Celebrating Women in Medicine Month 2023

By Kristian Thomas

During the month of September, the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville joined the American Medical Association to celebrate Women in Medicine Month. This year, the College of Medicine – Jacksonville is highlighting our women faculty who advance medicine daily. Thank you for all you do to move medicine forward.

Myint Thway, MD,

Myint Thway, MD
Myint Thway, MD

Assistant professor

Department of medicine

Myint Thway, MD, is an assistant professor in the department of medicine.  Thway, a rheumatologist with an interest in Systemic Lupus Ertyhematosus, was inspired by her father to enter the field of medicine. Thway is passionate about educating the next generation of health care professionals.

“Education is a powerful tool for shaping the future of health care,” Thway said. “The unique combination of being a clinical educator and rheumatologist allows me to treat patients and impart my knowledge and expertise on the next generation of physicians.”

Thway’s medical journey is driven by a profound sense of purpose, a desire to alleviate suffering and dedication to improving health care outcomes for all.

Alexandria Beier, DO

Associate professor

Alexandria Beier, DO
Alexandria Beier, DO

Department of neurosurgery

Alexandra Beier, DO, is an assistant professor in the department of neurosurgery. Beier grew up in a family of physicians that encouraged her to forge her own path in life. Her passion to help others drew her to a career in medicine.

As a pediatric neurosurgeon, Beier dedicates her work to caring for children.

“I enjoy working with children and trying to get them back to their normal life. I also take joy in teaching them about their disease process and how we are going to make them better,” Beier said.

“I am proud of the Pediatric Surgical Epilepsy program that I have been building since starting here at UFCOMJ. We are offering state-of-the-art care for epilepsy patients who are intractable to medicine and are giving them new leases on life. It is such a joy to see children and their families start a new chapter in life, seizure free, when their lives before were riddled with seizures and hospitalizations.”

Lakshmi Damalanka, MD,

Lakshmi Damalanka, MD
Lakshmi Damalanka, MD

Assistant professor

Department of anesthesiology

Lakshmi Damalanka, MD, is an assistant professor in the department of anesthesiology. Her parent’s passion for serving people in need inspired her to enter health care.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve humanity with the diverse team here at UF COMJ,” Damalanka said. “Being able to help patients wake up pain-free at the end of surgery is a joy as an anesthesiologist.”

Maryuri Cannon, MD

PDA 1 resident

Department of pediatrics

Maryuri Cannon, MD
Maryuri Cannon, MD

Maryuri Cannon, MD, is a chief resident in the department of pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.

“My vocation is to serve others,” Cannon said. “Working in health care allows you to touch people’s lives and improve their well-being by modifying their social determinants of health and providing information about resources.

In her role, she enjoys creating academic opportunities for residents in training develop their skillsets.

“I am working on a pediatric point-of-care ultrasound training for pediatric residents alongside a pediatric emergency medicine faculty member. This training will allow our residents to use ultrasound as a tool to help assess clinical status and perform procedures to improve patient care,” Cannon said.

As a mother and woman in medicine, she encourages women in health care to never stop dreaming, be open to challenges and have a positive attitude. 

Rita Nathawad, MD

Associate Professor; Medical Director

Rita Nathawad, MD
Rita Nathawad, MD

Department of Pediatrics

Rita Nathawad, MD, is an associate professor of pediatrics and associate program director of the pediatric residency program. She also serves as the medical director of the JaxHats and the Bower Lyman Center for Medically Complex Children programs.

She entered health care to build connections and fulfill her passion to teach, whether it be with patients, colleagues or trainees. Her clinical work focuses on the care of youth and young adults with special health care needs as they transition from pediatric to adult based health systems.

“Our patients and families face significant challenges,” Nathawad said. “To see their resilience and ability to overcome these obstacles is truly heartwarming, whether it be the few steps a teen may take after a major brain or spinal cord injury or being invited to a patient’s high school graduation when there was uncertainty if they would make it there. Those are the parts of my day to day that bring me joy!”

Sophia Array, MD

PRG 4 resident

Sophia Array, MD
Sophia Array, MD

Department of psychiatry

Sophia Array, MD, is a PRG 4 resident in the department of psychiatry.