University of South Florida alumni Dr. Ife Bolujo, Dr. Trent Lippert, Dr. Karina Bowers,
and Dr. Sabrina Awshah were among seven medical school graduates selected for Tampa
General Hospital’s surgical residency program. Their undergraduate experiences at
USF, particularly within the Judy Genshaft Honors College, laid a strong foundation
for their journey into medical school and beyond.
These alumni recently shared their insights on the Honor Roll Podcast, where they
discussed the challenges and rewards of starting their surgical residency, their transformative
experiences in the Honors College, and their paths through medical school.
BRIGHT FUTURES IN MEDICINE
DR. IFE BOLUJO
Bolujo graduated from USF in 2018 with dual degrees in biomedical sciences and psychology and also holds a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. After graduating from USF, Bolujo attended medical school at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.
Interestingly, Bolujo didn’t always aspire to be a doctor. In high school, she initially
planned to study architecture. However, her path took a different turn after being
inspired by the popular medical series “House,” which sparked her interest in resolving
complex medical issues in real life.
According to Bolujo, one of the greatest challenges to overcome in medical school
was her own drive for perfection. Bolujo recalled a moment during an early medical
school rotation in which she fumbled and dropped important medical equipment in front
of her instructors ... twice.
Looking back on the experience, Bolujo has accepted that overcoming these moments
is part of the education journey.
“I’m just learning. I’m starting here like everybody else,” said Bolujo.
DR. TRENT LIPPERT
Lippert graduated from USF in 2018 with dual degrees in biomedical sciences and public
health. He then attended the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine,
graduating in 2024.
Growing up, Lippert was surrounded by family members who worked in health and health
care-adjacent fields. His great-grandparents were the first administrators of what
is now known as Advent Health, his grandmother was a nurse, and his father owns a
business that assists with breast cancer mammography. Lippert credits this lifelong
exposure to the medical field as the foundation for his affinity for science and the
source of his interest in health care.
Lippert said he always knew, in some way, that he wanted to follow in their footsteps,
though he didn’t always know that would mean becoming a surgeon.
When Lippert was still in high school, his grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer. Thanks to a dedicated team of health care providers, she was able to live
much longer than her original diagnosis predicted.
“That was when I really felt the personal effects,” said Lippert. “Going through that,
I wanted to be able to affect lives in the way they helped my grandmother.”
DR. KARINA BOWERS
Bowers graduated from USF with a bachelor’s of science in biomedical sciences and
a minor in nutrition in 2020. She also graduated from USF’s Morsani College of Medicine
in 2024.
Bowers recalled having an “identity crisis” early in her academic career. As a lifelong
competitive dancer who loved contemporary and ballet but also had a passion for STEM,
she aimed to keep both interests alive. This drove her to attend USF, where she could
pursue dance while studying biology.
However, a transformative experience set Bowers on the path to becoming a doctor.
While volunteering with All Children’s Hospital in the Child Life Department, Bowers
discovered the possibilities of medicine as a pathway to improve the lives of others.
“I would go to the unit, play with kids who didn’t have their parents around ... at
the time it was very rewarding, but I wanted to be able to help them more,” said Bowers.
“That was the beginning of my inching towards medicine.”
As Bowers enters her surgical residency, she carries forward the simple advice she
also shares with the med students who come after her: “In medicine, you have to be
a lifelong learner.”
DR. SABRINA AWSHAH
Awshah graduated from USF with dual degrees in psychology and biomedical sciences
in 2018, followed by her graduation from USF’s Morsani College of Medicine in 2024.
Similar to others in her cohort, Awshah did not always dream of becoming a doctor;
initially, she aspired to be an architect.
Her dreams shifted during high school when she became the primary caregiver for her
ill grandmother.
“I had just gotten my driver’s license, and I became the primary caretaker for my
grandmother. I was taking her to dialysis and cryotherapy appointments, seeing all
of these things, and I got to interact with a lot of physicians and specialists,”
recalls Awshah.
According to Awshah, witnessing doctors from various specialties work together to
care for her grandmother inspired her to do the same. Many of her grandmother’s doctors
also spoke her native language, Arabic. Seeing how these doctors not only treated
her grandmother but also formed a personal connection with her motivated Awshah to
focus on compassionate care in her own practice.
PEOPLE-FIRST APPROACHES
Bolujo, Lippert, and Bowers are all connected by their time learning from Honors Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Instruction Lindy Davidson.
Davidson’s scholarly work focuses on disability, ethics, global health and communication. She teaches medical ethics courses to undergraduate students in the Honors College, contributes to the medical humanities curriculum at the Morsani College of Medicine, and leads regular study abroad programs to the Dominican Republic, emphasizing health care access and community building.
“Dr. Davidson’s courses taught students how to approach people in general, going beyond
the scope of health care and stressing the importance of communication in the role
of a doctor,” recalls Lippert.
Dr. Davidson's holistic approach to teaching bridges the gap between clinical knowledge
and compassionate care, helping students to view patients as whole individuals.
“Teaching all of these soon-to-be physicians is really rewarding and important,” said
Davidson. “We get to guide them so that when they are a doctor looking at a patient
lying in a bed, they will remember that is a person with a whole life, full of experiences,
and that their diagnosis is not the only thing going on with them.”
Students interested in a career in medicine can explore the Honors College 7-year BS/MD program, explore unique Honors courses, or speak to their Honors advisor.