Medical School celebrates
Commencement 2008

One-hundred and ninety-one students made the transition to physician as they walked across the George R. Brown Convention Center stage Saturday.

Dean Giuseppe Colasurdo handed out the student awards to Jennifer Cowart, who received the Walter G. Sterling Award for Excellence, and to David Stewart, who received both the Truman G. Blocker, Jr., Gold-Headed Cane Award and the Hitoshi C. Nikaidoh, M.D. Award for Humanism in Medicine.

Faculty awardees, Dr. Han Zhang, Dr. Eugene Toy, Dr. Pedro Mancias, Dr. Cheves Smythe, and Dr. Octavio Pinell also were recognized.

Class President David Nolan told the audience that he had spent some of the best times of his life over the last four years.

“We have come together as more than colleagues, we’re friends. It’s so rewarding to know that I’m not doing this alone but with a great group of people,” he said. “I want to thank our faculty – you have taken a bunch of crazy college students and turned us into doctors, and that is no small task.”

Dr. James “Red” Duke, John B. Holmes Professor of Clinical Science, said he was honored to be the commencement speaker. “But, it’s a risk on the person who asked you to speak,” he added.

“When you walk out of this hall, your life is going to change big time,” he told the graduates. “You’re like monarch butterflies.”

Duke walked through the changes of medicine as he had experienced them – from his birth, when he was given to the wrong mother at the hospital in Ennis, Texas. “We didn’t have wristbands back then,” he said.

Joining the Medical School faculty in 1972, he also recalled the earliest days of the Medical School. “We didn’t have offices, just closets in the library,” he said.

He encouraged the soon-to-be graduates to develop human doctor-patient relationships. “You must engage your patient. There is nothing more valuable than your integrity, warmth, and understanding,” he said.

-D. Brown

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The John Freeman Faculty Teaching Award
– Dr. Han Zhang, M.D.

Han Zhang, M.D., senior lecturer in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, is this year’s winner of the John Freeman Faculty Teaching Award.

Chosen by the senior class, this is the second time Zhang has received the award, which is given annually to recognize the Medical School's outstanding basic science faculty member.

“I feel very honored to receive this award again; the students make my job a very pleasant and exciting experience,” he said. “I look forward to every lecture and lab teaching because all of them make my job so rewarding. I am very fortunate to teach such a group of intelligent and amazing students.”

Zhang came to the Medical School 15 years ago as a visiting scientist do to research with Dr. John Byrne, chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, and Dr. Len Cleary, senior lecturer in the department. He did research in the lab until 1999, when he ventured out to teaching at the Dental Branch and started teaching Medical School’s anatomy course in 2000.

Now he teaches gross anatomy for both the dental and medical students and neuroscience for the dental students. Previously, he was the co-lab director for neuroscience.

When he teaches, he said, he is thinking beyond the day’s lesson.

“For my teaching in anatomy, my philosophy is that students should not only be taught the human structure, but how to apply everything they do to their future medical career,” he said. “I think there are many ways to learn the material, so I want to encourage students to learn in whatever way works for them, and I try to introduce many new mnemonics to help them. Furthermore, I have dissected over hundreds of cadavers and with every dissection, I find better ways to teach the material.”

Zhang said this accolade is the result of a group effort.

“I want to thank my colleagues, who all come with high credentials, a strong sense of professionalism, and hard-working spirit. Our course is well-organized, thanks to all of them,” he said. “I want to thank the department and the school for their strong leadership. They always back our teaching 100 percent. I think this award is not only for me, but it should belong to our teaching group, our department, our school, and our students. We all work together to make our teaching better and better.”

The recipient of this award, which is made possible by a gift from the late Mr. Freeman, must exemplify enthusiasm and drive toward effective teaching, have a personal interest in students' problems and their educational goals, and set an example that serves as a high standard for students.

Previous winners include Elizabeth Hartwell, M.D., 2007; Zhang, 2006; Margaret O. Uthman, M.D., 2005, 2001, 1999, 1997; Kent Heck, M.D. 2004, 2002; Norman Weisbrodt, Ph.D., 2003; Barry Van Winkle, Ph.D., 2000, 1998; Marsha L. Eigenbrodt, M.D., M.P.H., 1996; Ron C. Philo, Ph.D., 1995; Harley D. Sybers, M.D., Ph.D., 1994, 1992, 1990; Frank W. Booth, M.D., 1993; and Karmen L. Schmidt, Ph.D., 1991.

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MSRDP bylaws, pharmaceutical policy topics for debate

Medical Service, Research and Development Board (MSRDP) bylaw changes and the implementation of a pharmaceutical conflict of interest policy garnered much discussion at the May 20 Faculty Senate meeting.

Dr. Brent King, executive vice dean for clinical affairs, presented drafts of both the proposed bylaw changes and the conflict of interest policy.

“The goals behind the bylaw changes are to erase ambiguity and to create consistency across the UT System for these plans,” King said, adding that the current MSRDP bylaws may be found in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOOP).

One of the major changes involves the designation of membership in MSRDP, which would include those with at least a half-time clinical faculty appointment. Income generated in connection with the use of the MSRDP appointment would be routed through the practice plan, according to the proposed changes.

MSRDP officers also would be modified to include the chair (UT Health Science Center president); vice chair (dean of the Medical School); treasurer (chief financial officer of the UT Health Science Center); secretary (executive director of the practice plan); and a senior clinical administrator/chief medical director (executive vice dean). Board membership would include four elected at-large members and two appointed by the president.

These changes, and others, will be up for vote by the MSRDP members.

Senators had a lively conversation regarding a proposed pharmaceutical policy for the Medical School. Ethics of drug samples for patients, research gifts, and marketing giveaways, such as pens and pads, were all discussed.

“The policy is an idea whose time has arrived nationally, as the AAMC has just released such a policy,” said Dr. Jeffrey Actor, chair of the Faculty Senate.

Faculty members were asked to suggest any comments or revisions on the policy to King by the first week of June, so that a finalized version may be voted upon at a future Senate meeting.

-D. Brown

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