This month we are introducing a new section in our monthly Pulse newsletter, titled “Finding our Place: Belonging at Our College of Medicine”. We have an amazing group of medical students, faculty and staff at the UH Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Many of us came here because of the important mission of this medical school. In dealing with the day-to-day realities of our workloads and busy schedules, the multiple challenges of building a new medical school, and preparing for our upcoming LCME accreditation site survey, it can be easy to lose sight of the mission that brought us here and motivates our daily work, and the progress we have made towards accomplishing that mission. We have made a lot of good progress; we will soon celebrate the milestone of graduating our inaugural class of students! We still have a lot of opportunities for improvement, and we are committed to meeting those opportunities and continuing to improve every day. I hope that you are proud of what we have achieved so far and will continue to achieve together. I hope that each of you has found your place, and a sense of purpose and belonging, here at our College of Medicine!
- Steve Spann
“Prior to joining the College of Medicine, I was a family medicine residency director, so the training of future primary care physicians has been a focus of my career for many years. I came here because of the opportunity to support the mission of the College, which is well aligned with my career priorities. Prior to UH, I have never worked where the medical school was on a large, full-scope university. This creates a unique atmosphere and allows for many opportunities for collaboration, such as working directly with medical students in the classroom, clinic or simulation center.”
Outside of work, I run (slowly) for exercise, recently completing the Aramco Americas Houston Half Marathon. Something else that not many know about me is that I’m also a Level 1 Cellar Manager (Sommelier-equivalent for someone who doesn’t work in the hospitality industry) in the International Wine Guild and am a Level 2 Specialist of Texas Wines. I enjoy visiting wineries, talking to winemakers and sampling new wines.
On Friday, March 15, the Fertitta Family College of Medicine will be taking part in its inaugural Match Day. This is the day that thousands of graduating medical students, including our first class of 2024 soon-to-be graduates, will learn where they will be training for residency. When you see an MS4 in the hallway in the coming weeks, share some positives words as they approach this fateful day. *Match Day is a private event for the Class of 2024 and their guests*
The Class of 2026 recently finished their Behavioral Medicine and final Pre-clerkship Biomedical Science course. Congratulations on completing this important milestone on your medical education journey!
Zainab Jimoh, MS2, won Best Poster and Presentation in the Mental Health category presented at the 2024 AMHP National Public Health Conference on Building Bridges to Advance Health Equity & Social Justice held at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD.
Students gathered this month for a night of fun and relaxation at the Med Gala- Diamonds are Forever. To see more images of the night, follow the College of Medicine on social media at @UHMedicine.
Sheara Jennings, Ph.D., M.S.W. joined as associate professor for Health Systems and Population Health Sciences.
Stephen J. Spann, M.D., MBA was a panelist on the Houston Business Journal’s discussion “The Health Care Value Imperative: How a Healthy Workforce Builds a Healthier Houston” presented by Memorial Hermann.
We continue to grow our dynamic team of consummate professionals. Let us welcome the newest members to join our college:
The Fertitta Family College of Medicine Office of Outreach and Student Pathways hosted the UH Stem Center for STEM Zone Saturday where medical students presented on the respiratory system and did hands on activities and case studies with approximately 100 students.
Linda Civallero and Hunter Ryan, Office of Community Health, and Assata Richards, Ph.D., M.S., Sankofa Research Institute, presented at the Symposium on Community Engagement and Experiential Learning on February 2. Their session was titled, How Power Sharing Can Provide a Mechanism to Improve Community Engagement. The annual event for students, faculty, staff and community partners was hosted by the Cougar Initiative to Engage, the Honors College and Government & Community Relations.
The Office of Outreach and Student Pathways hosted students and faculty from Austin High School for the Health Career Collaborative Finale presentations. Nineteen sophomores, mentored by our first-year medical students, presented on health topics that are of interest to them and relevant to their community.
On January 12th, the UH Health Family Care Center teamed up with UH Healthy Start and Fit Houston to host a Walk30 Stroller walk. Attendees learned about the health benefits of walking at least 30 minutes a day and had the chance to speak with Family Care Center providers about the available services we provide.
On February 20th, the pediatric behavioral health team from the Family Care Center participated in the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) food pantry held at the AAMA Prevention & Counseling Center. The team helped with food packing and distribution, forged meaningful connections with community members and raised awareness for the clinic and its services.
On Monday, October 16, The Office of Outreach and Student Pathways began the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Corporate Work Study Program. A collaboration between Family Care Center and Cristo Rey Jesuit has allowed high school students interested in pursuing health careers to work in the clinic and gain work experience and mentorship. Four students (1 freshman, 1 sophomore, 1 junior, 1 senior) report to the Family Care Center one day a week and alternating Fridays for the entire academic year. Kenya Steele, M.D. meets with each student to answer questions and provide mentorship throughout the year. Pictured is Mia, a senior at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.
At the University of Houston, we care about you. In addition to you practicing self-care, we believe in the strength of a community that cares for our fellow Coogs. We have a number of resources to support your mental health and overall wellness. Learn more about our available resources here.
Need Support Now?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call CAPS crisis support 24/7 at 713-743-5454, or for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call or text 988, or chat online at 988 Lifeline Chat and Text.
Do you have something you’d like to share college wide? Email uhcomcom@central.uh.edu with details for consideration in next month’s edition of The Pulse.
