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TTUHSC EL PASO | SOCIAL

TTUHSC EL PASO PRIDE GOES VIRAL PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHINE WITH SCHOOL SPIRIT

We asked students, alumni, faculty and staff to show their pride by uploading their TTUHSC El Paso-themed photos to social media with the hashtag #ttuhscepproud. Here are some of the responses we received:

PRESIDENT RICHARD A. LANGE, M.D., M.B.A. ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT ANDREA S. TAWNEY, PH.D. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS VERONIQUE MASTERSON MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT CRAIG HOLDEN

FRIDA ESPINOZA, ACCELERATED B.S.N. STUDENT #ttuhscepproud

ILSE QUEZADA, BUSINESS COORDINATOR, TTUHSC EL PASO DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY #redraiders #ttuhscep #work #texastech #TTUHSCEPproud

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND CREATIVE SERVICES ASHLEY MARCHENA PRODUCTION MANAGER BONNIE ELLIOTT ONLINE EDITOR HIKE BRIANO SENIOR EDITORS DAVID PEREGRINO DANIELLE URBINA WRITERS LESLIE DURON JAY KOESTER LEONARD MARTINEZ PHOTOGRAPHY TOMMIE MORELOS

VANESSA PRIETO, B.S.N. (GGHSON â€™15) #ttuhscepproud #classof2015 #gghsonep #rnbsn

KIM BEBON, ACCELERATED B.S.N. STUDENT #ttuhscelpaso #nursingschool #nurselife #nursingstudent @ttuhscep #ttuhscepproud

VIDEOGRAPHY CHRIS ESPINOSA DESIGNERS RAUL DE LA CRUZ WARREN LOVE DAVID MADRID LIZ WIDBY DEVELOPMENT CAROLINA CAMARGO DE LUCA VALERIE GARCIA BRIANNA HUFFMAN LORI NAVARRETE BUSINESS SUPPORT DANAI SANCHEZ

PRESIDENT - PAUL BUCKLEY

KENIA LOPEZ, ACCELERATED B.S.N. STUDENT #ttuhscepproud

#TTUHSCEP students, faculty and staff members: Show us you are a proud member of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso family!

DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES - CORY DAVIES ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR - YURI STRAIN EDITOR - KELSEY VANDERSCHOOT ART DIRECTORS - KYLIE VALIGURA & JONATHAN SILVERBERG PRODUCTION MANAGER AND IMAGING - PEDRO ARMSTRONG

PRESIDENT’S LETTER | TTUHSC EL PASO

A LETTER FROM OUR UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

A Magazine of Our Own Welcome to the inaugural issue of TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends magazine. Our health sciences center is more than five years old, and the time is right for a magazine that connects us with alumni and the broader community. For several years prior to the launch of this publication, we shared our news in TTUHSC’s Pulse magazine. I want to thank the TTUHSC Office of Institutional Advancement and Pulse’s editors and contributors for the strong partnership and support they have given us over the years. As you browse through TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends, I hope you encounter photos and news that evoke fond memories of your time at TTUHSC El Paso. I hope the stories in these pages help remind us all why we’re here: to improve the health and lives of those in our community. I encourage you to read “The Evolution of TTUHSC El Paso” to learn how the vision for a four-year medical school in El Paso blossomed into the independent health sciences center we have today. Check out “Addressing the Health Care Shortage” to better understand how TTUHSC El Paso is addressing the shortage of health care professionals in our region. Be sure to read “Filling the Gap” for the latest on what’s happening with the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine — our new dental school.

In this and future issues, you’ll learn about important research being conducted at TTUHSC El Paso. Our faculty and students investigate potential cures and treatments for health conditions impacting Borderland residents, such as diabetes, cancer and infectious diseases. Keep an eye out for coverage of a special milestone: Our Paul L. Foster School of Medicine marks its 10th anniversary in 2019. It’s an event we will celebrate in a big way with the entire El Paso community. I encourage you to reach out to us at alumni.ia.ep@ttuhsc.edu to let us know how you are doing and share your story ideas. Be sure to hang on to this first issue of TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends — it may be a collectible someday. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed creating it.

RICHARD LANGE, M.D., M.B.A. TTUHSC El Paso President

TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends is published twice a year by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, photographs and illustrations from TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends may be reprinted with permission, with credit given to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Please direct all inquiries concerning text and photography to news.ep@ttuhsc.edu. Copies of this publication have been distributed in compliance with the State Depository Law and are available for public use through the Texas State Publications Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries. In compliance with HB 423, TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends is now available in an electronic format. If you no longer want to receive the printed version, please notify the editor in writing.

@TTUHSCEP

Inside TTUHSC El Paso Alumni & Friends

4 Community Focus

16 Meaningful Impact

8 Filling the Gap

17 Philanthropy in Review

20 Alumni Profiles

A nnouncements & Accolades

14 Highlight

25 What Motivates You?

ADDRESSING THE HEALTH CARE SHORTAGE

HEALING THE BRAIN

Faced with a critical, nationwide lack of health care providers, the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing focuses efforts on early education to combat the shortage and keep future nurses local.

FOLL OW US @T T UHSCE P

Dr. Ricardo Salazar reveals surprising connections between Alzheimer’s disease and the Hispanic community in ongoing research.

10 THE EVOLUTION OF TTUHSC EL PASO:

CHANGING THE FACE OF HEALTH CARE IN WEST TEXAS IN 2019, TTUHSC EL PASO REMEMBERS ITS ROOTS AS WE CELEBRATE TEN YEARS OF GROWTH – FROM AN EXPANDING CAMPUS TO TRANSFORMATIVE HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. 2

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ON THE COVER In December 2018, graduates from the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing were the first to be honored with diplomas featuring TTUHSC El Paso’s own official seal. This is the start of a new chapter for TTUHSC El Paso, as we blaze a path of success and innovation since becoming an independent TTU System institution. Photography by Tommie Morelos

WORD OF HEALTH | TTUHSC EL PASO

HEALTH CATCHPHR ASES FROM AROUND THE WORLD Your health is arguably the most important possession you’ll ever have. In the U.S., sayings such as, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” remind us to take care of ourselves. Similar phrases are used in other countries. Here are some healthy words of wisdom from around the world.

SRI LANKA

SPAIN

IRELAND

“Arōgya paramā lābhā.”

“Un hombre demasiado ocupado para cuidar su salud es como un trabajador demasiado ocupado para cuidar su herramienta.”

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”

MEANS

“Health is wealth.”

M EANS

CHINA “Dāng xīnzàng fàngsōng shí, shēnt jiù huì jiànkāng.”

“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a worker too busy to take care of his tool.”

MEANS

“When the heart is at ease, the body is healthy.”

GAMBIA In Gambia, where the official language is English, this proverb focuses on self-care: “Before healing others, heal yourself.”

SWEDEN BULGARIA “Ако живееш дълго, отвори сърцето си.”

“Det bedste råd findes på puten.” M EANS

CATALAN

“The best advice is found on the pillow.”

“Des de l’amargor de la malaltia, l’home aprèn la dolçor de la salut.”

MEANS

“If you would live long, open your heart.”

CHINA “Chī yào ér hūshì y nshí de rén huì làngfèi tā de yīshēng de jìnéng.” MEANS

“He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.”

MEANS

MIDDLE EASTERN PROVERB “ ‫ ”ءيش‬- ‫قرشلا لثم‬ ‫ةحصلا هيدل نم طسوألا‬ ‫لمأ هيدل‬، ‫لمأ هيدل نمو‬ ‫” لك هيدل‬ M EANS

“He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.”

“From the bitterness of disease, man learns the sweetness of health.”

DENMARK “Ziekte komt te paard maar vertrekt te voet.” MEANS

“Sickness comes on horseback but departs on foot.” @TTUHSCEP

TTUHSC EL PASO | COMMUNITY FOCUS

HELPING HANDS STUDENTS AT TTUHSC EL PASO GET ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE FROM EDUCATION AND PHILANTHROPY By Danielle Urbina

AT THE ANNUAL SUNS HEALTH FAIR, LOCAL CHILDREN ARE FITTED FOR FREE BICYCLE HELMETS BY TTUHSC EL PASO STUDENT VOLUNTEERS.

very year, community service offers students at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso a different aspect of education. From TTUHSC El Paso’s beginnings, community involvement has been a priority for Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (PLFSOM), Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing (GGHSON) and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) students and faculty. Real-World Experience Every Saturday at the RotaCare/TTUHSC El Paso Clinic in Ysleta, medical students work with faculty physicians to provide patient care. “These medical students are caring for the underserved and underprivileged in our society and the gratefulness of the patient for this

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care … is truly appreciated and will always be remembered,” said Richard McCallum, M.D., FACP, professor and founding chair of the department of medicine and medical director of the clinic. The clinic saw 665 patients and performed 822 lab tests in 2018. In addition to providing basic medical services, the clinic offers medical specialty days and nutrition counseling to help patients make better dietary choices. Consultations with social workers are also provided to help financially assist community members in accessing appropriate tests and procedures. “The experiences of their first true clinical encounters are forever in their memories and affect their commitment to look after patients from all walks of life,” Dr. McCallum said.

Similarly, students who volunteer at the Medical Student Run Clinic (MSRC) get real-life experience caring for patients in need. When the clinic opened in 2013, the goal was not only to help the underserved Sparks community, but to inspire a philanthropic spirit as well. For most in the community, Sparks’ lack of public transportation makes it hard to see doctors in El Paso — visiting the MSRC is an opportunity for them to receive quality health care close to home. “The five members of the Student Leadership team organize other volunteers and run the clinic from start to finish under the supervision of the medical directors,” said Maureen Francis, M.D., FACP, assistant dean for medical education. In addition to practicing medical skills and medical Spanish, students get one-on-one experience

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E M O RE L O S

COMMUNITY FOCUS | TTUHSC EL PASO

with patients and build relationships with the community. “The students see firsthand how the social determinants of health directly affect the patients,” Dr. Francis said. “They have a unique opportunity to be part of the community to improve health.” Students have shown such extraordinary leadership and philanthropy that they were awarded the Texas Medical Association’s prestigious 2019 John P. McGovern Champion of Health Award for providing care to the city’s uninsured population.

spend time helping the community where they may practice in the future. “Volunteer experience benefits students by giving them a chance to serve the community they live in,” said Chris Gerzina, a member of the SGA. “I think one of the greatest things about TTUHSC El Paso is that all three schools focus on integration into the El Paso community.” In years past, students have volunteered at different nonprofits, including the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence, Compadres Therapy, GiGi’s Playhouse and the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank.

During another day focused on giving back, students celebrate and honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. through the annual MLK Day of Service. Every year, students across the TTUHSC El Paso campus volunteer throughout the city providing health services, sprucing up community gardens, reading to children and providing helpful health information and resources to area veterans and community members. As TTUHSC El Paso continues to grow, so do opportunities for our students to give back and acquire unmatched skills and experiences that they will value for the duration of their careers.

Giving Back Outside of clinics, students from both the GGHSON and GSBS plan and execute special community events and fundraisers benefiting El Pasoans from every background. During the SUNS Health Fair, students provide health services to the local community such as: free vaccinations, diabetes, glaucoma and back screenings and free groceries. Over the holiday season, GGHSON students set up health information booths on the TTUHSC El Paso campus to provide blood pressure checks to community members during Cookies, Cocoa and Holiday Cheer. Mentoring future health care professionals is another one of the many ways TTUHSC El Paso students spend time in the community. For the last eight years, students from the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and the GSBS have spent a day with middle schoolers at MedVenture For Your Future. The event, aimed at encouraging youngsters to pursue careers in health care, brings everyone together around one common interest: science. “It allows our students to be connected to the community and instill scientific learning with the youth of our community,” said René André, assistant director of outreach programs. GSBS research students create fun, educational presentations and demonstrations for the hundreds of middle schoolers who attend, hoping to spark an interest in STEM. For most events, it’s up to the students to come up with innovative ideas on how to make a positive impact in their community. Corazón de Oro does just that by coordinating students from all three TTUHSC El Paso schools for a day of volunteerism at community events throughout the city. Organized by the Student Government Association (SGA), Corazón de Oro encourages students to

HEARTS OF GOLD: STUDENTS FROM ALL THREE TTUHSC EL PASO SCHOOLS LEND A HAND THROUGHOUT THE CITY DURING CÓRAZON DE ORO’S DAY OF GIVING BACK. @TTUHSCEP

ADDRESSING THE HEALTH CARE SHORTAGE TTUHSC EL PASO DESIGNS SOLUTIONS TO MEET HEALTH CARE NEEDS BOTH LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE By Danielle Urbina

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An Aging Generation The baby boomer generation not only affects a growing number of patients in hospitals, but also the number of physicians and nurses moving into retirement, leaving vacant positions that cannot be filled quickly. “The baby boomer generation is at retirement age, so you will start to see their exit from the workforce,” Dr. Woods said. “We will have many experienced nurses who will age out, so that’s a big part of the projected shortage.” By 2020, more than 50% of baby boomers in Texas will be eligible for retirement. Additionally, it is that same generation that often requires the most health care services. Illnesses like diabetes, stroke, cancer and various heart conditions are most prevalent in adults over 65. This means that hospitals and health care clinics will have more patients, but less health care providers to attend to them. Consequently, the shortage of nurses affects quality of patient care: a major concern

throughout the United States. Studies show that poor quality of care is directly linked to the ratio of patients to nurses and that the number of patients assigned to one nurse is far larger than it has been in years. Growing Pains The ever-growing population in the United States, particularly in Texas, is another leading contributor to both the physician and nursing shortage. As people move to Texas from other large states like California, the demand for nurses has begun to increase at a rapid pace. “Five cities in Texas are among the fastestgrowing cities in the nation,” Dr. Woods said. “So, the population growth has allowed demand for nurses to far exceed our supply.” As of 2018, the population in Texas was estimated to be more than 28 million — a large climb from 2010, when around 25 million resided in the state. West Texas will face a greater health care

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E MO RE L O S

ealth care providers across the nation take an oath to provide the best care possible for every patient they encounter. But what happens when a shortage of physicians and nurses directly impacts this challenging environment? According to studies, the United States will face a significant health care provider shortage by 2030. The problem is critical in highly populated states like Texas, where shortages are projected to worsen — and already have — in most areas. A study conducted by Texas Health and Human Services found that a shortage of primary care physicians in Texas will climb 67% by 2030. This means that physician demand will grow faster than supply, leading to a shortage of up to 3,375 primary care physicians. In addition to a shortage of primary care physicians, nurses are in high demand throughout the state. In 2016, the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies projected a severe shortage by 2030, with an expected deficit of 59, 970 registered nurses throughout the state. Stephanie Woods, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, said that this critical nursing shortage can be attributed to two major factors: retiring baby boomers and population growth in Texas. “These are well-known and they’re talked about everywhere,” Dr. Woods said.

Combating the Shortage With a worsening lack of health care providers on the horizon, institutions are scrambling to find ways to encourage potential doctors and nurses to enter the field and to keep them in hospitals and clinics after graduation. At TTUHSC El Paso, Dr. Woods and faculty members from the school of nursing have made it their mission to inform and educate potential students so that their journey through nursing school — all the way to graduation and beyond — is well-planned and ultimately, a life-changing experience. “What we are trying to do is get out there and talk to high school students about the steps required to get into nursing school,” Dr. Woods said. “We talk to them about the prerequisites and also talk to their parents and families about the rigors of nursing school and how well-prepared the student is going to have to be.” They inform students about both financial aid and dual-credit programs that can help ease the financial burden of attending nursing school. “This seems to be a little bit more of a pressing issue for us,” Dr. Woods said. “One thing that I’m finding about the El Paso market is that we have a lot of students who were unsure of what they wanted to do when they grew up or may

have erroneously thought that they could keep repeating courses in an attempt to get better grades. We must advise them to do their best on their first attempt and conserve their financial aid so they can complete their programs and graduate with less student loan debt.” Currently, the school of nursing is focused on pipeline models that encourage an early start to nursing school and help potential students make wise decisions overall. Looking ahead, Dr. Woods plans to work with local hospitals to give nurses even more opportunities throughout their schooling. “We believe it is helpful to allow students to do the majority of their clinical hours in a single hospital, like University Medical Center of El Paso, or within a hospital system like Tenet Healthcare or HCA,” Dr. Woods said. “This — combined with internships while the student is still in school — positions them to be offered a job early and to perform better once they’re hired.” Ultimately, Dr. Woods said, a career in the health care industry is rewarding. When it comes to nursing, there are several benefits, which she refers to as the “three m’s: meaning, money and mobility” — a career that is fulfilling, recession proof and available in a wide variety of settings. “The opportunities for nursing are immense,” Dr. Woods said. “It’s really nothing but blue skies.”

deficit than other areas in the state. It is imperative then, Dr. Woods said, that nursing schools increase their capacity and that high school counselors encourage students to consider nursing as a career.

ACCORDING TO STUDIES, THE UNITED STATES WILL FACE A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH CARE PROVIDER SHORTAGE BY 2030. @TTUHSCEP

TOGETHER, WENDY WOODALL, D.D.S., AND RICHARD BLACK, D.D.S, M.S., HOPE TO EASE THE SHORTAGE OF ORAL HEALTH CARE IN WEST TEXAS WITH THE OPENING OF TTUHSC EL PASO’S NEWEST SCHOOL, THE WOODY L. HUNT SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE.

FILLING THE GAP THE W OODY L. HUNT SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE WILL HELP ELIMINATE HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE BORDERLAND AND BEYOND By David Peregrino

he big day is still two years away, but you can already anticipate the excitement when the first class of the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine steps onto campus to begin their journey toward becoming dentists. The students, recruited primarily from the West Texas region, will enter TTUHSC El Paso’s $83 million, five-story Medical Sciences Building II (now under construction) and make their way to the school’s location on the third floor. There, they will settle into their academic home for the next four years. And what a stunning place it will be. The Dental Learning Center, the centerpiece of the school, will

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feature 80 simulation stations equipped with high-tech, movable manikins to help students practice dental techniques. The stations will have computer monitors, connected via LAN to an instructor station for enhanced audiovisual education. In a laboratory on the same floor, students will use 3D scanners and CAD/CAM machines to fabricate dental restoration devices and appliances. “The school will not only benefit the citizens of West Texas through education and access to dental care, but it will act as an important hub for dental research,” said Richard Black, D.D.S, M.S., dean of the dental school. Born and raised in El Paso, Dr. Black earned his D.D.S. and orthodontics specialty at the

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry. The opening of TTUHSC El Paso’s dental school will be the highlight of Dr. Black’s fourdecade career providing care to his hometown community. Hired as dean in 2017, Dr. Black spent two years preparing the school for review by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and degree program approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. He expects it will take all of this year for these processes to be completed. Student recruitment will begin in 2020, and the school expects to welcome its first class of 40 students in 2021. The school will take advantage of the latest dental training technologies and follow the clinically oriented, educational approach used by the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. In the same way physicians diagnose and treat patients, dental students will learn to identify symptoms and follow a decision-making model to plan the best course of care. “We also plan to only use digital technology for lab work,” Dr. Black said. “We won’t always be the newest school, but we will be a school that is determined to always be among the real leaders in innovative dental education.” Because many of the school’s future students will likely stay in the West Texas region after graduation, the school is expected to have a transformative effect on residents’ access to dental care. The school’s community dental clinic — where students will provide patient care under faculty supervision — will

also help to power this transformation. The 38,000-square-foot clinic will be located on campus and offer services at an affordable cost. It will be equipped with 130 dental operatories — working spaces that include a patient chair, lights, dental instruments and other equipment necessary during treatment. “They will see a wide variety of patients, not just those who have been historically underserved,” Dr. Black said. “In fact, we hope to be the family dentists for the health sciences center. We want everybody to come see us.” Wendy Woodall, D.D.S., was hired in September as professor and associate academic dean. She and Dr. Black have been working tirelessly on paperwork, processes and community outreach efforts to successfully launch the school and its clinic. Like Dr. Black, Dr. Woodall has longtime ties to Texas. She earned her D.D.S. from the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. When she heard about the opportunity to help launch a new dental school — the first of its kind in Texas in 50 years — she jumped at the chance. “It’s very exciting to be able to help direct the school to become a leading-edge institution for the nation,” Dr. Woodall said. “It will help the community in terms of breadth of care, and it will be a great center for research on the relationship of oral health to total body health.”

P H O T OG R AP HY B Y TOM M I E M OR EL OS

TTUHSC EL PASO | FILLING THE GAP

ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACCOLADES | TTUHSC EL PASO

NURSING GRADUATES HONORED AT COMMENCEMENT AND PINNING CEREMONY

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E M O RE L O S; N UR S IN G G RA D UAT E S P HO T O B Y J ES SE R A M I R EZ

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT WELCOMES NEW HIRES In August, Andrea Tawney, Ph.D., was named associate vice chancellor for the TTUHSC El Paso Office of Institutional Advancement. Showing familiarity, Tawney is a true Red Raider, having earned her doctoral degree from Texas Tech University. She joined TTUHSC El Paso from New Mexico State University, where she served for eight years as the vice president for university advancement, marketing and communications and president of the NMSU Foundation. Prior to her time at NMSU, Tawney served as the director of development for the schools of nursing and allied health sciences at TTUHSC in Lubbock. Today, she oversees marketing, communications and development for the entire TTUHSC El Paso campus. In addition, Craig Holden was named managing director of development. Veronique Masterson was promoted to managing director for marketing and communications and will oversee the marketing, creative services and communications teams. Other recent institutional advancement hires include: Valerie Garcia as director of development Bonnie Elliot as project manager Danielle Urbina as senior editor Leslie Duron as editor

Sixty-one students who completed the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program were recognized during a commencement and pinning ceremony at the Plaza Theatre in December alongside 25 registered nurses who completed the R.N. to B.S.N. program. In June 2018, TTUHSC El Paso was granted separate accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in June, and this was the first nursing school commencement during which graduates received diplomas with the TTUHSC El Paso seal. Formerly, TTUHSC El Paso was classified as an affiliate of TTUHSC in Lubbock.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR RECEIVES CHANCELLOR’S COUNCIL AWARD In January, Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., and TTUHSC El Paso President Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., presented the annual Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award to Charmaine Martin, M.D., an associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Dr. Martin also serves as assistant dean of student affairs at the school of medicine. She teaches medical students at the Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso Family Medicine Clinic in Northeast El Paso. She participates in free health care events

for the community throughout the year and has taught at TTUHSC El Paso since 2005. Dr. Martin created the Scholars in Primary Care program, which encourages student interest in primary care by providing opportunities for leadership, patient advocacy and clinical experience. Program participants work with Dr. Martin at a free clinic for migrant farm workers, allowing students to gain hands-on clinical training while serving the community.

MATCH DAY PAIRS MEDICAL STUDENTS TO RESIDENCIES After four hard years of medical school, a large number of Paul L. Foster School of Medicine students matched to residency programs on Match Day in March. Ninety-nine students matched to prestigious residencies throughout the country, including programs at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Baylor University Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. Of the students matched, 16 will continue their medical training in El Paso: a new record for the number of matches to El Paso residency programs. Fourteen of these students will serve their residencies at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, caring for the community where they started on the path to becoming physicians. @TTUHSCEP

THE EVOLUTION OF TTUHSC EL PASO

CHANGING THE FACE OF HEALTH CARE IN WEST TEXAS By Leonard Martinez

1970s

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

et’s take a tour of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso... In Medical Sciences Building I, researchers are investigating treatments for some of the world’s most devastating diseases and illnesses, including diabetes, Zika and the flu. North of the Medical Education Building across “El Intercambio,” future physicians enroll in the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and future R.N.s and M.S.N.s in the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing combine classroom learning and hands-on simulation training. They practice medical skills and lifesaving techniques using high-tech medical manikins and learn to diagnose and care for injuries and illnesses by interacting with role-playing, standardized “patients.” Nearby, the campus bustles with physicians, nurses and patients coming in and out of the Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso clinics, University Medical Center of El Paso and El Paso Children’s Hospital. Construction noises fill the air as workers build the new, five-story Medical Sciences Building II. Ten years after opening the doors of the first four-year school of medicine on the U.S.-Mexico border, TTUHSC El Paso is thriving as it fulfills its mission to improve the lives of residents of the Borderland and beyond.

Remembering Our Roots But before TTUHSC El Paso could blossom into a stand-alone university, it first had to be planted and nurtured as a regional campus. In 1969, the 61st Texas Legislature established the Texas Tech University School of Medicine as an independent institution in Lubbock, authorizing the development of regional campuses in Amarillo, the Midland-Odessa area and El Paso. For student training purposes, it made sense to develop a campus in South Central El Paso, adjacent to R.E. Thomason Hospital (now UMC of El Paso) — the county’s public, nonprofit hospital. The El Paso Regional Academic Health Center’s first employee, El Pasoan Maria Elena Acevedo Flood, was hired in 1973 to develop the medical student training program. J. Manuel de la Rosa, M.D., M.Sc., vice president for outreach and community engagement at TTUHSC El Paso, remembers the university’s beginnings. He has been at TTUHSC El Paso for most of the past 38 years — including his time as

a medical student — and has witnessed its growth firsthand. “I grew up about ten blocks up the street,” Dr. de la Rosa said. “I actually came back to El Paso because I was accepted to medical school at several institutions, but I could be back home within 18 months of starting med school, and that was the allure. So, I did my clinical training here. I did my residency here.”

A Community Vision As the regional campus grew, the El Paso community began to envision a future where health care education would have a transformative effect on the Borderland. Establishing a four-year medical school in El Paso was seen as a catalyst that would close the gap in health disparities among the Borderland’s majority Hispanic population while creating a path to a high-skill, high-income economy. Government and business leaders and community organizations worked together tirelessly to create a roadmap to a medical school and, ultimately, our health sciences center. El Paso businessmen Robert Brown and Rick Francis were instrumental in these efforts, advocating for the health sciences center while serving on the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. “We got into it for a love of community and the opportunity to give back on our watch,” Francis said. “And it just went from trying to get a two-year program into a four-year program, into all of a sudden we could actually build a whole university here. You only have to look around at this dynamic campus and see the impact it’s having on El Paso’s economy.” Today, TTUHSC El Paso’s economic impact has

1970s @TTUHSCEP

also a member of the Texas Tech Foundation, serving from 2004 until 2012. Francis — who had served on the Board of Regents since 2003 — finished his most recent term in January. He was named chairman in February 2017 and served in that role until October 2018.

A Decade to Remember 1980s - Physicians Building

reached new heights through annual operating expenditures of $228 million. The Borderland also benefits from free health care at community clinics, where students volunteer their time to see patients under the direction of faculty physicians. In 2017, TTUHSC El Paso provided $34 million in uncompensated care.

“YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AROUND AT THIS DYNAMIC CAMPUS AND SEE THE IMPACT IT’S HAVING ON EL PASO’S ECONOMY.” —RICK FRANCIS

Brown and Francis “played a pivotal role in getting the health sciences center here,” said TTUHSC El Paso President Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A. “That meant working with city leaders in city government, meeting with state legislators and enlisting the help of Texas Tech University.” Without the efforts of Brown and Francis, “the health sciences center certainly wouldn’t be what it is today,” Lange said. “It may not even be here without their vision and pivotal role.” Brown was appointed to the Board of Regents in 1995 and served until 2003. He was elected chairman for a two-year term in 2001. Brown was

If community spirit was the fulcrum in the effort to create a health sciences center in El Paso, then philanthropy was the lever. Thanks to El Paso businessman Paul Foster’s $50 million gift, the four-year medical school that bears his name was able to seat its first class of 40 students in 2009. The medical school will celebrate its 10-year anniversary with a number of events throughout 2019. Another well-known El Paso businessman, Woody L. Hunt and his wife, Gayle Greve Hunt, demonstrated their love for their community through a $10 million gift from the Hunt Family Foundation to create the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing. The school seated its first class in 2011. The year of 2013 shines bright in the 1990s university’s history. In May of that year, the schools of medicine and nursing graduated their first classes, delivering on the promise to educate more physicians and nurses for the El Paso community. That same month, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 120, establishing TTUHSC El Paso as the fourth independent university under the TTU System. 2013 also marked the university’s 40th year in the El Paso community. The years that have followed have witnessed a whirlwind of growth at TTUHSC El Paso in campus population, facilities and community outreach. In 2014, the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board approved the establishment of a separate Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at TTUHSC El Paso. In 2015, the university celebrated the opening of the 34,000-square-foot school of nursing building, across from the school of medicine’s Medical Education Building. In 2016, the Hunt

Family Foundation generously contributed a $25 million gift to establish the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine, which will welcome its first class in 2021. Additionally, a $6 million grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation helped to fund the dental school’s start-up phase. In 2017, the university began construction of the five-story, 219,000-square-foot Medical Sciences Building II to triple the university’s research capacity. The building will be home to the dental school and equipped with a high-tech, digital Dental Learning Center and CAD/CAM design and milling laboratory. In 2018, TTUHSC

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The 61st Texas Legislature creates the Texas Tech University School of Medicine with campuses to be developed in Lubbock, El Paso, Amarillo and Odessa.

The Texas Tech Medical Center opens for outpatient care.

TTU System Chancellor John T. Montford shares his vision with university regents.

El Paso philanthropists J.O. and Marlene Stewart donate 10.7 acres to the campus.

Texas Governor Rick Perry signs House Bill 28, article 10, authorizing $45 million in tuition revenue bonds for the construction of a four-year medical school in El Paso.

The state legislature gives TTUHSC $48 million to fund the medical school in El Paso. El Paso businessman Paul L. Foster donates $50 million to the school: the largest gift ever to be received by the TTU System. The medical school is named in his honor.

The Paul L. Foster School of Medicine opens with an inaugural class of 40 students.

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

What’s in a Name? A short history of our evolving name and logo in the West Texas landscape By Raul De La Cruz

This year marks an important As we continue to grow, our look milestone in TTUHSC El Paso’s long will also evolve and adapt to meet history of education and health care the needs of our institution. Looking in our region. 2019 is the 10-year back at our past reveals how much anniversary of the first class of we’ve changed and gives us a medical students to be seated at the glimpse at our future. Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. As we commemorate this special EXAS TEC TEXAS TECH UNIV HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER HEALTH SCIENCES C occasion, we should remember Paul L. Foster School of that the foundation of what would eventually become TTUHSC El Paso had been present in the Borderland region for decades. Not only has ourU university N I V E transformed R S I T Y the El TECH U TEXAS N I V E R S IUNIVERSITY T Y TEXAS TECH HEALTH SCIENCES HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Paso skyline, but theCENTER name itself, HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER HEALTH SCIE Paul L. Foster School of Medicine 1990s Paul L. Foster S TTUHSC El Paso, has been through Old school: Our main logo used throughout the ‘80s and ’90s Old school: The doctor in: Logo a shield for the PLFSOM, Our mainislogo used with throughout thefrom ‘80s 2009 and ’90s The doctor is in: Logo wit as a regional campus of TTUHSC of in Lubbock. beforecampus TTUHSC El Paso became an independent university before withinTTUHSC El Paso bec as a regional of TTUHSC in Lubbock. transformations its own. the Texas Tech University System. the Texas Tech University S El Paso celebrated five years as a stand-alone institution. TTUHSC El Paso’s roots began Ten years after the first class of students entered the Paul L. Foster School of in 1973 as a Regional Academic Medicine, TTUHSC El Paso continues its remarkable expansion, and the future Health Center under the Texas Tech looks brighter than ever. University School of Medicine in From its humble beginnings in 1973 as a regional medical campus, TTUHSC El Lubbock. The “at” years: From 2009-2013, TTUHSC El Paso was still a regional campus under TTU The “at” years: From 2009-2013, TTUHSC El Paso was still a regional campus under TTUHSC inEC Lubbock. logo variations used “at El Paso” to specify location. TThese EXAS Paso now stands proudly as an independent university in the heart of the city: a In 1979, the original N I V E R S I T Y Thesecharter logo variations used “at El Paso” to specifyUlocation. TEXAS TECH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER HEALTH SCIEN U N I V E R S I T Y monument to the changing face of health care across the Borderland and beyond. that created the Lubbock school of TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY Paul L. Foster Sch HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Old school: Our main logo used throughout the ‘80s and ’90s The doctor is in: Logo with a medicine was expanded to include as a regional campus of TTUHSC in Lubbock.of Medicine before TTUHSC El Paso becam Paul L. Foster School the Texas Tech University Sys the creation of the Texas Tech Old school: Our main logo used throughout the ‘80s and ’90s The doctor is in: Logo with a shield from 2009 for the PLFSOM, University Health Sciences Center. before TTUHSC El Paso became an independent university within as a regional campus of TTUHSC in Lubbock. New kid on the block: A Tech University System. new and updated version This meant our regional campus theHereTexas to stay: In 2013, the “at” that specified our location was TTUHSC El Paso’s needs. T New kid on the block: our brand expands and evolves, dropped as TTUHSC El Paso officiallyAsbecame an independent for better visibility on dig and versions of our logos are created to meet universitynew under theupdated Texas Tech University System. would suit include Here to stay: Infollow 2013, the “at” thatand specified our location was TTUHSC El Paso’s needs. This variation was created in 2018 dropped as TTUHSC El Paso officially became an independent for better visibility on digital billboards and large signs. university under thein Texas University System. TTUHSC itsTechname. In 2013, as the PLFSOM received its full accreditation, our university was established as a stand-alone component of the Texas Tech The “at” years: From 2009-2013, TTUHSC El Paso was still a regional campus under TTUHSC in Lubbock. University System. becoming These logoIn variations used “at El Paso” to specify location. the fourth university under the TTU System, our name became Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and our official abbreviation TTUHSC El Paso. U N I V E R S I T

Old school: Our main logo used throughout the ‘80s and ’90s as a regional campus of TTUHSC in Lubbock.

EXAS TEC

The doctor is in: Logo with a shield fro before TTUHSC El Paso became an ind the Texas Tech University System.

EXAS TEC

The “at” years: From 2009-2013, TTUHSC El Paso was still a regional campus under TTUHSC in Lubbo These logo variations used “at El Paso” to specify location.

Here to stay: In 2013, the “at” that specified our location was dropped as TTUHSC El Paso officially became an independent university under the Texas Tech University System.

New kid on the block: As our brand e new and updated versions of our logo TTUHSC El Paso’s needs. This variation for better visibility on digital billboard

EXAS TEC

P H OTO G R AP H Y B Y TO M MI E M O R EL OS

The “at” years: From 2009-2013, TTUHSC El Paso was still a regional campus under TTUHS These logo variations used “at El Paso” to specify location.

New kid on the block: As o new and updated versions TTUHSC El Paso’s needs. Thi for better visibility on digita

Here to stay: In 2013, the “at” that specified our location was dropped as TTUHSC El Paso officially became an independent university under the Texas Tech University System.

New kid on the block: As our brand expands and evolves, new and updated versions of our logos are created to meet TTUHSC El Paso’s needs. This variation was created in 2018 for better visibility on digital billboards and large signs.

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The Hunt Family Foundation donates $10 million for a nursing school at the El Paso campus. It is to be named the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso becomes the fourth university in the TTU System, celebrating 40 years in the El Paso community.

The TTU System Board of Regents approves Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., as the founding president of TTUHSC El Paso and dean of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.

The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus hosts a topping-out ceremony for the nation’s newest teaching hospital. In collaboration with TTUHSC El Paso, the campus will be complemented by Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso at Transmountain.

Thanks to a $25 million gift from the Hunt Family Foundation and a $6 million grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, planning for West Texas’ first dental school begins. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences officially becomes TTUHSC El Paso’s third school.

TTUHSC El Paso breaks ground on its second Medical Sciences Building, MSB II, which will triple the campus’ research space. TTP El Paso at Transmountain welcomes the public with its inaugural West Health Fest.

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes TTUHSC El Paso as a Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, making it the only health-related institution located on the U.S.-Mexico border to receive the designation. @TTUHSCEP

TTUHSC EL PASO | MEANINGFUL IMPACT

PASSING THE TORCH E L PA S O D O C TO R ’ S J O U R N E Y I N S P I R E S G I V I N G I N S U P P O RT O F M E D I C A L S T U D E N T S

Campus and has a nephrology practice, Kidney Consultants of El Paso, with two locations. He earned his medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. Dr. Alvarez said he is thankful that he was able to complete an internship and residency in El Paso at what was then the Regional Academic Health Center for the Texas Tech University School of Medicine. “I was very grateful for the opportunity that Texas Tech gave me,” Dr. Alvarez said. “I was coming from a foreign school. I was very blessed that they gave me that opportunity.” For more than 10 years, Dr. Alvarez and his wife, Alicia Alvarez, have given their support to Texas

IT’S A GREAT PROFESSION. I WOULD DO IT FOR FREE. —DIONICIO ALVAREZ, M.D.

“So at 18 years old, my father was running a produce business,” Dr. Alvarez said. “Can you imagine? At 18, I didn’t even know how to put on my shoes! It’s unbelievable. I just admire him so much for that.” Dr. Alvarez had two brothers and two sisters, and after countless mornings of waking up at 3 a.m. to help with the produce business, they decided to take different paths in life. “We were in good shape: loading boxes up, 100-pound sacks of potatoes, watermelons, everything else,” Dr. Alvarez said. “None of us are in the produce business anymore. We decided to go to college instead.” Dr. Alvarez is chief of staff at The Hospitals of Providence East

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. This year, they sponsored half of the white coats for the incoming class of Paul L. Foster School of Medicine students. They would like to leverage their gift as a match in the hope that additional donors will step up to fund the other half of the white coats. The White Coat Ceremony gives medical students their first white coats, symbolizing their entrance into the profession of doctoring. The tradition started in 1993, and Dr. Alvarez saw his first White Coat Ceremony when his son attended medical school in San Antonio. His son is now a gastroenterologist in San Antonio. Dr. Alvarez’s other son

is a police officer in El Paso. “I realized how important the ceremony was when I saw my son get his first white coat,” Dr. Alvarez said. “I was really proud; he was really proud. It’s one of the first doors to open for the medical school students to see they’re in one great, noble profession. That’s why I’m supportive of medical students, and I hope that in the future, they, in

turn, will help the next generation of medical students.” “It’s a great profession,” Dr. Alvarez said. “I would do it for free. All of the doctors I know, who are really concentrating on patient care, yeah, they would do it for free.” To make your own gift of a white coat for a Paul L. Foster School of Medicine student, visit ttuhscep.edu/ia/development.

DID YOU KNOW? Your donation is an investment in the next generation of health care providers and every patient they serve throughout their career.

We offer unique opportunities to match your contribution and double the impact of your gift. For more information, call 915-215-5943. or visit ttuhscep.edu/ia/development

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E MO RE L O S

he family of Dionicio Alvarez, M.D., has a long history in the El Paso area. That history has given him a special appreciation for the opportunities he had and a desire to give back to the next generation of physicians. Dr. Alvarez’s great-grandfather was the sheriff of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, for many years before he was eventually killed. Dr. Alvarez’s grandfather was the youngest of five boys, and when he found little opportunity in Juárez after his father’s death, he moved to El Paso in the early 1900s and opened a small produce stand. The produce business was so successful that he retired at age 45, offering the business to Dr. Alvarez’s father when he was only 18.

PHILANTHROPY | TTUHSC EL PASO

THE GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING DONORS HELP FUND COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ON-CAMPUS RESEARCH

nstitutional Advancement at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso has augmented its grant-writing unit to include substantially more outreach and a more comprehensive approach to fundraising. The new department is called Corporate & Foundation Relations. While continuing to work with faculty members in shaping, editing and submitting grant proposals, the unit is expanding its approaches to corporate outreach, foundation relationship development and local business partnerships. The effects of these efforts promise to be substantial in the coming months and years. Support from local and national corporations and foundations is a crucial aspect of TTUHSC El Paso’s mission. Here are a few examples of impactful grants from our partners:

SPONSORED BY EL PASO ELECTRIC, COOKIES, COCOA AND HOLIDAY CHEER ALLOWED TTUHSC EL PASO STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF TO GIVE THE EL PASO COMMUNITY A FESTIVE “THANK YOU” FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

EL PASO ELECTRIC sponsored the fourth

annual Cookies, Cocoa and Holiday Cheer celebration in December 2018 with a gift of $2,500. This event is a way for TTUHSC El Paso to say thank you to the community. Over 1,000 people attended. The on-campus event offered a free light show, food and festivities for El Paso families. There were free photos with Santa Claus and other special guests. In addition to the fun, there were some valuable community health contributions as well: • Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing students conducted blood pressure and glucose screenings. • The El Paso Department of Health promoted their Medicaid waiver program and offered information about vaccinations and cancer screenings. • United Way handed out discount prescription cards. • The university’s surgery and pediatrics departments distributed information.

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E MO RE L O S

THE STERN FOUNDATION of El Paso

supported the Medical Student Run Clinic at the Sparks Community Center with a $5,000 gift. Located in East El Paso’s unincorporated Sparks community, which has no public transportation or other services, the MSRC provides free primary health care services such as diagnostics, blood work and referrals to the underserved and uninsured population. Paul L. Foster School of Medicine students manage all clinic operations — from triage and registration to patient care and discharge — under the direct supervision of volunteer physicians. Students also conduct health education seminars and breast cancer screenings.

PETER THOMPSON, M.D., IS THE DIRECTOR OF TTUHSC EL PASO’S SOUTHWEST BRAIN BANK, WHERE IMPORTANT RESEARCH IS BEING DONE EVERY DAY TO HELP DIAGNOSE AND TREAT MENTAL ILLNESSES.

THE ROBERT E. AND EVELYN MCKEE FOUNDATION helped support the Southwest

Brain Bank at TTUHSC El Paso in 2018 with a $10,000 gift. The Brain Bank collects and stores brain tissue, then provides it to qualified scientific researchers studying mental disorders like dementia. The purpose of this research is to understand not only how the brain works, but how it changes with mental illness. Studying brain tissue enables scientists to develop new approaches to diagnoses and improved treatments, and obtaining brain tissue from those with and without illnesses is essential to continue this important work.

THE SOCIETY FOR CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE , the largest nonprofit medical

organization dedicated to promoting excellence and consistency in critical care practice, provided a $50,000 grant to TTUHSC El Paso to fund research into sepsis — a critical condition that is especially dangerous to the elderly and prevalent in hospitals and nursing homes. The research will be conducted by faculty and staff in the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine’s Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases. @TTUHSCEP

GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRIST RICARDO SALAZAR, M.D., FOCUSES ON ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN THE HISPANIC POPULATION By Leonard Martinez and David Peregrino

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

CDC predicts some 3.5 million U.S. Hispanics will have the disease by 2060. It’s this grim outlook that has Ricardo Salazar, M.D., a geriatric psychiatrist at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, focused on the Hispanic population as he works to discover effective treatments for the disease. Alzheimer’s Metabolic Connection The study of Alzheimer’s is taking researchers like Dr. Salazar down less-trodden paths, because the disease appears to manifest differently in Hispanics. For example, in non-Hispanic whites, the disease is linked to chronic, low-grade inflammation of the brain. This neuroinflammation is revealed by high levels of inflammatory proteins, called cytokines,

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y R A UL D E L A CR UZ

Healing F the Brain

or decades, researchers have been working to unravel the mystery of Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that causes dementia and slowly robs older adults of the ability to remember and reason. As Alzheimer’s progresses, the symptoms are devastating; those with the disease often forget who their loved ones are and become completely dependent on others for care. Alzheimer’s is particularly troubling for the U.S. Hispanic population, because this is the country’s fastest-growing ethnic group. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of Hispanics age 65 and older is expected to nearly quadruple by 2060: The population will experience the largest increase in Alzheimer’s disease compared to other ethnic groups. The

produced by the immune system. But for reasons One of their most recent studies, presented at ‘troublemaker’ of inflammation. It calls for not fully understood, Hispanics of Mexicanthe Alzheimer Society International Congress the recruitment of all the other cytokines and American origin with Alzheimer’s often do 2019 in San Francisco in February, compared responses. The difference is that usually in not have elevated levels of these inflammatory cytokine levels among groups of Hispanics and Alzheimer’s disease that cytokine is elevated, but biomarkers, according to Dr. Salazar. non-Hispanic whites who had been diagnosed with in the Hispanic population, it was low.” “Basically, in Mexican-Americans, it both Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s dementia. A better understanding of the major forms of doesn’t appear to be a case of this Alzheimer’s among Hispanics could inflammatory type of Alzheimer’s,” Dr. lead to improved treatment, including Salazar said. “We suspect that it’s more early interventions to improve diet of a metabolically driven condition.” and lifestyle. Also, diabetes drugs that ALZHEIMER’S IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLING What this means is that for reduce blood sugar levels and improve FOR THE U.S. HISPANIC POPULATION, Hispanics in the U.S., the disease insulin response could hold promise in BECAUSE THIS IS THE COUNTRY’S FASTESTseems to develop via social, rather staving off Alzheimer’s. than genetic, pathways. Diets and Dr. Salazar’s research also revealed GROWING ETHNIC GROUP. lifestyles that lead to conditions such that Hispanics tend to show symptoms as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and insulin of Alzheimer’s at an earlier age than resistance appear to also open the door for “What we found was that none of the other ethnic groups. Alzheimer’s disease. inflammatory cytokines were elevated in Dr. Salazar hopes his research and experience Research supporting the metabolic hypothesis Hispanic populations,” Dr. Salazar said. He added: with the growing, and aging, Hispanic population is relatively new and often limited to small “The only cytokine that had a statistically in the U.S. will help to open paths to improved sample populations. Dr. Salazar and his team are significant difference was interleukin 8, Alzheimer’s treatment — making lives better for working to add to this body of research. which is one of the cytokines that we call the patients and their family members.

Quick Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease

1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

In 2019, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation

$290 billion

in health care expenses. By 2050, these costs could rise as high as $1.1

trillion.

Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops the disease.

5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, this number is projected to reach nearly 14

million.

Alzheimer’s disease is the

sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

SOURCE: ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION

@TTUHSCEP

TTUHSC EL PASO | ALUMNI NOTE

AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST CLASS TO GRADUATE FROM TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER EL PASO’S PAUL L. FOSTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, I WAS ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN FORMING THE TTUHSC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH SERVES BOTH THE LUBBOCK AND EL PASO UNIVERSITIES. THE NON-GOVERNING BOARD WAS CREATED IN 2015 AS A WAY FOR THE TTUHSC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TO BETTER SERVE ITS MEMBERS.

Jason Ross, M.D. PAUL L. FOSTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CLASS OF 2013

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

It's been a pleasure throughout my career to help develop the TTUHSC Alumni Association. The first year was devoted to setting the groundwork for future association duties and interactions with students, alumni and professional staff. After that first year, we established well-developed roles and maintained steady interactions with both students and professional staff while developing relationships with our alumni. Over the course of the second year, we hosted successful alumni events throughout Texas. Recently, we held two events in El Paso: one for the PLFSOM’s class of 2013 and one well-received event in downtown El Paso that was attended by people in different health professions. As we continue our efforts, our next few projects are focused on continuing to develop

alumni relations and beginning to give back to alumni and students. We’re developing scholarships on multiple fronts to reward students for their hard work in helping us welcome alumni at events and fostering a professional collegiality that will continue as these students become alumni. In the future, we hope to remain a part of the TTUHSC alumni but aim to become an independent branch. As TTUHSC El Paso becomes a more independent institution, we’ll continue to participate in TTUHSC-wide events, but we’ll also begin to focus on El Paso-based events, scholarships and communication with our alumni. For more information about the TTUHSC Alumni Association and how you can get involved, please email alumni.ia.ep@ttuhsc.edu.

ALUMNI PROFILES | TTUHSC EL PASO

PAUL L. FOSTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Taylor Infante, M.D.

PLFSOM STUDENT DEVELOPS DEEPER COMMUNITY ROOTS DUE TO VOLUNTEER EMPHASIS IN TTUHSC EL PASO CURRICULUM GRADUATED: 2018 RESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL MEDICINE TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER EL PASO HOMETOWN: EL PASO, TEXAS

EARLY INTRIGUE:

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E MO RE L O S

Since the age of four, Taylor Infante, M.D., knew she wanted to be a doctor, and as she grew up, she learned exactly what she had to do to get there. Paving her way toward medical school, Infante attended the Maxine L. Silva Health Magnet School, and, almost as if it were meant to be, witnessed the construction of a building right across the street that would soon become part of her future. “I saw the (Paul L. Foster School of Medicine) being built in high school, so that was really cool,” Infante said. “From there, I went to UTEP and majored in microbiology with the idea of going to medical school; so I’ve been working toward this for a while now.”

MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE:

Though medical school can be stressful for anyone, Infante approached the experience with the intent to learn as much as she could — both about medicine and herself. “Medical school is a great equalizer for a lot of people,” Infante said. “I was able to to recognize my strengths and weaknesses, making sure that I work on expectations of myself. We’re all Type

A people who are very hard on ourselves; I’ve learned to get over some of that in medical school and also keep a good work-life balance.” What she found she loved the most about the PLFSOM was its focus on community and the unique opportunities for hands-on experience. “I really loved the emphasis on border medicine and social determinants that TTUHSC El Paso focuses on,” Infante said. “I volunteered at a lot at places like the Medical Student Run Clinic, and that was a great experience — really trying to get out in the community and help people who are most in need.”

GIVING BACK:

At TTUHSC El Paso, students are encouraged to enhance their education by volunteering, and Infante took it as an opportunity to become even further acquainted with the city she grew up in. While at the PLFSOM, she ran the SUNS Health Fair for two years and was part of both the internal medicine and cardiology interest groups. One standout moment, however, was Infante’s time spent with Happily Ever After Healers. “A few of the medical students would dress up as Disney princesses and go to different

functions,” Infante said. “That was definitely a fun volunteer experience.” The group visited with children throughout the community and worked with nonprofits, such as GiGi’s Playhouse, Candlelighters of El Paso, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and more.

NEXT STEPS:

Not long ago, during Match Day, Infante was excited to find out that she would continue her career in the Sun City, serving her residency in the Department of Internal Medicine at TTUHSC El Paso. “I love the sense of community here, and I love that I’ve been able to really build my relationships with all of the physicians I work with now,” Infante said. “And the patients are absolutely amazing. They’re very grateful and thankful to have your help.” She continues to maintain her work-life balance by spending time with family, cooking and doing yoga when she has spare time. And, for Infante, the future looks bright — she plans to spend at least a couple of years in El Paso postresidency, working in the community she’s loved for so many years. @TTUHSCEP

TTUHSC EL PASO | ALUMNI PROFILES

GAYLE GREVE HUNT SCHOOL OF NURSING

Aida Lopez Chacon, B.S.N., B.S.E.E.

FORMER ENGINEER BUILDS NEW SURGICAL CAREER WITH GGHSON PROGRAM GRADUATED: 2015 SURGERY DEPARTMENT THE HOSPITALS OF PROVIDENCE TRANSMOUNTAIN CAMPUS, EL PASO, TEXAS HOMETOWN: EL PASO, TEXAS

FROM ENGINEERING TO NURSING:

DRAWN TO SURGERY:

Lopez Chacon recalls always being intrigued by surgery and watching surgical procedures in television documentaries with great interest. After earning her degree, seeking a position in the operating room was an easy decision. “It is fascinating to be part of a team of medical staff during an operation and see how the different areas of medicine merge with technology to deliver patient care,” Lopez Chacon said.

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

FINDING HER GROOVE IN A FAST-PACED PROGRAM:

Lopez Chacon remembers feeling overwhelmed at times while working toward her B.S.N. degree. She described the accelerated program as rigorous and challenging. One of the keys to successfully completing the program was the support of her professors, who showed a genuine interest in the success of students. “The times that I needed their assistance, they were always ready to help,” Lopez Chacon said. “I clearly recall their guidance, helping me apply complex concepts, theories and evidencebased practice to patient care. Thanks to their encouragement, I applied and was accepted to one of a limited number of internship positions at a local hospital in my area of interest.”

TRANSITIONING TO THE WORKFORCE:

For nurses about to begin their careers, Lopez Chacon advises following the guidelines and recommendations for patient care and to not take any shortcuts. She also recommends making sure health care documentation is thorough and accurate. “Always do the right thing, even when no one is watching, and have a good attitude,” she said. “Most importantly, treat your patients with the same care you would give your loved ones. Whether it is a regular doctor visit, or required hospitalization for a loved one, the care you provide impacts people’s lives in more ways than you can imagine. You may inspire someone to pursue a career in health care — just like what happened to me.”

P H OT O G RA P H Y BY T OM MIE M O REL OS

Ever since she was young, Aida Lopez Chacon has admired the skills, knowledge and compassion of doctors and nurses. She interacted with them when she got sick, or if a family member needed care, but she never thought she’d be able to pursue a career in health care. Fate instead steered her toward an electrical engineering degree and a long career in the auto industry. But, after 16 years as an engineer, she realized she was ready for a change. “It was at that time that I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse,” Lopez Chacon said. She enrolled in the GGHSON’s Accelerated B.S.N., an intensive program designed to be completed in four consecutive semesters.

ALUMNI PROFILES | TTUHSC EL PASO

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

Karina Espino, M.S. GSBS ALUMNI LEARNS RESILIENCE WHILE PURSUING GRADUATE DEGREE GRADUATED: 2018 CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, INTERNAL MEDICINE TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER EL PASO HOMETOWN: EL PASO, TEXAS

EL PASO BEGINNINGS:

Karina Espino, M.S., grew up in various parts of the El Paso area before settling down in Socorro. Spanish was her first language, and she had to struggle to quickly learn English when placed in a monolingual English class in the fourth grade. She graduated from Socorro High School, where she was part of a magnet program that focused on science and math. Espino said El Paso taught her to appreciate diverse culture and gave her “the opportunities to help those in need and the resilience to succeed even when everything is pushing you down.”

P H OT O G RA P H Y BY T OM MIE M O REL OS

LOVE OF SCIENCE:

Before beginning work on her Master of Science degree at TTUHSC El Paso’s Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Espino already held associate’s degrees in biology, pre-dentistry and art and a bachelor’s degree in forensic science with a concentration in biology. While Espino worked as the main advisor at the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing, her supervisor mentioned that her love of science made her a natural fit for the first M.S. class at the GSBS. “I have always loved science growing up, so getting to be part of a program that has so much lab experience was great,” Espino said.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES:

The course and lab work that came with being a student at the GSBS meant Espino eventually had to give up her job at the nursing school. She found working in a lab involved completing difficult and repetitious work until optimal results were achieved. “It was a challenging program, but I loved every up and down,” Espino said. “It prepared me for the future and made me resilient in the world of science.”

THE FUTURE:

Espino now enjoys being part of studies and clinical trials in TTUHSC El Paso’s Department of Internal Medicine. She is hoping to parlay her GSBS education into acceptance to medical school

or a Ph.D. program, but she said one of the great things about a Master of Science degree is the variety of professional options available. “The fact is that biomedical sciences can lead you in any direction and not just confine you to a lab,” Espino said. “You may take part in so much more than you thought possible. We can create new medical devices to help alleviate someone’s worst symptoms. We can work in pharmaceutical companies with development of treatments and new options for patients. We can work in a lab doing bench work. The fact that we can understand how to use most machinery for different aspects of science has prepared us to jump into something new. If we don’t know something, we are always capable of learning, because learning is neverending when it comes to a career in science.” @TTUHSCEP

TTUHSC EL PASO | RESIDENT PROFILE

Hashim M. Hanif, M.D. CHIEF SURGERY RESIDENT’S PASSION FOR MEDICINE LEADS HIM TO TEXAS RESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER EL PASO MEDICAL SCHOOL: AGA KHAN MEDICAL COLLEGE AT THE AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY, KARACHI, PAKISTAN HOMETOWN: KARACHI, PAKISTAN

JOURNEY TO EL PASO:

“This makes for easier and faster access to health care and less of a workload on physicians, so they can focus more on each individual patient,” Dr. Hanif said.

DIFFERENCES FROM HOME:

PERSONAL INSPIRATION:

Dr. Hanif said one of the big differences between health care in Pakistan and the U.S. is that in the U.S., diagnostics and therapies are based on objective evidence from laboratory and imaging studies. In Pakistan, where those resources are not used as often, there is a heavy reliance on the physician’s clinical assessment. Another difference is that in the U.S., physicians have the support of many allied health care providers.

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

For Dr. Hanif, inspiration to become a physician came from real-world experiences. In his teens, both of his parents sought medical attention; as he accompanied them to doctors’ offices and hospitals, he began to learn more about the health professions. He met doctors who were selflessly devoted to looking after patients and was motivated and inspired by their compassion and work ethic. That is when Dr. Hanif decided that medicine was the path for him.

NEW CHALLENGES AWAIT:

Dr. Hanif said general surgery was the perfect combination for him, offering the challenge of problem solving and the physical finesse of surgical skills. He plans to pursue training in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to fulfill his goal of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Dr. Hanif said his experience in the U.S., working at TTUHSC El Paso and University Medical Center of El Paso “has made me realize how similar we all are, even in our differences. We are all united in pain and are together in joy. It does not matter what color your skin is, what language you speak, which country you are from — all of us are connected by threads of humanity.”

P H OT O G RA P H Y BY T OM MIE M O REL OS

Hearing about El Paso from a friend who had moved to the city for work, Dr. Hanif was intrigued and applied for a residency position with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. He was offered an interview and made his way to Texas for the first time to learn more. Dr. Hanif was pleased to accept the position, recognizing the surgery program’s robust training model that features autonomy for residents and a balance of surgical skills and diagnostic training. He is currently in his fifth year of residency and enjoying every moment of it. “There is no place in the whole world I would rather be than in the operating room,” Dr. Hanif said.

CAMPUS VOICES | TTUHSC EL PASO

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? WE ASKED MEMBERS OF THE TTUHSC EL PASO COMMUNITY WHAT KEEPS THEM GOING

hough at times demanding and stressful, work in the health care industry is often exciting and always rewarding. Students and faculty at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso are always busy — whether they’re conducting innovative research, providing health services for the community or educating future health care providers — but they stay motivated for a variety of reasons. We asked them to weigh in on what keeps them going. “What motivates me is my desire to be in a position where I can help people live healthier and better lives day in and day out. Also, the encouragement I receive from my family, friends and educators is an incredibly strong motivator. Their belief in my abilities helps push me to achieve more than I ever thought was possible.” SAJID A. LEELANI , Paul L. Foster School of

P H O TO G R AP H Y B Y T O MMI E MO RE L O S

Medicine Class of 2020, Student Government Association President “I am motivated by being able to help the next generation of students and health professionals to make a difference in El Paso and Texas.” PETER S. ROTWEIN, M.D. , Vice President for

Research, Associate Dean for Research, Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences

“I'm really, really, really passionate about school and education and the medicine and research aspect of it. What motivates me — other than my family — is working hard and knowing that the future is ours to make and just to learn as much as you can right now.”

“I am motivated by knowing that my teachings are the start of a long-term career for others who are helping impact the health care of the community that I serve. This motivates me to want to learn more and give my knowledge to others.”

ASHLEY MARIE JACQUEZ , Graduate School of

CHRISTINA BLANCO, D.N.P., R.N., WHNP-BC,

Biomedical Sciences Class of 2019

Assistant Professor, Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing

“I think the key thing for me would be the satisfaction I feel from people getting better. I'm just trying to save patients. That's my motivation. I always tell my patients that the biggest indicator for me if I'm doing a good job or not is when I see my patients smile at me, make eye contact and see they’re happy.” MAHESH GAJENDRAN, M.D., M.P.H. , Assistant

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine

PETER ROTWEIN, M.D., VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH AT TTUHSC EL PASO, DISCUSSED GENETICS AS A GUEST SPEAKER AT TEDx EL PASO LAST OCTOBER. HIS MOTIVATION, HE SAYS, COMES FROM MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. @TTUHSCEP

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