January

A new year is upon us, and I urge you take a moment to reflect upon all that has been achieved and to consider the challenges ahead.

February

Another month has flown by! Thank you to all the students, faculty and staff who attended the largest ever Convocation in January celebrating 10 years as a Health Science Center. Among the award presentations and remarks from the leadership, our very own College of Medicine student Britney Prince spoke on behalf of students as president of the HSC Student Government Association. Thank you, Britney, and thank you to all of the students who attended. You represented a fine showing from the College of Medicine.

March

While most students are on spring break, we are hard at work. In fact, some of our students are spending their vacation in Uganda for a medical mission. They are joined by College of Medicine alumnus Dr. Eric Wilke, class of ’95, a co-founder of Martha’s Clinic in Temple. Good luck to our folks in the field as they reach out to the underserved across the world

April

We have accomplished much in the past month, and there is still much to be done as we prepare for the end of the semester. For the first time, the college’s Match Day ceremonies were held in both Temple and Bryan-College Station, signifying the growth of our classes and exceptional commitment of our faculty.

May

While attending the M1 Welcome Weekend in Round Rock on Saturday, April 17, I had the chance to be interviewed, quite serendipitously, by an Austin-area television station about Guillain-Barré Syndrome. The inquiry stemmed from Austin resident and former president Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter, Luci Baines Johnson, having been recently admitted to the Mayo Clinic with the symptoms of Guillain-Barré.

June

We have just returned from a medical mission trip to Bolivia with President Nancy W. Dickey and four of our own medical students, and what a trip it was! Caring for people in a third-world environment is at once harrowing and humbling. Check the college’s latest news site for the full story and photos coming soon.

July

In addition to my years of serving as the Associate Dean for Veterans Affairs, for the past 270 days I have been privileged to serve as the Interim Dean of Medicine. It’s been an incredible privilege to serve in this capacity, and I will remember it always. I truly appreciate all of the support you have given me and ask that you do the same for our new dean. Furthermore, I look forward to continuing my service to the College of Medicine in the years ahead.

August

As I begin my third week at the College of Medicine, your support has already proven to be invaluable, and I welcome it in the coming months. As we move forward, you will hear me reiterate four guiding principles: • Emphasizing primary care and rural medicine in order to serve the needs of the state and the nation as a public medical school. • Seeking diversity in our students and faculty to honor our obligation to train a workforce that mirrors the population it serves. • Developing more interdisciplinary research within the college, with the Texas A&M Health Science Center, the Texas A&M System, Scott & White and the VA. • Emphasizing stewardship of our finances and resources to maximize each program, activity and opportunity not only for our students, but for our communities as well. Also included in newsletter: Internal Medicine Activity Report

September

Another month has flown by, and I appreciate your continued service to the College of Medicine. As we prepare for the next legislative session over the coming months, I encourage you all to be mindful of our resources. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of stewardship of our finances and resources. We absolutely must work together and work wisely to maximize each program, activity and opportunity not only for our students, but for our communities as well.

October

On October 7, I had the opportunity to speak to community members at our campus in Round Rock as part of the first Mini-Medical School there, and I was reminded of how many people the college and its programs affect. Not only did retirees and everyday citizens attend, but administrators from our clinical affiliates in Round Rock, business people and even high school students joined as well.

November

The results of the elections this past November 2 were certainly interesting and dramatic, but I believe they underscored the fundamental strength of our democracy. The message sent loud and clear by the electorate was that politicians of any stripe would do well to heed the will of the people. Whether this will translate into greater bipartisan cooperation is unclear, but, despite all of the rhetoric to the contrary, it is highly likely that healthcare reform will continue on its implementation schedule.

December

In this time of hopeful anticipation for the New Year, I’d like to take the time to reflect on how the College of Medicine serves the communities in which we are located. From the tiny town of Holland, Texas to the mountains of Peru, our students and faculty are serving those in need.