President’s Cabinet Awards 

Kathleen T. Nguyen (OT doctoral student)
Tuan Pham (MS1 student)
Office of Student Affairs

The goal of this program is to increase the number of Galveston County home bound residents enrolled in the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) program. Hurricane preparedness boxes will be prepared and distributed by the UTMB House Call Program to 200 home bound seniors. Each box will contain STEAR registration information and other essentials like medical list needs a basic first aid kit, batteries, a radio, flashlights, water, dry goods, etc.

Zach Carson, DNP, APRN
Jessica den Herder, MSN, AGNP
Tammie Michael, DNP, APRN
Jennifer Young, MSN, APRN
UTMB Geriatric House Call Program

The goal of this program is to increase the number of Galveston County home bound residents enrolled in the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) program. Hurricane preparedness boxes will be prepared and distributed by the UTMB House Call Program to 200 home bound seniors. Each box will contain STEAR registration information and other essentials like medical list needs a basic first aid kit, batteries, a radio, flashlights, water, dry goods, etc.

Erin McGoff, DProf, MSc, PGCE
Health Education Center

In an effort to expand and enhance the current successful Disaster Day program, UTMB will collaborate with the Galveston College Emergency Medical Services Program. In order to provide more hands-on experience for students, the Health Education Center ambulance and trauma bays will be used to include pre-hospital care services during the event. Two trauma manikins will be purchased to provide life-like learning experiences for students as they navigate through realistic medical emergency scenarios.

N. Miles Farr, MD, MPH
Daneen Nastars, DHSc, RRT, RRT-ACCS
Melissa Yanes, MS, RRT-ACCS
Internal Medicine - General Medicine

A six-week pulmonary rehabilitation program for uninsured populations diagnosed with chronic lung disease and/or shortness of breath issues will be established at the St. Vincent's House. Under the direction of UTMB Respiratory Care faculty, students will work with patients to follow individualized treatment plans and measure outcomes. The program will collaborate with the American Lung Association, the American Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Chapter and the UTMB Pulmonary Department to ensure patients are meeting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Pulmonary Rehabilitation guidelines. A smoking cessation component will also be part of the clinic.

Ardalan Sharifi, MD (PGY-3 Resident)
Matthew Yang, MD (PGY-3 Chief Resident)
Ophthalmology

Due to the success of two previous President's Cabinet Awards (2019 and 2021), this project will significantly expand the reach of St. Vincent's House to treat vision-threatening issues such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma for Galveston's most vulnerable population. More diagnostic tools will be purchased to open more exam lanes and additional screening equipment will support the continued growth in patient volume in order to continue providing the highest standard of eye care.

Abe DeAnda, Jr., MD, FACS, FAHA
Elizabeth Turner
Department of Surgery & SMART Family Literacy Program

The UTMB Family Medicine Department will partner with the SMART Family Literacy program and purchase 9,000 books to create a permanent curriculum library and distribute another 9,000 age-appropriate books to Galveston County children. The books will concentrate on nutrition, heart-healthy lifestyles, science and math. In-school sessions and family literacy events will be held to distribute books, healthy snacks and conduct hands-on STEM activities. UTMB Family Medicine Faculty will serve as guest readers and second-year pediatric residents will assist to gain more experiences with children while observing their developmental stages and differences.

Frederick Ditmars (MS3 student)
N. Miles Farr, MD, MPH
John Sealy School of Medicine

This project builds upon a 2021 award and will implement evidence-based screening and treatment protocols for hypertension, type II diabetes melliltus, coronary artery disease and early stage heart failure. An interprofessional team of students will identify high-risk patients and provide them with social and medical services. To complement the program, an AI-assisted bedside ultrasound machine will be purchased and used to screen for early-stage heart failure and more health maintenance equipment (glucometers, blood pressure cuffs, etc.) will be added to inventory./p>

Martha T. Garcia (MS3 student)
Ayeesha Mohammed (MS4 student)
Jacob Moran (MD/PhD student)
Otto Pantoja, MD
Nathan Smith (MS4 student)
Lucy Villarreal, MD
Jerome Yaklic, MD, MBA
Obstetrics and Gynecology

A recent survey of females in the St. Vincent’s community revealed a strong need for breast and cervical cancer screenings and family planning services. This award will help revitalize the St. Vincent’s Gynecology Clinic with new equipment, instruments, supplies, the creation of a robust training curriculum and revised operating procedures for women’s health screening. The goal is to increase screening rates for cervical cancer, breast cancer and intimate partner violence by 30%.