President’s Cabinet Awards 

Kanika Bowen-Jallow, MD, MMS
Surgery

Childhood obesity has become a nationwide health crisis and clinicians have found that minority children are particularly susceptible to the epidemic. To combat this issue, an after school program with a parental involvement component will be established to target children (ages 2 – 11) with a body mass index greater than the 95th percentile. The Tough and Tiny Program will be held after school twice per month for qualifying children and their parents. During each one-hour session, parents will meet with physicians and UTMB students, eat a healthy dinner and learn about nutrition, diet and exercise while their children participate in fitness activities and group play facilitated by a certified instructor. Participants demonstrating weight loss will be rewarded with gift cards to a local sports store.

Kathleen Karam, MS3
Alex Sosa, MS3
John Sealy School of Medicine

In looking at the veteran health system and the specific burdens this population faces, this extension of the UTMB Veterans' Health Initiative aims to help veterans connect and navigate existing VA and community resources, work with local organizations like St. Vincents and Christus Our Daily Bread to fill gaps, and host or participate in health fairs, traveling clinics and mental health screenings to support the health and well-being of the veteran population. President’s Cabinet funding will provide monthly transportation for off-island appointments, allow for the administration of mind and body health screenings, and furnish necessities to assist unsheltered veterans until a long-term solution is secured. Students come to understand veterans and their needs, and veterans meet students and become more familiar with the healthcare system.

Jaymee Mayo
Transplant Services

To celebrate those who have given the gift of life at UTMB, an engravable metal tree sculpture will be installed to recognize organ donors. Donors from the past five years will be recognized by name on individual leaves of the metal sculpture; the names and dates of prior donors will be displayed on a digital frame next to the sculpture. It is hoped this memorial will subtly encourage potential donors and honor those who have given of so unselfishly of themselves.

Dr. Karen Szauter
UTMB Professionalism Committee
Educational Affairs

Difficult conversations are always challenging and most people hesitate even if it is likely to help the person involved. While education can provide the foundational knowledge to conduct such conversations, there is a great need to anticipate and rehearse for these onerous situations. Through a series of simulations, based on real situations, UTMB faculty and staff will learn to master the skills needed to engage in difficult conversations with their peers, executive management and students while being coached and receiving feedback in a confidential setting.

Rebecca L. Trout
Nancy Schultz
Health Policy and Legislative Affairs

This partnership with the newly created Galveston Children’s Museum will establish a “clinic” space at the museum that will include a special character mirror/body mirror interactive device and other teaching aids to demonstrate an internal view of the human body. The mirror will display visually striking interactive effects as children wave their arms or move their legs, learning in a fun-filled atmosphere.

Martha T. Garcia, MS3
Jennifer Odoi, MS3
Staley Rose, MS4
Lucy Villarreal, MD
OB-GYN

Grace Clinic -- a St. Vincent’s satellite clinic located at Central Methodist Church in Galveston -- provides free health care to those with limited access and resources. Historically the clinic has cared for a young population of uninsured individuals and had no tools or resources to provide women’s health exams. Given this patient demographic, President’s Cabinet funding will establish an infrastructure to provide services such as pap smears, pelvic exams and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. The program also aims to improve student awareness and confidence in population health screening, increase access to a variety of contraceptive options and provide supplemental funding for pelvic imaging for patients who express significant financial need.