Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine have formally entered into a new academic partnership. The agreement will expand pediatric training, improve patient care, and strengthen research efforts in South Florida and beyond.
The partnership was officially announced at a celebration held at FIU’s Earlene and Albert Dotson Pavilion. It brings together South Florida’s top pediatric hospital and the region’s leading public research university. Their shared goal is to improve children’s health through education, innovation, and clinical excellence.
“This partnership gives us a strong chance to lead in healthcare education and innovation,” said Matthew A. Love, president and CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “By joining forces, we can shape the future of healthcare for children and ensure that every child has a healthier, brighter future.”
As part of the partnership, the two institutions plan to increase the number of pediatric doctors. They will expand programs such as medical residencies and fellowships. The goal is to train more physicians and bring in experts who can lead new research to cure childhood diseases.
Jeanette M. Nuñez, interim president of FIU, said the partnership connects two major institutions with a common mission. “FIU is Miami’s public research university and Nicklaus Children’s is the top pediatric hospital in the region. Together, we are focused on improving children’s health,” she said. “This collaboration will help us educate future doctors and make new discoveries that can transform pediatric care.”
The new partnership is also a response to the growing national shortage of pediatric doctors. By 2037, the U.S. is expected to face a shortage of nearly 13,000 pediatric physicians. FIU and Nicklaus Children’s aim to help solve this issue by encouraging more students to go into pediatrics, training new doctors, and recruiting top medical talent to work in South Florida.
Dr. Juan C. Cendan, dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, said the partnership goes beyond medical education. “When a public medical school teams up with a children’s hospital, we can do more than train doctors,” he said. “We can discover new treatments and offer real hope to families who might otherwise have none.”
FIU medical students are already active in clinical rotations at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Every third-year medical student completes a pediatric clerkship there as part of their training. Each year, around 120 students rotate through the hospital, which reflects the school’s full class size.
For Dr. Stephanie San Martin, the announcement was especially meaningful.
“FIU has always been more than just a school to me. It’s where I found growth, support, and opportunity,” she said. “Matching with Nicklaus Children’s six years ago was a dream come true. Since then, I’ve completed my residency, served as chief resident, and now I’m finishing my pediatric hospitalist fellowship. Soon, I will return as an attending physician. It’s a full-circle moment that fills me with gratitude and hope.”
The partnership promises to shape the future of pediatric healthcare in South Florida, providing better care for children today and building the workforce of tomorrow.
