Dear SOM family and friends,
As we prepare to complete another successful school year here at our UTRGV School of Medicine, it is important to reflect on the many wins that took place at our school of medicine in the last month of the semester.
This May, we got to witness our class of 2022 celebrate their commencement ceremony and finish this chapter in their journey to become medical professionals. I am sure they, more than others, are happy to have finished this difficult yet rewarding year and are now on their way to excellent residency programs here in the RGV and throughout the country. All of us here at the SOM are extremely proud of their success.
This month, we also welcomed our upcoming cohort of medical students, the Class of 2026. Through our “Welcome Back” weekend, I had the opportunity to connect with the incoming class as they became acquainted with our campus, resources, faculty and staff. It was exciting to see our young medical students as they got fitted for their white coats.
Our students, faculty and staff are a testament to our promise to train diverse and talented physician-scientists for the benefit of our community. We look forward to their continued success.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Hocker, MD, MHS
Dean, School of Medicine
Senior Vice President, UT Health RGV
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UTRGV School of Medicine’s Class of 2022 celebrates commencement |
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This year marked the third commencement of
the UTRGV School of Medicine
Shortly after midday Saturday, May 7, the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Class of 2022 celebrated commencement at the Region One Education Service Center in Edinburg.
After four challenging years of medical education, labs, research and hospital rotations – and more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions – 51 medical students worked through obstacles to reunite in person at their commencement and accept their degrees from the UTRGV School of Medicine.
This is the third group of medical graduates from the School of Medicine since it was established in 2013. To this day, the Class of 2022 has been the most diverse class yet.
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In the News: Dean Hocker speaks on raising the bar for RGV clinical care |
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SOM dean has big plans for meeting the healthcare needs and demands of Valley communities
Dr. Michael Hocker has big plans for meeting the needs and demands of the healthcare community in the Rio Grande Valley.
This year, the UTRGV School of Medicine received over 7,000 applications, and only 55 students were selected. According to Hocker, 35-38% of the students in medical school classes are from the Valley.
UTRGV has created a pipeline to take high school students and undergraduates through medical school and residency training.
“I think it’s exciting as we look at the kids of the Valley who now can stay here and get a great undergraduate education, but then come to a phenomenal medical school and one of the most diverse in the country,” he said.
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UTRGV School of Medicine Alumni Focus |
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Former SOM graduate, Valley native, reflects on learning experiences
"I feel like the medical program did a fantastic job preparing me for this residency – through medical knowledge, clinical skills and clinical experience. UTRGV was a fantastic experience." -
Dr. Patrick Ojeaga UTRGV School of Medicine, Class of 2021 Resident Physician at UT Southwestern Medical School
Just one year ago, Dr. Patrick Ojeaga was a medical student at the UTRGV School of Medicine, anxiously waiting to know what residency program he would match.
Today, the McAllen native is a resident physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, pursuing a medical career as an orthopedic surgeon.
"UTRGV was an incredible time in my life,” Ojeaga reflected. “I had a phenomenal experience there and met some of the most important people in my life. "I feel like the medical program did a fantastic job preparing me for this residency – through medical knowledge, clinical skills and clinical experience. UTRGV was a fantastic experience."
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Puzzled Solved: UTRGV BMED student’s journey traverses winding path from soccer to medical school |
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Sometimes, the pieces just fall into place
For Brownsville native Eloy Lozoya, simple curiosity led him to a place he never imagined. Now, the 22-year-old is about to graduate from UTRGV with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences.
Commencement is Friday and he already has big plans for the fall. Lozoya is part of the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP), a partnership between the nine UT System medical schools to provide a seamless transition from undergraduate to medical school. He will be attending the UT Health McGovern School of Medicine in Houston this fall.
His sights were not always set on medicine. In high school, Lozoya was a student athlete who dreamed of pursing a collegiate athletic path in soccer. Due to sustained injuries, however, he made the difficult decision to change his plans and stay close to home to get his degree.
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SOM hosts incoming class of 2026 during Welcome Back Weekend |
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SOM Welcome Back Weekend
The UTRGV School of Medicine hosted a fun and interactive "Welcome Back" Weekend for the incoming class of 2026.
The new medical students had the opportunity to get fitted for their white coats, tour the school of medicine facilities, and hear from Dean Hocker on resources available to students throughout their four years in medical school.
It was a celebratory event including cake, activities and a special mariachi band show in true Hispanic culture.
We welcome our incoming class of 2026 and wish them all the luck throughout their medical school journey.
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Dr. Madeline Huff awarded
"Holzenburg Student Research"
Award
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Dr. Madeline Huff - 2022
Holzenburg Student Research Award Recipient
UTRGV's Dr. Madeline Huff was recently awarded the Holzenburg Student Research Award.
This award is established in honor of Dr. Andreas Holzenburg, who helped guide medical students in the pursuit of research and inquiry.
The Holzenburg Distinguished Research Scholar Award is an annual award to honor an MS4 student based on the body of scholarly work a student completed while a medical student at UTRGV SOM.
Students are evaluated on participation in research electives, national research programs, grant funding, publications, abstracts, research promotion, and whether their research benefitted underserved communities.
Congratulations to Dr. Huff on being the recipient of this award!
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SOM promotes healthy sun habits to
RGV community
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Kid-fit dermatology booth to educate about sun exposure precautions
In an effort to promote healthy habits for the community, the clinical arm of the UTRGV SOM - UT Health RGV, hosted a kid fit dermatology booth on April 23rd to educate younger generations about sun exposure precautions.
Dr. Maria Villegas - UT Health RGV adult and pediatric dermatologist, educated attendants about the proper ways to keep their skin safe around the hot Texas sun and participated in fun hands-on activities.
This is just one way the UTRGV SOM is promoting healthy living to the Rio Grande Valley community.
Thank you to UTRGV's division chief for Dermatology, Dr. Maria Villegas and team for hosting this educational event.
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Rio Grande Valley
Brain Awareness Week 2022
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The RGV-SFN-C part of “Brain Awareness Week”
for the last three years
In March 2022, the Rio Grande Valley - Society For Neuroscience- Chapter, RGV-SFN-C, was part of the “Brain Awareness Week,” a yearly event that the organization has hosted for the last three years. And this year, 2022, was no different.
Brain Awareness Week, typically held from March 15 to 20, is an international event sponsored by the Dana Foundation - a private philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing understanding of the brain - to develop awareness and interest in the nervous system function and dysfunction.
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SOM awarded grant to address
neurotoxin pre-exposure on Parkinson’s Disease progression and neuroplasticity changes
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Dr. Kelsey Baker
Interim assistant dean for pre-clerkship,
assistant professor of Neuroscience
With a grant awarded at an estimated $10,000 The UTRGV School of Medicine will now work towards the role of neurotoxin pre-exposure on Parkinson’s Disease progression and neuroplasticity changes.
Dr. Kelsey Baker - interim assistant dean for pre-clerkship, assistant professor of Neuroscience, and P.I. for the project says the research team is looking forward to finding answers and solutions for those directly impacted by pre-exposure to neurotoxins in their work environments.
"We are thrilled to start on this project as it will have direct benefits to our Veterans and the general population in the Rio Grande Valley," said Baker.
"Many individuals in the Rio Grande Valley are employed in the agriculture business or reside near agricultural sites where usage of pesticides, many of which are considered neurotoxins, occurs more frequently than major cities. Our work will begin to identify how neurotoxin exposure is linked with Parkinson’s Disease and provide potential biomarkers that could be used for improving treatment options, early disease identification and prevention.”
In addition to Dr. Baker - Dr. Nawaz Hack - clinical associate professor of Neurology and Dr. Michael Dobbs - Neurology and UT Health RGV Chief Medical Officer are Co-Investigators of the project.
Study will begin this summer and be conducted at the Harlingen Institute of Neuroscience between the Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology.
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In the News: 1 million mark of lives lost to COVID-19 |
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Dr. Dobbs discusses 1 million lives lost due to COVID
In an interview with CNN, UT Health RGV's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Dobbs discusses the one million lives lost to COVID since it began.
Dr. Dobbs addresses COVID numbers specific to the Hidalgo County region. There were an estimated 3,500 deaths in a county of less than one million.
"I'm not sure that everyone has slowed down enough to really understand who's missing and what's missing," said Dobbs. "(We) don't understand what gaps has been left."
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UTRGV School of Medicine student looks forward to giving back |
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Meet second-year UTRGV medical student, Carra Honderich
Growing up, Carra Honderich and her family relocated every three years to countries around the world, which allowed her to live and travel throughout Southeast Asia and Africa.
During this time, the Magnolia, TX native and her family would visit underprivileged communities and provide school supplies, food, and other resources. Her world travels, and her service to the needs of disadvantaged communities solidified her passion for helping others.
“I’ve also always been a huge science enthusiast and can’t imagine being in a field where I don’t get to learn something new every day,” Honderich said. “Medicine allows me to combine my desire to keep serving others with my love for education.”
The opportunity to continue serving and helping disadvantaged communities enticed Honderich to join the UTRGV School of Medicine.
“The SOM has shown how positive of an impact education can make in a community,” she said. “Whenever I think about my experiences when giving back to the community through interest groups and events, I feel more confident and solidified in my decision to be a physician.
She currently serves as the secretary of the Emergency Medicine Interest Group and was the social chair for the School of Medicine Student Government Association until the recent transition. She was also on the boards for Walk With A Future Doc and the Student Wellness Committee. For her, the ultimate goal in her career is to continue giving back to society.
“I chose The UTRGV School of Medicine because of its emphasis on providing for its community,” she said. “I love the involvement the SOM has with the healthcare pipeline and how it emphasizes providing education and resources.”
As she moves forward in her medical trajectory, she would like to practice emergency medicine.
“My mentor throughout undergrad was an EM physician in Houston, and I spent countless weekends and holidays shadowing her,” Honderich said. “I love how unpredictable it is, the pacing, and the teamwork aspect of the emergency department.”
This summer, she will be taking Step 1 and will enjoy a few weeks off before starting clinical rotations at the end of June, alongside continuing her hobby as a competitive CrossFit athlete.
“Training and competing gives me an outlet for school stress and keeps me healthy and motivated,” she concluded.
We applaud Honderich for her dedication to serving underserved communities. Best wishes this summer and as she continues her medical education.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month
First-year med student aims to make a difference in mental health
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Meet Lesley Chapa, president, UTRGV Psychiatry Student Interest Group
“I think it's essential to offer a level of cultural awareness for underrepresented patients."
- Lesley Chapa, UTRGV School of Medicine Student
Valley native Lesley Chapa didn’t always want to be a doctor – until she had a chance to shadow an internal medicine physician during her undergrad studies.
“He had a strong sense of commitment to his patient population,” she said. And that commitment motivated her to think about a career in healthcare, especially one focused on diversity access for underserved populations.
Now a medical student with the UTRGV School of Medicine, Chapa also serves as president of the UTRGV Psychiatry Student Interest Group, where she collaborates with peers to spread awareness about mental health to the Valley community.
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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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