America's Top Doctors ($29.95 for softcover) may be ordered from its publisher, Castle Connolly (which provided Sarasota's regional list of top doctors) by calling toll-free (800) 399-DOCS or by visiting the company's Web site, www.AmericasTopDoctors.com.

THE PROCESS

Castle Connolly's physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Using mail and telephone surveys and electronic ballots, they ask physicians and the medical leadership of leading hospitals to identify highly skilled, exceptional doctors. Careful screening of doctors' educational and professional experience is essential before final selection is made among those physicians most highly regarded by their peers. Advertising is in no way connected to the selection of doctors in this issue.

THE LIST

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

Donna M. Jamieson, M.D.

2650 Bahia Vista St., Suite 304

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 366-9711

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

Walter Hepp, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 512

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-8185

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

George Abernathy, M.D.

1287 U.S. 41 Bypass S.

Venice, FL 34292

(941) 497-5511

Primary Hospital: Bon Secours Venice Hospital

Special Experience: Echocardiography; nuclear stress testing

Stephen C. Culp, M.D.

1852 Hillview St., Suite 308

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-4250

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Interventional cardiology

Alberto E. Montalvo, M.D.

316 Manatee Ave. W.

Bradenton, FL 34208

(941) 748-2277

Primary Hospital: Manatee Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Interventional cardiology

Daniel Pacifico, M.D.

1880 Arlington St., Suite 109

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-0060

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Richard Golub, M.D.

3333 Cattlemen Road, Suite 206

Sarasota, FL 34232

(941) 341-0042

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Colon and rectal cancer; laparoscopic surgery; hemorrhoids

DERMATOLOGY

Alfred Hernandez, M.D.

1849 S. Osprey Ave.

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 957-4767

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Dermatologic surgery; Mohs' surgery.

Faculty Appointments: Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Cathy P. Milam, M.D.

1750 S. Osprey Ave.

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 364-8220

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Faculty Appointments: Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of South Florida College of Medicine

ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM

Jose R. Antunes, M.D.

2400 Fruitville Road

Sarasota, FL 34237

(941) 365-0333

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Diabetes

FAMILY PRACTICE

Robert E. Blackwood, M.D.

2010 59th St. W., Suite 2600

Bradenton, FL 34209

(941) 792-2122

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

Michael C. Holsworth, M.D.

2010 59th St. W., Suite 2600

Bradenton, FL 34209

(941) 792-2122

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

Barry I. Stein, M.D.

6128 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34231

(941) 923-5882

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

GASTROENTEROLOGY

Geoffrey Hill, M.D.

6010 Pointe West Blvd.

Bradenton, FL 34209

(941) 792-4239

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

Elliot M. Livstone, M.D.

1515 S. Osprey Ave., Suite C-11

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 955-0000

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

James V. Fiorica, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 613

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-8383

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Gynecologic cancer; breast cancer; cervical cancer

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Carlos Caballero, M.D.

1801 Arlington St., Suite 2

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-8365

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Lourdes Espina, M.D.

2650 Bahia Vista St., Suite 106

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 330-1651

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Bernard Feinberg, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 201

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-8900

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Lee S. Harris, M.D.

2881 Hyde Park St.

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 366-2460

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Richard H. Brown, M.D.

1970 Gulf St.

Sarasota, FL 34236

(941) 957-1000

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Caryn L. Silver, M.D.

1970 Gulf St.

Sarasota, FL 34236

(941) 957-1000

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Breast cancer

NEPHROLOGY

Celestino Palomino, M.D.

3701 Manatee Ave.

Bradenton, FL 34209

(941) 746-5840

Primary Hospital: Manatee Memorial Hospital

NEUROLOGY

Donald Negroski, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 701

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-6222

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Michael Finazzo, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 307

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-8565

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Karen Liebert, M.D.

6417 Third Ave. W.

Bradenton, FL 34209

(941) 792-4993

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

Jennifer R. McCullen, M.D.

8340 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Suite 240

Bradenton, FL 34202

(941) 907-3008

Primary Hospital: Lakewood Ranch Medical Center

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Liaquat Allarakhia, M.D.

4812 26th St. W.

Bradenton, FL 34207

(941) 727-3937

Primary Hospital: Manatee Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Cataract surgery; glaucoma.

Faculty Appointments: Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of South Florida College of Medicine

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

Mark Lonstein, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 609

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-6500

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Herbert Silverstein, M.D.

1901 Floyd St.

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 366-9222

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Ear disorders/surgery; Meniere's disease.

Faculty Appointments: Clinical Professor, University of South Florida College of Medicine

PAIN MEDICINE

Donald Erb, D.O.

5350 University Parkway, Suite 201

Sarasota, FL 34243

(941) 917-4500

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY

Jennifer L. Root Mayer, M.D.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics

1700 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-7490

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Faculty Appointments: Associate Professor, University of Florida College of Medicine

PEDIATRICS

Francine Gross, M.D.

2934 University Parkway

Sarasota, FL 34243

(941) 359-3737

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Helene R. Hubbard, M.D.

3918 Eighth Ave. W.

Bradenton, FL 34205

(941) 708-5445

Primary Hospital: Manatee Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Developmental pediatrics

Robert Alan Weiss, M.D.

1215 East Ave S., Suite 303

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 366-3000

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Adolescent medicine

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Marc Kallins, M.D.

4410 Manatee Ave. W.

Bradenton, FL 34205

(941) 750-0602

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

David A. Siegel, M.D.

1700 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 809

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-7622

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

PLASTIC SURGERY

James H. Schmidt, M.D.

2255 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 366-8897

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Faculty Appointments: Associate Clinical Professor, University of Florida College of Medicine

PSYCHIATRY

Robert Mignone, M.D.

195 Center Road, Suite A

Venice, FL 34285

(941) 408-8988

Primary Hospital: Bon Secours Venice Hospital

PULMONARY DISEASE

Bruce M. Fleegler, M.D.

1895 Floyd St.

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 366-5864

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Asthma; emphysema

RHEUMATOLOGY

Jeffrey Kaine, M.D.

3500 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 316-0231

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Lupus nephritis; rheumatoid arthritis

SURGERY

George R. McSwain, M.D.

5601-D 21st Ave. W.

Bradenton, FL 34209

(941) 761-0133

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

Special Experience: Cancer surgery; laparoscopic surgery

THORACIC SURGERY

Richard W. Hoefer, M.D.

1219 S. East Ave., Suite 301

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 365-6515

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Clifton T. P. Lewis, M.D.

1435 Osprey Ave., Suite 200

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 952-1913

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Cardiothoracic surgery

Richard J. Peterson, M.D.

Riverview Cardiac Surgery

623 39th St. W., Suite 2

Bradenton, FL 34205

(941) 744-2640

Primary Hospital: Blake Medical Center

Special Experience: Cardiac surgery

UROLOGY

Allan Treiman, M.D.

1921 Waldemere St., Suite 310

Sarasota, FL 34239

(941) 917-8488

Primary Hospital: Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Special Experience: Prostate cancer; erectile dysfunction