Department of Internal Medicine The University of Texas Medical Branch
Chairman’s Corner Many people referred to 2020 as ‘a year like no other’ and yet, 2021 has proven to have its own set of trials and tribulations. From a unique Texas Winter Freeze to my arrival as a new Chair to the continued waxing and waning of COVID, 2021 has been full of surprises. What I observed was an incredibly resilient and adaptable UTMB team that time and again met the challenges we were confronted with. You should be extraordinarily proud of your Alma Mater and the Department of Internal Medicine. The faculty, house staff, and staff have once again demonstrated their dedication and ingenuity in the face of uncertain times. This is my first time writing to you as the Chair of Internal Medicine. I am incredibly grateful to the Alumni Network for their commitment to UTMB. Below are some of our accomplishments over the past year: • As of October 21, 2021 we have had a cumulative total of 587,634 Covid-19 tests, 8,989 hospitalizations, 671 deaths and 4,910 monoclonal antibodies administered and over 320,000 vaccine doses given
• Grand Rounds, Morning Report, and other meetings have evolved from virtual to hybrid, as did all our support staff and non-COVID research staff during the height of COVID spread. We hope to be back in person full-time by Spring 2022 • So far this year, UTMB faculty have submitted 225 COVID -19 related grants with 83 proposals being funded for over $28M in research funding • Our Department has published more than 46 peer-reviewed publications • We have begun to respond to the 2020 external review of the Department with several concrete steps including an improved communication strategy, a “citizen of the month” to highlight deeds of selflessness by faculty and staff, and we have launched a search for a new Research Director for our Center for Health-System Improvement (CHI) • Dr. J. Marc Shabot has established the Department of Internal Medicine Mentorship Fund which will provide a focus on faculty development by creating a robust mentorship program by utilizing resources at UTMB to conduct lectures and workshops for our faculty mentors and mentees • Dr. William Calhoun has agreed to lead the Research Mindset Group which ensures fellows are exposed to a wide array of research occurring at UTMB. This program will also link fellows to numerous research training programs that exist across UTMB • The Department has recruited Dr. Gregory Gray, MD, MPH, FIDSA as Professor in Infectious Disease, PMPH and Microbiology/Immunology. Dr. Gray is a retired U.S. Navy Captain and brings with him a diverse background
November 2021 in epidemiological studies of infectious disease for over 25 years within 5 continents. Much of his work has involved identifying risk factors for occupational diseases, particularly respiratory virus infections. Our Department is evolving to meet the needs of our local community, our state, and the nation. None of this would be possible without our tremendous faculty and staff. Since my arrival at UTMB in April, 2021 I have been overwhelmed by the dedication of many of our long-term faculty and our devoted alumni. I would like to thank Dr. Rex McCallum for the tremendous leadership he provided to the Department of Internal Medicine prior to my arrival, and for his assistance during my transition to UTMB. At an institutional level, Dr. Ben Raimer was appointed as UTMB’s President on October 5, 2021. Dr. Raimer has held numerous academic and administrative positions at UTMB over the past four decades. His new title as President reflects his exceptional leadership over the past two years. Removing the interim solidifies Dr. Raimer’s leadership is a competitive advantage in our ability to recruit top caliber people to UTMB. I would like to conclude by thanking you, as Alumni, and our faculty and staff for supporting the Institution and myself as Chairman. It has been a pleasure to lead such a wonderful and dedicated group of individuals.
Peter Cram, MD, MBA
Chair, Department of Internal Medicine Edward Randall and Edward Randall Jr., Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine Professor of Internal Medicine
The 2020-2021 “Tridemic”: UTMB responds to COVID, Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Nicholas By Gulshan Sharma, MD, MPH, FCCP
Senior Vice President and Chief Medical & Clinical Innovation Officer, UTMB Health System Director, Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, UTMB Department of Internal Medicine
In October 2020, as I finished writing an article for this publication about UTMB’s COVID-19 response, our region had come through a major summer surge six weeks before. We knew the virus still had much to teach us, but we did not realize how quickly those lessons would come. Unfortunately, by the time last year’s article was in readers’ hands, we were in the early stages of a winter surge that would last for months. We would soon be tested by an unprecedented winter storm and, later in 2021, a punishing wave of the Delta variant and a hurricane—a “tridemic” that would put us to the test. But with UTMB’s brand of resilience and determination, we met each challenge head on while providing Best Care to all of our patients, keeping our employees and students safe, and undertaking a major COVID vaccination effort for our region.
Shots in Arms Dec. 15, 2020, was a historic day for UTMB and our entire region. That morning, we received our very first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine that had just been granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA. We administered our first COVID shot to one of our health care workers by noon that same day. UTMB researchers conducted clinical trials on this and the Moderna vaccine, helping to determine their safety and amazing effectiveness. It was a tremendous experience to see the first doses being given. Our Vaccination Preparedness Task Force, formed in early Fall 2020, managed all aspects of the program, from planning to implementation. Our teams deftly managed the stringent storage requirements and initially limited supply to ensure near-zero waste. Our program moved quickly as federal and state guidelines expanded eligibility beyond health care workers over the weeks and months ahead. Once again, the flexibility of our faculty and staff was key to our success as rules and supplies evolved.
The ’20-’21 Winter Surge UTMB experienced what we now consider to be a brief, six-week surge early in the pandemic; that was followed by an eight-week surge from June to August 2020. We hoped we had seen COVID’s worst. We had not. By late Fall 2020, with mask mandates no longer in force and a vaccine still months away from being widely available, holiday gatherings contributed to our next surge. Case numbers and positivity rates began to increase in November. This third wave saw more patients and a longer duration than our summer surge. We used the knowledge we had gained up to that time to treat patients, and we altered visitation, masking, testing and travel policies to keep faculty, staff, students and patients safe. It would be March before we could declare the winter surge over. During that time, we experienced the hope of powerful new vaccines—and the harsh reality that Mother Nature can hand us significant obstacles when we least expect them. 2 | Internal Medicine Newsletter
UTMB began vaccinating health care workers on Dec. 15, 2020, just two hours after the first doses arrived on the Galveston Campus.
By Jan. 16, 2021, UTMB had been named a vaccine hub by the State of Texas. In partnership with Galveston County and the Galveston County Health District (also a hub), we created a drive-through mass vaccination site in a public park on the mainland. It operated from Jan. 23 to May 1, administering 3,000 shots a day at its peak. We also organized mass vaccination events in Brazoria County through our Angleton
continued
COVID-19 Waves Numbers of COVID-19 positive patients broken down by the four different waves, including data for hospitalizations, ICU stays and deaths while hospitalized at UTMB’s four campuses.
COVID Test Wave (result date)
COVID+
Wave 1 Up to May 31, 2020
1,462
51 (19)
Wave 2 June 1, 2020-Oct. 31, 2020
13,065
Wave 3 Nov. 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 Wave 4 July 1, 2021 to today
Hospitalized Age Mean (SD)
Hospitalized ICU Stays
Hospitalized Expired
452
60 (16)
148
64
38 (19)
2,136
55 (19)
684
164
19,877
39 (21)
3,008
55 (20)
1,126
237
22,507
35 (21)
2,067
53 (20)
727
208
Age COVID+ Hospitalizations Mean (SD)
“Tridemic” Continued Danbury Campus. UTMB and the Health District hosted numerous community-based vaccine events at churches, St. Vincent’s Clinic in Galveston and other locations. Nurses brought vaccine to homebound seniors—even at the height of a February ice storm. We also collaborated with cruise ship companies and other employers to vaccinate their staff. As of this writing, we are administering vaccines and booster shots per CDC guidelines and are vaccinating children ages 5-11. In just 11 months (as of Nov. 15, 2021), we had administered more than 333,000 shots in arms to protect our communities from COVID-19.
An Unprecedented Winter Storm In February, while UTMB continued to treat patients hospitalized due to the COVID-19 winter surge, our hospitals and clinics had to deal with another emergency that altered our treatment plans and wreaked havoc across
the state. Winter Storm Uri brought ice, snow and bitterly cold temperatures across Texas, plunging nearly every area where UTMB has facilities into a freezing darkness. When Uri plowed into the Gulf Coast overnight on Feb. 15, our entire region lost electricity. UTMB has ample backup generator power, so our mission carried on. But disruption to the water supply on Galveston Island was a different story. As the level of UTMB’s large holding tank fell, it became clear that the lack of water was becoming an emergency within an emergency. UTMB leadership convened its Incident Command team at 4 a.m. on Feb. 17 to assess the situation and declare emergency status for all locations, meaning only those employees critical to the patient care mission were to come to campus. After careful deliberation, it was decided not to evacuate the Galveston hospitals. Travel was hazardous and hospitals continued
UTMB faculty, staff and contractors responded to Winter Storm Uri with innovation, dedication and good humor. Shown: the League City Campus Med/Surg Unit; ambu-bus for transporting dialysis patients; inventing a dialysis solution, just in case. The University of Texas Medical Branch | 3
“Tridemic” Continued throughout the state were facing the same weather and COVID challenges as the island campus. UTMB would not stop for Winter Storm Uri. With water levels dropping, UTMB made arrangements to transport water to campus from a barge in the Galveston Harbor should it become necessary. In the end, it was not. Still, with leaking pipes across the city, water pressure remained a critical concern, particularly for 20 dialysis patients whose treatments required adequate pressure. It was decided to move the patients to the League City Campus, which had full water service and adequate pressures for dialysis. Transporting the patients individually, however, would have taken three or more hours each, because of dangerous road conditions. Instead, Fort Bend County officials volunteered the use of an ambu-bus, which allowed us to transport 10 patients at a time.
Dr. Shawn Nishi, professor of pulmonary critical care medicine, was among the UTMB employees interviewed about our COVID experience by ABC’s Good Morning America.
In a display of UTMB’s continued ingenuity in the face of adversity, an alternate plan was developed for treating the dialysis patients in case we needed to dialyze patients in Galveston. The solution involved a simple water pump from a local hardware store that could be placed in a 70-gallon drum and provide enough water and pressure to complete dialysis. While we did not have to use the invention, our UTMB team was finding solutions where few existed.
By early June, the next uptick in cases began as a result of the variant. From the start of the Delta surge, our data indicated a steeper climb in cases. The steep increase was quickly followed by an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations. By late July, ICUs across UTMB’s four hospital campuses were full. The patients in this surge were younger, became sicker more quickly and were mostly unvaccinated. We saw our highest number of daily cases and among our highest positivity rates. As the climb subsided, we hit a high plateau of hospitalizations. But it was a false plateau—we were unable to accept transfer requests from other hospitals in need because ICUs were full.
Equally impressive: A UTMB Facilities crew walked the streets of Galveston, checking city water valves along the water line. They ended up finding one that was turned off and were able to fix it, returning water pressure to the island campus.
Cases and hospitalizations began to decline in late September, nearly three months after the fourth wave began. The Delta surge has proved to be our worst to date. We hope it will remain the worst of all time and that any future outbreaks are not as severe.
In the end, UTMB remained open, serving patients and our communities.
And Then a Hurricane…
The Delta Variant: A Formidable Foe Following Winter Storm Uri, our region experienced a brief reprieve from COVID-19 throughout the spring. At the time, about 56% of eligible Galveston County residents were vaccinated. UTMB leadership, and many state and federal leaders, did not anticipate the next surge until the fall.
As the Delta variant continued to fill our hospitals and emergency departments in mid-September, yet another weather emergency demanded our attention. Hurricane Nicholas, an erratic and slowing-moving storm, set its sights on Galveston as it meandered and gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately, the storm never developed past Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. But it still dumped torrential rains on the upper Texas coast, forcing UTMB to go on emergency status to prepare for rain, wind, flooding and potential effects on utilities as we aimed to keep employees, students and patients safe.
Then the Delta variant made its debut here, with the first cases of the variant confirmed in May 2021. UTMB is fortunate to have the Galveston National Laboratory in our arsenal. The lab sequences about 10% of our positive COVID test samples so we can track the virus’ evolution in our As a result of Nicholas, UTMB closed all clinics for half a day region. This served as a tremendous resource for monitoring while keeping our hospitals open. A few clinics remained the progression of the Delta variant locally. closed that week as we assessed and repaired storm damage.
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Reflections on a Challenging Year Staffing—This tridemic has not been easy, and we have had to face the same critical staffing shortages as health systems nationwide. From increased stress and burnout to a shifting labor market and staff turnover, UTMB has worked diligently to fill the gaps to continue to provide Best Care. We have increased recruitment from our own School of Nursing graduates. And our Faculty Group Practice, house staff and community providers have stepped up to help meet local healthcare needs. We also have been fortunate to receive staffing assistance from the state. Communication and Wellness—Each COVID wave brings questions and concerns from our faculty and staff. We have worked to maintain constant communication with UTMB employees through Clinical Task Force and Vaccination Task Force messages, as well as virtual Q&A sessions facilitated by UTMB’s Employee Advisory Council and featuring clinical and research experts. In addition, we have maintained a focus on employee wellness through executive rounding to units and clinics, candy carts to units, pet therapy sessions, mental health resources and more. We have also continued regular Incident Command meetings during COVID-19 surges and weather emergencies to ensure a broad, integrated response and clear communication. That communication has also turned external with ongoing public education about the virus, vaccines and safety measures, as well as widespread coverage of UTMB’s response. Clinical Lessons Learned—Now, with more than 18 months of experience in treating COVID-19, we have a better understanding of the optimal timing for utilizing treatment options such as Remdesivir, steroid therapy, mechanical ventilation and ECMO. Monoclonal antibody therapy has proven its value at preventing hospitalizations—as of Nov. 15, 2021, we have administered monoclonal antibodies to 5,184 patients. Along the way, we also learned that some promising treatments, such as convalescent plasma therapy, did not live up to expectations. Throughout it all, we have maintained a focus on evidence-based medicine, rejecting unproven, potentially harmful treatments such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. We will continue to learn and apply new knowledge to prevent COVID-19 and minimize its severity in our patients.
COVID-19
By The Numbers As of November 14, 2021, these are the cumulative number of total tests administered, total hospitalizations at UTMB, deaths at our hospitals, vaccine doses given and the monoclonal antibodies administered.
606,140
Total COVID-19 tests
9,263
694 Deaths
Hospitalizations
333,260
Vaccine doses given
5,184
Monoclonal antibodies administered
I cannot thank our clinical faculty and staff enough for their efforts under these extremely challenging circumstances. The UTMB family has not only come together to take care of each other, but our people have also poured everything they have into taking care of our communities. From the front lines of this global pandemic, the faculty, staff and students of UTMB are making history. We do not yet know what COVID—or Mother Nature—has in store for our future, but I am confident UTMB’s people will be up to the challenge. It is a privilege to be part of this team.
The University of Texas Medical Branch | 5
Dear Alumni – When I wrote this letter last year, I never expected us to still be in the middle of the COVID pandemic. As I reflect, I see how different our residency lives are and how much we have all changed over the last year. The pandemic has resulted in a lot of turmoil and sadness for everyone, however, I wanted to use this years letter to focus on the positive and celebrate our resiliency during trying times. With a focus on wellness, adaptability, and debriefing our program is doing well and we are training the next generation of internists in new ways. I am fortunate to have a creative leadership team and the most adaptable and hardworking residents. Our first success of the year came in the fall when we celebrated a 100% board pass rate. I was so proud of my class of 2020 who spent the end of their residency fighting COVID and were still able to successfully transition into fellowship and pass their IM boards. In December we celebrated fellowship match day which was very exciting! Out of our 26 categorical residents, 16 matched to fellowship!!! 6 matched to Cardiology (UTMB, Mercy One, Riverside, USF, Scott and White) 1 to Geriatrics (Mass General), 1 to GI (SLU), 1 to Sleep Medicine (Vanderbilt), 1 to Nephrology (Stanford), 2 to Endocrinology (Baylor, Univ of Missouri), 1 to Hepatology (Rutgers), 2 to Rheumatology (UTMB, Univ of Arizona) and 1 to Heme/Onc (Scott and White). I am so proud of this class of residents who navigated the first ever virtual fellowship recruitment and know they are representing our program well. During the holidays we saw our longest COVID surge which lasted nearly 3 months. This was a very trying time for all the residents and faculty fighting on the front lines. We were fortunate to bring some holiday joy in the form of a “12 days of Christmas” event organized by our chief residents. Each day marked a fun holiday event, which including things like gingerbread house making, creating holiday cards for our patients, and a day of giving. We raised almost $5000 for the UTMB care closet: a closet full of clothes/shoes/food for our UTMB patients in need. Vaccinations came in December, and we all lined up for protection. The residents on COVID services were first in line and we were fortunate to be prioritized by UTMB. Dr. Sonstein and Chief Resident Cesar Perez delivering
PGY 3 Dr. Michelle Baliss in line for her vaccine on first day of distribution.
In March we supplies and money to the UTMB Care closet. celebrated our first successful match during an entirely virtual recruitment year. We matched 29 categorical interns, 6 preliminary interns, and 4 IMOphthalmology interns. Mean Step 1 score of the incoming class is 233 and mean step 2 score is 232. Our categorical class contains higher numbers of local (UTMB) and regional students, as we would expect in a virtual recruitment year. Our class is 25% UTMB graduates, 38% from Texas Medical Schools, 24% from other US medical schools and 13% International graduates.
continued on page 7 6 | Internal Medicine Newsletter
With the COVID numbers down in the spring and early summer we had lots to celebrate and had some time to rebuild the community within our program. We were able to hold a traditional graduation ceremony, celebrated the summer Olympics with an Olympic competition, and the PGY 2 residents participated in a team building, scavenger hunt around the island.
Dr. Sonstein and Dr. Boyars with the outstanding GME award winner: Dr. Ben Greiner and Dr. Michelle Baliss.
Also in May, two of our residents received the outstanding overall GME awards. Dr. Ben Greiner (PGY 1) was awarded the UTMB outstanding overall intern and Dr. Michelle Baliss (PGY3) was awarded the UTMB outstanding overall resident. UTMB has over 600 house staff so to win this award is a huge honor and I was proud of our residents for their hard work.
PGY2 residents at the Elissa – a scavenger hunt stop on their team building retreat.
Our priorities for this year are wellness, revamping our evaluation system, and getting our program ready for our new regulatory requirements coming out this year (Milestones 2.0 and new Core Program Requirements) We are also focusing on the UME to GME transition as we expect gaps in our next 2 intern classes due to pandemic related educational changes.
Flag football with referee Boyars during the Olympics competition.
Thank you all for your tremendous support of our program, your donations to the Guckian fund and/or the program have meant so much to all of us this year. In the time of financial constraints our program relies heavily on these funds. We hope everyone stays safe and well.
Follow us on Social Media!
Lindsay Sonstein, MD Associate Professor Laura R. Schweppe Distinguished Professor Program Director Internal Medicine Residency
Twitter @UTMBInternal Med
Instagram @utmb_imresidency
The University of Texas Medical Branch | 7
31st Annual Essentials in Internal Medicine: Update on Principles and Practice and Department of Internal Medicine Alumni Society Meeting UTMB FACULTY John Badalamenti, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Director, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension Director, Nephrology Fellowship Program Medical Director, UTMB Acute Dialysis Program at League City and Clear Lake Campuses
The 31st Annual Essentials in Internal Medicine: Update on Principles and Practices in conjunction with the 2022 Department of Internal Medicine Alumni Society Meeting will be held April 8-9, 2022, at the Moody Gardens Convention Center. The 29th Annual Essentials conference was held virtually due to the COVID19 Pandemic but we are bringing the conference back in person with the same great quality presentations. The meeting speakers are listed to the right and the agenda is on the following pages. Note that our CME process has changed this year and you will receive more information closer to the conference date. The registration link is provided on the next page at the end of the program. Thank you,
Bernard Karnath, M.D. M. Ruth Baxter, M.D. and Virgil C. Baxter, M.D. Professor of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine University of Texas Systems Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus Scholar John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine CME Course Director
8 | Internal Medicine Newsletter
Michael Boyars, MD Professor of Medicine Senior Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Steven Cohn, MD Associate Chair, Department of Internal Medicine Director, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology Professor of Internal Medicine Brooke Corning, MD Assistant Professor Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology University of Texas Medical Branch Gulshan Doulatram, MD Professor of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Medical Director, Anesthesiology Pain Service Patrik Hornak, MD Fellow, Division of Infectious Diseases University of Texas Medical Branch Jose C. Iturrizaga, MD, FACC, MSHA Assistant Professor of Medicine Advanced Heart Failure, Transplant & LVAD Program Division of Cardiology University of Texas Medical Branch Bernard Karnath, MD, FACP M. Ruth Baxter, M.D. and Virgil C. Baxter, M.D. Professor of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine University of Texas Systems Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus Scholar John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine CME Course Director Hania Kassem, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Associate Program Director, Nephrology Fellowship Program Medical Director, Home Dialysis Program Jennifer McCracken, MD Director, Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Program Assistant Professor, Division of Allergy and Immunology Department of Internal Medicine
Jose Americo Mendoza, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Palliative Care Department of Internal Medicine Shezad Merwat, MB, BS Assistant Professor of Medicine Medical Director of Transplant Hepatology UNOS Primary Liver Transplant Physician at UTMB Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department of Internal Medicine Vijaya Murthy, MBBS Assistant Professor, Division of Rheumatology Department of Internal Medicine Tejo Niharika Musunuru, MD Assistant Professor Hematology/Oncology UTMB-MD Anderson Cancer Center Wentong Pan, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Endocrinology Department of Internal Medicine Anand Patel, MD Associate Director, UTMB Stroke Program Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology David Reynoso, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases Deputy Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX Marschall S. Runge MD, PhD Dean, University of Michigan Medical School Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, U-M CEO, Michigan Medicine Lindsay K. Sonstein, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Laura R. Schweppe Distinguished Professor Program Director for Internal Medicine Residency Vice Chair for Inpatient Affairs Department of Internal Medicine Course Co-Director Rizwana Sultana, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Department of Internal Medicine Tony Tran, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiology Department of Internal Medicine
31st Annual Essentials in Internal Medicine: Update on Principles and Practice and Department of Internal Medicine Alumni Society Meeting
AGENDA • APRIL 8-9, 2022 Friday, April 8, 2022 8:00
Internal Medicine Morning Report Dr. Lindsay Sonstein
1:00
LGBTQ+ Health Dr. Patrick Hornak
8:30
Updates in Congestive Heart Failure Dr. Jose Iturrizaga
1:30
COVID Vaccine Immunology Dr. Jennifer McCracken
9:00
The What, When, and Why of Calcium Channel Blockade Dr. John Badalamenti and Dr. Hania Kassem
2:00
Evidence of Coronary Artery Disease Dr. Tony Tran
2:30
BREAK
3:00
Chest X-ray Interpretation Dr. Michael Boyars
3:30
Update on Opioid Management for the Primary Care Provider Dr. Gulshan Doulatram
4:00
Hypercoagulable Work Up: Learning with a Case Dr. Tejo Musunrur
4:30
Cancer Screening Dr. Bernard Karnath
9:30 NASH Dr. Shezad Merwat 10:00
BREAK
10:30
Anorectal Disorders Dr. Brooke Corning
11:00
Insomnia – Evaluation and Management Dr. Rizwana Sultana
11:30
Diabetic Foot Management Dr. David Reynoso
Noon
LUNCH
Saturday, April 9, 2022 8:00
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Dr. Steven Cohn
10:00
Systemic Sclerosis Overview Dr. Vijaya Murthy
8:30
Update on Diabetes Technology Dr. Wentong Pan
10:30
Deiss Lecture Dr. Marschall Runge
9:00
Stroke Updates for the Primary Care Physician Dr. Anand Patel
11:00
9:30
BREAK
Ethics of Opioid Management and Palliative Care Dr. Jose Mendoza
12:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT
Conference Registration information is forthcoming. Please visit our Alumni Society webpage for more information. https://www.utmb.edu/internalmedicine/for-our-faculty/alumni-society
The University of Texas Medical Branch | 9
Alumni Reflections It’s hard to imagine that we’ve had our Annual Alumni Society Meeting for 30 years now. The inaugural Alumni Society Meeting was held in 1992 on campus in William C. Levin Hall. Dr. Marc Shabot has served as Vice Chair of Alumni Relations for over 30 years. He has done an amazing job in keeping the alumni society going. I was a third-year medical student here at UTMB at the time of this inaugural Alumni Society meeting. Little did I know that one day I would work closely with Dr. Marc Shabot in keeping the alumni tradition alive. Our annual meeting has grown so much over these last continued, next page three decades.
The 1992 Department of Internal Medicine Inaugural Alumni Society Meeting. Photo of Alumni on the Steps of the William C. Levin Hall.
Dr. Marc Shabot Presents Dr. Don Powell with a gift at the Inaugural Alumni Society Meeting in 1992. Dr. Powell arrived at UTMB in April of 1991 as Chair in Medicine. Dr. Powell came from North Carolina and Dr. Shabot presented him with a Basketball signed by Michael Jordan. Dr. Shabot worked with Dr. Powell upon his arrival at UTMB to establish our Departmental Alumni Society.
10 | Internal Medicine Newsletter
Now held annually at Moody Gardens hotel, our Annual Meeting attracts over 100 alumni each year. Unfortunately, in 2020, we had to cancel our annual meeting at the last minute due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We simply did not have the virtual capability at that time for a quick conversion of format. However, we brought our annual meeting back in 2021 in our first ever virtual format. The meeting was stronger than ever with high quality CME presentations as always. The virtual format still allowed alumni to reconnect during breaks. It was so great to see our alumni back albeit in a virtual format. In looking to the future, we hope to deliver both meeting style formats to our alumni. In 2022, we will be back to Moody Gardens on April 8th and 9th but still have the virtual option. We look forward to the in-person event thereby allowing us to gather once again for our annual alumni dinner. This annual meeting is always inspirational to me as I get to meet alumni that came before me to help build a strong alumni society for our department. I look forward to seeing all of you in 2022. Please come in person so that we can restore the tradition that we have worked so hard to build these past 30 years. Sincerely, Bernard M. Karnath, M.D. Professor of Medicine M. Ruth Baxter, M.D. and Virgil C. Baxter, M.D. Professor of Medicine Vice Chair in Undergraduate Medical Education Department of Internal Medicine Distinguished Teaching Professor UT System Emeritus Scholar John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine Mentorship Program Dear Colleagues and Friends: Over the years, together with our alumni and friends, we have established multiple funds that have primarily benefitted our housestaff. These include Alumni Faculty Excellence Teaching Award, the James C. Guckian Residency Education Fund, the Don W. Powell Most Outstanding Resident Award Fund, the Deiss Society and Chairman’s Council Fund, as well as the Internal Medicine Alumni Society Fund. These funds have helped our housestaff pay their ACP dues, MKSAP education and training material, and have supported their trips to present their work at regional and national meetings. As you know from out letter in August, we now plan to establish the Department of Internal Medicine Mentorship Program. This will be focused on faculty development by creating robust mentorship programs. This program will consist of organizing resources available at UTMB to provide ongoing lectures and workshops for our faculty mentors and mentees. We also will bring national experts to present some of these lectures and create workshops. This comprehensive, structured, and prioritized departmental program is expected to result in promotions and retention. Further, by having such a program in place, faculty recruitment is also enhanced. With a gift of $100,000, Dr. Jack and Lynn Alperin have established the Dr. Jack and Lynn Alperin Department of Internal Medicine Mentor of the Year Award. This will honor and reward an outstanding mentor and will emphasize the importance of our mentorship program.
Many of our alumni have already contributed to help make the Department of Internal Mentorship Program a reality. Thank you all for your unselfish gifts. I would like to recognize our donors which include Dr. and Mrs. Jack Alperin, Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Beathard, Drs. Mike and Patti Brannan, Dr. and Mrs. William Calhoun, Dr. and Mrs. Phil Cimo, Drs. Charles and Rosemary Conlon, Dr. and Mrs. Jim Copeland, Dr. Deborah Farrell, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Ferrell, Dr. Alan Fields, Dr. and Mrs. Doug Fine, Dr. and Mrs. Emilio Gonzalez, Dr. Tom Hancher, Dr. Robert Jackson, Dr. Lydia Jefferson, Dr. and Mrs. Barney Karnath, Dr. Marvin Kronenberg, Dr. Michael McKinney, Dr. and Mrs. Don Powell, Dr. Frank Reuter, Dr. and Mrs. Marschall Runge, Dr. and Mrs. Marc Shabot, Dr. Philip Sharp, Mrs. Lydia Stoufflet and Dr. and Mrs. David Walden. For those of you who haven’t yet made a pledge, I ask you to remember that during your training years, all of us benefitted from our role models and mentors. Perhaps now is the time to pay your debt forward. Sincerely,
Marc Shabot Vice Chair, Alumni Affairs and Development
The University of Texas Medical Branch | 11
Department of Medicine Alumni Teaching Award
Dr. Sidra Qureshi receives award from Dr. Bernard Karnath and Dr. Lindsay Sonstein on October 11. 2021. Dr. Sidra Qureshi is the recipient of the Department of Medicine Alumni Teaching Award for 2021. Dr. Qureshi is Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Qureshi is Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency Program. She is very active in Graduate and Undergraduate Medical Education. Her educational background includes a B.S. in Biology from Trinity University in 2010 and an M.D. degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in 2014. She completed her residency training in internal medicine here at UTMB in 2017 after which she served as Chief Resident in 2018. Dr. Qureshi serves many roles in the department. She is an educator at all levels of training. Dr. Qureshi practices in the Outpatient and Inpatient setting. She has a passion for resident education and enjoys precepting residents in clinic and serving as an attending on the inpatient service. Her interests include finding innovative approaches to Resident education and wellness, and she has been a proponent of the Social Media outreach of the Residency. Additionally, Dr. Qureshi enjoys teaching in the Medical School and is a Practice of Medicine facilitator. We are so thankful to have Dr. Qureshi in our department. She truly deserves this honor.
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Department of Internal Medicine
Faculty – Alumni Society Teaching Award Recipients William P. Deiss, Jr., M.D.
1993
Jack B. Alperin, M.D.
1994
Marschall S. Runge, M.D.
1995
E. Benjamin Clyburn, M.D.
1996
Steven A. Lieberman, M.D.
1997
Don W. Powell, M.D.
1998
Michael C. Boyars, M.D.
1999
Akhil Bidani, M.D., Ph.D.
2000
William F. Jacobs, M.D.
2001
William F. Harper, M.D.
2002
Bruce Baethge, M.D.
2003
Tejinder Ahuja, M.D.
2004
Robert Beach, M.D.
2005
Bernard M. Karnath, M.D.
2006
Michael C. Boyars, M.D.
2007
Parantap Gupta, M.D.
2008
Richard W. Goodgame, M.D.
2011
Brock Harper, M.D.
2012
Premal Patel, M.D.
2013
Philip Keiser, M.D.
2014
Megan Berman, M.D.
2015
Sreeram Parapudi, M.D.
2018
Anita Mercado, M.D.
2017
David Reynoso, M.D.
2018
N. Miles Farr, M.D.
2019
Erin Hommel, M.D.
2020
Sidra Qureshi M.D.
2021
Celebrating years
ine ‘33, of Medic D, School ker, Jr., M re of medicine is oc Bl . G e futu is Truman 1967. Th ed above UTMB in eer featur esident of M ’22. The pion e first pr th SO , e ov m at who beca nat R. Ah ted by Re represen
The University of Texas Medical Branch
Funding Opportunity The Chairman’s Council and the William P. Deiss Society As UTMB’s largest department, the Department of Internal Medicine is a collection of 12 divisions providing patient care, conducting research and offering training in the management of acute and chronic diseases. Home to 136 faculty and 162 residents and fellows, it represents a sizeable portion of the university’s patient care enterprise and is one of the pillars of medical education at UTMB.
Dr. William P. Deiss was more than an able leader. He was an outstanding physician in his own right. He was the owner of an expert and generous scientific mind. And he was a dedicated servant to the profession, as evidenced by his presidency of the American Board of Internal Dr. William P. Deiss was more than an able leader. He was Medicine. an outstanding physician in his own right. He was the owner of an expert and generous scientific mind. And he was a dedicated servant to the profession, as evidenced by his presidency of the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Contributions to The Chairman’s Fund or The William P. Deiss Society should be addressed to: J. Marc Shabot, MD, MACP University of Texas Medical Branch 4.106 John W. McCullough Building 301 University Boulevard Galveston, Texas 77555-0764
14 | Internal Medicine Newsletter
To fulfill its promise, the Department of Internal Medicine relies on the involvement and support of our alumni, grateful patients and other friends. Through their generosity, they become partners in the future of medical care, education and research at UTMB— enabling us to prompt innovations in treatment, provide seed funding for promising but untested research projects and lay the groundwork for advances in medical training. To recognize the generosity of our benefactors, the department has established two groups that honor their contributions.
The Chairman’s Council Individuals who make unrestricted gifts of $1,000 or more to the department in any given year become members of The Chairman’s Council. Used at the chairman’s discretion, these resources support the department’s greatest needs. Such funds might allow a resident to travel to a professional meeting to present a paper, they might underwrite student educational activities or they might purchase a piece of equipment crucial for a young investigator’s work, resulting in the preliminary findings essential to attracting future outside funding. Members of The Chairman’s Council are recognized at the department’s annual Alumni Society Dinner, held in conjunction with the Department of Internal Medicine Alumni Society meeting.
The Deiss Society Named for the respected physician-educator who guided the Department of Internal Medicine from 1968 to 1984, The William P. Deiss Society is an organization of alumni and other friends who contribute $10,000 or more to the department or to any of its divisions or programs. Whether these donors contribute a lump
sum of $10,000 or more or their cumulative gifts reach the $10,000 mark, they become lifetime members of this select group. In addition to recognizing members at the department’s annual Alumni Society Dinner, the department, with their permission, permanently records their names on a plaque displayed at the entrance to the chairman’s suite. The Deiss Society is a chance for us to reflect on the legacy of one of UTMB’s finest—to connect Dr. Deiss’s name with the effort to enlist broad-based philanthropic support for the department’s future.
A Message On behalf of the department, we thank our alumni for carrying forward our specialty’s tradition of excellent patient care, scientific exploration and mentoring of future generations of internists. We would also like to express our appreciation to all the department’s friends for their generosity and for their encouragement. We would be happy to answer questions about our programs and to welcome interested visitors to campus.
Peter Cram, MD, MBA Chair, Department of Internal Medicine Edward Randall and Edward Randall, Jr. Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine pecram@utmb.edu
J. Marc Shabot, MD, MACP Vice-Chair for Alumni Affairs and Development Raymond L. Gregory Professor of Medicine mshabot@utmb.edu
Deiss Society Members Abdominal Specialists of South Texas
Dr. and Mrs. A. Damon Gowan
Dr. Vonda Reeves-Darby
Dr. and Mrs. Jack B. Alperin
Dr. and Mrs. J. Andrew Grant
Dr. and Mrs. David W. Reininger
Dr. Anjrejs and Gail Avots-Avotins
Dr. R. Fred Gregory
Dr. Jim and Charli Rohack
Mr. and Mrs. Lin T. Barker
Dr. and Mrs. James C. Guckian
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Rotman
Drs. M. Ruth and Virgil Baxter
Dr. and Mrs. Praveen Guturu
The Runge Family
Dr. and Mrs. Gerald A. Beathard
Dr. and Mrs. Max Harris
St. Jude Medical, Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. William R. Berry
Dr. and Mrs. R. Robert Hatlelid
Dr. and Mrs. Harry E. Sarles, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Michael C. Boyars
Dr. and Mrs. Richard E. Helmer III
Dr. and Mrs. Charles Schuhmacher
Drs. Michael and Patricia Brannan
Dr. Mark Holden
Dr. Jo Ellen Schweinle
Dr. Bruce and Vicki Bauknight
Dr. and Mrs. Bernard M. Karnath
Dr. and Mrs. H. Irving Schweppe
Dr. Carlos O. Canales
The Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund
Dr. and Mrs. J. Marc Shabot
Mr. and Mrs. Armin Cantini
Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Kempner, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Gulshan Sharma
Dr. and Mrs. James Cao
Dr. Patsy Koeppe and Mr. Doug Koeppe
Dr. and Mrs. Ned Snyder III
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Chester
Dr. and Mrs. Marc Kudisch
Dr. and Mrs. Roger D. Soloway
Dr. and Mrs. Delbert L. Chumley
Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Kummerfeld
Dr. and Mrs. Glen Stanbaugh, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Philip L. Cimo
Mr. and Mrs. Allen LeCornu
Dr. Michael and Colleen Hagen Stavinoha
Dr. and Mrs. Ernest W. Cochran
Dr. and Mrs. Richard A. Levacy
Mrs. Earl Stoufflet
Drs. Charles and Rosemary Conlon
Dr. and Mrs. Gurinder Luthra
Dr. and Mrs. James G. Stovall
Dr. and Mrs. David L. Cottom
Dr. William E. McCarron, Jr.
The Stubbs Family
Dr. and Mrs. James R. Cotton, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett McCoy
Mrs. Leah “Jean” Tholcken
Mr. Jack T. Currie
Dr. and Mrs. Rai Mehta
Dr. and Mrs. Randall Urban
Dr. Jerry C. Daniels
Dr. Charles Mims
Dr. and Mrs. A. Nicholas Verne
Dr. and Mrs. Richard A. Day
Mr. and Mrs. George P. Mitchell
Mr. and Mrs. E. Duer Wagner
Dr. and Mrs. William J. DeGroot
Drs. Tedd and Janet Tornelli-Mitchell
Dr. and Mrs. Rick T. Waldo
Dr. Mahmoud Dweik
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Moody
Dr. and Mrs. John M. Wallace
Mr. and Mrs. Tilman Fertitta
Dr. and Mrs Edward B. Nelson
Mr. and Mrs. Bob White, and Jennifer White
Dr. and Mrs. Emilio Gonzales
Dr. and Mrs. Larry Oliver
Dr. and Mrs. John F. Williams, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Richard A. Goodgame
Dr. and Mrs. Sreeram Parupudi
Drs. Maurice and Phylette Willis
Dr. and Mrs. Sanjeev Goswami
Dr. and Mrs. Don W. Powell
The University of Texas Medical Branch | 15
UTMB Internal Medicine Alumni Society Membership Application/Renewal 2022-2023:
q New Member q Renewal Member
Name Address Home Phone
Office Phone
E-mail q I am enclosing $10,000 to join The Deiss Society or the first of five payments of $2,000/each q I am enclosing $1,000 to join the 2022-2023 Chairman’s Council q I am enclosing my annual dues ($25.00) payable to UTMB Internal Medicine Alumni Society
$25.00
q I am enclosing my voluntary contribution to the James C. Guckian Resident Education Fund q I am enclosing my voluntary contribution to the Don W. Powell Excellence in Residency Award q I am enclosing my voluntary contribution to the William P. Deiss, Jr Lectureship in Medicine q I am enclosing my voluntary contribution to the Alumni Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award q I am enclosing my voluntary contribution to the Department of Internal Medicine Mentorship Program Fund TOTAL ENCLOSED: $ To make a voluntary donation online, please visit the website: https://development.utmb.edu/internalmedicine q Yes, I am interested in considering a larger gift and would like to speak with Mrs. Betsy Clardy, UTMB, Director of Development Please make checks payable to: Internal Medicine Alumni Society (IMAS) Mail to: Internal Medicine Alumni Society Questions? c/o J. Marc Shabot, MD Phone: (409) 772-1176 The University of Texas Medical Branch Fax: (409) 772-8762 301 University Boulevard E-mail: Es1cooke@utmb.edu Galveston, TX 77555-0569 UTMB GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRINTING SERVICES
Department of Internal Medicine The University of Texas Medical Branch 301 University Blvd. Galveston, Texas 77555-0567