Two USF Health Morsani College of Medicine faculty were inducted into the college’s prestigious Academy of Distinguished Educators in recognition of their outstanding contributions to training the next generation of health care providers.
Srinivas Bharadwaj, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and anatomy course director, and Kira Zwygart, MD, professor and vice chair of education in the Department of Family Medicine, were honored as master educators by USF Health leadership and current members on Sept. 3.
Congratulating the newest inductees at the event, Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, praised the vital role of medical educators in shaping future physicians and advancing academic medicine.
“Medical education strengthens our bonds as a community of learning and caring,” Dr. Lockwood said. “Our honorees understand this vision. Both are here because they have demonstrated superior performance in teaching and made exceptional contributions to education, research, curricular development, student learning, mentoring and educational leadership.”
The Academy of Distinguished Educators is a collaboration of the Morsani College of Medicine Department of Medical Education, Faculty Council and Office of Faculty Affairs designed to enhance the practice, quality and scholarship of teaching and learning at the college through educational service, consultation and research. Since its inception in 2021, the program has honored a select group of educators each year who have made exceptional contributions to the educational mission of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. As of 2025, 18 faculty members have earned the title of distinguished educator.
Meet the two faculty members inducted at this year’s ceremony:
Srinivas Bharadwaj, PhD
For 16 years, Dr. Srinivas “Sri” Bharadwaj has been shaping the way medical, physician assistant, pharmacy and graduate students learn human anatomy. As course director across multiple programs, he has made a lasting impact on how students approach a fundamental building block of medicine.
Among his notable innovations has been leading an initiative to integrate ultrasound and advanced imaging training into the first year of medical school, believing that early exposure to these tools provides students with a strong foundation for more advanced diagnostic and procedural training. This approach offers several advantages, from sharpening clinical skills earlier in training to fostering active learning and improving diagnostic reasoning. Students can also gain confidence and a greater sense of preparedness as they progress through their education.
His efforts, along with the collaborative and innovative efforts of the Department of Medical Education, have given medical students a more comprehensive understanding of human anatomy, helping them earn higher first-time pass rates on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, a critical test that measures an aspiring physician’s knowledge and application of fundamental scientific and medical concepts.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Bharadwaj plays a vital role in the college community, serving as a member of the curriculum and admissions committees and earning a reputation among colleagues and students alike for his willingness to collaborate and his warm, welcoming smile.
Dr. Bharadwaj said he was honored to be named a distinguished educator, and that the recognition has fueled him to continue his work by building a new chapter in his journey as an educator.
“Receiving this award doesn’t mean my work is done, it means it’s the beginning of something new. This is a great opportunity for me to reset and continue to find innovative ways to enhance the learning experience of our students,” he said.
Kira Zwygart, MD
As an alumna and member of the faculty since 2001, Dr. Zwygart has been one of the most beloved educators in the Morsani College of Medicine. Serving as professor and vice chair of education for the Department of Family Medicine, she oversees the educational mission for students, residents and faculty while also mentoring countless learners along the way.
From 2014 to 2024, Dr. Zwygart served as associate dean for student affairs, and earlier, in 2011, she helped design the college’s distinctive SELECT (Scholarly Excellence. Leadership Experiences. Collaborative Training) program. Created to cultivate future health care leaders with the empathy, creativity and vision to transform patient care, SELECT has since graduated more than 600 students. Dr. Zwygart has continued to guide the program as team lead for coaching and as director or co-director for several courses. The SELECT program is now winding down, culminating in the final graduating class of 2027.
For Dr. Zwygart, the recognition as a Morsani College of Medicine Distinguished Educator is a personal honor and reminder of her impact on the field’s future leaders.
“It’s an honor to be recognized and appreciated for the work that I’ve done here,” Zwygart said. “The exciting part is being able to collaborate with other distinguished educators and academy board members to create mentorship programs for some of our younger medical educators who want to become distinguished educators.”