Due to the Thanksgiving holidays, the next issue of Scoop arrives Dec. 3.

Panamanian president signs historic agreement at Health Science Center

His Excellency Ricardo Alberto Martinelli, President of the Republic of Panama, showed his support for a new cooperation agreement between the Health Science Center and the University of Panama by traveling to Houston for the signing ceremony.

President Martinelli likened his appearance to U.S. President Barack Obama traveling to a faraway nation to sign a similar type of pact. “This event means a lot to both of us,” President Martinelli said. The ceremony was held Oct. 27 in the Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building in the Texas Medical Center.

President Martinelli said that as a result of the agreement “a lot of Panamanian doctors and students will be able to share the knowledge you have.” He added that the agreement could save lives in both countries by leading to improved health care knowledge.

“Agreements such as this formally open the door for our two universities to work together in many ways, from faculty collaboration to research and discovery and student exchange through innovative educational programs and opportunities,” President Larry Kaiser said.

The signing ceremony at the Health Science Center may have been the first witnessed by the president of the participating country, said Dr. Bryant Boutwell, associate vice president for accreditation and international programs. The Health Science Center has about 100 international agreements of cooperation.

President Martinelli credited Dr. Adan Rios, associate professor of internal medicine and Republic of Panama ambassador for the promotion of health, with championing the project. “Dr. Rios had a dream of making this happen,” President Martinelli said.

Rios said a trip to Panama by Medical School students is being planned for the spring and may involve the study of infectious diseases. He said officials from both countries are interested in exploring telemedicine, which the National Cancer Institute defines as the delivery of health care from a distance using electronic information and technology such as computers, cameras, videoconferencing, the Internet, satellite, and wireless communications.

The University of Panama has about 55,000 undergraduate students and 2,500 graduate students. It has 18 schools, eight regional branches, and 12 institutes.

— Rob Cahill, Media Relations, Office of Institutional Advancement

Physical Diagnosis Preceptorship Program begins

The Office of Educational Programs is pleased to announce that there are 74 faculty members from the Medical School, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Hermann Northwest participating in the Physical Diagnosis Preceptorship Program this year.

The program officially began Oct. 23 and will end in late April 2010. Second-year students are required to complete 10 patient histories and physical examinations during the course with the guidance of experienced faculty members. The participating physicians are from a wide variety of specialties, including internal medicine, oncology, nephrology, emergency medicine, rheumatology, cardiology, pediatrics, neurology, otolaryngology, family medicine, and trauma surgery.

Training sessions were held Sept. 22 and 23 to provide the participating faculty with the new course guidelines and a handbook. The hand-selected preceptors for this program volunteer their time in order to give the second-year medical students an excellent educational experience. They will be honored at the end of the year with a luncheon, and each will be presented with a certificate of participation.

To become a preceptor next year, please contact course director Dr. Kelly O’Brien or course coordinator Melanie Stevenson.

Applications now being accepted for postdoc award program

The Postdoctoral Association is pleased to announce a new Travel Grant Award Program. Each academic year, five $1,000 awards will be available on a competitive basis to financially assist postdoctoral fellows in attending academic conferences.

In addition to applications, postdoctoral fellows are needed as volunteers to perform peer reviews during the selection process.

The reviewer application deadline is Nov. 30, and awards will be announced July 15.

For more details, contact Dharini Van Der Hoeven, Dr. Heidi Vitrac, or Dr. Hsin-Mei Chen.

Wilson elected to CRSA leadership

Dr. Erik Wilson, associate professor and chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive & Elective General Surgery, has been elected president-elect of the Clinical Robotic Surgery Association (CRSA).

The organization’s mission is to provide clinical, educational, and innovative services in a manner that supports the use of robots to perform procedures in general surgery and related specialties.

Wilson, a founding member of the CRSA, was elected to the leadership position during the organization’s meeting Oct. 9-10 in Chicago.

“In our practice, we are committed to a personal approach to the surgical care of patients, emphasizing safe surgery through the smallest incisions, and, in some cases, no incisions at all,” said Wilson, who is director of the Minimally Invasive Surgeons of Texas and medical director of bariatric surgery at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. “Our experience and our research have shown that robotic surgery can reduce the risk of certain complications while decreasing pain and increasing recovery time. Through my work with the CRSA, we can continue to expand the clinical application of robotic surgery.”

Neuroscience Poster Session set for Dec. 5

The Neuroscience Research Center (NRC) will host its 16th annual neuroscience poster session 10 a.m.–noon Dec. 5 in the Leather Lounge of the Medical School Building.

This year’s poster session will highlight current neuroscience research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, providing an opportunity for participants from various departments to become better acquainted with each other and current neuroscience research.

The poster session is open to all Health Science Center faculty members, research scientists, residents, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and medical students. For more information, visit the Web site or contact Margaret Clarke at 713.500.5538.

March for Babies

President Larry Kaiser and Dan Wolterman, chief executive officer of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, joined forces to announce the 2010 March of Dimes March for Babies at a press conference Nov. 17 in Webber Plaza. The Houston walk will be held April 25, 2010, with President Kaiser as chair and Memorial Hermann as presenting sponsor.
— Dwight Andrews, Office of Communications, Medical School
— Chris Matula, Office of Communications, Medical School