The Brodes H. Hartley Jr. Teaching Health Center graduated two residents during its inaugural graduation and white coat ceremony on June 2O. Dr. Hilary Gerber and Dr. Patricia Nunez are the first to finish the program.
Dr. Gerber already has passed her boards, a significant accomplishment for her and for Community Health of South Florida Inc. Dr. Nunez will finish her residency officially in December, but walked across the stage in celebration with Dr. Gerber.
“Today marks a major milestone for CHI,” said Brodes H. Hartley Jr., CHI president and CEO. “The seeds that we planted three years ago are blooming!”
Back then, CHI was the first teaching health center at a community health center in Florida. The graduation was significant for the federally qualified health center because when it started the process to become a teaching health center the project seems overly ambitious.
“At first it seemed to be mission impossible because we were told of the long wait and the long process in order to become accredited and, if we had to wait that long we would miss the opportunity for the grant,” Hartley recalled.
But the team pulled together and built the program with the help of partners like Larkin Community Hospital.
Sandy Sosa, Larkin CEO, spoke to the graduates.
“I hope you will tell everyone to take this road less traveled,” she said.
By 2020, the nation is expected to face a major shortage of physicians. Programs like this help grow and retain doctors where they are needed most.
As Gerber received her certificate and a standing ovation, her two boys watched in admiration.
“I think it’s amazing. I know she’s done a lot here and I know it was pretty hard,” said Zachary Thomas, 12. “I think it was pretty cool that she got an award and she got to graduate.”
Dr. Gerber told the audience, that many ask her how she was able to accomplish so much as a single mother.
“The truth is that I juggle,” Dr. Gerber said. “I drop the ball and sometime they roll under the couch. None of this would have been possible without my family.”
As two graduates leave the program, five more entered it that night with a special white coat ceremony.
“The white coat symbolizes the virtues of altruism, responsibility, duty, honor, respect and compassion,” said Dr. Saint Anthony Amofah, chief medical officer and chief academic officer. “It inspires confidence and trust and today we place our confidence and trust in the five new residents who will wear these white coats.”
