Credentials Committee
This committee interviews license applicants whose prior history, including malpractice cases, raises questions of concern regarding the ability to practice with skill and safety, or questions about an applicant’s performance in medical school or prior practice in other jurisdictions. The committee reports to the full board with recommendations on approval or denial of applications.
Staff Contact: Wendy Alls
Chair Robert London, M.D.
Member(s) Magdalena Averhoff, M.D. - Vice Chair
Andre Perez, Consumer Member
Seela Ramesh, M.D.
Hector Vila, M.D.
Rotating Member(s) February - Nicholas Romanello, Consumer Member
April – Sarvam TerKonda, M.D.
June – Steven Rosenberg, M.D.
August – Jorge Lopez, M.D.
October – James Orr, Jr., M.D.
December – Merle Stringer, M.D.
Probation Committee
This committee monitors the compliance of licensees who have been disciplined and placed under conditions or license probation in Final Orders. The committee reviews required reports of compliance and requires personal appearances from probationers as part of ongoing monitoring, until such time as the conditions of probation are fulfilled. The committee presents recommendations to the full Board regarding further action when a licensee is determined to be out of compliance, or to restore full licensure when all conditions have been satisfactorily completed.
Staff Contact: Towanda Burnett
Chair Steven Falcone, M.D.
Member(s) Brigitte Goersch, Consumer Member - Vice Chair
James Orr, Jr., M.D.
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer Member
Merle Stringer, M.D.
Rules/Legislative Committee
This committee develops recommendations for amendment of Board rules or creation of new rules, to clarify standards or to impose requirements to strengthen patient protection and quality of care. This committee also makes recommendations to the full board regarding bills filed with the legislature.
Staff Contact: Crystal Sanford
Chair Sarvam TerKonda, M.D.
Member(s) Seela Ramesh, M.D. – Vice Chair
Steven Falcone, M.D.
Andre Perez, Consumer Member
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer Member
Steven Rosenberg, M.D.
James Orr, Jr., M.D.
Jorge Lopez, M.D.
Surgical Care and Quality Assurance Committee
This committee reviews the Board’s rules relating to standard of care for office surgery to determine necessary and appropriate revisions to strengthen patient safety and minimize the risk factors that contribute to adverse patient incidents. This committee addresses issues related to quality of care and standards of practice and formulates policy recommendations for the full Board’s consideration and studies quality of care issues as they arise.
Staff Contact: Crystal Sanford
Chair Jorge Lopez, M.D.
Member(s) Hector Vila, M.D. - Vice Chair
Steven Falcone, M.D.
Brigitte Goersch
Robert London, M.D.
James Orr, Jr., M.D.
Sarvam TerKonda, M.D.
Communication, Education and Information Committee
This committee is tasked with developing proactive communication strategies in an effort to educate and inform applicants, licensees and the public about the roles and activities of the Board of Medicine and the laws, rules and ethics regulating the practice of medicine.
Staff Contact: Rebecca Hewett
Chair Brigitte Goersch
Member(s) Steven Rosenberg, M.D.
Andre Perez
Council on Physician Assistants
The Council on Physician Assistants makes recommendations to the department on the licensure of physician assistants. It develops rules regulating the use of physician assistants by physicians and makes recommendations to the Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine regarding all matters relating to physician assistants. It addresses concerns and problems of practicing physician assistants in order to improve safety in the clinical practice of a licensed physician assistant.
Staff Contact: Wendy Alls
Chair Hector Vila, M.D., Chair
Member(s) Dayne Alonso, P.A. Vice Chair
Jorge Lopez, M.D.
James W. Orr, Jr., M.D.
Joel Rose, D.O.
Anesthesiologist Assistant Joint Committee
This committee interviews license applicants whose prior history, including malpractice cases, raises questions of concern regarding the ability to practice with skill and safety, or questions about an Anesthesiology Assistant applicant’s performance in school or prior practice in other jurisdictions. This committee also makes recommendations for rule creation and/or changes relating to the regulation of this profession.
Staff Contact: Wendy Alls
Chair Hector Vila, M.D.
Member(s) James W. Orr, Jr., M.D.
Brigette Goersch, Consumer member
Joel Rose, D.O.
Finance & Process Accountability
The purpose of this committee is to review the Board’s budgetary standing. In addition, this committee is tasked with following up on recommendations made with regard to process improvement.
Staff Contact: Rebecca Hewett
Chair Andre Perez, Consumer Member
Member(s) Seela Ramesh, M.D.
Nicholas Romanello, Consumer Member
Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine’s Joint Committee on Medical Marijuana
This committee was tasked with developing a consent form so the law could be implemented and qualified physicians could begin complying with the requirements for issuing a physician certification to a qualified patient. The Committee would be working on specific provisions of SB8-A passed during the 2017 Special Legislative Session and related to the medical use of marijuana.
Staff Contact: Crystal Sanford
Chair Sandra Schwemmer, D.O.
Member(s) Jorge Lopez, M.D. - Vice Chair
Steven Rosenberg, M.D.
Merle P. Stringer, M.D.
Sarvam TerKonda, M.D.
Joel Rose, D.O.
Michelle Mendez, D.O.
Telemedicine Subcommittee
This subcommittee was created to review and update the current Telemedicine rule which currently relates only to Internet prescribing.
Chair TBA
Member(s) Ronald Burns, D.O.
Anna Hayden, D.O.
Robert London, M.D.
James W. Orr, Jr., M.D.
Seela Ramesh, M.D.
Joel B. Rose, D.O.
Sarvam TerKonda, M.D.
Physician Certification Pattern Review Panel
Section 381.986, Florida Statutes requires the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine to jointly create a physician certification pattern review panel that shall review all physician certifications submitted to the medical marijuana use registry. The panel shall track and report the number of physician certifications and the qualifying medical conditions, dosage, supply amount, and form of marijuana certified. The panel shall report the data both by individual qualified physician and in the aggregate, by county, and statewide. The physician certification pattern review panel shall, beginning January 1, 2018, submit an annual report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Staff Contact: Crystal Sanford
Chair Steven P. Rosenberg, M.D.
Member(s) Jorge Lopez, M.D.
Michelle Mendez, D.O.
Joel Rose, D.O.
Sandra Schwemmer, D.O.
Merle Stringer, M.D.
Sarvam TerKonda, M.D.
