College Nears Halfway Point in Scholarship Campaign

Generous donors have stepped forward to help provide financial support to Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine students through the school’s Scholarship Campaign.

As plans are underway to incrementally increase the number of students in each class to 200 by the year 2012, this increase in scholarship funds will enable students to offset the tremendous expenses incurred during medical school. According to the Health Science Center’s financial aid office, the college’s average student indebtedness is approximately $80,000 by the time they have completed their medical degree, which is a considerable financial obstacle for most students to overcome.

Through the help of friends, former students, and faculty, the college has received $765,432 in gifts and pledges, nearing the halfway point to the overall $1.6 million goal.

Most recently, the college received an endowment from Dr. William B. Roman, Jr. ’50 and the estate of his late cousin, Ms. Mary Evelyn Hayes. Ms. Hayes established the endowed scholarship through a charitable trust in honor of her cousin. Roman, a retired physician, former state representative and former faculty member of the college, added to the gift left through the estate of Ms. Hayes to reach a total scholarship endowment of $50,000.

For more information about giving to the College Of Medicine Scholarship Campaign, please contact Tom Pool, Director of Institutional Advancement at (979) 862-3992 or by email at development@medicine.tamhsc.edu.

Department Heads, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Appointed

Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., made several important appointments this spring to strengthen the leadership of the college. Two department heads and the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies positions were filled by outstanding faculty members with 50 years of combined experience at the college.

Van Wilson, Ph.D., professor in the Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis Department, accepted the position of Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in late March. Since arriving in 1983, Dr. Wilson has served the college well in many capacities and has extensive research experience. Dr. Wilson was instrumental in the creation of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program and the Intercollegiate Faculty of Virology, and also served as the chair of the Texas A&M Institutional Biosafety Committee for 15 years.

J. Martin Scholtz, Ph.D., was appointed head of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine and assumed the role April 1. Dr. Scholtz served as interim head since June 1, 2003. Dr. Scholtz joined the faculty of the College of Medicine in 1993 in the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Genetics. He is currently a professor in the Molecular and Cellular Medicine Department and holds a joint appointment with the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M University.

William H. Griffith, Ph.D., accepted the role of head of the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics effective June 1. Since joining the College of Medicine in 1984, Dr. Griffith has developed several neuropharmacology courses for medical and graduate students that he continues to teach. His primary research interest is the neuropharmacology of aging, and he has been prolific in obtaining $4.15 million in research grants.

Texas Brain and Spine Institute Announced

A collaborative effort between doctors, clinicians, scientists and institutions, all focused on the research and care of neurological disorders, was unveiled May 23 as the Texas Brain and Spine Institute (TBSI). The TBSI is a multidisciplinary collaboration between St. Joseph Regional Health Center, a group of more than 20 neuroscience specialists, and the neuroscience research programs at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

The Institute is designed to be a center of excellence in neuroscience, providing a network of clinical and academic resources that will offer state of the art diagnostic and treatment services for neurological disorders, while at the same time furthering neuroscience research. TBSI's research efforts will focus on developing and funding research programs in clinical and laboratory neuroscience. The affiliation with the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine creates a two-way street for the development of research ideas and studies.

"Community and academic partnerships bring together the best of both worlds – high quality clinical care within the framework of inquiry and discovery," said Dr. Christopher C. Colenda, Dean of the College of Medicine. "Collaborations such as the TBSI will benefit patients and their families." Dr. Colenda is a Geriatric Psychiatrist whose background includes more than 20 years of research experience and clinical management of patients with late-life neuropsychiatric conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and depression.

Delip Patel First to Take on M.D./MBA Dual Degree

Whether Delip Patel is a sucker for punishment is still up for debate, but there's no denying his status as a trailblazer. Patel, who just finished his second-year of medical school, is taking a path never before traveled at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. Rather than moving to Temple during the summer to begin his third-year clinical clerkships, he is staying behind in College Station to earn his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University.

In previous years, a student with multiple interests was forced to make a difficult choice when it came to selecting a post-baccalaureate degree – would it be medical or business school? With the details of the M.D./MBA dual degree program finalized in late 2004, Patel's class was the first to be offered such an opportunity.

"I have no business background whatsoever," Patel admits. "But when we were told about this program during our first year, I was immediately interested."

Karina Parr Attends Patch Adams Gathering

Karina Parr completed her first year of medical school in May and had the unique opportunity to attend the Gesundheit! (to wish you good health) Institute, founded by famous physician Patch Adams, in June. Parr spent a week at the center in Hillsboro, West Virginia, and on her return to Texas, did an interview with a reporter from the Cleburne-Times Review.

Medical Students Receive 2006 Caring for Community Grant

Third and fourth-year medical students at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine submitted a proposal this spring entitled "Project SEED" for funding to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative (PMHI). Project SEED, which stands for "Screening, Education and Empowerment for Diabetics", was selected as one of eight nationwide proposals to be funded for the 2006 Caring for Community award.

According to third-year student Anthony James, Project SEED has two aims.

"Our first goal is to improve diabetes education, counseling, prevention and outpatient treatment for Martha's clinic patients,” James says. "More specifically, we intend to provide additional clinic time specifically dedicated to diabetes education."


For more information on Martha's Clinic, visit: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/student-affairs/organizations/marthas-clinic/index.html.

Scholtz Garners Advanced Research Program Award

During the last year, faculty members across the Health Science Center submitted proposals for funding to the Advanced Research Program (ARP) totaling more than $2.1 million. The College of Medicine's own Dr. Marty Scholtz was one of only two recipients from the Health Science Center to receive the 2006 awards.

Dr. Scholtz was awarded $100,000 for his proposal, “Insights into the Molecular Basis of Amyloid Diseases”. This is his second time to receive an ARP award, his first coming in 1999.

"I am really glad that the Advanced Research Program has been reinstated, as it serves as an ideal mechanism for projects that are more speculative and risky," Dr. Scholtz says. "We hope the study will provide some key insight into the physical properties of proteins that cause them to often misfold into alternative forms, like amyloid. This knowledge will aid us to develop a more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these devastating diseases."

College of Medicine faculty have consistently been awarded ARP funding since the program's foundation in 1987.

The ARP was created by the Texas Legislature as a competitive, peer-reviewed grant program to fund scientific and engineering research projects of faculty members at Texas higher education institutions. The programs are administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. For more information about the ARP, visit: http://www.arpatp.com/.

Dehmer to Lead Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions

Dr. Gregory J. Dehmer, Scott & White Cardiology Division Director and College of Medicine professor of Internal Medicine, was recently installed as the 29th president of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) during the society's Annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

Quality issues and initiatives will top Dr. Dehmer's priorities as he heads the 3,400-plus member organization over the coming year. "SCAI's mission is to promote excellence in invasive and interventional cardiovascular medicine," he said. "Providing high-quality care has always been important, and it is now very clear that governmental agencies, payers, and the public have developed a keen interest in this area."

Dr. Dehmer has long been involved in issues related to the delivery of high-quality cardiovascular care. Since the mid-1990s, Dr. Dehmer has served on the writing committees of several guidelines, including the American College of Cardiology's interventional training programs standards as well as guidelines for coronary angiography, and the ACC/SCAI Expert Consensus Document for Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories.

Charter Class of 1981 Silver Celebration Weekend: July 28-29

Organizers of the Silver Celebration weekend are making the final preparations to welcome back the Charter Class of 1981 for their 25th Reunion. It will be two days of events and fun, as the weekend kicks off with the Dean’s Welcome Dinner, hosted by the College Dean, Christopher C. Colenda, M.D./M.P.H. The dinner will offer the opportunity for the Classes of 1981 and 1996 (who are celebrating their 10th Reunion) to get together, as well as to welcome the incoming Class of 2010.

On Saturday, the new incoming class will participate in the time-honored White Coat Ceremony to cap off their Orientation Week, followed by a reception. Family members, friends and alumni are welcome to attend. At 6 p.m., the college is hosting a wine and cheese reception in the rotunda of the George Bush Library and Museum, which will include free tours. The Silver Celebration dinner will begin at 7 p.m. with great food and a great program to honor the first class of Aggie docs.

Sligh Elected to HemaCare Board of Directors

Teresa S. Sligh, M.D., a 1996 graduate of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, has been elected to the HemaCare Corporation Board of Directors. Since 2003, Dr. Sligh has served as President and Medical Director of Providence Clinical Research, a clinical research consulting company.

Dr. Sligh was the Chief Medical/Strategy Officer from 2001 to 2003 of Capital Technology Information Services, Inc., a clinical research information support company. Dr. Sligh will chair HemaCare's Quality Assurance Committee, and is a member of the Compensation Committee.

Commenting on the election of Dr. Sligh, Jay Steffenhagen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HemaCare Corporation stated, "We are delighted that Dr. Sligh is joining our Board. Her extensive experience in clinical research will be an asset as we continue to expand the Company's participation in the research products market. We are looking forward to her contributions in shaping the future of the Company."

Founded in 1978, HemaCare is a provider of blood products and services to the healthcare industry in the U.S. HemaCare is licensed by the FDA and accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. The Company focuses on providing cost effective, high quality solutions to organizations with a need for blood-related products and services.