Dr. Kerwyn Flowers begins new chapter as dean of the Florida State University Tallahassee Regional Campus
Tallahassee, Florida – The Florida State University College of Medicine has announced the appointment of Dr. Kerwyn Flowers as the new dean of its Tallahassee Regional Campus, marking a significant leadership transition that reflects the school’s continued commitment to rural health and community-based medical education.
Dr. Flowers has been a key member of the College of Medicine since 2017 and brings a deep understanding of the university’s mission, its student body, and the needs of underserved populations in Florida. Since 2019, she has served as Director of Rural Medical Education, and her experience in that role has uniquely prepared her for this next step in her career.
“Having served as Director of Rural Medical Education and chair of the curriculum committee, leading the third- and fourth-year medical education program, Dr. Flowers is well-positioned to take on this new role,” said College of Medicine Dean Dr. Alma Littles in a message to students, faculty, and staff. “She has a track record of excellent patient care and outstanding evaluations from her students. I have no doubt she will continue to be an excellent leader and mentor for the students, staff and faculty at the Tallahassee Regional Campus.”
Raised in Quincy, Florida, Flowers is a familiar face in the Big Bend region. She earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Florida A&M University before obtaining her medical degree from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her career has taken her from Akron City Hospital in Ohio—where she completed her family medicine residency—to private practice in North Florida and South Georgia.
Flowers said her path to this leadership role began when she herself participated in an outreach program offered by FSU while she was in high school.
“This passion for regional education that lives inside of me started with a spark, being a part of one of FSU’s programs,” she said. “I appreciate our mission and how we’re deeply committed to be available and aware of community needs of the underserved and rural communities.”
Before coming to FSU, Flowers served as a faculty member at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia, where she trained medical students and residents and led osteopathic medical education efforts. She also participated in leadership development programs, including fellowships in academic medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University and faculty development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
At FSU, Flowers has continued to practice general family medicine while serving as a mentor and teacher to students in a clinical setting. She is the faculty adviser to the FSU Student Chapter of the Florida Rural Health Association and has led the Rural Learning Experience program for the past two years, further deepening her impact on rural health education.
“I’ve been in roles where I mentor students since I started in academia, and I love that dynamic of passing on knowledge to the next generation,” she said. “I see this role not just being a mentor to students, but to faculty and staff as well…creating this collaborative culture between myself and the faculty to find ways to improve each other.”
The Tallahassee Regional Campus is one of six regional campuses across Florida operated by the FSU College of Medicine. Each year, the Tallahassee campus supports about 40 third- and fourth-year medical students, along with 10 physician assistant students, providing them with hands-on clinical experience in the community.
Flowers succeeds Dr. Sandeep Rahangdale, who served as dean of the Tallahassee Regional Campus for the past eight years. Rahangdale recently took a leave of absence to pursue work in public health outside the Tallahassee area.
As she takes the reins, Flowers is expected to continue the College of Medicine’s emphasis on training physicians who are prepared to serve in rural and underserved areas of Florida—an ongoing priority for the university.
Her background, vision, and longstanding connection to the region are seen as key assets as the campus moves into a new chapter of leadership.
With her appointment, the College of Medicine reaffirms its dedication not only to academic excellence but also to shaping health care professionals who understand and respond to the needs of the communities they serve.
