2024 OCT. EDITION
A key part of the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine’s Mission statement asserts that we will “find innovative solutions to problems in health and health care.” In one of the stories in this month’s Pulse newsletter, we celebrate a new research grant to Winston Liaw, M.D., M.P.H., and his team of faculty and staff. The project will bring artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to bear in the primary care setting in an effort to reduce health disparities. Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are rapidly being adopted in many areas of our lives, and medicine is an obvious new frontier for these advances. Among many other possibilities, AI-driven platforms will tailor educational content to individual student needs, adapting to different learning styles and pacing. Emerging technologies will enable faster data processing and analysis, helping researchers identify patterns, discover new treatments, and streamline clinical trials, ultimately advancing medical knowledge and patient care. And AI tools will assist health care professionals in diagnosing conditions, predicting patient outcomes, and recommending treatment options. I have challenged our leadership to explore ways that we can embrace AI in our pedagogy, our research, and our care for patients. As an early adopter and innovator in this space, the Fertitta College of Medicine will be an attractive partner for biotech companies wanting to test or deploy AI-related advances in the clinic and community. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Liaw and his team on starting us on this journey.
- Jon McCullers
Why did you choose to attend the College of Medicine? What made it stand out from your other options?
“The fact that the College has a strong social mission to improve health in underserved communities across Texas really stood out to me. As someone who grew up in an underserved community, this mission deeply resonated with my own goals. I was excited to find a school that not only acknowledged these challenges but was committed to addressing them head-on. My peers and I often talk about how meaningful it is when our patients express their happiness at seeing someone in the clinic who looks like them. It’s a powerful reminder that we are becoming the change we want to see in health care, and I’m proud to be part of that transformation.
One of the things I truly appreciate about the College of Medicine is how supported I feel in embracing my cultural background. Coming to the Fertitta College of Medicine has shown me that I don’t have to choose between being a doctor and staying true to my heritage. The College has created an environment where I always feel at home, actively encouraging us to celebrate and share our diverse backgrounds. We just finished celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and knowing that my school values and uplifts my culture has made my experience here feel even more meaningful."
Fun Facts About Amanda Hernandez
“Something I’d like to share is that my family helps run a soup kitchen in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, through an organization called Club Unidos por Villa Juarez. Since I was nine years old, I’ve been involved in fundraising efforts to provide hot meals to the elderly community of Villa Juarez. Recently, we’ve expanded our mission and are currently working on building a nursing home where we hope to take in long-term residents, offering not only meals but also a safe and caring environment for those who need it most. This work has been a huge part of my life, and it has deeply shaped my understanding of community service and giving back.
Another fun fact about me is that I love to bake! I recently learned how to make soft pretzels from scratch! I really enjoy experimenting with new recipes, and I often bring my baked goods to share with my friends at school. It’s become a nice way to take a break from studying and spread some joy during our stressful days."
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.
The College’s very first medical students, Iliana and Elliott, to spend their rotations at DHR Health in the Rio Grande Valley ran into Dean McCullers on his recent trip to tour their facilities.
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 (AAOS) 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. Marx, Dr. Chavez, and Dr. Clemons for their support and guidance.
MS3s Kathryn Crouch, Ashlynn McCall, Nyeomi McGaskey and Megan Vu and clinical associate professor, Mohamed Zebda, D.O., M.P.H. attended the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition 2024 in Orlando, Florida.
The Humana Institute and University of Houston 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 with experts to explore the film’s themes and ask questions.
Jamila Davison, M.D. is the Emergency Medicine Physician for Health Systems and Population Health Sciences.
As founder of the Houston/Galveston chapter of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Dave Buck, M.D., M.P.H. [not pictured] hosted all of the College of Medicine faculty mentors of Schweitzer Fellows this year at a special Celebration of Service luncheon, including the new dean, Jonathan McCullers, M.D., and other VIPs. These mentored student projects are specifically tailored to address unmet health needs for underserved populations in our area, significantly impacting health equity.
Kimberly A. Pilkinton, M.D., M.P.H. participated in the 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. With great sacrifice, Pilkinton participated virtually several hours ahead from Portugal. She did an excellent job differentiating the medical and legal terminology, which creates great confusion in this area of the law. She was a real asset to the discussion.
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. have received a grant from the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-HEAD) Program. This is for his project titled "Health Behavior Counseling Using Multi-Modal Large Language Models in Pursuit of Health Equity for Minoritized Populations." This grant will allow his interdisciplinary team (comprised of faculty and staff at the University of Houston) to explore how artificial intelligence can be implemented in primary care settings.
We continue to grow our dynamic team of consummate professionals. Let us welcome the newest members to join our college:
The Voluntary Faculty Open House was an incredible success. Together, the College shared an inspiring vision for the future of medicine, showcasing our beautiful facility, inviting guests to explore our programs, and giving a warm welcome to our new Dean, Jonathan McCullers, M.D.
The evening was filled with meaningful connections and sparked inspiration for our guests to join us in our mission as Faculty Preceptors. It was heartwarming to see so many smiles throughout the event, from the quartet’s beautiful serenades to Shasta and Sasha bringing laughter to everyone. Beyond encouraging attendees to become faculty preceptors, we planted a seed of excitement that will hopefully continue to spread far and beyond!
A group of College of Medicine students under the leadership of third year medical student Brendan Rosamond and Claudine Johnson, M.D. led two community events to provide free training on “Hands-On Compression to Save a Life” and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use to community residents. The first session, in collaboration with Healthy Connection’s Community Health Workers, was a bilingual Spanish/English training at Mission Milby Sunrise Center in the East End. The second session took place at Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in collaboration with NP Patricia Horace, a member of the Health Ministry at Holy Trinity. In total, over 120 individuals were trained in one weekend. Since fall 2023, the College of Medicine team has aligned efforts with the Compress & Shock Foundation to educate marginalized and minoritized communities on these life saving techniques. Through their grant program, Compress and Shock provides new AEDs to community centers and churches at the completion of training.
Friends and families across Texas gathered for a day filled with fun, family and friends as they celebrated the 35th Anniversary of National Recovery Month. Students from the College of Medicine, UH Community Health, UH College of Pharmacy and The Phoenix collaborated to share local health resources and screenings with people in inpatient recovery at the Big Texas Rally for Recovery. Photo credit to Sadie Sanders Photography.
David Buck, M.D., M.P.H. led a group of College faculty and students at the American Heart Association (AHA) walk this month. The Heart Walk is the AHA's premier event for raising funds and awareness to save lives from this country's No. 1 and No. 5 killers - heart disease and stroke.
Omolola E. Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H. received special recognition during President Khator’s State of the University address for her recent award of the prestigious Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship to support high-caliber scholarly research and education projects at the University of Ghana Medical School.
David Buck, M.D., M.P.H., associate dean for Community Health, was recently honored by the Houston Recovery Center (HRC) as a 'Difference Maker' for his dedication over the last decade. As a founding board member, Buck has played a key role in HRC’s mission, which has dramatically reduced public intoxications and expanded access to recovery services. We are grateful for his leadership and for the meaningful connections he fosters between HRC, our students and researchers!
Katelyn Velez will be transitioning to the role of Curriculum Development and Support Specialist in the Office of Medical Education. Some of her new responsibilities will be to more formally assist with the Curriculum Committee, its subcommittees, and additional activities related to medical education.
The Fertitta College of Medicine Marketing & Communications Team received several kudos for their work on multiple new videos for the College. Jessica Goldfried, M.B.A., led the creative effort on the seven different videos: A Message from Dean McCullers, Paths to Medical School, A Day in the Life of a Medical Student, Why Join our Faculty, Dual Perspective on Clinical Teaching, Household-Centered Care Program, CCASEL - Simulation Center.
Representatives from the Family Care Center attended SER National’s Trunk or Treat event at Denver Harbor Mult-Service Center. Families dressed up in Halloween costumes and were able to Trick-or-Treat at tables hosted by local community resource organizations.
The Family Care Center attended St. Mary’s second annual Fall Health Fair on October 13th. Brian Reed, M.D., provided blood pressure and BMI screenings to church members, who were also able to donate blood and get information about local community resources.
Get Up, Get Moving by the Hispanic Health Coalition was held at BakerRipley House on October 26th. Attendees enjoyed free health screenings, cooking demonstrations, a folklorica performance and activities for the whole family.
The Emancipation Economic Development Council (EEDC) hosted their annual National Night Out at Emancipation Park earlier this month. Representatives from the clinic enjoyed cooler weather while giving out information on the clinic and giveaway items to event participants.
Alpha Merit Group Educational Foundation (AMGEF), a charity group part of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, hosted their second Community Fall Festival and Health Fair at Emancipation Park. The event benefitted the Greater Third Ward area, with free health screenings, games and activities for families, food, carnival rides and more.
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.
