New members of local medical facilities
LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH
Imad Dibo, M.D., joined Lakeland Regional Health as an infectious disease specialist. He has substantial experience working in both clinic and hospital settings. Dibo is board certified in infectious diseases and internal medicine. He earned his medical degree and Diploma of Public Health from Damascus University in Damascus, Syria. He completed the Categorical Residency Program in Internal Medicine and Fellowship Program in Infectious Diseases at Suny at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York. He cares for patients at the Medical Center.
Marines Acevedo Rodriguez, M.D., provides holistic geriatrics care. She has extensive experience in palliative care, hospice and internal medicine. Acevedo Rodriguez is board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Acevedo Rodriguez earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. She earned her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science Campus School of Medicine in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Acevedo Rodriguez completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Nevada in Reno, Nevada. In addition, she completed her integrated fellowship in geriatric medicine, hospice, and palliative care at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She cares for patients at the Medical Center.
Lakeland Regional Health was named one of Forbes 2022 Best-in-State Employers. America's Best-in-State Employers 2022 were identified in an independent survey based on a vast sample of approximately 70,000 Americans working for companies with more than 500 employees in the U.S. Across 25 industry sectors, 1,380 employer brands were ranked among the top employers. Brands were able to win in more than one state. The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employees were also asked to evaluate other employers in their respective industry and state that stood out either positively or negatively.
WATSON CLINIC
Nicole M. Dawson, M.D., is a board-certified anesthesiologist who serves patients during their inpatient and outpatient procedures at Lakeland Regional Health, Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center and Bartow Regional Medical Center. Dawson earned her medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. She went on to complete an internship in obstetrics and gynecology at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, and residency in anesthesiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She is board certified in anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology and is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Elizabeth N. George, O.D., serves the eye care needs of optometry patients from her offices at Watson Clinic Main, 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. George received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. She completed her residency in primary care with an emphasis in ocular disease and low vision at Bay Pines VA Medical Center in Bay Pines. She is board certified by the American Board of Optometry and is a member of the Florida Optometric Association.
Registered nurse practitioner Jennifer Kouromihelakis, APRN, works alongside board-certified pulmonology specialist Naem Shahrour, M.D., from Watson Clinic Main, 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. Kouromihelakis earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from Chamberlain University in Addison, Illinois. She is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Katherine M. Kalmanek, M.D., received her medical degree from Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago. She completed her internship and residency in anesthesiology at Northwestern University, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in Chicago and a fellowship in adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, in New York. She is board certified in anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology and in advanced perioperative transesophageal echocardiography by the National Board of Echocardiography. Kalmanek also offers her services at Lakeland Regional Health, Bartow Regional Medical Center and Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center.
Pavanaja Reddy, M.D., earned her medical degree from Kakatiya Medical College in Warangal, India. Reddy performed an internship at Gandhi Hospital in Warangal, an additional internship in transitional medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Elmhurst, New York, and her residency in anesthesiology at the SUNY Health Science Center in Brooklyn, New York. She is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Reddy also offers her services at Lakeland Regional Health, Bartow Regional Medical Center and Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center.
Travis A. Carter, M.D., M.S. is a board-certified radiologist and breast imaging specialist at Watson Clinic Women’s Center, 1400 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. Carter earned his Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of South Florida in Tampa. He received his Master of Science degree in molecular medicine and his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, where he also completed his internship in surgery and his residency in radiology. Carter completed his fellowship training in breast imaging at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. He is a member of the American College of Radiology. He is board certified by the American Board of Radiology.
Patrick Francois, M.D., is a nephrology specialist who treats patients from Watson Clinic Highlands, 2300 E. County Road 540A in south Lakeland. Francois earned his Bachelor of Health Science degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and his medical degree from Caribbean Medical University in Curacao, Netherlands. He completed his residency in internal medicine at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Queens, New York, and his fellowship in nephrology at the University of Miami. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the American Society of Nephrology.
Kristina Hair, D.O., is a board-certified family medicine specialist at Watson Clinic Bartow, Building A, 2250 Osprey Blvd., Suite 100, Bartow. Hair earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Lincoln Memorial Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee, and completed her family medicine residency at Reid Health in Richmond, Indiana. She is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and is a member of the American Osteopathic Association.
Marvin R. McBride, M.D., is a Watson Clinic hospitalist who treats inpatients exclusively at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, 1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. McBride earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed a family medicine internship and residency at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Nerissa Rickman, a patient service specialist who works at the 4 West reception desk at Watson Clinic Main in Lakeland, was recently named the recipient of the Program for Employee Excellence and Recognition award for September. Rickman has been with the clinic for two years, and has gained a reputation for going above and beyond to help patients and co-workers. If needed, she will walk patients to their destination rather than simply giving directions. Her co-workers say that Rickman “exudes a positive energy” and that she is a joy to work with. Rickman received a plaque, dinner at a local restaurant, a reserved parking spot and a gift certificate from the Medical Spa at Watson Clinic LLP to acknowledge her contributions to the organization.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Medical people and changes
