On Sept. 29 via Zoom, Gator graduates who are completing residencies in various programs across the country shared their medical school tips and answered students’ questions on how to navigate medical school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Brian Taschner is a cardiologist in Fort Myers, Florida, and an avid athlete who completed the Spartan Beast obstacle course and race. Founder of Vibrant Beat, an educational platform that promotes healthy lifestyle habits, he hosts lecture at venues throughout the community to promote the benefits of a plant-based diet on cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Kavita Rajasekhar is a public health physician in NYC, serving as Associate Medical Director for a worker health protection program. She recently completed culinary school training at the Natural Gourmet Institute, a health-supportive, plant-based program, with an internship at Purple Kale Kitchenworks. Kavita enjoys learning and practicing knowledge on the healing properties of food and other lifestyle measures, especially yoga.

Dr. Anthony J. Pizzo, a plastic surgeon from Tampa, Florida, shares valuable lessons from his time as a student at the UF College of Medicine and how a phrase from today’s headlines has led to a deeper understanding of events in his medical career, presented in one of the many forms of art — an essay.

Dr. Kyle Seifert is a professor and associate department head in the department of biology at James Madison University, a primarily undergraduate institution in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Dr. Seifert is a firm believer in work/life balance, using his time away from the classroom and lab to build boats. He’s built a variety of kayaks, canoes, and a paddleboard, with plans to make many more in the near future.