Alachua County Medical Society

01/29/2026

ACMS 2026 Poster Symposium Showcases Innovative Research,
Clinical Case Studies and Award-Winning Posters

UF Professional Park, Gainesville, FL — On January 22, 2026, the Alachua County Medical Society held its Seventh Annual Poster Symposium, bringing together faculty, students, and industry professionals to discuss cutting-edge research, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and celebrate academic excellence. The event was made possible by sponsorships from UF Health and the US Army.

The event featured basic research and clinical case report posters covering a diverse range of topics withing 25 separate medical specialties. The event highlighted the dedication of our students, residents and fellows and the guidance of their faculty mentors.

A Celebration of Excellence
The symposium concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding presentations that demonstrated rigorous methodology, clear communication, and significant impact in their respective fields.

Congratulations to this year's winners:

• First Place: Jasmine Primus, - UF Health College of Medicine
Poster Title: "Longitudinal Profiling of Motor and Non-Motor
symptoms in genetic Parkinson’s disease"
• Second Place: Aseed Mestarihi, MD; Omar Obeidat, MD;
Qusai Al Qudah, MD; Abdallah Rayyan, MD;
and Mohd Daise, MD - UCF College of
Medicine, HCA GME Internal Medicine Program
Poster Title: "OAC Monotherapy vs Dual Antithrombotic
Therapy After PCI in Atrial Fibrillation: Real-
World Outcomes From a Global Cohort "
• Third Place: Melanie Rodriguez; and Chase Labiste, MD -
UF Health College of Medicine
Poster Title: "Identification of a Large Complex Adnexal Mass
Through a Free Ultrasound Program: A Case
Report from the UF Mobile Outreach Clinic"
• Fourth Place: Hunter Hutchinson, MD; and Brandon
Lucke-Wold, MD, UF College of Medicine
Poster Title: "CHA2DS2-VASc Score Predicts Neutrophil
Extracellular Trap (NET) Content in Acute
Ischemic Stroke Thrombi Recovered from
Mechanical Thrombectomy (MT)"
• Fifth Place: Jacob Ricci, UF Health College of Medicine
Poster Title: "Auxiliary Outpatient Management of Ventricular
Assist Device Bleeding: The AXOUT VAD Bleed
Pilot Study"

"The quality of work submitted this year was exceptional, making the selection process incredibly difficult for the judges," said Brittany Bruggeman, MD, ACMS President. "These posters are not just academic exercises; they represent real-world solutions to complex problems."

Thanks to our Sponsors US Army and UF Health and to the Scientific Committee physicians for judging the research and clinical case reports.

Photo credit: Nate Guidry, UF Health Photographer

10/01/2025

Thanks to everyone for joining us at the Artificial Intelligence Update with Azra Bihorac, MD and Whiskey Tasting Around the World! Thank you, Dr. Bihorac, for sharing your project creating a digital ICU to improve patient outcomes.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:
Platinum Sponsor - James Moore & Company;
Gold Sponsors: Bank of America and UF Health;
Silver Sponsors: Mag Mutual and The Good Pour.

A note of thanks goes out to Paul Dickhaus, grandson of Alfred Dickhaus, MD, for such an informative presentation on whiskey's from Ireland, Scotland, Japan, the UF and India. Oh and Canada - if you want to call it whiskey. 😊

09/06/2025

The Alachua County Medical Society, representing more than 1,000 physicians and medical students, is calling on Florida officials to preserve existing vaccine requirements following the Florida Surgeon General’s recent announcement proposing their removal- even for public school attendance.

Alachua County is home to one of Florida’s top children’s hospitals and a community of skilled, compassionate doctors who are deeply committed to keeping kids healthy and safe. The decision to remove vaccine protections is not only medically unsound- it’s personally troubling to those of us who care for children every day.

Vaccines are one of medicine’s greatest achievements. They are time-tested and have protected our communities from whooping cough, pneumonia, meningitis, measles, and other severe and life-threatening infections for generations. Alachua County physicians and scientists have contributed to the very research confirming the safety and effectiveness of these life-saving tools. Unfortunately, we are already seeing some reversal in our decades-long progress in fighting these preventable illnesses. Measles cases in the U.S. are at their highest levels in over 30 years. Whooping cough is on the rise in our county. These infections are a warning bell for us to work together to shore up our defenses. In this pivotal moment, Florida should strengthen our community safeguards, not dismantle them.

School vaccine requirements keep all of our children safe at school and prevent infections from spreading. They allow kids with chronic medical conditions to safely learn alongside their classmates. They allow parents the freedom to bring younger siblings and grandparents to school events without picking up whooping cough or the measles. They protect our teachers and front office staff who are there for our children day in and day out.

The Alachua County Medical Society urges educators, parents, community leaders, and lawmakers to stand with us to protect existing vaccine requirements. Together, we can continue to make our community a safe and healthy place for families in the generations to come.

Brittany Bruggeman, MD, ACMS President;
and the ACMS Board of Directors

07/30/2025

Congratulations, Dr. Akey! Thanks for your continued dedication to local health.

Gainesville’s beloved family physician, Dr. Angeli Maun Akey, a steadfast advocate for whole-person primary care and the visionary founder of North Florida Integrative Medicine, has been awarded the prestigious Florida Medical Association Certificate of Appreciation

07/01/2025

As summer kicks in and the Legislative Session has come to an end (finally), it’s time for the ACMS 2025 Spring/Summer edition of House Calls.

Download at: https://www.acms.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SpringSummer2025-Web-sm.pdf

In this issue, we
• Recognize Chris Balamucki, MD for serving at 2023-25 ACMS President.
• Welcome the incoming ACMS Officers;.
• Highlight the Legislative Outcomes for the medical profession;.
• Discuss the effect of budget cuts on Medical Academic Research.
• Encourage you to Find the Power of your Voice as an advocate for your patients’ health and
• An interview with Charles Stoer, MD, who has served as a Dermatologic Surgeon in Gainesville for the past 40 years.

A professional and scientific organization representing more than 1000 practicing and retired physicians, medical residents and medical school students.

05/26/2025

Thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate the installation of our new officers and to express our sincere gratitude to our outgoing President, Chris Balamucki, MD. Thank you, Chris for your dedication and hard work over the past two years. Your contributions have been invaluable to the ACMS.

The Annual Meeting and Installation of Officers was generously sponsored by UF Health and by Gallagher Insurance, who underwrites the ACMS Health Insurance Trust.

04/24/2025

Thanks to our wonderful Sponsors at the ACMS April Meeting and Mentorship Kickoff Program! Special thanks to Rupa Lloyd, JD; Byron Flagg, JD; and Hunter Patrick, JD of GrayRobinson, for an excellent presentation.
; ; ; ; ; ; and MyRx.

01/23/2025

Sign Up As a Mentor for Medical Students, Residents and Fellows

Alachua County Physicians are invited to participate in our inaugural Mentorship Program - designed to connect experienced Physician Mentors with Medical Students, Residents and Fellows in Alachua County. Help nurture future physicians who will go on to practice in Alachua County, Florida, and beyond. The program will run for one year from March/April 2025 to 2026. Mentor/Mentee pairs should meet at least twice during this period.

If you are interested in helping to foster the next generation of physicians, sign up QR Codes are below. Please submit your form by 11:59 pm on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

Link to Mentor Form:
https://forms.gle/L5cv8xE1bgDnK9AUA

01/23/2025

The 2025 Poster Symposium was both fun AND educational. Thanks to all our Judges and Participants for braving the cold and to our Platinum Sponsor: US Army Medical Recruiting Office and Sergeant First Class Halutz Parilla!

11/11/2024