VAN VESSEM SCHOLARSHIPS ADDRESS HEALTH-CARE NEEDS
A Florida Panhandle native who aspires to serve patients in rural communities like his hometown of Hosford ( pop . 704 ), Jimmy Brown ( M . D ., ’ 21 ) is the embodiment of the Nancy Van Vessem , M . D . Memorial Scholarship .
In 2021 he became the first College of Medicine student to receive the scholarship . Three current students ( John Parker , Jodi Wilson and Sean Wimberley ) received the scholarship in 2022 .
Recipients are selected based on their desire and commitment to practice internal medicine or outpatient geriatrics in Leon , Gadsden , Wakulla , Jefferson , Calhoun , Liberty or Franklin counties , equivalent to the number of years they receive the scholarship .
The scholarship is valued at $ 40,000 annually in honor of Dr . Nancy Van Vessem , who was the chief medical officer at Capital Health Plan when she lost her life during a mass shooting in Tallahassee in 2018 .
“ We all knew Nancy as a relentless fighter who was focused on improving health and wellness in her community ,” said John Hogan , president and CEO of Capital Health Plan . “ She was a champion for quality and affordable health care for all , bringing national recognition to CHP for those efforts .”
Van Vessem , an internist who served as CHP ’ s CMO for more than 20 years , was one of the College of Medicine ’ s first clerkship directors in internal medicine .
“ Dr . Van Vessem dedicated more than 20 years of her career to improving health care in Tallahassee and the surrounding area ,” said Brown , who is in his second year with the FSU College of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare .
“ I was eager to apply for this scholarship when I found out it was intended to further her life ’ s work . My career goals fit in perfectly with Dr . Van Vessem ’ s mission . By easing my student debt , this scholarship will make it far easier to pursue a primary-care career in the Panhandle .”
Ultimately , the objective is to provide two scholarships to students in each incoming M . D . class in a strategic effort to address the growing shortage of internal medicine and geriatric care physicians in the Big Bend .
Dr . Nancy Van Vessem in 2013 at the College of Medicine .
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