Dr. Joe Lezama, MACP, a Tampa native, completed his training in Internal Medicine at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. His prior education included an undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Cell Science with Honors from the University of Florida, and a medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Lezama joined the University of South Florida Internal Medicine Faculty after residency completion, as well as the James Haley Veterans Hospital in July 2000, He was selected as the Chief of Medicine in February 2006 as one of the youngest physicians in in the history of the Veterans Health Administration. He was promoted to Associate Program Director of the USF Internal Medicine residency in 2006, Vice-Chairman of the USF Department of Internal Medicine in 2012, and Professor of Medicine at the University of South Florida in 2012. Dr. Lezama's accomplishments include being a five time recipient of the John T. Sinnott Award and the Osler Award for best clinical teacher and best exemplary role model for the USF Morsani College of Medicine and winning multiple other College of Medicine awards, including the Leonard Tow Humanism Award. He received the Department of Medicine's Teacher of the Year award seven times in his career. He also was recognized as one of the top 10 Internal Medicine Physicians by the American College of Physicians (ACP) in 2010, making the cover of one of their magazines. He received the ACP's Distinguished Teacher of the Year award for the entire state of Florida which recognizes the best teaching physician amongst all the state internal medicine training programs. The University of Florida recognized Dr. Lezama's accomplishments by induction into the University of Florida College of Medicine Wall of Fame, becoming only the 40th physician to be recognized with this honor in the 64 year history of the UF College of Medicine. He received the ACP Laureate Award for the state of Florida in 2021 and was elected to Mastership in ACP in 2023.