NewsLink, April 2, 2021
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Coronavirus Information

COVID prevalence study

Baylor College of Medicine is conducting a COVID-19 prevalence study in Houston, and volunteers are needed to help with recruitment efforts. You'll be asked to volunteer at different locations around town to help recruit participants for the study. Scripts for recruitment will be provided. If you're interested in helping or learning more, email Merin Thomas.

Vaccine information

Remember to complete the vaccine eligibility survey to initiate the process of scheduling your vaccine – now available to all adults – through the BCM Vaccine Clinic. Appointments at the BCM Vaccine Clinic currently are not available for employees' and learners' spouses, domestic partners and other family members (unless they are eligible Baylor Medicine patients who schedule a vaccination through their healthcare provider). There are now many locations in the community where vaccines are available. See these resources to find a vaccination location:

• Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Availability Map: Search by zip code within a set number of miles; view vaccine hub locations and first- and second-dose availability
• Vaccine Finder: Search by zip code within a set number of miles; view by manufacturer availability
  

Awards and Recognitions

Bozkurt leads heart failure updates

A committee co-chaired by Dr. Biykem Bozkurt, professor of medicine - cardiology at BCM, has updated American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association heart failure data standards. The 2021 ACC/AHA Key Data Elements and Definitions for Heart Failure were published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Pereira named to NIGMS group

Dr. Fred A. Pereira, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology and otolaryngology and a member of the Huffington Center on Aging and faculty senate, was elected president of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) directors group, representing all post-baccalaureate programs in the Division of Training, Workforce Development and Diversity. He was invited to be a member of the Program Directors' Executive Committee, which advises the director on training programs' needs and issues.

Events

Moral resiliency encore presentation

The Center for Professionalism offers an encore of Dr. Tessy Thomas' presentation, "Cultivating Compassion with Wisdom: The Continuum of Moral Distress to Moral Resilience," April 6, 5 – 6 p.m., via Zoom (Passcode: 853944). Thomas is assistant professor of pediatrics and bioethics at Geisinger Medical Center.

CVRI Symposium

The Cardiovascular Research Institute at Baylor offers its 8th Annual Symposium, April 7 – 8. Half-day sessions will feature scientists discussing the latest in cardiovascular research. Registration closes on Monday, April 5, at 11:59 PM.

Texas Pain Research Highlights 2021

The Gulf Coast Consortia, of which Baylor is a member, presents the Texas Pain Research Highlights 2021 virtual conference, April 7 – 8, featuring a keynote address by Dr. Walker Koroshetz, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and additional talks and panels with Baylor, local and national experts. See agenda and register.

Off Script: Stories on family

Join the virtual storytelling event from 6 – 7 p.m. on April 8 to hear stories from the TMC community on the meaning of "family" – how family was disrupted, strained or bonded, repaired or redesigned during the pandemic. Sponsored by the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy's Narrative Medicine Program. Register here.

Free autism webinar

The SPARK for Autism study at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital is hosting a free webinar for parents and caregivers of children with autism, "Should My Child See a Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician," Friday, April 9, noon – 1 p.m. Dr. Renee Rodrigues-D'Souza will explain the role of these specialists in evaluating and supporting children with autism spectrum disorder. Register here.

College News

U.S News & World Report rankings

The 2021-2022 U.S. News & World Report annual list of top graduate schools was released this week. In the research-intensive category, Baylor remains among the top 25 medical schools in the nation at 22nd, and in the primary care category, at 17th. These rankings place Baylor College of Medicine in the top 15% of all U.S. medical schools. For the first time, Baylor ranked nationally in all eight of the programs in the specialty ranking category: Pediatrics, 7th; Surgery, 13th; Psychiatry, 17th; Radiology, 18th; Family Medicine, 19th; Obstetrics & Gynecology, 19th; Anesthesiology, 21st; Internal Medicine, 25th. U.S. News & World Report also added a new category of most diverse medical schools, and Baylor ranked 56th in this category.

Resources to support AAPI community

The Association for Graduate Student Diversity, Diversity Ambassadors and the Inclusion and Equity Council at Baylor have developed resources to support the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in response to discrimination and acts of violence against people in these communities. View the resource guide.

Landrum legacy in South Texas

Dr. Ken Landrum, a Baylor College of Medicine alumnus who was instrumental in establishing first-class pediatric oncology and hematology care in the Rio Grande Valley through a partnership of BCM and Texas Children's Hospital, died in February. Read more about his legacy.

HR news: Wellness app

BCM BeWell participants can stay engaged and motivated through the Vitality Today app. Linking the app allows you to view your points earned for BCM BeWell activities or check in on your goals. When you're at the gym you can use GPS to log a workout or after completing a 5K, upload a photo of your supporting document and tap the "Log an Event" button to submit. Download the app to your smartphone and gain access to many convenient features. Questions? Email wellness@bcm.edu.

Faculty in the News

Check out Baylor's news media mentions in this week's Faculty in the News, and follow BCMHouston_News on Twitter to keep up with our experts in the media. Interested in science news? Read the latest in From the Labs.

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