Marking a Milestone: The Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. Teaching Health Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary and Graduation Ceremony

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Teaching Health Center graduates (from left to right) Drs. Morgan Biggs, Jenny Parra, Gabriella Edington, Mary Kerwin, Stainley Williams, Giselle Rodriguez-Alvarez, Niurka Nuñez, Rose Ternie-Andris, and Yeily Hernandez-Mato are all smiles on their big night.

“Tonight is a beautiful night!” said Blake Hall, President and CEO of Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI), as he opened the 10th Anniversary Gala of the Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. Teaching Health Center Graduation Ceremony. “As we gather today, we reflect on a journey marked by growth, innovation, and unwavering dedication to medical education.”

(R to L) President and CEO Blake Hall presents Colonel Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. with the Community Impact Award at the 10th Anniversary Gala and Graduation Ceremony.

On June 8, family, friends, and honored guests filled the grand ballroom at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel to celebrate a decade of distinction and CHI’s commitment to training the next generation of healthcare providers. The ceremony featured keynote speakers, Teaching Health Center alumni, and senior leadership who highlighted the program’s success. Hall paid a heartfelt tribute to dedicated faculty, residents, staff, and partners for their tireless efforts. “Over the past 10 years, our Teaching Health Center program has been a beacon of excellence, nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders and transforming the landscape of healthcare,” Hall said. “Our residents have become a catalyst for change, and I extend my deepest gratitude for everyone’s efforts.”

Established in 2014, under the leadership of former President and CEO Brodes H. Hartley, Jr., CHI was the first community health center to become a teaching health center in the state of Florida. The program achieved institutional accreditation from the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in 2017 and has trained 100 diverse residents who have gone on to practice and change lives across the country.

Family medicine chief resident Dr. Stainley Williams sports a big smile before receiving his certificate.

The gala also celebrated the graduation of nine family medicine and psychiatry residents. These residents faced the unique challenge of beginning their resident program during an unpredictable pandemic and enduring long nights of studying and training. Now, they are prepared to enter the world of healthcare as practicing physicians. Chief psychiatry resident Dr. Gabriella Edington offered a hopeful message to her fellow residents as she reflected on their time at CHI and offered advice for their future as they embark on this new journey together.

“In my life and in my time here in residency, I have grown so much in hard places and uncomfortable situations,” she said. “This is honestly where I grew up the most. I needed to be uncomfortable. So, let us all refuse to grow and walk in anything but gratitude and peace. It benefits everyone we encounter.”

Among the graduating residents, Drs Yeily Hernandez-Mato and Rose Ternie-Andris, will remain on board with CHI and continue to treat patients in the South Florida community.

The evening was a celebration not only of the past decade but also of the bright future ahead. The Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. Teaching Health Center remains committed to its mission of supporting the next generation of healthcare providers and ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to all. With a decade of success complete, the future looks promising for CHI and its community.