Dr. Juan C. Cendan is dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and senior vice president for health affairs at Florida International University, positions he has held since 2022. He leads FIU’s health-related initiatives and oversees the college’s mission in medical education, research, and patient care. He is also a tenured professor in the Department of Surgical Sciences.
Under Cendan’s leadership, the college established comprehensive affiliations with two major South Florida health systems--Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s—partnerships designed to expand clinical training, strengthen medical research, and address the critical physician shortage.
In 2025, the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida elected him as a member in recognition of his contributions to medical education, innovation, and community impact.
Cendan joined FIU in 2021 as vice dean and executive associate dean for student affairs. Previously, he was a founding faculty member at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, where from 2010 to 2021 he held leadership roles, including dean for simulation, medical director of the simulation laboratory, and chair of the department of medical education. As provost chair and associate dean in residence, he collaborated with UCF’s provost to develop the framework for the university’s Academic Health Center.
A pioneer in simulation-based medical training, Cendan led 15 years of research on virtual humans and simulation technology to train future physicians, particularly in rare clinical conditions. The NIH-funded research produced multiple patents and a startup that was later acquired by Elsevier, a global leader in scientific and medical publishing.
Cendan earned his medical degree and completed surgical training at the University of Florida. He then practiced as a general surgeon in Gainesville, Florida, specializing in minimally invasive surgery and surgical disorders of the breast. He returned to UF as faculty, focusing on simulation-based medical education. His undergraduate background in biomedical engineering was particularly valuable, allowing him to align the technical specifications with educational needs.
Areas of Expertise
- Alignment of infrastructure and governance to support medical education
- Quality improvement of medical school programs and student performance
- Innovative scholarship in medical education
- Academic leadership
Research Interests
- Medical and surgical procedural simulation and education
Education
- Residency, General Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- M.D., University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, and Queen Mary University, London, England
Board Certifications
- American Board of Surgery