Sean Paschall, a member of the 2013 School of Medicine Class, has been chosen as a recipient of the AMA Foundation Physicians of Tomorrow Award. Created in 2004, the Physicians of Tomorrow Awards provide financial assistance to rising fourth-year medical students. Recipients are nominated by their medical schools and chosen based upon their academic standing, financial status and community involvement.
Recognized for his academic achievements, Mr. Paschall was inducted as an Osler Student Scholar in The John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine and as a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He is the recipient of the McGraw-Hill/Lange Award, which is presented to outstanding students at the end of year one, based on their exceptional academic performance, dedication and hard work.
The Texas Transplantation Society held its annual meeting in Galveston, including the first regional forum on women and organ transplantation and presented its inaugural Trailblazer award to the medical branch’s Dr. Kristene Gugliuzza.
Gugliuzza holds the Alonzo Alverly Ross, MD Centennial Chair in General Surgery and is a professor in the departments of surgery and pediatrics. In addition to serving as director of the abdominal transplant section, Gugliuzza is the director of the general surgery residency program and is an Osler Scholar.
The award is presented for demonstrated leadership in the area of transplant medicine that goes beyond the expected to the exceptional through clinical practice, research, teaching and policy development.
Carlos Escobar, associate vice president of business operations and facilities, became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for health care leaders.
Nationally, only 8,500 health care executives hold this distinction, which represents the highest standard of professional development achievement.
To obtain fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive 71/2 hour examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional/community involvement.
The Center for Addiction Research announced the winners of the 2012 Frances Adoue Lynch Addiction Research Fund Awards, presented to young addiction scientists and medical students to recognize, honor and encourage their pursuits in the field of addiction research and education.
Recipients are students Nadeeka Dias and Edwin Victor Alexander and Jia Zhou, assistant professor in the medical branch’s department of pharmacology and toxicology.
Dr. Tricia Elliott, director of the medical branch’s family medicine residency program, was sworn in as parliamentarian for the Texas Academy of Family Physicians.
Several medical branch alumni were named to the academy as well. Dr. Dale Ragle was named treasurer, Dr. Justin V. Bartos III was named Physician of the Year and Dr. Henry J. Boehm Jr. was presented with the physician emeritus award for his life’s work.
The Department of Internal Medicine held a faculty/student mixer for medical studemts to learn about internal medicine and visit with division leaders and faculty. It was hosted by Dr. Randall Urban, chairman of Internal Medicine and Dr. Mark Holden, vice chair for Undergraduate Education.
The gathering was a speed dating forum in which each division had a table where students had an allotted amount of time in which to hear “core” information on each specific medical discipline. After students had completed all 11 table rotations, they were encouraged to enjoy some food and beverages and visit with their specialty of choice.
All 11 divisions were present at the event: Allergy/Immunology, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Pulmonary/Rheumatology and the Residency Program.
The department has plans for similar future events
Ashley Salazar received June Employee of the Month by the Ob/GYN Perinatal Research Department for "taking on new tasks after a co-worker resigned from her position. Ashley took it upon herself to fill in the shoes of her co-worker and made sure that her department did not suffer or feel the loss of that employee. Not only has she gone beyond the call of duty and stepped in to help, she has done so gracefully."