We are all grateful to be finished moving to Empire Plaza. It was a year-long project in the planning and a month-long one in the moving. While it was not entirely orderly, the move went more smoothly than many of us anticipated. It is a finely developed and attractive space and appreciated on these merits by all who moved in. And there is enough space for all of us; moreover, the space is organized by the activities which take place in them. Yet, it is a distance from campus resources. There still exist issues which need to be fixed; we may anticipate things popping up over the next few months. But now, I want to say, Thank You, to everyone at so many different levels, for doing so much to enable a smooth move while maintaining patient care services and research activity. I extend my appreciation and wish all another great month ahead!

The U.S. News & World Report survey has already opened to 10% of eligible physicians and will be available soon to the remaining 90%. Board-certified physicians who are registered Doximity users can influence the rankings by voting through the email they may receive or, once the survey opens to all physicians, by logging in to Doximity.com or using the Doximity app. If you haven't already claimed your Doximity profile, you have until the end of the survey period in mid-March to do so.

Casting a single vote holds more weight than voting for multiple institutions. We encourage you to learn more about the survey as we continue to raise awareness across the country of the exceptional outcomes, safety, quality, and service we provide at UT Southwestern.

The UTSW Digital Team has updated their booking link with new openings for headshot photography. Find a time slot and more information to update your image.

Shuttle Operations has begun its employee/staff shuttle service for Brookriver/Empire Plaza.

Hours of operation are from 5:40 a.m. to 5:35 p.m.

Email Shuttle Feedback with questions.

Corresponding with the birthday of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first US woman to receive a medical degree, National Women Physicians Day is celebrated on February 3 to honor the extensive contributions of women in medicine. UTSW's Celebrating Breakthroughs Together Project features stories from several of our faculty members about how they are breaking down barriers and advancing health care with their work. Plans are underway to expand the featured faculty. View the selection process online and email the Office of Women's Careers with questions.

Carol North, M.D., M.P.E., received the Washington University Medical Center 2023 Alumni Achievement Award.

After her retirement in August 2021, Dr. North gathered her extensive research data from her 4-decade career and also some of her mentors' data into a single collection, intended for use by other UTSW faculty and trainees to analyze and publish in academic literature. The data are largely epidemiological, involving various clinical and community psychiatry topics. Dr. North will coordinate use of her data by researchers via the offices of Dr. Sherwood Brown and will be available to orient users and assist as needed. The collection contains all necessary accessory materials such as brief summaries of projects, IRB approval documentation, interview schedules that can serve as codebooks, and articles already published from the data. It is hoped that this valuable resource will be utilized for the benefit of the institution.

The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program in partnership with Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is sponsoring a Community Engagement Grand Rounds virtual lecture with Derek M. Griffith, Ph.D., Founding Co-Director of the Racial Justice Institute, Founder and Director of the Center for Men’s Health Equity, Member of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Professor of Health Management & Policy and Oncology at Georgetown University.

 

In his talk, Trustworthiness: Explaining and Quieting the Echoes of Tuskegee, Dr. Griffith will discuss the importance of reframing notions of trust to recognize that it is in fact logical and rational for racialized and minoritized groups to approach medical help-seeking and clinical trials with some level of skepticism. The “Tuskegee Syphilis Study” and other unethical research studies were explicit efforts to actively deceive people by telling them that diagnostic tests were high quality clinical care that otherwise was inaccessible to them. Consequently, rather than focusing on patient or participant mistrust and distrust, healthcare providers and researchers should engage communities to understand how best to promote trustworthiness in their local social and historical context. This approach takes the onus of responsibility from the patient, and places it in the hands of healthcare.

The full announcement can be found on the UTSW events page. If you have any questions, please contact Farra Kahalnik Cohen, M.P.H., M.S.S.W., Program Manager in the Office of Community Health and Research Engagement.

Tuesday, March 14, 2023; 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (online only)

Nassir Ghaemi, M.D., M.P.H.

Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, Tufts University School of Medicine, and Lecturer in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

While there is no fee to attend, participants must register. Register to attend virtually. Upon registration, participants will receive the Zoom event ID and link to join the webinar. For additional information, please see the announcement.

NAMIWalks North Texas will take place on May 6, 2023, at Riders Field from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. NAMIWalks 2023 represents a powerful chance to leave a significant mark on the local mental health landscape. Register for the event.

Planning for the partnership between UTSW and Methodist Health System came to fruition in January with the inauguration of the Cloudbreak and Lone Star Depression Challenge launch. Cloudbreak is an initiative aimed at scaling detection and treatment in primary care settings across the regions health systems. In partnership with Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, the CDRC seeks to transform the status quo of crisis-driven depression treatment by scaling three proven solutions across Texas. UTSW leads the training and technical assistance clinical implementation arm of the project, serving as a one-stop shop.

William Dauer, M.D., Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience and inaugural Director of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, will serve as Chair of the committee that will conduct a national search to identify Dr. Tamminga’s successor as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry. Other Search Committee members:

Applications for the Clinical Neuroscience Scholars Award for teaching, patient-centered research, the development of a specialized clinical program, or related activities are now being accepted. Applications should be submitted via email to Brenda Pallares on or before February 28, 2023.

The symposium on Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4, 2023, will provide updates on clinical and research advancements pertaining to pediatric neurosurgery.