Program Overview and Achievements

 The mission of MEMS is to increase the number of trained professionals for the health professions who desire to work with underserved populations. The MEMS Program, which began in 1993 as a grant-funded cooperative program with Florida A&M University, focuses on the common challenge of needing a high quality, diverse work force. MEMS is consistent with national priorities as evidenced by Healthy People 2010, the Institute of Medicine’s Ensuring Diversity in the Health-care Workforce and the Sullivan Commission’s Missing Persons: Minorities in the Health Professions. Currently, diverse groups make up about 30% of the U.S. population but only 9% of nurses, 6% of medical doctors and 5% of dentists are from diverse backgrounds. Similar trends are noted in Florida. Using the three pillars of Professional Development, Social Support and Recognition, MEMS is a model program that facilitates degree attainment and professional preparation of students from a variety of backgrounds who desire to enter health professions and to improve the health condition of undeserved populations.

MEMS Outcomes as of Spring 2013

• 151 students have completed MEMS, including 17 completing Advanced MEMS
• 146 (96.6%) have graduated (compared to 65% FSU graduation rate
• 30 (19.8%) completing/completed master's degrees
• 49 (32.4%) completing/completed professional school (9 public health, 12 medicine, 9 dietetics, 4 dentistry,
  6 pharmacy, 4 physical therapy 3 chiropractic, 2 nursing)
• 23 (24.2%) completing/completed professional school (6 public health, 4 physical therapy, 4 medicine, 3 dentistry, 3 pharmacy, 2 chiropractic, 2 nursing)
• 5 completing/completed the Ph.D.

Graduate/Professional School Placements

Inyang Akamune, UF-Jacksonville (pharmacy)

Lorenzo Amato, USF (nursing)

Alvaro Bada, FSU (medicine), surgical resident, Orlando Health

Inaki Bent, Nova Southeastern University (DO)

Jason Boothe, FSU  (medicine)

Sharica Brookins, Morehouse (master’s, public health), Meharry (medicine), internal medicine resident, UF-Jacksonville

Tunisia Marine Carter, FSU (master’s, motor learning and control)

Yashica Ceasar, FSU (master’s, nutrition)

Bernice Cherfrere, Palm Beach County Health Department (dietetic internship)

Deirdra Chester, FSU (master’s, nutrition) FIU (Ph.D., nutrition)

Cerrone Cohen, Medical University of South Carolina (medicine)

Evelyn P. Davila, FIU (master’s and Ph.D., public health); selected for CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service; senior epidemiologist,

Naval Health Research Center, San Diego)

Tej Diah, FSU (master’s, exercise science), Barry (master’s, biomedical sciences), Roseman University (dentistry)

Dykibra Montgomery Gaskin, FSU (master’s, nutrition, dietetic internship)

April Glenn, Temple University (medicine)

Joshua Golden, A.T. Still University (master’s, public health), University of Southern California (dentistry)

Rochelle Gordon, FAU (master’s, special education)

Angela Green, FSU (medicine)

Joe Green, Cleveland Chiropractic School (chiropractic)

Kim Griffin, USF (master’s, public health)

Nadia Groves, University of Pennsylvania (dentistry)

Samantha Hacker, Nova Southeastern University (pharmacy)

Kambria Haire, FAMU (public health)

Michelle Harper, FSU (medicine)

Darlene Hart, New York University (dentistry)

Crystal Hightower, Mississippi State University (master’s, nutrition)

Alana Hopewell, FSU (master’s, food science)

Navalee Hylton, FSU (master’s, food and nutrition)

Anne-Lynn Jean-Baptiste McCalla, University of Michigan (master’s, public health)

Kimberly C. Johnson, St. Augustine (physical therapy)

Roselette Joseph, FAMU (public health)

Alpha Journal,  Nova Southeastern University (master’s, health sciences)

Clauden Louis,  Nova Southeastern University (pharmacy)

Miranda Mack, FSU (medicine)

Susie Mathis, FSU (master’s, nutrition)

Bethie Melidor, FSU (master’s, nutrition)

Vernet Morency, FAMU (master’s, physical therapy)

Erika Potter Morgan, FSU (master’s, health education)

Kenya Morris, Tulane (master’s, public health)

Joseph Negusei, Cornell (medicine)

Maxim Olivier, FSU (medicine)

Micolette Perry,  Nova Southeastern University (biomedical sciences)

Kevin Prophete, University of Miami (master’s, business administration)

David Quintana, Duke (medicine), radiology resident, University of Miami

Calvin Randolph, George Washington University (master’s, health science, physical therapy)

Jenna Reed, FAU (master’s, athletic training), named Adjunct Professor of the Year at Broward College

Kimberley Rose, St. Louis Veteran Affairs Medical Center (dietetics internship)

Diego Rouylle, Nova Southeastern University (dentistry)

Sergio Samoen, UF (pharmacy)

Maranda Sapp, FSU (public health)

Aseelah Shareef, FSU (master’s, arts administration)

Annalise Smith, University of Miami (Ph.D. in biomedical science)

Latosha Soloman, USF (master’s, physical therapy)

Michael Solomon, North Carolina Central (master’s, nutrition)

Carol Porter Stallworth, FSU (master’s, biochemistry)

Jevetta Franklin Stanford, Kansas State (master’s, urban and regional planning) UNF (Ed..D, education), Research Associate, UF

Deja Stephenson (pharmacy)

Ashley Suah, Indiana University (medicine)

Vista Suarez, FSU (master’s, nutrition) Kansas State (Ph.D., food service)

Thaiser Taylor, Ken Blanchard’s School of Business (MBA)

Jessica Tillman, University of South Carolina (master’s, public health)

Rachelle Thomas, Nova Southeastern University (pharmacy)

Javier Vasquez, FSU (master’s, public health)

Kadijo Wade, FSU (medicine)

Naimah Wajd, Nova Southeastern University (DO)

Eric Walker, FAMU (master’s, public health), Southern Illinois (MEDPREP post-baccalaureate program)

Breanna Williams, Southern Illinois University (dietetic internship)

Kateuaisa Wilson, Parker College of Chiropractic (chiropractic)

Jaleena Wortham, FSU (master’s, nutrition)

Advanced MEMS Projects

•  Alvaro Bada, "Comparison of cardiovascular responses between resistance trained and untrained men and cardiovascular effects of oral L-arginine on resistance trained men" (Arturo Figueroa, Ph.D., mentor)
•  Sharica Brookins, "Perception of Physical Activity and Physical Characteristics of Adult African American Women in Providence Community of Tallahassee, FL" (Lynn Panton, Ph.D., mentor)
•  Cleveland Bryant, "Regulation of Cell Integrity by Dietary Copper" (Cathy Levenson, Ph.D., mentor)
•  Evelyn Davila, "Eating Disorder Prevention Program for Hispanic Females" (Penny Ralston, mentor)
•  Jevetta Franklin, "Soulful Taste of Tallahassee: Characteristics and Needs of African American Owned Restaurants" (Penny Ralston, Ph.D., mentor)
•  Samantha Hacker, "Age-related Effects of Blocked and Random Practice Schedule on Learning a New Technology by Older Individuals" (John Shea, Ph.D., mentor)
•  Crystal Hightower, "Reducing Chronic Disease Risk Factors Associated with Food Consumption by Middle School Students and Adults" (Jenice Rankins, mentor)
•  Alpha Journal, "Anti-inflammatory Effects of Celery Extract on Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 Murine Macrophage Cells" (Bahram Arjmandi, Ph.D., mentor)
•  Bethie Melidor, "Zinc Deficiency Induces Sex Specific Symptoms of Depression" (Cathy Levenson, Ph.D., mentor)
•  David Quintana, "HDAC Localization to the Brain and Relationship to Neuro-degeneration" (Charles Quimet, mentor)
•  Kimberley Rose, "Differences in Serum Zinc Concentrations and Neuronal Stem Cells in Male and Female Rats" (Cathy Levenson, Ph.D., mentor)

 Further reading on the MEMS program:

 Ralston, P. (2003). Diversifying the Health Professions: A Model Program. American Journal of Health Behavior, 27(3),235-245.

For more information about this project, please contact:

 Penny A. Ralston, Ph.D. 
 FSU Center on Better Health and Life for Underserved Populations
 Tallahassee, FL 32306-2641
 (850) 645-8110 Telephone
 (850) 645-8109 Fax
 pralston@fsu.edu