- Burnett School College of Medicine Students
A pediatric cardiologist who protects children’s hearts and a veterinarian who treats our four-legged friends at a state-of-the-art practice in Oviedo were College of Medicine honorees at the UCF Alumni Association’s annual Black & Gold Gala on November 1.
The Gala honors UCF alumni for their professional achievements and dedication to serving the community.
This year’s College of Medicine Professional Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Bill Moskowitz, a pediatric cardiologist, who practices at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. There, he specializes in areas including congenital heart disease and heart transplantation in children.
Dr. Moskowitz received his M.D. degree at the University of South Florida after graduating cum laude from UCF in 1975 when we were still called Florida Technical University. He credits his university biochemistry and physics professors for giving him a wonderful head start in his pre-medical education, a start that served him well during the rigors of medical school.
He was named Chairman of the Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, at VCU, then Interim Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, and is now Vice Chair of Clinical Operations in the Department of Pediatrics. He is a professor with tenure in Pediatrics at the Medical College of Virginia and has served as Virginia Chapter President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. An active researcher, Dr. Moskowitz was named Greater Richmond’s Top Pediatric Cardiologist by Richmond Magazine and a U.S. News Top Doctor in Pediatric Cardiology.
The College of Medicine’s Rising Star Award honored Dr. Sarika Patel, associate veterinarian at Shaffer Animal Hospital in Oviedo. Dr. Patel graduated first in her class from the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences before earning her doctor of veterinary medicine and graduating second in her class at the University of Florida.