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About the Professionalism Committee

The current Professionalism Committee is the result of these two earlier initiatives:

  • 2002 Professionalism Charter Subcommittee formed-group created to fulfill project goals of Putting the Charter Into Practice project. Comprised of administrative, clinical, faculty and student participation, the subcommittee aims to apply the ABIM's physician charter to not just its medical students, but to everyone at UTMB. Here is my change.
  • 1992 American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Project Professionalism subcommittee convenes-chaired by Dr. Stobo, subcommittee aims to enhance evaluation of professionalism as a component of clinical competence and to promote the integrity of internal medicine. Established in 1990, project creates working definition of professionalism and educational resources, published in June 1994.

This is our last formal photo, but it reflects two students and two employees who are longer on the committee and does not include Meredith Masel, Dr. Quach, Dr. Szauter or our new students.


Members of the 2011-2012 Professionalism Committee include:

  • Dr. Alice A. O'Donell, Co-chair, Clinical Proessor, Department of Family Medicine, Emeritus Scholar, John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine
  • Dr. Rebecca Saavedra, Co-chair, Vice President for Strategic Management, Office of the President - Operations
  • Dr. Ernestine (Tina) Cuellar, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing Student Affairs/Admissions
  • Ruth Finklestein Suhler, Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Pffice of the President - Operations
  • Dr. Kristene K. Gugliuzza, Professor, Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emeritus Schollar, John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine
  • Dr. Mark Holden, Edna S. and William C. Levin Professor in Internal Medicine; Director, Division of General Internal Medicine; Vice Chair for Undergraduate and Continuing Medical Education, Department of Internal Medicine; Scholar, John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine
  • Dr. Gary Kesling, Director of Student Counseling & Psychological Services, Student Ombudsman
  • Dr. Mark Kirschbaum, Chief Quality, Safety & Clinical Information Officer, Hospital Administration
  • Julie E. Kutac, Doctoral Student, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Sheryl Lashway, Administrative Coordinator, Office of the President - Operations (Administrative Support)
  • Dr. James E. Martin, Interim Associate Vice President for Student Services
  • Dr. Meredith C. Masel, Program Manager, The Oliver Center for Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare
  • Dr. Ronald McKinley, Vice President, Human Resources and Employee Services
  • Dr. Steve Quach, Chief Medical Officer, Health System Administration
  • Joanne Salt, Communications Specialist, Public Affairs Liaison
  • Dr. Karen Szauter, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and PM&CH, School of Medicine


Professionalism Groups:

  • Professionalism Committee Members
    In 2002, UTMB was one of five medical schools selected to participate in a medical professionalism pilot project sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation's. The goal of the project, entitled Putting the Charter Into Practice, is for participating institutions to apply the principles and responsibilities of the Physician Charter that was published by the ABIM in 2002 to its medical school student body.
  • Honor Education Council
    The Honor Education Council (HEC) is a School of Medicine student-run organization formed in 1990. Its mission is to educate medical students and faculty on issues pertaining to the ethical behavior of physicians and to help students develop an ethical decision-making process within a spirit of honor.
  • Honor Pledge Committee
    The idea of creating a unifying statement for the entire campus about professionalism originated from the Honor Education Council. To accomplish this, the Honor Pledge Committee was formed in the early summer of 2002, made up of two students and the associate dean to represent each of UTMB's four schools. Read more about the UTMB Honor Pledge.