Mentoring Doctors for a Brighter Tomorrow

I have had the unique privilege of working under Dr. Chad Brands as an internal medicine resident for approximately two years of my professional career. To date, I have never met a more hard working and supportive mentor. His meticulous and organized approach to every administrative and organizational goal is only exceeded by his insightful wisdom in to how to make it a learning opportunity to others. He drives those around him and under his tutelage to push far beyond what is expected and into the domain of exceeding excellence. He has a guiding and very approachable demeanor to collaboration and communication, tempered with a decisive and refined method to constructive criticism. Under his wing, I was not only able to thrive in a highly demanding and academically intensive environment, but was able to excel in my extracurriculars. Research, community events, audition rotations, social programs, fellowship applications and the logistics to make it all successful were always encouraged and supported by his oversight. His daily optimism to every task only further highlighted his love for the work and profession he chose. I can confidently say that I am a better doctor, student, and person thanks to his influence, and I can only encourage others to take advantage of a similar experience should they get the opportunity.

Dr. Jordan Casola 
Chief Resident Physician
Internal Medicine

With years of clinical experience and a passion for teaching, he aims to bridge the gap between medical theory and real-world practice… He has personally mentored me during my time in residency in graduate medical education, and we have published several research projects together. I wish you all the best for this amazing endeavor, Dr. Brands!

Dr. Sohaib Asghar
Chief Resident
Internal Medicine

I have had the privilege to work with Dr. Brands as my mentor during medical school.  At that time, Dr. Brands had a busy schedule serving as the Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the brand-new medical school, but he was always trying to meet with individual mentees periodically, providing guidance for board preparation and residency applications. With decades of experience in GME and medical student mentoring, Dr. Brands helped me to formulate a strategic plan for my residency application, tailoring it competitively to residency programs given my background and personal interests. Without his help, I would not have matched into my #1 program in my chosen specialty. Not only did he care about our career plans as medical students, but he also treated every mentee as a colleague and friend. We keep in touch closely and his mentorship continues as I navigate through residency training. Thank you again, Dr. Brands.

Dr. Dekuang Zhao
Resident
Radiation Oncology
Moffitt Cancer Center

I feel truly fortunate to have Dr. Brands as my mentor. He has been a steady source of support and a positive influence throughout my career journey. During residency, he encouraged me to pursue my desired fellowship, no matter how competitive, and his belief in me inspired the motivation I needed to strengthen my application. Dr. Brands went above and beyond by helping me set up elective rotations at outside institutions to prepare for fellowship applications. He is also the most dedicated editor and reviewer I have worked with—spending countless hours over multiple days reviewing and refining my research manuscripts to ensure they were ready for publication. Dr. Brands is diligent, hardworking, and organized. He embodies the qualities of a strong, compassionate, and confident mentor and leader.

Dr. Abuoma Cherry Ekpendu
Chief Resident
Internal Medicine

 Dr Brands was clearly invested in physicians' futures and their moving forward in making action steps and provided a wealth of real-world experience in his many prior roles in medical leadership. He is clearly invested for all of the right reasons, and I would not be where I am today without his guidance, support and mentorship! Truly grateful to have had Dr Brands in my corner and know he will make a difference in many people's lives that listen to his sage advice.

Dr. Greg May
Third-Year Resident Physician 
Internal Medicine

His mentorship left a lasting impact on both my professional and personal development. He led by example, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, education, and integrity. Through his visionary leadership, Dr. Brands played a pivotal role in elevating our residency program by fostering a culture of academic curiosity and significantly expanding opportunities for research and scholarly activity. His wisdom, humility, and ability to inspire made him not only an exceptional program director but also a trusted mentor to many of us. Under his guidance, the program experienced transformative growth and set a new standard for resident education. I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to have learned from Dr. Brands and continue to carry forward the values he instilled in us.

Dr. Muhammad Majid
Chief Resident 
Internal Medicine