The Celebration of Education and Research Day spotlights residents and fellows who are willing to ask critical questions of medicine to improve patient care, develop new procedures, and push the boundaries of medical education.
This annual event at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville creates an opportunity for rising healthcare professionals and scholars in academic medicine to present, defend and receive feedback on their work. The day featured oral platform and moderated poster presentations in addition to an awards and graduation ceremony.
Distinguished Alumni Award
In what has become a six-year tradition, the college selects one alum to recognize for their contributions to medicine and career success in their respective disciplines. They also must embody the mission of the College of Medicine – Jacksonville.
Vikram Brar, MD, was selected as the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award. Currently, Brar serves as the program director of the ophthalmology residency program at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and has dedicated his career to caring for patients with complex retinal diseases. During his time at UF (2007-2009), he was part of the Ophthalmology Fellowship in Vitreoretinal Disease and Surgery. Brar spoke to faculty and graduating residents on the importance of nurturing professional relationships after training and his appreciation for the role the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville played in his career and personal life.
“I’m very grateful for my time here,” Brar said. “When my medical students ask about Jacksonville, I always advocate for them to come here.” Although his career has led him away from the River City, he is still impacting learners in the department of ophthalmology, teaching on occasion. “I’m appreciative that I’ve been able to give back what I got back in whatever functions the department deems necessary.”
Wisdom for the next chapter
As 184 graduates, including students from the UF College of Pharmacy – Jacksonville, prepared to step into the next phase of their medical journeys, a word of advice from Linda Edwards, MD, FACP, dean of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville.
“True wisdom combines scientific knowledge with human compassion and caring and flourishes as you learn from successes, mistakes and the patients who in turn, teach us,” Edwards said. “As your career progresses, you will certainly remember exceptionally astute diagnoses and extraordinary treatment successes. The most gratifying will be the relationships you forge with the patients, their families and your colleagues.”
Platform presentations
Residents, fellows and students under faculty mentorship submitted research for judging. The highest-rated submissions were chosen.
Brooke Bocklud- Fakhre, MD, presented in the medical education category on her research project titled “Creating Mock Oral Questions for General Surgery Certifying Exam – A Potential Novel Application of Artificial Intelligence.”
Manali Desai, DO, presented in the quality improvement and patient safety category on her research titled “Improving Neurology Resident Education Through a Multimodal, Block-Based Curriculum: A Quality Improvement Initiative.”
Monica Karas, DO, presented in quality improvement and patient safety category on her research titled “Decreasing Inpatient Pediatric Discharge Delays Due to Incomplete Consults.”
Cameron Foster, MD, presented in clinical research category on his research titled “Is Documented Penicillin Allergy a Risk Factor for Postoperative Complications in Orthopaedic Trauma Patients?”
Dionna Shine, PharmD, presented in the clinical research category on his research titled “Clinical Outcomes of Adult Patients with Pneumonia or Bacteremia Infections Caused by Achromobacter spp.”
Thomas Metzner, DO, MS, presented in the clinical research category on his research titled, “Comparative Network Meta-analysis Using Restricted Mean Survival Time in Phase III Trials for Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.”
Poster presentations
The following presentation winners were recognized for their discoveries in four categories:
Nicholas Colaluca, MD, won in the medical education category.
Zoobia Khan, MD, won in the patient safety and quality improvement category.
Shane Weatherford, MD, won in the clinical vignette category.
Megan Sander, PharmD, won in the clinical research category.
Photo contest winners
Jay Pandya, MD
Michele Park, MD
Award winners
Ann Harwood-Nuss Resident Advocate Award — Alex Moses, MD
College of Medicine Excellence in Student Education Faculty Award — Leon Plotwright, MD
College of Medicine Excellence in Student Education Resident Award — Camille Meschia, MD
Denise T. West Outstanding GME Administrator Award — Stacey Wice, C-TAGME
Edward Jelks Outstanding Resident Clinician Award —Alysha Lubana, MD
Leon L. Haley Jr. Resident Award for Inclusive Excellence — Andres Tortolero, DO
Leon L. Haley Jr. Faculty Award for Inclusive Excellence —LaRae Brown, MD, MHA, FACOG, FACHE
Louis S. Russo Resident Award for Outstanding Professionalism in Medicine — Junaid Essa, DO
Louis S. Russo Faculty Award for Outstanding Professionalism in Medicine — Elizabeth DeVos, MD, MPH
Robert C. Nuss Researcher/Scholar Award — Alicia Vose, PhD
Robert L. Wears Outstanding Resident in Quality and Patient Safety Award — Manali Desai, DO
Rosilie O. Saffos Outstanding Resident Teacher Award — Gerardo Diaz Garcia, DO
Golden Apple Award in the Clinical Sciences — Department of Obsterics and Gynecology
Distinguished Alumni Award — Vikram Brar, MD
Click here to watch the full Celebration of Education and Research Day presentations, graduation and awards ceremony.