Biological science alumna, emergency physician recognized as Notable Nole

Having worked as an emergency medical physician for six years, saving lives is a part of Jordan Rogers’ daily routine. The Daytona, Fla., native treats heart attacks, trauma, strokes, and everything in between at a hospital outside of the Washington, D.C. area, and she recently returned to her home state and alma mater to be honored for outstanding service in the medical field.

Rogers was recognized earlier this winter for her exceptional achievements and significant contributions as an emergency medical physician with a Notable Nole award from the FSU Alumni Association.

As a high schooler, there was hardly any question as to where she would attend college. Not only had both of her parents attended Florida State University for their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, but her brother and his fiancée were also awarded degrees from the university. Prepared to carve her own path, the Noles fan knew from the moment she stepped on campus that FSU would provide the needed opportunities to learn about herself as a person as well as topics that intrigued her. She had always been intrigued by health care, hoping to become a doctor, and she found herself at home in the FSU Department of Biological Science.

“I’ve always enjoyed learning about physiology and how the small parts of the human body are interconnected to become the amazing machines we inhabit! In emergency medicine, we take care of patients who are just a few hours old to 100 years old and beyond. The fact that I can touch so many lives in such a meaningful way is a huge testament to my education at FSU,” Rogers said.

As a freshman, Rogers participated in the Service Leadership Seminar, a program that emphasizes friendship and meaningful service leadership to challenge notions about the way in which we engage in and perform service, and worked at Camp Boggy Creek, a camp for children with critical illnesses. Through her service, she has been involved with groups including Big Bend Cares, World AIDS Day programs, For Sexual Understanding Today, and Confronting HIV through the Arts. During her sophomore year, she joined the Student Alumni Association to become even more involved with campus activities in addition to serving as a teaching assistant for a biology lab.

“I had an amazing experience at Florida State. I consider myself so lucky to have had this opportunity,” Rogers said. “My biology degree was challenging, but I had many mentors, such as professor of biological science P. Bryant Chase, who helped me throughout my time. He is an incredible mentor who continues to inspire students through research and his teachings. After earning my bachelor’s degree here, I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else for medical school!”

Rogers began conducting research as a sophomore in Chase’s Muscle Biophysics Lab, completing her Directed Individual Study and honors-in-the-major research. Some of her results on calcium ion sensitivity of cardiac biomechanical function were presented as part of an abstract at an annual Biophysical Society meeting and were eventually published in the journal Cell and Molecular Bioengineering in 2013. As an undergraduate, Rogers earned the Charles McAllister Award to fund her research, and the American Cancer Society’s James J. Fisher Fellowship enabled her to work full-time in a lab for a summer.

“Jordan was enthusiastic about lab work and carried out her assays with the same dedication and thoroughness I noticed in the classroom. Not every undergraduate researcher ends up as a co-author on a peer-reviewed publication in addition to completing an honors-in-the-major thesis, which is a significant indicator of her work ethic,” Chase said. “As a society, we are incredibly grateful to dedicated physicians like Jordan who have gone the extra mile to care for so many people during the ongoing pandemic.”

Rogers was motivated to stay at FSU due to the rigorous programs, welcoming community and outstanding research conducted on campus. After interviewing with the FSU College of Medicine, she knew it was a perfect fit due to the focus on supporting rural and under-served patient populations. Following her graduation from residency and fellowship, she first practiced medicine in her hometown of Daytona to give back to the place that raised her.

“I can truly say my life was forever changed for the better because of my time at Florida State. My husband and I are expecting our first child in the spring, and my hope is that she someday gets the wonderful experience I had, should she choose to pursue higher education,” Rogers said. “I think that truly speaks to the wonders of FSU and how inspiring of a place it is.”