Meet the students of UF Medicine: Brianna Edwards, medical student
Former UF gymnast looks forward to springing into medical studies
Brianna Edwards
Photo by Danielle Ivanov
July 29, 2025 — Incoming University of Florida medical student Brianna Edwards is taking her skills from the vault to the clinic.
The former Florida Gators gymnast, who studied psychology during her undergraduate studies at UF, felt motivated to pursue her medical education at the UF College of Medicine, where she noticed a sense of community that reminded her of the camaraderie she felt with her teammates.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician?
A: I was inspired by the many doctors I saw while growing up in gymnastics. When I was 11 years old, I had a meniscus repair, and I was fascinated by the expertise and knowledge my physician had about the human body.
Eleven years later, that surgery allowed me to pursue a collegiate career at UF for gymnastics. Seeing the impact of medicine in my own life inspires me every day to be the best physician I can for my future patients.
Q: What drew you to UF’s M.D. program?
A: I was drawn to UF’s program because of its strong sense of community. It reminded me so much of the community I experienced within the UF athletic department. I had the sense of familiarity that I was seen and valued as a person first, and not just a student or a statistic. I love that this same notion is applied to the patients we will treat.
From my interview day, I felt a strong emphasis from UF’s M.D. program on the humanity of medicine. I am excited to engage with both the art and science of medicine as we go through the curriculum.
Gator gymnast Brianna Edwards during a meet in January 2024
UAA Communications photo by Ashley Ray
Q: What are you looking forward to most over the next four years in Gainesville?
A: Over the next four years, I am eager to watch myself evolve into a physician worthy of taking care of others’ loved ones. I expect to be pushed in ways I haven’t experienced before, but I look forward to seeing myself grow and blossom from those experiences. I am also looking forward to joining a new community and forming connections with my new classmates!
Q: How do you like to spend your free time?
A: In my free time I enjoy reading books, hanging out with my dog and working out!
Brianna Edwards during her internship with UF Health ahead of beginning medical school
