‘My goal is to leave every patient more empowered by their experience.’
By Lauren Byrd, FMA VP of Communications and Strategic Partnerships
For FMA member Sean Hubbard, DO, Black History Month is both a reminder and a responsibility.
Growing up in inner-city, multicultural communities, Dr. Hubbard witnessed how easily disempowerment can shape health outcomes and lead people to believe they have little voice or agency in those outcomes. Today, his work as a physician is grounded in challenging that belief.
“February serves as a reminder that there are underrepresented communities that need me to be there and ready to help — ready to lend my voice and represent them,” said Dr. Hubbard, a neurologist who practices at BayCare Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. He is also a member of the FMA’s current Karl M. Altenburger, MD Physician Leadership Academy class.
Representation is not merely symbolic for Dr. Hubbard. It is an active commitment to helping patients reclaim a sense of power over their health.
Excellence rooted in compassion
While Dr. Hubbard is always aware that he is a Black man practicing medicine, he said identity fades into purpose during moments of patient care.
“When duty calls and people need help, my identity becomes solely about what I can do to help — nothing else.”
Dr. Hubbard’s patients have described him as “delightful,” an “angel,” and “great.” Those words, coming from individuals of all backgrounds, affirm something he believes deeply: that excellence and compassion are inseparable. These moments, he said, are when he feels most aligned with his calling.
Inspired to be the greatest
Dr. Hubbard’s pursuit of excellence was shaped early by powerful examples. His father, legendary Florida A&M University football coach and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Rudy Hubbard, modeled leadership, communication, and the discipline required to build successful teams. Dr. Hubbard also found inspiration in heavyweight boxing icons Muhammad Ali and Jack Johnson, men who boldly declared their greatness in eras that challenged their right to do so.
Their courage and confidence fueled Dr. Hubbard’s own desire to find a calling he loved, and to become “best in class” through dedication and mastery.
Lighting the path forward
A medical school instructor since 2001, Dr. Hubbard has mentored students from a wide range of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. While many African American students feel a particular connection to him, what resonates most broadly is something universal: fulfillment. Dr. Hubbard hopes his presence demonstrates that medicine is not only a profession, but also a vehicle for purpose – and that joy, freedom, and excellence can coexist in a life dedicated to service.
“When they see me at my best, they realize there is a path for freedom — freedom to serve your purpose and love your career,” he said.
Representation and work ahead
Though representation in medicine matters a great deal to Dr. Hubbard, he believes empathy is of dire importance.
“Patients want and need to be cared for by someone whom they feel they can relate to and who understands them,” he said. Naturally, there’s a feeling that clinicians with shared ethnicities and backgrounds are more relatable. However, when a health professional shows up clearly interested, unassuming, curious, and compassionate, superficialities become minimized, especially during times of need.”
He continued, “Our next greatest challenge as a profession is learning how to extend ourselves emotionally so our patients feel understood.”
When patients feel genuinely understood, trust follows. And with trust comes the privilege of providing meaningful care. Dr. Hubbard said that is where transformation begins — not just for individuals, but for communities.
A living legacy
Black History Month honors those who paved the way, and Dr. Hubbard honors them by continuing the work: showing up daily with excellence, empathy, and intention.
Through his presence, he reminds patients and future physicians alike that representation matters, but purpose matters even more. When the two come together, impact is inevitable.
“My goal is to leave each and every patient I visit pleased that [their physician] was me,” Dr. Hubbard said. “It is to leave them relatively more empowered by the experience.”