Miller School Student Receives Award from Florida Medical Association

Nathan McKenty, an M.D., MPH candidate in the Class of 2019 at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has received the Sanford A. Mullen, M.D. Award from the Florida Medical Association (FMA).

Nathan McKenty with Florida Medical Association award.

The award is presented to medical students for outstanding service to the Florida community and to Florida organized medicine. McKenty received the award at the association’s 2018 annual conference for his work organizing and leading the Miller School’s student chapter to become a leading force in state and national advocacy.

McKenty was twice elected the chapter’s national delegate to the American Medical Association (AMA), and carried the school’s vote at four national conferences. He was later elected the AMA recruitment chair in its southeast regional office, where he worked to modernize communication, social media outreach, and active engagement among medical students from North Carolina to Alabama. He currently serves as the elected president of the Miller School’s AMA/FMA medical student chapter, and he has worked to further raise the Miller School’s state and national profile, and to cement the gains of the past three years for future medical students.

McKenty coordinated statewide medical school support in Florida for FMA legislative action on HB 579/SB 800 — a state bill to allow Miami-Dade’s harm-reduction needle exchange program to expand to other counties in Florida. Although the bill was not passed in the most-recent legislative session, the Miami chapter will continue to advocate for its passage next year.

McKenty calls representing the Miller School a real passion. “The University of Miami has such a unique expertise and perspective on health,” he said, “and it’s critical that our voice is heard loudly and proudly in state and national conversations.”

Tags: Florida Medical Association, Nathan McKenty, Sanford A. Mullen MD Award