Gilstrap Center to focus on women’s health

The Larry C. Gilstrap, M.D. Center for Perinatal Research and Women’s Health is the Medical School’s newest center and the first of several planned scholarly concentrations for Medical School students.

Housed within the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and supported by funding from the Center for Clinical and Evidence Based Medicine, the center has two major objectives. It will promote the development of young investigators in perinatal and women’s health research through a structured mentorship program as well as provide research infrastructure support. Additionally, it will establish a training program for medical students (MS years 1-4) to educate them on the importance of and opportunities for a career in women’s health. This program will include summer externship opportunities in obstetrics and gynecology as well as a year-round educational program with topics related to women’s health. The goal is to foster interest and enthusiasm in both clinical research and women’s health in order to convince the best and brightest of the Medical School’s students to practice perinatal medicine and/or women’s health.

In order to accomplish its research and training missions, the center will work closely with the UTHSC Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) , the UT Center for Clinical Research and Evidence- Based Medicine, the UT Houston-Memorial Hermann Center for Healthcare Quality and Safety, and the Memorial Hermann Clinical Innovation & Research Institute.

The Center’s creation was formally announced Oct. 28 in the Fifth Floor Gallery by Dean Giuseppe Colasurdo.

“The creation of this center started with a brainstorming meeting with Dr. Gilstrap about how we could better support medical students early in their medical careers with extra knowledge and experience in their chosen specialties,” Dean Colasurdo said. “Dr. Gilstrap was an outstanding example to us as a department chair. He is very special to us, and this center will be very special to the Medical School.”

Dr. Sean Blackwell, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, will be the first director of the center and also will be named vice chair of research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences to carry out the objectives of the center.

“Dr. Gilstrap’s career is a template of academic success,” he said. “His contribution to our specialty is not only manifest through his research findings, but even more through his dedication and commitment to mentoring the next generation of physicians. This center, in the spirit of Dr. Gilstrap, will foster interest and enthusiasm in women’s health and help guide young investigators and students to improve the health of women and their children”.

Gilstrap retired as chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences Sept. 1 2006, and has since been named chair emeritus. Since becoming director of evaluation of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Dallas, he has remained involved and supportive of UT Medical School students. It is the intent of the center that he will continue to be active with the Medical School through his participation with the center.

“This day is the most rewarding day of my career. I don’t know if I deserve it 100 percent completely, but I’m not giving it back,” Gilstrap said.

-D. Brown

Evaluators give summer program top rating

A site visit evaluating the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) at the UT Health Science Center at Houston has resulted in an overall rating of 5 out of a possible 5, with evaluators praising the UT program as “one for the other 11 SMDEP sites to emulate.”

The program, funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is for undergraduate college students from minority groups, rural areas and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in medicine, dentistry or other health professions. This year, the UT Dental Branch and Medical School worked together, as they have for the last two years, as one of 12 sites across the country where SMDEP is offered. Sixty pre-med and 20 pre-dental students participated in summer 2008.

The grant’s principal investigator at UTDB is Dr. Paula O’Neill, associate dean for educational research and professional development. Co-directors are Dr. Phil Pierpont, associate dean for student and alumni affairs at the Dental Branch, and Dr. Andrew Harper, assistant dean for faculty affairs.

In a written report, evaluators noted that the UTHSC-H program has “strong institutional support and university support for the program” and excellent collaboration between medicine and dentistry. The report also praised faculty and teaching assistants as “top notch” and reported that the young scholars “feel supported throughout the program, and … have access to the program leadership.” A recent transition to a new program coordinator was described as “seamless” and “impressive.” The overall evaluation was strongly positive.

O’Neill said the site visitors “called the UT Houston program a model program and one for the other 11 SMDEP schools to emulate.”

Pierpont noted that he hopes this site visit helps the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation think favorably about renewing the SMDEP grant program.

Except for travel costs, the program is free to the students, who receive stipends every other week during their stay. The Robert Woods Johnson Foundation funded the program for four years with a $1.2 million grant. Summer 2008 was the third year. For more information about the program at the UTHSC-H, visit http://www.db.uth.tmc.edu/SMDEP/

-R. Moran

 

William S. Fields lecture, November 21, 2008

The Department of Neurology at The University of Texas – Houston Health Science Center announces the twentieth annual William S. Fields Lecture.  This year’s lecture “Recent Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of ALS” will be presented by Walter G. Bradley, DM, FRCP, Professor & Chairman Emeritus, Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.   The lecture will be held at the University of Texas -Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin Street, Room 2.135, Houston, Texas, Friday, November 21, 2008 at 12:00 Noon.  For more information call:  Gage Van Horn, M.D. or Annie Rose (713) 500-7051.

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Ranked Top Hospital for Quality

The University Health System Consortium (UHC), a national alliance of over 200 academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals, has ranked the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Campus as sixth in the nation on its annual list of top-performing academic hospitals based on quality outcomes and patient safety.

Memorial Hermann-TMC is the primary private teaching hospital for the Medical School. Together, the institutions focus on advancing medicine through teaching, research, and patient care. This relationship gives hospital patients access to more than 700 academically-affiliated physicians, representing more than 80 specialties.

“We are very excited about this prestigious designation,” said Juanita Romans, CEO of the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Campus. “Our progress has been truly remarkable and we are so proud to see our quality outcomes recognized on a national level. This year’s number six ranking reflects the commitment of our employees, physicians, and leaders at both institutions to providing exceptional outcomes for those we treat.”

The UHC generates the listing based on data collected annually across several categories, which include: mortality, effectiveness of care, core measures, safety and patient centeredness. Over the past three years, the hospital has made marked progress in the national listing, moving from the 31st ranking two years ago, to number 16 last year, and now to number six.

Some of the improvements made include specific interventions to improve patient recovery such as the addition of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia and Blood Stream Infection bundles, as well as the introduction of the new Surgical Care Improvement Project, which focuses on choosing the right antibiotic at the right time for surgical patients to reduce post-operative complications. Special attention was also placed on compliance with treatment guidelines for heart attack, pneumonia and congestive heart failure.

“The UT Medical School at Houston has worked in collaboration with Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center to improve quality outcomes and patient safety. I applaud our outstanding physicians for their invaluable contribution to this success,” Dean Giuseppe Colasurdo said.

-Memorial Hermann

Medical College Admission Test to undergo review

The AAMC has launched its fifth comprehensive review of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). An advisory panel of medical education, student, and undergraduate representatives from the United States and Canada has been appointed to conduct the review. The committee is charged with reviewing the current content of the MCAT and recommending changes that are likely to increase its usefulness to medical school admissions committees, while at the same time considering the knowledge, skills, and other characteristics that admission committees look for in applicants. The review is expected to take several years. The "MR5 Committee" will be chaired by Dr. Steven Gabbe, senior vice president of health sciences and chief executive officer of The Ohio State University Medical Center; Dr. Ronald Franks, vice president of health sciences at the University of South Alabama, will serve as vice chair.

Information: Go to http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2008/081016.htm

-AAMC

2008 Fun Fest set for Nov. 7

The 2008 Fun Fest will be held 2–6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 7, in a new location – the Texas Medical Center’s Grant Faye Park. All health science center staff, faculty, and students are invited to dust off their leather jackets and fluff up their poodle skirts to join in with this year’s theme, Rockin’ and Rollin’ to the ‘50s. Admission is free to anyone with a university ID badge, and dressing up to fit the 1950s theme is optional but encouraged! For more information, contact Rose.M.Betancourt-trevino@uth.tmc.edu, 713.500.3209.

Walking for health

 

 

 

 

Location & Contact

6431 Fannin Street,
Houston, Texas 77030

PO Box 20708,
Houston, Texas 77225

713.500.4472