming a physician requires perseverance, dedication, and commitment, and it starts with the reception of white coat.

Sponsor a White Coat Today: https://fauf.fau.edu/events/WC4C/

Another round of applause for Dr. Richard Shih for being featured in The Palm Beach Post for his research on fall-risk in the senior population.

Thank you to Dr. Shih and to all the physicians out there who are proactive in caring for the senior community in South Florida.

✨White Coats-4-Care: Student Voices ✨

Sofia Valencia Osorio is a dedicated medical student whose journey embodies hard work, compassion, and the pursuit of excellence. 🩺

As medical students don their white coat; they take on the responsibility of caring for patients with dignity and respect.

Support the next generation of healthcare heroes by sponsoring a white coat! Your generosity can make a significant impact on their journey to becoming compassionate and skilled physicians.

Become a Sponsor Today: https://fauf.fau.edu/events/WC4C/

🎉Congratulations to Dr. Adam Wyatt on his newly elected role as the President- Elect on the SDRME Executive Committee!

In this new role, Dr. Wyatt will be working along other SDRME presidents to improve the quality of education in medical schools. 📚🩺

Congratulations to our 2024 Psychiatry and Neurology Graduates! ✨🎓

We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievements of our 2024 Psychiatry and Neurology Residents! Your hard work, dedication, and compassion have made a profound impact on our community and the field of medicine.

From long nights of studying to countless hours of patient care, you have shown remarkable resilience and commitment. Your journey has been nothing short of inspiring, and we are proud to have been a part of it. 🩺💪

As you step into the next phase of your careers, we have no doubt that you will continue to make strides in advancing mental health and neurological care. Here's to new beginnings, groundbreaking discoveries, and a future filled with success! 🎉

📸 View more photos from graduation: https://bit.ly/3KTdElf

We're thrilled to announce that Rebecca Urbonas, a medical student in the Class of 2026, has been awarded the 2024 Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance - PeDRA Research Fellowship and a $25,000 grant for her research at Johns Hopkins over the next year! 🌟🔬

Rebecca's project focuses on atopic dermatitis (eczema), a prevalent skin condition affecting children. While recent advances in systemic therapies have greatly improved the treatment of severe eczema, it remains unclear how long patients should continue these treatments, given eczema’s recurrent nature and potential for natural improvement. To address this, the project will be conducting a pilot trial to explore methods of discontinuing dupilumab, a newly approved medication for young eczema patients, and creating a long-term registry for children on systemic therapies. This study will be crucial in helping families and healthcare providers make informed decisions about managing pediatric eczema.

Congratulations, Rebecca! We can't wait to see the impact of your work.

👏 A huge congratulations to the 2024 Heroes in Medicine award recipients from the Palm Beach County Medical Society! 🩺🏥

Dr. Mahyar Nouri-Shirazi, received the Bruce Rendina Professional Hero in Medicine Award. This is given to a person who has used their knowledge and abilities to improve the health of local, national, or global communities.

Sara Burgoa (M3), Shannon Gallup (M3), Madison Goon (M4), and Samantha Hicks (M4) received the Medical Student Hero Award, as they have made outstanding strides to improve health care in their community through Project Grow.

Thank you to Dr. Jacomino for his nomination of these incredible people at the Schmidt College of Medicine!

🌟 Congratulations to Akshay Tangutur, M2, for receiving the Alpha Omega Alpha Student Research Fellowship!

Akshay would like to extend appreciation to Dr. Lisa Martinez, Florida Atlantic’s AOA Chapter Councilor, for supporting him in his research efforts! 🔬🧪

Well done, Akshay! The Schmidt College of Medicine is proud of your amazing achievement! 👏

Elisha Myers, a fourth-year medical student, took a year off medical school after securing the Fulbright Program Scholarship. 🇮🇪✨ This year, she pursued a master's in Global Health at Trinity College Dublin and had amazing opportunities to meet U.S. Governors, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and attend events at the U.S. Ambassador's House in Ireland. 🏛️

"I am incredibly grateful to Fulbright and the Schmidt College of Medicine for supporting me on this incredible journey in Ireland. I hope to utilize the knowledge I have gained over the past year to help improve the health of individuals in my local community as well as globally."

Way to go, Elisha! 🌍💙

📸: Elisha Myers at Trinity College Dublin
📸: Elisha Myers with Claire Cronin, United States Ambassador to Ireland
📸: Elisha Myers with Dr. Anthony Fauci

Our medical student, Esin Bulut, had the honor of presenting her research at the 16th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society in Vancouver, Canada! Her insightful poster, titled "How Long Does Deep Brain Stimulation Give Patients Benefits?", highlights groundbreaking findings in the field of neuromodulation.

In addition, we are proud of Sophie Kelly and Chris Young, whose project "Incidence of Infections, Explanations, and Displacements/Mechanical Complications of Spinal Cord Stimulation During the Past Eight Years" was also accepted to the conference.

Congratulations to Esin, Sophie, and Chris for their incredible achievements and contributions to medical research! 👏

Thank you Dr. Nicolas Heft for your incredible presentation on Space Medicine 🚀🩺!

The field of Space Medicine is both challenging and fascinating. Shedding light on the work that Dr. Heft does to improve the health and safety of astronauts in Space was nothing short of remarkable!

Thank you again, Dr. Heft!

Mark your calendars for May 6th’s Commencement where Dr. Heft will be speaking!

✨ Exploring Your Medical Future: A Glimpse at Excellence was a success! ✨

Prospective medical students spent their Saturday touring the Schmidt College of Medicine and were given the opportunity to meet faculty members and speak with current M2 and M3 students.

The lively atmosphere was courtesy of the Cytokines who wowed us with their incredible musical abilities 🎶!

A big thank you to the Admissions team at COM for planning such a fantastic and informative event! We look forward to welcoming the class of 2028 very soon 🦉🩺!

The Schmidt College of Medicine proudly celebrated the 2024 Service Award Recipients during Florida Atlantic University's Annual Employee Service Awards Ceremony! Congratulations to all who celebrated 5-20 years of service! Your unwavering commitment and leadership are admirable!

🔗: https://bit.ly/3QoByZd

Congratulations to the 2024 Gold Humanism Honor Society Inductees and Award Recipients!

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation GHHS recognizes students, residents and faculty who are examples of compassionate patient care and who serve as role models, mentors, and leaders in medicine.

Third-year Medical Students: Cachae Alford, Gregory Bichai, Miguel Castro, Kishan Desai, Samantha Hicks, Isabel Snow, Joshua Tang, George Tarantino, Faith Tran, Rebecca Urbonas

Faculty Inductee: Stacy Lieberman Rubin, MD, FACP

The Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients and Gold Humanism Honor Society Resident Inductees: Adam J. Mann, MD, Jake Teich, MD, Leah Eburne, MD, Luisa Barrueto, DO

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards: Fourth-year Medical Student Recipient - Dalina Laffita , Faculty Member Recipient - Joseph Etienne, MD

A special thank you to our Keynote Speaker, Connie Berry, the founder of Caridad Center for her inspiring story.