In prefacing this introduction, we’d like to offer an observation, which should be of interest to all. Regardless of medical school class rankings, graduates are all referred to as “DOCTOR.” With this revelation, we should all know that when choosing a physician, one must accept responsibility for adequately researching the doctor he or she is considering. Within our present day society, most licensed to practice medicine are truly miracle workers whether they are completely restructuring someone’s face or saving a life. As much as we realize that every physician is an asset to our community, we also know that some have established themselves at the top of their profession and are considered special; these are the ‘elite,’ the very best of the best. When seeking perfection, we search for the professional who has made it his or her life goal to excel within a field of specialization through many years of study, dedication and determination, continually challenging themselves to advance their knowledge; these brilliant human beings not only save lives but also enrich their communities with a skill set second to none. Beyond this and in order to stay abreast of the latest, almost daily changing medical advancements, the ‘elite’ undergo rigorous maintenance, updating through seminars, conferences and advanced studies to keep current with new technology and procedures. In adding our ‘Orlando’s Doctors of the Year’ section with this issue, we present a group of physicians, all of whom are reputable, Board Certified in their areas of expertise, extremely well recognized within our community and chosen by their peers. Our objective is to initiate a continuing dialogue with our readers, with an aim toward personalizing some of the finest doctors available.
Lourdes Benes, MD, FAAN
Neurology One Advancing Brain Health with CareDr. Lourdes Benes is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in Cognitive & Memory Disorders and Movement Disorders. With over two decades of experience, she specializes in treating patients with Mild...
Chirag J. Patel, MD, FACS
Lake Nona OphthalmologyChirag J. Patel, MD, FACS, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologist specializing in cataract and refractive surgery. He has an innate passion for helping patients see their best using leading-edge technology and the latest...
Mrunal Patil, MD
Prerna Health, Concierge Primary Care and Functional MedicineDr. Mrunal Patil is a board-certified primary care physician with over 15 years of experience in the healthcare field. Drawing from her extensive background, she founded Prerna Health, a clinic that offers...
Dr. Cecilia Rusnak
Where Holistic Healing, Advanced Aesthetics, and Paramedical Artistry Come TogetherDr. Cecilia Rusnak is a renowned acupuncture physician, paramedical aesthetician, educator, and innovator in the fields of integrative medicine, advanced aesthetics, and paramedical...
The Women’s Center of Orlando
Obstetrics | Gynecology | In-Office Procedures• Dr. Vartika Bhardwaj: A native of Orlando, Dr. Bhardwaj takes a collaborative and holistic approach to women’s health, specializing in minimally invasive surgery and peripartum care. She enjoys building connections with...
Dr. Edison Wong, MD
MD Diagnostic SpecialistsDr. Wong is a distinguished physiatrist specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His academic journey includes earning undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an MD...
Dr. Danielle Solomon Alhemovich
Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Concierge Physician Focused on Prevention & LongevityIn an era when medicine often prioritizes treating illness over preventing it, Dr. Danielle Solomon Alhemovich (Dr. Solomon), a leading Internal Medicine Concierge Physician in...
Saima Ali, MD
Endocrinology & Diabetes SpecialistDr. Saima Ali is board-certified in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin...
Kamran Azad, MD
Azad Plastic SurgeryBoard-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Kamran Azad specializes in Aesthetic Surgery of the breast and body in Central Florida. Dr. Azad was awarded his medical degree at the Chicago Medical School, where he graduated in the...
Craig Cole, MD
Florida Eye Surgeons and AssociatesDr. Cole is a highly respected ophthalmologist with Florida Eye Surgeons and Associates, dedicated to providing exceptional eye care to the Orange City, Sanford, and surrounding communities. He is a member of the American Academy of...
Dr. Joseph B. Davis
Partnering with Central Florida Families on the Journey to ParenthoodDr. Joseph B. Davis, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, brings over a decade of experience helping individuals and couples achieve their dreams of parenthood. After attending medical...
Florida Retina Institute
Pictured above, from top left to bottom right: Benjamin J. Thomas, MD; Raul J. Moreno, MD; Luis G. León-Alvarado, MD; Thomas A. Barnard, MD; Steven Houston Ill, MD, FASRS; Thalmon R. Campagnoli, MD; Jonathan A. Staman, MD; Nisarg P. Joshi, MD; Matthew A. Cunningham,...
Juan Salvador Perez Gomez, MD
Compassionate Care and Medical InnovationDr. Juan Salvador Pérez Gómez was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and has built an extraordinary career defined by dedication and excellence in medicine. He began his medical education at the esteemed Latin American...
Dr. Jeffrey Goorland, MD, MS
Double Boarded MD, LLCDr. Jeffrey Goorland, MD, MS, is a distinguished double board-certified physician specializing in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine. He completed a rigorous five-year combined residency at Ochsner-LSU Medical Center, where he served as Head...
Dr. Kelly LaFave
Florida Radiation OncologyDedication. Compassion. Technology. For over 19 years, Dr. Kelly LaFave has provided compassionate, cutting-edge cancer care using a patient-focused approach. Dr. LaFave is a board-certified radiation oncologist and proudly serves as the...
Mid-Florida Endodontics
Left to Right: Stephen T. Galla, DMD; M. Cameron Kharazi, DMD; David M. Burch, DMD; Gretchen Jungermann, DMD, MS; Hamza Mir, DMD, MS; Brad A. Lipkin, DDS, MMSc.; Aaron E. Isler, DDS, MS; William Aippersbach, DMD, MS; Mark Goldberg, DDS;Allen D. McCall, DMD, MS;...
H. Leland Mizelle MD, PhD, FACEP
Emergency Physicians of Central FloridaH. Leland Mizelle, MD, PhD, is a distinguished figure in the field of emergency medicine, currently serving as Chairman and Medical Director of the Emergency Department at the new cutting-edge Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital....
Ly T. Nguyen, MD
Eye Florida, Board-Certified Ophthalmologist | SurgeonDr. Ly T. Nguyen is a leading force in ophthalmology, combining over a decade of surgical expertise with an unwavering commitment to restoring vision and transforming lives. As a board-certified ophthalmologist and...
Alba D. Rivera-Diaz
Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineDr. Alba Rivera-Diaz is a highly competent and compassionate pulmonary and critical care medicine physician serving the Orlando community. She is part of the Florida Lung, Asthma & Sleep Specialists medical group that has been...
Dr. Sara Colón-Santiago
Board Certified Internal Medicine PhysicianDr. Sara Colón-Santiago is a Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician serving Central Florida. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Colón-Santiago graduated as a Medical Doctor from Universidad Central del Caribe in...
Dr. Edward Singh
A Remarkable Psychiatrist in Orlando, FloridaDr. Edward Singh is a highly respected psychiatrist in Orlando, Florida, known for his expertise, leadership, and unwavering dedication to his patients. Board-certified in both psychiatry and neurology and Yale-trained in...
Michael Steppie, MD
Associates in Dermatology Start fresh in 2025 with a skin check to your trusted dermatology specialist.Associates in Dermatology – your skin cancer and skincare specialists – has served the general, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology needs of Central Floridians for...
Javier Tello, MD, FACP, FIDSA
Mid Florida Infectious DiseaseDr. Tello is a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine and infectious diseases. A native of Peru, he completed medical school at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia before moving to the U.S. in 1990 for his residency...
Emilio Alonso, MD FACS
Liver and Pancreatic Surgery for HCA Florida OrlandoDr. Emilio Alonso Jr. is a fellowship-trained liver and pancreatic surgeon and GI surgical oncologist with the Sarah Cannon Cancer Network and HCA Florida Orlando Market. He serves as Medical Director of GI Surgical...
Akilah De Aza, MD
De Aza Direct Primary Care, PLLCDr. Akilah De Aza has joyfully served the Central Florida community since graduating from residency over 12 years ago. Born in Panama and raised in a suburb of Houston, Texas, she has traveled throughout the world and now loves to enjoy...
Dr. Rita Ellen Eye
Premier OB-GynRita Ellen Eye, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN physician who joined Premier OB-Gyn in 2014 and sees patients at her Winter Park, Oviedo, and Lake Mary offices. She is a physician/owner of Premier OB-Gyn, has served as Section Chair for the Department of...
The Franz Center
Cornelia Franz MD, FAAP, DNBHEWhat is unique about the Franz Center? For 40 years, the Franz Center has been outside the box of standard care. Incorporating nontraditional methods that are safe, affordable, and that WORK. We emphasize personalized care, focusing on...
Amparo (Amy) Gutierrez, MD, FAAN
Orlando Health Neuroscience InstituteAmparo (Amy) Gutierrez, MD, FAAN, is a triple-boarded neurologist serving the greater Orlando community. She is boarded by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and the...
James C. Herndon, Jr. DC, PA
Herndon Chiropractic ClinicAbout the Doctor Dr. Herndon was raised in South Georgia. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from both the University of Alabama, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, and from Life University School of Chiropractic in Marietta, Georgia. Dr....
Daniel Jacobs, MD
Neurological Services of Orlando, PA Daniel Jacobs, MD, graduated from Stanford with an AB in history in 1982, from Kansas University School of Medicine in 1987, completed his neurology residency in 1992, and his University of Florida fellowship in Cognitive and...
Dr. Denise Klemczak, FACOOG
Empowering Confidence, Wellness, and Beauty in Central FloridaWith over 17 years of experience as a board-certified OB/GYN, Dr. Klemczak has been a trusted provider of exceptional women’s care in Central Florida. Her lifelong dedication to health and wellness has made...
Amish M. Parikh, MD
Premier Cardiology & Vascular AssociatesAmish M. Parikh, MD, is a Central Florida native and University of Miami alumni. Dr. Parikh attended medical school at the University of South Florida; he completed his residency at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital and his...
Dr. Arthur S. Raptoulis
Pediatric CardiologyDr. Raptoulis was the first Pediatric Cardiologist in Central Florida. He arrived in Orlando and Orlando Health in July of 1975. In his almost 50 years on staff, he helped create a center of excellence in pediatric cardiovascular medicine and...
Dr. Faysal A. Rifai, DO
AdventHealth - Mid Florida Hospital SpecialistsDr. Faysal Rifai, DO, is board-certified in internal medicine and deeply committed to providing high-quality, efficient, and evidence-based patient care. Since joining AdventHealth Winter Garden with the Mid-Florida...
Dr. Carlos Eduardo Romano
Internal Medicine Primary Care Physician for AdventHealthDr. Carlos Romano is a dedicated internal medicine physician practicing in Celebration, Florida. His medical journey began at St. George’s University in the West Indies, where he earned his medical degree before...
Fanor Saavedra-Pozo, MD, FAANS
Neurosurgery - Spine SurgeryDr. Fanor Saavedra-Pozo: Precision and Compassion in Spine Surgery Gone are the days of extensive open back surgeries, thanks to Dr. Fanor Saavedra-Pozo, a distinguished neurosurgeon at Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute. With his...
Dr. Roxanne Sylora
Institute of Aesthetic SurgeryROXANNE SYLORA, MD Surgeon and Owner | Institute of Aesthetic Surgery When you look good, you feel good, and Roxanne Sylora, M.D., board-certified plastic surgeon and owner of the Institute of Aesthetic Surgery, is an undisputed expert in...
Daniela Tello, MD
Orlando Health Medical Group Infectious DiseasesDr. Daniela Tello is a board-certified physician in Infectious Diseases. Her initial passion for medicine and infectious diseases started when she did a medical mission trip in Lima, Peru. As a native of Peru, Dr. Tello...
Jennifer Sharp Thielhelm
PediatricsDr. Jennifer Sharp Thielhelm is honored to receive this award. Dr. Thielhelm has been practicing in Central Florida for the last thirty-one years with Orlando Health Physician Associates in Maitland. She tells everyone God has blessed her with an amazing,...
Lilliam Vazquez, MD
General PediatricianDr. Vazquez is a compassionate pediatrician, boasting 24 years of experience dedicated to providing preventive care for children from infancy through young adulthood. She is bilingual, fluent in English and Spanish. Born and raised in Ponce, Puerto...
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