The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine is pleased to announce that Ndidi "Oge" Abara, MD and Nathaniel De La Cruz, MD will serve as Chief Residents of the UTMB Health Family Medicine Residency Program for 2017-2018.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine is pleased to announce that Victor Sierpina, MD has been selected to be one of the 2017 Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award winners in recognition of his outstanding teaching of students and residents in clinical settings.

The Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) recently featured a study by Bret Howrey, PhD, of the UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine, and M. Kristen Peek, PhD, of the UTMB Health Department of Preventive Medicine & Community Health.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine is pleased to announce that Hammad Qureshi, MD has been appointed the course director for the Acting Internship (AI) in Family Medicine (FAMU 4001).

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine has published its 2016 Annual Report. The report summarizes the activities of the faculty, staff, and residents of the department from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine would like to congratulate Julie McKee, MD on being honored with the "Bronze" in the 2016 Galveston.com Best of the Island Award competition in the physician category.

January 2, 2016 – Jamal Islam, MD and Tuere Coulter, MD assumed their newly appointed leadership roles today with the UTMB Health Family Medicine Residency Program.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine is pleased to congratulate Victor Sierpina, MD and Barbara L. Thompson, MD for being named one of Texas' Super Doctors® for 2016. The listing of Texas' Super Doctors is featured in Texas Monthly magazine.

R. Russell Thomas Jr., DO, MPH presented a lecture on December 1, 2016 as part of the UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine's Grand Rounds. Dr. Thomas presented "Country Medicine Revisited: The Evolution of Rural Medicine Over the Past 30 Years" and shared his thoughts and experiences as a small-town primary care physician.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine is pleased to share that its three departmental practices—Family Medicine Clinic - Dickinson, Family Medicine Clinic - Island East, and Family Medicine Clinic - Island West—have received renewed recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Homes.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine regrets to announce that Linda Hubbell (67) passed away on Monday, November 14, 2016 after her battle with leukemia.

The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine is proud to announce that Tricia Elliott, MD has accepted the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs, Designated Institutional Officer, and Chief Academic Officer with the the JPS Health Network in Forth Worth, Texas. While we are very sad that Dr. Elliott will be leaving her current position as Director of the UTMB Health Family Medicine Residency Program, we are happy for her and wish her very well in her new position. We are also happy to announce that Jamal Islam, MD has accepted the position of Director of the UTMB Health Family Medicine Residency Program, effective January 1, 2017.

On Saturday, October 8, 2016 the UTMB Health School of Medicine and the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) held a banquet and awarded 13 community-based physicians the 2016 UTMB Health Teachers of Distinction Award. Among the recipients were three family physicians who support students of the Department of Family Medicine: W. David Toronjo, MD, Bodo Brauer, MD, and Rogelio "Roger" Gonzalez, Jr, MD.

The UTMB Health Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) along Family Medicine faculty, residents and staff hosted the 6th Annual Primary Care Procedures at the Primary Care Pavilion (PCP2) Thursday evening, October 6th from 5:30 until 9pm.

UTMB Health Family Medicine residents collected funds and school supplies during the month of September for donation to Kidz Harbor.

Andrea Link, MD, a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, will be the guest lecturer during UTMB Health's Department of Family Medicine Grand Rounds on September 15, 2016. Dr. Link will discuss the identification of human trafficking victims in the primary care setting.

A team of UTMB Health Family Medicine residents and faculty members participated in a health fair sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Texas City on Saturday, May 21, 2016.

The Department of Family Medicine held its annual Research Day on Thursday, May 19, 2016. All UTMB Health Family Medicine Residents participated, as well as many faculty members.

The UTMB Health Family Medicine Interest Group has announced its 2016-2017 officers.

The Department of Family Medicine is pleased to announce that Petra Kelsey, Shawn Abreu, and Laurie Jansky are the winners of the 2016 Weldon G. Kolb, MD, Medical Student Scholarship.