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Awards and Recognitions

Greene inducted in to toxicology college

Dr. Spencer Greene, professor of medicine - emergency medicine and pediatrics and director of medical toxicology, was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Medical Toxicology at the organization’s annual scientific meeting in Huntington Beach, Calif., this month. He is one of 232 medical toxicologists in the world with this designation as well as the only board-certified medical toxicologist in Houston.

Penny honored with cardiology award

Dr. Daniel Penny, professor of pediatrics – cardiology, was selected by the Awards Committee and Board of Trustees of the American College of Cardiology to receive the 2016 International Service Award in recognition of his continuous dedication to international causes and for being a role model in his field. His work internationally includes spearheading the effort to build a cardiovascular center in Hue, Vietnam, helping to secure funds, design the facility and train its staff. Penny will be honored April 4 at the ACC’s annual scientific sessions in Chicago.

Transition Medicine Clinic earns national recognition

Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital’s Transition Medicine Clinic was awarded Level 2 Patient Centered Medical Home recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality. The recognition indicates the clinic follows guidelines recommended by the NCQQ for patient centered, proactive medical care.

Events

McNair Symposium on April 5

The fifth annual McNair Symposium presents Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Nobel Laureate and director emeritus of the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, on April 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium. The event also will include presentations by Baylor McNair Scholars Dr. Russell Ray, Dr. Francois St-Pierre and Dr. Xaq Pitkow, all assistant professors of neuroscience.

Alexander Award in Psychiatry features Dr. Richard Kogan April 6

Dr. Richard Kogan, clinical professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director of its Music and Medicine program, will receive this year’s Joan and Stanford Alexander Award in Psychiatry and deliver a lecture and performance April 6 at 10:30 a.m. in Cullen Auditorium. The award was established in honor of Dr. Stuart Yudofsky, distinguished emeritus professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor, and each year honors a mental health professional who has made significant contributions in psychiatry.

Department of Medicine Housestaff Research Symposium

The annual Department of Medicine Housestaff Research Symposium is Thursday, April 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Rayzor Lounge. Posters will be presented in three categories - clinical medicine, clinical research and basic research. A scientific committee will choose the top three poster presentations from each category, and cash prizes will be awarded. First-place winners will orally present their data at the Department of Medicine grand rounds in May.

Mental health events

- The Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Psychiatry Resident Outreach to the Public Sector (PROPS) group are hosting Building Bridges, a community-wide forum on spirituality and mental health, on Wednesday, April 13, at the Hope and Healing Center, 717 Sage Road, 77056. The event will include a panel discussion on Collateral Damage: The Impact of Suicide on Congregations and Caregivers. Guest panelists include Dr. James Lomax and Dr. Thomas Ellis of Baylor. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP online or contact Lauren.Pace@bcm.edu with questions.
- Baylor will have a team in the National Alliance of Mental Illness Walk to Paint a Brighter Future, April 30 at Sam Houston Park. Sign up online to join the team or contact team captain Margi Levin at mlevin@bcm.edu.

Schweitzer Fellowship celebration April 21

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship – Houston/Galveston will honor its humanitarian of the year, Gracie Cavnar, and celebrate the work of its current fellows in Houston and Galveston, including four fellows from Baylor, at an event April 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sam Houston Hotel. Cavnar founded Recipe for Success, which helps children learn about healthy food. The lunch event is chaired by Dr. Mark Kline, chair of pediatrics at Baylor and physician-in-chief at Texas Children’s Hospital. Find ticket information online.

Medical volunteers needed for Avon Walk April 23 – 24

Licensed healthcare professionals are needed to volunteer in the medical tent at Avon39 The Walk to End Breast Cancer, April 23-24, of which Baylor is the official medical sponsor. For more information or to volunteer, contact Sanah Haque at snhaque@bcm.edu or 713-798-1649.

College News

Baylor teams contribute to success of Marfan walk

The Marfan Foundation held its first-ever Houston Walk for Victory Feb. 20, and two Baylor teams were key supporters of the event through their fundraising efforts. Marfan Syndrome is a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the heart, eyes and bones. The teams, led by Dr. Joseph Coselli, professor of surgery, and Dr. Shaine Morris, assistant professor of pediatrics, who both treat Marfan patients and conduct research on the disease, were among the event’s top five fundraisers, with a total of $18,635 raised by team members and sponsors. In all, the Houston event raised almost $140,000, one of the most successful events in the foundation’s history. Isaiah Austin, former Baylor University basketball player and the National Walk Ambassador, led the event along with Rod and Owen Gray, Walk for Victory chairs.

Submit your story for narrative medicine event

The Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy’s Narrative Medicine Program is hosting the inaugural Off Script event, and faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to share their “story” about being a part of Baylor and the Texas Medical Center. Your story may be about treating patients, working in a lab and anything in between. To share your story, submit a 250 to 500 word essay to Erika Versalovic at versalov@bcm.edu by April 8. A workshop will be held to prepare select stories, which will be presented at the Off Script event April 27.

Campus carry survey

The Campus Carry Law will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2016, allowing individuals with a license to carry a handgun to carry a concealed handgun on the premises of an institution of higher education. Private institutions such as Baylor College of Medicine may, after consulting with trainees, staff and faculty, opt out of the campus carry law before it goes into effect. Learn more and complete the survey on the Campus Carry Law by April 5.

Team Launch modular courses

Team Launch, BCM’s Quality Enhancement Plan, is composed of three modular courses:
- Launch Pad
- Team Projects
- Master Classes

Learn more about these classes and how they will help prepare BCM students for their future careers.

Financial Fitness Week

How Fit Are Your Finances? Join the BCM 2016 Financial Fitness Week April 4 - 7 to find out your financial fitness and earn BCM BeWell Vitality points. Hosted by the HR benefits team, Financial Fitness Week includes free workshops presented by Fidelity, TIAA, Emeriti, the Society for Financial Awareness, the Social Security Administration and Baylor Credit Union. Eligible employees can earn 100 BCM BeWell Vitality points for attending a workshop (a maximum of 300 points if employee attends three different workshop topics). A limited number of workshops will be available for live-stream viewing through Blue Jeans for those who are not able to attend.

Faculty in the News

Dr. Hardeep Singh was interviewed on Houston Matters about his recent research on electronic health records. See this and Baylor's other news media mentions in this week’s Faculty in the News.

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