students who would address Florida’ s shortage of primary care physicians. As an FSU undergraduate, she served as a SSTRIDE mentor, was active in the Multicultural Association of Pre- Health Students, and following graduation, was admitted to FSU’ s then post-baccalaureate Bridge program to earn a seat in the M. D. Class of 2011.
She was selected for induction to both the Gold Humanism and Alpha Omega Alpha honor societies and received the college’ s Outstanding Graduate in Family Medicine Award.
Outgoing and engaging, Edwards carried the audience through the origin of the white coat ceremony, interjected with a handful of stories tinged with humor. She brought her message to a close on a more serious note.
“ There was young woman caring for her father at his bedside after he had been in the ICU for three weeks. She noticed that her father’ s mental status had changed from the day prior. The ICU doctors were notified and they assured her that her father was fine, but she felt uneasy. After a few hours, she took his temperature. Alarmed at the 103-degree fever, she was certain
that he had bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis that came from a drain in his brain. It was placed three weeks prior to drain blood. Blood that collected after an unknown brain aneurysm caused pressure. Pressure that caused bleeding from a nearby jumble of abnormal blood vessels called an arteriovenous malformation, or AVM. An AVM that led to a subarachnoid hemorrhage. A subarachnoid hemorrhage that caused a thunderclap headache. A thunderclap headache that resulted in a 911 call. A 911 call that was placed by the daughter. The daughter that was in town to care for her father after a knee replacement. The daughter that trained at the FSU College of Medicine. The daughter that is me.
“ One year ago, this frightening event happened, and I was grateful for the medical knowledge that prepared me to help care for my father who is alive and well today.
“ So, I implore you all: Strive to new heights. Study smart. Study hard. Study as if the life of a loved one depends on it, because that could very well be the case. Make us proud. Put on that white coat. Dress the part.”
Casey Rust, M. D., faculty advisor for the Chapman Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, introduces the 11 new inductees from the M. D. Class of 2026 in attendance. The GHHS pinning ceremony precedes the White Coat Ceremony annually and is intended to be aspirational for the first-year medical students seated in the audience.
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