- Burnett School College of Medicine Medical
Dr. Gideon Lewis, a Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences 2000 graduate, medical school faculty member and mentor was recently named to the UCF Foundation Board of Directors. The renowned physician, surgeon, educator and entrepreneur said the appointment is one of his proudest professional moments.
“I have always strived to lead by example,” he said. “Serving on this board provides me with a much larger platform to encourage more people to give back to UCF.”
Dr. Lewis said he was an undecided and “very average” student when he transferred to UCF following a freshman year at the University of North Carolina, where he played tennis. His dream of becoming a professional athlete had foundered and he needed a new vision for his future. The late Dr. Budd Berringer helped him find one. “He took me under his wings as the pre-medical advisor at UCF at the time,” Dr. Lewis said.
Dr. Lewis graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Microbiology from the College of Medicine’s Burnett School. He went on to study at the California College of Podiatric Medicine and undergo extensive advanced surgical training. Today, he shares a practice in his native Orlando with his father, family practice physician Dr. Gideon G. Lewis.
The younger Dr. Lewis’s reputation for comprehensive foot and ankle care, including complex reconstruction surgeries, draws elite and professional athletes to his office. His website includes testimonials from Olympic medalists, a professional triathlete, and Hall of Fame water skier. “I am a very competitive person and I want to make sure the athletes who are my patients can compete and perform,” he said.
As a College of Medicine faculty member, Dr. Lewis mentors students who have an interest in sports medicine and hosts a variety of events to foster that interest. He also serves as director of the UCF Pre-Medical Surgical Internship Program, which he founded to help students prepare for medical school.
With all his success, Dr. Lewis still recalls the lessons of Dr. Berringer: Value every positive relationship; treasure each memorable experience, and welcome every opportunity to provide service to others. “I have an obligation to pay forward these lessons and never forget where I came from,” he said.