College of Medicine faculty recognized for teaching excellence
New faculty members inducted to Society of Teaching Scholars during ceremony
April 16, 2025 — A teacher can inspire mentees and students to excel at the highest level of their fields and encourage others to lead a life of curiosity and growth.
Honoring the University of Florida College of Medicine’s community of educators is at the heart of the Celebration of Excellence in Medical Education reception, an annual event where faculty and programs are recognized by their peers with educator awards.
During the reception, new members of the college’s Society of Teaching Scholars are also inducted. The scholars mentor junior faculty on teaching improvement and serve in an advisory capacity to the Faculty Development Committee. Current members of the society are responsible for selecting new members based on nominations and a teaching portfolio.
View a list of spring 2025 Society of Teaching Scholars inductees and medical education excellence awards below:
New Member Inductees
Melissa Parsons, M.D.
Associate professor and residency program director, Department of Emergency Medicine – Jacksonville
Meredith Thompson, M.D.
Clinical assistant professor and director clerkship for undergraduate medical education, Department of Emergency Medicine
Honorary Members
Azra Bihorac, M.D., M.S., FCCM, FASN
Senior associate dean for research, College of Medicine; director, Intelligent Clinical Care Center director; professor, Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Anesthesiology
Outstanding Clerkship Director Award
Kenneth Kellner, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor emeritus, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Reetu Grewal, M.D., FAAFP
Associate professor and clerkship director, Department of Community Health and Family Medicine
Student Recognition for Program Evaluation and Student Assessment Committee
Vincent Archibald, medical student, Class of 2025
Nastia Tishena, medical student, Class of 2025
Society of Teaching Scholars Lifetime Achievement Award
Wayne T. McCormack, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine
Graduate Medical Education Awards
Program of the Year
Ophthalmology residency
A dedicated and significant member of the residency program leadership, Virginia Petitto, M.D., led ophthalmology training at the Malcom Randall Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Hospital until her retirement earlier this year.
GME “Unsung Hero”
Eric Jeng, M.D., M.B.A., FACS, FACC
Associate professor, Department of Surgery
Outstanding Resident Educator Awards
Gainesville
- E.J. Collins, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology
- Sagar Patel, M.D., Department of Dermatology
- Matthew Hanley, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine
- Adam Lazarus, M.D., Department of Community Health and Family Medicine
- Kirk Jones, D.O., Department of Medicine
- Brandon Lucke-Wold, M.D., Ph.D., Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery
- Heather Panic, M.D., Department of Neurology
- Nathan Burke, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Jonathan Rho, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology
- Jaquelyn Kakalecik, M.D., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine
- Adrian Chow, M.D., Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
- George “Nick” Ateek, M.D., Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine
- Alexander Knudson, M.D., Department of Pediatrics
- David Drozda, D.O., Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Nadia Cacodcar, M.D., Department of Psychiatry
- Nicolette Drescher, M.D., Department of Radiation Oncology
- Wells Yang, M.D., Department of Radiology
- Brian Fazzone, M.D., Department of Surgery
- Brian Wiseman, M.D., Department of Urology
Jacksonville
- Jitzely Alcantara, D.O., Department of Anesthesiology
- Michael Lowe, D.O., Department of Emergency Medicine
- Landen Burstiner, D.O., Department of Medicine
- Kristi Anderson, D.O., Department of Neurology
- Rachel Drouilhet, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Matthew Gregory, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology
- Moawiah Mustafa, M.D., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
- Abdullah Mohamed, M.D., Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- Andrew Weber, D.O., Department of Pediatrics
- Michael McLawhorn, D.O., Department of Psychiatry
- Thomas Fredericks, M.D., Department of Radiology
- Edward Prange, M.D., Department of Surgery
- Devon Thomas, M.D., Department of Urology
