Currently reviewing applications for (1) position in our Family Medicine Rural Track Residency.

Congratulations to Family Medicine doctors Jennifer Raley, Angela Shepherd, Victor Sierpina and Barbara Thompson for being selected for inclusion in the Best Doctors in America database for 2010-2011 as a result of an extensive peer review.

In honor of Dorothy Trevino’s 37 years of providing patient care and educating tomorrows doctors in behavior medicine, Family Medicine gave tribute to Dr. Trevino by hosting her retirement party on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 in UTMB’s Caduceus Room.

The Jesse Tree / UTMB Family Medicine Collaborative resulted from the need on the Bolivar Peninsula for medical access following Hurricane Ike. There is still a very strong community in Bolivar and the Jesse Tree resumed its Friday Food Fairs, providing fresh fruits, vegetables and social service information every other Friday.

Eric Nolen, MD, MBA has been appointed Director of Physician Relations and Medical Staff Performance Improvement for the UTMB Health System. In this role, he will provide leadership for the UTMB Health System’s continuous quality improvement efforts relating to the medical staff. Additionally, he will lead the operations of the Medical Staff Services Office.

UTMB Health has declared a weather-related emergency for Thursday, February 3 and Friday, February 4. Our three family medicine clinics, Stewart Road Family Health, the Family Medicine Clinic on UTMB's main Galveston campus, and Dickinson Family Health Clinic, will all remain open until 5 p.m. on Thursday, but will delay opening until 11 a.m. on Friday, February 4.

Dr. Barbara Thompson, Chair of Family Medicine, will be installed as the President of the Galveston County Medical Society on January 20, 2011. A reception and dinner to introduce and honor the new slate of officers will be held at the San Luis Hotel with the evenings guest speaker, Ben Raimer, MD, UTMB Health’s Senior Vice President for Health Policy and Legislative Affairs.

“Family Medicine has the biggest heart and acts such as these make me feel proud to work here!” Leah Fanuiel, LMSW Family Medicine and Medical Humanities opened their hearts and their wallets to make sure boys and girls were joyful this Christmas. Twenty-eight Galveston County children were adopted by Family Medicine faculty, residents and staff as part of the Salvation Army Angel Tree Adoption Project.

Change Magazine, Dec. 2, 2010 Learn to avoid annual weight gain and digestive issues with “The Healthy Gut Workbook” by UTMB’s Dr. Victor S. Sierpina. “I encourage enjoying food — celebrating it in fact. I explain how food choices, eating patterns and portion size, plus sensitivities to foods or cravings, can identify dietary and lifestyle factors leading to inflammation, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s. Mindfulness and the awareness of how stress and other emotions affect our gut and overall health is another important topic explored in depth. These are all necessary aspects of breaking socially conditioned and personal habits of unhealthy eating.” An article on the same topic appears in the November issue of Medical Journal – Houston.

Doctors Cassandra Arceneaux and Tricia Elliot were introduced by Family Medicine chairman, Barbara Thompson, to a crowd of their peers on October 26th at a New Faculty Welcome Reception overlooking the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA at The Texas Seaport Museum. The reception was honoring all of the new School of Medicine faculty and was hosted by the Office of the Executive Vice President/Provost and Dean of Medicine, Dr. Garland Anderson.

On October 9th, 2010 Doctors James Luecke and Samuel Wang were presented with the Teachers of Distinction (Top Doc) Award in recognition of Excellence in Community-based Education by the UTMB School of Medicine. These "Top Docs" are community faculty with appointments in Family Medicine, and they precept students from our third-year Family Medicine Clerkship on a regular basis.

For those who missed the 2010 Nicholson roundtable lecture, join us on November 9th for Life Over Cancer: A New Model of Integrative Cancer Treatment. Come and bring your brown bag lunch to this FREE Video-taped Presentation by Keith I. Block, M.D. and Penny B. Block, Ph.D. After the video your questions will be answered by Lyuba Levine, M.D., Assistant Professor, UTMB Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The Department of Family Medicine is excited to welcome their newest faculty member, Dr. Tricia Elliott. Dr. Elliott joins Family Medicine as an Associate Professor and will lead the residency program as Director. Additionally, Dr. Elliot will be the Medical Director for the Family Medicine Clinic at UHC.

Dr. Victor Sierpina is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the Sealy Center on Aging Senior Seaside Club Dinner on Tuesday, October 5th from 4:30-6:30pm at Levin Hall

The Health Affairs Committee of the UT Board of Regents today approved UTMB’s new logo and theme line. This marks a momentous first step in redefining how we view our university and how the communities we serve view us. Plans are underway for an institutional celebration to launch the new UTMB logo and identity system so stay tuned for details. In the meantime, you may see our new logo and theme line start to appear across campus as we begin to implement our new brand.

Family Medicine's Dr. Victor Sierpina is one of four UTMB faculty inducted into the University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education, an organization of distinguished scholars recognized for their teaching excellence.

We would like to welcome Dr. Cassandra Arceneaux back to The Department of Family Medicine. Dr. Arceneaux graduated from the Family Medicine Residency program in 2005 and now joins us as a faculty member.

Family Medicine's Dr. Alice Anne O’Donell is this year’s recipient of the John P. McGovern Lifetime Achievement Award in Oslerian Medicine.

Family Medicine faculty physician, Dr. Juliet McKee is one of four doctors who received this year’s John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching on July 9th at the 9th annual Osler Oration held at the Hotel Galvez.

"Having a primary care doctor significantly reduces health care costs and improves people's lifestyle... If you don't smoke, don't start; and if you do smoke, quit!" Dr. Victor Sierpina at UTMB says it's equally important to have an active prayer life. "I think having a spiritual community of support - people that care about you and that share your values - clearly is associated with good health."