Alma Littles tapped for big job at Florida State University College of Medicine

FSU College of Medicine Dean Dr. Alma Littles

After 20 years at the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine, Alma Littles has been tapped to head the college as it expands its footprint across the Florida Panhandle under the moniker FSU Health.

“Dr. Littles’ dedication to Florida State University and to the people of Florida has made a profound impact on the health and well-being of thousands of people,” Florida State University Provost Jim Clark said in a statement announcing the hire.

“Her career exemplifies the mission of the FSU College of Medicine to practice patient-centered health care, advance medical knowledge, and bring high-quality care where it is most needed. Dr. Littles has provided outstanding leadership as the interim dean, and I have heard from an impressive number of health care leaders across the state that they looked forward to her appointment to permanent Dean. That day has arrived.”

The Florida State University College of Medicine was created by the Legislature in June 2000. The college accepted its first class of medical school students the following year and graduated its first physician in 2005.

Since then, it has graduated nearly 2,000 physicians The college includes nine regional campuses where medical and physician assistant students complete their third- and fourth-year reduction. The FSU College. of Medicine ranks in the 86th percentile nationally for alumni physicians practicing in-state and in the 98th percentile nationally for alumni physicians practicing in underserved areas.

The FSU College of Medicine’s focus on placing primary care physicians in underserved areas appealed to Littles. After graduating from the University of Florida College of Medicine and completing a residency at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), Littles practiced medicine in Quincy, where she grew up.

She subsequently began precepting FSU College of Medicine students and physician residents, eventually joining the Family Medicine Residency Program at TMH and becoming the Director of the program in 1996. After the FSU College of Medicine was created, she became the founding Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health. She also served as a President of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians.

“When I first saw the College of Medicine mission statement, it resonated with me,” Littles said in a statement. “The college’s priorities and my goals as a physician mirror each other. Growing up in a rural and underserved community stimulated my interest in investing my talents toward helping people whose health care needs are not easily met. The college has remained dedicated in training physicians who can help to meet those needs.”

Littles has been serving as acting dean since 2023 and in that time has helped to spearhead efforts between the college of medicine and TMH to build an academic health center on the hospital’s campus in Tallahassee. It’s a $125 million initiative that was funded by the Legislature. FSU Health also will include a campus in Panama City Beach.

Littles replaces John P. Fogarty, who served as Dean from 2008 until his retirement in 2023.

“Dr. Littles is not only an outstanding physician, she’s outstanding at developing the next generation of physicians,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “Her dedication to education and patient care sets a remarkable example for all. Dr. Littles embodies the spirit of excellence that defines our institution’s mission to advance health care and nurture future leaders in medicine.”