Julie (Gladden) Barré (M.D. ’05) (College of Medicine photo archive)
‘A DIVERSE GROUP OF TRAILBLAZERS’
Julie (Gladden) Barré (M.D. ’05)
Looking back now, it is hard to describe the excitement that I felt sitting in
the press box at Doak Campbell Stadium with my new classmates of the inaugural
College of Medicine at Florida State University. We were introduced to
Durell Peaden as well as many other very important people that helped initiate
the legislation to start the first new medical school in over 20 years.
I remember all of us introducing ourselves and saying a little something
describing who we were and where we were from. We were such a diverse group
of trailblazers, and it was such a special moment to be there with 29 other students
that were as excited as I was. Little did we know the challenges that lay in
wait for us. I also remember being overwhelmed with thankfulness after hearing
that an unknown benefactor decided to pay for everyone’s first semester of medical
school.
I remember vividly the day that we all sat in the learning center when we first
heard the news that our initial request for provisional accreditation was denied
by the LCME. I will never forget how angry our fearless leader Dr. Myra Hurt
was at this ridiculous injustice. We were all equally upset, but at the same time
knew that our leaders had meticulously planned a novel path in medical education.
We knew that if we worked together as a team at achieving our dreams of
becoming physicians, we were sure to succeed.
I was so honored when I heard that I would be one of the two students traveling
to Chicago to the LCME for a hearing to defend our right to be accredited.
Breaking the Mold | 81