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麻豆精品 S淏ecause [Deb German] dared, the UCF College of Medicine is now an engine of talent, research and impact that is shaping healthcare for generations. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president
German will remain in her roles while UCF conducts a national search for her successor. Following that transition, she will serve for one year as senior advisor for health affairs to the president and provost, supporting continuity during the next phase of growth.
When German arrived at UCF in 2006, the College of Medicine existed only as a bold idea that many questioned. Today, it is a nationally respected medical school and the academic anchor of Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Lake Nona Medical City.
麻豆精品 S淲hen Dr. German came to UCF, many believed building a medical school from the ground up 麻豆精品 S� at a young university, in a brand new medical city 麻豆精品 S� was too ambitious, too complex and too risky. Deb saw possibility where others saw barriers, 麻豆精品 S� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 麻豆精品 S淏ecause she dared, the UCF College of Medicine is now an engine of talent, research and impact that is shaping healthcare for generations. 麻豆精品 S�
Building a Medical School and a Workforce Pipeline
German arrived at UCF in 2006 as the medical school 麻豆精品 S檚 only employee. Her mission: build a medical school that would be the academic foundation of an emerging Medical City 麻豆精品 S痑nd 麻豆精品 S痠nspire economic development in the community, 麻豆精品 S痳egion 麻豆精品 S痑nd state.
From its聽inception, the College of Medicine was designed to be research intensive and聽community connected.
To attract the best and 麻豆精品 S痓rightest students, 麻豆精品 S疓erman helped secure more than $6.5 million to provide full four-year scholarships and living expenses for every member of the inaugural M.D. class聽 麻豆精品 S斅爐he first time in U.S. history a medical school fully funded an entire class. She also聽established聽the focused inquiry and research experience curriculum, requiring every medical student to conduct original scientific research.聽UCF medical students frequently achieve 100% residency placement rates.
Recognizing Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 growing physician shortage, German expanded graduate medical education in partnership with HCA Healthcare and the Orlando VA Medical Center. What began in 2014 with 17 internal medicine residents has grown to more than 720聽residents and fellows training across Florida in high-need specialties including primary care, surgery, psychiatry,聽geriatrics聽and endocrinology.
This growth has strengthened Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 healthcare workforce at聽scale.
Advancing Academic Health Sciences
Under German 麻豆精品 S檚 leadership, UCF聽established聽an Academic Health Sciences Center uniting the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions and Sciences, along with UCF Health Student Health Services.
The Lake Nona Health Sciences Campus now includes the Medical Education Building, a new College of Nursing facility, UCF Lake Nona Hospital, the UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center, and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences 麻豆精品 S� home to聽nearly 3,000聽undergraduate and graduate students preparing to become tomorrow 麻豆精品 S檚 scientific leaders.
In addition, the medical school 麻豆精品 S檚 麻豆精品 S疌linical Trials Division currently has 19 studies investigating new and better treatments for 麻豆精品 S痗onditions 麻豆精品 S痠ncluding cancer, 麻豆精品 S痑llergic 麻豆精品 S痑sthma 麻豆精品 S痑nd Huntington 麻豆精品 S檚 disease.
In 2025, German also led the launch of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 ,聽leveraging聽UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 proximity to Kennedy Space Center to explore innovations that improve both space health and patient care on Earth.
麻豆精品 S淲hen we 麻豆精品 S痮pened the medical school, we said we wanted to create a program that was locally, nationally and internationally relevant, 麻豆精品 S� German says. 麻豆精品 S淲ith 麻豆精品 S痮ur new space medicine program, we 麻豆精品 S痭ow can 麻豆精品 S痓e galactically relevant. 麻豆精品 S�
Expanding聽Patient聽Care for the Community
麻豆精品 S淲atching [UCF’s] growth and our impact on so many people, including my own family, has been both humbling and deeply rewarding. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Deborah German, College of Medicine founding dean
German also led the creation of UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice and the student-run KNIGHTS Clinic in partnership with Grace Medical Home to serve uninsured patients.
Most recently, UCF unveiled a 38-foot Mobile Health Clinic, bringing free, high-quality healthcare directly to communities in need while serving as a hands-on training site for students across disciplines.
麻豆精品 S淲atching 麻豆精品 S痮ur 麻豆精品 S痝rowth 麻豆精品 S痑nd 麻豆精品 S痮ur 麻豆精品 S痠mpact 麻豆精品 S痮n 麻豆精品 S痵o many people, including my own family, has been both humbling and deeply rewarding, 麻豆精品 S� German says. 麻豆精品 S淢y goal in coming to UCF was to create 麻豆精品 S痶he academic anchor of 麻豆精品 S痑 new 麻豆精品 S疢edical 麻豆精品 S疌ity.聽聽That foundation is now fully in place; we have done 麻豆精品 S痑 good job. 麻豆精品 S疦ow it is time for new leadership that will take us to new heights. 麻豆精品 S�
