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The Military andthe School ofMedicine:Strong bonds lead to great outcomesfor research, education, patient care.By Karen KolivoskySan Antonio has long been known as “Military City, USA.” With the five-yearexpansion of the medical complex at Fort Sam Houston nearing completion,along with the growth of the medical center, our City is also becoming known as“Medical City, USA.” For the School of Medicine, which has forged strong tieswith the military the past 40 years, the growth of the military’s medical presencehere means even more opportunity for collaboration in research, patient careand education.The proximity to a national military medical center offers a distinct advantageto the School’s faculty and students, says Martin Schwacha, PhD, a Professor inthe School’s Department of Surgery.“It is a unique opportunity that other universities would not have. We havesomething here that Duke University and Harvard do not have,” he says. “It issomething the University is starting to take advantage of and build on.”Partnerships and joint programs with the military already permeate nearlyevery department of the School. Together, the military medical communityand the School create a brain trust that puts San Antonio at the forefront ofhealthcare innovation in many areas.The extensive concentration of military medical assets at Brooke ArmyMedical Center (BAMC) includes the new San Antonio Military MedicalCenter (SAMMC). Once fully opened, this new hospital will be the largestinpatient facility within the Department of Defense. The complex also includes4 Future

a world-renowned Burn Center and Level 1 Trauma Center – the DefenseDepartment’s only such facilities in the mainland U.S. The U.S. Army Instituteof Surgical Research (USAISR) is the only Defense Department researchfacility focused on traumatic injury, with laboratory, translational and clinicalresearch capabilities.In turn, the military benefits from the School and the entire UT HealthScience Center’s breadth and depth of expertise in a variety of fields, as wellas its significant research capabilities that include access to diverse patientpopulations.Patient Care AdvancesCollaboration between the School and the military has created a long anddistinguished track record of medical innovation. The talent and resourcesthat the two institutions share has put San Antonio at the forefront ofadvances in patient care.The most famous example is the Palmaz flexible stent that transformedcardiac care in the 1990s and is now implanted in more than one millionpatients annually. It resulted from teamwork between Julio Palmaz, MD,former Chief of Angiography and Special Procedures in the School’sDepartment of Radiology, and Richard Schatz, MD , a cardiologist at BAMC.Less well known is the fact that residents of Texas and soldiers fightingabroad both benefit first from the world-class trauma care and research thattakes place here through both the School and the military.Patients also benefit from academic/military collaboration by therelatively quick application of discoveries made in a laboratory to patientpopulations, Schwacha says.“If there are advances made in military medicine which have applicationsin the civilian sector, the potential exists that we might be able to institutethose changes more quickly because of our relationship than academicmedicine as a whole,” Schwacha says. “By developing these closerelationships, you are in a position to do clinical trials connected to militaryadvances more quickly than other institutions would be able to.”Education: GME and MoreOne of Schwacha’s educational duties at the School is leading theresearch resident’s program in the Department of Surgery. It is one of 54accredited residency and fellowship programs offered here and anotherexample of how the military and the School have partnered to give medicalresidents a complete training experience.Residents from military medical schools come through the School for avariety of specialty rotations at University Hospital, the Audie L. Murphy VAHospital and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System. Some School residentsrotate within the military facilities to get required experience as well.This exchange, while in effect in various forms for years, became morestructured around the mid-1990s, says Lois Bready, MD, Professor ofAnesthesiology and Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education.At that time, the military and the School began to integrate some residencyprograms. The School’s Psychiatry program absorbed the Air Force’sPsychiatry program; a relationship that continues to this day. The nephrologyfellowship and a residency in nuclear medicine are also joint venturesbetween the military and the School.The partnership adds value to residency training by expanding theContinued on page 33Future 5

STRONGSTARa Beacon of HopePost-Traumatic Stress Disorder ProgramBy Julie CollinsUS Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean Brack among the concrete-reinforced barracksof his base in Afghanistan, October 2011.Back in San Antonio from his third deployment to Iraq withnews that he would deploy to Afghanistan in 2011, U.S. Army Sgt.1st Class Sean Brack suddenly felt like his life was falling apart. Hecould only describe the feeling in metaphor.“I was standing at the top of a deep slope looking down, andI couldn’t see the bottom. I knew I was going to fall; I just didn’tknow how far,” he said.Living with traumatic memories from his first tour in 2003,he would cope by pushing those memories out of his mind andmoving forward with his wife’s encouragement. However, like anestimated 100,000 to 300,000 veterans of our nation’s currentwars, he soon found himself overwhelmed by symptoms of one ofits signature wounds: posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.“I was angry about anything having to do with the Army,”Brack recalls. “I didn’t trust my chain of command or anyonearound me. I started taking preventive measures for things thatgenerally don’t happen in America, like watching out for IEDs(improvised explosive devices) while driving to work. Even athome, which I saw as my ‘safe place,’ I was withdrawn and didn’ttalk much. I lost my motivation and energy, and I was miserable allthe time. Finally, I started to entertain thoughts of suicide.”Right help, right place, right timeBrack knew he needed to seek help, but it was not easy to find.The process was confusing and unproductive, until he walkedinto the Resiliency Campus at Fort Hood. There, Brack saw abehavioral health specialist who diagnosed him with PTSD andreferred him to STRONG STAR.STRONG STAR, or the South Texas Research OrganizationalNetwork Guiding Studies on Trauma and Resilience, is amultidisciplinary, multi-institutional research consortium underthe leadership of The University of Texas Health Science Center atSan Antonio. Funded by the Department of Defense through theOffice of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs,it brings together the skills of civilian, military, and VeteransAdministration (VA) experts at more than 20 collaboratinginstitutions. All are working together to prevent PTSD frombecoming a chronic problem for a new generation of war veterans.In that effort, STRONG STAR is taking the leading, evidencebasedPTSD therapies from the civilian world, tailoring themto meet the unique needs of the military, and evaluating theirefficacy with combat-related PTSD and comorbid conditions,such as depression, insomnia, alcohol dependence, and chronic6 Future

Alan Peterson, PhD, (on right) Professor of Psychiatry and STRONG STARDirector, consults with fellow STRONG STAR investigator United StatesAir Force (USAF) Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Cigrang, PhD, (on left) who iscurrently stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. Both deployedto Iraq when they were with Wilford Hall Medical Center, and as USAFpsychologists, treated Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in theater. Theylater co-authored a journal article on the success of PTSD treatment in thedeployed setting. (See references on page 30.)• the delivery of therapy in a primary care setting, wherethere may be less fear of stigma• combining PTSD treatment and couples therapy to helpservice members and their spouses• combining psychological therapy with medication• and delivery of psychological treatment in theater inAfghanistan.Besides the study based in Afghanistan, all of theseclinical trials are being conducted in South Texas,which has the largest concentration of Operation IraqiFreedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans inthe country. They are made possible by the collaborationof Darnall Army Hospital at Fort Hood; Brooke ArmyMedical Center and Wilford Hall Medical Center in SanAntonio; and the South and Central Texas VA hospitalsin San Antonio and Waco. Study outcomes are expectedto guide future DoD and VA treatment policies andpractices.Continued on page 31pain. Complementary biological and epidemiologicalstudies are looking at the root physiological causesof PTSD--and even the biological effects of PTSDtreatment--to enlighten new and improved ways ofpreventing and treating the disorder.“Civilian studies have proven two PTSDtreatments to be effective,” said STRONG STARConsortium Director Alan Peterson, PhD, a retiredlieutenant colonel and psychologist with the U.S.Air Force who now serves as Professor and Chief ofthe Division of Behavioral Medicine in the School ofMedicine Department of Psychiatry.“Data from civilian studies shows that in 80percent of cases, PTSD patients can be treated to thepoint of recovery with Prolonged Exposure (PE) orCognitive Processing Therapy (CPT),” Dr. Petersonexplained. “We believe these same therapies will beeffective with combat-related PTSD. But the problemis that no one has ever studied them with the militarybefore, and no one has looked at the best way todeliver them to make them most effective for activedutyservice members. STRONG STAR is the first todo that.”Among STRONG STAR’s 14 research projects areseveral treatment studies that adapt and apply thesetwo treatments to meet the needs of active-dutyservice members or recently discharged veteransThese studies are evaluating:• the delivery of individual versus grouptreatment• traditional treatment over 10 weeks vs.condensing treatment into two weeksProlonged Exposure Therapy (PE)Prolonged Exposure therapy, often called PE, was designed by Edna Foa,PhD, director of the Center for the Study and Treatment of Anxiety at theUniversity of Pennsylvania and one of the principal investigators working withthe STRONG STAR Consortium. PE is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that hasbeen shown to alleviate PTSD and its symptoms by helping patients confrontthe traumatic memories they have been trying to avoid. The therapy typicallyinvolves 10-12 sessions of 90 minutes each, beginning with education aboutthe therapy and normal reaction to trauma; instruction in breathing techniquesfor relaxation; and therapist-guided “imaginal” and “in vivo” experiences thatexpose patients in safe ways to distressing memories, thoughts, feelings andsituations that relate to their trauma. Imaginal exposure involves the repeatedretelling of the patient’s trauma story, and in vivo exposure experiences engagethe patient in safe activities that serve as trauma reminders. Over time, thetraumatic memories lose their grip and cause less distress, and related PTSDsymptoms simultaneously decline, helping patients gain a new lease on life.Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)Cognitive Processing Therapy, or CPT, was designed by Patricia Resick,PhD, director of the National Center for PTSD with the VA Boston HealthcareSystem and one of the principal investigators working with the STRONG STARConsortium. CPT is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that gives patients anunderstanding of how their thoughts about a traumatic event influence theirfeelings and reactions to it, then helps them develop a new way of thinkingthat alleviates their distress and allows them to regain control of their lives.Over the course of 12 one-hour sessions, patients receive education aboutPTSD and CPT; write an impact statement describing their trauma andidentifying associated thoughts and feelings; retell their story as the therapistuses Socratic questioning and other techniques to challenge faulty thoughtprocesses (e.g., blaming themselves for something over which they had nocontrol); receive cognitive skills training to help them cope with their currentsituation and new difficulties in the future; and work through issues specific toPTSD, such as maladaptive safety concerns and problems with trust, intimacy,and self-esteem. Future 7

Road to War Also thePath to Recovery:Faculty member’s tour of duty leads to help forservice members with PTSDBy Julie CollinsPeterson in Iraq in 2004.On Sept. 11, 2004, at the start of his second deployment insupport of our nation’s war on terror, Lt Col Alan Peterson, PhD,and his comrades were greeted with an unwanted 9/11 anniversarygift from the enemy: mortar and rocket attacks that caused manycasualties, including Senior Airman Brian Kolfage, a young Air ForceSecurity Forces member who was also on his second deployment.“He had just stepped out of his tent, and a mortar landed right athis feet,” recalled Dr. Peterson, who had deployed with a group ofmedics from Wilford Hall Medical Center to establish the Air ForceTheater Hospital at Balad, Iraq. “The explosion almost severed bothof his legs and one of his hands. Dozens of people came running out,providing first aid, pulling off boot laces and putting on tourniquets….Within 15 minutes, he was being treated by some of the bestsurgeons in the world, who saved his life … but that was somethingthat we all took very hard, and it left many of the first responderspretty traumatized.”Dr. Peterson now serves as chief of the Division of BehavioralMedicine in the UT Health Science Center Psychiatry Department.The events that day and what happened to this young airman wereindicative of how this tour would go and why posttraumatic stressdisorder (PTSD) has become a signature wound of Operation IraqiFreedom, Operation EnduringFreedom, and Operation NewDawn.“[The forward operating baseat] Balad was affectionatelyknown as ‘Mortar-itaville,’”said Dr. Peterson. “It’s a largeinstallation; it had about 30,000people there at the time. Its sizemade it an easy target, so almostevery day there were mortarattacks.”Alan L. Peterson, PhD, ABPPProfessor and Chief of the Divisionof Behavioral Medicine in theDepartment of PsychiatryDeputy Chair for MilitaryCollaborationsDirector of the STRONG STARMultidisciplinary PTSD ResearchConsortium.Besides attacks on the installation itself, hundreds of convoysa day went out from this supply depot, subjecting themselves toambushes and to attacks with improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.Home to an Air Force theater hospital and a staging area foraeromedical evacuations, the Balad base saw patients with the worstof injuries; service members in Iraq who needed extended treatmentthat could not be handled in theater were sent there for evaluationand evacuation. When mass casualties came in, particularly inNovember 2004, during the Battle of Fallujah, all hands were on8 Future

deck to help.“When there was amass casualty, anybodywho wasn’t involved inemergency room or traumawork became manpower,”Dr. Peterson explained.“It became your job tohead out to the helicopterlanding pad and help moveinjured patients from thehelicopters, transportthem to the emergencydepartment, and then staythere with them and helpthe team do whatever wasneeded while they wereproviding care for thesepatients. So everybody gotexposed to patients with traumatic injuries, including burns, facialinjuries, amputations and other severe injuries.”Combat support hospitals also treat enemy fighters injuredin battle in accordance with rules of the Geneva Convention,so some hospital workers found themselves caring for hostileinsurgent patients.For Dr. Peterson, a psychologist, and his team of six mentalhealth care personnel assigned to the hospital, this deploymentwas one that called on every skill they had. They treated servicemembers who came to the mental health clinic seeking care;made daily rounds to visit personally with each patient at thehospital; made daily rounds to check in with staff members atthe hospital to see how people were holding up and “normalize”having a conversation with a mental health professional; providedunit consultation, or targeted outreach, to units on base that hadthe highest-stress jobs; and met with patients sent to Balad forpsychiatric evaluation and potential aeromedical evacuation forpsychiatric disorders.To help prevent aeromedical evacuation of psychiatricpatients suffering from combat stress but who wanted to remainin theater, Dr. Peterson utilized his training in a type of therapycalled Prolonged Exposure. This treatment is known to beeffective for various stress-related disorders in civilian patients,so Dr. Peterson quickly tried to adapt it to treat combat-relatedPTSD in a deployed setting. “To the best of my knowledge, thishad never been done before, so I needed to figure out how manysessions would be needed, what length the sessions should be,how to compress the full treatment into a more limited number ofsessions, and those sorts of things,” he recalled.He had great success. “Basically, in almost every case, theoutcomes were very good,” Dr. Peterson said. “Within two orthree weeks, after three orfour sessions, people weresaying, ‘I’m good to go.’ Itwas remarkable.”Dr. Peterson andone of his colleagues,Lt Col Jeffrey Cigrang,eventually published anarticle in a scientific journalabout their success withProlonged Exposure,but more evidence wasneeded to show othermilitary psychologiststhat this treatment couldbe delivered safely andeffectively in theater.When Dr. Petersonretired from the Air Forceand joined the Psychiatry Department faculty at the School ofMedicine, he started submitting research grants to support PTSDresearch. Soon afterwards, the Department of Defense (DoD)announced a great new opportunity: Its Office of CongressionallyDirected Research Programs, through a new Psychological Healthand Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program, was fundingnational consortia to advance prevention and treatment ofcombat-related PTSD and traumatic brain injury.“So I took what I was used to doing in the military, whichwas finding a civilian expert to collaborate with the military onresearch important to the DoD, and I applied that on a muchgrander scale,” Dr. Peterson said.Again, he was successful. In 2008, the DoD awardedapproximately $35 million to STRONG STAR, the South TexasResearch Organizational Network Guiding Studies on Traumaand Resilience, the country’s largest PTSD research consortiumand the only one working with active-duty military. Today, its 14separate research projects are run by an expert team of military,civilian, and Veterans Administration (VA) investigators who aredeveloping and evaluating the most effective early interventionspossible for combat-related PTSD. Studies are based in SouthTexas at Fort Hood, Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford HallMedical Center, and the South and Central Texas VA hospitals.“We’re seeking to develop treatments that will allow us totreat combat-related PTSD to the point of remission, but manypeople believe that PTSD cannot be ‘cured,’” said Dr. Peterson.“But anything less would be a disservice to our troops. Just as acancer researcher wants to cure cancer, not simply help with thesymptoms, we want to treat PTSD to the point of recovery. Andthe reality is, we have a good chance of doing that.”Master Sergeant Kenneth Belinfante makes a mail run with Lt Col Petersonduring their deployment to Iraq in 2004-2005. Both were deployed withthe 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air ForceBase, to Balad, where Peterson served as chief and MSgt Belinfante as thenoncommissioned officer in charge of the mental health clinic.Continued on page 30Future 9

(13)(1)10 Future(3)Leading by Example: Ex-military Take onLeadership Roles at the School of MedicineBy Karen KolivoskyThere is a common thread thatconnects several leaders withinthe School of Medicine: many ofthem started out as physicians inthe military. While different pathshave led them from the militaryto an academic setting, they allbring a unique combination ofmedical expertise and military-bredleadership skills to the School.ROSENDE: NAVY CAPTAINAt age 18, CarlosRosende committed to a26-year career in themilitary to pursue hisdream of becoming aphysician.He went into the UnitedStates Naval Academy inAnnapolis right after high school.He was one of 16 students out of 960who was permitted to take pre-medcourses. Since they were also to beprepared to be commissioned as lineofficers, they took premed courses ontop of all of the required militaryand engineering classes. Much ofhis training focused on leadershipskills.“Even as a midshipman at theNaval Academy, we not only tookformal classes in leadership, butwe were put in positions to assesssituations, make decisions, move onand get critiqued on how we did it,”he says. “As we went through thefour years there, we took on moreand more responsibility for juniorpeople.”He went to medical school atthe University of Miami on a Navyscholarship, which required him tobe on active duty for his four yearsof medical school, followed by aninternship at the Naval MedicalCenter, Portsmouth, Virginia, thena year as a general medical officeron a warship, and then a threeyearresidency in ophthalmologyat National Naval Medical Center,Bethesda, Maryland. He returned toPortsmouth on three-year orders.His career took a leap forwardwhen the head of his departmentdecided to leave the Navy. Rosendewas only out of his residency acouple of years, but was stillthe next senior physician in thedepartment, so he was appointedto acting head of the department.After improving the department, thecommanding officer of the hospitalkept him on. He spent 13 yearstotal in Portsmouth, with 11 ofthose years as department head, andultimately was promoted to Captain.By then, he was in his mid-40sand wondering what to do with therest of his life. In the Navy, hiscareer would progress on to otherexecutive leadership positions, buthis real love then was clinicalwork. He decided to retire, figuringhe would go into private practicein Virginia. A friend told himthat the Chair of the Departmentof Ophthalmology at the School ofMedicine was looking for a physicianto set up and run the eye clinic atthe Texas Diabetes Institute in SanAntonio. He came to visit and washooked.“I liked what I saw, and Iwas intrigued by the position hewas offering. With all the eyecomplications that diabetics get,to have an opportunity to trainresidents and be involved inresearch, that sounded like morefun than just being in privatepractice,” Rosende says.He took the job, becoming thefirst director of the OphthalmologyClinic at TDI. He began to take onadditional roles, becoming ResidencyDirector for the department. Whenthe Chair of the department left,Rosende served as the Interim Chairfor Ophthalmology for nine months,becoming permanent Chair of theDepartment in January. 2007.In November 2010, he becameVice Dean of Clinical Affairs and

(11)(14)(8)12 Future(10)Leadership Continued...Washington DC, on scholarshipwith the commitment to serve inthe Air Force upon graduation. Heestimates about 80 percent of hisclass paid for medical school thesame way.Mayes moved to San Antonio in1984 for a three-year residencyprogram in pediatrics at WilfordHall Medical Center. At that time,the Air Force made Wilford Hall aglobal hub for pediatric care.“If a child had a complexillness and they were in Japanor Europe, that child would beflown to San Antonio,” Mayes says.“It was a wonderful trainingexperience. I got to see a lot ofdifferent things and also got totake care of regular healthy kidsas part of the training program.”Mayes also experiencedinnovations in pediatrics thatwere taking place at WilfordHall, such as the subspecialtyof neonatology and the ECMO(extracorporeal membraneoxygenation) program, a heart/lungbypass for babies with criticalillness. The first ECMO done westof the Mississippi was done atWilford Hall in the mid-1980s, andMayes, a young doctor at the time,was able to participate in it.The experience sparked aninterest in pediatric criticalcare medicine. Mayes receivedfellowship training in thesubspecialty at Texas Children’sHospital in Houston.He then returned to WilfordHall as a pediatric critical carespecialist, a specialty so newthat Mayes was the only one in theU.S. Air Force with the trainingand certification in the field.Mayes treated children across aspectrum of critical illnesses,from heart surgery, kidneyfailure, motor vehicle accidents,drowning and other traumaticillnesses and injuries.As the lone specialist in hisfield, Mayes cared for childrenfrom all over the country,including local children whoneeded services that were notavailable anywhere else in town.“That was really some of my firstreal connection with the civilianmedical community and also UT andSanta Rosa’s Children’s Hospital,”he says.The School called him inMarch 1993 asking for help onan intensive care crisis atUniversity Hospital. He becamemore involved with patient care atUniversity Hospital, which led tohis recruitment to the School. Heretired from the Air Force as aMajor.“When my time was up in termsof obligation to the military, Ijust changed working addressesfrom Wilford Hall to the School ofMedicine,” Mayes says.Mayes began developing apediatric critical care programat the Department of Pediatrics.After leading that effort forseven years, he went into theDean’s Office as a Assistant/Associate Dean for Clinical Affairsfrom 2000-2004, then he oversawUT Medicine from 2001-2002, andbecame Chair of Pediatrics in2002. He also served as InterimDean of the School in 2005-2006, and once again took on the

Saluting Our Faculty & StaffOur people are what make our School great. One of the things that make them great isthat many received not just their medical training but also their leadership trainingin the military. This list is a snapshot of some of our faculty and staff with militaryexperience. Most are retired but some are still in the reserves. We salute their serviceto our country and our School.Pictured:Deborah Baruch-Bienen, MD, Professor ofMedicine, Acting Chief, Medical Service,South Texas Veterans Health Care Service,Major, US Air Force, Ret., (Pic. 1)Anatolio Cruz, Jr., MD, Professor ofSurgery, Captain US Naval Reserve, Ret.,(Pic.2)Brian Eastridge, MD, Assistant Professor ofSurgery, Colonel, US Army, Ret., (Pic.3)Tony Yuen Lung Eng, Professor or RadiationOncology, Colonel, US Air Force, Ret.,(Pic.4)Robert Gilson, MD, Professor of Dermatology,Colonel, US Air Force, Ret., (Pic.5)Lowell Glassburn, MHA, CAAMA, Administrator,Radiology, Colonel, USAF, Ret., (Pic.6)Ismail Jatoi, MD, PhD, Professor & Chief ofSurgical Oncology, Colonel, US Army, Ret.,(Pic.7)Craig Manifold, DO, Assistant Professor/Clinical of Surgery, EMS Medical Director,Colonel Air National Guard, Ret., (Pic.8)Mike McCarthy, Interim Chair of Radiology,Colonel, US Air Force, Ret., (Pic.9)Andrew Muck, MD, Assistant Professor ofSurgery/Emergency Medicine, US Air Force,Ret. (Pic.10)Deborah Mueller, MD, Clinical AssociateProfessor of Surgery, Colonel, US Air Force,Ret., Reserves, (Pic.11)Sandra Osswald, MD, Professor and DivisionChief, Dermatology, Colonel, US Air Force,Ret., (Pic.12)Richard Peterson, MD, Professor Surgery,Chief Bariatric and Metabolic and Surgery,Major, US Air Force, Ret., (Pic.13)Basil A. Pruitt, Jr., MD, Professor ofSurgery, Colonel US Army, Ret. (Pic.14)Carlos Rosende, MD, Professor ofOphthalmology, Executive Director, UTMedicine, Captain, US Navy, Ret., (Pic.15)Kenneth Sirinek, MD, PhD, Professor ofSurgery, Vice Chair/Academic Affairs &Professional Development, Major, US Army,Ret. (Pic.16)Nicolas Walsh, MD, Professor and Chair,Rehabilitation Medicine, Lieutenant, SEALTeam One, US Navy, Ret., (Pic.17)Wayne Wiatrowski, PhD, FACR, Professorof Radiology, Lt. Colonel, US Army, Ret.,(Pic.18)Not Pictured:Steven Bailey, MD, Professor and DivisionChief, Cardiology, Lt. Colonel, US Army,Ret.Charles Bauer, MD, Adjunct Professor ofSurgery, Colonel, US Air Force Ret., TexasState Guard Medical Reserves CorpsRobin Brey, MD, Professor and Chair,Neurology, Captain, US Air Force, Ret.Steven Chalfin, MD, Professor ofOphthalmology, Captain, US Navy, Ret.Dr. Robert Huff, MD, Professor and Chair ofReproductive Genetics, Ob/Gyn, Captain, USAir Force, Ret.Thomas Mayes, MD, Professor and Chair,Pediatrics, US Air Force, Ret.Mark T. Nadeau, MD, MBA, Professor/ Clinicaland Residency Director, Family & CommunityMedicine, Colonel, US Air Force, Ret.Boyce Oliver, MD, Professor of Surgery,Major, Texas National Guard, Ret.Dennis Peppas, MD, Professor and InterimChair, Urology, Colonel, US Air Force, Ret.Jose M Pluguez PA-C, B-PAS, FacultyAssociate, Surgery, Master Sergeant, USArmy, Ret.James N. Rogers, MD, Professor ofAnesthesiology, Special Forces StaffSergeant, US Army, Ret.Ian Thompson, Jr., MD, Professor of Urology,Director CTRC – US Army, Colonel, Ret.Future 15

for hours in a cold, bare room. She also recalls the bodies of thedead children that were stacked up in the latrine. She remembersdeciding to do everything she could to make sure she and Miriamwould not become one of those bodies.Ms. Kor spoke on November, 8, 2011, as part of the Ethics inMedicine lecture series. The talk, titled “Lessons Learned fromDr. Mengele’s Lab,” was presented by the Center for MedicalHumanities & Ethics, the Office of the Vice President for Researchat the Health Science Center, and the Physicians for Human Rightsstudent organization.Ms. Kor has traveled the world telling her story; sharing herpersonal lessons on medical ethics and forgiveness. She alsosells her books, Surviving the Angel of Death; The Story of a MengeleTwin in Auschwitz, and Echoes of Auschwitz, to support herCANDLES Foundation, which houses her Holocaust museum inher hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana.Ruth Berggren, MD, Director of the Center for MedicalHumanities & Ethics, introduced Ms. Kor by highlighting thehistory of several key medical ethics doctrines.“It is important to realize how far we have come in medicalresearch ethics, “Berggren said. “The regulatory requirementsof today’s Institutional Review Boards have their roots in theNuremberg Code of 1947. This code was drafted as a setof standards for judging physicians and scientists who hadconducted experiments on concentration camp prisoners duringWorld War II.”The Nuremberg Code was developed as a result of theNuremberg Trials, Berggren pointed out, noting that the threemajor doctrines used to guide medical and research ethicsthrough out the world – the Belmont Report, the Declaration ofHelsinki, and the Nuremberg Code – are all part of the School’sethics course: “On Becoming a Doctor.”The Nuremberg Code’s first tenet, “The voluntary consentof the human subject is absolutely essential,” is the prototypefor many codes designed to assure a high standard of ethics inresearch on humans.“Eva Kor’s appearance at our University has brought medicalhistory vividly to life through her personal narrative of Naziexperimentation on human subjects,” Berggren said. “In bearingwitness to her story, we not only learn from the past, we gaindeeper understanding of the tremendous importance of teachingethical reasoning as a tool for the healers of tomorrow.”Of the 3,000 children who were imprisoned and experimentedon at Auschwitz, approximately 200 were still alive when thecamp was liberated in January 1945. The Kor girls returned to livein Romania with a distant aunt and continued to suffer persecutionunder the communist regime. They eventually moved to Israelwhere both married, and eventually, moved to the United States.Nazi physician Dr. Josef Mengele, also known as “The Angel ofDeath” was a principal doctor at Auschwitz and infamous for hiscallous nature and heinous experiments on people. He oversawthe medical experiments on the twins and others. After the war,he fled to South America where he successfully eluded war-crimeinvestigators until his death in 1979.In the 1990s, Miriam Kor developed kidney problems, and Evadonated her kidney to save her sister. Doctor’s found Miriam’skidneys had not grown beyond the size of a ten year old child’s.The girls were ten when they entered Auschwitz. Doctors suspecta substance injected into Miriam stunted the organs’ growth. Thegirls were routinely injected with things that made them weak andsick. Many children died after the injections. Miriam passed awayin 1993 of her kidney complications.1993 was also the year Eva met Hans Münch, a Nazi doctorwhose job was to check the vital signs of prisoners killed in thegas chambers at Auschwitz. He was also the only SS Physicianacquitted in the Nuremberg Trials. Ms. Kor and Münch met atAuschwitz in 1995, the 50th Anniversary of the liberation of thecamp. Ms. Kor marked the occasion by publicly forgiving Dr.Mengele, Dr. Münch and the Nazis for their crimes. She was highlycriticized by many, including Jews, for this act.Ms. Kor does not give much time to her critics, noting thatforgiving is not forgetting, nor is it absolving the criminals ofguilt. Ms. Kor’s message is one of forgiveness as an act of helpingone’s self deal with the trauma. It took Ms. Kor nearly 50 years toforgive Dr. Mengele, whom she vividly remembers joking abouther impending death when she nearly died from an infection.When asked how she can justify forgiveness of such horriblecrimes, Ms. Kor says she asked herself, “Do I deserve to livewithout the pain someone else inflicted on me?” Forgiving easedthe pain and allowed her to focus on other things; mostly helpingother Holocaust survivors and the 122 other living Auschwitztwins she located around the world.Ms. Kor’s story is also told in a documentary film, “ForgivingDr. Mengele” which details her visit to Auschwitz and her decisionto forgive Dr. Mengele and the Nazis. After her talk at the School,Ms. Kor attended a screening of the film at San Antonio’s SantikosBijou Theater.Ms. Kor’s foundation is called CANDLES. The word is also anacronym for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab ExperimentsSurvivors.“I like the name ‘CANDLES’,” she said, “because candles areused as a memorial, and candles are used to illuminate.” Ms. Korextends the metaphor by noting, “We wanted to shed some lighton this darkest chapter of the Holocaust.”Speaking to the School of Medicine audience, Ms. Kor saysthat the act of forgiveness can be a path to peace and relief forpeople who have suffered at the hands of another. As chilling as itis to hear her firsthand account of torture and abuse by the Nazis,she inspires and illuminates. Her sense of humor also comesthrough, helping to break the sadness, which is probably onereason she was able to survive her Holocaust experiences.“For our patients of today, we hope that her message lightsa path to a resilient future,” Berggren added, on the illuminationtheme. “For our profession, we hope that her message offers astrong reminder of our duty to protect the vulnerable and thevoiceless members of our society.”A link to the video of Eva Kor’s one-hour talk at the School of Medicine is available at the Center’s website, http://www.texashumanities.org/rer.You can read more about the other twins and Eva Kor’s story at the CANDLES Website: www.CandlesHolocaustMuseum.orgRead the Nuremberg Code at the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Web site: http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/guidelines/nuremberg.htmlFuture 17

Giving BackSchool of Medicine Philanthropy18 FutureHolly Professorship was born out of a physician’s heart of gratitudeJames L. Holly, MD, of Beaumont,Texas, feels a deep sense ofgratitude and humility for the honorof being a physician. In a 2004essay, Dr. Holly reflected upon theclimax of the movie “Saving PrivateRyan”:Tremulously, Private James Ryan,James L. Holly, MDnow in his seventies, approachedthe headstone of Captain John Miller, who gave his life that Ryanmight live. In perhaps the most poignant moment in a great film,tears streamed down his face, as Ryan plaintively said to his wife,“Tell me that I have lived a good life; tell me that I have been agood man.” The sacrifice of others imposed upon Private Ryan adebt only a noble and honorable life could repay.Dr. Holly works and lives witha similar passion and a purpose— to uphold the sacred trust ofcaring for others. He credits hismedical career to the providenceof God, his parents, his devotedwife of 47 years, Carolyn, andthe School of Medicine at theUT Health Science CenterSan Antonio. His professors,mentors, classmates andcolleagues shaped the physicianThe Hollys circa 1974.he would become; he also creditspublic support of medical education. As a 1973 graduate of theSchool of Medicine, Dr. Holly was honored to serve as Presidentof the School’s Alumni Association from 2006 to 2010 becauseof his love and appreciation for the educational experience hereceived.This year a $250,000 gift from Dr. and Mrs. Holly and theSoutheast Texas Medical Associates (SETMA) establishedthe Dr. and Mrs. James L. Holly Distinguished Professorship.The endowment supports the work of Carlos R. Jaén, M.D.,Ph.D.,Professor and Chair of the Department of Family andCommunity Medicine, who is leading a model of patientcenteredprimary care and education through UT MedicineSan Antonio, the clinical practice of the School of Medicine.The Holly Professorship also promotes interdepartmentaland interdisciplinary education, collaboration and practicemodeldevelopment between the Departments of Medicine,Family and Community Medicine, and Pediatrics, and theSchool of Nursing’s advancedpractice programs. Dr. Holly isa founding partner of SETMA,an organization dedicated toproviding quality and costeffectivehealth care to patientsin Southeast Texas throughmultispecialty, patient-centeredclinics. The Holly fund is fosteringthe patient “medical home”concept in today’s students.The Hollys today.Dr. Holly’s care of a patient,Wayne A. Reaud, chairman and founder of the BeaumontFoundation of America, inspired Mr. Reaud to make a generousgift to update the Health Science Center Auditorium in honor ofDr. and Mrs. Holly. The traditional site for White Coat Ceremoniesand other events will be named the Dr. and Mrs. James L. HollyAuditorium.Dr. Holly received his Medical degree when the School ofMedicine was very young. “The School has seen 43 years ofincredible progress,” he said. “Dr. F. Carter Pannill was my deanwhen I started. When Dr. Henrich [William L. Henrich, MD,MACP, now president] came in as Dean in 2006, I got involved.I am totally sold on our School — the quality of the students isamazing.”“The legacy of the Dr. and Mrs. James L. Holly DistinguishedProfessorship, and the inspiration of this outstanding alumnusand his honorable and noble life of service to his patients, willinfluence the students and faculty of the School of Medicine forgenerations to come and will carry forward the promise of the UTHealth Science Center to make lives better,” President Henrichsaid.Left to right: Mark Johnson, Aida Vigil, Eileen Curry, BethMelia Byrne, John Byrne

Drs. Aust (left) and Sirinek (right) sharea moment with matching handlebarmoustaches.Dr. Ken and Peg Sirinek Endowed ScholarshipMakes First AwardTeaching was always a passion for Dr. Bradley Aust. Over his 30-year tenure as Chair ofthe Department of Surgery, Dr. Aust touched the lives of more than 4,500 medical students.Dr. Kenneth Sirinek, recruited as part of the second generation of academic general surgeonsby Dr. Aust, shares Dr. Aust’s passion for teaching. “Clinicians who teach have the uniqueability to bring up-to-date information and technology to the healing of their patients, andat the same time, are passing on their knowledge and clinical skills to the next generation ofphysicians – a chance to have an impact beyond the finite limits of their own careers.”When Dr. Sirinek was appointed as holder of the J.B. Aust, M.D., Ph.D. Endowed Chairin Surgery and promoted to Vice Chair of Academic Affairs and Professional Developmentin 2010, he vowed to extend himself personally to honor the late Dr. Aust and his legacy. “Itserved as a wake-up call to financially support the institution where I have been a facultymember for over three decades.After careful consideration, Dr. Sirinek and his wife, Peg, chose to establish a namesakeendowed scholarship. Their awareness of the debt students incur during their medical schooltraining, and learning of a recent tuition hike, made their decision an easy one. The Dr. Ken andPeg Sirinek Endowed Scholarship was established in Spring, 2011, and their first scholarshipwas awarded shortly afterwards to Dr. Katie Wiggins-Dolvik.While initially Dr. and Mrs. Sirinek intended to keep their philanthropy a private matterbetween them, the School and their recipients, they changed their minds when approachedabout serving as possible catalysts for other faculty and similar gifts. Dr. Sirinek agreedto spearhead a campaign to encourage and recruit fellow faculty members to considerestablishing their own endowed namesake scholarships.Dr. Sirinek hopes his long career at the School of Medicine will help open doors with otherfaculty. “Investing personally in the institution where we have chosen to spend our professionalcareers and reinforcing the value of teaching and education for medical students in perpetuityis very rewarding.“Dr. Ken and Mrs. Peg Sirinek today.For more information about endowed scholarships, contact Kim Warshauer at(210) 567-0242 or Warshauer@uthscsa.edu.Class of 2011 Creates Student Service Learning EndowmentSpecial kudos to the Class of 2011 which has distinguisheditself in many ways. Through the leadership of their class officers,they have closed their chapter as students and transitionedto exemplar alumni! Before leaving campus to begin theirresidencies, the class decided to use the remaining monies fromtheir class fundraising efforts to establish the School of MedicineClass of 2011 Student Service Learning Endowment. The purposeof this special endowment is to provide perpetual support to themedical service learning programs organized through the Centerof Medical Humanities and Ethics, which meant much to the class.They also chose to specifically honor faculty member Richard P.Usatine, MD, for his inspirational leadership in these efforts.“These experiences have positively influenced the way wewill practice medicine and our class wanted to leave a legacydemonstrating that the lessons and values we learned duringthese experiences are important to us and improved our medicaleducation”, said Class President Kyle Kalkwarf, MD, who alsodistinguished our University in his role as UT System Student20 FutureRegent. “Our education at the UT Health Science Center hasequipped us to be leaders in our community, and we want to showthis appreciation by giving back this year, and every year, to ourSchool. We are very proud to be our School’s newest alumni!”“The Class of 2011 inspires us all, and we are deeply gratefulfor their gift and the example it sets,” said Francisco González-Scarano, MD, School of Medicine Dean.The class credits its experiences in the outreach clinics withan enrichment of their education that will influence their futurepractice in many meaningful and lasting ways. This included theenhanced learning environments which encouraged teamwork inpatient care and through interdisciplinary training opportunitieswith other students across the UT Health Science Center.Through this tribute endowment, they wish to ensure programsled and inspired by caring faculty be a perpetual part of the Schoolof Medicine and medical education programs at the UT HealthScience Center.

Choose life over cancer.Choose life over cancer.Your best hope for a proper diagnosis,effective treatment, and sustained qualityof life lies in the hands of a team of cancerspecialists at the CTRC, the only NCIdesignatedCancer Center in South Texas.Here, the highest levels of excellence incancer research and quality of care is thestandard of care.At CTRC, we work hard every day to helpyou and your family choose life over cancer.www.CTRC.net • (210) 450-1000Sembradores – Sharing Our VisionThe Sembradores of San Antonio and UT Health Science CenterSchool of Medicine share the same vision, to make lives better inSan Antonio, South Texas and the world. The Sembradores, whoare celebrating 50 years of service to the greater San Antoniocommunity, established an endowed scholarship for medicalstudents in 1997. Their efforts to “promote and fund highereducation for deserving students in the San Antonio metropolitanarea” have benefited nearly two dozen medical students—13of whom have already graduated and are out working in ourcommunities. The Sembradores’ impact is real:Michelle M. Hagopian Class of 2009 SurgeryCrystal E. Alex Class of 2011 Obstetrics andGynecologyLynn K. Nguyen Class of 2011 PsychiatryYou can get involved in Sembradores and affect the lives offuture physicians by visiting: www.sembradoresofsanantonio.orgManual Ybarra Class of 2002 Internal MedicineAna P. Trevino Class of 2002 Internal MedicineAngela Akonye Class of 2002 Obstetrics andGynecologyAime Garza Class of 2002 NeurologySarah E. Trampota Class of 2005 AnesthesiologyAracely Cadena-Garza Class of 2006 Family MedicineCandice N. Dubose Class of 2008 OrthopaedicsElizabeth Ventura Class of 2008 PathologyJohn Martin Class of 2009 DermatologyJorge Antonio Montes Class of 2009 OphthalmologyThe Sembradores celebrated 50 years of service at theirannual gala on December 3, 2011. Left to right: Mr. RobertCastorena, Mr. Alex Bernal, Mayor Julian Castro, Mrs. DivinaAlvarez, Mrs. Isabel Bernal, and Mr. Joe Nick Garza.Future 21

Research NotesSix Faculty Win AACR Cancer Research AwardsSix investigators from the School of Medicine received awardsfrom the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) atits annual meeting in April. The five faculty honorees are studyingthe initiation and progression of prostate, breast and pancreaticcancers.These scientists will receive AACR Minority-Serving InstitutionFaculty Scholar in Cancer Research Awards:The AACR awards are sponsored by a grant from the NationalCancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities.Ibtissam Echchgadda, PhD, Instructor of Molecular MedicineAddanki Pratap Kumar, PhD, Associate Professor of UrologyPothana Saikumar, PhD, Associate Professor of PathologyChung-Seog Song, PhD, Assistant Professor/Research ofMolecular MedicineRatna Vadlamudi, PhD, Professor of Obstetrics and GynecologyValerie Cortez, BS, a PhD student in Cellular and StructuralBiology, is one of 50 students nationwide to be selected for theAACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award. Her facultymentor is Dr. Vadlamudi.The AACR is a partner with the CTRC and Baylor College ofMedicine in the annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast CancerSymposium, an international scientific symposium for interactionand exchange among scientists and clinicians in breast cancerheld each December.Folli: Diabetes, Alpha Cells Help Kill BetaCells Franco Folli, MD, PhD, Professor ofMedicine/Diabetes, coauthored a studythat found alpha cells contributed to thedeath of beta cells (insulin producingcells) in diabetes. The study was publishedin February in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. “Our studyshows that neighboring cells called alpha cells can behave likeadversaries for beta cells,” he said. “This was an unexpectedfinding.”Gould: Serotonin Plays Role in ManyAutism CasesGeorgianna Gould, PhD, ResearchAssistant Professor of Physiology,looked at the role that serotonin playsin autism spectrum disorders – a studyshe explained in a recent paper in theJournal of Neurochemistry. Thirty percentof autism cases may have a serotonin component that is tied tosocial behavior, she said. Gould and colleagues showed that amedication called buspirone improved the social behaviors ofmice. Gould now plans to study the impact of a diet rich in theamino acid, tryptophan, on the social behavior of the mice.Boyer, Xu: Key Player in Alzheimer’sProcess IdentifiedThomas Boyer, PhD, Professor of MolecularMedicine, and PhD student Xuan Xu haveidentified a protein molecule they believeplays a key role in the Alzheimer’s process.“We discovered a protein molecule thatcommunicates with amyloid precursorprotein intracellular domain (AICD) to turn on target genes,” hesaid. “We hope to exploit this knowledge to identify compoundsor drugs that can disrupt these signals, leading to a novel andeffective treatment for this disease.” The research was publishedin February in EMBO Reports, the journal of the EuropeanMolecular Biology Organization.Nathanielsz: Losing Weight May BreakCycle of Obesity, Low Birth Weight Linkedto DiabetesCo-Director for the Center for Pregnancyand Newborn Research Peter Nathanielsz,MD, PhD, was coauthor of a study on ratsthat demonstrates how losing weight priorto pregnancy can have a positive effect onthe weight and health of the baby. The study is in the March 2011issue of the Journal of Physiology.“It is of interest that offspring of the obese mothers also showedhigh levels of leptin, a hormone that signals the brain to decreaseappetite,” said Nathanielsz, Professor of Ob/Gyn. “This may meanthey have developed a brain that is resistant to the signals that tellthem they are getting fat, and they just go on eating and thus getfat as their mothers were. That is what we mean when we say thatthe effects are transgenerational. Leptin levels were normal in theoffspring of the intervention group, showing that we can break thiscycle.”Nathanielsz is also senior author on a study published in June inthe online edition of the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory,Integrative and Comparative Physiology. This study on baboonssuggests a link between low birth weight and diabetes. The study,“Emergence of insulin resistance in juvenile baboon offspring ofmothers exposed to moderate maternal nutrient reduction,” wasconducted by Department of Ob/Gyn researchers Nathanielszand Jaehyek Choi, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cun Li, MD,Assistant Professor, and Thomas J. McDonald, PhD, AssociateProfessor, as well as Texas Biomedical Research Institute in SanAntonio researchers Anthony Comuzzie, PhD, and Vicki Mattern.22 Future

DeFronzo in NEJM: Insulin Sensitizer CanPrevent Onset of DiabetesRalph DeFronzo, MD, Professor and Chiefof the Diabetes Division in the Departmentof Medicine, coauthored a study thatfound a diabetes drug can help prevent thetransition from prediabetes to actual type 2diabetes. The study was published in the March 2011 New EnglandJournal of Medicine. Pioglitazone is widely used as an insulinsensitizer in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the ACT Now study,participants were chosen because of their high risk for diabetes,including obesity, family history and impaired glucose tolerance asdemonstrated by a glucose test.“It’s a blockbuster study,” DeFronzo said. “The 72 percentreduction is the largest decrease in the conversion rate of prediabetesto diabetes that has ever been demonstrated by anyintervention, be it diet, exercise or medication.”Myatt: Preterm Birth Research ReceivesMarch of Dimes FundingLeslie Myatt, Ph, Professor of Obstetricsand Gynecology and Co-Director ofthe Center for Pregnancy and NewbornResearch, received $400,000 to furtherhis study of uterine environments andpregnancy. His study investigates howenvironments within and outside the uterus turn genes on andoff and influence pregnancy length and the timing of uterinecontractions. Myatt is one of five scientists nationwide whosework will be supported by the March of Dimes PrematurityResearch Initiative grants announced in March of 2011.“We realize that not just genes alone, but their interaction andregulation by environmental factors such as pollutants, lifestyle,stress, maternal obesity or infection, may control the length ofgestation and cause preterm birth,” Myatt said.Tiwari, Herman, Lopez-Cruzan: Some Neurons May be Protectedfrom Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALSNew research suggests that neurons lacking a substancecalled caspase-2 were better able to withstand pesticide-induceddamage to energy centers known as mitochondria. “This researchshows, for the first time, that in the absence of caspase-2, neuronsincrease autophagy to survive,” said study co-author MarisaLopez-Cruzan, PhD, Investigator and Research Instructor in theDepartment of Cellular and Structural Biology. Evidence suggeststhat mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in neuronaldeath in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’sdisease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’sdisease) and Huntington’s disease.“Identifying initiators in the cell death process is important fordetermining therapeutic approaches to provide the maximumprotection of neurons during neurodegenerative conditions,”said senior author Brian Herman, PhD, Professor of Cellular andStructural Biology, and Special Assistant to the President, UTHealth Science Center San Antonio.Lopez-Cruzan, Director of Herman’s laboratory, came up withthe idea that caspase-2 protects cells from mitochondrial stress.Meenakshi Tiwari, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, expanded upon theinitial work and is first author of the article, published in the March11 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.Patterson: Center for Patient Safety andHealth Policy Wins AwardThe Center for Patient Safety and HealthPolicy received the 2011 OutstandingEducational Program award from theAssociation for Prevention Teaching andResearch. Jan E. Patterson, MD, Professorof Medicine/Infectious Diseases andPathology and the Director of the Center accepted the award atthe association’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. In 2008,the Center introduced a clinical safety and effectiveness course.To date, the Center has educated 82 clinical leaders, who haveconducted 35 quality improvement projects, such as improvingimmunization rates in outpatients and hospital patients, reducingtreatment times for cancer, and increasing health literacy in ourHIV clinic.Nelson, Liao: Food Restriction Not Always Life ExtenderJames Nelson, Ph.D., Professor of Physiology and researcherat the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, andpostdoctoral fellow Chen-Yu Liao, PhD candidate, are coauthorson a study that contradicts the long-held belief that foodrestrictions typically contribute to life extension in mice. Thearticle was published in the August 2011 issue of Aging Cell. Liaocautioned that the new findings cannot be directly applied topeople until similar studies are done in humans.Aging, Obsolete Cells Increase Pneumonia RiskA group of School of Medicine researchers published an articlein the May 2011 issue of the journal Aging Cell explaining howlung cells that were supposed to die due to DNA damage, butdid not die, were 5 to 15 times more susceptible to invasion bypneumonia-causing bacteria. These cells also increased thesusceptibility of normal cells around them. “Senescent cellsprime the lungs for infection,” explains Pooja Shivshankar,PhD, Research Scientist in the Division of Cardiology. Authorson the study are: Carlos Orihuela, PhD, Assistant Professorof Microbiology and Immunology; I-Tien Yeh, Professorof Pathology; Pooja Shivshankar, PhD, Research Scientist,Department of Microbiology and Immunology; and Claude J. LeSaux, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine-Cardiology.Future 23

Research Notes ContinuedTurner: Study Reveals Racial Differences,Poor CareBarbara J. Turner, MD., MSED, MA, islead author of a study published in the May2011 Annals of Family Medicine showingthat black patients were significantly morelikely than white patients to be monitoredwhile being prescribed long-term painmedications. The study began at the University of PennsylvaniaSchool of Medicine where Turner was previously appointed.Turner is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Researchto Advance Community Health (REACH) Center, a joint ventureof the School of Medicine, the UT School of Public Health and theUniversity Health System.Three Named Fellows of American College of RadiologyRebecca Loredo-Hernandez, MD, Chief of the MusculoskeletalSection, Pamela Otto, MD, Chief of Breast Imaging andIntervention and Director of UHS Radiology, and Adam Ratner,MD, Clinical Professor of Radiology, have each been named to theprestigious group. ACR Fellows demonstrate a history of serviceto the College in organized radiology, teaching, or research.Only about 12% of ACR members achieve this distinction.The three doctors were honored at the American College ofRadiology Annual Meeting and Chapter Leadership Conference inWashington, DC, in May.Diabetes Presentations: The San Antonio Longitudinal Study ofAging, AspartameSchool of Medicine researchers presented two studies at theAmerican Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions in Junesuggesting artificial sweeteners may be part of a self-defeatingbehavior. The San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging, or SALSA,is a large, population-based study of the disablement processin elderly Mexican Americans and European Americans beingconducted through the Barshop Institute for Longevity and AgingStudies.As SALSA’s principal investigator, Helen Hazuda, PhD, wassenior author of the presentation. Hazuda, Professor and Director,Center for Health Services Research and Chief, Division of ClinicalEpidemiology, has led the study for two decades. The presentationfocused on the relationship between diet soft-drink consumptionand long-term change in waist circumference. It showed thattwo or more diet drinks a day was associated with a significantincrease in waist size, compared to the group that did not drinksodas. The SALSA presentation coauthors include Sharon P.Fowler, MPH, Faculty Associate, and Ken Williams, MS, PStat,Adjunct Assistant Professor and Biostatistician in the Division ofClinical Epidemiology.The other study, presented by Fowler, Ganesh Halade, PhD,a post-doctoral fellow at the Barshop Institute, and GabrielFernandes, PhD, the senior author and Professor of Rheumatologyand Clinical Immunology, studied the relationship between oralexposure to aspartame and fasting glucose and insulin levels in 40diabetes-prone mice. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener widelyused in diet sodas and other products. The mice with aspartameshowed an increase in fasting blood glucose levels. There was nosignificant change in insulin levels.Masters: Enzyme Key to DeformitiesBettie Sue Masters, PhD, DSc, MD(Hon.), Professor of Biochemistry and theRobert A. Welch Foundation DistinguishedProfessor in Chemistry, is coauthor of apaper detailing the molecular structuralbasis for severe head deformities andambiguous sex organs in babies born with Antley-Bixler syndromeaccompanied by an enzyme deficiency. The paper was publishedin the August 4 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.“The two mutations that we characterized are responsible forsevere craniofacial and steroid-production defects in humans,the latter leading to sexual ambiguities,” according to Masters.Antley-Bixler syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterizedby a prominent forehead, underdeveloped regions in the midface,protruding eyes and other abnormalities. Masters and hercolleagues are studying the origins of these bone developmentdefects.Rao, Baek, Kim: Tracking the End of a ProteinSchool of Medicine researchers have discovered how one typeof used-up protein is shuttled to the protein garbage disposerin our cells. The discovery involves several proteins includingubiquitin, Rad23 and Cdc48. Hai Rao, PhD, Associate Professorof Molecular Medicine, is senior author on the study, publishedin the August issue of Proceedings of the National Academyof Sciences. “In this paper,we uncovered a protein-proteininteraction involved in shuttling damaged proteins from the site ofubiquitin tagging to their final destination, the proteasome,” Raosaid. The paper’s first author is Guem Hee Baek, PhD, and secondauthor is Ikjin Kim, PhD. Both scientists are from the Departmentof Molecular Medicine.The School of Medicine offersGrand Rounds and other courseson a daily basis.Visit the School’s Home Page formore information:http://SOM.UTHSCSA.EDU24 Future

CTRC UpdatesThompson: PSA “Velocity” a PoorPredictor of Prostate Cancer, EnlargedProstate Not A Risk FactorIan M. Thompson, Jr., MD, Professorof Urology and Director of the CancerTherapy & Research Center, is principalinvestigator on a study published in theJournal of the National Cancer Institute.Other factors besides PSA velocity should be taken into accountwhen determining a man’s risk of prostate cancer and whetherhe should have a biopsy,” Thompson said. The paper concludes:“We found no evidence to support the recommendation thatmen with high PSA velocity should be biopsied in the absence ofother indications; this measure should not be included in practiceguidelines.”In a related study lead by Thompson and published onlinein the American Journal of Epidemiology, the data suggest thatan enlarged prostate does not mean an increase in prostatecancer risk. The new data suggest that men and their physiciansshould instead look to a combination of PSA levels and otherfactors when assessing prostate cancer risk. The data is from theProstate Cancer Prevention Trial, a decade-long study of almost19,000 men. “Many organizations that speak to ‘cancer-relatedsymptoms’ suggest that men with problems related to urinationshould be checked for prostate cancer,” Thompson said. “Whatwe demonstrated is that prostate enlargement symptoms areabsolutely unassociated with risk of cancer. This means that youcannot rely on symptoms, but if you want to find prostate cancerearly, you must examine the patient and measure PSA levels.”Li Awarded Grant for Breast Tissue StudyRong Li, PhD, a Professor of MolecularMedicine and researcher at the CancerTherapy & Research Center (CTRC),was awarded $741,446 by the CancerPrevention and Research Institute of Texasfor his work in understanding how thedense tissue in breast tumors contributes to estrogen productionand tumor growth. For several years, Li has been investigatinghow the dense tissue in breast tumors, traditionally thought ofas a scaffolding matrix of proteins that support the tumor, canpromote cancer progression. He has found that the matrix alsoperforms the job of potent stimulant of aromatase production.The aromatase, an enzyme, in turn produces more estrogen,feeding certain types of breast tumors. “We have data that showthese two different factors can act synergistically to stimulatearomatase production,” Li said. The CPRIT grant will allow Li toinvestigate the signaling process between the matrix proteins andthe aromatase. In the next step, he will measure tissue stiffnessand aromatase production in healthy breast tissue to gauge therelationship between the two substances in that setting. “It haslong been known that higher density in breast tissue means ahigher risk of developing breast cancer,” Li said. “We think partof the reason could be that local matrix proteins put pressure onbreast tissue and elevate estrogen production.”Hinck: Mapping Proteins to Fight CancerAndrew Hinck, PhD, a cross-appointedProfessor of Biochemistry and MolecularMedicine, published his findings on theTGF-beta (transforming growth factorbeta) in The EMBO Journal in March2011. Understanding exactly how TGFbetainteracts with cells may enable cancer-fighting drugs tobe designed to stop tumor-promoting activity while preservingTGF-beta’s critical role in healthy cells. Hinck is pinpointingexactly how the protein interacts with receptors on cells to doits work. The research is taking place through the Experimentaland Developmental Therapeutics (EDT) program at the CancerTherapy & Research Center (CTRC). The goal, Hinck said, is tocreate “small molecule mimics” that can bind and block activity,especially in the presence of cancer and other diseases whereTGF-beta is harnessed to drive tumor growth.Jatoi: Breast Cancer Treatments LoseEffectiveness Over TimeIsmail Jatoi, MD, PhD, Professor ofSurgical Oncology and researcher at theCancer Therapy & Research Center, islead author on a study that indicates somebreast cancer treatments designed toreduce the risk of a recurrence may losetheir effectiveness once the patient survives the first three-yearperiod. The study was published online in the May 2011 Journalof Clinical Oncology. “The current paradigm that we have is thatthese drugs, over the lifetime of the patient, have a constanteffect. What we have suggested in this paper is that is not reallythe case,” he said. “What we are seeing is that some drugs havean initial effect. The effect of the drug diminishes after about threeyears.”There is also some suggestion that immunotherapy, which hasnot yet been developed for breast cancer treatment, could havea delayed effect, with the benefits not evident for several years.Jatoi said it would make sense to design trials to follow patientsfor eight or nine years or possibly begin studies with patients whoare five- or seven-year breast cancer survivors.“This is important because we’re seeing more and more longtermbreast cancer survivors,” Jatoi said.Future 25

CTRC Update ContinuedTomlinson in JAMA: Standardizing FamilyHistory Collection Integral to CancerPreventionGail Tomlinson, MD, PhD, a CTRCresearcher and interim Director of theGreehey Children’s Cancer ResearchInstitute, is one of the authors of a studypublished in the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association (JAMA). The authors recommend updating aperson’s family history of cancer every five to 10 years betweenages 30 and 60. The study reports on the changes in the familyhistory of cancer when collected over a 10-year period, saidTomlinson, a member of the CTRC. “Clinically Relevant Changesin Family History of Cancer Over Time,” appeared in the July 13,2011 issue.Researcher Awarded Cancer Prevention Grant to Partner withYMCAThe Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)awarded $265,000 to a researcher from the School of Medicinewho is working with the YMCA of Greater San Antonio toencourage healthy living and cancer prevention.Deborah Parra-Medina, PhD, MPH, Professor of Epidemiologyand Biostatistics in the Health Science Center’s Institute forHealth Promotion Research (IHPR), is co-directing “Y Living,” alifestyle program for cancer prevention and risk reduction.“This collaborative project uses a community-based, familyfocusedapproach. We’ll work with families to promote physicalactivity, a balanced diet and increased awareness of the impact ofa healthy lifestyle on cancer risk reduction,” Parra-Medina said.“We’ll provide health education and use text messages to enrolland motivate them.”IHPR Director Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.PH, who is also AssociateDirector of Health Disparities at the Health Science Center’sCancer Therapy & Research Center, stressed the importance offinding new ways to educate people about their cancer risk andhow they might lower it.“We’re really interested in reaching out to our communitythrough new technologies to provide them with the latestinformation that they can use to reduce risk factors that mightpredispose them to cancer,” Ramirez said.Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2007establishing CPRIT and authorizing the state to issue $3 billion inbonds to fund groundbreaking cancer research and preventionprograms and services in Texas.Study Evaluates Yoga’s Benefits for Breast Cancer SurvivorsA new study is testing how different types of exercise, such asyoga, improve breast cancer survivors’ fitness, quality of life andmolecular indicators of future risk. The study features a team oftranslational researchers at the CTRC, some of whom are alsotesting exercise’s impact on survivors at the molecular level.Molecular researchers Rong Li, PhD, Professor of MolecularMedicine, Sagar Ghosh, PhD, Assistant Professor of MolecularMedicine, and Nicolas Musi, MD, Associate Professor ofMedicine-Diabetes, are looking into how different types ofexercise impact participants’ levels of adipose stromal cells(ASCs), which have been linked with a variety of cancerpromotingfactors. Obese people might have increased numbersof ASCs.The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) in theSchool of Medicine developed the project, called Improving Mindand Physical Activity (IMPACT), in light of staggering obesity andbreast cancer mortality rates. The study is funded by Susan G.Komen for the Cure and led by IHPR Director Amelie G. Ramirez,DrPH.“We expect comprehensive and yoga-focused participants tohave better fitness outcomes, less stress and improved biologicalindicators of future risk of secondary cancers,” said study coprincipalinvestigator Daniel Hughes, PhD, Assistant Professor atthe IHPR.Over the yearlong study, 90 survivors will participate atleast three times a week in one of three forms of exercise towhich participants are randomly assigned for the study: 1.) acomprehensive exercise “prescription” featuring individualizedaerobics, strength-training and flexibility; 2) a yoga exerciseprogram; or 3) general exercise chosen at will.Free Exercise Center for Cancer Survivors LaunchedIt is no surprise that regular exercise brings enormous benefitsto cancer survivors. The trick is putting that knowledge intowidespread practice. That is the goal of a new fitness center forcancer survivors at the CTRC at The University Health ScienceCenter at San Antonio.The fitness center opened in September 2011, and is free andavailable to all cancer patients in the area, regardless of wherethey sought treatment. An added bonus for patients: they canbring close family members.Survivors get complete physical assessments from the fitnesscenter staff, who design individualized fitness programs forparticipants to practice either at the facility or in their homes.They are asked to come in for further assessments to make surethey are doing well and to give feedback to the staff -- feedbackthat could provide additional data and insight into the linkbetween cancer prevention and physical fitness. The study isfunded primarily through a grant from the Cancer Preventionand Research Institute of Texas, with support from the School ofNursing and the Division of Behavioral Medicine at the HealthScience Center.Prof. Stacey Young-McCaughan, RN, PhD, AOCN, of thePsychiatry Department of the School of Medicine at the HealthScience Center, crafted the program based on her 12 years ofwork with hundreds of cancer survivors at Brooke Army MedicalCenter.“It is so rewarding to see cancer survivors take back control oftheir lives with exercise, whether they are beginning again or juststarting out,” Young-McCaughan said.26 Future

Argiris New Chief of Medical Oncology/HematologyIn July, Athanassios (Ethan) Argiris,MD, FACP, was appointed Chief of theDivision of Hematology/Oncology withinCTRC and the Department of Medicine.In addition, Argiris will serve as anAssociate Director of our NCI-designated Cancer Center.Argirs is a nationally and internationally recognizedmedical oncologist and clinical researcher with expertise inthe evaluation and treatment of patients with malignanciesof the head and neck and lung. Prior to his appointment hewas a Professor of Medicine at the University of PittsburghSchool of Medicine with a secondary appointment in theDepartment of Otolaryngology and served as co-Leader of theHead and Neck Cancer Program of the University of PittsburghCancer Institute (UPCI). He was also Medical Directorof the Aerodigestive Cancers Program, in the Division ofHematology-Oncology and held leadership roles in the Headand Neck Cancer and Lung Cancer Specialized Programs ofResearch Excellence (SPORE) of UPCI. His research is focusedon the development of novel therapeutics in early stage andadvanced head and neck and thoracic malignancies, includingcombined modality regimens, that incorporate molecularlytargeted agents, such as inhibitors of angiogenesis, epidermalgrowth factor receptor, PARP, Src, proteasome, mTOR , andhistone deacetylases.Argiris earned his medical degree at the Medical School ofAthens, Greece and completed his Medical Oncology trainingat Yale University where he participated in the development ofnovel chemotherapy regimens. In 2000, he received a YoungInvestigator Scholar Award for Clinical/Translational Researchby the American Association for Cancer Research. From2000-2005, Argiris was an Assistant Professor of Medicineat the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern Universityin Chicago, IL, where he led the clinical research efforts inaerodigestive malignancies. Argiris has authored more than200 articles, abstracts and book chapters, is an AssociateEditor for Head and Neck and has served on the editorialboards of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the InternationalJournal of Cancer Research, Forum of Clinical Oncology andthe Open Lung Cancer Journal, and an elected Fellow of theAmerican College of Physicians. Argiris will maintain an officeand see patients at the CTRC.Lester RosebrockSouth Texas Research Facility Opens Its DoorsOn October 13, 2011, the Health Science Center officiallydedicated the South Texas Research Facility (STRF), a $150 millioncenter of discovery, scientific collaboration and translationalmedicine. Translational medicine is the core concept of the STRF.Teams of clinicians and PhD scientists will generate researchbreakthroughs to be tested clinically with the goal of increasingthe of standard care. The core research programs include: Cancer,Neuroscience, Regenerative Medicine, Center for Healthy Aging,Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science (IIMS).Economically, the STRF brings a sizable benefit to San Antonio.It enables the Health Science Center to begin recruiting 15 to20 new laboratory teams of eight individuals each. “I fully expectthe STRF to become one of our city’s great economic engines aswell as a source of curative discoveries,” Dr. Henrich said. “Theseare well-paying, professional jobs for the city.”Funds to build the STRF included $60 million in tuition revenuebonds approved by the Texas Legislature in 2006, $40 millionfrom the Permanent University Fund, $40.7 million in grants andgifts, and $3.3 million from the city of San Antonio.At 1,100 feet, the STRF stretches longer than some aircraft carriers. Thisphoto was taken from southwest and shows UT Medicine’s Clinical home,the Medical Arts & Research (MARC), in the background and the GreeheyChildren’s Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), in the lower right foreground.Future 27

Highlights and AchievementsEddins-Folensbee New Vice Dean forEducationFlorence Eddins-Folensbee, MD,received her MD from Baylor College ofMedicine where she also did her GeneralPsychiatry Residency as well as a Childand Adolescent Psychiatry Residency. Sheserved as Director of Residency Trainingfor Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and is board certified in bothGeneral Psychiatry and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Shewas serving as the Senior Associate Dean for Admissions andStudent Affairs at Baylor College of Medicine and had also servedas Associate Dean for Student Affairs for five years prior. Shehas been recognized in numerous ways for her dedication andteaching and has been the recipient of several awards for herwork.Shireman Named Executive AcademicLeadership FellowPaula K. Shireman, MD, Professor ofVascular Surgery and Vice Dean for Clinicaland Translational Research, was selected asone of 54 women in the U.S. to participatein the Hedwig van Ameringen ExecutiveLeadership in Academic Medicine Programfor Women (ELAM) at Drexel University College of Medicine. Tobe accepted into the program, each fellow must be nominated bythe Dean or another senior official of her institution. As part ofthe year-long fellowship, the women must identify and work ona project that will address an institutional need. Shireman willbe interviewing various leaders to identify a project and alreadyworks with some of those leaders, she said.Williams New Associate Dean for Faculty& DiversityJanet F. Williams, MD, was appointedto the position of Associate Dean forFaculty and Diversity in the School ofMedicine. In this position, she will developan infrastructure to enhance the academicand behavioral environment supportingour faculty, and by extension, other members of the academiccommunity. In addition, she will promote procedures to optimizethe diversity of our faculty and will develop new programssupporting faculty development and professionalism. Williams,a Professor of Pediatrics, received her MD from Southern IllinoisUniversity and completed her Pediatrics Residency there as well.She has completed leadership fellowship training through theBoston University School of Public Health, was a Robert WoodJohnson Academic General Pediatrics Fellow at the StanfordUniversity School of Medicine, and a DHHS Faculty Fellow inSubstance Abuse Education here in San Antonio. She has beena member of the School of Medicine at San Antonio faculty since1986.Dr. Williams has also been recognized in numerous ways for herdedication and teaching. She was honored as a UT DistinguishedTeaching Professor in 2010 and received the UT System Academyof Health Science Education Medallion to commemorate her2008 induction into that prestigious Academy, as well as manyother awards and honors.Stewart Name Surgery ChairRonald Stewart, MD, was appointedChair of the Department of Surgery. Stewartis a Professor of Surgery and Anesthesiaand had served Interim Chair for Surgerysince October of 2008. He received hisMD from our School of Medicine andcompleted his residency in surgery in SanAntonio, followed by fellowships in Trauma and Surgical CriticalCare at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center inMemphis. Stewart was recruited back to San Antonio where hehas served as the Fellowship Program Director for Surgical CriticalCare, the Trauma Medical Director for University Health Systemand the Trauma Division Chief for the Department of Surgery.He currently holds the Jocelyn and Joe Straus Endowed Chair inTrauma Research. In addition to his board certification, Stewarthas added qualification in Surgical Critical Care. In 2007, Stewartwas also given the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.Quinn Name Orthopaedics ChairRobert Quinn, MD, has been appointedChair of the Department of Orthopaedics.Currently Professor and Vice Chair inthe Department of Orthopaedics at theUniversity of New Mexico, Quinn wasselected after an extensive national search.Quinn obtained his MD degree atHahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia andorthopaedic residency at the University of Connecticut Schoolof Medicine, followed by a fellowship in orthopaedic oncologyat Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.An internationally renowned musculoskeletal tumor specialist,he is a member of several multidisciplinary research groups,including the Children’s Oncology Group, Southwest OncologyGroup, Radiation Oncology Group, American College of SurgeonsOncology Group and International Ewing’s Sarcoma ResearchForum. He will begin his new position April 2, 2012.28 Future

Giuffrida Selected for National SciencePolicy FellowshipAndrea Giuffrida, PhD, AssociateProfessor of Pharmacology, was selectedby the American Association for theAdvancement of Science (AAAS) for itsprestigious AAAS Science and TechnologyPolicy Fellowship. The program enablesaccomplished scientists to contribute to the federal policymakingprocess while learning firsthand about the intersection of scienceand policy. Giuffrida studies the role of natural substances inthe body — called endocannabinoids — that play an importantpart in dopamine transmission in the brain. Endocannabinoidsmay be therapeutic targets for disorders affected by dopaminedysfunction, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.McManus, Moore, Rahimi Elected to the UT System AcademyThree outstanding faculty members were elected to the UTSystem Academy of Health Science Education in 2011: Linda M.McManus, PhD, Charleen M. Moore, PhD, and Omid B. Rahimi,PhD. They were among 12 inductees selected from the six UThealth science campuses. McManus is a Professor of Pathology,Moore is a Professor of Cellular and Structural Biology, and Rahimiis an Assistant Professor of Cellular and Structural Biology andDirector of the Willed Body Program. Janet F. Williams, MD,Distinguished Teaching Professor of Pediatrics and AssociateDean for Faculty and Diversity, is the incoming president ofthe Academy, which is a formal organization of distinguishedscholars recognized for their teaching excellence. The Academy iscommitted to the enhancement of health science education.Pilot BS/MD Degree Program PlannedA pilot program at the School of Medicine is being plannedto address the physician shortage in South Texas. It will enablestudents to earn both their bachelor’s and medical degrees inseven years.The School of Medicine will jointly offer this program with theUniversity of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) starting in the Fallof 2013, allowing students to obtain their Bachelor of Sciencedegree in biology and their Doctor of Medicine degree fromthe institutions in seven years. The program’s first students areexpected to graduate in 2020 with their medical degrees.The combined degree program is part of a UT System initiativeto transform medical education. The new program will increasethe effectiveness and relevance of predoctoral physicianeducation while shortening its duration and decreasing its cost.“Addressing the physician shortage in Texas will take manyforms and this program is an important one,” said FranciscoGonzález-Scarano, MD, Dean of the School of Medicine andVice President for Medical affairs at the Health Science Center.“This type of program has been proven at other schools to bean excellent career path. It will be a valuable option for thosestudents who are focused on medical school as they leave highschool. Furthermore, if this program is eventually expanded,shortening the time required in order to become a physician willhave an important effect on the physician shortage in Texas.”Students will study at UTSA for three years to earn creditstoward their Bachelor of Science degree in biology then beginstudies at the Health Science Center in their fourth year. Tomatriculate to the Health Science Center, students must takethe MCAT and earn a minimum score of 27. UTSA will award thestudents their Bachelor of Science degree in biology after theycomplete their fourth year in the program. For more informationvisit the website at http://som.uthscsa.edu/FAME or contactDavid Henzi, EdD, Director of Academic Enhancement: (210)567-4469 or Henzi@uthscsa.edu.ACP to Honor Diehl, Turner, with MastershipsThe American College of Physicians(ACP) will honor two School of Medicinefaculty members, Andrew K. Diehl, MD,MSc, and Barbara J. Turner, MD, MSEd,MA, with advancement to mastershipduring its annual convocation ceremonyApril 19, 2012, in New Orleans, La. Electionto mastership recognizes outstanding andextraordinary career accomplishments.Diehl has been a faculty member since1977. He currently is Professor and Chiefof the Division of General Medicine in theDepartment of Medicine, and holds theO. Roger Hollan, MD, Professorship inInternal Medicine. Diehl is an expert in gallbladder diseases andevidence-based recommendations for screening, counseling andchemoprophylaxis of chronic diseases in adults.Turner is professor of medicine and director of the Research toAdvance Community Health (ReACH) Center, a multidisciplinarycollaboration of researchers and clinicians from the HealthScience Center, University Health System (UHS) and theUniversity of Texas School of Public Health. She also serves asdirector of Health Outcomes Improvement at UHS. Before joiningthe Health Science Center in 2010, Dr. Turner was executivedeputy editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine and professor ofmedicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She practices generalinternal medicine and is a health services researcher with morethan 140 peer-reviewed publications primarily addressing healthcare for vulnerable populations and to reduce health disparities.Faculty Participate in National Long-term Childhood HealthStudyA new study has begun enrolling local patients in what willlikely be the nation’s largest long-term study on childhood andpregnancy. The National Children’s Study is a federally fundedsurvey that will examine the effects of the environment – includingsuch factors as air, water, diet, noise, family dynamics, genetics,and community and cultural influences – on 100,000 childrenacross the United States. The study recruits pregnant women andfollows the growth, development, and health of their children untilage 21.“There is so much to learn about the conditions in a child’sContinued next page.Future 29

Highlights and Achivements ContinuedContinued from previous pageworld that influence that child’s lifelong health,” said Daniel E.Hale, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Principal Investigator forthe Bexar County area. “The National Children’s Study will helpus understand the many ways environmental factors interact witha child’s genetic inheritance.” Hale was also named the InterimDirector of the Clinical Research Center being developed at theSchool’s Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen, Texas.The local site is one of the first ones up and running in thenational study, which will have 105 sites across the country. It isa logical choice, said Co-Principal Investigator Donald J. Dudley,MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, noting, “We area good example of where population trends are headed in theUnited States.”Dudley is particularly interested in the outcomes the study willreveal. Researchers hope to learn about contributing factors ofautism, asthma, childhood obesity and many other issues.School of Medicine’s Diversity Makes National ListEach fall the School makes Hispanic Business magazine’s list ofthe Best Medical Schools for Hispanics. In the new list, announcedin September 2011, the School of Medicine is ranked fifth bestamong the 133 accredited U.S. medical schools. This is basedon the number and percentage of Hispanic enrollment, medicaldegrees earned by Hispanics, number of full-time Hispanic faculty,and participation in programs that recruit, support and mentorHispanic medical students.Entering medical school was a scary proposition for AlfredoCamero Jr., born and raised in Laredo on the South Texas borderand the first in his family to go into medicine. Yet he found manyavenues of support and a welcoming environment in the Schoolof Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science CenterSan Antonio, which consistently makes the Hispanic BusinessMagazine’s list of the Best Medical Schools for Hispanics.The School of Medicine has a 96 percent retention rate. Italso graduates a higher percentage of Hispanic students at 16.9percent, and has a higher percentage of minority faculty members(Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black orAfrican American) at 18.6 percent, than 90 percent of NorthAmerican medical schools do, Association of American MedicalColleges statistics show.Hispanic students here can plug into a number of supportstructures, including the Latino Medical Student Association, anorganization sponsored by a faculty mentor, Manuel Ángel Oscós-Sánchez, MD, Associate Professor of Family and CommunityMedicine.Camero, who is president of the association and now in hisfourth year in the School of Medicine, says, “Our institution isspecial, and I know that part of my success is owed to the greatmentoring I received during medical school.”degree program offered jointly by the School of Medicine and theUT School of Public Health in Houston.The program is the first in Texas — and one of the first inthe country — to enable students to finish both degrees in fouryears. These new physicians have a heightened awareness of thediverse issues that affect the health of populations, such as theenvironment, insurance and health care policy.“Many of these students learned about public health challengesat the U.S.-Mexico border in the Laredo and Harlingen areas,”said Claudia Miller, MD, MS, Assistant Dean for the MD/MPH,Program in the School of Medicine and professor and vice chair ofthe Department of Family and Community Medicine. “Most of ourMD/MPH, graduates completed the South Texas EnvironmentalEducation and Research (STEER) four-week course elective, whichintroduces students to air and water concerns, health departmentstrategies, daily life in colonias and more. “The number of MD/MPH students in each class has grownsteadily over the past five years and now numbers total more than100. For more information, visit the School of Medicine websiteand click on the education link. A list of 2012 graduates can befound on page 34 of this magazine.Alan Peterson, PhD: Continued from page 9A sample of journal articles on Post Traumatic Stress DisorderCigrang, J. A., Rauch, S. A. M., Avila, L. L., Bryan, C. J., Goodie, J. L.,Hryshko-Mullen, A., Peterson, A. L., and the STRONG STARConsortium. (2011). Treatment of active-duty military with PTSD inprimary care: Early findings. Psychological Services, 8(2), 104-113.doi:10.1037/a0022740.Cigrang, J. A., Peterson, A. L., & Schobitz, R. P. (2005). ThreeAmerican troops in Iraq: Evaluation of a brief exposure therapytreatment for the secondary prevention of combat-related PTSD.Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy, 1(2), 1-25.McGeary, D., Moore, M., Vriend, C. A., Peterson, A. L., & Gatchel, R.J. (2011). The evaluation and treatment of comorbid pain and PTSDin a military setting: An overview. Journal of Clinical Psychology inMedical Settings, 18, 155-163. doi:10.1007/s10880-011-9236-5.Peterson, A. L., Luethcke, C. A., Borah, E. V., Borah, A. M., &Young-McCaughan, S. (2011). Assessment and treatment ofcombat-related PTSD in returning war veterans. Journal of ClinicalPsychology in Medical Settings, 18, 164-175. doi:10.1007/s10880-011-9238-3.Peterson, A. L., Wong, V., Haynes, M. F., Bush, A. C., &Schillerstrom, J. E.(2010). Documented combat-related mentalhealth problems in military noncombatants. Journal of TraumaticStress, 23(6), 674-681. doi:10.1002.jts.20585.First MD/MPH GraduatesMore than a dozen School of Medicine graduates achieveddual distinction — degrees in medicine and public health in May2011. This was the first class to complete the four-year MD/MPH.30 Future

STRONG STAR: Continued from page 7From despair to hope: A wounded warrior begins to healSTRONG STAR’s two major treatment studies at Fort Hood werepreparing to launch when Brack came looking for help. Each of thesestudies is led by the renowned psychologists who developed the twoevidence-based therapies for PTSD:• Edna Foa, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania,developer of PE• Patricia Resick, PhD, of the National Center for PTSD,VA Boston Healthcare System, developer of CPT.Brack voluntarily sought treatment as a STRONG STAR clinicalcase and was assigned to group Cognitive Processing Therapy, but hehad some hesitations.“I wasn’t sure about group therapy,” he said. “It was difficult evento have to think about the events that caused my PTSD. So I wasuncomfortable having to talk with other soldiers about them and howI was feeling. I thought they might think I was nuts.”His attitude soon changed.“By the second or third session, it already felt like a big weight hadbeen lifted off of me,” he said. “It felt good to get these things off mychest, and it was helpful to see that other soldiers were thinking andreacting the same way I was. I knew I wasn’t going crazy. I was havinga normal reaction to bad things that happen during war.”Understanding trauma, key to recoveryA fellow group member identified a key “trigger” for Brack’ssymptoms.“One of the things that hit me hard during my first deploymenthappened on Thanksgiving night,” he said. “A couple of young girlswere caught in the crossfire of a fight that erupted when we were onpatrol. It became my job to bag the bodies, and when I looked at theface of this 12-year-old girl, I saw my own daughter. That was an uglynight.”Once home, he found himself getting depressed more as theholidays approached.“Now it seems logical that it was because Thanksgiving remindedme of that night in Iraq, but I’d never made the connection beforebecause I didn’t want to think about it. It was someone in my groupwho pointed that out to me. He identified one of my triggers.”Triggers are events and situations that remind you of a traumaticevent you experienced and bring on PTSD symptoms.“In therapy, they taught us to recognize triggers before they happenso we can see them coming and step over them,” Brack explained.Another aspect of his therapy helped him with his anger andhis mistrust of Army leadership. He saw that it stemmed from adisagreement with his commander on how to respond to a familythat had been attacked and appeared at the gate of their forwardoperating base seeking help.“One of the things I really like about the STRONG STAR programis that my therapist didn’t try to make me change my mind and agreewith my commander’s decision,” Brack said. But he learned to reactdifferently.“I no longer blame myself for things over which I have no control,”he said, “and I don’t fault my commander for a difficult decisionthat had to be made in a split second, especially when I don’t knowContinued next pageIn MemoriamDr. James J. Young, Ph.DJames J. Young, Ph.D., 84,a former Dean of the Schoolsof Medicine and Allied Health,died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011.Young was born November 28,1926, in the Lower Rio GrandeValley at Fort Ringgold, near RioGrande City. His father was ahorse cavalryman in the Army.Entering the Army himself at theend of World War II, he servedin the in the U.S. Army MedicalDepartment, achieving the gradeof brigadier general and the designation as chief of the MedicalServices Corps.He joined the Health Science Center in 1987 as Dean of theSchool of Allied Health Sciences (now the School of HealthProfessions) through 1989, when he was named Dean of theSchool of Medicine. He retired in 2000.“Dr. Young was a very open, fair individual and easy to workwith,” said Marvin Forland, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicineand former longtime Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs in theSchool of Medicine. “What was most impressive to me wasthat he really had an extraordinary ethical code, a very strongset of values. He followed these in all his relationships.”Francisco González-Scarano, MD, Dean of the School ofMedicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs of the HealthScience Center, said, “I met Dean Young when I arrived in SanAntonio. His first act was to give us a fabulous book with ahistory of the city. I will leave it to others who knew him as adean to speak of his achievements, but I knew him as a kindman who loved our institution.”Young’s son, Robert Young, MD, a San Antonio obstetriciangynecologistand 1975 graduate of the School of Medicine,said, “He had many achievements in his life. He was veryhonored, as a non-physician, to be chosen as Dean of theSchool of Medicine. His greatest satisfaction was his personalrelationships. He enjoyed interacting with the medical studentsand the faculty.”A daughter, Mary Young Sippell, MD, received hermedical degree from the School of Medicine in 1990 and is ananesthesiologist in Fall River, Massachusettes.Dr. Young is survived by his wife, June Young; threebrothers, Thomas, John and Richard Young; three sons, Dr.Robert Young and wife Cathy, Steven Young and wife Barbara,and Patrick Young; a daughter, Dr. Mary Sippell and husbandJohn Sippell; four grandchildren, Dr. Rebecca Young, KristenBellows, Nicole Semore and Margeaux Sippell; and two greatgrandchildren,Ethan Evans and Kendra Semore.Future 31

Continued from previous page.everything that he had to consider.“Also, this is war. It’s impossible to plan and prepare forevery eventuality, but you can know that bad things will happen.Mistakes will be made. There will be some failures. Afterwards,you can’t change it; you can only learn from it and have somecontrol over how it affects you.”Brack has done just that. Since his treatment, he no longer hasPTSD, and he’s not the same person he was before – he’s stronger.“I feel so much better now, and I know that my family is so muchhappier with my being a more engaged part of it,” he said. “Now,I’m more fun and spontaneous. I’ll tell my son, ‘Let’s go play catch,’or my wife, ‘Let’s meet for lunch,’ or ‘Let’s grab the kids and takethem to Enchanted Rock.’ This year, she even talked me into takingour first family vacation. We never had since we were married onSeptember 12, 2001. I never wanted to before; I preferred to beat home in my comfort zone. This year, we traveled to Coloradoand had a great time, and now I’m looking forward to more familyvacations.”He believes the insight he’s gained from his experiences hasmade him a better platoon leader and better at training youngsoldiers.“Work is still work, but I take a lot more satisfaction in what Ido,” he said.In June 2011, as he prepared to leave for Afghanistan, he wasglad to have renewed confidence in his chain of command.“I’m not excited about leaving my family for a year, but if I haveto, the idea of spending a year in a combat zone with folks I trustis a universe better than the alternative,” he said. “And I know Ican trust my commanders. They’re smart guys. They’ve gottento where they are through ability. I can depend on them, andI’m proud to serve with them. Ours is a hard job, but I’ll do thehard job, and I’ll go through the hard experiences so that otherAmericans don’t have to.”Could wounded warriors become our strongest warriors?Dr. Peterson believes that, with access to the right treatment,other service members affected by the psychological wounds ofwar can gain the same new lease on life that Brack has, not onlyrecovering from PTSD but emerging even more resilient thanbefore.“They have learned and grown and become stronger throughtheir experience, and as a result, they may now be some of ourbest service members and leaders,” Dr. Peterson said. “That isa primary goal of STRONG STAR -- to help our psychologicallywounded warriors heal and strengthen and be able to continueand excel in their military careers, or if they separate from themilitary, to live happy, productive civilian lives.”with a description of their research efforts:• Peter Fox, MD, Director of the Research Imaging InstituteDepartment of Radiology: Director of the STRONG STARNeuroimaging Core; principal investigator of a research studyapplying neuroimaging methods to study PTSD in the context oftreatment to learn more about the pathophysiology of PTSD andthe neurobiological changes associated with treatment.• Stacey Young-McCaughan, RN, PhD, Department of Psychiatry:STRONG STAR Consortium Coordinator; principal investigatorof an epidemiological study investigating how PTSD treatmentimpacts comorbid insomnia; principal investigator of an affiliatedstudy evaluating the benefits of exercise on PTSD treatment.• Jim Mintz, PhD, Department of Psychiatry: Director of theSTRONG STAR Biostatistics, Data, and Computing Services Core;principal investigator for the STRONG STAR Data Repository,which will help address STRONG STAR research questions foryears to come.• Alan Peterson, PhD, Department of Psychiatry: STRONGSTAR Consortium Director; STRONG STAR AdministrativeCore Director; principal investigator of a pilot study evaluatingthe delivery of evidence-based psychotherapies in theater inAfghanistan.• John Roache, PhD, Department of Psychiatry: STRONG STARDeputy Director; principal investigator of a clinical trial with theVA evaluating the combined use of psychotherapy and medicationto treat comorbid PTSD and alcohol dependence and looking forways to predict who will respond well to medication and who willbe neutrally or negatively affected by it.• J. Randy Strong, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, principalinvestigator of a preclinical study looking at the role of early lifestressors in PTSD susceptibility.• Douglas Williamson, PhD, Department of Psychiatry: Directorof the STRONG STAR Genomics and Basic Science Core; principalinvestigator of a research study examining the interaction of genesand the environment on susceptibility to, and resilience against,PTSD.School of Medicine Faculty Advancing STRONG STAR’s MissionFourteen principal investigators from eight separate military,civilian, and Veteran’s Administration institutions are workingwith more than 100 collaborators to carry out STRONG STAR’simportant mission. Below is a list of STRONG STAR leaders fromthe UT Health Science Center and the School of Medicine, along32 Future

The Military and the School of Medicine: Continued from page 5breadth and depth of experiences and exposure to diverse patientpopulations for residents, Bready says. Typical military patientsinclude active-duty military, who tend to be younger and veryfit, along with retirees and elderly patients. On the civilian side,University Hospital and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Systemhospitals have a different kind of patient population and morecases such as trauma, transplants and morbid obesity, which arenot nearly as common in the military population.“Each side serves a slightly different patient population andthat makes great teaching opportunities for both sides,” Breadysays. “The patients that residents and fellows learn with are reallyimportant, and if you have different kinds of populations, it is aricher and more broadly based clinical training experience forthem. It is a great combination of training for both sides.”The Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital is another example of theintertwining between the School and military. Across the country,VA hospitals are designated teaching hospitals attached toacademic health centers. The VA system funds more than 200 ofthe nearly 750 residents enrolled here, Bready says.“It is a cost-effective way of delivering health care to theveteran population,” Bready says. “That population tends to bea little sicker than just the standard community hospital type ofpatient. They also find it a great recruiting tool. As they are lookingfor physicians to practice within the VA system, they find thatthose folks who did some part of their GME training within a VAfacility are very frequently interested in VA employment. It is awin-win for them.”Even where no formal personnel exchanges are in place, thereare efforts to share knowledge between the institutions throughjoint educational opportunities. Some departments, includingneurology, ophthalmology and dermatology, have joint GrandRounds every week. Faculty and residents from both the Schooland the military gather to present interesting and unusual casesfor discussion. The two also team up for joint conferences withpresentations by faculty and guest lecturers.Research for BothThe combination of military resources and researchopportunities drew Schwacha to the School’s Department ofSurgery from the University of Alabama at Birmingham nearlyfour years ago. He wanted to continue his academic career whilefollowing a strong interest in burn research, which made SanAntonio a natural choice because of the USAISR Burn Centerlocated here.Today, Schwacha is a full-time researcher who divides histime between the two institutions. He spends approximately aquarter of his time working on research with the military througha personnel exchange agreement. The rest of his time is devotedto research and educational commitments within the Departmentof Surgery.From a research standpoint, the military and the School arenatural partners, Schwacha says. The School offers a breadth anddepth of academic capabilities, including basic science expertise,whereas military research is more clinically oriented. If facultymembers at the School are conducting research that focuses ontreating burn patients, investigators can work with the Burn Centerat BAMC; if military researchers are investigating issues relatingto trauma patients, they can work with the patient population atUniversity Hospital, home to a Level 1 Trauma Center that servesas the lead trauma facility for a 22-county area.Sharing ExpertiseAir Force Lieutenant Colonel . Jeffrey McNeil, MD, is anotherexample of sharing people and resources for the mutual benefit ofthe military and the School. McNeil recently returned to his role asa military surgeon at SAMMC after six years as a full-time facultymember in the School’s Depart of Cardiothoracic Surgery.As military medical operations in San Antonio began toconsolidate, McNeil found that he was one of seven cardiothoracicsurgeons at one hospital, with not enough patients for all of themto maintain their proficiency.McNeil, who did his general surgery training at the School,looked to his contacts here for the next stage in his career. Hearranged to teach within the residency training program forCardiothoracic Surgery at the School, a role that entailed somedidactics but mostly experience in the operating room and at thebedside, taking care of patients and supervising residents.Under this arrangement, the School gained a valuable facultymember, and McNeil was able to fulfill his obligations to the AirForce.The Air Force benefited from having a qualified, proficientsurgeon standing by if needed, as happened – twice. McNeilwent to Iraq on two separate deployments in 2005 and againin 2007. Both deployments put McNeil in the Air Force TheaterHospital in Balad, where he operated on a total of nearly 1,000wounded.Following both deployments, he resumed his faculty positionthen returned to SAMMC this year, when his skills were neededthere full-time.Strong relationships with the military create a steady flow oftalent to the School of Medicine. Many retired or former militaryphysicians have joined the School’s faculty over the years. Havingex-military faculty on staff not only provides additional expertisebut also broadens the specialty talent pool, says Iam Thompson,Jr, MD.For example, through existing relationships with the military,the School was able to recruit Dennis Peppas, MD, a pediatricurologist and Interim chair of the Department of Urology whoretired in 2004 from his role as Chair of Urology at Walter ReedArmy Medical Center. Now, the School is home to one of the city’sfew pediatric urologists, a hard-to-come-by subspecialty.“The relationship expands the talent that you can bring to thecity,” Thompson says, adding, “Building on a history of successfulcollaborations, the partnerships between the military and Schoolwill continue to evolve, as a team approach to science andmedicine becomes increasingly important.”Future 33

School of Medicine2011 Graduating ClassAamir Ali Abbas, MDGabriela Aguayo Arias, MD, MPHJenny Aguilar, MDJavier Antonio Aguirre, MDJawad Tahir Ali, MDWesley Lloyd Allen, MDObianuju Angelica Aluka, MDCrystal Alex Alvarez, MDEric James Andrews, MDTrisha Danielle Anest, MD, MPHKatherine Cox Ansley, MDElizabeth Arno Shivone, MDCecivon Arreola-Garcia, MDElizabeth Hamilton Arrington, MDShari Michelle Barnett, MDPhilip James Benavides, MDDaniel Gregory Benson, MDJames Calvin Black III, MDJennifer Michelle Bliss, MDBrandon Wayne Bonds, MDAlan Frederick Brown, MDChristopher Marcus Brown, MDMeredith Anne Bryarly, MDLauren Reagan Burge, MDScott Daniel Burge, MDElizabeth Bendig Burgener, MDJessica Gray Burney, MDMolly Virginia Burns, MDNoelia Cabrera, MDDaniel Lee Callaway, MDRichard Bigelow Cannon, MDAmy Thuy Cao, MDColin M. Carpenter, MDCharles Leonard Cecil IV, MDJanet Chen, MDJehee Choi, MDErin Lynn Cicalese, MDCatherine Cody Larson, MDLeah Allison Cohen, MDAshley Schriewer Cooley, MDAshley Elizabeth Corley, MDDanielle Kay Coulter, MDNaomi Ruth Courtright, MDCameron Blake Culver, MD, MPHJoseph Henry Dannenbaum IV, MDTiffany Marie Davis, MD, MPHDaniel De Los Santos, MDLauren Elizabeth Dies, MDRoger George Dikdan, MDJulia Anne Donelson, MDSarah Elizabeth Duong, MD, MPHChristopher Ryan Dwyer, MDAustin Tanner Eagleton, MDMarcus E. Emebo, MD, MPHStephanie Anne Ericson, MDLauren Deeann Evans, MDKelly Marie Fegan, MD, MPHJamie Lynn Felton, MDElva Elizabeth Fernandez , MDJames Austin Follett, MDMarcus Christopher Ford, MDSarah Fortner Birdsall, MDBryce Chatham Foster, MDBen Scott Francisco , MDAlaric Donham Frazier, MDAndrea Garcia, MDAshley Lynett Garcia-Everett, MDKelly Ann Gardner, MDParul Garg, MDKatherine Yoon Mee Garvey, MDGabriel Gomez, MDAna Maria Gonzalez, MDMicheal J. Gradassi, MDMegan Jane Gray, MD, MPHRichard Scott Groat, MDDelisa Eva Guadarrama, MDKelly M. Guido, MDIrfanullah Haider, MDStephen James Halliday, MDRobert Kee Hang, MDOscar Hernandez, MDWilliam Andrew Heymann, MD, MPHRussell Mark Hill, MDAdam Christopher Hines, MDJoshua Donald Hollinger, MDJonathan Scott Holloway, MDEvan Alexander Howard, MDAlbert Yung-Hsiang Huang, MDChristina Tram Huynh, MDMary Kathryn Hyland, MDNnaemeka Chukwuka Idigo, MDCristina Ippolito, MDPooya Iranpour, MDNeal Morris Jackson, MDBrian Edward Jameson, MDKrystal Lynn Jerry, MDRachel Ellen Jones, MDMichael Broughton Jordan, MDChristine Elizabeth Joy, MDKyle Jeffrey Kalkwarf, MDDaniel Sebom Kim, MDGina J. Kim, MD, MPHCodi Richardson Kingman, MDChase Alan Kissling, MDMelissa Hor-Yee Kwan, MDJohn Austin Lahourcade, MDJennifer Art-Lang Lai, MDHa Lam, MDJacquelyn Rae Lange, MDAvanti Bharat Latthe, MDChristopher I. Lee, MDMichelle Lee, MDJames Cong Li, MDRobert W. Loar, MDCherie Lynne Long, MDBernard Andrew Lynch, MDMandeep Singh Mangat, MDJesse Carrillo Martinez Jr., MDMarissa Nicole Martinez, MDJames Christopher McCulloch, MDMichelle Leigh McDonald, MDMichael James McGinity, MDMatthew Arthur Meissner, MDElizabeth Diltz Menking, MDIan Ross Miller, MDMatthew Christopher Miller, MDBryan Charles Monier, MDCatherine Maree Montenegro, MDJorge Montes IV, MDJennifer R. Nelson, MDJohn Thomas Nelson, MDLynn Kim Nguyen, MDVinh Quoc Nguyen, MDJaclyn Ann Niederstadt, MDOmid Noormohammadi, MDAliza Steinberg Norwood, MDFlorence Adaku Nwagwu, MDMichael Ryan Odom, MDNathan Michael Oehrlein, MDNancy C. Okechukwu, MD, MPHChristina Sevilla Ortega, MDShirley Nneka Osadebe, MDNicolas Lawrence Palaskas, MDDavid V. Paolino, MDShweta Sandeep Parmekar, MDAlberto Parra, MDArielle Jaclyn Perez, MD, MPHLeonel Perez Jr., MDMarcella Denise Perez, MDMatthew Thomas Perry, MDKim Pham, MDRobert D. Phan, MDChuck Plumlee, MDKristi Renea Pogue, MDMariano Porto, MDLaura Anna Probst, MDNitin Uddarju Raju, MDEmma Holliday Ramahi, MDAmy Elizabeth Rapp, MDRobin Leigh Reister, MDStephen Dale Rellas, MDMeghan Claye Riddle, MDAlejandro Javier Rios Tovar, MDKatherine Marie Robert Mackey, MDAllison Rebecca Roland, MDJessica Eve Rosales, MDMark Brady Rowan, MDAdria Claudia Savino , MDGabriel Jesus Salinas Jr., MDAnna Kathleen Schlechter, MDRobert Asa Scranton, MDJeffrey Thomas Sewell, MDDave Naresh Shahani, MDJohnny Shen, MDKao-swi Karina Shih, MDCourtney Michelle Shockley, MDWalter James Shuham, MDMariam Aysha Siddiqui, MDFeroze Yazdi Sidhwa, MDSarah Megan Smith, MDEugene Lee Son, MDJose Raul Soto, MD, MPHElizabeth Maddox Spencer, MDJoshua James Stagg, MDStephen Lynn Steele, MDSamuel Houston Stevens, MDKristi Kim Stone-Garza, MD, MPHJessica Brittain Sulser, MDAndrew Bernard Theilen, MDLauren Holguin Theilen, MDClinton Michael Thome, MDJantzen D. Thorns, MD, MPHPablo Tovar, MDDavid Michael Tremblay, MDDanilo Marques Volpini, MDMeeta Ravindra Wagle, MDYaoyao Angela Wang, MDBrian David Welsh, MDRyan Kennard White, MDPhillip Blaine Whiting, MDJulia Berry Wibskov Guerin, MDKatie Christine Wiggins-Dohlvik, MDRyan Anthony Williams, MDBenjamin Alan Wilson, MDPatrice Suzanne Wilson, MDRebekkah Liana Wilson, MDAshley Renee Wolodzko, MDGeoffrey George Wood, MDBrandon Thomas Woods, MDJoy Marissa Wortham, MDMi Mickey Yang, MDSimon Way-Kung Yow, MDCatherine Elaine Yee, MDEmily Nicole Yee, MDBeverly Yee-Whipple, MDAlissa D. Zastrow, MD34 Future

President’s MessageDear School of Medicine Alumni:I would like to welcome the Class of 2011 to the Alumni Association! On May 21, 2011 our newest class ofgraduates joined thousands of proud alumni who are forever grateful for the outstanding medical education wereceived, which allows us to pursue the noble profession of making lives better as competent and compassionatephysicians and medical educators.Drawing upon our fond memories and warm affection for our alma mater, the Alumni Association is committedto nurturing the friendships we formed in school while supporting the School’s leadership and enhancing theeducational experience of our current and future medical students. Our Alumni Relations staff, David Perryman andSonia Rogers, have done an outstanding job of working with the Alumni Board to develop new initiatives that willenable us to stay informed, get involved, and become invested in the School of Medicine.To help us stay informed, we launched a quarterly electronic newsletter this spring called Alumni Today, which provides up-to-dateinformation about Alumni Association programs and events as well as news about fellow alumni. We have also worked closely with theOffice of Development to launch a new online community for the Health Science Center called HSConnect. Please take a moment toregister on HSConnect so that you can update your profile page, search for classmates, post class notes, and make secure online gifts. Ialso encourage you to become a fan of our alumni Facebook page to make real-time fun connections with former classmates and otheralumni. You can access all of these resources from our website at www.SAmedAlum.com.We currently offer a number of programs and activities designed to help more of our alumni get involved. In the past 18 months, forexample, we have launched alumni chapters in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) and Dallas to help our graduates in those areas make valuableprofessional contacts as well as personal friendships. Special thanks go to Drs. Maria Dill ’86 (Alumni Board member), Alberto Pena ’02,Nolan Perez ’98, and Javier Saenz ’82 (Alumni Board member) in the RGV, along with Drs. Bill ’90 and Chiufang Hwang ’92 and BarryWilcox ’92 in Big D. We have also started hosting an alumni reception each summer in the Raleigh-Durham area with the help of Dr. MikeBrennan ’78, Alumni Board member. In the coming year, I will strive to initiate a New England alumni chapter. In addition, Alumni Boardmembers, Drs. Payal Patel ’10 and Rob Mohr ’10, have launched a Young Alumni Chapter focused on hosting special events and deliveringunique resources to alumni who have graduated since 2000. We continue to host our quarterly “Connect the Docs” receptions for our SanAntonio-area alumni. Beyond alumni chapters, we encourage alumni around the country to participate in our HOST (Help Our StudentsTravel) Program to support fourth-year students interviewing for residency programs. With the leadership of Dr. Pam Camosy ’80, AlumniBoard member, we also have developed some unique opportunities for alumni to mentor students in community service programs as wellas allow students to shadow them in their clinics.I also hope you will join us in becoming invested in our alma mater. The Alumni Association’s fund raising efforts directly supportthe educational experience of our medical students. The Student Education Enhancement Fund supports students’ community servicelearning, medical outreach trips, tutoring services, summer research projects, and clinical skills training. The Alumni Class EndowedScholarship Program recognizes and rewards outstanding students with scholarships. Our goal is for all of our alumni to give everyyear to one of these programs at a level that is comfortable for you and your families. Every gift matters, and all gifts are 100 percenttax deductible. The Alumni Association recognizes all donors with engraved nameplates on plaques in the Alumni Association StudentLounge. We also list donors on our website and in FUTURE magazine. Please visit our website to make your secure online donationtoday. If you have made a donation to one of these funds in the past, please know that your gift has already made a positive impact onthe educational experience of our students. We will start posting stories on the website this winter that illustrate how alumni giving hasimpacted students.With heartfelt gratitude, we continue to celebrate the many contributions of our Founding Faculty, whose vision and hard work havemade all our dreams as physicians possible. At our May alumni dinner honoring our Founding Faculty, the Alumni Association presentedDean Francisco González-Scarano, M.D. with a $10,000 check to support the Student Education Enhancement Fund. We made this giftin honor of these early professors who helped establish and grow our School. To preserve their inspirational stories, we have workedin collaboration with Health Science Center Libraries, the School of Medicine, and the Office of Development to create and post videointerviews of Drs. Marvin Forland, Carlos Pestana, Arthur McFee, and other Founding Faculty on our website. Special thanks go to KimWarshauer, Director of Development, for spearheading this important tribute.Having completed my first year as your President, I continue to be humbled by the large cowboy boots into which I’ve stepped. Iwish to express heartfelt appreciation for the inspirational leadership of Dr. Larry Holly ’73, our immediate Past-President of the AlumniAssociation. With genuine love and deep commitment, Larry led our Alumni Association to new heights while epitomizing what it meansto be an engaged alumnus. He has given generously of his time by presenting CME courses at Reunion Weekends and serving on theselection committee that confirmed Dr. William Henrich as President of the UT Health Science Center. In addition, Larry has built anexemplary medical practice in Beaumont, Texas, and has been a leading figure in the effort to revolutionize the way medicine is practicedin our country. So it gives me great joy to inform our alumni that a gift had been made to the Health Science Center in Larry and Carolyn’shonor that will fund renovations to the new Dr. and Mrs. James L. Holly Auditorium. It is both appropriate and wonderful that many ofthe events of greatest significance to medical students, parents, grandparents, friends, and alumni will take place in a facility bearing hisname. I hope you will visit campus soon, visit the new Holly Auditorium, and reflect on how this School has changed your life and whatwe can do together to support the outstanding visionary leadership of President Henrich and Dean González-Scarano.Carpe Diem!36 FutureValerie Pronio-Stelluto, M.D., F.A.C.P. ’90President, Alumni Associationvalerie_pronio-stelluto@hms.harvard.eduIn MemoriamDr. Warren P. Bagley ’79 (59 years old)Dr. Bert L. Chauveaux ’75 (61 years old)

You are a member of the Alumni Association if:• You earned your MD from the School of Medicine and/or• You completed a residency or fellowship program at the School of Medicine.Enjoy all the benefits of membership with no annual fees or membership dues!www.SAmedAlum.comAlumni NewsBeamer ’92 Wins AMA App ChallengeAfter receiving hundreds of medical app ideas fromphysicians, residents, and medical students during the AMAApp Challenge, the AMA announced in November the namesof the two winners: Michael Ray Bykhovsky, a third-yearmedical student in Georgia, and Dr. Cynthia Beamer ’92, apediatric emergency physician practicing in San Antonio andEl Paso. The two winners were honored at a reception duringthe Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates.Beamer won the category for physicians with her “Rounder”app, which provides a means for physicians to capture dataon hospital patients and easily track their patients’ progress.During her time as a hospitalist, she found that overseeingresidents and taking care of patients left little time tosupervise hand-offs. Beamer hopes that the app will bothstreamline the process and make it more methodical. Shebelieves the new app could replace handwritten notes, whichcan be illegible and even lead to privacy violations. The appwould be a “much safer and better way to trade data,” shesaid.Dr. Peter W. Carmel, President of the AMA,congratulates Dr. Cynthia Beamer ’92 at the AMAApp Challenge awards ceremony.“The 2011 AMA App Challenge was hugely successful,”said AMA Board Chair-elect Steven J. Stack, M.D. “Appsare among the many ways physicians and future physicianslearn, stay connected and juggle busy schedules, andwe congratulate Dr. Beamer and Mr. Bykhovsky for theirinnovative and winning ideas.”Register in New Online Alumni CommunityThe Alumni Association is pleased to introduce HSConnect: our new convenient and secureonline community. Go to www.SAmedAlum.com and register now to take advantage of thefollowing features and benefits:• Alumni Directory: Reconnect with your classmates and expand your network ofprofessional contacts.• My Profile: Update your online profile and determine which information otherregistered users can see.• Online Giving: Give to specific programs, departments or research projects thatinterest you — in a safe and secure online environment.• My Giving History: View a record of your past gifts to help you decide which programsto support in the future.• E-mail Updates and E-newsletters: Receive the latest news about the Health ScienceCenter and its schools, centers and institutes.Future 39

“I love watching students absorb the vast volume ofinformation, dissect it, process it, and ultimately grow as theymake sense of it all,” he said. “The most amazing experiencefor me as an academic physician is when I see my studentscomplete their residencies. Some of them have becomephysicians in my community, and others are now facultycolleagues of mine who teach me new things about medicine.”The School of Medicine Alumni Association recognizedCobos’ myriad accomplishments by selecting him as therecipient of the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award. Uponreceiving this honor, Cobos responded in a self-deprecatingmanner true to his West Texas upbringing and family values: “Ifelt so honored and humbled to receive the award,” he noted.“This School gave me an opportunity, allowed me to accomplishmy goal, set the standard of how to fulfill my role as a physician.As I look around the state and the country, the Health ScienceCenter at San Antonio has so many talented alumni who aremuch more deserving of this award. This realization drives me tocontinue to make as many contributions to my field and to striveevery day to maintain the high standards of our medical school,so I can help enhance its stellar reputation.”As for career advice he would offer medical students andyoung physicians, Cobos commented on the importance oftaking it one day at a time: “You get up in the morning and try tobe the best you can be that day. Try to learn something new andlive up to the high standards of our profession every day. Treatyour patients with humility and compassion. Seek advice andtreat others with respect each day. Before you know it, severalyears have gone by, and you have a body of work that you can beproud of.”Nominate a Classmatefor the2012 DistinguishedAlumni AwardThe Alumni Relations Office iscalling for nominationsfor the 2012 DistinguishedAlumni Award. To nominatesomeone, go towww.SAmedAlum.comand follow the Awards andScholarships link to theDistinguished Alumni Awardpage. You can also contactthe Alumni Relations Office atmedalumni@uthscsa.edu or210-567-0614. The deadline fornominations is May 31, 2012.Alumni ProfileIsn’t it about time you got engaged?• Host fourth-year students when they travel fortheir residency interviews.• Mentor medical students or let them shadowyou in your clinic.• Work side-by-side with students oncommunity service projects.• Host an alumni gathering in your city.• Serve as a class agent for Reunion Weekend.To find out more, go to www.SAmedAlum.com.Stay Informed. Get Involved. Become Invested.Future 41

Alumni EventsAlumni Association Events Span the Nation in 20111Q Connect the Docs in San AntonioIn February, the Alumni Association hosted its 1Q Connect the Docsreception for local alumni and fourth-year medical students. The eventfeatured delicious food, great conversation, gift bags for attendees, anda drawing for fabulous prizes.March 2011 Rio Grande Valley Alumni Chapter ReceptionIn March, the Rio Grande Valley Alumni Chapter hosted an event foralumni, medical students, and FASTS students (UT Pan Am) at theRAHC in Harlingen, Texas. Attendees enjoyed food, drink, and aninformative panel discussion with Drs. Dora Martinez ’07, Alberto Pena’02, and Todd Schenkenberg (Residency alumnus).Women in Medicine and Law DinnerThe Alumni Association sponsored a table in April at the Sixth AnnualWomen in Medicine & Law For the Cure® Dinner, benefiting the SusanG. Komen Foundation. A number of medical students sat at the alumnitable with Dr. Deborah Stedman ’07 and Alumni Board members, Drs.Pam Camosy ’80, Brook Jimma ’90, and Payal Patel ’10.42 FutureDallas Alumni Chapter ReceptionThe Dallas Alumni Chapter officially opened for business with areception at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Barry Wilcox ’92. In MayAlumni and guests enjoyed scrumptious food catered by Nick andSam’s, as well as an informative legal presentation by Jeff Ryan, apartner at Chamblee, Ryan, Kershaw & Anderson, P.C. Special thanksto Barry and Shana Wilcox as well as Drs. Bill ‘90 and Chiufang ‘92Hwang for organizing and hosting the event. The chapter held asecond event in November at the Wilcox home which resulted ineven greater attendance by members.

2Q Connect the Docs Honoring Founding FacultyIn May, local alumni turned out in droves to honor FoundingFaculty at a dinner at the San Antonio Country Club. TheAlumni Association presented a $10,000 check to DeanFrancisco González-Scarano, M.D. in honor of the FoundingFaculty. The gift will support educational enrichment forstudents in the areas of summer research, clinical training andcommunity service.Alumni EventsNorth Carolina Alumni ReceptionIn June, David Perryman, Director of Alumni Relations, and Dr.Mike Brennan ’78, Alumni Board member, hosted an alumnievent at the renowned Top of the Hill Restaurant in Chapel Hill,North Carolina. The alumni Association plans to make this anannual event in “The Triangle,” so mark your calendars for nextJune!Rio Grande Valley Alumni Chapter BarbequeOn July 21, the Rio Grande Valley Alumni Chapter hosted itssecond annual summer barbercue event for alumni, medicalstudents, RAHC employees, and FASTS studentsAnnual White Coat ReceptionThe Alumni Association hosted the annual White CoatReception in July. More than 200 first-year students andalumni mixed and mingled over delicious Tex-Med food atCha-Cha’s.Future 43

Military AlumniRear AdmiralJerry Kelley, MD, ’76:Native Texan Builds Successful Careeras a Sailor and SurgeonGrowing up in Corpus Christi with a father and an uncle whoserved in the U.S. Navy, it is not surprising that Rear Admiral JerryR. Kelley, MD, ’76, dreamed of sailing as a child. But even as theyoung boy imagined himself at the helm of a large naval vessel, hewas also developing a keen interest in taking care of people. Manyyears later, Kelley—who serves as Deputy Commander, NavyMedicine Support Command—has built a successful career thatcontinues to feed both of his childhood passions.In the early 1960s, Kelley’s family moved to San Antonio,where he attended John Marshall High School. After graduating“number one in the bottom fourth” of his class, he began hiscollege studies at San Antonio Community College (SACC) whileworking part time as a surgical orderly at Methodist Hospital.“At that time, there was not much developed in that part ofSan Antonio other than the hospital,” he recounted. “I was contentto mop the floors, set schedules, and perform any of the otherjobs that needed doing. I remember taking home the catalogueof surgical instruments, which I memorized in short order.”During his stint at Methodist, Kelley convinced the nurses to lethim scrub for several minor surgeries. Thus was born his love forsurgery.When technicians at Robert B. Green Hospital went on strikein the mid-1960s, Kelley seized an opportunity to advance hismedical career. “I called the operating room supervisor to applyfor a scrub technician position,” he said. “I told her I had extensiveoperating experience, which was stretching the truth a little bit. Igot hired sight unseen and was only able to pull it off thanks to thehelp of a nurse named Mamie O’Mara. She saw through me rightaway, but supported my efforts because she thought I had moxie.”Around this time, the original surgery faculty at the Schoolof Medicine began to arrive in town, including such legendaryfigures as Jim Story, Anatolio Cruz, J. Bradley Aust, Arthur McFee,and Leo Cuello. Kelley got to know many of them by working as ascrub technician for their surgical procedures. “When Dr. Cuelloperformed his first aortic valve replacement, assisted by Dr. Cruz,I scrubbed the case,” he noted.These experiences stoked Kelley’s desire to become asurgeon, so he transferred from SACC to Southwest Texas StateUniversity (now Texas State University) and got “serious” abouthis studies.“I was fortunate to study under Dr. Sidney Edwards at SouthwestTexas,” he said. “Dr. Edwards was a former enlisted Marine whohad gone back to school and earned his Ph.D. in anatomy. Hetaught comparative anatomy and could lecture while drawingwith both hands the most amazing anatomical sketches on thechalkboard.” (Years later, Edwards would pay Kelley the highestcompliment a mentor can give to a former student when heallowed the surgery resident to operate on him.)Upon earning his bachelor’s degree in 1971, Kelley applied andwas accepted to the Health Science Center’s School of Medicine.During medical school, he began to develop a special interestin cardiothoracic surgery, thanks to the influence of professorsJ. Kent Trinkle, Waid Rogers, David Root, and Kenneth Sirinek.“At that time, cardiothoracic surgery was relatively new,” Kelleysaid.” It was a challenging field that was witnessing excitingbreakthroughs such as coronary bypasses and valve repairs.”What was the single most important thing he learned inmedical school? “How to find the right answer,” he said withouthesitation. “The School of Medicine gave me good basicknowledge of medicine. But more importantly, it taught me torecognize everything I didn’t know as well as how to go out andfind answers to those questions.”After earning his medical degree in 1976, Kelley completedhis general and cardiothoracic surgery training at Bexar CountyHospital and Audie L. Murphy Veterans Administration Hospitalin 1983. He then embarked on a career in private practice as acardiothoracic surgeon.Eight years later, his childhood dream of going to sea, coupledwith a desire to serve his country, led Kelley to enter the U.S. Navyas a direct commissioned lieutenant commander in 1991. Thusbegan a medical career of service to his nation that has spannedtwo decades and taken him around the world.44 Future

USS Ranger (CV/CVA-61)One of the highlights from Kelley’s naval career involved a tripon board an aircraft carrier with his father. “We were returningfrom a mission in Australia, and I had the privilege of taking myfather on a ‘Tiger Cruise’ from Pearl Harbor to San Diego on theUSS Ranger. That is a portion of a trip where family membersand dependents are allowed to travel on board. During WorldWar II, my father was a low-ranking enlisted sailor in theNavy. He served in the Pacific on an LSM, which is basically afloating bathtub. He always wanted to sail on a big ship. I wasa Commander at the time, so I was able to take him up to theofficer’s brow, where he’d never dreamed of standing. I willnever forget the look in his eyes as we set sail.”After being promoted to Captain in 1998, Kelley experiencedhis most rewarding military assignment in 2003. AsCommanding Officer of the 500-bed Fleet Hospital Dallas, heled the first humanitarian aid mission in Africa ever conductedby a U.S. Naval Reserve unit. The four-week assignmentpresented Kelley with significant leadership challenges, frommanaging the logistics of transporting equipment and troopshalfway around the world, to keeping the unit focused on itscore objectives.Kelley has also had the opportunity to work with the U.S.Marine Corps, with assignments that have included BattalionSurgeon 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, Assistant DivisionSurgeon 4th Marine Division, and Liaison Officer for ReserveAffairs to The Medical Officer of the Marine Corps. “Servingwith a RECON unit was like being in a candy store for grownups,”he said. “Those are the guys who eat bugs and snakes,whatever it takes to stay alive. I learned water skills as wellas how to blow things up using weapons like C4 plasticexplosives.” In addition to his current position in the U.S.Navy, he serves as the Deputy Medical Officer of TheMarine Corps-Reserve.When asked about the future of medicine in themilitary, Kelley notes several critical challenges facingthe U.S. Armed Services. “We need to answer thefundamental question of how we will take care of ourseverely wounded men and women as well as theirfamilies,” he said. “With the advent of body armor, oursoldiers are surviving injuries that, in the past, would havekilled them. As a result, military physicians are treatinginjuries we have not seen before, including more instancesof severe head trauma and multiple limb amputations. Inaddition to keeping soldiers alive immediately followingtheir injuries, we have to figure out how to provide themwith the long-term care they deserve as they deal withpost-traumatic stress and brain injuries while transitioningback to their civilian lives.”Kelley stated that the Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital isone of the model centers that will play a key role in thiseffort. “They will soon be getting a polytrauma unit thatwill be unsurpassed in the country,” he said.He also noted that suicide prevention is anothercritical issue facing the military that must be addressed moreeffectively and proactively. “We are dedicating tremendousresources to solve this issue, trying to figure out how we canbetter monitor and recognize psychological injuries before theyresult in a soldier taking his own life.” (Professors at the HealthScience Center, including Alan Peterson, PhD and Craig Bryan,PsyD, are collaborating with the Department of Defense, theArmy, and the Marine Corps on a number of related studiesdesigned to more effectively treat posttraumatic stress disorderand prevent suicides through early interventions.)Kelley believes his experiences in the military have ultimatelymade him a better doctor. “I have operated on aircraft carriersand in a variety of other settings,” he noted. “Many times,you have fewer resources at your disposal than you wouldfind in a civilian operating room. So, I have learned to be moreresourceful. You learn to figure out how to make do with whatyou have and still deliver the highest quality of care. Themilitary has also given me organizational and leadership skillsthat enabled me to start several heart surgery programs in SanAntonio.”When asked about the future of San Antonio’s militarymedical operations, Kelley remarked on the potential forunprecedented collaboration with the Health Science Center.“The U.S. Armed Services will continue to rely heavily uponcivilian training to develop its medical expertise. The efficienciesand expertise of civilian medical personnel in town will combinewith those of the military to produce the very best physiciansand healthcare professionals in the world. And the HealthScience Center will play a vital role in all this.”Military AlumniFuture 45

Alumni EngagementThe Shadow Knows:Students Glean Valuable Insightsby Walking in the Footsteps ofAlumnusDr. Michael McAdam ‘99 and Nick Saenz ‘14 pose for aphoto during Saenz’s weeklong shadowing experienceat McAdam’s Seattle Clinic.The Alumni Association is committed to enriching theeducational experience of our current and future medicalstudents. One of the best ways we can accomplish this is byproviding students with shadowing opportunities. That is whatDr. Michael McAdam ’99 did last summer when he allowed twofirst-year medical students to work with him for a week.After earning his medical degree from the Health ScienceCenter, McAdam completed his residency in orthopaedics andsports medicine at the University of Washington followed by afellowship in sports medicine at Palo Alto Medical Clinic. Today,he is team orthopaedic surgeon for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawksand a consultant to the U.S. Men’s National Rugby Team,specializing in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery of theshoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle.In May, Todd Walker ’14 shadowed McAdam for a week.Among the many things McAdam taught Walker was theimportance of the physical exam. “As Dr. McAdam went throughphysical exams with his patients, you could tell he was activelythinking about all the possible causes and outcomes at thesame time,” Walker said. “He drew upon an impressive amountof anatomy, which made me feel good about all the hours I’vespent studying that subject.”For Walker, who played wide receiver at Texas TechUniversity, working with elite athletes and being part of aprofessional sports team for a week was a dream come true.“That week of shadowing was probably the best experienceI’ve had in medical school so far,” he noted. “It gave me themotivation and encouragement I really needed after my firstyear. The experience helped shape my vision that hard work isthe most important factor in succeeding in medical school, andit was really nice to see someone who truly loves his job andgoes above and beyond in caring for his patients. I would lovesomeday to be in a position like Dr. McAdam is.”In June, Nick Saenz ’14, an Academic All-State football playerin high school, also had the opportunity to shadow McAdam inhis Seattle clinic and help out with some of the hands-on clinicalexams. “I was able to apply the anterior and posterior drawertest when patients appeared to have an anterior or posteriorcruciate ligament tear,” Saenz said. “Dr. McAdam taughtme countless other techniques on how to test nervous andmusculoskeletal function of the upper and lower extremities.”During the weeklong experience, Saenz felt a strong sense ofcamaraderie as he kept pace with McAdam and his staff. “It wasgreat to feel like I was an important part of the team and to beable to contribute in such a unique way,” he noted. “Also, beingable to work with elite athletes in such an exciting environmentis the ultimate adrenaline rush.”The Alumni Association sincerely appreciates Dr. McAdam’sefforts to advance the educational mission of the School ofMedicine! If you are interested in letting a medical studentshadow you in your clinic, please e-mail us at medalumni@uthscsa.edu.46 Future

Ours is a story of teaching.Ours is a story of teaching. Learning and compassion. Commitment, vision and inspiration.We engage our minds and talents, and give from our hearts, to help and heal. We touch the livesof thousands, to serve those in need, here and around the world. And, through it all, we work tomake lives better.Thank you for all you do to make our story so remarkable. You’re the reason we’re ableto write the next chapter.uthscsa.edu

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