Puschett Appointed Vice Dean for Program Development

Jules B. Puschett, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.S.N., F.A.H.A., F.A.A.A.S., senior executive associate dean for Program Development at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, has been promoted to vice dean for Program Development, effective Jan. 1.

Authored on: Dec 03, 2007

Colenda Appointed to NBME International Collaborations Advisory Committee

Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., the Jean and Thomas McMullin Dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, has been appointed to the International Collaborations Advisory Committee (ICAC) of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) earlier this month.

Authored on: Nov 29, 2007

HSC, Scott & White recruit regenerative medicine director to Temple campus

Central Texas health care leaders and educators have recruited a top international researcher in genomic medicine. Darwin Prockop, M.D., Ph.D., will serve as inaugural holder of the Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine, professor of molecular and cellular medicine in the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, and director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White.

Authored on: Nov 20, 2007

Baker Receives American Heart Association Scientist/Educator Volunteer of the Year Award

Kenneth M. Baker, M.D., Professor and Vice-Chair of the Department of Medicine and Mayborn Chair in Cardiovascular Research at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and Scott & White, was awarded the American Heart Association’s Walter M. Kirkendall, M.D. Scientist/Educator Volunteer of the Year Award at a ceremony November 15.

Authored on: Nov 19, 2007

Local neurosurgeon named associate dean of HSC-COM Bryan-College Station campus

Jonathan A. Friedman, M.D., has been named associate dean for the Bryan-College Station campus of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

Authored on: Nov 16, 2007

2007 U.S. Medical School Entering Class is Largest Ever

The 2007 entering class to U.S. medical schools is the largest in the nation’s history, according to new data released today by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges). The number of first-year enrollees totals almost 17,800 students, a 2.3 percent increase over 2006.

Authored on: Oct 16, 2007

HSC-COM ranked Top 20 medical school by Hispanic Business

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine has been named in the Top 20 U.S. medical schools for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine.

Authored on: Oct 01, 2007

Parmer Retires from S&W, Joins COM Full-Time

Marie Parmer, Executive Secretary to the Chief Academic Officer of Scott & White, will be retiring from S&W after 47 years. She started to work for S&W on September 7, 1960 working for Jamie Clements in the Development Office raising funds to build the new hospital/clinic on the hill.

Authored on: Sep 04, 2007

Two HSC-COM medical students recieve AMA scholarships

Two fourth-year students from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine recently were awarded Physicians of Tomorrow scholarships of $10,000 from the American Medical Association Foundation.

Authored on: Aug 13, 2007

College of Medicine celebrates 30th anniversary, welcomes Class of 2011

Opened in 1977 and still the youngest medical school in the state, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine will celebrate its 30th anniversary Friday and Saturday, July 27-28, with a variety of events that include a time capsule sealing, class reunions and white coat ceremony.

Authored on: Jul 23, 2007

HSC-COM Dr.Shull appointed interim chair of obstetrics and gynecology

Bob L. Shull, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology with the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, has been appointed interim chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Scott & White Hospital in Temple.

Authored on: Jul 18, 2007

HSC-COM begins clinical training programs in Bryan-College Station

Following the recent receipt of $33 million from the Texas Legislature to fund its growth, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is kicking off the first phase of its expansion in Bryan-College Station on Friday.

Authored on: Jun 26, 2007

State provides $33 million for HSC-College of Medicine expansion

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine will be provided $33 million from the state for expansion plans at its campuses in Bryan-College Station, Temple and Round Rock following the signing of legislation June 15 by Gov. Rick Perry.

Authored on: Jun 22, 2007

Chiou, MacuClear Receive $1.7 Million in Funding

George C.Y. Chiou, Ph.D., professor of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, was recently awarded $1.7 million to support MacuClear, the company he founded last year. MacuClear, born from Dr. Chiou’s extensive research into therapeutic drugs for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is the first start-up company to receive support from the Texas A&M University System and the College of Medicine.

Authored on: May 01, 2007

COM Hosts 3rd Annual Magnolia Tea

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is hosting the 3rd annual Magnolia Tea Thursday, May 3 at 2 p.m. A social and educational event, the Magnolia Tea draws women of all ages together from the Bryan-College Station area.

Authored on: Apr 30, 2007

Four COM Faculty Named Emeritus Professors

Four retired faculty members from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine were named Emeritus Professors by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on March 30, 2007.

Authored on: Apr 16, 2007

COM Students Express Concerns at First Tuesday in Austin

More than 100 medical students from the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine converged onto Capitol Hill in Austin Tuesday, April 3 to participate in the Texas Medical Association’s First Tuesdays event. First Tuesdays are designed to allow students to express their concerns and opinions on medical care and medical education to legislators.

Authored on: Apr 06, 2007

12th Annual Student Research Symposium Slated for April 10

The College of Medicine Graduate Student Organization (GSO) is pleased to present the 12th Annual Student Research Symposium to be held Tuesday, April 10 at Reynolds Medical Building. The purpose of this symposium is to showcase the research of young investigators at our college.

Authored on: Apr 06, 2007

Memorial Services for Dr. Samuel H. Black

Dr. Samuel Harold Black, 76, of College Station, passed away Friday, March 30, 2007. A faculty member of Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine since 1975, he served as Professor Emeritus of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Humanities in Medicine.

Authored on: Apr 03, 2007

Colenda Testifies on Veterans’ Mental Health Needs before House Subcommittee

Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Dean Christopher C. Colenda was in the nation’s capitol today to testify on the need for research into treating adults with late-life mental disorders and for veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Authored on: Mar 21, 2007

Record Number of U.S. Medical School Seniors Apply to Residency Programs

Today, more than 15,000 U.S. medical school seniors will participate in “Match Day” ceremonies nationwide to learn where they will spend their years of residency training following graduation. The record number of seniors applying for residencies through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) this year, nearly 200 more than in 2006, reflects recent increases in medical school enrollment.

Authored on: Mar 15, 2007

Rice-Ficht Receives $2.6 Million for Military Vaccine Delivery Project

Dr. Allison Rice-Ficht, Regents Professor of Molecular and Cellular Medicine and the director of the Center for Microencapsulation and Drug Delivery (CMDD) at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, received a $2.6 million grant award notice last week. Her project, entitled “Microencapsulation and Vaccine Delivery Research”, focuses on creating a new method for vaccine delivery for U.S. military personnel.

Authored on: Mar 12, 2007

Wesson Meets With Congressional Representatives on World Kidney Day

Kidney specialist Don Wesson, M.D., met today with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, and Representatives Joe Barton, Lloyd Doggett, Charles Gonzalez and Randy Neugebauer to ask for an increase in federal funding for kidney disease research. The physician’s visit to Capitol Hill came on World Kidney Day, an international effort to raise awareness about the growing incidence of kidney disease and the need for increased funding for kidney disease research and education.

Authored on: Mar 08, 2007

COM professor receives $3 million toward post-traumatic stress disorder research

A Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine faculty member has received $3 million to fund post-traumatic stress disorder research at Veterans Affairs facilities in Temple and Waco.

Authored on: Mar 02, 2007

COM’s Gold Humanism Honor Society Hosts “Physician Heal Thyself” Project

The John L. Montgomery, M.D. Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) has created a holistic physician wellness program entitled "Physician Heal Thyself" (PHT) for Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine students. The GHHS is comprised of fourth year medical students nominated by their peers and faculty for excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion, and dedication to service. PHT project’s goal is to improve medical student morale and coping skills by assisting the College of Medicine in developing physicians who are better able to recognize and address in themselves and their colleagues the stresses of medical training and future medical careers.

Authored on: Feb 28, 2007

Young Links Gene Variant to Depression and Mental Illness

Physicians and scientists have long wondered why some people who suffer from major depression, once called “melancholy”, can’t seem to shake loose of their symptoms, falling into despair without just cause over and over again. Researchers from the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS), Texas A&M Health Science Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSWMC) at Dallas have recently found evidence to suggest that depression is greatly influenced by a basic pattern of gene inheritance that alters the structural make-up of the brain.

Authored on: Feb 28, 2007

Chiou Receives 2007 Patent and Innovation Awards

Texas A&M University System researchers and inventors were honored today during the 2007 Patent and Innovation Awards hosted by the System’s Office of Technology Commercialization.

Authored on: Feb 23, 2007

Andrews-Polymenis Serves as Salmonella Expert for Local Media

In the most recent bacterial outbreak, nearly 300 people have gotten sick because of salmonella traced to certain brands of peanut butter. This comes only months after a Taco Bell scare and the recall of spinach because of E-Coli.

Authored on: Feb 20, 2007

A&M Chapter Named TMA Chapter of the Year

The 2006-2007 officers of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine chapter of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) are pleased to announce the school’s selection as the TMA Chapter of the Year. The accomplishment came about through the hard work, not only of the officers, but also the entire student body, and the support of the faculty and staff. The primary goal of this year’s chapter was to reach out to the community through various projects, while also increasing student involvement.

Authored on: Feb 19, 2007

Cirillo Interviewed as Meningitis Expert

Officials at both Baylor and Prairie View A&M Universities are working to contain the spread of bacterial meningitis. A Baylor freshman struck by the illness is now in intensive care and a pair of Prairie View students are also receiving treatment.

Authored on: Feb 13, 2007

U.S. Medical School Enrollment Projected to Increase by 17 Percent

First-year enrollment in U.S. medical schools is projected to increase 17 percent by 2012 to nearly 19,300 students, according to an annual survey of medical school expansion plans released today by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Authored on: Feb 12, 2007

Alpini Named Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine announced today that Gianfranco Alpini, Ph.D. has been named Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the nation’s oldest medical society dedicated to disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Through the fellowship program, the AGA honors superior professional achievement in clinical private or academic practice and in basic or clinical research. Fellowships are awarded to AGA members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate personal commitment to the field of gastroenterology.

Authored on: Feb 05, 2007

Texas Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals Make a Major Economic Impact

A new report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reveals that its member medical schools and teaching hospitals had a combined economic impact of $451 billion on their states and the nation in 2005. In Texas, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine (TAMHSC College of Medicine) and other academic medical centers across the state had a combined economic impact of $26,609,644,415.

Authored on: Feb 01, 2007

Musser, Chiou Receive Excellence in Research Awards

The Office of Research at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine hosted the Excellence In Research awards ceremony Wednesday, January 24 at the Reynolds Medical Building. Designed to honor excellence in scientific investigation, the ceremony recognized Dr. Siegfried Musser and Dr. George Chiou as the junior and senior investigators of the year, respectively.

Authored on: Jan 25, 2007

SNMA Participates in MLK Freedom March

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) was invited to participate in the 11th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March, sponsored by the Brazos Valley Area alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority on Monday, January 15.

Authored on: Jan 23, 2007

COM Hosting 3rd Annual Mini-Medical School

For the third straight year, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is presenting a Mini-Medical School for members of the local community who are interested in medicine and science. The purpose of the 2007 Mini-Medical School, planned for six consecutive Thursday evenings in January and February, is to offer current health-related information to members of the community in a relaxed, educational atmosphere.

Authored on: Jan 08, 2007

Childs Appointed Assistant Dean for Faculty Development

Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., Dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, has appointed Ed W. Childs, M.D., to the post of Assistant Dean for Faculty Development, effective December 8, 2006.

Authored on: Jan 05, 2007