August-September 2019

UTMB NEWSLETTER • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

On Two Wheels

Day in the Life of a Bicycle Patrol and Crime Prevention Officer

Researchers uncover ways to combat muscle loss in space A conversation with new UTMB Health System CEO Dr. Tim Harlin Celebrating the 2019 President’s Cabinet Award winners

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UTMB’s School of Nursing faculty and multimedia lab staff were recently honored by then-UTMB President David Callender for successful implementation of the iLead (Innovative Learning Environment Accelerating Discovery) program. This innovative program, which kicked off with the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) cohort over the summer, equips students with iPads to make the classroom a place for active learning.

Dr. Stephen B. Williams, chief of the Division of Urology and associate professor, was recently named the medical director for high value care. In this role, Williams will work closely with Dr. Gulshan Sharma, chief medical and clinical innovation officer, to support initiatives that foster the consistent delivery of high-value care, including the stewardship of antibiotics, labs, imaging, blood products and opioids. He also will focus on reducing provider-level variation while ensuring quality of care and safety throughout the Health System.

Dr. Mary O’Keefe, a tenured professor in the School of Nursing who has been a nurse for more than 40 years, was recently awarded with the Academy of Master Teachers’ 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award. O’Keefe has taught students at all levels in nursing. She has also taught medical students as part of an interdisciplinary court visitor program and internationally in a biomedical mediation course with Shantou University in China. She has been described as an enthusiastic educator who is innovative, collaborative and supportive of students and colleagues, throughout a career devoted to education.

Congratulations to Dr. Huey-Ming Tzeng, professor in the School of Nursing PhD program, for being named a recipient of the University of Texas System Rising STARs Award. The STARs program supports the recruitment of outstanding faculty members. Tzeng joined UTMB on May 1 and has a distinguished record in teaching and scholarship.

Her research focuses on patient safety and quality of care for adults—specifically fall prevention and patient engagement towards self-care as well as their association with patient-centered outcomes.

The Galveston County Daily News recently released a special magazine to spotlight the best and brightest professionals in Galveston County who are 40 years old or younger and are making a difference in their professions and in the community. Three members of the UTMB community made the list, including Summer Chapman, clinical research nurse coordinator, Joseph Ray, director of the Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, and John Prochaska, assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health.

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Editor’s Note Welcome to the latest issue of Impact.

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Beginning with this August/September 2019 issue, Impact will now be published every other month. As always, we’ll continue producing some of the more popular features in this publication, including the Day in the Life, the Hidden Talent and the monthly tips.

A conversation with new UTMB Health System CEO Dr. Tim Harlin

Meanwhile, the Impact team is planning additional editorial and design improvements that will be unveiled during Fiscal Year 2020. Stay tuned for those enhancements.

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This issue includes several articles about the people who are contributing to UTMB’s success. They include:

UTMB researchers uncover ways to combat muscle loss in space

• A Day in the Life feature about Curtis Dorsey, a bicycle patrol and crime prevention officer for the UTMB Police Department; • A conversation with Dr. Tim Harlin, the new UTMB Health System CEO; • UTMB researchers uncovering methods to combat muscle loss for those who travel to space; • The 2019 President’s Cabinet Award winners; • Commencements for the School of Health Professions and the School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Studies Program; and • Numerous accomplishments and kudos in the Working Wonders column and throughout the newsletter.

Please continue sending your story ideas, nominees for the Hidden Talents column and trivia answers to the Impact team to impact.newsletter@utmb.edu.

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Day in the Life of a Bicycle Patrol and Crime Prevention Officer Page 6

Five tips for parents to address cyberbullying Page 12

Impact is for and about the people who fulfill UTMB’s mission to improve health in Texas and around the world. We hope you enjoy reading this issue. Let us know what you think!

Vice President Marketing & Communications Steve Campbell

ON THE COVER:

Editors Stephen Hadley Jessica Wyble

Curtis Dorsey, a bicycle patrol and crime prevention officer in the UTMB Police Department, is one of two officers who patrol the Galveston Campus on two wheels, from St. Vincent’s Student Clinic at 28th and Postoffice streets to the main campus on Galveston’s East End.

Associate Vice President Marketing & Communications Mary Havard

CONTACT US Email: impact.newsletter@utmb.edu Phone: (409) 772-2618 Campus mail route: 0144 U.S. Postal address: UTMB Marketing & Communications

301 University Boulevard

Galveston, TX 77555-0144

Art Director Mark Navarro

P R I N T E D B Y U T M B G RAPHIC D ESIG N & PRIN TIN G SERVICES

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B E S T C A R E I N AC T IO N B E S T C A R E I N AC T IO N

Collaborating for care A conversation with new UTMB Health System CEO Dr. Tim Harlin

BY JESSICA WYBLE

SEE EVERYTHING THROUGH THE EYES OF A PATIENT—that’s the mindset of our licenses but work to understand and respect each other and the and motto Dr. Tim Harlin is using to approach his job of leading the UTMB perspectives we bring to the table.”

Health System as its new executive vice president and chief executive officer. That reality is why initiatives like UTMB’s new Health Education Center, which Appointed as UTMB’s EVP and CEO of the Health System, Harlin officially promotes interdisciplinary learning, are so critical and why Dr. Harlin is assumed his role on Sept. 1, although he’s been in Galveston since the middle already working so closely with the leader of UTMB’s Academic of July taking notes and strategizing just how he’ll put that motto into motion. Enterpise, Dr. Charles Mouton, executive vice president, provost and An experienced leader in the health care field for nearly 30 years, Harlin dean of the School of Medicine, to ensure the students of today are arrived at UTMB not only well aware of the legacy and standard of Best Care ready to provide the type of care that’ll be needed tomorrow. work established at the institution, but also mindful of and excited about the opportunities to grow and expand upon that precedent as UTMB vies to be recognized for the third consecutive year in the 2019 Vizient Quality and Accountability Study.

In addition to banding together internally, Harlin touches on the importance of continued collaborations with our external partners.

“We shouldn’t try to be all things to all people – that’s a mindset that is trending for lots of institutions across the industry, but it is expensive and unsustainable. Rather, in order to maintain our mission and “Becoming a five-star academic health center and maintaining that level of continue to serve patients far into the future, we need to identify care for two years in a row is a stunning accomplishment by UTMB that partners who share our values and complement our services," says was noticed across the industry,” says Harlin, who, prior to this role, worked Harlin. "It is through strategic partnerships that we can reduce the costs as the chief operating and acceleration officer at Denver Health and Hos- and increase the benefit to the patients we serve. I look at the collaboration with MD Anderson as an important first step down a path pital Authority in Colorado. “That reputation and the opportunity to keep the we need to further explore." momentum going is definitely something that attracted me to this role and the work that comes with it.”

Encouraged by the compassionate spirit and can-do attitude of UTMB’s When speaking about the task before him, Harlin is frank about the fact that workforce, as well as the geographical breadth of the UTMB system of collaboration and innovation will be key in continuing to propel UTMB to the care, Harlin is excited about the future of the institution. forefront of the ever-changing industry.

“We are a far-reaching entity and it’s impressive,” he says, reflecting on a tour “We all need to come together to chart the right course,” he says. “Across he took of UTMB locations shortly after arriving in Texas earlier this summer. professions, across mission areas, we all have to collaborate so that no matter Despite the ever-changing rules, regulations, policies and protocols that where a patient enters our system, they can expect the same level of service, come with the world of health care, Harlin offers a reminder that there’s competency and expertise.” one constant and that’s UTMB’s mission.

This approach to health care is an emerging one that Harlin has seen evolve “At the end of the day, the mission doesn’t change,” he says. “But how firsthand in his career. you sustain it will require innovation and everybody across this entire “I look back over the last 20 years and realize just how siloed it all was. That organization locking arms toward that common goal.” just won’t work in today’s environment, because it is all too complex and To learn more about Dr. Harlin’s breadth of experience, visit https://www. moving too quickly now,” he says. “We all have to not only work at the top utmb.edu/newsroom/article12073.aspx. n

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RESEARCH

Combating muscle loss in space New UTMB study uncovers methods to prevent atrophy during space flight

BY DONNA RAMIREZ

A NEW UTMB STUDY has further documented how muscles are affected by reduced-gravity conditions during space flight missions and has uncovered how exercise and hormone treatments can be tailored to minimize muscle loss for individual space travelers.

So, researchers are looking for additional interventions that complement in-flight exercise.

The effects of long-term muscle inactivity can be investigated with extended bed rest. In the study, 24 healthy male participants were placed on bed rest for 70 days. During the bed-rest NASA’s recent announcement that it will allow private citizens period, some of the men followed an exercise regimen and to visit the International Space Station underscores blindly received either testosterone supplements or the need to understand the impact of reduced a placebo. A control group remained in the bed The muscle loss gravity on the human body. without any exercise training or supplements.

during space flight Throughout the study, the researchers collected muscle biopsies to analyze the prolargely stems from teins within the muscle tissue. the fact that weightResearchers uncovered several changes to the men’s muscle proteins during the bedbearing muscles rest period that were blunted or reversed don’t work as hard with exercise, which appeared to drive a healthier protein organization within the in reduced-gravity muscle fibers. The testosterone supplements conditions.

Senior author Dr. Melinda Sheffield-Moore, prompted further protein changes that promoted

“The study has given us the ability to identify biomarkers that predict how susceptible each individual is to muscle function decline and how effectively different exercise and hormone treatments can combat the atrophy,” said senior author Dr. Randall Urban, UTMB chief research officer and professor in the Department of Internal Medicine.

professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Health and Kinesiology and UTMB’s Department of Internal Medicine, added that this new ability may allow scientists to personalize space medicine by designing specific exercise and/ or hormone intervention programs for each astronaut on Earth before they embark on a long-term mission to space.

muscle growth beyond that of exercise alone.

“The unique insights we’ve gained on muscle proteins during extended bed rest could someday be applied to predict changes to muscle mass and strength in various situations and then develop a personalized program of exercises and hormonal countermeasures,” said senior author Dr. E. Lichar Dillon, Space flight-related losses in muscle mass and strength are a key UTMB assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medconcern for long space exploration missions. The muscle loss icine. during space flight largely stems from the fact that weight-bearing Other UTMB authors include Drs. Kizhake Soman, John Wikmuscles don’t work as hard in reduced-gravity conditions. torowicz, Ria Sur, Daniel Jupiter, Christopher Danesi, Kathleen

While in space, astronauts exercise in an effort to counter muscle Randolph, Charles Gilkison and William Durham. loss, but the exercise doesn’t completely prevent muscle atrophy. impact

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A day in the life of a Bicycle Patrol and Crime Prevention Officer

BY STEPHEN HADLEY

WHEN CURTIS DORSEY ENVISIONED his future as a police officer, it never involved being on two wheels.

“I always imagined I’d be in a patrol car, working in a neighborhood or maybe on a campus,” says Dorsey.

But on this sweltering August morning, Dorsey is swiftly pedaling his Trek mountain bike along Market Street on UTMB’s Galveston Campus, waving at a passing motorist and then stopping to scan a section of campus to ensure it’s safe for the many students, staff, faculty and patients ambling to their destinations.

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After becoming a bike patrol officer late last year, Dorsey says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s a blessing because I’m able to interact with the public in ways that I never would have been able to as an officer in a patrol car,” he says, noting that bicycles can travel anywhere on the campus in less than a minute. “There’s also just something about being on a bicycle that seems to bring out a connection with people. Everyone has ridden a bike, so there’s point of conversation already there, a way for us to bridge the gap with the public.”

Dorsey, who rejoined the UTMB Police Department in March 2018 after leaving law enforcement following a decade of service here, is one of two UTMB Police Department officers who cover dual roles as bicycle patrol and crime prevention officers for the institution.

Both he and Public Safety Officer Michael Peltier are responsible for patrolling the Galveston Campus on their bicycles, conducting security assessments in UTMB clinics and facilities, teaching a variety of classes—including the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training, and handling the UTMB Police Department’s segment at the twice-monthly New Employee Orientation.

Dorsey’s law enforcement career started out traditionally enough. When he first joined the UTMB police force in

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2004, after serving four years in the U.S. Navy and then working for a Galveston burglary and fire protection company, he was a UTMB patrol officer, answering calls and providing a police presence via a patrol car.

He left law enforcement in 2015 for personal reasons.

But a year later, when seven Dallas police officers were killed in a sniper shooting in that city, he knew that for him to have the most impact in his community, he’d need to return to policing.

“Being out of law enforcement, I started taking notice of how the greater society’s relationship with police was changing,” Dorsey remembers. “One of the things that pained me was that we were starting to lose that understanding between the community and police.”

At the time of the sniper shooting, Dorsey was working as an installer for AT&T. A chance encounter with a customer who happened to be a former judge and police officer from New Mexico convinced him to follow his calling.

“He told me I was doing a disservice to my community by not being a police officer and that he felt my heart was still in law enforcement,” Dorsey says. “I knew he was right.”

A few months later, Dorsey began working as a dispatcher for the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Police Department. From there, he regained his commission at College of the Mainland where he became

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a police officer once again.

In 2018, he rejoined the UTMB police force, first on patrol and then in his current role as a bicycle and crime prevention officer.

Dorsey’s typical day begins at 7 a.m. with a quick check of email and his calendar to ensure he’s covering whatever crime prevention assessments or trainings he may have.

Once that’s out of the way, he and Peltier usually hit the bikes for the first time around 7:30 a.m., riding around campus for an hour or two looking for anything or anyone that’s out of place.

They’ll do the same patrol again around lunchtime with the goal of being visible on campus when the most people are milling about. Presence and visibility are a vital part of their policing.

UTMB Police Chief Kenith Adcox agrees.

“Our bike patrol is a great addition to our campus,” Adcox says. “Not only does it increase police visibility, helping to enhance overall security, but being on a bicycle provides officers with a greater opportunity to really connect with our students, staff and visitors on a personal level.

It’s by building strong rapport and better communication between the police and the community that we are able to become aware of concerns and resolve them before they develop into larger problems.”

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One of Officer Curtis Dorsey’s roles in the UTMB Police Department is serving as a crime prevention officer and as a training liaison. Every two weeks, he’s the police representative that explains UTMB’s safety and security protocols as part of New Employee Orientation.

Adcox says that the duo’s work as crime prevention officers furthers their visibility across the UTMB community and makes them more approachable as well.

The two bicycle officers also fill in for the rest of UTMB’s law enforcement team to cover vacations and trainings across the force. Dorsey usually wraps up a day around 3 p.m., after completing paperwork generated by the day’s efforts.

“Crime is what keeps us employed but at the same time we’re trying to prevent what keeps us working,” Dorsey says. “My first priority is keeping our campus safe and serving people. That’s my role here at UTMB. That’s my responsibility, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” n

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C O M M U N IT Y

2019

President’s Cabinet Awards NINETEEN UTMB FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS recently received UTMB President’s Cabinet Awards for eight different projects that promote outreach, education and improved patient care in the community and beyond.

The President’s Cabinet provides financial resources that advance UTMB’s mission to improve health. The contributions of the cabinet’s 380-plus mem-

The Gift of Life: Building & Sustaining Capacity for Eye Care at St. Vincent’s House Malkit (Mona) Singh • Lance Lyons • Jed Assam • Misha Syed • Mary Schmitz Brown Ophthalmology and Visual Science Building upon the success of a 2011 President’s Cabinet Award that provided hundreds of patients in the greater Galveston area with sight-saving diabetic retinopathy treatment and follow-up exams, this new award will expand vision services to a large economically disadvantaged population that depend upon the St. Vincent’s Eye Clinic for their complete eye care. Award funds will be used to upgrade and purchase new equipment, broaden services, supply patients with quality eyeglass prescriptions, provide testing modalities and treatment avenues for patients with glaucoma and develop charity cataract surgery services.

Pain, Pain Go Away: Reducing the Perception of Pain in Children with Comfort for Kids Stephanie Kemmerling • Dermatology The pain associated with medical procedures can cause significant stress and anxiety for children and their families. Studies show that distractions are considered an effective, safe and low-cost method to reduce pain and anxiety during medical procedures. Because UTMB’s outpatient pediatric clinics lack resources to provide distraction techniques for children, President’s Cabinet funds will provide for the creation of 25 specialized portable pediatric care kits that will include age-appropriate toys, an iPad loaded with specialized comfort applications and an external vibratory buzzing device. These kits will be distributed to clinics based on the severity of the medical procedures that take place, including immunizations, venipuncture, cryotherapy, biopsies, etc.

Lifelong Learning for Angleton Danbury Michael Washburn • Michelle Sierpina • Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Since 2002, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UTMB in Galveston has successfully provided a welcoming learning environment to adults age 55 and over. Because of its enormous success and the growth of UTMB’s presence in Brazoria County, this project will help establish a similar lifelong learning community for residents in Angleton, Danbury and surrounding areas.

President’s Cabinet funds will be used to create a basic classroom infrastructure at an Angleton location and provide free, one-year memberships to the program for underserved community members. College-level courses, age-appropriate fitness activities, consultations and a variety of health-related workshops will be modeled after the successful OLLI program in Galveston.

Transitional Care Management Program for St. Vincent’s Nurse Managed Clinic J. Michael Leger • Maureen Biggs • School of Nursing Transitional Care Management (TCM) programs have proven effective in bridging gaps across health care settings, particularly for patients deemed at high risk for poor medical outcomes.

With an estimated 3,000 patients seeking medical treatment at the St. Vincent’s House Nurse Managed Clinic annually, more than 17 percent of these patients are considered at-risk and often “fall through the cracks.” To help with this problem, this project will provide for the services of a nurse transition care manager to facilitate a TCM program at St. Vincent’s. The objective is to build a rapport with patients, provide disease-specific education to facilitate self-management, perform medication reconciliation, confirm follow-up appointments, and provide care management to support treatment.

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bers, which include university friends, community and business leaders from the Houston-Galveston area, and UTMB faculty members, staff and alumni, have provided more than $6 million in seed grants to more than 150 developing programs during its 26-year history. For information on the President’s Cabinet, visit https://development.utmb.edu/cabinet-intro.

Cancer Connection: From Diagnosis to Treatment Cheron J. Hillmon • Community Health In an effort to support patients with cancer at UTMB, Chemo Care bags will be given to patients at the beginning of their chemo or radiation therapy. These bags will contain educational and treatment materials and comfort items such as lip balm, lotion, blankets, journals, socks and ginger candies.

Each bag will be specially packed by people who have gone through similar treatments and know what items would be of most value. The goal is to provide first-time patients with much-needed items and allow them to pack other comfort items for subsequent appointments. This President’s Cabinet award will provide funding for 600 bags over a two-year period.

Building Long-Term Academic Success through Ongoing Fun Fitness (BLASTOFF) Program Karen Ratcliff • Claudia Hilton • Occupational Therapy Studies have shown that physical activity during school time can increase attention and memory and reduce inappropriate behavior, resulting in improved academic performance. In an effort to assist academically low-performing students at Odyssey Academy in Galveston, the UTMB Occupational Therapy Department will create a sustainable motor lab program called BLASTOFF and work with students in the school’s reading intervention program five days per week for 20 minutes per session. The BLASTOFF lab will be equipped with dance software, a gaming system, gross motor skills equipment, motor coordination and fitness games and more.

St. Vincent’s PUSH for Prevention: Partnership with UTMB to Screen for HIV Premal Patel • John Davis • Manasa Kanukurthy • Naim Mekdessi • Zhihao Zhu Internal Medicine Currently, St. Vincent’s Clinic does not have the necessary infrastructure or resources to screen patients for HIV/AIDS according to the guidelines of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Because of these limitations, the decision to order HIV testing is often based on patient requests and clinical intuition. The development of a pilot HIV screening program at St. Vincent’s will improve adherence to USPSTF guidelines, provide links to care for a vulnerable population likely to be at high-risk for transmission and serve as a platform for incorporating comprehensive preventive medical care and establish population health monitoring.

Inspiring Girls to Help Meet Our Future STEM Workforce Needs Marguerite Sognier • Science Education There is a critical need for additional qualified workers in careers utilizing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Women continue to remain underrepresented in STEM fields and strategies are needed to inform and inspire more pre-college level girls to this arena. To foster awareness, this project will create an annual STEM Career Conference for girls in grades 5-8 throughout Galveston County. Participants will be exposed to science, math, engineering and technology-related careers by attending hands-on workshops presented by successful women from universities, businesses and government agencies. Examples of conference exploration workshops will include aerospace, accounting, engineering, petrochemical industry, maritime technology, biomedical sciences, health care, zoology and more.

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EDUCATI ON

One Month, Two Commencements Hundreds of New Alumni Three hundred forty one. That’s the number of people who transitioned from UTMB student to alumni during the month of August, as the institution celebrated two commencements, one for the School of Health Professions and one for the School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Studies Program.

The former, which took place on Aug. 16 at the Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston had 252 graduates who received degrees in 10 different programs. These individuals will go on to enter fields such as occupational therapy, clinical laboratory sciences, respiratory care, health care management and education, physical therapy, rehabilitation sciences, and nutrition and metabolism.

Taking place on Aug. 23, the School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Studies Program Commencement was a celebratory day for the 89 graduates walking across the stage. This was the program’s inaugural commencement ceremony, as it transitioned to the School of Medicine from the School of Health Professions at the beginning of the 2018-2019 academic year. Graduates from the program earn a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degrees.

Congratulations to all of the graduates and UTMB faculty! n

NAME: Anahi Delgadillo UTMB TALENT: Research associate at UTMB’s Sealy Center on Aging HIDDEN TALENT: An artist who breathes life into her characters As a child, Anahi Delgadillo loved cartoons, but she longed to tell her own stories. So, she started drawing her own characters to do just that.

Her love for art grew over the years, and by high school, she was taking multiple art classes and reading countless books on the topic. Her creations have evolved from renderings of her favorite characters to more complex projects, including a self-portrait.

“I’m trying to see myself in a more positive way and display my heritage and pride,” says Delgadillo, discussing the self-portrait.

Inspired by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo, Delgadillo says she strives to make things less ordinary.

“I love the bridge between ordinary and extraordinary, realism and fantasy,” she says.

A researcher with the Sealy Center for Aging who spends a good portion of her time in the lab, Delgadillo sees a natural connection between her professional work and artistic endeavors.

“Drawing and storytelling are very helpful in a research setting,” says Delgadillo. “They both require attention to detail, making connections and being able to change perspective on a subject to reveal new information. Plus, drawing and pipetting both require steady hands!”

As Delgadillo thinks of the future, she hopes to tie more of her scientific endeavors into her artwork and stories. n

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Five tips for parents to address cyberbullying

By Dr. Jeff Temple, associate professor and director of Behavioral Health and Research in UTMB’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology While in-person bullying remains common and consequential, cyberbullying and harassment that takes place using digital devices such as cell phones, computers and tablets through text, instant or email messages, or on social media, is important to prevent.

Victims can be harassed anytime, anywhere— sometimes for the whole world to witness, all while perpetrators can choose to remain anonymous.

Cyberbullying includes sending, posting or sharing negative, harmful, false or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information that is threatening or causes embarrassment or humiliation. Occasionally, cyberbullying even crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior, so it’s a growing concern in our always-connected society.

The 2017 School Crime Supplement, published by the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice, found that among students aged 12 to 18 who reported being bullied during the school year, 15 percent were bullied online or via text.

As students head back to school, now is the perfect time for parents to discuss cyberbullying with their children.

Here are five tips to help parents and guardians address the issue: 1. Set ground rules for your child’s use of cell phones and other devices.

2. Encourage them to use texting and social media to support their peers, not bring them down. Just as no student should sit alone at lunch, no one should feel alone online.

3. Speak their language. Familiarize yourself with social websites and apps your child uses.

4. Have an honest conversation about cyberbullying and the impact it can have on the victim.

5. Discuss being a good “digital citizen.” Treat people online like you would treat them in person and how you want to be treated in person.

Additional resources are available on the Behavioral Health and Research page at https://www.utmb.edu/bhar/resources.

UTMB TRIVIA The UTMB School of Health Professions held its commencement on Aug. 16 at the Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston, honoring 252 graduates who will enter a variety of fields including occupational therapy, clinical laboratory sciences, respiratory care, health care management and education, and physical therapy.

How many degree programs were represented during the School of Health Professions 2019 commencement ceremony? (Hint: Answer is inside this issue.)

Answer to the July trivia question: There were more than 400 graduates who participated in the UTMB School of Nursing’s commencement April 26.

Congrats to Debora Richard, dental hygienist at the Hightower CMC facility, who won the July trivia!

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