Alumni News
The UF College of Medicine’s Medical Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomed three members in the spring.
The board — which consists of master’s, PhD, housestaff, PA and MD alumni, along with faculty and students — aims
to support the needs of UF College of Medicine students and residents, move medicine forward and promote the
college’s interests. Members each serve four-year terms and are charged with fostering a feeling of camaraderie and
promoting a spirit of philanthropy among the UF College of Medicine family.
KATHLEEN CONNERY, PA ’77
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT,
FLORIDA CANCER CENTER
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
“My education as a PA stressed spending time
with patients, a commodity sorely strained
in current practice. Of course, there were no
computers in the exam room then, but as a
mature clinician, I advise new PAs to minimize
use of the computer during their increasingly
limited patient contact. Spend time with your
patients. Sit down with, look at and touch
your patient. Engender trust. It is the most
rewarding aspect of patient care.”
JUDE MASANNAT, PHD ’17
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW,
MOFFITT CANCER CENTER
TAMPA, FLORIDA
“As the first PhD graduate to serve on the
alumni board, I want to be a voice for my
fellow researchers and help bridge the gap
between MDs and PhDs. Although we follow
different educational structures and career
paths, we still rely on each other for the
ultimate goal of improving human health. In
the field of cancer research, immunotherapy is
opening up a whole new world. That’s what I
love about science: There’s so much to discover.
When you publish something and everyone
can see your work, it’s like, ‘OK, here’s another
piece of the puzzle.’”
GARY GOMEZ, MD ’02, MBA
ANESTHESIOLOGIST,
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MIRAMAR
MIRAMAR, FLORIDA
“There’s a lot of positive momentum at UF’s
College of Medicine, and I think alumni need
to be engaged. We need to get involved when
students are accepted and throughout their
education. Any advice we can provide to them
would be valuable. Once you start working
in clinical practice, you understand the
importance of teamwork. I enjoy when people
have different ideas and can contribute to a
better result for the patient.”
Sounding board
BY STYLIANA RESVANIS
W I N T E R 2019 | 35