More than 150 students with an interest in medical careers attended Saturday’s inaugural Specialty & Business Symposium at the Florida State University College of Medicine.
Organized by College of Medicine students and funded through the Medical Student Council and Congress of Graduate Students, the day-long event featured presentations by six physicians who shared insights into their medical specialties as well as business realities.
Those in attendance included M.D. and Bridge students from the College of Medicine, undergraduates on a pre-medical track and high school students in the SSTRIDE program.
“The quality of presentations exceeded my expectations,” said Elizabeth Ruelke (M.D. Class of 2026), president of the Business and Medicine student organization and the event coordinator. “Every presenter brought a nuance not previously shared and provided insights from their learned experience.”
Five of the six speakers are affiliated with the College of Medicine, either as clerkship faculty, alumni or both. Their specialty areas included internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, pediatrics and surgery.
The sixth, Ben White, M.D., is the associate program director of Radiology at Baylor University Medical Center, an author and noted lecturer on building a foundation in personal finance and student loans.
White shared his insight into a new student loan repayment plan that “lowers the effective interest rate” in addition to addressing financial strategies, behavioral economics and retirement.
First-year medical student Rachel Matson said the symposium provided her with insight into realities of medicine that are seldom discussed. “I walked away with knowledge I didn’t even know I needed,” she said.
Dr. Amy Haddock, an OB/GYN practicing at North Florida Women’s Care in Tallahassee, has long been affiliated with the College of Medicine. A member of the M.D. Class of 2013, she came up through SSTRIDE program, is a graduate of the Bridge to Clinical Sciences master’s degree program and is clerkship faculty at the Tallahassee Regional Campus.
In addition to sharing her passion for women’s health, Haddock discussed contract negotiation and the role of creativity in business. The first physician in her family, she also shared her mother’s words of advice to the Durell Peaden Auditorium gathering: “Your education is something that no one can ever take away from you.”
Dr. Ian Boykin, clerkship faculty of internal medicine at the Fort Pierce Regional Campus, discussed a wide range of topics, including the basics of medical business practice, insurance negotiations, risk tolerance and his love of medicine. “I’ve never worked a day in my life,” Boykin said. “I found my passion.”
Dr. Sarah Alvarez (M.D. Class of 2012), who is part of the North Florida Pediatrics practice in Tallahassee, discussed new directions in pediatrics, in addition to lifestyle considerations and couples match – an area of some expertise. She and her husband David Alvarez (M.D. Class of 2012), an orthopedic surgeon with Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic, completed their residency together at the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport, La.
Vito Lombardi, another first-year medical student in attendance, took away something from all of the symposium panelists.
“Despite hearing from specialists who are in specialties I may not currently be considering, the wisdom they shared will no doubt help my classmates and I learn how to traverse this business model in a way that will not only protect our own peace, but also help us advocate for future at-risk patients,” he said.
Tallahassee Regional Campus clerkship faculty Drs. Joey Jarrard and Carolyn Drazinic, whose respective specialties are surgery and psychiatry, shared a similar message with the students.
“Learning is lifelong,” Drazinic said. “Learn about everything. You never know when you will need it.”
“Be humble,” said Jarrard. “And don’t specialize too early. Get everything you can out of every rotation.”
