Women’s Association. The award responsibility for overseeing
goes annually to the woman the design, development,
physician who has made the most implementation and evaluation of
outstanding contribution to the the medical student curriculum.
cause of women in medicine.
“In an age where women are
Before joining the faculty here,
she directed the Family Practice
still not achieving the same level Residency Program at Tallahassee
of success and attaining leadership Memorial Hospital. She earned
roles in academic institutions, Dr. her M.D. at the University of
Alma Littles has achieved this as Florida College of Medicine and
a minority woman, trailblazing practiced family medicine in her
the way for others to follow,” rural hometown of Quincy.
wrote her nominator, Suzanne
Littles is former president of
Senior Associate Dean Alma Littles in front of the College of
Medicine’s tribute to Elizabeth Blackwell at the main entrance. Harrison, a College of Medicine the Florida Academy of Family
faculty member and past president Physicians and past chair of the
From AMWA to Alma of AMWA. Harrison noted “the American Medical Association’s
tremendous impact [Littles] has Academic Physicians Section. She
always outnumber males – and had on medical education and was the Florida Family Physician
female leaders excel. the advancement of women in of the Year and one of Black
medicine within her sphere of Health magazine’s Top 15 Most
influence.” Influential African-American
One hundred sixty years after
Elizabeth Blackwell became the
first woman to graduate from In fact, Senior Associate Dean medical school in the U.S., no Alma Littles recently was named one laughs at women applicants a national role model. In July she As senior associate dean for Medical Educators, among many
anymore. Here at the College of received the Elizabeth Blackwell medical education and academic other honors. Elizabeth Blackwell
Medicine, female students nearly Award from the American Medical affairs, Littles has overall would be proud.
to find diamond-in-the-rough future
graduated from high school, they
babies. That plaque reads: had no idea they were even going
Helen Livingston, ‘substitute mom’
Years from now, when students
Program office hangs a plaque
behind this College of Medicine, They had a very bumpy ride. But
always said that it wouldn’t if you really look at their progress,
have succeeded without Helen you’ll see that somewhere around
Livingston. If Myra provided the their junior or senior year of college,
inspiration, Helen provided the they woke up. And they suddenly
perspiration – expertly filling in started making nothing but A’s and
the essential details that bring a B’s. That’s the student you can do
curriculum, program or college to something with. They have the work
life. But Helen did much more. ethic and the education, and they
From 1996 onward – for students can overcome obstacles.”
in … Bridge and more – she was
In June, she retired as
not just a dean but a substitute associate dean of the college’s
mom … she helped transform Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences
academic pipelines into lifelines.” division. But those pipelines are
Also, tucked away in the college’s
encounter Helen Livingston’s honoring Livingston and her 2013 annual report is the answer
name and wonder who she was, late husband for their generous Livingston gave when asked what
there will be clues. donations. The Bridge Program, she looked for in prospective
which reaches into rural communities Bridge students:
On the wall in the Bridge
to college, much less medical school.
still filled with Livingston kids.
“Myra Hurt, the guiding spirit
Livingston with graduating Bridge students in 2013
“When many of these students
physicians, was one of Livingston’s
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