Change in leadership at the Florida Board of Medicine

There’s been a change in leadership at the state’s medical licensing board.

Wesley Chapel dermatologist Dr. Amy Derick was voted chair of the Florida Board of Medicine last week at its meeting in Orlando.

Derick is the first women to chair the board in at least a decade. She is one of two women, along with Nicole Justice, listed on the website as board members, although Justice’s term expired Oct. 31.  Drs. Luz Marina Pages and Eleonor Pimentel until recently served but their appointments expired and Gov. Ron DeSantis did not reappoint them.

Derick succeeds Nicholas Romanello, a South Florida attorney, who has served as chair for the last year. His term also expired Oct. 31.

The board is charged with regulating allopathic physicians, often referred to as “MDs.” There are 60,863 active medical doctors licensed to practice in the state a Florida Department of Health 2023-2024 annual report shows.

Twelve of the board members must be Florida-licensed physicians in good standing who have practiced or taught medicine for at least four years immediately preceding their appointment. One of the physicians must be in private practice and on the full-time staff of a Florida teaching hospital. One physician must be a graduate of a foreign medical school. Three members must be consumers, one must be a licensed health care risk manager, and one must be at least 60 years old.

Dr. Matthew Benson, a pediatric endocrinologist in Jacksonville, was voted vice chairman.