After 20 years of leading UCF’s College of Medicine and advancing the university’s clinical efforts, Deborah German will conclude her tenure as founding dean of the UCF College of Medicine and vice president for health affairs.

“Because [Deb German] dared, the UCF College of Medicine is now an engine of talent, research and impact that is shaping healthcare for generations.” — Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president

German will remain in her roles while UCF conducts a national search for her successor. Following that transition, she will serve for one year as senior advisor for health affairs to the president and provost, supporting continuity during the next phase of growth.

When German arrived at UCF in 2006, the College of Medicine existed only as a bold idea that many questioned. Today, it is a nationally respected medical school and the academic anchor of Orlando’s Lake Nona Medical City.

“When Dr. German came to UCF, many believed building a medical school from the ground up — at a young university, in a brand new medical city — was too ambitious, too complex and too risky. Deb saw possibility where others saw barriers,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Because she dared, the UCF College of Medicine is now an engine of talent, research and impact that is shaping healthcare for generations.”

Building a Medical School and a Workforce Pipeline

German arrived at UCF in 2006 as the medical school’s only employee. Her mission: build a medical school that would be the academic foundation of an emerging Medical City and inspire economic development in the community, region and state.

From its inception, the College of Medicine was designed to be research intensive and community connected.

To attract the best and brightest students, German helped secure more than $6.5 million to provide full four-year scholarships and living expenses for every member of the inaugural M.D. class — the first time in U.S. history a medical school fully funded an entire class. She also established the focused inquiry and research experience curriculum, requiring every medical student to conduct original scientific research. UCF medical students frequently achieve 100% residency placement rates.

Recognizing Florida’s growing physician shortage, German expanded graduate medical education in partnership with HCA Healthcare and the Orlando VA Medical Center. What began in 2014 with 17 internal medicine residents has grown to more than 720 residents and fellows training across Florida in high-need specialties including primary care, surgery, psychiatry, geriatrics and endocrinology.

This growth has strengthened Florida’s healthcare workforce at scale.

Advancing Academic Health Sciences

Under German’s leadership, UCF established an Academic Health Sciences Center uniting the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions and Sciences, along with UCF Health Student Health Services.

The Lake Nona Health Sciences Campus now includes the Medical Education Building, a new College of Nursing facility, UCF Lake Nona Hospital, the UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center, and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences — home to nearly 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students preparing to become tomorrow’s scientific leaders.

In addition, the medical school’s Clinical Trials Division currently has 19 studies investigating new and better treatments for conditions including cancer, allergic asthma and Huntington’s disease.

In 2025, German also led the launch of UCF’s aerospace medicine program, leveraging UCF’s proximity to Kennedy Space Center to explore innovations that improve both space health and patient care on Earth.

“When we opened the medical school, we said we wanted to create a program that was locally, nationally and internationally relevant,” German says. “With our new space medicine program, we now can be galactically relevant.”

Expanding Patient Care for the Community

“Watching [UCF’s] growth and our impact on so many people, including my own family, has been both humbling and deeply rewarding.” — Deborah German, College of Medicine founding dean

German also led the creation of UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice and the student-run KNIGHTS Clinic in partnership with Grace Medical Home to serve uninsured patients.

Most recently, UCF unveiled a 38-foot Mobile Health Clinic, bringing free, high-quality healthcare directly to communities in need while serving as a hands-on training site for students across disciplines.

“Watching our growth and our impact on so many people, including my own family, has been both humbling and deeply rewarding,” German says. “My goal in coming to UCF was to create the academic anchor of a new Medical City.  That foundation is now fully in place; we have done a good job. Now it is time for new leadership that will take us to new heights.”