October2006
Newsletter Navigation:
Message from
the editor ... Greetings from the Prez ... SHIS Offers Certificate Program ... Hispanic Student Dental Association community
health fair ... K-20 Pipeline Project ... Fast-A-Thon 2006 ... Good-Bye to U-Pass? ... 40th
Annual Greek Festival ... Salutation 2006 ... Letter to the editor ... Upcoming Events
in and around UTHSC
Message from the Editor
Greetings!
I’d like to start this year’s first issue of the Student Pulse
(previously known as News and Views) with a description of who we are
and why we are here. The University of Texas Health Science Center is
comprised of six schools, each of which are separate entities. The Student
InterCouncil (SIC) is the main student governance body that serves to
represent each school as well as to promote camaraderie between schools.
As historian of the SIC, my responsibility is to oversee a student newsletter
released each month that will help develop awareness and communication
among students of all six schools. Our goal is to have equal representation
from every entity and in order to achieve this, we need you to send us
news from your school or organization. Feel free to include any upcoming
events from your school or any comments, complaints, or suggestions you
may have regarding your school, the Health Science Center in general,
this newsletter, etc. We are also in the process of implementing a Classifieds
section for those who are in need of selling or buying. The Student Pulse
will be released near the end of each month. If you would like your article
in the following issue, please send it to me by the 2nd week of the month.
Until next month…
Nancy Tran
SIC Historian
Ngoc.T.Tran@uth.tmc.edu
Greetings from the SIC President
by Shannan Kilpatrick, 3rd year, GSBS
SIC President
It is my great pleasure to welcome all new and returning students to the academic year and into the UT family of the medical center. The UT family includes 6 component schools including: the Medical School (MS), Dental School (DS), School of Nursing (SON), Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), School of Public Health (SPH), and the School of Health Information Sciences (SHIS). The Texas Medical Center is one of the largest in the nation. With research available in the basic sciences and medical fields along with cutting edge technology, there are many educational opportunities to expound on the knowledge that we learn in our individual classes. I would encourage you all to take full advantage of these surrounding opportunities and to allow them to enrich your experience here.
In such a large academic atmosphere, it is essential that there be commonality and a bridge between the students. This is one of the many goals that the SIC strives to provide. The SIC is one of the oldest governing bodies in the medical center and our goal is to work for you: the students. The SIC is made up of 3 representatives from each component school as well as minority and international student representatives. This year’s officers include: Shannan Kilpatrick (President) from GSBS, Shohrae Hajibashi (Vice President) from GSBS, Christian Gutierrez (Treasurer) from SPH, Julia Shields (Secretary) from the MS, and Nancy Tran (Historian) from the DS. Thank you, officers for your hard work and your valiant efforts to help keep the council operating smoothly!
To all the new and returning council members, I want to personally thank you for your enthusiasm and hard work. Serving the student body on the SIC is no small feat and requires time and attention. It is more than obvious that we have an incredible group making up the SIC this year! I believe we are a cohesive group and I am optimistic that our teamwork and camaraderie will accomplish much this academic year.
This year, it is my goal as president to begin an effort to make all of UTHSCH environmentally friendly with a recycling program. Strides are being made in this effort by the newly formed SIC Recycling Committee, headed by Eric Richardson, an SPH representative. The recycling committee is looking for student volunteers from each school to aid in this endeavor. Your support of this project is needed as this effort is no small task and will require participation from each school in order to make the program a successful one. If you are interested in helping with the recycling program, please contact Eric Richardson at Eric.M.Richardson@uth.tmc.edu.
On behalf of the SIC members, I wish you all a wonderful and productive year!
School
of Health Information Sciences Offers Certificate Program
by David Richards, Masters Degree Student,
SHIS
The UT School of Health Information Sciences (SHIS)
has begun offering a Certificate of Health Informatics. The certificate
program is designed to help professionals understand the opportunities
and challenges involved in integrating information technology into
healthcare. The program is being offered in addition to the school’s
existing M.S. and Ph.D. programs and can provide students with a
springboard to the other programs, with transfer of credits based
on advising committee recommendation.
The
certificate program introduces professionals to the practical application
of information science to modern healthcare. Students are awarded
a certificate of completion and a transcript showing graduate credits.
Each certificate consists of five course:
- HI 5310 Foundations of Health Information Sciences I
- HI 5312 Information Technology for Biomedicine
- HI 6312 Project Management
- HI 5001 Introduction to Health Data and Electronic Health Records
- HI 6301 Health Data Display
An additional Certificate of Public Health Informatics is being planned as a joint offering with the School of Public Health.
Admission is open to all professionals holding
at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Applications are
accepted continuously for admission for the Fall, Spring, and Summer
semesters. Applications are available online at http://registrar.uth.tmc.edu
Visit this SHIS website at www.shis.uth.tmc.edu for more details.
University
of Texas Hispanic Dental Student Association Participates in “Screen and Be Seen” Community Health Day
by Maria Tran, 3rd year, DB
The University of Texas Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) represented the U.T. Dental Branch in the Screen and Be Seen Community Health Day, held on October 14 at Lyon’s Health Center. Lisa Trevino, President of the U.T. HSDA and 3rd year dental student said that the event was a collaborative effort among different organizations in the community and medical center to provide health services and dental information to people of all ages.
Trevino first heard about the event through the American Medical Women’s Association of the Baylor College of Medicine. The U.T. HSDA served as the dental committee for the health fair and, after months of organizing members and donated supplies, Trevino said that the efforts of HSDA and the Dental Branch were successful and worthwhile.
“It was very gratifying. When you do something like this, you directly impact the community whether through information or through direct treatment,” said Trevino. “It’s very motivational. You find a little of yourself in everyone.”
The U.T. HSDA volunteers were able to screen over 200 patients of all ages. They placed over 80 sealants and administered fluoride varnish treatments in over 40 children. Dr. Cynthia Trajtenburg, Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry at the U.T. Dental Branch, Dr. Helena Tapias, Clinical Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry at the U.T. Dental Branch, and Dr. Jung-Wei Chen, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the U.T. Dental Branch also volunteered their Saturday to participate in the Community Health Day.
A number of other health profession and community organizations participated in this year’s Screen and Be Seen Community Health Day and were able to provide important services including HIV testing, information on childhood obesity, and health screenings.
Cultural
Humility in Medicine: Beyond the K-20 Pipeline
by Chirag Patel, UT-Houston MD/PhD Student
In a December 2005 Texas Medicine Magazine article, the issue of increasing student diversity in Texas medical schools was discussed (“Boosting Diversity: Texas Medical Schools Need More Minority Students” by Ken Ortolon). The notion of a K-20 pipeline, which begins with kindergarten and ends with medical school graduation, has gained acceptance as the most promising model for ensuring diversity down the road in medical and other professional schools. The earlier notion of a K-12 pipeline has not yielded sufficient fruit. According to the AAMC, under-represented in medicine (URM) means “those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.” URM students who graduate from high school have no guarantee of admission to medical school (or graduating from medical school once accepted). They, along with all other pre-med students, increase their chances of acceptance to medical school by gaining exposure to the field, whether through shadowing physicians or spending time in a research laboratory. Read More…
Fast-A-Thon
2006
“Go Hungry So Someone Else Doesn’t!”
by Rabab Sabbahi, 3rd year, DS
On October 12th, 150 non-Muslim medical
students, dental students, residents, and doctors fasted with Muslims
by participating in the second annual Fast-a-thon, which was organized
by the MHPS (Muslim Health Professional Society) and MESA (Middle
Eastern Student's Association). The purpose of the Fast-a-thon,
in which non Muslims pledge to abstain from all food & water
and try to refrain from negative thoughts and speech during the
daylight hours, is to bring awareness about the Muslim month of
fasting--Ramadan--and to raise money for the Houston Area Women's
shelter. One participant said, "it was obviously difficult
to be hungry, especially to go without water, but I was more struck
by the experience of eliminating negativity from my words--and thoughts
especially."
In the Islamic month of Ramadan, Muslims
fast during daylight hours as an act of submission, solidarity,
and remembrance. One of the main reasons for fasting is to call
attention to those who go hungry every day, not as an exercise of
religious expression, but as a fact of life. Thus, by being aware
of the suffering of others, Muslims are encouraged to give charity
during this month. Proceeds from last year's Fast-a-thon, which
amounted to $1,000 were given to hurricane victims. This year's
proceeds, which amounted to $1,300--thanks to the sponsors who donated
money for each non-Muslim person who fasted--were donated to the
Houston Area Women's shelter, which houses victims of sexual and
domestic abuse and provides basic needs for them. A participant
said of the Fast-a-thon, "It was an opportunity to dispel misconceptions
about Islam and the purpose of Ramadan, an opportunity for self-reflection
and sacrifice; money goes to a great secular cause, and shows us
that all religions ultimately lead us down the path of humanitarianism
if they are practiced purely."
At sunset, dinner and a presentation explaining
the reasons for fasting were provided for the participants who fasted.
A medical student said of the Fast-a-thon, "I think that it
is an excellent event, not only because it exposes non-Muslims to
a practice that many of us know little about, but also because it
promotes religious awareness and tolerance, social responsibility,
and allows participants to better appreciate hunger and the privilege
of having a choice of when to eat--unlike many others in this world."
To learn more about the event and Ramadan, go to the MHPS website http://mhps.mumineen.com
Good-bye
to U-PASS???
by Marcia Oliveira, 2nd year,
PhD at SPH
and Nancy Tran, 3rd year, DB
As many of you know, parking at the UT Health Science Center is a pain. Thankfully, the university system offers students with the shuttle system so that we can come and go to the center without dealing with the nuisances of Houston traffic. However, there are many of us who are not able to take advantage of the shuttles due to various reasons such as the long distance to/from home. Many of these students resort to the METRO buses as their form of commuting. The U-Pass is a well-known form of pre-paid riding pass that METRO offers to university students. For only $52 a year, students are given unlimited rides on any of the METRO buses as well as the METRO rail for one full year. That averages out to about $1 per week; an amazing price that many students have been taking advantage of these past years. Unfortunately, METRO is revoking the U-PASS starting October 1st. Luckily, all students who have already purchased a U-PASS prior to the withdrawal announcement may still use their passes until the expiration date in September 2007. Any student who does not have a U-pass will now have to pay for Time Activated Passes that are only valid for a limited number of days.
Recently, a group of UT and Baylor students collected signatures in a petition, with the objective of preserving the U-pass. The initiative was very successful: a total of 1569 students from all UT schools and Baylor signed the document, which was presented to the board of directors of METRO on October, 26th. Members of the board seemed receptive to the issue, but there is no guarantee that the initial plans will change. Stay tuned for upcoming articles with more details on the progress of this important issue. Feel free to contact the SIC representative in your school for more information.
OOPA!!!
The 40th Annual Houston Greek Festival
by Nancy Tran, 3rd year dental student
The City of Houston is full of things to do and events to go to. Don’t believe me? Just pick up a news-letter, such as Midtown, at your local restaurant and you’ll find a laundry list of events happening this month and next.
Just
this month, in fact, Houston held its 40th annual Original Greek
Festival. Starting on Thursday, October 5 and extending all the
way through Sunday, October 8, the Greek Festival catered to people
of all ages and ethnicities. Entry fee was only $3 with food prices
ranging from $1.50 for baklava to $10 for a dinner plate. The gyros,
souvlaka, and assorted pastries were some of my personal favorites.
By 7pm, the entire festival grounds were packed
with people mingling with their friends and family, eating delicious
Greek food, and drinking wine. A free dance show is also part of
the festivities and starts every hour. My advice is to go get your
food and watch the show before 6pm as the lines get extra crowded
only an hour later.
Not only does the Greek festival give us a chance
to become Greek for a day, but we are also given an opportunity
to help our community by eating to our hearts’ content. All
of the proceeds from the festival are given to various charitable
organizations around Houston such as the Women’s Home, Star
of Hope Mission, and the Children’s Assessment Center.
For more information about the Greek Festival,
visit: http://www.greekfestival.org/
Salutation
2006
by Shannan Kilpatrick, 3rd year, GSBS
SIC President
The SIC kicked off the new academic year
with their 
annual
Salutation event in September held at the beautiful School of Nursing.
The SIC president and officers worked diligently throughout the
summer to make the event the best yet. Faculty, current UT students,
and the SIC officers joined together in welcoming the new students
into the UT family. Food, catered by YAPA, drinks, celebration,
and fun were enjoyed by all. A special thanks to Dr. James T. Willerson,
President of the UTHSCH, who graced the students with a welcome
speech as everyone arrived and began to enjoy 
the
food and drinks. Thank you also to the Deans from each of the schools
who came to welcome students and participate in a dessert and question
session. Deans present included Drs. Parcel, Smith, Wolinsky, Brosnan
(who attended for Dean Starck), Pierpont (attended for Dean Flaitz),
and Knutson (attended for Dean Stancel). Salutation was also an
opportunity for UT campus organizations to introduce their services
to the students. Employee Assistance Programs, Student Financial
Services, Registrar, Auxiliary Enterprises, Academic Affairs, International
Affairs, HAM-TMC Library, Environmental Health & Safety, and
Public Affairs, all had information tables with representatives
to answer any questions.
The student turnout was the greatest to date with attendance reaching over 200! The event was all in all a successful one. Thank you students for helping to make this a success! Hope to see you all at next year’s Salutation!
Dr.
Yang Gong joined the PhD program of Health Informatics at UT-SHIS in 2001.
He graduated in the summer 2006 and started his professorship at the University
of Missouri-Columbia. You may find him in the University video “About
Our University” at http://publicaffairs.uth.tmc.edu/video/UTHSC2005/index.html
Dear Nancy,
How are you? I hope you had a good summer. I left Houston in mid August
when it was still in the 90Fs. Now, the weather here in Missouri has fallen
down below the 40Fs. I think I will soon experience the “winter”
temperature in the Midwest that I hardly felt when in Houston.
Soon after I had settled in this mid-size city, I started missing the
metropolitan life in Houston which is full of competitions and options.
In this midsize city, there is only one utility company governing all
the residents. Whether you like the service or not you are stuck using
it because there are no other options. The same goes for cable and telephone
services.
As you know I hate driving and love the school shuttle buses so much.
Unfortunately, I have to drive everyday now between home and the office.
How is the UT shuttle running? It is a pity that I could not enjoy the
UCT stop any longer after it was relocated to the corner at UCT. I would
say it is the most convenient stop ever for UCT residents. The focus group
for the shuttle service helped a lot to re-route the shuttle and improve
the service. Is there still anyone representing UCT in the group now?
Another thing that I miss is the Recreational Center. I was very happy
that I had lived at UT-Housing where the Rec-center is located between
the new and old buildings. The residents can walk to the recreational
center and work out during the long opening hours. I wish that I could
still play table tennis there. In my first year at UT-Houston, some students,
including me, appealed for the tables. They were soon put into the developmental
plan of the center, but they were unfortunately not available until summer
of 2005. I know there are a lot of people enjoying the play each day.
I really enjoyed the games with my ping pong buddies. Please convey my
regards to all of them.
Not long ago, a friend at UT-Houston told me they just had another Fun
Fest. This reminds of all the activities I enjoyed, which were mostly
organized by Student InterCouncil. Skating night and bowling night were
my favorites. However, Spring mixer has always the biggest turnout. Is
that because of the delicious food or something else? ? Now that I am
no longer a student, I barely ever take notice of such kinds of activities
here. This makes me think that students’ life is full of fun except
assignments and exams.
Yes, I am doing great. Besides teaching two graduate classes and mentoring
students for their research, I work collaboratively with other professors
and physicians on my clinical informatics research. Though the transition
for me from student to professor is short and progressing, I already experience
the hectic lifestyle. I appreciate my professors at SHIS who trained me
to be independent and collaborative in academic life.
I hope sometime I can go back to Houston and visit our campus, housing
as well as the shuttle bus. Next May will be a big chance because I will
walk in SHIS commencement held only once in a year.
See you and take care.
Yang
November 3: Student InterCouncil Fall Bash at Kelvin Arms Scottish Pub
All
students are invited to mix, mingle and pay tribute to Sir Sean Connery
on Friday November 3 from 7-9 p.m. in the Kelvin Arms Vault. Food and
fun will be free to students with their UT ID. Enjoy the pub atmosphere
and a chance to meet students from all of the UT Houston schools before
the holidays and exams start. Please remember that you need valid identification
if you wish to partake in traditional pub beverages, and to be safe, responsible
and never drive afterwards! We hope to see you there. Kelvin Arms is located
near Benjy's in the Rice Village closest to the corner of Morningside
at Kelvin.
November 4: Houston Heart Walk
Come
out for a walk along the Sam Houston Park in Downtown Houston and help
raise money to fight against heart disease and strokes. Prizes are given
to those who raise at least $100 dollars. Admission is FREE! Event starts
at 9AM so come early and get your free goodies. For more information visit: http://www.houstonheartwalk.com/
November 7-21: UT Houston Medical School presents: Blue Book Series
The Medical School's Cultural Humility elective series exposes students to the diverse patient populations they will inevitably encounter in the clinic. Cultural competency is a growing necessity in our increasingly multi-cultural city. All are welcomed to attend. Free lunch for the first 75 attendees. Upcoming lectures are on Nov 7, 14, 16, and 21 in the Medical Science Building lecture room 2.006. The lecture series schedule can also be viewed at: http://webspace.uth.tmc.edu/cpatel1/public/bb/index.htm
November 11: Hong Kong Health Fair
The
U.T. Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) and The
U.T. Asian American Student Dental Association (AASDA) will be hosting
a Community Health Day in Hong Kong Market, November 11 starting at 9
am. We will provide health information and free screenings. Please contact
AASDA President Kathy Phan for more information about the health fair
or to volunteer: Huong.T.Phan.1@uth.tmc.edu
November 17:
American Student Dental Association 2nd Annual Dodgeball Tournament
If
you can dodge Med Center Traffic, you can Dodge a Ball…
The Houston chapter of the American Student Dental Association is holding
its second annual Dodge Ball Tournament. All individuals associated with
the University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center are welcome to
play. Teams comprise of 5 people, and one member must be female. If you
have any flashbacks from grade school dodgeball, have no fear because
the balls are very soft.
Each team must come up with a team name. Team themes are strongly recommended,
so be as creative as possible. The Entry fee is only $30 per team. The
winner will receive THE Dodgeball Trophy as well as the respect of an
entire campus.
The tournament occurs on Friday, November 17th
6:00 pm at the Rec Tennis Courts, until the last team standing.
Please reply to Patrick.J.Waters@uth.tmc.edu for any questions or to sign up your team in this incredible event (The rules and roster form will be emailed to you then).
Classifieds:
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