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A NEWSLETTER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
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Champions of Clinical Learning Environment | |
As a continual acknowledgment of the work it takes to foster a positive and professional learning atmosphere, the Directors of Learning Environment at McGovern Medical School announced 28 faculty members who have earned the title of 2024 Champions of the Clinical Learning Environment. Among them, three faculty members from the Department of Surgery were recognized for their contributions.
The accolade celebrates faculty who have significantly influenced McGovern Medical School students during their third-year clerkship rotations by cultivating a professional and stimulating learning environment. The selection of these champions is based on an in-depth review of the Learning Environment Surveys (LES) from Fall 2023 and Spring 2024. The survey invites third-year medical students to highlight faculty who have made a meaningful difference in their educational experience.
Hundreds of faculty members were mentioned across various departments, exemplifying qualities of empathy, compassion, and excellence while maintaining a safe and engaging learning environment. The awardees were chosen based on the volume of student responses they received, with three to four faculty members selected from each clerkship.
Notably, Saleem Khan, MD, professor in the Department of Surgery, was recognized as one of the 2024 Champions of the Clinical Learning Environment. This marks the fifth consecutive year Dr. Khan has achieved this distinction, making him one of the few faculty members honored every year since the award’s inception.
The awardees from the Surgery Department are:
These faculty members are praised for their influence on learners and their positive impact on patients and the overall clinical environment.
Congratulations to all that were recognized.
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Fox to Chair Faculty Senate | |
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We're thrilled to announce that Erin Fox, PhD, will take on the role of chair for the McGovern Medical School Faculty Senate starting September 1, 2024. Fox is a Professor in the Division of Acute Care Surgery and the Assistant Director of the Center for Translational Injury Research (CeTIR). She has served on the Faculty Senate since 2019. The Senate is the representative body of all McGovern Medical School faculty and is responsible for recommending policies and procedures for the governance of the medical school. The Department of Surgery has eleven members elected to the Senate, but all faculty are welcome to attend Senate meetings, held virtually on the third Thursday of each month. Please send Dr. Fox any questions or concerns regarding the medical school and any ideas for speakers for upcoming meetings.
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Plastic Surgery Residency Wins Blocker Bowl at TSPS Conference, Reclaims Top Program in Texas | |
The Division of Plastic Surgery attended the Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons (TSPS) from September 20-22 at La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, TX. 6 residents and 10 medical students presented their research for the division. The residency won the Blocker Bowl for the top overall plastic surgery residency program in Texas, reclaiming the title the last held in 2018. This award was given to the program with the best scores in the residency research presentations. The team was led by Chief Resident Edwin Acevedo, MD, who won second prize for individual scientific presentation in the resident competition. Matthew Greives, MD, MS, FACS, the Dr. Thomas D. Cronin Chair in Plastic Surgery, associate professor, and chief of the division of plastic & reconstructive surgery, joined a panel on practice patterns, speaking on the pros and cons of joining an academic practice. For the leadership of the society, Greives was also promoted to treasurer of the society, and Daniel J. Freet, MD, FACS, professor of plastic surgery, was re-nominated as chair of the advocacy committee. We are very proud to bring the traveling trophy back to Houston again. | |
Fajemisin Highlights Persistent Disparities in Pain Management at SBAS Conference | |
Mokun Fajemisin MD, a general surgery resident and current T32 research fellow in the division of acute care surgery, presented an e-poster titled “Implementation of a Protocolized Multimodal Pain Regimen Fails to Correct Race- and Sex-Associated Disparities in Pain Treatment for Traumatic Injury” at the Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS) Conference, held on September 21st at UC Davis. | |
Ashley Presents Key Research at 2024 MHSRS | |
Janet Ashley, MD, a T32 research fellow in the division of acute care surgery, recently delivered an impactful oral presentation at the 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), the Department of Defense’s flagship event for advancing military medical research. In a breakout session focused on traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis, Ashley shared her research on “Serum Biomarkers to Predict Therapeutic Intensity and Loss of Cerebral Autoregulation in Severe TBI,” offering new insights into improving care for severe TBI cases. | |
Canfield Presents at Focal Therapy Society Meeting in Washington, DC | |
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At the recent Focal Therapy Society (FTS) meeting in Washington, DC, Steven E. Canfield, MD, professor and chief of the division of urology in the department of surgery, was invited to speak on the future of focal therapy, with an emphasis on the development of clinical guidelines. His presentation contributed to key discussions shaping the future of patient care in this rapidly evolving field.
FTS, an international society committed to advancing urological care, recognized Canfield's ongoing contributions not only through his lecture but also during a session highlighting the year’s Top 5 Clinical Trials. His recently published paper, “A Multi-Institutional Study of Magnetic Resonance/Ultrasound Fusion-Guided Nanoparticle-Directed Focal Therapy for Prostate Ablation,” was honored among the top trials, underscoring the significant impact of his work on prostate cancer treatment.
The study was an open-label, single-arm, multi-center trial of focal prostate ablation using novel gold nanoparticles, which are tumor-specifically activated in situ by near-infrared laser light. The particles were developed in the Halas lab at Rice University. The current study reports on outcomes from the initial clinical trial cohort of 45 men. At one year, the ablation zone cancer-free rate was 73% overall, and near 90% from our individual site. The study is important as the first in human feasibility trial of nanoparticle-directed focal laser therapy for prostate cancer. The technology is currently under review by the FDA.
The Focal Therapy Society serves as a global platform for clinicians and researchers to collaborate, share knowledge, and advance minimally invasive treatments for localized prostate cancer, improving patient outcomes through innovative techniques.
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Bhadkamkar Elected Secretary of the Houston Society of Plastic Surgeons | |
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Congratulations to Mohin Bhadkamkar, MD, assistant professor of plastic surgery, for his election as secretary of the Houston Society of Plastic Surgeons (HSPS). This prestigious organization represents plastic surgeons across the Houston/Gulf Coast region and plays a vital role in organizing monthly educational events for both academic and private practice surgeons, as well as trainees.
HSPS fosters education and community among plastic surgeons in the greater Houston area. Each month, they feature a speaker—typically a renowned surgeon from around the country or the world—who shares expertise in various areas of plastic surgery.
We are proud to note that Matthew Greives, MD, MS, FACS, the Dr. Thomas D. Cronin Chair in Plastic Surgery, associate professor and chief of the division of plastic and reconstructive surgery, and Erik Marques, MD, FACS, associate professor in plastic surgery and program director of the plastic surgery residency program have both served as past presidents of HSPS, contributing to the continued excellence of the society.
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Acute Care Surgeons Gather in Vegas to Present Cutting-Edge Research | |
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The 83rd annual meeting of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) and the 7th World Trauma Congress took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 11 to 14, 2024. The Division of Acute Care Surgery and the Center for Translational Injury Research (CeTIR) were well represented at this premier meeting for acute care surgeons.
Highlights:
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Gabrielle Hatton, MD, MS, acute care surgery fellow, served as a "poster professor" for presentations grouped into the preclinical/translational category. She also presented a poster on "Quantifying Faster Hemostasis in Noncompressible Torso Hemorrhage" (Senior author: Laura J. Moore, MD, FACS).
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John Harvin, MD, MS, FACS, professor of surgery, served as a discussant for a paper.
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Janet Ashley, MD, a T32 research fellow in the division of acute care surgery, presented her poster on "Serum Biomarkers to Predict Therapeutic Intensity and Loss of Cerebral Autoregulation in Severe TBI" (Senior author: Charles S. Cox Jr., MD).
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Bryan Cotton, MD, MPH, FACS, professor of surgery, and John B. Holmes Professor in the Clinical Sciences, and Erin Fox, PhD, professor in acute care surgery and assistant director of the Center for Translational Injury Research, were co-authors on a poster entitled "Whole Blood Trauma Resuscitation in Childbearing Age Females: Practice Patterns and Trends."
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Thaddeus Puzio, MD, MS, FACS, assistant professor in the department of surgery, and Heather Kregel, MD, MS, former T32 research fellow, presented their work "Just Because We Can Doesn't Mean We Should: One Year Mortality Following Tracheostomy in Traumatically Injured Adults."
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J. Michael Van Gent, DO, FACS, LCDR MC, former acute care surgery fellow, and current staff surgeon, presented his Quickshot entitled: "Predicting Futility in Hemorrhaging Trauma Patients Utilizing 4-Hour Transfusion Volumes and Rates" (Senior author: Bryan Cotton, MD, MPH, FACS).
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Renee Walker, MD, and Brandon Dickey, MD, attended the 2nd Annual AAST Fallen Surgeons Military Educational Symposium.
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Amy Qin, Kevin Shi, Rachel R. Tindall, Jiajing Li, Binglu Cheng, Jing Li, Baibing Yang, Qiang Yu, Yinjie Zhang, Bangxing Hong, Balveen Kaur, Mamoun Younes, Qiang Shen, Jennifer M. Bailey-Lundberg, Yanna Cao, Tien C. Ko. Characterization of Pancreatic Collagen-Expressing Fibroblasts in Mouse Acute Pancreatitis. Gastro Hep Advances. Sept 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2024.09.012.
Pineau S, Turangan R, Hoffman C, Mai M, Banki F. Laparoscopic Type IV Hiatal Hernia Repair in the Elective and Emergency Settings, Clinical Presentation, Outcomes, and Same-Day Surgery in Elective Repairs. Foregut. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/26345161241281305
Clements TW, Van Gent JM, Kaminski C, Wandling MW, Moore LJ, Cotton BA. Are trauma centers penalized for improved prehospital resuscitation?: The effect of prehospital transfusion on arrival vitals and predicted mortality. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Sep 3. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004436. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39225798.
Krocker JD, Cotton ME, Ashley JR, Schriner JB, Osborn BK, Wang YW, Cox CS Jr, Wade CE. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRPM4 RS8104571 GENOTYPE, CIRCULATING TRPM4 AND SUR1, AND CLINICAL OUTCOME FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. Shock. 2024 Aug 28. doi: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000002468. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39227352.
McDermott J, Kao LS, Keeley JA, Grigorian A, Neville A, de Virgilio C. Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections: A Review. JAMA Surg. 2024 Sep 11. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2024.3365. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39259555.
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Welcome Our Newest Bundle of Joy | |
James Mentz. MD, a current plastic and reconstructive surgery resident, and his wife Julia welcomed their daughter Sloane on Monday, September 23rd. Everyone is happy and healthy. Congratulations! | | |
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Presentation Topic: EPIC Go-Live Review. Get ready for tomorrow! | | | |
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Presentation Topic: Case Review: GI Bleed
Speaker: Shinil K. Shah, DO, EdD, FACS, FASGE
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Presentation Topic: Challenges and Opportunities: Changing Paradigms in Vascular Injury Care
Speaker: Joseph DuBose, MD, FACS
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Presentation Topic: How do we select resident applicants?
Speaker: Sasha D. Adams, MD, FACS
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Presentation Topic: Witching Hour: Conjuring Safer Pain Management Solutions
Speaker: Jonah J. Stulberg, MD, PhD, MPH, FACS
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Editorial Team: Dr. Lillian S. Kao, Dr. Casey B. Duncan, Dr. Peter A. Walker, and Dr. Elias A. Chamely
For content submissions, email Sophia.M.Solis@uth.tmc.edu.
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