El Paso - Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Weekly News | 02.18.10
Students To Hold
Pre-Med Conference
The American Medical Student
Association Organization will
hold a Pre-Med Conference on
March 6, 2010 from 9:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. for students from
UTEP and NMSU who are
applying for medical school.
Workshops will provide an
overview of Texas Tech
University Health Sciences
Center (TTUHSC) Paul L.
Foster School of Medicine
(SOM), the application process,
summer programs, interviewing
skills, personal statement
writing, a student and faculty
panel, and an interactive
learning session which gives
students a taste of the
TTUHSC Paul L. Foster SOM
curriculum. First year students
will conduct the workshops.
From the Desk of the Founding Dean
Children’s Hospital - We are all still on cloud nine from the Saturday celebration known
as the topping off ceremony when that final beam of steel was placed on top of the
children's hospital infrastructure. We broke ground on our new children’s hospital on
Valentines Day 2009. Here we are topping it off just one year later. Construction will
continue over the next 24 months with a ribbon cutting planned for the spring of 2012.
Just as with the physical construction of the hospital, we are deeply involved with
building the pediatric service lines for the El Paso community. Service lines are patient
care areas with separate identities such as pediatrics. We initiated our “people project” by
recruiting and expanding our pediatric critical care areas. Jorge Sainz, M.D., Clint Woosley,
M.D., and Bert Johansson, M.D. form the backbone of the pediatric intensive care unit.
Secondly, our pediatric surgery service line includes Donald Meier, M.D., William
McIlvaine, M.D., Thomas Rothenbach, M.D. and El Paso’s own Bill Spurbeck, M.D.
These faculty members already work within the University Medical Center’s programs
seeing patients and teaching residents. Also in the works are pediatric oncology, pediatric
radiology, pediatric neurology, pediatric endocrinology, and pediatric emergency medicine.
The key person recruited to oversee these areas will wear two hats. The first hat will be
as Chairman of Pediatrics, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. The second will be as
Pediatrician-in-Chief, El Paso Children’s Hospital. We are currently interviewing people
for all of the positions above. Once El Paso Children’s Hospital's physical construction
is complete, those programs will be moved from University Medical Center into their
home in the new building.
National Institutes of Health - Concurrent to growing our pediatric service lines, we
are also growing our research capabilities. On Thursday, February 18th, the campus
hosted a symposium for senior leaders from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In conjunction with the Medical Center of the Americas, University of Texas at El Paso,
and Congressman Sylvestre Reyes’ office, the presentation demonstrated our region's
research capabilities to these national leaders. The NIH is the largest funding resource
for human research. The work taking place in our Centers of Excellence, including cancer,
diabetes and obesity, infectious disease, and neurosciences research, is exemplary but a
major grant from the NIH can catapult an already excellent program to the next level.
That's why it was our honor to have the NIH representatives visit and listen to our
researchers and see the important work being done here along the border. Please read
more about their visit in the following story.
I often use the analogy of a three-legged stool to describe our services. I’m excited to
see all three legs, patient care, education, and research, further develop. Next week we will
talk about educational growth on our campus.
- Jose Manuel de la Rosa, M.D. Founding Dean

Traffic Control
There have been changes
made to the entrance and exit
gates of the Archer/MEB/MSB
parking lot on Concepcion St.
The existing southwest
entrance/exit has been changed
to “enter only”. The northwest
gate is now “exit only”. Also,
the traffic flow has changed and
is indicated by arrows on the
pavement and signage. This was
done in an attempt to make our
campus safer. We ask for your
cooperation in observing all
traffic and parking rules and
regulations.
Ride For World Health
Volunteers are needed to
help organize a visit from Ride
for World Health (R4WH)
cyclists. R4WH is a national,
non-profit organization which
advocates for improvements in
the quality and accessibility of
global healthcare. Each year,
by utilizing a cross-country
bike ride as a vehicle of
communication, R4WH
addresses this issue through
political advocacy, fundraising
and its unique Coast-to-Coast
Lecture Series. This year,
R4WH has decided to make
El Paso one of its official stops,
April 14 - 16. If you would like
to help with this worthy event,
please contact MS1 Lisa Fisher
at lisa.fisher@ttuhsc.edu.
If you are unable to
volunteer, but would like to
make a donation to R4WH,
you can go online to
http://www.rideforworldhealth.
org/support/donations.html
and make one there.
TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine Hosts
National Institutes of Health Leaders
The Medical Center of the Americas Foundation, in conjunction with Congressman
Silvestre Reyes, proudly welcomed the United States Department of Health and Human
Services - National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation's leading medical research
agency, to the Paso del Norte Region for the first Medical Center of the Americas (MCA)
Research Advancement Symposium. The symposium, reserved for approximately 100
healthcare professionals and elected officials, was hosted by the Paul L. Foster School of
Medicine.
The NIH sent distinguished representatives, including Della Hann, Ph.D, acting deputy
director, NIH Office of Extramural Research and Joyce Hunter, Ph.D, deputy director,
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), to the border
region to learn about our research efforts and capacity and to share ideas crucial for
successfully obtaining NIH funding. "This form of communication between the NIH
and a community, as well as tours of key research facilities by NIH staff, is unprecedented"
said Congressman Silvestre Reyes. "This is a significant step towards the expansion of life
sciences research in our region."
On February 18, 2010, the NIH Representatives spent the day at the Texas Tech
University Health Sciences Center, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (SOM). The group
learned about El Paso, Las Cruces and Juarez's research capacity and regional partnerships,
toured the Paul L. Foster SOM and UTEP research facilities, and answered pointed
questions about how our region can achieve more success in attaining NIH funding as
minority institutions and relatively young institutions entering a highly competitive life
sciences industry.
The NIH is the leading supporter of research in the nation. The NIH annually invests
more than $28 billion in medical research. "More than 83% of the NIH's funding is
awarded through almost 50,000 competitive grants to more than 325,000 researchers at
more than 3,000 universities, medical schools, and other research institutions in every state
and around the world," according to its website at: www.nih.gov.
According to Jose Manuel de la Rosa, M.D., founding dean of the Paul L. Foster SOM,
"We want El Paso to be one of those communities that successfully competes and is
awarded NIH funding to continue research in the areas of Hispanic, military and border
health issues. This was a rare opportunity to show this high level delegation that we have
the infrastructure and talent to be the leaders in those research areas most important to
this community and Hispanics across the nation."
Second Class of Medical Students Chosen for
TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at
El Paso has selected an excellent group of highly qualified students for its next class of
first year medical students. "We are thrilled with the very competitive applicants who
matched with our medical school," said Manuel Schydlower, M.D., associate dean for
admissions and professor of pediatrics, TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.
From May - October, 2009, the School received more than 2500 applications for 60
positions. On February 1, 2010, the Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service
released the results of the student match with the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of
Medicine. They include mostly students from Texas who were highly ranked by the
Admissions Committee, including two from El Paso. Also highly ranked are two students
from out-of-state who are expected to be part of the class that starts medical studies in
July 2010.
"Congratulations to our future students and kudos to the Admissions Committee,
which did an outstanding job of selecting these candidates," said Jose Manuel de la Rosa, M.D.,
founding dean of the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. "Many in this new
class will benefit from scholarships that were funded by generous donors in the
El Paso region."
Students represent 36 undergraduate universities from across Texas and the nation
including Texas Tech, University of Texas (Arlington, Austin, and Dallas), Abilene

Ready, Set, Retire!
If you're preparing to retire
soon, or are just interested in
planning for the future, plan
to attend the Human Resources
Benefits Workshop Ready, Set,
Retire! for Higher Education
Employees on February 25, 2010
from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. in
room 235.
Christian University, Angelo State University, Austin College, Baylor University, Midwestern
State University, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Tarleton State University,
Texas A&M, Texas Woman's University, University of Houston, and the University of
North Texas. Also represented in next year's TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
class are Brown University, California Institute of Technology, Emory University, Stanford
University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, the United States Military
Academy and Vanderbilt University.
Two Papers by Internal Medicine Docs
Published in APT Journal
Several Department of Internal Medicine physicians were recently published in
Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, the international journal of therapeutics in
gastroenterology and hepatology.
Authors and coauthors of "The Assessment of Regional Gut Times in Healthy Controls
and Patients with Gastroparesis Using Wireless Motility Technology," are Irene Sarosiek, K.H.
Selover, L.A. Katz, J.R. Semler, G.E. Wildings, J.M. Lackner, M.D. Sitrin, B. Kuo, W.D. Chey, W.L.
Hasler, K.L. Koch, H.P. Parkman, J. Sarosiek, and R.W. McCallum.
"Who are the Responders to Standard Treatment with Tricyclic Antidepressant Agents
for Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome in Adults?" listed authors and coauthors, R.A. Hejazi, T.H.
Lavenbarg, P. Foran, and R.W. McCallum.
Ongoing research in the area of gastroparesis continues at the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster
School of Medicine.
Mandatory HIPAA and Security Refresher
Training Dates Added
Additional sessions for Mandatory HIPAA and Security Refresher Training
have been scheduled for February 22 , 23 and March 1 and 2.
Locations and times of the sessions are:
Monday, February 22:
Medical Center, Aud. 3500, 11 a.m. and 12 noon (brown bag - no lunch provided)
Tuesday, February 23:
Medical Center, Rm. 3400, 11 a.m. (limited seating) and 1 a.m. (limited seating)
Monday, March 1:
Medical Center, Aud. 3500, 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 2:
Medical Center, Aud. 3500, 11 a.m. and 12 noon (brown bag- no lunch provided)
Each session will last approximately 45 minutes.
If you plan to attend either training or if you have questions, please contact
Yvette Quintana-Chávez at 545-6586, yvette.quintanachavez@ttuhsc.edu or
Gabriela Corchado at 545-6742, gabriela.corchado@ttuhsc.edu.
Quality Service Awards
It's time for the El Paso campus to show its pride by nominating a fellow co-worker
who shines for a Quality Service Award!
The Quality Service Awards Program was implemented in 1996 to recognize and
reward staff (individuals and teams) who excel in support of the TTUHSC SERVICEplus
Philosophy.
Nomination forms are available at http://www.ttuhsc.edu/hsc/op/op70/op7050a.pdf.
You may submit the form electronically or download it and send it via campus mail no

H ispanic Participants
N eeded for G enetics
of Bipolar Study
The Texas Tech University
Health Sciences Center Paul L.
Foster School of Medicine
Psychiatry Department
needs Bipolar Type 1 or
schizoaffective, Bipolar Type
patients ages 11-90 to
participate in a genetic study
ending February 28.
Participants will receive
$100-$140 for taking part in
this study. David Briones, M.D.,
is the principal investigator.
For more information, please
call Mor Regev, Pilar Provencio,
or Mayra Morales at (915)
545-6830, ext. 228 or 270.
W e W ant To
H ear From You
The Texas Tech University
Paul L. Foster School of
Medicine Department of
OB/GYN needs women 18
to 45 years old to participate
in focus groups to discuss
emergency contraception
(the morning after pill).
Participants will receive $15
for taking part in this study.
Claudia Suarez, M.D., is the
principal investigator for this
study. For more information,
please call Loretta Hernandez
at 545-6611, ext. 290 or Liz
Ledger at 545-6611, ext. 225.
Tech View Tech
later than Friday, February 26. For more information, contact Rebecca Salcido, Human
Resources, at rebecca.salcido@ttuhsc.edu.
To view the general policy and award criteria (OP 70.50), go to
http://www.ttuhsc.edu/HSC/OP/OP70/op7050.pdf.
Banner Update
On March 11, 2010, Texas Tech will begin updating Banner 7 to Banner 8. From
March 11 until March 15, 2010, the following areas on the HSC/TTU Employee tab
will be unavailable:
- My Texas Tech Information
- My Timesheet (Non – Exempt Employees Only)
- My Leave Reports (Exempt Employees Only)
- My Leave Balances
- My Personal Information
- My Employment Information
- My Earnings Statement
On March 16, 2010, all areas of the HSC/TTU Employee tab will be active.
Important Due Dates:
- March 10, 2010, 5:00 pm CT - Exempt Employee Web Leave Reports (My Leave
Reports) Submitted and Approved
- March 17, 2010, 6:00 pm CT - Non-Exempt Employee Web Time Entry
(My Timesheet)
- March 1, 2010 – March 15, 2010 pay period time Submitted and Approved
Beginning March 16, 2010, non-exempt employee leave balances will be displayed
on their Web Time Entry screen. Exempt employees will still continue to view their
leave balances on their Web Leave Reports screen.
If you have any questions, please contact Payroll Services at
webmaster.payroll@ttu.edu.
View is published weekly by Communications & Marketing, Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center at El Paso. Please submit news in writing to Communications & Marketing, 4800 Alberta Ave.,
El Paso, Texas, 79905; fax (915) 545-6432 or email lisa.ruley@ttuhsc.edu. Deadline is 10 a.m.,
Wednesday. For information, call 545-6527.