MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/PROVOST AND DEAN, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
March 10, 2008
February was a good month for UTMB, as we experienced a successful review by the SACS accreditation team, and an affirming meeting with Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, Dr. Kenneth Shine, and Board of Regent member Ms. Colleen McHugh, who chairs the Health Affairs Committee of the Board. In recognition of the successful SACS process and visit, Dr. Callender will be hosting a reception on Tuesday, March 25th from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Levin Hall Foyer. Watch iUTMB for more details.
School of Medicine Faculty, please make plans to process at Commencement on May 31st. Please contact vcarmich@utmb.edu to reserve a place in the procession and a seat. For additional information on the School of Medicine and your colleagues, click here for this month’s SOM e-NEWS.
During Dr. Shine and Regent McHugh’s visit, I gave them a state of the School of Medicine report, with updates on the clinical and research areas. Dean Pam Watson reported on UTMB’s educational mission. Highlights of the information reported in all three areas appear below:
CLINICAL
Hired the following personnel:
--Director of Comprehensive Transplant Center, Medical Director and Director of Research for the Transplant Center, Medical Director for Kidney/Pancreas Transplant, Director of Heart Failure and Heart Transplant, Director of Transplant, Infectious Disease
--A breast surgeon and hematologist in our Oncology program
--Two maternal fetal medicine faculty, one general OB/GYN and one gynecologic surgeon
§ Chief of Cardiology
--Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and an endocrinologist
§ Two neurosurgeons and one general neurologist
--A neurologist who has received a STAR Award from UT System
Expansion of clinics:
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Relocated and expanded the League City East Clinic
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Expanded the Friendswood Clinic
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Under development: League City West and Santa Fe Clinics, Friendswood Ophthalmology, Friendswood East Internal Medicine, Endoscopy and Surgery Practice
RESEARCH
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Update on the Research Strategic Plan, including the improvement of the ARC facility
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Developing a cadre of research leaders (5 faculty STAR Award recipients)
-- Plans for the CTSA application
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Developing world class research programs in areas of strength, including Emerging Infections, Aging, Women’s Health, Oncology, Environmental Health, Neurosciences and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
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Initial approval of funding for the preliminary drawings for a new research building
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Visionary Strategic Partnerships with Nanohealth, the W.M. Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Bioscience Training, the Western Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense, the National Center for Macromolecular Imaging at Baylor, the Joint Institute for Bio-security Technology Acceleration and Commercialization of UTMB and Sandia National Laboratories
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UTHSC Houston/UTMB Joint Center for Personalized Medical Informatics
---- Western Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense
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Shriners Burns Hospital
EDUCATION
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Efforts to implement “synergy” (the SACS required Quality Enhancement Plan for education in all four schools) and earn SACS accreditation
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The goals of the Education Strategic Plans for the SOM, SON, SAHS and GSBS
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Our students superior performance on both the NCLEX licensure exam in the School of Nursing and the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 tests in the School of Medicine
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The U.S. News and World Report 11th place ranking of UTMB’s Physician Assistant Program
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The role of the Academy of Master Teachers in faculty development
I encourage all of you to attend the upcoming Mondays in March discussions, to be held March 17th, 24th and 31st. Each Monday will focus on a different area of the university under our new structure, and will include ample time for questions and discussions. For location and times, click here.
All employees are invited to an Open House on April 9 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for the Friendswood Pediatric Associates and Specialty Care Clinic. The clinic is located at 128 West Parkwood, Friendswood, Texas.
Sincerely,
Garland D. Anderson, M.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost
Dean of the School of Medicine
Thomas N. and Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair