Allison H. Ferris, M.D., FACP

Biography

Dr. Ferris is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.  She serves as the Assistant Dean for Faculty Development, Chair of the Department of Medicine, and Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program for Florida Atlantic University.  Her clinical role includes precepting in the resident continuity clinic twice a week and attending on the inpatient ward services for a few weeks each year.

Dr. Ferris graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha honors from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2005 after which she completed her internal medicine residency training at Hahnemann University Hospital/Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA.  She then served as a PGY4 Chief Resident prior to joining the faculty at Drexel as the Course Director of the Medicine Sub-internship for fourth year students.  A few years later, she became an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program and served as Chair of the residency’s Professionalism and Clinical Competency Committee. 

In January 2018, Dr. Ferris joined the faculty at Florida Atlantic University as an Associate Program Director for the internal medicine residency, being promoted to Program Director in July 2020.  In January 2022, Dr. Ferris was also named Chair for the Department of Medicine, and in June 2023 she was appointed Assistant Dean for Faculty Development. Her academic interests include the transition from medical school to residency (especially the fourth year acting internship experience), evaluations and feedback, simulation, mentoring, and primary care.  Outside of medicine, she loves to bake, go to the beach, be in the pool, and spend time with her husband and two sons.

Education

• 2001: BS in Biology, Elmira College, Elmira, NY
• 2005: MD, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
• 2005-2008:  Resident, Internal Medicine, Hahnemann University Hospital/Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
• 2008-09: PGY4 Chief Medical Resident, Hahnemann University Hospital/Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

Work History

Florida Atlantic University

• 2023-present: Assistant Dean, Faculty Development
• 2022-present: Chair, Department of Medicine
• 2020-present: Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
• 2018-2020: Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
• 2018-present:  Associate Professor of Medicine

Prior Employment

Drexel University College of Medicine

• 2017: Associate Professor of Medicine
• 2011-2017: Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
• 2009-2017: Assistant Professor of Medicine
• 2009-2012:  Course Director, Medicine Sub-Internship

Scholarly Activity

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Sherling DH, Hennekens CH, Ferris A.  Newest updates to health providers on the hazards of ultra-processed foods and proposed solutions.  Am J Med.  2024 (accepted)
• Hennekens CH, Desai AS, Bandi R, Bonthu S, Pfeffer MA, Ferris AH. New clinical challenges for health providers in the prescription of statins in the elderly. Am J Med. 2023 Dec 2:S0002-9343(23)00735-0. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.11.014. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38049025
• Pincavage AT, Gandhi A, Falk E,  DiMarino L,  Carbajal DR, Ayyala U, Chandrasekar J, Dentino AN, Ferris AH, Forster RM, Hemmer PA, Masucci N, Surkis WD, O V, Choe JH. Evaluation of an Individualized Learning Plan Template for the Transition to Residency. J Grad Med Educ 1 October 2023; 15 (5): 597–601. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-23-00040.1
• Ghaddar T, Ferris A, Mejia MC, Ravi SM, Levine RS, Hennekens CH, Caceres J. Evolving Trends in U.S. Mortality from Opioid Overdose: Heroin and Beyond. Am J Med. 2023 Sep 1:S0002-9343(23)00538-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.08.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37660745
• Suarez ZK, Finke AC, Hospedales E, Perez E, Sharifzadeh A, Foster J, Ferris A. An unusual case of checkpoint-inhibitor-induced pleuropericarditis. J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2023 May 30:10781552231179369. doi: 10.1177/10781552231179369. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37254508
• Ferris A, Gaisinskaya P, Nandi N. Approach to Diarrhea. Prim Care. 2023 Sep;50(3):447-459. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2023.03.010. Epub 2023 May 15. PMID: 37516513
• Hernandez OL, Suarez ZK, Nagi T, Vallejo C, Ferris A. Dormant Crohn's Disease Reactivated by Clostridioides difficile Infection. Cureus. 2023 Apr 3;15(4):e37062. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37062. PMID: 37153283; PMCID: PMC10155633
• DiMarino LM, Boppana RC, Pincavage AT, Hemmer P, Ferris A, Chandrasekar J, Choe J, Dentino A, Forster R, Masucci N, Carbajal DR, Surkis W, Ward K, O V, Ayyala US. AAIM Recommendations for Undergraduate Medical Education to Graduate Medical Education Transition Curricula in Internal Medicine. Am J Med. 2023 May;136(5):489-495. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.02.002. Epub 2023 Feb 10. PMID: 36775049
• Ardeljan AD, Fiedler B, Fiedler L, Luck GR, Maki DG, Clayton L, Hennekens CH, Ferris A. Naloxone Over the Counter: Increasing Opportunities and Challenges for Health Providers. Am J Med. 2023 Jun;136(6):504-506. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.01.027. Epub 2023 Feb 5. PMID: 36750143
• Garber AM, Ferris AH, Vu TR. The Importance of Adding Discernment to the Acting Internship - A Necessary Shift in Culture Toward Competency-Based Metrics. Am J Med. 2022 Sep;135(9):1137-1141. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.05.032. Epub 2022 Jun 7. PMID: 35688261
• DeDonno MA, Ferris AH, Molnar A, Haire HM, Sule SS, Hennekens CH, Wood SK. Perceptions, Coping Strategies, and Mental Health of Residents during COVID-19. South Med J. 2022 Sep;115(9):717-721. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001439. PMID: 36055661; PMCID: PMC9426312
• Ferris AH, Pereira AG, Angus SV, Kopelman RI.  Compliance with CDIM-APDIM Guidelines for Department of Medicine Letters: an Opportunity to Improve Communication Across the Continuum. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 37(1):125-9.  doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-06744-2.  PMID 33791934.  Published online March 31, 2021
• Willard A and Ferris A.  Solving the Problem of Insomnia in Clinical Practice.  Medical Clinics of North America. 105(2021): 107-116. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2020.09.006.  PMID 33246513
• Charles C and Ferris A.  Chronic Kidney Disease.  Primary Care Clinical Office Practice 47(2020): 585-595.  doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2020.08.001.  PMID 33121630
• Garcia J, Ohanisian L, Sidley A, Ferris A, Luck G, Basich G, Garcia A. (November 08, 2019) Resident Knowledge and Perception of Pain Management. Cureus 11(11): e6107. doi:10.7759/cureus.6107.  PMID 31886047
• Vu TR, Ferris AH, Sweet ML, Angus SV, Ismail NJ, Stewart E, Appelbaum JS, Kwan B.   The New Internal Medicine Subinternship Curriculum Guide:  A Report from the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine.  Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2019 Jul:34(7):1342-1347. doi: 1525-1497,10.1007/s11606-019-04957-0. PMID 30937669
• Kannan, L, Wheeler DS, Blumhof S, Gotfried J, Ferris A, Mathur A, Hembree E, Moyer D, Rangaswami J.  Work Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Medicine Residents.  Academic Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;43(2):167-170. doi: 10.1007/s40596-018-0911-9. Epub 2018 April 11.  PMID 29644602
• Torre DM, Ferris A, Daley B, Durning, SJ.  Common Evaluation Designs in Medical Education III.  Academic Medicine. 2016:91(12):1707.  PMID 27465230
• Torre DM, Ferris A, Daley B, Durning, SJ.  Common Evaluation Designs in Medical Education II.  Academic Medicine. 2016:91(11):1584.  PMID 27355779
• Dine CJ, Bellini LM, Diemer G, Ferris A, Rana A, Simoncini G, Surkis W, Rothschild C, Asch DA, Shea JA, and Epstein AJ.  Assessing Correlations of Physicians' Practice Intensity and Certainty During Residency Training. Journal of Graduate Medical Education: December 2015, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 603-609. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-15-00092.1. PMID 26692973
• The CACTI Group (CDIM-APDIM Committee on Transitions to Internship) [Ferris AH].  “Course Offerings in the Fourth Year of Medical School:  How U.S. Medical Schools Are Preparing Students for Internship”.  Academic Medicine.  2015;90(10):1324-1330
• Vu TR, Aronowitz PB, Angus SV, Levine MA, Carbo A, Whelton S, Ferris A, Appelbaum JS, McNeill DB, Ismail NJ, and Elnicki DM.  The Internal Medicine Subinternship—Now More Important Than Ever.  Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2015 Sep, 30(9): 1369-75. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3261-2. PMID 26173515

Honors and Awards

• Castle Connelly “Top Doctor”, Boca Raton, Florida, 2023
• Honor Your Doctor, Boca Raton Rotary Club, 2023
• Philadelphia Magazine, “Top Doctor”, Philadelphia, PA, 2018
• Castle Connelly “Exceptional Women in Medicine”, 2017
• Castle Connelly “Top Doctors of Philadelphia”, 2017
• Castle Connelly “Top Doctors of Philadelphia”, 2016
• Special Recognition Award, American College of Physicians, Pennsylvania Chapter, 2016
• Professional Enrichment Grant Awardee, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2016
• Arnold P. Gold Foundation, Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2098
• Housestaff of the Year, Hahnemann University Hospital, 2007
• Golden Apple Teaching Award Nominee, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2007
• Internal Medicine PGY2 Resident of the Year, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2006-07
• The Joan Kornblum Memorial Prize for Excellence in Internal Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2005
• American Medical Women’s Association, Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2005
• Alpha Omega Alpha, Delta Zeta Chapter, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2005

Service

• 2023-present: Bethesda Hospital East Medical Executive Committee, Vice Chief of Staff
• 2023-present: Palm Beach County Medical Society, Member Services Committee
• 2023-present: Palm Beach County Medical Society, Medical Education Committee
• 2022-present: Delegate (from Palm Beach County Medical Society), Florida Medical Association annual meeting
• 2019-present: Bethesda Hospital East Medical Executive Committee, Member
• 2019-2023: Bethesda Hospital East, Performance Improvement Committee, Chair
• 2018-present: Palm Beach County Medical Society, Member
• 2016-present, AAMC Group on Women in Medicine and Science, Member
• 2011-present: Association of Program Directors for Internal Medicine, Member
• 2011-present: American College of Physicians, Fellow
• 2011-2020:  Medical Student to Resident Interface Committee (previously known as the Sub-internship Task Force, under the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine), Member

Clinical Activity

Hospital Appointments

• 2018-present: Boca Raton Regional Hospital
• 2018-present:  Bethesda Hospital East