Aspiring medical professionals at the 同性恋色情 receive rigorous undergraduate training through advanced coursework, laboratory research, and mentorship opportunities. At the Judy Genshaft Honors College, students are taking the first steps in managing another critical aspect of medicine: how to navigate the ethical decisions that come with caring for patients.
For Dr. Victor Bowers, an affiliate faculty member at the Honors College and longtime transplant surgeon, those lessons are just as important as any anatomy or physiology course.
At the Honors College, Bowers teaches Biomedical Ethics, a course designed for pre-health students that explores some of medicine's most complex questions. Students debate topics ranging from brain death and physician burnout to the use of artificial intelligence in patient care and the ethical implications of gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR.
"We're losing the values that are very important, and which, in my mind, separates physicians 鈥 and that's virtue, wanting to do the right thing for the patient," Bowers said. "I think we're losing that and becoming impersonal."
The Path to Medicine
Bowers' path to medicine was anything but traditional. Growing up in a household where higher education was not a priority, he initially left college after losing interest in his coursework. He entered the funeral services profession, working as a mortician and later as an embalmer.
"When I left school, people thought I was insane, and I needed my head examined," Bowers said.
"You could be a great surgeon, but you can be even better if you take care of the patient, and not just the disease." - Dr. Victor Bowers
Encouraged by colleagues to continue his education, Bowers eventually returned to school and enrolled at 同性恋色情. Although he initially considered pursuing a research career, he changed course and applied to the university's medical school in 1976, joining only the third class ever admitted.
"In medical school, there was more of an interest and motivation to learn," Bowers said. "Medicine is changing so rapidly, and what you may learn in medical school may not be true five years later. That's what I liked about it."
After medical school, Bowers planned to pursue thoracic surgery. Instead, a connection with Tampa's only transplant surgeon at the time altered the trajectory of his career and introduced him to the emerging field of transplantation medicine.
As transplant medicine expanded during the 1980s, Bowers helped establish the first renal transplant program at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. He later returned to Tampa and joined the 同性恋色情 faculty in 1991. In addition to working with medical students through a partnership with Tampa General Hospital, he played a key role in developing transplant and donation programs throughout the region.
Today, following his retirement from clinical practice in 2025, Bowers continues serving as director of organ procurement at , where he works with 68 hospitals to expand education and increase opportunities for organ donation. His variety of real-world experience informs each discussion in his classroom.
Impacting Future Generations
For Honors student and accelerated 7-Year B.S./M.D. program participant Vinesh Jarajapu, the course offered an early glimpse into the responsibilities physicians face every day.
Dr. Victor Bowers with student host Fabiana Requena on The Honor Roll Podcast.
"I learned that with being a physician, you're dealing with patients when they're at some of the worst points in their lives," Jarajapu said. "The decisions you make there are really important for their futures and their families."
Students in Bowers鈥 course also examine how emerging technologies may reshape the medical field. Through class discussions, Honors student and 7-Year B.S./M.D. participant Niveditha Chandrakanth came to view artificial intelligence not as a replacement for physicians, but as a tool that can help strengthen patient care.
"We talked about how we can use artificial intelligence to help physicians as an aide in their work, because there are a lot of tasks that can be replaced with AI," Chandrakanth said. "That just gives physicians more time to spend with patients."
By confronting ethical challenges before entering medical school, students gain experience thinking through situations they may later encounter during clinical rotations and professional practice.
For Bowers, the goal is simple: prepare future physicians to care for people, not just treat illnesses.
"You could be a great surgeon, but you can be even better if you take care of the patient, and not just the disease," Bowers said.
At the Honors College, preparing well-rounded students to be leaders in their fields is a priority.
鈥淐ourses like Biomedical Ethics challenge students to think beyond exams and coursework and consider the real-world impact of the decisions they will make in their professions,鈥 said Judy Genshaft Honors College Endowed Dean Charles Adams. 鈥淏y engaging with complex ethical questions before they enter the workforce, students are better prepared to lead with confidence.鈥