April
I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Spring Break! For those of you who continued to work that week, I hope you had a nice, quiet week and were able to get caught up on some projects.
March was another busy month in the life of the college as we have some changes in administrative personnel. Dr. Wally Dyck retired effective March 31. Dr. Dyck has been a faithful, steady leader in the College of Medicine for many years and we will greatly miss him. Thank you for your many contributions to the college, Dr. Dyck! In addition, Dr. John Quarles has stepped down as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies after serving in that role for several years. Dr. Quarles has done an excellent job with our graduate program, as our enrollment has steadily increased over the past several years. Thank you, Dr. Quarles for your service!
Letters were sent out last week to announce the new appointments in the positions vacated by Dr. Dyck and Dr. Quarles. Dr. Don DiPette has been named Interim Executive Associate Dean – Temple Campus, and Dr. Van Wilson has been named Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. I am please to have Drs. DiPette and Wilson on board, and look forward to working with them.
The Roadmap Group met again this past month as a follow-up to the Curriculum Retreat held in February. The suggestions from this group will be forwarded to the newly formed Curriculum Committee for consideration. I have also sent a letter to all faculty outlining my expectations for the new integrated curriculum.
In other news, the Employee of the Month program has been replaced with the Employee of the Quarter award. With the Basic Science Department realignment, the Dean's Staff felt it was necessary to make some changes in this program and give it more credibility. As a benefit to employees, we have instituted a more substantial gift as part of the award. An email was sent out to everyone with information about the program, as well as the web address which contains more information about the award and a nomination form.
2006 Residency Match Day
The wait was over for the Class of 2006 at the residency Match Day, held Thursday, March 16 in Temple. Just two months before graduation, members of the class of 2006 learned where they are headed next to continue their medical education.The 2006 Match Day saw 49 percent of College of Medicine M4s select residencies in primary care, with 53 percent staying in-state. Ten students will complete residencies in internal medicine, followed by eight in obstetrics and gynecology and five in family medicine. Eleven M4s, or 19 percent of the class, were matched with residencies at Scott & White and will remain in Temple. College of Medicine graduates will move all over the country, with students accepting positions in 17 states and the District of Columbia.
2006 Rapport Awards
The Office of Institutional Advancement hosted a donor recognition ceremony and reception, the 2006 Rapport Awards, Friday, March 24 for past and present donors of the College of Medicine. Tom Pool, Director of Institutional Advancement, served as the event emcee, which was held in the LifeSavors café in the Medical Sciences Library Building.Attendees were welcomed by HSC president Dr. Nancy Dickey and College of Medicine dean Dr. Christopher Colenda, followed by remarks from second-year medical student Sarah Fisher and associate professor Dr. Farida Sohrabji.
Donors received awards for their generosity to the college. A special presentation to honor Dr. Joe Smith, the artist who created the "Rapport" sculpture in the Medical Sciences Courtyard, was given by Dr. Sam Black.
Special thanks to Rae Adams, Sergio Cervantes, Adrian Cuellar, Sarah Fisher, David Galloway, Chris Hudak, Che Ornelas, Sanu Somachandran and Nikki Weidner for serving as student hosts and tour guides for our guests, as well as the numerous faculty and staff who attended in support of the college. Thanks to George Martin, Facilities Coordinator, and Tony Villalobos, Grounds Maintenance, and their crews for their work in preparing the grounds and facilities for this event.
Additionally, a tremendous thank you goes to Brenda Long for all her hard work in organizing the event.
CMA Group Takes Spring Break Medical Mission Trip
For 29 medical students from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, this Spring Break was about much more than rest and relaxation. Members of the college's Christian Medical Association (CMA) organized a five-day medical mission trip to Morelos, Mexico to offer medical care to local residents.The trip, now in its ninth year, is the major annual outreach project for the College of Medicine's chapter of the CMA. More than 70 people, including medical students, college faculty members, local physicians, translators and pre-med undergraduate students, traveled to Morelos, which is south of Piedras Negras and across the border from Eagle Pass.
College of Medicine students who attended were: Lori Acosta, Rae Adams, Grace Brown, Matt Brown, Carrie Busch, Janie Castillo, Paulina Castillo, Daniel Desalvo, Kyle Fehlis, Tammy Grab, Susan Greenhut, Laura Hattox, Mitra Jafari, Becky James, Brooke Jemelka, Tiffany Joe, Eric Lenehan, Vivian Lichaa, Joyce Liu, Tate Nice, Che Ornelas, David Pham, Bridgette Rater, Anastacio Saenz, McLean Sanborn, Cheryl Stecher, Jaron Sullivan, Erin Ulloa and Amelia Villagomez.
Putting a Face on Domestic Violence
Medical students at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine are training to diagnose and treat their future patients with every illness from the common cold to cancer. But what if the issue is as serious domestic violence in the form of black eyes, broken bones and gunshot wounds?As part of their "Becoming a Clinician" training, second-year students heard from miracle domestic violence survivor Carolyn Thomas Tuesday, March 7. A Waco resident, Thomas knows all too well the permanent scars domestic violence can leave behind. In a state of drug-induced rage, her ex-boyfriend Terrence Kelly shot and killed her mother, and then shot Thomas point-blank in the temple. Defying all odds, she survived, as the bullet missed her brain but destroyed her right eye, nose, cheeks, upper jaw and most teeth. Since that night in December 2003, Carolyn has fought to piece her life back together, undergoing months of reconstructive surgery and testifying at Kelly's murder trial in 2005.
Meininger Elected Microcirculatory Society President
Cynthia J. Meininger, Ph.D., associate professor of Systems Biology and Translational Medicine, was recently elected president of the Microcirculatory Society. The Microcirculatory Society encourages the exchange and dissemination of information on the microcirculation, or the tiny blood vessels of the body, and promotes innovative research and teaching.Dr. Meininger has been associated with the Microcirculatory Society since she was a graduate student and has served in many capacities for the society, including: Secretary (2001-2005), Executive Council (1996-2007), Awards Committee (1995-1998), Membership Committee (1990-1994) and Membership Committee Chair (1992-1994). She will serve one year as president-elect, followed by one year as president. Dr. Meininger's year as president will include hosting the World Congress for Microcirculation in August 2007.
"This is a great honor for me," Dr. Meininger says. "The Microcirculatory Society plays an important role in disseminating scientific information, bringing together researchers from multiple countries with similar interests, and mentoring young scientists. I'm very fortunate to have a chance to step into this leadership role."
Colenda Urges VA Appropriators to Increase Mental Health Care Resources College of Medicine Dean and AAGP President-Elect Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., made a quick trip to Washington, D.C., to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives' Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies on Wednesday, March 1. AAGP is concerned that the mental health needs of the aging veteran population are not being adequately met by current resources and that the gap between needs and resources will widen unless Congress acts to increase support for veterans' mental health care, with an emphasis on older veterans.
Dr. Colenda's testimony covered the aging veteran population including Vietnam era veterans, the needed integration of general and mental health care, long-term care, medication, and research. "Psychiatric illnesses are real. They cause significant morbidity, co-morbidity and mortality among those who have served their country. We owe our veterans the best that this country can offer," Dr. Colenda told the committee.
Bake Receives Young Investigator Award
Shameena Bake, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate in the lab of Dr. Farida Sohrabji, recently received the Young Investigator Award from the Steroid Hormone and Brain Function Workshop."I was chosen for the award based on my past accomplishments and future potential for a successful career in research," Dr. Bake says. "I am delighted to be the recipient of this award. It is a great recognition and encourages me to excel in my research. My mentor, Dr. Sohrabji, has been very supportive of what I do and I am very grateful for that. I am proud to be a part of her research team and equally proud to be a part of the HSC."
The Workshop on Steroid Hormones and Brain Function was established in 1993, and the goal of the workshop is to provide a unique opportunity for neuroscientists in the field of steroid hormones to discuss their research. This workshop brings together a diverse group of scientists who use a wide array of strategies and technologies to study embryonic development through adulthood from a molecular to behavioral perspective.
A second goal of this workshop is to introduce new topics and topics of current intense interest. The Young Investigator Symposium is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and the Society for Women's Health Research and each year 4-6 post doctoral fellows are selected on a competitive basis for this award.
Lewis Accepted to Summer Neuroscience Program in Greece
Danielle K. Lewis, a member of Dr. Farida Sohrabji's lab and graduate student in the Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics Department, has been accepted into the Vivian Smith Advanced Studies Institute of the International Neuropsychological Society. Lewis will study neuroscience in Xylocastro, Greece from June 18 to July 15. Participants in the summer study program receive a stipend to defer travel and lodging costs, and tuition is waived."The requirements for this award were based on good academic status and how closely my personal goals as a neuroscientist correlated with the courses that would be taught over the summer," Lewis says. "I was very excited to get this award as the courses they are offering do fit very closely with my research interests."
HUMANITIES IN MEDICINE
The Department of Humanities in Medicine announces the selection of Craig Borchardt, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, as the new President and CEO of Hospice Brazos Valley. His new position will allow our medical students to enhance their understanding of end-of-life issues and palliative care. These are important topics with our population now growing older. Dr. Borchardt's leadership will also increase the ties between the medical community and the College of Medicine.FACULTY
Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis
Dr. David McMurray traveled to Pretoria, South Africa, from February 6-10 to attend a meeting of an expert panel convened by the Academy of Sciences of South Africa (ASSAF) to perform a consensus study on the impact of malnutrition on TB and HIV/AIDS. He also spent a day with colleagues at the Medical Research Council visiting facilities and reviewing the preliminary results of a study in which guinea pigs were infected by being exposed to room air from patients with multi-drug resistant TB. He is also assisting with the preparation of an NIH grant to support this project which is being prepared by the PI, Dr. Ed Nardell, at Harvard.Dr. Yi Wei Jiang presented "Two Tales of 'Innate Immunity': Ty1 Pseudo-cosuppression in Yeast & The BT Cationic Peptides in Animals" on February 2 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and on February 14 at the Florida Technology Institute.
Molecular and Cellular Medicine
Siegfried Musser, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine gave an invited talk entitled "Single Molecule Measurements of Nuclear Import Efficiency" in the Symposium "Visualizing Molecular Function in Living Cells" at the 2006 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting held in Salt Lake City, February 18-22.Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Jose Pliego participated in the 2006 CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, March 2-5 in Orlando. This was a joint meeting between the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) and the Council of Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) that offers exhibits, receptions, seminars, and plenary and breakout sessions of interest to members of both organizations.
Dr. Pliego presented an abstract, " Addressing Gaps in the CREOG Curriculum: OB/GYN BOOT CAMP Using High Fidelity Human Simulators" and participated in an interactive panel discussion about teaching technical skills to residents. The other two panelists were Dr. Robert Zurawin from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Dr. Irwin Laura from the Medical College of Georgia. He also presented a poster, "Taking Noelle TM birthing simulator to a New Level in Teaching Management of Common Obstetrical Emergencies".
Steven R. Allen, M.D., Ob/Gyn Residency Program Director, also gave a poster presentation entitled "Medical malpractice claims two years before and after ACGME duty hours restrictions" at the 2006 CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting.
OFFICE OF EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT
Dr. Eugene Terry, Dr. Paul Ogden, Dr. Ken Torrington and Dr. Sandra Oliver gave a poster presentation at ACGME Annual Educational Conference entitled "How to deliver ACGME Outcomes Project Content to Academic Faculty and Program Coordinators" in Orlando, Florida on March 3-5. Dr. Robert Greenberg, Dr. S.K. Oliver and J. Fritz gave a poster presentation at CORD-EM Academic Assembly entitled "Residents and Faculty Physicians as Preceptors for EMT and Paramedic Students" in Las Vegas March 3-5, 2006
RESEARCH
Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis
Dr. David McMurray received the Award Notice from NIH for the second year of our subcontract to Johns Hopkins University for a project [N01 AI 30036] entitled "New Animal Models for Tuberculosis". The total award for this fiscal year is $181,593.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis
Decaluwe, H, Harrison, LM, Mariscalco, MM, Gendrel, D, Bohuon, C, Tesh, VL and Proulx, F. Procalcitonin in children with Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated hemolytic uremic syndrome. Pediatric Research 59 :579-583 (2006).
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DATES TO REMEMBER
April 13: Graduate Student Organization Research Symposium, RMB; 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
April 18: Preceptor Appreciation Dinner, 7F Lodge; 6:30 p.m.
May 3: Magnolia Tea, The Greenbranch; 2 p.m.
May 19: Senior Banquet, Reed Arena
May 20: Class of 2006 Commencement, Rudder Auditorium; 2 p.m.
July 28-29: 25 th Reunion Weekend for the charter Class of 1981
Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H.
Dean, College of Medicine
The Texas A&M Health Science Center
147 Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building
College Station, TX 77843-1114
Phone: 979-845-3431
Fax: 979-847-8663
Email: colenda@medicine.tamhsc.edu
