Welcome

Welcome Applicants to the Class of 2028!

The Admissions Welcoming Committee (AWC) is dedicated to providing the same warm and inviting atmosphere to prospective students, alumni, and visitors as we do our friends here in the Gator nation. Through collaborative efforts and teamwork, the AWC aims to enrich the community of the University of Florida College of Medicine by supporting and enhancing the establishment of student connections. AWC welcomes the leadership and diversity of backgrounds, interests, experiences, and ideas of its members, which is essential for showcasing the aspects of the University of Florida College of Medicine that allow this community to flourish. With this in mind, AWC provides a platform for students to share their medical school experience, as well as what it means to be a Gator Doc, to all those who may find themselves in the Swamp.

As your big day approaches, we along with the rest of the committee would like to welcome you wholeheartedly. Congratulations on all you have accomplished thus far, now please allow us to show and share with you our UFCOM family.

~ Lindsey, Amin, Liam, Jane

Lindsey Morrow

Hi everyone! My name is Lindsey Morrow, and I am from Orlando, Florida. I went to the University of Florida and graduated in 2022 with degrees in Microbiology and Anthropology and a minor in Health Disparities. I spent my gap year working as an elementary school English teacher in Torremolinos, Spain! Some things that I enjoy outside of medicine are traveling, hanging out with friends, fitness, all sports/ intramurals, and reading. I am currently undecided on a specialty, but I am interested in pediatrics and reconstructive plastic surgery! The opportunities here are endless in regards to research and shadowing, so I am enjoying exploring and narrowing down my interests!

UFCOM was my first medical school interview, and I distinctly remember how connected I felt to the mission, my interviewers, and surprised by how happy the students seemed. Whether it was Swamp social, the virtual tour, or talking with my Gator guide, the collaborative and friendly relationships they fostered with each other and faculty was undeniably unique. I was so pleased when I began orientation here and realized that the friendship and camaraderie among my fellow students is as welcoming as it seems, and makes me excited to come to HMEB every day. I truly could not be happier with my decision to attend UFCOM, and hope to meet all of you soon! Go gators!

Undergrad: University of Florida

Amin Mirzaie

Hi! My name is Amin Mirzaie, and I am a member of the University of Florida College of Medicine Class of 2027. I am originally from Potomac, Maryland (Just outside of Washington, DC), and attended Emory University as an undergrad. After graduating from Emory, I spent my two gap years working as a research coordinator in the division of vascular surgery at UF. As a research coordinator, I learned how to run many different research projects (retrospective, prospective, clinical research, etc.) and developed a passion for researching health disparities in surgery patients. Clinically, I am interested in surgery and the surgical subspecialties. I also enjoy reading, running, hiking, Trivia Tuesdays at First Mag, and supporting Gator football on game days in my free time. While I only had a few ties to UFCOM (or the state of Florida) before I moved here in 2021, I chose to stay here for medical school because of the truly unique culture at UFCOM. During my gap years working at UF, I was taken aback by how supportive all the faculty and residents were in supporting my growth and learning and how collaborative everyone was. Furthermore, living in Gainesville during my gap years and taking advantage of all the fantastic parks, restaurants, and nightlife, I quickly fell in love with the city. For these reasons, I am glad I chose to attend UFCOM for medical school. If you have any questions about what it’s like being an out-of-state gator, clinical research, or surgery in general, please feel free to reach out! GO GATORS!

Undergrad: Emory University

Liam Kugler

Hi! I am so glad you are all interested in attending UFCOM for your medical education, and I can’t wait to show how wonderful of an institution we are. My name is Liam Kugler, and I am a first-year medical student here. I grew up in Palm Harbor, Florida, and attended UF for undergrad. I studied basic biological and medical sciences as part of the Medical Honors Program where I was able to continue my research in congenital heart surgery and pediatric heart transplantation. I am a first-generation college and medical student passionate about peer mentorship and medical education. I love to spend my free time grilling steak and being outdoors. One of my highlights was a week-long sea kayak in Prince William’s Sound, Alaska! I am currently interested in all things surgery and transplantation with the hope to pursue that in future practice.

I can’t say enough good things about UFCOM which is why I decided to commit myself here since my sophomore year of undergrad. The same philosophy that drew me to pursue medicine I saw here at UF: the importance of the patient-physician relationship, and care for one another. I look forward to meeting you all, and please feel free to reach out if you need anything! Go Gators!

Undergrad: University of Florida

Jane Chang

Hello all! My name is Jane Chang and I’m currently an MS1 at UFCOM. I’m originally from Ashburn, Virginia, but my family moved to Boca Raton, Florida a few years ago so I now get to call Florida my home. I attended Bowdoin College for undergrad, where I majored in Biochemistry and Environmental Studies. After Bowdoin I took three gap years, during which I worked as a virtual tutor for students around the world, attended Brown University where I received my Master of Science in Medical Sciences, and worked for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as a research coordinator. I am passionate about medicine because of the opportunity to demystify the inner complexities of our bodies, and the ability to convey the knowledge we have about human health to our patients in a way that can help them live their best possible lives. I also love how medicine lets us as future physicians be lifelong learners, while simultaneously being lifelong teachers to our patients. I think that UFCOM does a wonderful job of incorporating this humanistic side of medicine into their curriculum and culture, and it’s a big part of why I chose to matriculate here. As for the type of doctor I hope to be, I’m very interested in pursuing a career in urology because of the mix of OR and clinical cases and the focus on the renal system (plus all of the urologists I have met at UF have been especially friendly and welcoming)!

In my free time, I love hiking, fly fishing, running, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family! Since moving to Gainesville, I have also loved trying the local gastronomy and visiting farmers markets on the weekends. Gainesville and UFCOM have exceeded all of my expectations for my medical school experience. I could not imagine myself being at any other school, and I can say wholeheartedly that this is one of the most special communities that I have had the privilege of being a part of.

Undergrad: Bowdoin College