SNMA Hosts Bone Marrow Drive

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine’s chapter of the Student National Medical Association hosted a Bone Marrow Drive yesterday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Reynolds Medical Building.

Authored on: Nov 30, 2006

M.D./M.B.A. Student Learns Life Lessons from Business Expert

Delip Patel is taking the road not often traveled by his medical school colleagues, as he takes a year between his second and third years of medical school to work on an M.B.A. degree. Already five months into his coursework, Patel is grateful for what he has learned and the experiences he’s had.

Authored on: Nov 27, 2006

Scott & White Receives $600,000 Grant for Simulation Research

Scott & White and the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine received a $600,000 grant to research the impact of multidisciplinary teamwork training using simulation in patient safety. The Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on Tuesday announced more than $5 million in 19 new grants under its “Improving Patient Safety through Simulation Research” request for applications.

Authored on: Nov 14, 2006

Wesson Named Vice Dean of College of Medicine Temple Campus

Donald E. Wesson, M.D., F.A.C.P., was recently named the new vice dean for the Temple campus of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Due to arrive Jan. 15, 2007, Dr. Wesson also will serve as chief academic officer for Scott & White and special assistant to the chief of staff for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System.

Authored on: Nov 13, 2006

First-Year Medical Students Host Cadaver Memorial Service

Once a new class of medical students at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine steps on campus, they begin their training almost immediately. One of the most important and memorable rights of passage of any doctor-to-be is the gross anatomy course. Students spend three days a week for the first four months of medical school in the lab, learning about the basics of the human body.

Authored on: Nov 13, 2006

COM Students Receive Rotary Grant for Martha’s Clinic

Student leaders from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine were recently notified that their application was selected for funding from The Rotary Foundation and the Rotary clubs in Temple and Monterrey, Mexico. The $14,000 matching grant will be used to purchase new equipment and improve the level of care at Martha’s Clinic.

Authored on: Nov 08, 2006

COM Students Organize 10,000 Step Challenge Fundraiser

Six Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine students have organized a 10,000 Step Challenge for the first time in the history of the school. More than 140 first and second-year medical students have pledged to walk at least 10,000 steps daily, which is the amount recommended by the Surgeon General to attain proper weight control.

Authored on: Oct 18, 2006

CVRI host second scientific retreat

On Thursday and Friday, October 19-20, 135 cardiovascular scientists from the Texas A&M University System are convening at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center in College Station to participate in oral and poster presentations of basic and clinical research on the heart and blood vessels. In addition, renowned investigators from other institutions are delivering keynote addresses at the retreat.

Authored on: Oct 18, 2006

CTVHCS Approved For Interprofessional Fellowship Program in Psychosocial Rehabilitation

The Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS), one of the College of Medicine’s clinical partners in Temple, was recently notified that it has been selected as one of the newest sites to offer a fellowship program in psychosocial rehabilitation.

Authored on: Oct 16, 2006

Pliego, COM Students Participate in Simulation Development Program

College of Medicine faculty member Dr. Jose Pliego will be serving as an expert in the upcoming STARLINK faculty development program entitled “Simulation Technology in the Classroom: Advancing Medical Education” on Thursday, October 5 at 1:30 p.m. Dr. Pliego is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medical Director of Clinical Simulation at Scott & White and the College of Medicine.

Authored on: Oct 03, 2006

College of Medicine, SRPH Researchers Receive Grant for Collaborative Project

Rural and underserved regions have not been well served by traditional academic research models. This has exacerbated health disparities within these regions, as populations have not participated in or benefited from leading edge innovations in clinical care, prevention and health systems improvement.

Authored on: Sep 25, 2006

Tenner Accepted to 2006 Universal Health Care Leadership Institute

College of Medicine fourth-year student Laura Tenner was accepted to the 2006 Universal Health Care Leadership Institute (UHCLI), sponsored by the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) October 20-23, 2006 in Reston, Virginia. The UHCLI was created to provide students with the training they need to become leaders in universal health care on the local, state, and national levels.

Authored on: Sep 25, 2006

Family Medicine Interest Group Fall Update

The Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine has already been very busy this year! The main objectives of the Texas A&M FMIG chapter are to disperse information to those interested in Family Medicine as a career and to help these same individuals reach their goals within this profession. The organization offers numerous opportunities for students to become enriched with all that Family Medicine has to offer.

Authored on: Sep 25, 2006

Alford Selected for AAFP Leadership Role

Eric Alford, a second-year medical student at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, has been selected to serve as a student membership liaison for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Authored on: Sep 25, 2006

Colenda Testifies Before U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

College of Medicine Dean Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H. testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging today on the issues of depression and suicide among older Americans.

Authored on: Sep 14, 2006

College of Medicine’s McGehee Attends 2006 Kadner Institute

July 2006, the Committee on Graduate and Postdoctoral Education at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) held the 2006 ASM Robert J. Kadner Institute for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scientists in Preparation for Careers in Microbiology at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. A select group of twenty seven senior level graduate students and nine early postdoctoral scientists from the United States and Canada met in Connecticut from July 29th –August 2nd for an intensive five day Institute.

Authored on: Sep 08, 2006

College of Medicine Named in Top 10 Medical School for Hispanics for Second Year

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine was named in the top 10 medical schools for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine for the second straight year. The list was published in the magazine’s September issue, which also includes the top 10 MBA, law and engineering schools. The college is being recognized for not only a “commitment to diversity… (but also) the environment we create for Hispanic students.”

Authored on: Sep 06, 2006

Colenda Elected Member of National Board of Medical Examiners

The National Board of Medical Examiners is pleased to announce that Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., was appointed to a four-year term as a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners representing the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Authored on: Aug 21, 2006

Housewright Receives 2006 TMLT Scholarship

Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) is proud to announce the winners of the 2006 TMLT Memorial Scholarships.

Authored on: Aug 11, 2006

Bhandari Recounts Memorable Life Experiences in Published Works

To say that Salil Bhandari is well-rounded is a bit of an understatement. In addition to being a second-year medical student at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bhandari is a world-traveler, speaks Hindi & Spanish, and is a magician (he performs locally every week).

Authored on: Aug 02, 2006

College of Medicine Hosts 25 th Reunion for Charter Class of Aggie Docs

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is hosting a weekend of events to honor the first graduating class of Aggie doctors, the Class of 1981, Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29. In conjunction with the reunion of the charter class, the College of Medicine will also welcome the newest incoming class of medical students, the Class of 2010.

Authored on: Jul 25, 2006

AAGP Releases Principles of Care for Patients with Dementia Due to Alzheimer's Disease

The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) released today its position statement on principles of care for patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD). With more than 4.5 million Americans suffering from AD, the most common form of dementia, and with this number expected to triple in the next 40-50 years, AAGP saw a critical need to provide a minimal set of care principles for medical professionals to follow when treating patients with AD.

Authored on: Jul 05, 2006

Four Students Awarded Scott & White Scholarships

Four medical students from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine were awarded the 2006 Scott & White scholarships at a ceremony Tuesday, June 20.

Authored on: Jun 23, 2006

Delip Patel: Living Life to the Utmost

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.

Authored on: Jun 15, 2006

Karina Parr Attends Patch Adams Gathering

When I think of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, I see him as actor Robin Williams, making hospital rounds, wearing a bulbous red nose. The renowned medical doctor, clown and social activist was the subject of the blockbuster film, "Patch Adams."

Authored on: Jun 11, 2006

Tobacco Opponents Get Funds from Suit

Three local anti-smoking groups will be spreading their message for another year with the help of Brazos County's tobacco settlement funds, the commissioners court decided Tuesday. Family Practice Foundation of the Brazos Valley, Hospice Brazos Valley and Stand Tall Against Tobacco will receive $130,000 for their efforts.

Authored on: Jun 07, 2006

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.

Authored on: Jun 01, 2006

Griffith Appointed Head of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics

William H. Griffith, Ph.D., has been appointed head of the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine by the college's Dean, Christopher Colenda, M.D., M.P.H. Dr. Griffith is a professor in the Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics and will assume the head position effective June 1, 2006.

Authored on: May 26, 2006

COM Alumnus 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.

Authored on: May 25, 2006

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 today as the Texas Brain and Spine Institute.

Authored on: May 23, 2006

Medical, Graduate Students Receive Degrees

Graduates of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences received their degrees at the 2006 Commencement ceremony, held Saturday, May 20 at 2 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium.

Authored on: May 22, 2006

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.

Authored on: May 19, 2006

Texas A&M Health Science Center Components Ready for Commencement

The College of Medicine and the School of Rural Public Health components of the Texas A&M Health Science Center will host commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 20, while the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas will have graduation Wednesday, May 17.

Authored on: May 15, 2006

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.

Authored on: May 09, 2006

COM Faculty Spearhead National Initiative to Sequence Guinea Pig Genome

Two faculty members in the College of Medicine's Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis, Jeffrey Cirillo, Ph.D. and David McMurray, Ph.D., have recently completed a proposal for submission to the National Human Genome Research Institute for sequencing the guinea pig genome. A national effort of numerous investigators, Drs. Cirillo and McMurray are champions in the endeavor to get this important laboratory model sequenced.

Authored on: May 05, 2006

Scholtz Appointed Molecular and Cellular Medicine Department Head

J. Martin Scholtz, Ph.D., has been appointed head of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine by the college's Dean, Christopher Colenda, M.D., M.P.H. Dr. Scholtz has served as interim head since June 1, 2003, and will assume the head position effective April 1, 2006.

Authored on: Apr 26, 2006

Simpson Places First at Student Research Week

For senior biology major Ashley Simpson, the past year has been a busy one. Since May 2005, Simpson has been doing research and working with graduate student Dani Lewis in Dr. Farida Sohrabji's lab at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. The experience has allowed her to garner credit toward her undergraduate degree, and set her on a path to her future.

Authored on: Apr 25, 2006

South Texas, Louisiana Medical Schools Awarded for Exceptional Service

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has awarded national recognition to the four medical school members of the Alliance of South Texas Academic Health Centers and to the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Medicine in Shreveport for the assistance they provided to the academic medicine community following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.

Authored on: Apr 17, 2006

Faculty Research Colloquium Slated For May 3

The College of Medicine is hosting a Faculty Research Colloquium Wednesday, May 3 from 5 to 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Faculty Advisory Committee, the event will take place in Lecture Hall 1 at the Reynolds Medical Building on the College Station campus, and will be simulcast to the Mayborn Auditorium at Scott & White on the Temple campus.

Authored on: Apr 13, 2006

Reflections from Future Aggie Physicians

The Christian Medical Association (CMA) chapter at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine has been taking a medical missions trip to Mexico for almost a decade. This year, a group of more than 70 medical students, college faculty members, local physicians, translators and pre-med undergraduate students traveled to Morelos, Mexico, south of Piedras Negras.

Authored on: Apr 12, 2006

Dyck Retires After 38 Years of Service

A retirement ceremony and reception will honor Walter P. Dyck, M.D., for his 38 years of service to Scott & White and the Temple community on Friday, March 31. For the last 10 years, Dr. Dyck has served as the Executive Associate Dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and as Chief Academic Officer for Scott & White. Dr. Dyck also holds the rank of professor of Internal Medicine.

Authored on: Mar 27, 2006

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.

Authored on: Mar 24, 2006

Wilson Appointed Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Van Wilson, Ph.D., professor in the Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis Department, has accepted the position of Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. He will assume the position effective immediately.

Authored on: Mar 22, 2006

Interim Executive Associate Dean Appointed

Dr. Donald DiPette, professor and head of the Internal Medicine Department, has agreed to serve as Interim Executive Associate Dean for the College of Medicine on the Temple campus and Chief Academic Officer for Scott & White. He will assume the position effective April 1, 2006 and serve in that capacity until a permanent replacement has been appointed.

Authored on: Mar 16, 2006

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.

Authored on: Mar 13, 2006

CMA Students Plan Mission Trip to Mexico

For 29 medical students from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, this Spring Break is about much more than rest and relaxation. Members of the college's Christian Medical Association (CMA) have organized a five-day medical mission trip to Morelos, Mexico to offer medical care to local residents.

Authored on: Mar 08, 2006

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.

Authored on: Mar 07, 2006

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.

Authored on: Mar 03, 2006

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?

Authored on: Mar 02, 2006

First-Year Student is "Shaping Destiny" of Needy Children in Cameroon

Born in Cameroon, Kenneth Acha was the third of six children in his family. His father, a kindergarten teacher, died when he was five and the family was left in a difficult financial situation, forcing them to go on welfare.

Authored on: Feb 20, 2006

M2 Students Receive TMA Honors, Executive Council Positions

Last weekend was a good one for second-year students Rob Bour and Brad Faglie. At the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Winter Conference in Austin, held February 3-4, Bour was elected to serve as next year's chair of the Medical Student Section Executive Council and was also named the TMA Student of the Year. Faglie will also sit on the Executive Council as an AMA Delegate Co-leader.

Authored on: Feb 13, 2006

Board of Regents Approves College of Medicine Expansion Request

The Texas A&M System Board of Regents approved the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine's request to incrementally expand its class size from 80 to 200 students per class.

Authored on: Jan 27, 2006

Former A&M Regent Endows Scholarship at College of Medicine

Former Texas A&M University Regent and medical building namesake Joe Reynolds and his wife Susie have endowed the Sue and Joe H. Reynolds Endowed Scholarship Fund at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. The Reynolds' $100,000 gift is designed to assist students defer the cost of their medical education.

Authored on: Jan 23, 2006

College of Medicine Expects High Attendance for Mini-Medical School

The College of Medicine at the Texas A&M Health Science Center is hosting the 2006 Mini-Medical School this spring for Bryan-College Station residents interested in learning current, relevant medical information from some of the college's leading experts. The first session kicks off next Thursday, January 19 and organizers are expecting a great crowd, with more than 100 members of the community already signed up to attend.

Authored on: Jan 13, 2006

COM Faculty Featured for PTSD Study at Waco VA

Keith A. Young, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, will be heading up a project to study post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans at the Waco VA. The Department of Psychiatry's Vice Chair for Research at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS), Dr. Young received the initial $3 million in funding for the study from Congress. CTVHCS is a clinical affiliate of the College of Medicine.

Authored on: Jan 12, 2006

Basic Science Department Realignment Effective January 1

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Basic Science Department Realignment took effect January 1, 2006.

Authored on: Jan 05, 2006