Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Dean Juan Cendan, M.D.
Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University (FIU).
This is an exciting time for our college of medicine. Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, our medical students continue to thrive. They consistently match in top-notch residency programs and score above the national averages on the USMLE Step 1 and 2 exams. In addition, our physician assistant (PA) school contributes to the increasing demand for health care practitioners. Our Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Science trains top-notch researchers for the future. And we offer several combined degrees, including an MD/Healthcare MBA, an MD/Master of Public Health Degree, and an MD and Master of Science in Health Informatics and Analytics.
Our students and graduates distinguish themselves by their deep understanding of the social determinants of disease and the biological determinants of disease. Through our innovative Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP), our medical and physician assistant students perform regular household visits to patients in medically underserved areas of Miami-Dade County.
These visits, which include FIU nursing and social work students (and education and law students as household needs are identified), teach our students how to evaluate and implement comprehensive and compassionate, personalized patient care. Additionally, our students learn first-hand how social factors critically impact health and disease. And how empathy and medical knowledge must seamlessly intermesh for the proper care of every patient.
Our curriculum equally emphasizes the roles of both clinical and basic science research in fueling the needed insights to improve patient outcomes. We provide opportunities for students to develop skills at the laboratory bench and the bedside, allowing each student to explore and establish their own path within the practice of the healing profession.
This medical school was founded on the premise of preparing socially accountable physicians, scientists, and health professionals and on the commitment to provide service to our community. Today, we are a national leader in the integration of community-based medical education and clinical care.
We are building on this great foundation by enhancing our efforts in scholarship and innovation within a framework of diversity and inclusion. We are honored that the U.S. News & World Report ranked HWCOM as the No. 2 Most Diverse Medical School among public institutions.
I encourage you to explore our website and welcome further inquiries into our programs.
Juan Cendan, M.D.
Dean
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine