Dr. Candice Mateja is Professor of Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine and Tampa General Hospital, where she serves as Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Internal Medicine. A dedicated academic internist and nationally recognized educator, she has led innovations in graduate medical education for more than a decade.

At USF, Dr. Mateja is Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency and long-standing Chair of the Clinical Competency Committee, where she has pioneered the use of high-reliability and just-culture frameworks to strengthen milestone-based assessment and support learner success. She continues to teach medical students and residents across clerkships, inpatient rotations, and workshops, earning some of the institution’s highest teaching honors, including the Tampa General Outstanding Resident Teaching Award, the Roy H. Bahnke Award for Best Educator in Internal Medicine, and the USF Outstanding Faculty Educator Award, recognizing the top educator across all of Graduate Medical Education.

Beyond her local impact, Dr. Mateja is deeply engaged in national educational leadership through the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) and Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM). She has served on multiple committees, presented workshops at national meetings, and advanced faculty development on topics including resident remediation, professionalism, and milestone-based evaluation.

Respected for her mentorship, scholarship, and collaborative leadership, Dr. Mateja continues to shape the next generation of physicians and medical educators while advancing the culture of safety, professionalism, and excellence at USF and beyond.