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Christian Messa BP contributes $1 million to burns
fellowship at UTMB GALVESTON, Texas — In gratitude for the University of Texas Medical Branch’s rapid response to the March 23 explosion at the BP Texas City refinery, BP America Inc. has contributed $1 million to the academic health center to establish a burns fellowship program. Ross J. Pillari, president and chief executive officer of BP America Inc., said the creation of the fellowship is in appreciation for the superb care its injured employees and contractors received at UTMB after the explosion. The academic health center’s trauma and burn specialists treated 23 refinery workers. “We know that health systems train and prepare for disaster events, but the care that UTMB provided to our people and the support they gave the families were truly excellent,” Pillari said. “We’re fortunate to have UTMB as our neighbor.” Medical school graduates who have completed their surgical residency training will participate in the BP Burns Fellowship. The fellows will receive comprehensive training specific to burns care during the three-year clinical and research training program. This fellowship program will help address a critical national need for specialists trained to address the complex nature of burn injuries. Although 30 accredited burn centers exist in the United States, the country produces only four to five burn surgeons annually. Pillari and other BP officials recently toured the Truman G. Blocker Burn Unit in UTMB’s John Sealy Hospital. Named in honor of the university’s first chief executive to hold the title of president and a leader in burn research and care, the Blocker Burn Unit is one of the foremost adult burn treatment facilities in the nation. It was the first to be certified as a burn center by the American College of Surgeons/American Burn Association in 1996. It is also the only burn center to offer a surgical critical care fellowship program approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The fellowship is managed by UTMB’s Department of Surgery. More than 100 of the world’s most prominent burn specialists received their training at UTMB. Dr. David N. Herndon, the Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Chair in Burn Surgery at UTMB, said the BP contribution will augment the university’s efforts in burn care. “This support will further inspire us to produce compassionate burn specialists,” said Herndon, UTMB professor of surgery and chief-of-staff at Shriners Hospital for Children–Galveston. “BP’s contribution will certainly play a valuable role in the future care of burn patients.” While the Blocker Burn Unit cares for adult burn patients, UTMB collaborates with the Shriners hospital to provide state-of-the-art treatment for children who have been severely burned. The Shriners hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric burn-care centers and is located next to the UTMB campus. It is staffed by the academic health center’s researchers and physicians and provides care free of charge. Collaborating with the Shriners hospital since 1966, UTMB is regarded as a pioneer in burn treatment, research and education. The Shriners-UTMB partnership has led to numerous advances in burn care, such as pressure garments that reduce scarring, air beds that improve comfort and healing, ketamine anesthesia used for burns worldwide, and unique approaches to nutrition and pharmacologic support to handle burn patients’ increased metabolism as their bodies consume huge stores of energy to repair wounds. BP is one of the largest energy companies in the world, with more than 100,000 employees and operations in 100 countries. UTMB President John D. Stobo thanked BP for recognizing the academic health center’s efforts following the refinery explosion. “As the home of a Level I trauma center, UTMB is always prepared to deal with any medical emergency, but I’m particularly proud of how well our staff responded when called upon to care for so many injured patients arriving in such a short time,” Stobo said. “And I’m grateful for the contribution BP has made in recognition of that response. Mr. Pillari should also be commended for his leadership in recognizing the need to train and recruit tomorrow’s burn surgeons. This visionary investment will not only help ensure that UTMB continues to provide outstanding care for generations to come, but also that we can help address the national shortage of physicians uniquely qualified to treat burn injuries.” UTMB
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