Dr. Curtis Whitehair named interim dean at FAU
Florida Atlantic University recently announced Dr. Curtis L. Whitehair as interim dean at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in Boca Raton, Fla. Whitehair and his husband, Eloi Cardoso, own the Olive Orchard tasting room at First Street Station in Rehoboth Beach, and the couple have owned a home in the city since 2015.
“We are enthusiastic about the wealth of knowledge, the abundance of experience and the inspirational leadership [Whitehair] brings to this role,” the university said in a press release.
As senior associate dean for graduate medical education, Whitehair integrated the West Palm Beach VA with FAU’s Graduate Medical Education Consortium, enriching its resources and strengthening its bond with the community. Partnering with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Whitehair also developed a unique training platform for psychiatry residents, raising mental health service standards and further establishing the college’s commitment to healthcare excellence in the region.
Under Whitehair's leadership, FAU received approval for a new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education fellowship in pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine. This expands the academic prospects of FAU’s learners and brings more specialized care to the community.
Whitehair's commitment to educational excellence earned the college an ACGME Non-Standard Training Institution recognition. This notable designation highlights the quality of medical education and grants flexibility to offer unique training experiences. His initiatives, particularly the establishment of the FAU College-Wide Early Alert System, reflect his dedication to fostering a nurturing and supportive learning environment.
Whitehair is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, specializing in musculoskeletal medicine, occupational medicine and cancer rehabilitation. His leadership acumen is rooted in distinguished roles held at the MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Health prior to joining FAU.
He serves as a core faculty member for the Harvard Macy Institute’s Educators in Health Professions and was honored with the prestigious ACGME 2016 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award.
Whitehair is a graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, and completed his residency training in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital after completing a preliminary year of family medicine at the Medical College of Virginia.
He is a fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and was the 2007-09 president of the Maryland Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the state-recognized chapter of the AAPM&R.
