With the end of the year approaching, we here at the UTRGV School of Medicine would like to reflect and acknowledge the hard work our students, faculty, and staff have accomplished in furthering our mission of transforming healthcare and education in the Rio Grande Valley.
This year our clinical arm, UT Health RGV has administered an estimated 97,000 vaccines since the beginning of the year. This is a monumental effort in fighting COVID-19 and we thank our UT Health RGV family for taking on such a major project successfully. It is because of their efforts that our communities are safer and more protected against the virus.
Our School of Medicine's Dr. Kroenke received the Texas Surgical Society Raleigh Ross Scholar award. The award is presented to the top resident in each general surgery training program in Texas. We are so proud of Dr. Kroenke and all of our UTRGV students and residents for their contributions to medicine.
We have also been hard at work this year cultivating a college-ready community with our outreach efforts. This month UTRGV and Harlingen School of Health Professionals partnered to guide students towards medical careers. This program will create clear pathways for younger generations in their efforts of becoming medical professionals and ultimately increasing social mobility for themselves and their families.
In addition, this month we welcomed a new faculty member in pyschiatry, Dr. Sason Tavakoli-Sabour. We wish him great success within our institution.
In the new year we will continue to work hard on our goals of transforming the health and educational opportunities for our UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV community. Happy Holidays to you and your family and best wishes in the new year.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Hocker, MD, MHS
Dean, School of Medicine
Senior Vice President, UT Health RGV
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Still Cautious... but Hopeful
UT Health RGV professionals reflect on life since COVID-19
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The Rio Grande Valley has been through a lot since COVID-19 first hit the area in early March 2020. But today, after administering almost 97,000 vaccines in the last year, the university's frontline workers say they know the pandemic is certainly not over, but they can see glimmers of hope.
Last year at this time, the immediate priority was preventing the virus from spreading, and UT Health RGV played a key role in that effort. UT Health RGV, the clinical arm of the UTRGV School of Medicine, was the first health institution to administer the COVID-19 vaccine – Pfizer – in the Valley.
Some of the UTRGV medical professionals on the front lines talked recently with The Newsroom at UTRGV about just how different their lives are today. They're still masked, still giving and getting vaccines and boosters, still being careful - but now, the the availability of vaccines, they feel they can take a breath, look to the future...and have hope for a return to some normalcy.
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Dr. Kroenke receives
Texas Surgical Society Raleigh Ross Scholar award
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Help us congratulate Dr. Cera Kroenke, PGY-5 resident at our UTRGV SOM-DHR general surgery residency program.
Dr. Kroenke has received the Texas Surgical Society Raleigh Ross Scholar award, which is presented to the top resident in each general surgery training program in Texas. The goal of the Texas Surgical Society is to improve the science and art of surgery and medicine and to elevate the standards of the practice of medicine.
“I am honored to represent our general surgery training program as the Raleigh Ross Scholar this year,” said Dr.Kroenke, “I am thankful to the attendees who nominated me and have shown me continuous support over the years. Their teaching is invaluable, and I hope to be able to leave the same legacy and impression on other young surgeons in the future.”
Congratulations, Dr. Kroenke, on this deserved recognition!
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UTRGV, HCISD partner to guide students toward medical careers |
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UTRGV is partnering with the Harlingen School of Health Professions on a special academic program designed to help students make informed decisions about health-related studies at the university when they graduate high school.
UTRGV President Guy Bailey said that through campus experiences at UTRGV and exposure to healthcare-related careers beginning as early as eighth grade, students will be able to start thinking seriously about a future career early on, before they’re even in college.
“In doing so, we can give them a leg up on everybody else,” Bailey said.
Veronica Kortan, Harlingen CISD assistant superintendent for leadership and innovation, said the redefined curriculum and student experiences are intended to help students identify the right medical pathway for them. Those experiences include UTRGV campus tours, job shadowing, and dual enrollment opportunities, all of which supplement the six academic pathways offered at the high school until the first year of enrollment in UTRGV’s health-related academic programs.
“Your favorite doctors are the ones who are passionate about what they do,” Kortan said. “Our students will build a résumé like no other high school student, and find the path in medicine they are committed to.”
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December's
incoming and outgoing faculty
Please welcome our new faculty members and help us say farewell to those who will be leaving from the institution. We sincerely thank those who have been with us in our journey of providing health and education to the RGV community.
Welcome
- Dr. Sason Tavakoli-Sabour - Psychiatry
Farewell
- Dr. Michael Williams - Surgery
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UTRGV MSA alum is first graduate of the Vaquero MD Early Assurance Program |
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Isabella Rodriguez has been waiting for this moment for a long time.
When she graduated in March 2020 from the UTRGV Math and Science Academy, high school graduations everywhere and the usual parties and ceremonies were reflections of the COVID-19 pandemic – remote, virtual events lacking the warmth and excitement of in-person celebrations.
Now, though, as she walks the stage for morning commencement at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg on Saturday, the biology major will be able to enjoy a special moment as the very first graduate of the Vaqueros MD Early Assurance Program.
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Your gift to the School of Medicine supports our mission to educate a diverse group of medical students and future scientists to benefit the Rio Grande Valley and the world.
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The University of Texas
Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Phone: (956) 296-1900
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