![\"fullerton-headshot\"](\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2016\/11\/Fullerton-Headshot-150x150.jpg\")
UCF biology alumnus Patrick Fullerton \u201992 has a simple philosophy: Think big.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf people aren\u2019t laughing at your dreams, you aren\u2019t dreaming big enough,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Fullerton, the son of a truck driver, is a first-generation college student who grew up with no professional leadership in his life. He said UCF made all the difference in teaching him to dream big.<\/p>\n
Today he holds his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University. He is an emergency medicine physician at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center, CEO and president of three companies, and will graduate from Harvard University with his master\u2019s degree in health care management in 2018.<\/p>\n
Fullerton credits the one-on-one mentoring he received from faculty in the UCF Department of Biology for his drive to make a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe faculty at UCF were available,\u201d Fullerton said. \u201cThe classes used a multi-disciplinary, personal approach that really prepared me for medical school.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the main reason Fullerton wants to stay connected to UCF and hopefully one day become a clinical professor at the university. He would like to create a pre-med mentorship program where he works in the VA Medical Center.<\/p>\n
The road to success wasn\u2019t easy. Fullerton served in the Army as a combat medic for two years before pursuing his degrees. He started at Daytona State College, where he earned his associate degree and then transferred to UCF. After graduating from UCF with a bachelor\u2019s degree in biology, he attended medical school at Nova Southeastern University on a military scholarship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned to love leadership from being a military officer,\u201d Fullerton said. \u201cGood leadership produces good leaders. That\u2019s my goal moving forward through my companies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fullerton serves as CEO and president of Crimson Healthcare Consulting Group Inc., Health Science Capital Management Inc., and RPM Technologies Inc.<\/p>\n
Crimson Healthcare Consulting Group is a high-level consulting firm that assists in strategic planning and claims management to improve health care delivery. Health Science Capital Management provides investment capital to start-up companies in the emerging markets of health care delivery and health care technology. Both businesses were founded early this year.<\/p>\n
His most recent business venture RPM Technologies, established in October, is a health care technology company specializing in health care applications, health care billing software, IT health care informatics, electronic medical records interface applications, and wearable medical technology.<\/p>\n
Fullerton said his health care business ventures are rooted in his passion for improving health care planning, a drive he remembers being sparked at UCF.<\/p>\n
\u201cUCF and its faculty shaped my future,\u201d he said. \u201cA student\u2019s undergraduate experience is important and I found an unparalleled collegial experience at UCF.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fullerton said he has fond memories of his organic chemistry class with Seth Elsheimer. \u201cHe made a tough class very enjoyable,\u201d he said. \u201cHe was funny, engaged and available. It was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n