SOM e-NEWS July '01

News and information (appointments, searches, events, awards, etc.) pertaining to the School of Medicine are featured in SOM e-NEWS in abstract form and are linked to the web for more detailed information. SOM e-NEWS is currently published bimonthly. If you have information you would like published in this newsletter, please contact Denise Gonzalez, in our office via email (djgonzal@utmb.edu) or by fax (29598). Please let us know your ideas and suggestions for this communication format. You may send your comments via email to Linda Phillips (lphillip@utmb.edu).

Return to top of Page

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. UPCOMING EVENTS

· MEETING OF THE WOMEN SURGICAL FACULTY, RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS

The next meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, July 31^st. Please RSVP by noon on July 27^th, to Patricia Bell, extension 21257, or email at pybell@utmb.edu.

· 2001-2002 DEPARTMENTAL REVIEWS

The following departments will be scheduled for a review during the next calendar year:

--Otolaryngology, February 3-6, 2002

--Anesthesiology, February 24-27

--Family Medicine, March 24-27, 2002

· HONORS AND AWARDS PROGRAM AND WHITE COAT CEREMONY

The Honors and Awards Program recognizes outstanding students and faculty; the White Coat Ceremony is the School of Medicine's formal welcoming and introduction of our incoming medical students to the profession of medicine. This event will take place on Monday, August 20, 2001 at 4:00 PM in the Levin Hall Main Auditorium.

· NEW FACULTY RECEPTION

A reception honoring new School of Medicine faculty will be held on Monday, September 17, 2001 at 5:00 PM in the Levin Hall Dining Room.

· VISIT OF PAGE S. MORAHAN, PH.D.

Dr. Page S. Morahan, Director of the National Center of Leadership in Academic Medicine and Co-Director of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for Women, MCP Hahnemann University, will visit our campus on September 21, 2001, as a consultant regarding mentoring programs and faculty development. She will be conducting the following two workshops, each limited to fifty participants:

1-3 PM

Audience: Faculty, especially junior faculty

Topic: Strategic Career Planning for Faculty I: How to Hit the Road Running and Stay the Course

•Basic steps of career self-management

•How to develop scholarship out of your everyday work

•How to be your own best mentor

•Next steps in your career

3-5 PM

Audience: Faculty, especially senior faculty

Topic: Strategic Career Planning for Faculty II: Reflect, Refocus, and Renew your Academic Career

•Basic steps of career self-management

•Normal cycles in jobs, careers and life

•How to make job/career transitions

•Next steps in your career

There is space availability for both workshops. Faculty who are interested in attending may call the Office of the Dean of Medicine, ext. 23967, to be placed on the list.

· FACULTY OF MEDICINE MEETINGS

-October 2, 2001, 4:30 PM

-December 4, 2001, 4:30 PM

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. STATEMENT OF UT SYSTEM CHANCELLOR R.D. (DAN) BURCK

The following was provided in response to the Texas Tech University System announcement of Chancellor John Montford’s resignation attributed to UT System Chancellor R.D. (Dan) Burck:

STATEMENT OF UT SYSTEM CHANCELLOR R. D. (DAN) BURCK:

"I am sorry to hear the news that my good friend and colleague, John Montford, is stepping down as chancellor of the Texas Tech system. Chancellor Montford has been a tireless advocate of excellence in higher education in the State of Texas and the nation both as a legislator and chancellor. His strong voice and wise counsel will be missed by us all."

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. THE 2001 SOM CLASS HONORS MELVYN H. SCHREIBER, M.D. WITH POWERS AWARD

In our last issue, it was announced that several faculty members were honored at the School of Medicine Commencement in recognition of their outstanding contributions to student education. In addition to those previously mentioned, Dr. Melvyn H. Schreiber, Robert N. Cooley Distinguished Professor of Radiology, was selected by the graduating class as the recipient of the James W. Powers Memorial Award. This award recognizes a teacher of clinical subjects who, by his or her example and instruction, has contributed in an eminent way to the central task of UTMB – the creation of physicians capable of practicing both the art and science of medicine.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. DRS. SATISH AND LOERA RECEIVE K-08 AWARDS

Shiva Satish, MD and Jose A. Loera, MD from the Division of Geriatric Medicine have each won a K-08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award. Dr. Loera received his award from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to continue his research in use of herbal medicine among the Mexican American elderly. Dr. Satish received his grant from The National Institute of Aging for his research of hypertension in the elderly.

Back to list of Announcements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5. ROBERT A. WELCH CHAIR IN CHEMISTRY

The Recruitment Committee for the Robert A. Welch Chair in Chemistry is soliciting nominations of potential candidates for this newly endowed Chair. The Committee, chaired by Dr. James Lee, is seeking an outstanding chemist who would provide leadership in developing a Center of Excellence in Chemical Biology, utilizing computational, structure-based, and combinatorial approaches to elucidate novel chemical mechanisms in biology. The $2,000,000 endowment is made possible by the Robert A. Welch Foundation and UTMB.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6. REMINDER TO VOTE FOR CANDIDATES TO SERVE ON SOM COMMITTEES

You are encouraged to exercise your right to vote in the election of faculty to the committees of the School of Medicine. As last year, web-based balloting is being utilized, and eligible faculty may access a ballot at the URL address http://www.utmb.edu/SOMballot which will allow them to vote for their choice of candidates to fill vacancies on the following committees: Academic Planning and Policy, Curriculum, Nominating, Student Affairs, Faculty Performance Evaluation, and the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Medicine. To login, use your e-mail username without the “@utmb.edu” portion and your email password. The polls will close at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2001. The election of SOM representatives to the Faculty Senate will be conducted separately to manage those SOM faculty who have elected to vote as members of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

The Bylaws of the Faculty of Medicine provide that full members (faculty appointed at the ranks of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor or Instructor) are entitled to participate in the deliberations of the Faculty of Medicine and to vote upon all business brought before the Faculty of Medicine. These rights and privileges extend to tenured, tenure track and non-tenure track appointees.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7. 2001 MEDICAL STUDENT SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM (MSSRP)

The 2001 MSSRP poster session was a success. The following lists the awards, winners and sponsors for this program: Best Neuroscience Poster - Winners: Thomas Jones & Mario Cancemi, Sponsor: Society of Neurosciences Galveston Chapter, Dr. Bernd Budelmann; Reynolds' Award for Novice Investigator - Winner: Chad Carlton, Sponsor: Dr. Mary Treinen Moslen; Best Patient Care Poster - Winner: Thomas Van Dinter, Sponsor: Office of Internal Medicine, Dr. Don Powell; Best Primary Care Poster - Winner: Robert Guevara, Sponsor: Dr. Barbara Thompson; Best Cancer Related Poster - Winner: Norma Magee, Sponsor: UTMB Cancer Center, Fred Delaney, M.S.; Best Infection/ Immunology Poster - Winner: Brent Spencer, Sponsor: McLaughlin Office, Dr. Johnny Peterson; Best Innovative Research Poster - Winner: Kimberly Waldrop, Sponsor: Alpha Omega Alpha, Dr. Mark Evers; Best Overall Clinical Sciences - Winner: Christopher Chumley, Sponsor: Office of Students Affairs, Dr. Cecilia Romero; Best Overall Basic Sciences - Winner: Justin Klimisch, Sponsor: Office of Student Affairs, Dr. Cecilia Romero; Best Overall Poster - Winner: Peter Morgan, Sponsor: Sigma XI, Dr. Norma Rubin.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8. AAMC EARLY CAREER WOMEN FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR

The following faculty members have been selected by the Office of the Dean of Medicine to submit an application to the AAMC Early Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar scheduled on December 1-4, 2001: Lori Cindrick, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Carmen M. Radecki, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Andrea G. Witlin, D.O., Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The seminar is designed for women early in their first faculty appointment who are aiming for a leadership position in academic medicine (associate professors are not eligible).

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9. APPOINTMENT OF MS. JUDY SLOCUMB-FARRELL

Ms. Judy Slocumb-Farrell has accepted the position of Assistant to the Dean, School of Medicine, effective immediately. Ms. Slocumb-Farrell brings enormous talent and background to this position. She previously has served UTMB as Assistant to the Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology, as Assistant to the President and most recently as Administrator, Office of Student Affairs in the School of Medicine. Ms. Slocumb-Farrell will, for the interim, continue her duties as Administrator in the Office of Student Affairs. Ms. Elizabeth Livaudais, who has been serving in the capacity of Assistant to the Dean, plans to retire.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10. APPOINTMENT OF MICHELLE A. CARTER, PH.D.

Dr. Michele A. Carter has been named Research Subject Advocate of the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), effective July 1, 2001. In this position, she will provide oversight of research carried out on the GCRC to ensure that it is in compliance with GCRC and IRB approved protocols, and that serious adverse events are reported in a timely fashion to the IRB and appropriate federal agencies. She will also implement data and safety monitoring plans and serve as a source of information for patients and volunteers participating in GCRC studies. Dr. Carter brings twelve years of clinical and ethics experience to this position. She is currently a Member of the Institute for the Medical Humanities and is Associate Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health. She also is Clinical Ethicist and Director of the Institutional Ethics Program at UTMB.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

11. NORMAN HACKERMAN AWARD IN CHEMICAL RESEARCH

The Welch Foundation has invited our institution to submit up to two nominations for the first Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research. The purpose of this award is to encourage and recognize young chemical scientists in Texas for their past research endeavors. In addition to recognizing the scientist's work, this award should also be encouragement to those embarking on careers dedicated to increasing our fundamental understanding of chemistry. The award is not intended to further any research activities of the recipient nor is the recipient required to render any future service as a condition of receiving the award. A $100,000 award will be made on an annual basis, when warranted, to a younger scientist conducting research in Texas. To be eligible, candidates:

▪ must be 40 years of age or younger on June 30^th for the year in which nominated; since this will be the 2002 award, nominees must be 40 or less on June 30, 2002.

▪should have spent the most recent three (3) years doing chemical research in Texas.

A Selection Committee has been appointed to review nominations for this prestigious award. The committee members are as follows:

Joel P. Gallagher, Ph.D.
James R. Halpert, Ph.D.
James C. Lee, Ph.D.
John Papaconstantinou, Ph.D. (Chair)
Luis Reuss, M.D.

The external deadline is September 15^th. Faculty interested in applying for this award should submit a summary of their chemical research, a copy of 3-5 of their most important research publications, a copy of their CV, and 3 references in their field (at least two individuals from outside institutions) to Linda G. Phillips, M.D., Office of the Dean of Medicine, Route 0133, by August 15^th.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12. RWJ FOUNDATION-GENERALIST PHYSICIAN FACULTY SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is now seeking applicants for its Generalist Physician Faculty Scholars Program. This program offers talented generalist junior faculty support for their research and for enhancement of their participation in the design and implementation of primary care education initiatives. Up to fifteen four-year awards of $300,000 will be made to sponsoring institutions to help cover the Scholars' salary and research costs. A medical school may nominate one physician per year.

To be eligible, candidates must meet the following the criteria:

▪be a physician who is a U.S. citizen

▪be a junior faculty member in family practice, general internal medicine, or general pediatrics

▪desire a successful career in medicine

▪provide evidence of research skills, have at least two papers published in peer reviewed journals

▪demonstrate excellence as a teacher

▪show a clinical commitment to generalism by caring for a defined panel of patients.

Members of the Selection Committee to review nominations are as follows:

S. Lynn Knox, M.D.
Ruth E. Levine, M.D.
Judith L. Rowen, M.D.
Angela J. Shepherd, M.D. (Chair)
Karen E. Szauter, M.D.

The internal deadline is August 6, 2001. Faculty interested in applying for this award may contact Linda G. Phillips, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Route 0133, lphillip@utmb.edu.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

13. CHARLES E. CULPEPER SCHOLARSHIPS IN MEDICAL SCIENCE

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund announces the Charles E. Culpeper Scholarships in Medical Science. This award will provide up to $100,000 per year for up to three years to a U.S. medical school or equivalent U.S. educational institution on behalf of the Scholar who will participate in the academic life of the medical school and spend at least seventy-five percent of their time on scientific research relevant to human health. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens who have received their M.D. degree from a U.S. medical school in 1993 or later and who, through the quality of their research proposals, demonstrate the potential for successful careers in academic medicine. A medical school may submit one nomination. If you are or know of someone who would be interested in applying for this program, please contact Linda Crumpler, ext. 70541, or lcrumple@utmb.edu. The internal deadline is 07/19/01.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14. FACULTY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO INTERVIEW MEDICAL STUDENTS

In an effort to improve the Medical School Applicant Interview Process and to transform the applicant interview into a more effective recruitment instrument, the School of Medicine is in the process of developing a structured pool of faculty members to voluntarily participate in the interview process. Experience in recent years dictates the need for us to become ever more competitive if we are to recruit the brightest and best applicants to UTMB. The interview can be one of the most powerful recruitment instruments at our disposal, but only if we have interviewers who are knowledgeable about the process, who have enthusiasm for the medical student experience at UTMB, and who will promote the School of Medicine.

Being a part of this faculty pool will require interviewing applicants on Fridays from August through mid-December, and some Wednesdays in November and December. Interviews have traditionally been scheduled at 10:15 & 11:00 a.m. and 1:15 and 2:00 p.m., and are currently scheduled to last 30 minutes. Completing the paperwork for review by the Medical School Admissions Committee takes an additional 10 to 20 minutes, making your time commitment approximately 45 minutes per interview.

If you have not already volunteered to participate in this recruitment effort, but would like to be a member of this interviewing team, please email Shannon Carroll, SOM Admissions Coordinator, smcarrol@utmb.edu.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15. ADVANCED LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH CARE EXECUTIVES

The Harvard School of Public Health, Center for Continuing Professional Education, will be conducting a workshop designed for health care executives wishing to adapt their knowledge and skills to the constantly changing health care field. The program will be held from November 11-16, 2001 in Boston. For more information or to register online, please visit the following web site, www.hsph.harvard.edu/ccpe.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

16. NEW FACULTY APPOINTMENTS

The Dean of Medicine welcomes the following new School of Medicine faculty who have been appointed during the month of June: Elena Frolova, Ph.D., Microbiology & Immunology; Dana Kirschner, C.R.N.A., Anesthesiology; James Polk, D.O., Preventive Medicine & Community Health; Mark Stock, M.D., Family Medicine; and Figen Ugrasbul-Eksi, M.D., Pediatrics.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

17. SEARCHES

Chair, Department of Internal Medicine: Two candidates from Johns Hopkins have been invited for a second visit in July.

Chair, Department of Neurology: The search committee has invited seven candidates to visit during the summer.

Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs: Five candidates have been invited to visit and additional candidates are scheduled to visit the campus, including those returning for a second visit.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

18. MAJOR GRANTS AND AWARDS

· Lloyd, Stephen. Sealy Center for Molecular Science. T4 Endonuclease V: Structure-Function Analyses. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, $284,308/3 yrs.

· Raimer, Ben. Community Outreach. Community Access Program Grant. Health Resources and Services Administration, $899,995/1 yr.

· Shaikh, Tufail Q. Preventive Medicine and Community Health. Preventive Medicine Residencies. Health Resources and Services Administration, $100,743/1 yr.

· Uretsky, Barry. Internal Medicine. Estrogen for Prevention of Restenosis in Older Women. NIA/NIH/St. Elizabeth's Medical Center.

· JOHN SEALY MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND GRANTS:

-- Recruitment Grant

Xie, Jingwu. Cancer Cell Biology. Molecular Mechanism of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling-Mediated Tumor Formation, $20,000/1 yr.

Back to list of Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We want your news!

Submit your information for SOM e-NEWS:

· Via email to djgonzal@utmb.edu

· On the phone to ext. 23967

· Via fax at 29598

SOM e-NEWS is an initiative of the Office of the Dean of Medicine, to improve communication with faculty and staff in the school. The editor of the newsletter is Dr. Linda Phillips. An archive of the newsletter is available on the SOM web site:

http://www.som.utmb.edu/e-NEWS/eNEWS-TOC.htm. Thank you for your interest and time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Return to SOM e-NEWS