In its ideal form, a contraceptive vaccine could prevent pregnancy without the messy side effects of some hormonal birth control. Deploying the vaccine primarily in under-resourced populations could also raise the specter of the eradication of fertility in society’s most vulnerable subsects. Dr. Lisa Campo-Engelstein, a reproductive bioethicist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, worries that even the vaccine’s ease of administration—an ostensible benefit—could be viewed as a downside: Administering a shot without a patient’s full understanding or consent is easier than coercively inserting an IUD or forcing a daily pill.

Dr. Moe Ameri, MD, MSc, a second-year resident at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said that international medical graduates make up about 25 percent of the U.S. health care work force, with many “going into primary care physician jobs,” including in underserved areas. “I think that IMGs tend to be tenacious in nature and have the ability to survive in underserved areas that might be lacking resources,” he said. “Their impact can be profound in addressing that shortage.”

Reba Smith-Weede described her experience as a patient of Dr. Patrick Karas, a neurosurgeon at UTMB, and her deep brain stimulation treatment for essential tremors. “I wish I hadn't waited so long to get help, but I'm grateful each and every day for the miracle of deep brain stimulation.”

The University of Texas Board of Regents named a Rush University Medical Center physician as the sole finalist for the open job as the president of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Jochen Reiser, the chairperson in the department of medicine at the Chicago-based teaching hospital, was selected as the finalist for the open position in Galveston. Reiser is known for research on kidney disease, with a focus on molecular biology and genetics, according to his profile on the university’s website. He has also directed a National Institutes of Health-funded research laboratory on investigation into the kidney.