UT Physicians expands with two ob/gyn clinics in TMC

Responding to a growing demand for one-stop care and advanced prenatal care, UT Physicians has opened one new clinic and expanded another in the Texas Medical Center.

The UT Women's Health Center and Texas Center for Maternal and Fetal Treatment, operated by the Medical School’s clinical practice, are now open.

“Women are looking for convenience and access to state-of-the-art health care. Due to the UT Women's Health Center's expanded space, we will begin offering select procedures in addition to our other services,” said Dr. Allan Katz, director of the UT Women's Health Center and holder of the Robert K. Creasy Professorship in Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Women will be able to undergo a tubal ligation, endometrial ablation, or even a hysteroscopy in the office. We want to save people time and money. Patients won't be facing extra fees from hospitals or surgery centers.”

Adjacent to the UT Women's Health Center is the new Texas Center for Maternal and Fetal Treatment, where comprehensive care is available for expectant mothers who have high-risk or complicated pregnancies. The center includes 11 maternal-fetal specialists and six genetic counselors.

“When a congenital anomaly is detected, it can be devastating. It is overwhelming to digest the news and be faced with the task of making numerous subspecialty and procedural appointments,” said Dr. Joan Mastrobattista, director of the Texas Center for Maternal and Fetal Treatment and professor of obstetrics and gynecology. “The mission of the center is to coordinate the care of pregnancies that are complicated by congenital anomalies. If additional imaging, fetal testing, and subsequent appointments are needed, it will all be arranged through the center.”

In addition, maternal-fetal specialists at the center see pregnant women with preterm labor, autoimmune diseases, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, recurrent pregnancy loss, and other complications.

If a congenital anomaly is detected, a team is in place to care for the infant. The Medical School includes comprehensive areas of pediatrics including neonatology, pediatric surgery, and anesthesiology. The UT specialists within these departments and divisions are attending physicians at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The clinics are located at 6410 Fannin in the UT Professional Building, Suite 210. For information or an appointment, call 1-888-4UT-DOCS or visit www.UTPhysicians.com.

The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

— Melissa McDonald, Office of Institutional Advancement, Media Relations

Singapore group visits to study residency program

Traveling halfway around the world, a delegation from Singapore recently visited the Medical School to learn how a large U.S. residency training program operates.

Upon recommendation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the visitors from Singapore spent two days at the Medical School on a fact-finding mission as they work to evolve their training system from the British model toward the American style, which is more system tied. This is the group’s second visit; the first one was in March in conjunction with Baylor College of Medicine.

“We plan to come back with the best match for us and are aiming for an ACGME-accredited program in Singapore,” said Professor Colin Song, associate dean Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore.

The six visitors represented the two medical schools in Singapore, National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, and Singapore General Hospital.

“The residency program at the Medical School ranks within the top 30 residency programs in the country in total numbers of residents and fellows,” said David Kusnerik, director, Graduate Medical Education. “We are pleased that the Singapore delegation was impressed with what they saw during their initial visit in March, that they returned to our school for more in-depth discussions.”

The group had previously traveled to Baylor College of Medicine and the University of California San Francisco and was planning a visit to Duke University as they mapped out an ideal residency program.

“These visits give us the ideas of strengths and weaknesses of the programs, and we will join the strengths of both the British and U.S. systems,” Song said, adding that their program change will occur in 2010, with the introduction of eight training programs.

— Darla Brown, Office of Communications, Medical School

Fourth-year student wins national scholarship

Fourth-year medical student Elizabeth Nguyen is one of 15 recipients of a minority medical student scholarship from the American Psychiatric Association/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Minority Fellowship Program.

The award provides trip expenses and registration for the Institute on Psychiatric Services meeting Oct. 8-11 in New York, NY.

Nguyen is planning on pursuing psychiatry and is currently applying for residency programs.

“I developed an interest in this field when I did my third-year clerkship in psychiatry with Dr. Octavio Pinell and Dr. Adel Wassef — they are excellent physicians and educators,” she said. “In addition, I have met residents, fellows, and attendings such as Dr. Anu Matorin, who embraced my interest in psychiatry.

“The environment and the people here are nurturing. When I received my award letter, the first thing I did was e-mail them to share my good news,” she added.

Nguyen is a native Houstonian and graduated from the University of Houston. She said she is looking forward to attending the national meeting to learn the latest advances in psychopharmacology and to acquire new skills in clinical psychiatry to improve patient care.

— Darla Brown, Office of Communications, Medical School

Faculty Wives and Women Faculty fall coffee set for Sept. 26

The Organization of Faculty Wives and Women Faculty welcome all of their returning members and all who are new to Houston and the Medical School! Becky Hunter, the group’s energetic membership chairwoman, and the rest of the Board invite everyone to the annual Fall Coffee, where the organization renews old friendships and makes new ones.

The event is planned for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 26, at the home of Anna Melnikov, 8907 Loch Lomond Ct. Please respond to Anna Melnikov, 713.443.6952.

“We would love to introduce the new folks to our group, but most importantly we want to welcome you to Houston and offer you our help and friendship as you settle into your new home,” said member Julie Knobil. “We really hope that you will make time in your busy schedule to come and enjoy coffee, light breakfast treats, and an introduction to FWWF.”

The annual programs include a winter wine tasting social event, a monthly book club, art gallery tours, and fund raising events for our student scholarship fund.

To become a member of the FWWF, please send your name, address (include city and ZIP), telephone number, e-mail address, your affiliation (your department) in the Medical School, and the name and UT affiliation of your significant other to treasurer Sharon Faro, 4203 Rice Blvd., Houston, 77005. The dues are $35 per year and checks should be made out to UTMSH-FWWF and sent with your information. Or sign up at the Fall Coffee. If you need more membership information, please call Becky Hunter at 713.838.0137.

Student regent visits