Dr. Grace is a board-certified gastroenterologist, specializing in colon cancer screenings, as well as esophagus, stomach and pancreaticobiliary disease. A graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Grace provides treatment for hepatitis, reflux disease, Crohn’s disease, GERD and many other digestive conditions. She also works with patients experiencing cirrhosis, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, IBS, pancreatitis and ulcerative colitis.

PRESENT POSITION

2022 - present

• Gastroenterology Specialists of Southwest Florida, Gastroenterologist

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

2015-2022

• Physicians Regional Hospital, Naples, FL, Gastroenterologist

2012-2015

• St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Madison Heights, MI,

  Gastroenterology Fellowship

August 2014

• University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois                 

  Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center

January 2014

• Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC           

  Esophageal Manometry Rotation with Dr. Donald Castell

 September 2013

• Hepatology Rotation with Dr. Eugene Schiff      

  University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL                

2009-2012

• Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL                  

  Internship/Residency in Internal Medicine

EDUCATION

• University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 

  2001-2005

  Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology with Honors              

• Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine

  2005-2009

  Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine                                                   

  2005-2009

  Masters in Public Health                                                              

MEDICAL LICENSURE

• Licenses held in Florida and Michigan                                                    

CERTIFICATIONS

• American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine – Gastroenterology

• American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine                          

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Naples Illustrated’s Top Doctor                                     

• Sigma Sigma Phi – Medical Honor Society                                   

• Omicron Delta Kappa – National Leadership Society                     

LEADERSHIP

• Chief of Medicine, 2018-2022                                                                                         

  Physicians Regional Medical Center        

                                                

• Chair of Gastroenterology, 2020-2022

  Physicians Regional Medical Center     

                                                   

• Collier County Medical Society , 2021-2022

  Nominating Committee Chair    

  Director at Large 2022 to present       

                                                      

• Vice Chief of Medicine, 2016-2018 

  Physicians Regional Medical Center      

                                                 

• ACO Board Member, 2017-2022

  Physicians Regional Medical Center      

                                                 

• OR Executive Council, 2017-2022

  Physicians Regional Medical Center             

                                           

• Medical Executive Committee, 2016-2022

  Physicians Regional Medical Center             

                                           

• Credentials Committee, 2016-2022

  Physicians Regional Medical Center                                                                                         

PROFESSIONAL AND SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

• ACG – American College of Gastroenterology  ACOI – American College of Osteopathic Internists

• AGA – American Gastroenterological  Association 

• AOA – American Osteopathic Association

• CCMS – Collier County Medical Society

• FGS – Florida Gastroenterologic Society

• FMA – Florida Medical Association

• Omicron Delta Kappa – National Leadership Society        

• Sigma Sigma Phi – Medical Honor Society

PUBLICATIONS

• Superiority of the DNA Amplification Assay for the Diagnosis of C. difficile Infection: A Clinical Comparison of Fecal Tests. Dig Dis Sci (2012) 57:2592–2599

PRESENTATIONS AT NATIONAL MEETINGS

• Clostridium difficile as a Stand-alone Test for Diagnosis of C. difficile Infection. J.A. Barkin, A. Grace, N. Miller, N. Nandi, D. Sussman, R. Poppiti, J.S. Barkin. Poster Presentation at the American Society of Microbiology 2011 General Meeting in New Orleans, LA May 22, 2011.  Paper in process of being prepared for publication.

• DNA Amplification for Diagnosis of C. difficile Infection: The Solution to False Positive Cytotoxin

• EIA Testing. J.A. Barkin, N. Nandi, N. Miller, A. Grace, J.S. Barkin, D. Sussman.  Accepted at the ACG 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, DC November 1, 2011.  Paper in process of being prepared for publication.

• The Utility of Clinical Predictors for Appropriate Ordering of C. difficile Testing, Using Gold Standard Toxigenic Culture. J.A. Barkin, N. Nandi, N. Miller, A. Grace, J.S. Barkin, D. Sussman. 

PREVIOUS RESEARCH

• LABORATORY ASSISTANT AT THE MIAMI PROJECT TO CURE PARALYSIS (2001 – 2003) 

  Concentrated on neurotrophin signaling in neural cells and repair of the CNS after spinal cord injury by preparing specimens, performing PCR and data input and compilation.

• RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DEPT OF PSYCHOLOGY (2003 - 2005)

  Focused on bipolar disorder and the effects of positive and negative feedback on accessing memories.  Interviewed participants, compiled material and input date.  Resulted in paper titled “Cognitive Responses to Failure and Success Relate Uniquely to Bipolar Depression Versus Mania” in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2008, Vol. 117, No. 1, 154-163.