Welcoming new physicians
On July 1, 200 new residents joined the UF Health family
Stacia Andrews, M.D., a resident in the department of anesthesiology, is one of 200 residents to join the UF College of Medicine this summer.
Photo by Jesse S. Jones
July 1, 2021 – They are eager and a little nervous to get started on mastering the art and science of medicine. The more than 200 new physicians who began their first official day of residency Thursday were welcomed to the UF Health family.
“Everyone has been very helpful and friendly,” said Stacia Andrews, M.D., who arrived in Gainesville last week for residency orientation with the department of anesthesiology. “Most of us are a little stressed about being an intern and being called ‘doctor’ for the first time, but we have been shown such wonderful support from people who have gone through the same thing.”
While July 1 marks the start of residency programs across the country, the summer months also bring scores of new fellows to specialty programs within the College of Medicine. This year, UF Health hospitals in Gainesville will welcome a total of 324 incoming residents and fellows.
This year, UF Health hospitals in Gainesville will welcome 324 incoming residents and fellows, 46 of whom are from medical schools in Florida and 37 of whom attended the UF College of Medicine. Systemwide, UF Health is home to a total of 1,033 residents and fellows.
“This is an exciting time of year,” said UF College of Medicine Dean Colleen G. Koch, M.D., M.S., M.B.A. “Our faculty, staff and current trainees are more than ready to meet UF Health’s newest physicians and to help them reach their potential as doctors and leaders in medicine. UF Health provides such a fertile training ground with endless opportunities for research and collaboration within a model that always puts the patient first.”
Andrews, who is originally from Chicago and graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine, said the anesthesiology orientation kicked off by covering logistics like basic life support and advanced cardiac life support certification and how to submit patient safety reports. The week wound down with classes focused on work-life balance and team building. She said the hardest part so far has been orienting herself to the hospitals and learning Epic, the electronic medical record system.
“The size of UF and UF Health can be overwhelming, but soon you realize the atmosphere is like a close-knit family, and that this is a great place to be,” she said. “I’m so excited to be here and look forward to building a new family with the department of anesthesiology.”
