A Message from Dean Jonathan McCullers
I am honored and excited to have been named the second dean of the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. I appreciate the warm welcome I have received from the students, staff and faculty and am thankful that I have been entrusted with this role. Great progress has been made to date by Founding Dean Spann and the faculty on the formation and growth of the College, culminating in the recent graduation of our inaugural class. Founding Dean Spann did an amazing job under complex circumstances getting us to where we are today. I feel humbled to be carrying on this important legacy.

Our mission since the founding of the College has been to educate a group of physicians who will provide compassionate, high value care to patients, families and communities, with a focus on primary care and other needed specialties. It is indeed “medicine with a mission” — improved health and healthy communities. My background includes significant experience in higher education and health care that will help us grow into our next phase. I also bring a mindset that community service and innovations in preventative care must be in all of our DNA.

Our strategic plan calls for us to grow our class size to 120, expand research, and recruit new top-flight teaching, clinical, and research faculty. However, our vision will remain steadfast; we “will be recognized nationally for educating physicians who have a deep understanding of the social determinants of health and health disparities, know how to work with communities to improve their health and health care, and are experts in providing high value health care, managing the health of patient populations, and continuously improving health care delivery.”

The next few years will be an exciting time for the Fertitta College of Medicine as it enters its next phase. Please enjoy this newsletter which highlights some of the great work being done by our faculty, staff and students. For an overview of the college of medicine’s achievements during the 2023 - 2024 academic year, click here for the annual report.

- Jon

Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine welcomed the Class of 2028. Founding Dean, Stephen J. Spann and other leaders addressed incoming students and sought to inspire them as they donned for the first time the symbol of their commitment — white coats —heralding the official start of their medical journeys.

• Brendan Rosamond, MS3, was selected to serve as a member on the Medical Student Task Force of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Medical Student Education. Rosamond will be helping the College develop new curriculum and update previously published materials to ensure all medical schools in the nation have equal access to a basic surgical education.
• The Houston Global Health Collaborative awarded a Student Research and Service Grant to Mathew Mendoza, MS2, an Albert Schweitzer Fellow. Mendoza has partnered with Cuney Homes on his research project to shed light on and to address the barriers and enablers to physical activity in Houston’s oldest and largest federally subsidized housing complex. The project seeks to gather insights directly from Cuney Homes residents and community stakeholders to inform and adapt physical activity interventions for a healthier and thriving Cuney Homes and Third Ward.
• Congratulations to Chinasa Anokwuru, MS3, on being awarded the Belle Griggs Johnson Scholarship.
• Nyeomi McGaskey, MS3, has been appointed to be the Executive Coordinator of Learning & Growth of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Pediatric Trainees for a one-year term. This opportunity provides a wealth of great rewards that include opportunities to network with AAP leadership, participate in SOPT Executive Committee meetings and make a difference in the lives of pediatric trainees and the children and families they serve.
• Congratulations to the four inaugural Health Commons Fellows! Jasmin Ali, MS2; Mathew Mendoza, MS2; Nyeomi McGaskey, MS3; and, Angelique Basquine, MS3, will participate in a year of research and service supporting food access, healthy eating and shared governance in Third Ward and Cuney Homes. Each fellow will receive a $1,000 stipend. The Health Commons is the College of Medicine’s model for community engagement that prioritizes shared leadership. Through an intentional approach to power-sharing, the community and the College co-create policies and programs to improve community health. Current projects include starting a food buying club and food cooperative at Cuney Homes in Third Ward.
• Raven Hollis, MS1, received the Diversity in Medicine Scholarship from the Texas Medical Association for the 2024-2025 school year. This scholarship is for medical students who have been historically underrepresented in Texas medical schools and the state's physician workforce.
• MS4 students Iliana Oberkircher and Elliott Flint started their rotations at DHR Health in the Rio Grande Valley, a new partner for the College.
• Trayce Gray, MS3, authored an abstract/paper titled “The Role for Suicide Risk Assessment Screening in the Pediatric Orthopaedic Clinic” that was selected for Podium Paper Presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2025 this year.
• MS2 students Elizabeth Eversole, Mathew Mendoza, Madeline Ayala, Dallas Bennett and Paul Tran recently qualified for the American Medical Association Research Challenge Poster Symposium! A big thank you to their incredible mentors, Dr. Chakravarthy “Marx” Sadacharan, Dr. Summer Chavez, and Dr. Tameka A. Clemons for their support and guidance.
• The Humana Integrated Health Systems Science Institute and UH Graduate School hosted the Graduate and Professional Student Research Networking Event earlier this month. A special screening of Heroin(e), an Academy Award-nominated documentary about the opioid pandemic, was shared and followed by a panel discussion to explore the film’s themes and ask questions.

• Lani Ackerman, M.D., received the Global Faculty Award, sponsored by the Office of the Provost, which is given to full-time tenured, tenure-track and promotion eligible non-tenure track faculty who have demonstrated excellence in the promotion of globalization of teaching, research and/or service. Learn more about the nomination process and more information about the Global Faculty Award.
• Kimberly A. Pilkinton, M.D., M.P.H. participated in the UH Law Center’s recent continuing legal education program entitled “Post Dobbs: Medical and Legal Ramifications.” They had an audience of almost 500 unique viewers from across the nation that was comprised of lawyers, professors and other professionals.
• Winston Liaw, M.D., M.P.H., Omolola E. Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H., LaShaune P. Johnson, Ph.D., Bill Elder, Ph.D., Lu Wang, Ph.D., and Diana Grair, M.D. received a grant from the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity Program. This is for their project titled "Health Behavior Counseling Using Multi-Modal Large Language Models in Pursuit of Health Equity for Minoritized Populations." The grant will allow the interdisciplinary team (comprised of UH faculty and staff) to explore how artificial intelligence can be implemented in primary care settings.
• Kristin Kassaw, M.D., was promoted to associate dean for student affairs.
• Terrence Ma, Ph.D., M.B.A., was promoted to associate dean for assessment, quality improvement and accreditation.
• Jamie Everett, M.D., is among 40 high-achieving pathologists, pathology residents and medical laboratory professionals who have just been named to the prestigious American Society for Clinical Pathology 2024 40 Under Forty list.
• The Texas Academy of Family Physicians awarded Bich-May Nguyen, M.D., M.P.H., FAAFP, with the Diversity and Health Equity Leadership Award. This award recognizes the contributions of a TAFP member who advocates for health equity, encourage increased representation from groups historically underrepresented in medicine, and/or promote inclusivity in health care settings and in organized medicine.
• Lola Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H., received the 2023 Rosalind Franklin Society Awards in Science in the category of medicine and surgery for her paper “Comparing In-Person Only, Telemedicine Only, and Hybrid Health Care Visits Among Older Adults in Safety-Net Clinics.” The RSF Awards in Science recognized the best paper by a woman or underrepresented minority in science in 100 peer-reviewed journals. Adepoju’s findings suggest that hybrid opportunities in clinics may bridge racial and ethnic disparities in access to care.
• The American Psychological Association awarded James H. Bray, Ph.D., the Presidential Citation for his lifetime contributions to the discipline, the profession and the APA.

Please welcome the following new faculty members to our college:
Diego F. Alvarez, M.D., Ph.D., clinical professor of physiology in the biomedical sciences department.

Jamila Davison, M.D., emergency medicine physician in the health systems and population health sciences department.

LaShaune Johnson, Ph.D., clinical professor in the health systems and population health sciences department.

Aaryani Tipirneni-Sajja, B.E., M.S., Ph.D., joint associate professor in the biomedical sciences department.

• Dia de la Mujer Latina hosts Health Fiestas periodically, offering preventive health care services to the uninsured, economically disadvantaged, hardworking marginalized population in the community. Brian Reed, M.D., and Natarajan Venkatayan, M.D., were actively engaged in teaching the medical students the necessary clinical skills to perform women's preventive care such as breast exams and cervical cancer screenings. The fiesta kindled their passion for becoming a primary care physician and serving the community’s health care needs. The event took place June 1 at the Southwest Multiservice Center.
• VOICES, a student organization, organized an annual Back to School Event as a volunteer opportunity for its members and our student body at the College of Medicine. This year, they passed out over 250 backpacks filled with school supplies via a drive through. The students are truly grateful for the chance to connect with and give back to the Third Ward community. This was only made possible with the receival of grants and the support of organizations including The Real Insurance Lady, Legacy, Houston Metro, University of Houston Community Health Workers and various UH Colleges!
• The Healthy Connections team had a successful start to their Lunch & Learn health education series in collaboration with the Houston Health Department, Mission Milby CDC, and Houston ISD Sunrise Center, featuring engaging sessions on mental well-being and physical health. Participants who attended the "Say 'No' to Stress" session engaged in meaningful discourse and learned healthy and practical strategies for coping with stress and enhancing mental wellness. Those who attended our "Fitness Within Reach: Fit Your Way" session learned about the benefits of physical activity and enjoyed learning and practicing a few yoga poses alongside the health educator and community health workers. The Healthy Connections team is always grateful for opportunities to make a positive impact in our community.

• Back to School Block Party: The UH Health Family Care Center hosted its second Back to School Block Party with Boynton Chapel on Friday, July 26. Local students and their families were able to pick up backpacks, school supplies and snacks and enjoyed ice cream and a vendor fair. The clinic gave away 417 backpacks and provided sports physicals and vaccines to the students. Thank you to all who helped put this event together!
• Mental Health First Aid Training: Several dedicated community members came together and completed the Mental Health First Aid Training at the clinic and are proudly certified by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. These heroes are equipped to support children and adolescents facing mental health or addiction challenges, guiding them through crises and connecting them with professional help. This was the fifth training session, and the program has certified 35 local community members as a Mental Health First Aider. Mental Health First Aid Training is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges and how to assist individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis. For more information and training dates, please email Program Manager Jon De La Rosa.

Kind regards,

Jon McCullers, MD
Vice President of Health Affairs | Dean
Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
University of Houston
(713) 743-0875
jamccul2@central.uh.edu
https://uh.edu/medicine