Feldman named chair of ophthalmology

Dr. Robert Feldman, an expert in the treatment of glaucoma and other degenerative eye disorders, has been named chair of the Richard S. Ruiz, M.D. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science.

Feldman, the interim chair since August, succeeds the department’s namesake, Ruiz, who led the department for 37 years until he stepped down in the fall.

“I am grateful to Dr. Feldman for his recent leadership as interim chair, and I am certain that he will provide the leadership to take this department to the next level,” said Dean Giuseppe Colasurdo. “Please join me in welcoming him to this new administrative role and thanking Dr. Richard S. Ruiz, who has done an outstanding job as the founding chairman of the department.”

As chair, Feldman will oversee the clinical, educational, and research activities of 25 faculty members, nine residents, and five fellows. He also will supervise the clinical practice, which includes approximately 3,000 patient visits each month at the Cizik Eye Clinic in Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.

“It is a privilege to work with such a distinguished and diverse group of faculty, staff, and students,” Feldman said. “Through our clinical, teaching, and research efforts, and the strong support of the Medical School and the university, we will continue to work toward advancing the national and international reputation of the department.”

In 1995, Feldman joined the Medical School faculty as a clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology. Since then he has repeatedly been recognized for his achievements as a teacher, researcher, and clinician. In his first year at the university, he was named Outstanding Teacher in Ophthalmology. He has been the recipient of an Honor’s Convocation Dean’s Excellence Award three times. Former Houston Mayor Lee Brown presented Feldman with a Community Service Award in 1998 for community glaucoma awareness. During his career, he also has earned the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Achievement Award and has been recognized for his work to advance research and technology in the field of ophthalmology.

Feldman sees patients at the Cizik Eye Clinic, 6400 Fannin, and is an attending physician at Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center and LBJ General Hospital. His current areas of research include glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Feldman graduated in 1986 with a medical degree from Chicago Medical School. He completed the Glaucoma Research Fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia before beginning an internship in internal medicine in 1987 at the New York Infirmary at Beekman Downtown Hospital in New York. He completed his ophthalmology residency in 1992 at the University of California-San Diego and a glaucoma fellowship in 1993 at Baylor College of Medicine. He was a staff physician at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary before joining the Medical School.

-M. Raine

Student wins scholarship from Hispanic association

First-year medical student Michael Arriaga recently was awarded a $1,500 scholarship by the Hispanic American Medical Association of Houston (HAMAH). HAMAH provides a community of support for Hispanic physicians in the Houston area, works to improve the health of Houston’s Hispanic community through various outreach programs, mobilizes aid to Latin American countries during natural disasters, and annually awards scholarships to medical students from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and Baylor College of Medicine.

Arriaga submitted a 500-word essay answering the questions “How has your Hispanic heritage influenced your desire to pursue a career in medicine?” and “How will your career goals benefit the Hispanic community?” His responses earned him HAMAH’s third-prize scholarship.

“I was thrilled when I received the e-mail stating that I had won one of the scholarships because it would provide me with extra money to invest in my medical education,” Arriaga said.

The scholarship was awarded at HAMAH’s Second Annual Conference Nov. 15 at the Omni Houston Hotel. Arriaga joined some of UT’s most distinguished physicians, including Dr. Octavio Pinell, Dr. Pedro Ruiz, and Dr. Pedro Mancias, at a table reserved by Dean Giuseppe Colasurdo.

“This scholarship didn’t just give me extra money to use for my medical education; it allowed me to meet some of UT Houston’s finest Latino doctors,” Arriaga said.

Arriaga said he plans to use his scholarship to continue financing his education. During these difficult economic times, he is especially grateful for the work HAMAH and the Medical School are doing to ensure the futures of medical students in the Houston community.

“By having Drs. Pinnell, Ruiz, and Mancias present at the gala, as well as receiving congratulatory e-mails from Dr. Kellaway and the Dean’s office, receiving the scholarship confirmed what I already knew — UT Houston Medical School is always there for their medical students,” he said.

-D. Heeth

Save the date: 5th Annual Wellness Fair

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will hold the 5th Annual Wellness Fair, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the UT Medical School Leather Lounge. The wellness fair is open to all students, faculty, and staff of the health science center and offers a variety of health related information and activities. Some of the health related activities may include blood pressure, bone density, and vision screenings, as well as chair massages and door prizes.

If your department is interested in having a booth at the fair or if you would like to volunteer for the fair, contact Pauline.M.Habetz@uth.tmc.edu, 713.500.8425.

Collaboration focus of Medical School research retreat

Collaborating and sharing were the themes of the Medical School’s Research Retreat, which was held Dec. 5 at the Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building of the Institute for Molecular Medicine.

The forum featured numerous data blitz sessions, during which investigators presented their research to the audience in 5 minutes flat – thanks to the help of a timer. Thirty-three scientists gave such mini presentations.

President Larry Kaiser addressed attendees after lunch and talked about the opportunities for research at the Health Science Center, including growth in research funding, increases in revenues for patents, and new buildings.

“The vision for research at the Health Science Center is to recruit and retain outstanding faculty and increase donor support for research,” he said, adding that improving mentoring for junior faculty also is on the agenda.

President Kaiser said that he would also make it a priority to foster collaboration through the creation of institutes and increased awareness of opportunities for the commercialization of new discoveries.

The day concluded with the Hans Muller-Eberhard Memorial Lecture, which was given by Dr. Douglas Fearon, the Sheila Joan Smith Professor of Immunology at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine. Fearon coined the concept of "immunological memory," and his research has shed light on the mechanisms that control the body’s immune systems.

-D. Brown

Calling AOA members

If you are a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and have not been receiving information or e-mails about the UT Delta Chapter of AOA, please e-mail Marcia Winkler Snyder or call 713.500.5163.

NRMP, AAMC establish work group to examine the Match "scramble"

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and the AAMC (which provides the Electronic Residency Application Service) have established a joint work group to address problems related to the "scramble" for unfilled positions that occurs at the conclusion of the Main Residency Match. The group — which includes residency program directors, medical school student affairs deans, and match applicants — is seeking program director input on a plan to revise the Match Week schedule and require unfilled programs and unmatched applicants to offer and accept positions through an electronic system hosted by the NRMP. Implementation is planned for the 2011 Match.

-AAMC

 

Three generations of surgery

Dr. Stanley Dudrick, far right, the founding chair of the Department of Surgery, visited the Medical School recently for grand rounds with Dr. Richard Andrassy, left, the current chair, and Dr. Frank Moody, former chair of the department.