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CMS Foundation Access to Care Award
MARIA BADINO, M.D. RECEIVES CMS FOUNDATION’S 2022 ACCESS TOCARE AWARD, IN HONOR OF ROBIN MCDOUGALL
The Capital Medical Society Foundation awarded the 2022 Access to Care Award in Honor of Robin McDougall to Maria Badino, M.D. on May 20, 2022 at the Florida State College of Medicine’s Annual Awards Ceremony.
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The CMS Foundation’s Access to Care Award is named for Robin McDougall, LCSW, who championed increased access to healthcare as the Program Coordinator of our We Care Network for 14 years. The We Care Network is the Capital Medical Society Foundation’s program operated by local physicians who donate medical specialty care to local low-income, uninsured patients. It is our Foundation’s mission to increase access to care.
Maria Badino graduated from Florida International University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in biological science. She conducted research at FIU that focused on the impact that aging and age-related diseases have on mitochondria communication. Aside from her research involvement, Maria had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Johnny Franco during surgery and patient consultations as well as volunteer at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital as a Bedside Buddy. She also worked as a medical scribe in Baptist Urgent Care, where she worked alongside primary care physicians. In 2014, she embarked on a medical mission trip to Lima, Peru, with MEDLIFE, where she participated in mobile clinics in rural areas. She made a second medical mission trip to Nicaragua in 2017. She was drawn to the FSU College of Medicine for its distinctive mission and vision, commitment to practice patient-centered healthcare, and enduring dedication to serving and attending to minorities and underserved communities.
Dr. Jonathan Appelbaum, Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences, shared these comments as he presented the award, “Our Access to Care award winner was called ‘the embodiment of this award’ by one of her nominators. Her volunteerism is exceptional, whether helping elementary school students complete Science Fair projects during her first year of medical school, helping provide medical care on mission trips to underserved areas of Puerto Rico, working with the Chapman Community Health Program to bring healthcare to underserved communities, helping with monthly health screenings, or helping the local health department with COVID-19 vaccinations once vaccines became available. She became the Fort Pierce Regional Campus liaison with a pediatric extended daycare for vulnerable children and the FSU Chapman Community Health Program, securing medical items needed by the center as well as other willing volunteers to support the care of these children.
She served in leadership positions in FSUCares and the Latino Medical Student Association, as well as being historian for the Class of 2022. All the while, she continued to maintain high academic standards, just as she had when she graduated summa cum laude from Florida International University.”
Dr. Badino exemplifies our future, a young physician who will take an on-going interest in increasing access to medical care for the underserved. We wish her the best as she begins her residency in Pediatrics at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
