Celebrating Thank a Resident Day

To recognize Thank a Resident Day Feb. 24, college serves meals, collects messages of gratitude for housestaff

By Styliana Resvanis

Feb. 24, 2023 — Residents and fellows work tirelessly each day to provide compassionate care to patients, serve as mentors and role models for students and soak up knowledge on the latest innovative techniques and approaches to medicine — all while completing their final years of training.

To recognize housestaff at UF Health for their dedication and commitment to patients and the community, the UF College of Medicine Graduate Medical Education Office hosted several events from Feb. 13-17, from breakfasts and a pasta lunch bar to a pizza dinner.

Two residents smile as they walk through a buffet lunch line.

Three residents smile as they walk through a buffet lunch line.

Five hospital leaders smile as they prepare to serve food to residents.

A piece of paper with a smiley face drawing reads, "Thank you for the pizza! Heart overnight surgery residents."

In celebration of Thank a Resident Day on Feb. 24, an annual recognition by the Gold Humanism Honor Society to pay tribute to residents’ contribution to humanistic care, the College of Medicine Instagram account, @ufmedicine, also prompted followers to share who they wanted to show gratitude for and why. Read a few responses from the College of Medicine community below.

A line divider comprised of small black dots.

Gabrielle and Michael Massari smile for a selfie while standing by a lake.

Gabrielle Massari and her husband, urology resident Michael Massari, M.D.

“(I would like to thank) all of them, especially my husband. Residents are the backbone of the hospital!”

— Gabrielle Massari

about her husband, Michael Massari, M.D., a third-year urology resident

“(I would like to thank UF residents) for being the best physicians in Florida.”

— Juan Pablo Perez

Walker Ueland wears a UF Health lab coat.

Surgery resident Walker Ueland, M.D., M.B.A.

“(I would like to thank) Dr. Walker Ueland. Every time he rotates through burn surg, it makes life so much easier!”

— Josef Mohammed Ali

about Walker Ueland, M.D., M.B.A., a second-year surgery resident

“I would like to thank all residents for their hard work and dedication!”

— Arianna Robinson

Neurosurgery resident Rachel Moor, M.D.

“(I would like to thank) Dr. Rachel Moor, she has provided fantastic research mentorship in neurosurgery!”

— Jack Figg

Rachel Moor, M.D., a third-year neurosurgery resident

Styliana Resvanis

Director, Communications

As director of communications for the UF College of Medicine advancement communications team, she oversees efforts to raise awareness around the initiatives, achievements and aspirations of the college through a variety of print and digital storytelling approaches; serves as editor-in-chief of the college’s alumni magazine and newsletter; and develops approaches for a coordinated and results-driven web presence and digital strategy for the college. Prior to this role, she served as the interim director, associate director, assistant director and communications specialist for the advancement communications team. As communications specialist, she oversaw the UF College of Medicine’s social media accounts, managed several of the college’s websites and contributes to various publications. Before joining the UF Health staff in 2013, she worked at the UF Foundation communications office, where she wrote for the university’s alumni publications and website and managed a regional pilot microsite. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UF.

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