Cuc Mai, MD, assistant dean for Graduate Medical Education (GME) and program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, has been appointed senior associate dean for GME at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM).

Dr. Mai, an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, will lead GME in an interim capacity until the senior associate dean appointment becomes permanent on March 1.  She assumes the role held by Charles Paidas, MD, who left USF Health Jan. 17 to join Nemours Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.

Cuc Mai, MD

Kellee Oller, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, has been selected as the new program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program effective March 1.

“Dr. Mai has been strongly committed to improving the learning environment for all our residents and fellows,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.  “I am confident in her ability as proven leader to strengthen our training programs during this time of dynamic change in GME.”

Since Dr. Mai became the internal medicine residency program director in 2012, the program has increased in size by 30 percent, expanded its rotation offerings, and improved its national recognition with a more competitive match. It has also achieved a 100-percent board pass rate, and a 100-percent fellowship match rate.

“She has been an outstanding leader with exceptional creativity who has brought national prominence to our residency,” said John Sinnott, MD, chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Mai received her MD degree from USF in 2000 and completed her residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She joined the faculty of MCOM as an assistant professor of internal medicine in 2005, and was advanced to associate professor in 2012. In 2015 she was appointed Assistant Dean for GME.

She has been instrumental in GME curricular design and innovation at Tampa General Hospital and other teaching affiliates. Most recently, Dr. Mai helped develop the GME Patient Safety Workshop to help USF residents across various specialties to better identify potential causes of medical errors, as well as to develop protocols and enhance communication to avoid such errors.

A fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Mai received the ACP Florida Chapter’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award in 2016.  She has been a two-time recipient of the Roy H. Behnke Residents’ Faculty Award and three-time recipient of the Tampa General Hospital Outstanding Teacher Award.