TCOM ALUMNI

UNTHSC Interim President Williams (TCOM ’81) Tours Texas!

Join fellow alum Michael Williams, DO, MD, MBA, for an evening of conversation about our alma mater and alumni family. Dates, locations and times are listed below. Please RSVP to rsvp@unthsc.edu or call 817-735-2430.

Fort Worth The Fort Worth Club 306 West Seventh Street Wednesday, March 6, 2013 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Dallas The Crescent Club at Rosewood Crescent Hotel 400 Crescent Court Thursday, March 7, 2013 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Houston The Briar Club 2603 Timmons Lane Thursday, March 14, 2013 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Austin The Austin Club 110 East 9th Street Tuesday, March 19, 2013 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

San Antonio The Petroleum Club of San Antonio 8620 N. New Braunfels, Ste. 700 Wednesday, March 20, 2013 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Tyler Willow Brook Country Club 3205 West Erwin Wednesday, March 27, 2013 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

TCOM ALUMNIN E W S L E T T E RFebruary 2013

In This Issue:• Academy of Medical Educators Sets Sights on Future

• Spotlight on … Jason Shore

• Health Professionals Take Flight

• Anonymous Donor

• Sustainable Serenity

• A Word from Leslie Casey

TCOM’s Academy of Medical Educators: Innovative Outcomes for Students Start with Professors

Founded by TCOM Dean Don Peska, DO, MEd, in 2010, the Academy of Medical Educators (AME) is a rigorous outcomes-oriented approach to medical education that gives professors teaching skills designed to help medical students succeed today and tomorrow.

AME enriches TCOM’s already innovative approach, referred to as a “problem- and task-focused curriculum,” in which students use class time to address patient case studies rather than passively listening to lectures. TCOM students develop clinically relevant skills, and as a result, they consistently score among the highest in the nation on osteopathic medicine licensing exams.

AME offers graduate-level course work that leads to a formal certificate in Higher Education. The approximately 30 AME participants meet four hours per week and are exempted from a component of their patient-care responsibilities so they have time to focus on curricular design and implementation, self-study and educational research.

“Few if any other medical schools in the nation have an academy this ambitious,” says Associate Dean, Curricular Design and Faculty Development, Frank Papa, DO, PhD, who leads the Academy. “Most are not as outcomes-oriented. If we continue this approach, we will be one of the first medical schools with a true 21st century curriculum among all osteopathic medical schools, if not all U.S. and European medical schools.”

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Future Health Professionals “Take Flight” At UNTHSCIf someone followed you around all day long at work, you’d probably be pretty creeped out. But when it helps a young person choose a lifetime career, it’s an entirely different story.

It’s called shadowing, and it’s the central component of a program by the UNT Career Center called “Take Flight.” The idea is to help current college undergraduates identify their intended future profession in medical or allied health professions, then shadow a mentor within that field at UNTHSC.

By shadowing, visiting students (from both UNT and TCU thus far) experience two days in the life of medical and health professions students, faculty and staff. Participants meet with current TCOM students and admissions personnel, as well as with both the School of Health Professions’ Physician Assistant (PA) Studies and Physical Therapy (PT) programs. Activities include hands-on work in laboratory and clinical facilities, the anatomy lab, osteopathic manipulative medicine lab and the patient simulation lab.

“I loved how friendly everyone was,” said Zulma Ibarra, a UNT junior who wanted to know more about TCOM.

“This is real-world experience that students eagerly seek out,” said Jimmy Renfro, UNTHSC Assistant Director of Career Services. “Classroom training is essential, but so is the experience of being fully immersed in the daily experience. This program is a real eye-opener for everyone involved.”

TCOM NEWSSpotlight on …

Jason Shore, TCOM 2015

Jason Shore (TCOM 2015) parlayed his love of trivia into a four-day winning streak on the nationally syndicated game show Jeopardy. We spoke with him recently about his experience.

Which categories were your best/worst? I like science categories, of course. I also did very well in vocabulary-type categories. Literature and art are up there among my weaknesses.

What question did you in? In my fifth game, I had a small lead going into “Final Jeopardy,” in which the answer was “American Icons: He has a Medal of Freedom, a Pulitzer Citation and membership in the Rock & Roll and Minnesota Music Halls of Fame.” The only famous Minnesotan I could think of was Prince, even though I was pretty certain he didn’t have a Medal of Freedom or a Pulitzer. The correct response was Bob Dylan. No one got it right, but since I wagered a lot of money, I ended up in second place.

Have you bought anything extravagant with your winnings? I promised my parents I’d send them on a vacation to Italy, but that hasn’t happened yet. Aside from that, I don’t plan on making any big purchases. I’m a pretty frugal guy.

Tell the truth: what’s Trebek really like? I wish I got to interact with him more, but the interviews during the show are the only times he speaks with the contestants. During commercial breaks, he takes questions from the audience, and he usually answers with dry humor.

When you graduate, where would you like to practice? I’m a reservist with the Air Force, so my options after graduation are spoken for. But I’d like to do my residency in San Antonio and after that, I would love to be stationed in Germany.

What attracted you to TCOM? I grew up in Plano, so it’s nice to be close to home. Also, I’m a graduate of the Medical Sciences master’s program here at UNTHSC, so I was already familiar with the school and liked it.

Gerald Friedman, DO, Director of Medical Simulation and Faculty Advisor for EMIG (Emergency Medicine Interest Group), explains the simulation facility to “Take Flight” participants.

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Anonymous Donor gifts OMM Department $121,000 It’s the kind of thing you usually only see on TV: a generous benefactor wishing to remain anonymous leaves part of their estate to a worthy cause.

In this case, however, it’s true. A Dallas osteopathic physician left an anonymous estate gift of $121,000 to TCOM and the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). The gift helps launch a $1 million endowment for the OMM Department.

“We’re very grateful for this gift,” said David Mason, DO, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of OMM. “TCOM’s OMM Department has great need for endowment funding to ensure we retain top-tier faculty and provide educational opportunities to ensure our graduates are first-rate physicians who contribute to healthier communities.”

The endowment fund, called the John H. Harakal, DO, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Endowment Fund, is named for the OMM department’s founding chair.

Harakal was influential in osteopathic medicine - he was a fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy and Chairman for the Osteopathic Philosophy, Principles and Practice section of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Harakal earned numerous honors, including TCOM’s Founders Medal and the A.T. Still Medallion of Honor from the American Academy of Osteopathy.

Membership for a Lifetime Connection

Sign up for a lifetime TCOM Alumni Association membership and get connected with the entire TCOM family of graduates. For a one-time fee of just $100, you’ll receive a keepsake crystal paperweight and access to an unparalleled network of fellow graduates and more, including regular updates about your association, TCOM and UNTHSC.

Sign up now! Call 817-735-2278 or mail the coupon below to: TCOM Alumni 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth TX, 76107

TCOM NEWS

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Lifetime Membership

As the newest member of your Alumni Relations team, I’m excited about how we’re renewing our commitment to engage you with events, communication vehicles, added value, networking, mentoring opportunities and much more.

For example, you’ll see a broadened partnership with Career Services and Continuing Education. You’ll also see

more events with an alumni focus, like this year’s President’s Invitational Golf Tournament (see back page).

Also attracting a lot of attention: the large-frame class history pictures from “Alumni Hallway” are getting the digital renovation treatment while we investigate new ways to reintroduce these classic images. Stay tuned!

Finally, if you need to change/update your contact info or want to share ideas on how we can best serve you, just email or call me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Leslie CaseyAssistant Director, Alumni Relations

817-735-2443 Leslie.Casey@unthsc.edu

Hello Alumni!

Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd.

Fort Worth, TX, 76107

Save the DatePresident’s Invitational Golf Tournament Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Ridglea Country Club3700 Bernie Anderson AvenueFort Worth, TX 76116Tee times and reservations: 817-735-2282Sign up a foursome for $1,500

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2013

Everyone knows that the soothing sound of flowing water calms jangled nerves and eases tension. That’s the comforting concept behind the water feature that, come this summer, will grace the newly refreshed courtyard landscape fronting the Gibson D. Lewis Library. Best of all, the beauty comes without a beastly environmental cost. First, all the landscaping is drought-tolerant and all surfaces are made of porous decomposed granite, which allows water infiltration and reduces runoff. Second, weather sensors adjust the height of spray nozzles to avoid drift onto adjacent pavement. Finally, all the water, which flows along runnels, is recycled through the system. It’s beauty, functionality and responsibility, all wrapped up with a ribbon … recyclable, of course.

Sustainable Serenity