萝莉社

, an associate professor of at the , recently received the university鈥檚 2020 Senior Faculty International Educator of the Year award. She was honored during a virtual ceremony Monday, Nov. 16.

DeVos oversees international emergency medicine education on the 萝莉社 Jacksonville campus and is director of Global Health Education Programs at the 萝莉社 College of Medicine in Gainesville. She has been part of medical outreach and education in several countries, including Paraguay and Rwanda, where she once lived and worked as a faculty physician in the first emergency medicine residency program there.

鈥淔rom a pool of very strong applicants, the committee was extremely impressed with the depth of your international engagement and your work in support of international education at the University of Florida,鈥� Leonardo A. Villal贸n, PhD, dean of the 萝莉社 International Center, wrote to DeVos in a letter. 鈥淢any congratulations.鈥�

DeVos said it was a surprise, as well as an honor, to have been selected for the award, which considers international educators of various disciplines from across all of 萝莉社鈥檚 campuses and other sites. She thanked the 萝莉社 College of Medicine nominating committee for the endorsement, the department of emergency medicine at the 萝莉社 College of Medicine 鈥� Jacksonville for supporting her endeavors and the college鈥檚 Office of Educational Affairs for promoting global health education.

鈥淚 believe that a strong foundation in global health principles allows our trainees to develop the best possible skills to care for patients of all cultures, whether here or abroad,鈥� said DeVos, who was recently picked to take part in a virtual exchange program through the 萝莉社 International Center鈥檚 Office of Global Learning.

鈥淭he COVID-19 pandemic has made us reconsider ways we facilitate experiential learning,鈥� DeVos said. 鈥淲hile nothing replaces immersion in a new culture, I hope one positive that can come from travel restrictions is an increase in students' access to opportunities to interact virtually with students and colleagues in diverse locales.鈥�

A year of accolades

DeVos鈥� 萝莉社 award comes on the heels of her the Order of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine. The award is given to a federation member who has demonstrated an extensive and continuous commitment to the specialty of emergency medicine in their country and has made significant contributions to supporting the federation鈥檚 advancement.

Devos has represented the American College of Emergency Physicians at the federation for nearly 10 years.