Hermes Jose Florez MD, PhD, MPH
Professor and Chair of Public Health Science; Associate Dean for Population Health, Medical University of South Carolina; Chief Academic Officer, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affair Medical Center, Charleston, South CarolinaDr. Hermes Florez is Professor and Chair of Public Health Sciences at Medical University of South Carolina. He is also an Endocrinology Attending and Associate Chief of Staff at the Charleston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
Dr. Florez is a physician-scientist trained in internal medicine, endocrinology, and geriatrics as well as in epidemiology and public health. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Zulia in Venezuela.
His area of expertise is the prevention and management of diabetes and its comorbidities in older adults. He has (co) authored more than two hundred publications in scientific journals and book chapters, while (co) leading clinical research and epidemiological studies funded by the National Institute of Health, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, the American Heart Association, the International Diabetes Federation, and the World Health Organization.
Prior to his transition to South Carolina 4 years ago, he led for almost a decade the Miami Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) and served as the National Co-Chair of the GRECC Directors Network with the purpose of coordinating initiatives among these 20 Geriatric Centers of Excellence to promote healthier aging in the U.S. population. Dr. Florez also served as a member of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Professional Practice Committee, where he contributed to the developed guidelines for diabetes management in older adults.