Dr. Juan C. Cendan is a board-certified surgeon specializing in minimally invasive surgery and surgical disorders of the breast with an extensive career in academic medicine.

Dr. Cendan joined FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in 2021 as vice dean and executive associate dean for student affairs. In 2022, he was appointed dean of the College of Medicine and senior vice president for health affairs. He developed the vision and led the process culminating in a comprehensive affiliation between the College of Medicine and Baptist Health South Florida and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital—clinical and educational collaborations aimed at elevating care, addressing doctor shortages and advancing medical research in South Florida.

Before FIU, Dr. Cendan was a founding faculty member of the University of Central Florida College of Medicine where he served in several roles from 2010 to 2021, including assistant dean for simulation, medical director of the simulation laboratory and chair of the Department of Medical Education. As provost chair and associate dean in residence, he collaborated with UCF’s provost to develop the framework for establishing the UCF Academic Health Center.

Prior to pursuing medical training, Dr. Cendan trained as a biomedical engineer at Tulane University. He completed his medical and surgical training at the University of Florida first practicing in the Gainesville community and later returning to UF as faculty. His academic focus has been on simulation-based medical education. He has also contributed broadly to the surgical literature in topics ranging from obesity care to breast cancer.