SMH Celebrates Groundbreaking Advance in Research, Education

Sarasota Memorial broke ground a few weeks ago on a new state-of-the-art Research and Education Institute.

Designed to promote collaboration, discovery and innovation in medical education and research, the 5-story, roughly 80,000 square-foot facility will house Sarasota Memorial’s expanding clinical research division, clinical and graduate medical education programs, medical library and a new simulation center designed for hands-on training.

Rendering shows the southeast corner of the 5-story Research & Education Institute

Slated to open in 2025, the research facility is being built at the intersection of Arlington Street and Laurent Place, the site of the former Doctors Gardens medical office building. The 1950s-era building was demolished last year to make room for the new facility as well as a parking garage for about 300 vehicles.

“Bringing together skilled physicians, clinical investigators and nurse educators, the new Research and Education Institute will centralize everything we do under one roof, providing our physicians, clinical staff, residents and fellows enhanced opportunities to work collaboratively in an innovative clinical education environment,” said Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder.

Sarasota Memorial serves as a training ground for the next generation of caregivers and is ranked by Fortune/Merative among the top 40 teaching hospitals in the nation. With Florida State University as its academic partner, the organization provides residency and fellowship training programs that help attract and retain physicians to our community.

Sarasota Memorial Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, said the health system’s clinical research and education programs have tripled in size in recent years, with nearly 70 resident physicians and fellows completing residency and fellowship training each year, and more than 50 active research studies under way. Close to half of the physician residents have stayed on at Sarasota Memorial after completing their training, while nearly 70 percent remained in Florida. SMH also collaborates with nursing education programs throughout the region.

“We are so proud of the strides Sarasota Memorial has made in clinical research and education in recent years,” said Dr. Fiorica. “Our national recognition as a top teaching hospital helps attract exceptional physicians to the region and provide highly specialized care in our community.”

Currently, SMH’s education and training programs are located inside the hospital. Consolidating those programs into the adjacent facility will enhance interdisciplinary opportunities, while creating more clinical space in the Sarasota hospital for bedside care.

Watch a video of the groundbreaking event below:

Check out photos of SMHCS leaders and teams celebrating the start of the project:

Breaking ground on the new Institute, from left, are Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation President Stacey Corley, Clinical Research Medical Director Kirk Voelker, MD, Sarasota County Public Hospital Board Member Britt Riner, Research Institute Director Tamela Fonseca, SMHCS Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, Associate Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Baumgardner, Hospital Board Members Greg Carter and Sharon Wetzler DePeters, Chief Academic Officer Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch and SMHCS CEO David Verinder.

Representing Education & Clinical Programs, l-r, are Joan Edsel, Yvonne Boudreau of the Medical Library; Gina Farrell, Kim Jackson, Katie Axiotis, Katrin Diana and Stacie Williams; Mahira Moreira, manager of Education and Clinical Programs at SMH-Venice; Brian Nickel, Laura Horner and Jessica DePaulo; Associate Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Baumgardner, SMH-Sarasota Chief Nursing Officer Jean Lucas, Jennifer Sorensen, Melissa Shelton, manager of Education and Clinical Programs at SMH-Sarasota, Megan Hycner, Rebecca Bain, TJ Tremaine and Jennifer Bonamer.

Representing the Research Institute, from left, are Kimberly Williams, Aleksey Underwood, Casey Dean, Scarleth Andino Funez, Kaitlyn Meek, Kimber Meyer, Jake Moran, Kim Lacy, Maria Moreno, Kirk Voelker, Tamela Fonseca, Angele Price, Colleen Lindner, Rebecca Lazensky, Rachael Sanacore, Jon-Michael Eckert, and Alyssa Daubenschmidt

Representing Graduate Medical Education programs for physicians are, from left, Zeina Kayali, MD, 3rd year Internal Medicine resident/Chief Resident 2023-2024; Ian Motie, MD, 3rd year Internal Medicine resident/Chief Resident 2023-2024; Binit Patel, MD, 3rd year Internal Medicine resident; Internal Medicine & Hospitalist Associate Program Director Joel Baker, DO; Internal Medicine & Hospitalist Associate Program Director Karen Hamad, MD; Emergency Medicine Associate Program Director Sarah Temple, MD; Chief Academic Officer Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch, MD; Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD; Internal Medicine & Hospice Palliative Care Program Manager Caitlin Taylor; Emergency Medicine Assistant Coordinator Laura Hogue; Emergency Medicine Coordinator Jean Dunn, and Graduate Medical Education Institutional Coordinator Wendy Guerrier.