MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN OF MEDICINE
October 3, 2007
September was a busy month for the School of Medicine and UTMB, and I wanted to write and share the good news with you, as well as share information on upcoming events. I’d like to extend special greetings to the members of the School of Medicine Alumni Board of Trustees, who are receiving this SOM update for the first time.
UTMB’s Center for Weight Management has been designated a Level 1A “Center of Excellence” by the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network Accreditation Program. We are one of only two centers in the state of Texas with a Level 1A designation. The Level 1A designation affirms that our center can handle the most challenging and complex patients with optimal opportunity for safe and effective outcomes, and designates it as a Medicare-approved facility. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Center for Weight Management on this very important recognition.
In September we also learned that our Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program received initial accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and will welcome applicants for the July 2008 inaugural class. Congratulations to everyone involved in our Emergency Medicine program.
UTMB’s Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted Dr. John E. Niederhuber, Director of the National Cancer Institute, during its “Comprehensive Cancer Center Day” on September 19th. The day included a poster session, an update on Comprehensive Cancer Center activities in the areas of clinical trials, research, the Sealy Center for Cancer Cell Biology Mentoring Committee and cancer education. During Dr. Niederhuber’s address, “Frontiers in Cancer Research,” he noted that UTMB was one of the first academic medical centers to achieve NCI designation in the 1970s, and he looked forward to returning to Galveston to award NCI designation to the UTMB Comprehensive Cancer Center in the near future.
I am happy to report that Dr. Dave Niesel and Dr. Norbert Herzog are now even more famous, thanks to their radio show Medical Discovery News (you can listen here). The show is featured on 35 stations throughout Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, New Mexico and Mexico, and was recently picked up by KUHF in Houston, where it will tentatively start November 3 airing on Saturday mornings at 10:50 a.m.
You can read more about your colleagues’ achievements and activities in the October issue of the SOM e-NEWS.
In January we will say goodbye to Dr. Shawn Newlands, Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, who has accepted the position of Chair of Otolaryngology at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. We are grateful to Dr. Newlands for his years of leadership and dedication to UTMB, and wish him the best of luck in his endeavor. We will be contacting you in future months about a farewell reception for Dr. Newlands. I have asked Dr. Courtney Townsend to chair the search committee for the new Chair of Otolaryngology, and I want to thank those who have agreed to serve on that committee.
Dr. Joan Richardson is the Chair of this year’s State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC), which will kick off Friday, October 12th from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. at the Moody Medical Library Pavilion. Watch the web, announcements and your email for more information.
On October 19th, the Department of Pediatrics will be hosting “Art & a Movie” at Moody Gardens IMAX Garden Lobby. They have received over 100 donated pieces of art, and will be featuring an IMAX excerpt of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” The recommended donation is $10 (a bargain, really!) and all proceeds will support UTMB Children’s Health Programs. For more information, contact the department at 772-3308.
The Institute for the Medical Humanities Theater Outreach and Education Program is sponsoring a play and panel discussion exploring domestic violence. “Breaking the Silence” will be performed throughout Galveston County in October and December and in Galveston on October 25th. For more information call 763-1441 ext. 109.
The School of Medicine, the Hospital and the Faculty Women’s Club will be hosting a Faculty Mixer on November 14th at the Galveston Yacht Club from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All School of Medicine faculty and their spouses are invited, and we will be hosting special guests Dr. David Callender and his wife, Teri Wenglein-Callender. Watch your mail for the invitation.
I continue to meet with students and faculty in small groups and appreciate everyone’s willingness to share their time and thoughts. As many of you know, we are able to make progress on some issues and concerns, while others require long-term, complex solutions. I appreciate your support and patience as, in the words of Dr. Callender, we focus on the future, and strive to be on the forefront of personalized medicine in the areas of education, research and clinical care.
I look forward to seeing faculty tomorrow at the Faculty of Medicine meeting at 5:15 in Levin Hall North, where we will introduce new faculty to UTMB, and welcome them with a reception immediately following the meeting.