Victoria Millington’s dream is to guide her patients to better health and serve the Orlando community. On Friday, the UCF medical student, who also did her undergraduate education at UCF, cheered, “I’m a triple Knight now” as she learned she will do her internal medicine residency at the UCF-HCA Healthcare program in Greater Orlando, her first choice.
“My first feeling when I opened the match envelope was excitement,” she said. “This is where I wanted to go. Everyone who works there is amazing. The patient population we get to work with is amazing. This will build a strong foundation for me to be the best physician I can be.”
Millington was one of nine UCF students to match into UCF-HCA residencies on Friday’s National Match Day. The UCF-HCA Graduate Medical Education Consortium is the fastest growing residency and fellowship program in Florida and by this summer will be training more than 800 physicians in Greater Orlando, Sanford, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Ocala, Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach. UCF-HCA filled all their residency programs during National Match Day, adding 310 new physicians.
“As the need for physicians grows in the state of Florida, with an estimated 18,000 physician shortage projected over the next decade, we are helping to meet those needs,” said Dr. Stephen Cico, UCF’s associate dean for graduate medical education and the UCF-HCA consortium’s designated institutional official. “We are focused on medical specialties that are or are going to be in the highest demand.”
Primary care is one of those specialties. Millington said she chose the specialty because it allows her to have long-term relationships with patients and coordinate with specialists to “bring all of the pieces of care together.”
“Victoria is exactly the type of patient-centered physician we want to attract to our program,” said Dr. Abdo Asmar, who leads the UCF-HCA internal residency program, the consortium’s first, which began in 2014. “We couldn’t be happier that she’s joining us.”
Fadia Fakhre and Ashley Houff both matched into dermatology residencies at HCA Florida Capital Hospital in Tallahassee. Both said they were drawn to the program because of its physicians and culture. “I’m so excited. This is my top choice,” said Fakhre. “I love the faculty. I love the community. I love everything about Tallahassee. So, I’m so excited to start.”
Dr. Cheryll Albold is vice president of graduate medical education for HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division. “HCA Florida Healthcare congratulates all of the exceptional medical students who matched with our residency and fellowship programs across Florida,” she said “We are excited to welcome the next generation of physicians who will carry forward our mission – above all else, to care for and improve human life – and deliver compassionate, patient-centered care in the communities we are honored to serve.”
UCF students Joshua Culberson and Ana Carrazana will be caring for the Greater Orlando community and joining their current or future spouses at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. Culberson is joining his wife, Elizabeth, who matched into Emergency Medicine at the hospital last year. Both said they chose the hospital because of UCF’s Dr. David Lebowitz, who leads the emergency medicine residency program and was their mentor throughout medical school. Both said the hospital’s care of such a variety of acute patients provides a tremendous learning experience. “I’m really looking forward to joining the HCA family,” Culberson said. This match opens a lot of doors and opportunities for me.”
Carrazana matched into psychiatry at HCA Florida Osceola, where her fiancée, Elian Cordova, is a second-year psychiatry resident. The two met during their undergraduate training at the University of Florida. Both are passionate about helping improve mental health. Carrazana did her psychiatry rotation at HCA Florida Osceola and said she enjoyed helping a variety of patients, from those with acute mental illness who needed hospitalization to those suffering from more common ailment such as anxiety and depression. Cordova said he wants to address the mental health needs he sees in his Hispanic community. “I want to be that voice and fill the gap,” he said.
