Hello School of Medicine family,
As we continue accelerating ahead in 2022, it is my great pleasure to inform you that we have launched our new and approved strategic plan. The plan can now be easily found online and shared with others within the UTRGV family and external audiences. This new strategic plan will guide all of our upcoming projects and drive our strategic goals.
Everyone has an important role to play in all areas of our mission. Together, we can continue to grow our medical school and clinical footprint across the Valley to provide high-quality, patient-centered care for our community.
This month we also received an award from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which awarded $24.5M towards Graduate Medical Education programs. In addition, our school also received a new grant to help prepare our faculty in addressing the healthcare needs of Hispanic communities on the South Texas border. Congratulations to those who put so much work into these projects.
Additionally, the selected commencement speaker for graduation has been announced. We are so excited to have Dr. Maria Alma Rodriguez speak at our ceremony and inspire the next generation of medical professionals.
Similarly, with the help of my incredible team, we have launched the "What's Brewing" series. This internal communication campaign is an in-person meet-up with faculty with the intention to have candid conversations on how we can make our school better for our students, the Valley and beyond. I am looking forward to the great discussions we will have on enhancing our efforts.
Lastly, we welcome Dr. Jeremy Gibson as our school’s new vice-dean of education and congratulate Dr. Chelsea Chang on her new appointment as asst. dean and asst. DIO for our Graduate Medical Education program. I know they will excel in these positions.
I want to thank you for the exceptional work you are doing. I am confident that we will remain to speed ahead on the right path towards success.
Please read below to get a glimpse of the outstanding work we did together this month at the UTRGV SOM.
Thank you, again, for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Hocker, MD, MHS
Dean, School of Medicine
Senior Vice President, UT Health RGV
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SOM launches new strategic plan |
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The UTRGV SOM debuts a new strategic plan.
Built on the success of the previous strategic plans and the first six foundational years of the School of Medicine, the new 2022-2024 plan is now available online. It is publicly available for you to learn more about the SOM vision, mission, and goals. More importantly, it is a place for the SOM family to be reminded of the collective work needed to accomplish the school's mission. It is also a place to celebrate progress and accomplishments with the Valley and beyond.
The new and approved strategic plan highlights the importance of the school's mission to serve the Rio Grande Valley community and how the School of Medicine can work together to drive success in achieving this vision.
It covers the five strategy workgroups established for each segment of the school's mission pillars: education, research, clinical enterprise, community engagement, and sustainability workgroups. Each pillar has specific goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes to be accomplished for the years to come.
The strategic plan is vital to the SOM's success as it provides advanced academic medicine. These efforts are projected to be achieved through:
- Innovative educational programs where the SOM will train the next generation of physicians and biomedical scientists;
- Life-changing research and discoveries;
- High-quality patient-centered primary and specialty care;
- Serving the Rio Grande Valley community;
- Sustainability and a Culture of Entrepreneurship to help the SOM excel in its mission
This plan was established to serve as a guide to achieving UTRGV SOM's vision to be a leader in creating a diverse and representative workforce, the stimulation of biomedical innovation, and the delivery of patient-centered healthcare.
For now, the webpage includes a link to the full-length approved 2022-2024 plan in PDF form for viewing or printing. It will also soon have a one-page graphic representation to share at meetings or conferences.
Later, quarterly data, stories, digital media will be gathered from the SOM scorecard reports and shared on the page.
Communicating the plan and the many success stories on our path to transforming the health of the Rio Grande Valley and beyond starts now.
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Dr. Hocker launches
"What's Brewing" series
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Dean's "What's Brewing" series aims to enhance communication and transparency at UTRGV School of Medicine.
This month, Dr. Hocker kicked off the "What's Brewing" series dedicated to hosting small group conversations with SOM faculty in all SOM campuses including, Harlingen, McAllen, and Edinburg. These conversations serve to discuss the latest developments at the school, issues important to faculty, and how together we can advance the strategic goals and mission of the school.
This series aims to make conversations accessible to those who work hard to keep the SOM moving and thriving.
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The grant helps reinforce the UTRGV MedEd Teaching Certificate Program launched in November 2021.
The UTRGV School of Medicine has been awarded a grant to help prepare our faculty to meet the healthcare needs of Hispanic communities on the South Texas border.
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Dr. Maria Alma Rodriguez - keynote speaker for SOM Commencement 2022 |
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UTRGV SOM is honored to have Dr. Rodriguez speak to SOM graduates at the May 7 Commencement Ceremony
Rodriguez is the Vice President of Medical Affairs and Physician-in-Chief for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
Rodriguez is also an internist and Professor of Medicine for the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma with the Division of Cancer Medicine.
The UTRGV School of Medicine is honored to have Dr. Rodriguez speak at commencement and inspire our medical graduates.
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Feb. 3 marked National Women Physicians Day. Dr. Nausheen Jamal, chair of the UTRGV School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, stands as an example of perseverance and empowerment for girls and young women everywhere.
Dr. Nausheen Jamal, chair of the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, admits she wasn’t always a leader.
“I’m the daughter of immigrants from Bangladesh. I came to the United States at a young age. I didn’t speak English when we arrived, and we didn’t have a lot of financial means when I was growing up,” she said. “We were on WIC for groceries.”
Today is an entirely different story for Jamal, now an associate professor in the School of Medicine and a practicing ear-nose-and-throat (ENT) surgeon. The fluctuating economic situation when she was growing up didn’t always lead to dreams of leading people.
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Dr. Jeremy Gibson named vice dean for Education |
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New SOM Vice Dean for Education
Starting April 1, Jeremy Gibson, MD, will serve as the new SOM vice dean for Education.
Dr. Gibson will oversee the SOM’s medical education program, student affairs, graduate medical education, and continuing medical education programs and lead all accreditation efforts in this leadership role.
Dr. Gibson comes to UTRGV from his previous post as the senior associate dean for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University College of Medicine.
Please welcome Dr. Gibson to the Vaqueros family as the new vice dean for Education at the UTRGV School of Medicine. And thank Dr. Robert Nelson for his leadership and outstanding work as the interim vice dean.
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Dr. Chang appointed as asst. dean of GME and asst. DIO
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New Assistant Dean and Assistant DIO for the UTRGV SOM Graduate Medical Education Department.
Dr. Chelsea Chang was named assistant dean and assistant DIO for the UTRGV SOM Graduate Medical Education department. Dr. Chang will work alongside DIO Dr. Jamal and the GME office to oversee and administer the SOM's Graduate Medical Education programs and ensure compliance with ACGME requirements.
"I look forward to better understanding the needs of our growing graduate medical education community," said Chang. "I hope to contribute to faculty development and wellbeing and quality resident education for the goal of benefitting our community here in the Rio Grande Valley."
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Rodolfo Singleterry, Class of 2023 |
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Meet UTRGV third-year medical student Rodolfo Singleterry.
Singleterry, a Valley native, attended UTRGV as an undergraduate and is now a third-year medical student.
He explains that countless visits accompanying his father to dialysis treatments inspired him to do more than sit in a waiting area, and so he decided to pursue a career as a physician to help improve the well-being of others in the community.
"The time with my father showed me life with chronic disease, coping with hardship, and the limitations of Medicine. Though, I also witnessed how fascinating and powerful Medicine can be through treatment and innovation," Singleterry said. "Soon, I decided I wanted to do more than sit in a waiting area."
He explains that he wanted to do more than wait. He wanted to have the knowledge and skills to treat, cure and extend life.
"Then, hopefully, one day, I would get the chance to tell that same 7-year-old kid that their loved one is going to be okay," Singleterry said.
Determined to do more for his family and community, Singleterry decided to pursue a medical degree with the UTRGV School of Medicine to further his knowledge and make a more significant impact.
"The decision started from feelings of familiarity, being born and raised in the Valley. It was important to be in a place I could truly resonate with. A place where I could attain a great education, stay near family and get the chance to care for the community I was a part of," Singleterry said. "Ultimately deciding I wanted to be a part of the positive impact the School of Medicine brings to the place I call home."
The SOM thanks Singleterry for his dedication to improving the patient experience and commend him on his commitment to medicine and the Rio Grande Valley.
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SOM residents honored at Vaqueros basketball game |
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Recognized SOM residents attended Vaqueros basketball.
The UTRGV School of Medicine residents were honored at the UTRGV basketball game as the Vaqueros played the Seattle U Redhawks on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Also in attendance were Dr. Hocker and his family. SOM residents were acknowledged at the basketball for their dedication to serving our community through clinical training - we wish them great success in their careers.
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COVID-19 Testing + Vaccine Schedule
*Locations accommodate active UTRGV students, faculty, staff, and dependents.
UT Health RGV Employee Health locations are offering COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to all active UTRGV employees and their dependents.
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Click below to see School of Medicine and University-wide events. |
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The University of Texas
Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Phone: (956) 296-1900
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