Our Physicians

Steven C. Jones, MD | William A. Rios, MD | I. Alexis Dell, MD | John J. Burton, MD
Drue Ferrante, MD | Christopher R. Guy, MD | Robert Slaton, MD
Deborah J. Morris, MD | Manuel F. Diaz, MD

Steven C. Jones, MD

Dr. Jones received his MD degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, in 1986. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at University of Florida-Shands Hospital in 1989. He has since been in private practice in Gainesville and was a founding member of Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians in 1994. He was Medical Director of the group from 1994 until 2008. Currently, he serves as the Laboratory Director for GIMP. He has held multiple leadership positions at North Florida Regional Medical Center, Including Chief of Medicine (1991-1992), Chief of Staff (1993-1994), and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees (1997).

His office practice of General Internal Medicine includes special interests in cardiovascular preventative medicine and lipidology. He does not provide routine office gynecological screening.

Dr. Jones is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

He is married and has five children. He is an active leader at The Family Church In Gainesville, www.thefamilychurch.net. He and his wife are active supporters of several charities including: Abba House, Grace Walk Ministries, and Compassion International.

William A. Rios, MD

Dr. Rios graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1980 with a BA in Chemistry. In 1984 he received his MD from Yale University College of Medicine in New Haven, CT. He returned to Florida in 1988 where he completed his internship, residency, and chief residency in internal medicine at UF Shands. He has since been in private practice in Gainesville and was a founding member of Gainesville Internal Medicine Associates in 1994.

Dr. Rios is an active member of the medical staff at North Florida Regional Medical Center and is board certified in Internal Medicine. He is a member of the AMA and Alachua County Medical Society.

He is married and has two daughters. He is bilingual, fluent in Spanish.

I. Alexis Dell, MD

Dr. Alexis Dell received her medical school education at the University of Florida. This was preceded by a BA in Psychology eventually followed by a BS in Chemistry at that same institution. She interned and completed residency at Scott and White Hospital (clinical education site for Texas A&M University) in Temple, Texas. Dr. Dell is board-certified in Internal Medicine. She returned to Gainesville in 1992 as a hospitalist at AGH before starting private practice at NFRMC. Dr. Dell joined Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians in 1996 and is serving as its medical director from March 2008 to March 2013.

Dr. Dell has one daughter, whom she adores. Some of her other loves are classical music, opera, most ethnic music, dance, words, anything to do with cooking (and eating) as well as being outdoors, especially in water.

John J. Burton, MD

Prior to entering the medical profession, Dr. Burton received his BS (Magna Cum Laude) and MS degrees in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. After working in that field for four years, he enrolled in medical school at the University of Florida where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha during his junior year and earned his MD degree with honors. He continued at UF Shands to complete his residency in internal medicine in 1996. During his training he was the recipient of numerous awards, including being voted by his classmates as "best to have at your side during an emergency situation."

Dr. Burton has been in private practice in Gainesville since 1996 and is an attending physician at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and an active member of the AMA, ACP, Florida Medical Association, and Alachua County Medical Society, to which he was elected to serve as president in 2005-2006. He currently serves on the executive board of the Alachua County Medical Society.

He is married to a fellow physician and has one daughter. His outside interests include biking, running, music, and travel.

Drue Ferrante, MD

Dr. Ferrante completed undergraduate studies at the University of Florida before receiving her MD degree at the University of Miami in 1987. Residency training followed at both the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and the University of Hawaii. On completion of training, she worked in medical practice settings in San Antonio, Texas, and Wailuku, Hawaii, before moving back to Florida and joining Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians in 1999.

Dr. Ferrante in an attending physician at North Florida Regional Medical Center and is board certified in Internal Medicine.

She is married to a fellow physician and dedicated mom to a daughter and son. Passions include traveling, hiking and not cooking (!).

Christopher R. Guy, MD, MBA

Dr. Guy was raised in Jacksonville, Florida. After receiving his BA in Psychology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he also earned MD and MBA degrees from Wake Forest University in 1999. He completed residency at the University of Florida in Internal Medicine in 2002 and subsequently joined the Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians in private practice. He is board certified in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Guy, his wife, and their three sons are very active in numerous fitness and sports activities. He enjoys cycling and playing guitar.

Robert Slaton, MD

Dr. Slaton is the senior member of Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians.

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, he attended Davidson College for his BS degree then returned to the University of Florida for medical school, internship and residency in internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in endocrinology, completing his training in 1974. After serving two years in the army, he returned to private practice where he joined the Gainesville Medical Group, Andrews and Associates. In 2003 he became part of Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians.

He is an active member of the medical staff of North Florida Regional Medical Center and is board certified in Internal Medicine. Special areas of expertise include endocrinology (particularly the primary care of diabetes) and geriatrics.

Dr. Slaton is a husband, father, and grandfather. When not in the office he is either on the golf course or singing karaoke. Because of his love for his profession, he has no plans to retire in the near future.

Deborah J. Morris, MD

Dr. Morris grew up in rural Wyoming and attended the University of Wyoming, earning a BS in Psychology in 1978, followed by MD degree at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska in 1982. She then moved to Baltimore, Maryland, for internship, residency, and chief residency (the first woman to hold the position) at Johns Hopkins affiliated Sinai Hospital. In 1987 she established a private practice in northwest Baltimore which grew to become known as the only internal medicine practice group in the region staffed by all women physicians. Throughout her years in practice, she continued to hold an appointment as Clinical Instructor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

In 2006 her husband, J. Glenn Morris MD, was appointed the director of the newly established Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida, which meant a move to Gainesville. Since her arrival, Dr. Morris has been very pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians.

Dr. Morris is board certified in Internal Medicine and a member of the AMA and ACP.

Passions outside medicine include three daughters, gardening, decorating, traveling and gourmet cooking.

Manuel F. Diaz, MD

Dr. Diaz earned his medical degree at Universidad Central de Este, San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic in 1986. He received his certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates in 1988. His post graduate training included an internship and residency at Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center in New York in 1991. During his tenure at Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, he was a Clinical Instructor of Internal Medicine and a Courtesy Assistant Professor.

Dr. Diaz moved to Gainesville in 1992 and began his career in private practice. In 2009, Dr. Diaz joined Gainesville Internal Medicine Physicians. Dr. Diaz is board certified in Internal Medicine, and he is an attending physician at North Florida Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Diaz is a devoted husband and proud father of two. He is an avid golfer and enjoys traveling with his family.