She currently serves as a clerkship faculty member in the College of Medicine’ s Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health, teaching medical students in her clinic.
Richard Rodriguez( M. D.,’ 09)
Through his work as an emergency medicine physician, advocacy for the medical profession, commitment to medical education and community involvement, Richard Rodriguez, M. D., is an outstanding ambassador for the FSU College of Medicine.
Rodriguez is a full-time physician with Excelis Medical Associates in Tampa, where he sees patients in the emergency departments of St. Joseph’ s Hospitals. His dedication to patient well-being has been recognized with awards such as the " Physician of the Month " by the St. Joseph’ s Professional Practice Council and as an " Alumni Belen Hero " by his high school alma mater for his efforts on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was voted by his peers as a Top Doc in Emergency Medicine for three consecutive years( 2021-2023) and has been recognized as such in Tampa Magazine.
Rodriguez is deeply involved in medical education and mentorship, serving as Volunteer / Collaborative Faculty in the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, where he holds the rank of affiliate assistant professor.
Beyond his clinical and educational endeavors, he serves on the Board of Directors of Excelis Medical Associates. He is the associate medical director of Emergency Services at St. Joseph’ s Hospital South and medical director of Emergency Transport Services at St. Joseph’ s Hospitals.
A member of the Hillsborough County Emergency Medical Planning Council since 2016, Rodriguez has served as its vice chair since 2021. The EMPC is a governmental body that reports to and advises the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. He has also been an active member of the Hillsborough County Trauma Agency and its audit committee, and in 2016, chaired the Spinal Immobilization Guidelines Subcommittee.
Rashad Sullivan( M. D.,’ 13)
Service to the community, the medical profession and the College of Medicine have been career hallmarks of Rashad Sullivan, M. D.
Following his 2006 graduation from Florida A & M University with a degree in biological sciences pre-med, with a minor in chemistry, Sullivan worked for the FSU College of Medicine’ s SSTRIDE program, a pathway program for students in designated middle and high schools. He has attended and spoken at every SSTRIDE reunion since his medical school days, forming mentoring relationships with students interested in STEM careers.
In 2007, he co-founded Youth Motivation & Empowerment, a movement that seeks to persuade inner-city and rural teenagers in Florida’ s Big Bend and South Georgia to make positive lifelong decisions. He has remained active in Y. M. E. ever since.
After starting the Bridge to Clinical Medicine post-baccalaureate program in 2008, he was a guest speaker at Lincoln High School’ s Advanced Placement Summer Institute. Sullivan also volunteered with Neighborhood Health. Following his acceptance into medical school, he continued his outreach to youth and volunteered at the Family Worship and Praise Center Ministry for the Homeless.
Sullivan earned his M. D. in 2013, completed an internship in general surgery at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in 2014, a residency in orthopedics there in 2020, serving as chief resident, and a fellowship in adult total joint reconstruction at Florida Orthopaedic Institute in Tampa in 2021. Throughout his journey, he has regularly returned to the Tallahassee area to continue his outreach efforts.
Today, Sullivan is a surgeon at Mid State Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic in Alexandria, Louisiana, and also works as a consultant from home.
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