USF Morsani College of Medicine
Meet our staff
Jeffrey Lester, MD
Wound Care
About
Dr. Lester treats patients 18 years of age and older.
Dr. Lester is recognized by the NCQA Diabetes Recognition Program.
Danielle Veru, PA
Julia Young, APRN
Family Medicine
About
Julia N. Smith is a clinical nurse who delivers integrative and evidence-based nursing care in collaboration with an inpatient multidisciplinary team of physicians, advanced practice providers, specialists, support staff and registered nurses. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Tampa and Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of South Florida. Smith is affiliated with the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners and received the CVS Health Foundation Scholarship, McNichols Scholarship and the TGH Nurses Week Scholarship. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Esmeralda Young, APRN
Internal Medicine
About
Prior to joining Tampa General Medical Group, Esmeralda worked in Tampa General's Medical and Surgical Oncology Unit providing acute nursing care to medical, surgical and oncology patients. Most recently, she practiced with the Community Health Centers of Pinellas in St. Petersburg, FL, providing primary care services and working to maintain continuity of care for patients by establishing diagnosis and treatment of common acute and chronic illness with health promotion and disease prevention.
Esmeralda is a member of the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network, Tampa Bay Advanced Practice Nurses Council, West Coast Council of Advanced Nursing Practices and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Esmeralda treats patients 18 years of age and older.
Akif Ahmad, MD
Family Medicine
About
Dr. Ahmad has provided comprehensive family medicine care to the Tampa Bay area community since 2015. Before joining Tampa General Medical Group, he treated patients at Evara Health (formerly known as Community Health Centers of Pinellas) in St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, he served as a clinical assistant professor and clinical preceptor for medical students at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Ahmad was also a clinical preceptor for medical students at the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville after moving to the United States from Pakistan to begin his family medicine career.
Jorge A Gadea, DO
Internal Medicine
About
Dr. Gadea has practiced as a primary care physician in the Tampa Bay area since 1998, providing care for adult and geriatric patients. For over six years, he served as a medical director for a private/public collaboration between the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and Pfizer pharmaceutical company leading a disease management program specifically designed to help a large group of patients suffering from chronic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure and diabetes to better understand their medical conditions and health needs in order to better care for themselves and improve their quality of life.
Dr. Gadea's professional interests include individualized diabetes care, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hyperlipidemia. He focuses on preventive health and patient education, and encourages his patients to take an active part in their healthcare plan.
Dr. Gadea has received numerous 'Patients Choice Awards' and was recently recognized as one of 'America's Best Physicians' by the National Consumer Advisory Board. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association and has received recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for diabetes care. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Outside of the office, Dr. Gadea enjoys exercising, fishing and travelling with his family.
Michael Kachmar, DO
Bariatric Surgery
About
Michael Kachmar, DO, DABS, DABOM, is a fellowship-trained, board-certified general surgeon specializing in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in Tampa, Florida. He is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and a bariatric and metabolic surgeon at Tampa General Hospital. His practice focuses on primary and revisional bariatric surgery, including gastric sleeve and gastric bypass, as well as minimally invasive weight loss surgery using advanced laparoscopic and robotic techniques. His goal is simple and consistent - to deliver safe, individualized, evidence-based care that improves long-term health and quality of life.
Dr. Kachmar earned his medical degree at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed general surgery residency training at Rowan and Inspira, where he served as Chief Resident. He completed advanced laparoscopic and Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery fellowship training at Pennington Biomedical Research Center and LSU Health Sciences Center under the mentorship of leaders in the field. He is certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Obesity Medicine, reflecting his commitment to comprehensive obesity care across surgical and medical disciplines.
An active surgeon-scientist, Dr. Kachmar’s work focuses on access, safety, and outcomes in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, as well as the biologic mechanisms of weight loss and metabolic improvement. He has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and invited commentaries, with work appearing in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, JAMA Network Open, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, Obesity Surgery, and The American Journal of Cardiology. His research integrates national databases and translational tissue projects to support precision selection and long-term care for people living with obesity and metabolic disease. He is an active member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), serves on their national committees, and presents regularly at major surgical meetings.
Clinically, Dr. Kachmar views obesity as a chronic disease that requires long-term, team-based, multidisciplinary care. Patients can expect compassionate communication, shared decision-making, and comprehensive follow-up before and after surgery.
Hugo Narvarte, MD
Pediatrics
About
His patient care interests include primary care in both general pediatrics and general internal medicine.
This provider is not accepting new patients at this time
This provider is not accepting new patients at this time
This provider is not accepting new patients at this time
This provider is not accepting new patients at this time