June is always a busy month around our College of Medicine. Our first year students finish their first year of study and start a much anticipated summer break, and we have college students joining us for the JAMP and SOAR pathway programs for pre-medical college students. We have a number of students doing summer research internships with our faculty members, and a number of our incoming students join us for the pre-matriculation program in preparation for starting their first year of medical school with us in mid-July. And everyone is working hard to prepare for our incoming first year class, who will start their orientation on July 15th, and preparing for their White Coat Ceremony which will take place on July 27th! I hope you share my excitement about welcoming our fifth class. We really do want them to find their place and sense of belonging at our Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Our RISE values can go a long way towards helping them feel welcome and quickly feel they belong here. Just to review, we Respect each other (students, faculty and staff) and collaborate in a collegial manner; we seek to live our lives and interact with each other with Integrity and authenticity; we are committed to Servant Leadership, including compassion, openness and being supportive of the needs of others; and we are dedicated to Equity and committed to fostering an inclusive and unbiased environment. Please join me in preparing to give a warm welcome to our incoming Class of 2028, and role modeling for them our RISE values.
- Steve Spann
Elliot Flint is a rising MS4 here at the College of Medicine. Two years ago, Elliot and two of his classmates founded the UH Chapter of Medical Student Pride Alliance. They aim to educate medical students on topics in LGBTQIA+ health care and provide mentorship opportunities for pre-med and medical students. "LGBTQ+ individuals experience significant barriers to health care access. Did you know that nearly 29% of trans individuals have reported delaying their health care because of fear of discrimination? This is why representation in health care is more important than ever. Not only do LGBTQ+ providers deserve to live openly, but it’s a benefit to their patients to do so!"
This Pride Month, Elliot is grateful for the LGBTQ+ forerunners who have worked so hard to give him the opportunities he enjoys now. He has spent this June reflecting on steps he can take to make all patients feel seen and heard, and he continues to encourage his colleagues to do the same.
Fun Facts About Elliot Elliot loves traveling, cooking and learning new languages. He’s currently trying to learn Urdu! As far as medicine goes, there are many exciting options that he’s considering. Elliot has an appreciation for critical care and hopes to incorporate some opportunities in global health into his career.
For the second year in a row, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine students have made the arduous journey to provide medical care to a remote village in rural Honduras. True to the mission of the College of Medicine, the journey offered the opportunity to provide integrated, evidence-based, high-value care delivered by our interprofessional teams. Many of the students have participated in medical trips to Central America before their time at the College of Medicine, but for most this is the first occasion they were able to put the skills learned during their medical training to the test, in a setting where medical care is scarce.
Blanca Morales, MS1, was especially excited to exercise her background in case management and community health work. “It marked my inaugural venture into the integration of clinical care with social and community development. I've long been committed to addressing the intricate interplay between social and medical needs. Honduras presented a unique opportunity to deepen my understanding in this domain.”
Congratulations to Chinasa Anokwuru, MS2, on being awarded the Belle Griggs Johnson Scholarship.
Brendan Rosamond, MS2, 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.
As the school year wraps up, this group of MS1’s celebrated their last day of lecture. Congratulations on completing your first year Class of 2027.
The Hispanic Health Coalition’s Annual Scholarship provides scholarships to Hispanic and Latino students pursuing a career in health care. This year, we had several medical students from the College receive a Hispanic Health Coalition Scholarship.
Kenya Steele, M.D. and the Offices of Outreach and Student Pathways and Academic Support hosted 26 incoming medical students at the College of Medicine for pre-matriculation programming. The students participated in biomedical sciences and clinical interactive sessions, skills workshops, panels and informational discussions with faculty, staff and students in order to become acclimated to medical school prior to starting the academic year.
Diego F. Alvarez, M.D., Ph.D. is a clinical professor of physiology within the Department of Biomedical Sciences.
Kenya Steele, M.D., was the invited keynote speaker for the DeBakey High School for Health Professions Graduation Commencement for the Class of 2024. Steele is an alumnus of the High school, Class of 1990. She gave reflections of her time at the school, spoke about her pathway to her career as a physician as well as gave pearls of advice and words of inspiration for the 203 graduates, faculty, staff, family and friends in attendance.
Jacqueline Levesque, A.Ed., recently gave the Robert S. Daniels Distinguished Lecture in Medical Education at LSU Health Systems in New Orleans.
The College has launched a new series of medical lectures in Spanish! This initiative aims to enhance outreach and education for our new generation of physicians who will be serving our diverse Spanish-speaking community in the state.
The initiative integrates currently covered concepts in the curriculum, and the inaugural lecture was led by Magda Ortiz, M.D., Ph.D. This ongoing series will be offered throughout the year in Spanish, covering trending medical topics. The initiative is led by Medilingo, our student organization focused on empowering our trainees to excel in serving our community.
We continue to grow our dynamic team of consummate professionals. Let us welcome the newest members to join our college:
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 on June 1st from 9 AM to 12 PM at the Southwest Multiservice Center.
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 HISD 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 moves 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.
JAMP Scholars (Joint Admissions Medical Program), including 21 premedical undergraduate students from schools across Texas, who are a part of the Texas statewide JAMP program, were hosted by Kenya Steele, M.D. and the Office of Outreach and Student Pathways.
The annual HR Wellness & Benefits Fair was held on June 26th at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. Attendees were able to learn about their UH benefits, including health and well-being resources, while enjoying a photo booth and variety of healthy snacks. The Family Care Center gave out flyers and giveaway items to UH faculty & staff to increase awareness of the clinic services and location.
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 5th training, and the training 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.
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.
