Faculty Group Practice Newsletter

Welcome to UTMB Health!

Individuals who experience low back pain know the debilitating effects it can have – like missed workdays, reduced enjoyment of activities, and time spent in bed. Fortunately, medical advances have introduced options for relief, with UTMB striving to bring patients effective procedures to combat the pain. UTMB’s Pain Management service in the Department of Anesthesiology is committed to helping patients with these needs.

Salim Hayek, MD, has joined UTMB as Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, effective March 1. In this critical capacity, Dr. Hayek reports directly to Dr. Vicente Resto within the Faculty Group Practice, where he will lead pivotal transformation initiatives aimed at elevating patient care, enhancing clinical outcomes, streamlining operational efficiency, and advancing clinical research throughout our esteemed institution.

National Doctors’ Day in the United States is celebrated on March 30 each year. According to the American Medical Association, the day is meant to honor physicians for the work they do for their patients, the communities they work in and for society as a whole. At UTMB Health we will celebrate the hard work and devotion of the physicians that keep all of us healthy on Friday, March 29, 2024.

Congratulations to John Carstens, Editor III in the Department of Surgery. He was the first to identify Tommie Tortuga’s new home in front of John Sealy Hospital in Galveston.

Choosing a provider for women’s health care services can be a very personal process. Marisol Carpio-Solis, MD, an ob-gyn serving UTMB’s southern Brazoria County locations, recognizes the wide variety of factors that influence women’s decisions about where they go for health care services. She says UTMB’s clinics check a lot of the boxes for what patients are seeking.

As the Division of Urology strives to make an impact in mainland areas across UTMB’s service region, a recent addition to the team is also helping strengthen its presence on Galveston Island. Steven Socher, MD, sees patients for a wide variety of urological conditions: “anything related to kidneys or kidney stones, prostates, incontinence, erectile dysfunction,” he says.

Don't miss the latest edition of UTMB's Population Health Newsletter. The February edition includes special features on American Heart Month, with important information to help people of all ages enjoy better heart health.

Congratulations to Joseph Shotwell, MD, the Academy of Master Clinicians' March Clinician of the Month. Dr. Shotwell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

March is National Kidney Month. Dr. Allison Mitchell, Nurse Practitioner in the Division of Nephrology, takes an approach that encourages identifying those most at risk for kidney failure, and being proactive in treating and preventing chronic kidney disease.

The patient’s experience begins the moment they choose or are referred to UTMB for their healthcare needs. Their experience includes their entire journey from setting the appointment, seeing our providers, receiving treatment, follow up appointments, etc. Every step of their journey is important.