Pulse Summer 2022 The magazine

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH THE STROKE ARTIST

FEATURES

18

New Kid on the Block

TTUHSC readies for the next frontier of health care by establishing the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health. TTUHSC’s sixth school bears the name of a legendary female Abilene philanthropist whose vision led to its formation.

By Erin Peterson

26 The Stroke Artist

A urologist and surgeon, Bevan Choate, MD, (Medicine ‘13) struggles with his new identity as the patient following a life-threatening stroke. Writing and mastering a new painting technique become his therapy and the conduit to recovery.

By Bill Monroe and Bevan Choate, MD, (Medicine ’13)

DEPARTMENTS

5 Scope

Medical student implements easy access to fresh produce, enouraging a healthier diet.

9 Vitals

The stethoscope — a simplistic diagnostic tool that’s withstood the test of time.

31 Rounds

A Double T flag brings together a cadre of nursing comrades from across the country.

35 Update

There’s no such thing as too many questions — ask Ajith Pai, PharmD, MBA (Pharmacy’07).

IN EVERY ISSUE

2 Health Matters

3 Feedback

36 Update Listings

ON THE COVER

TTUHSC celebrates the opening of its sixth school, which focuses on population and public health, a new frontier for health care.

Illustration by Kathleen Fu.

To be Understood Should Not be a Luxury

In the School of Medicine Class of 1982, Beatriz (Garcia) Stamps, MD, was the only Mexican-American student. Stamps grew up in Laredo, Texas, the daughter of physicians who emphasized education as a pathway to success — and who strongly believed in the value of being bilingual — and gifted Stamps and her siblings with the opportunity to become proficient not only in dual languages of English and Spanish but also in the respective cultures.

As a medical student and resident, Stamps said she often served as the “unofficial” official interpreter — a source of pride in that she could relate with Hispanic patients because she could speak their language and understood their culture. She also realized she was somewhat of a unicorn and made it a career priority to offer opportunities for medical students also to acquire such skills. Stamps, an obstetrics-gynecology physician for almost 40 years, founded a program in 2018, and has served as instructor since, at the Mayo Clinic’s Alix School of Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona, called the Medical Spanish Selective — an immersive elective in language and culture.

Stamps also celebrates that her alma mater is only the third health sciences center in the state of Texas to receive Hispanic-Serving Institution status by the Department of Education. The designation last spring enables us to strengthen ongoing efforts to recruit and support underrepresented students, build greater faculty diversity and better serve our communities as a comprehensive health care institution.

It’s a proud moment in our journey. The HSI designation will help support ongoing efforts and open doors for innovative initiatives and inclusive steps forward in training the next generation of health care providers to serve a diverse population across Texas.

(Health Professions ’86)

PRESIDENT

Lori Rice-Spearman, PhD,

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER

The HSI designation will help support ongoing efforts and open doors for innovative initiatives and inclusive steps forward in training the next generation of health care providers.

EDITOR’S NOTE

We were honored to see the feature’s opening illustration (see page 19) included in The University Magazine: Special UCDA Edition, noting how original artwork enhances stories.

I’m also excited to introduce a new member of our Pulse staff, Alessandra Singh. She joined our team in May and is responsible for the daily production of the magazine and leads content development for each issue. Alessandra is a graduate of Texas Tech University and comes to TTUHSC with a passion for long-form storytelling. Please welcome Alessandra to the Pulse team and the TTUHSC family.

TTUHSC has defined its priorities and President Lori Rice-Spearman will present the university’s wish list to the 88th Legislature in early spring. Topping the list is $13.5 million to establish a comprehensive Institute for Telehealth Technology and Innovation. In the Winter 2023 issue, we’ll take a look at the impact telehealth can make in health care for rural Texans.

—Danette Baker, MA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PULSE OFFICE OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS

WE ASKED: WHICH PROFESSOR TAUGHT YOU THE MOST?

I learned the most from two professors in the (MSN) nursing program. Carol Boswell, EdD, RN, and Sharon Cannon, EdD, RN, showed me compassion while completing my master’s thesis and guiding me through a difficult personal time — ultimately allowing me to complete my degree without added stressors. Our theory and therapies instructor, Yondell Masten, PhD, APRN, was key in helping me learn the art of writing scholarly papers. During the RN to BSN program, my instructor, Donna Scott-Tilley, PhD, (Nursing ’97, ’91) was instrumental in helping me complete my community assessment through creative collaboration. However, my journey began when Myrna Armstrong, EdD, RN, saw my commitment to start the program at age 52 and opened admissions for me to enter the program in 2004.

— Kerry Dudley, MSN, RN, CCRN-K (NURSING ’08, ’05)

THANK YOU!

“The Humans Behind the Heroes” and “In Their Own Words” articles were heartfelt and meaningful.  The photographs captured our reality very well. I have had several friends and family comment positively on the article. Thank you for including me. I have seen the entire online issue as well and enjoyed seeing the additional stories and photographs. Thank you for documenting this experience for us. It is a treasure.

—Benjamin J. Leeah, MD, CCHP (MEDICINE ’00)

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

I am thrilled to see the what the digital version of Pulse looks like! Bravo to you and your whole team that made all this come together! (page 31, Winter 2022) How nice this includes the video link too! I am very pleased with how it turned out and look forward to seeing the magazine.  Thanks so very much for all your time and efforts! What a great boost to my life this wonderfully done item by you is to me!

—Robert Rees

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Pulse welcomes thoughts and opinions from our readers via email at pulse@ttuhsc.edu.

Volume 32, Issue 2

EDITOR

Danette Baker

MANAGING EDITOR

Alessandra Singh

DESIGN

Jim Nissen

CONTRIBUTORS

TR Castillo, Suzanna Cisneros, Roald Credo, Carolyn Cruz, Kathleen Fu, Mark Hendricks, Neal Hinkle, Kami Hunt, Ken Kosub/Limelight Films, Artie Limmer, Erin Peterson, Camille Smithwick, Melissa Whitfield

ADMINISTRATION

PRESIDENT

Lori Rice-Spearman, PhD (Health Professions ’86)

VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Ashley Hamm

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Mattie Been, Amarillo

Jessica Zuniga, Permian Basin

DEVELOPMENT

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

Cyndy Morris

GIFT OFFICERS

Kevin Friemel, Clarissa Sanchez, Clifford Wilkes

CORPORATIONS & FOUNDATIONS

Jordan Nabers

ALUMNI RELATIONS

MANAGER

Peyton Sifrit

CONTACT US pulse@ttuhsc.edu

TTUHSC External Relations

3601 Fourth Street STOP 6242 Lubbock, TX 79430-6242

Pulse is published twice a year. Content may be reprinted only wior’s permission. Discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, status as a covered veteran or other legally protected categories, class or characteristics is not tolerated. Pulse is distributed in compliance with the State Depository Law and is available for public use through the Texas State Publications Depository Program. In compliance with HB 423, Pulse is available in electronic format.

If you no longer want to receive the printed version, please notify the editor in writing.

the future belongs to

PROGRAMS OFFERED

Laboratory Sciences & Primary Care

Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science

Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Laboratory Science

Master of Science in Molecular Pathology

Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Rehabilitation Sciences

Master of Athletic Training

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy

Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science

Concentration in Communication Sciences Disorders

Concentration in Movement Sciences Disorders

Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

Doctor of Audiology

Bachelor of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Healthcare Management & Leadership

Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management

Master of Science in Healthcare Administration

Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics and Data Analysis

Graduate Certificate in Health Systems Policy and Management

Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Finance and Economics

Graduate Certificate in Health Systems Engineering and Management

Graduate Certificate in Long Term Care Administration

Clinical Counseling & Mental Health

Master of Science in Addiction Counseling

Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling

QUICK DOSE NOTEWORTHY GLOBAL HEALTH FOR THE RECORD

Plant-powered health care

Finding a different approach to better health. That was the goal of Emily Fine, TTUHSC School of Medicine student and volunteer with the Free Clinic, when she applied her knowledge of hydroponics to a community health project. In collaboration with the Texas Tech greenhouse, fellow students and grants, Fine executed her plan to impact health care through fresh produce and by encouraging a healthy diet. Produce harvested will be donated to the soup kitchen inside of Lubbock Impact, a nonprofit organization and community partner for the Free Clinic.

Status Symbol

School of Nursing alumnus George Elliott, BSN, RN, (Nursing ’18) appreciated the school’s approach to admissions, which considers “not just what a transcript report tells you,” he said. “That meant a lot.” Elliott is one of TTUHSC’s 173 veteran alumni, served 13 years in the U.S. Air Force — one year in the California Air National Guard and the remainder on active duty as a medic and aeromedical evacuation technician. The support TTUHSC offers those with military service seeking college admission is among the many reasons TTUHSC received the 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools designation by VIQTORY. The company was established to help veterans transition into civilian life, recognizes top choices for postsecondary education for veterans and their families. TTUHSC ranked fourth among the participating graduate schools, earning the “Gold” award status based on leading practices, outcomes and effective programs. More than 1,800 schools participated in the program, with only 282 receiving Gold, the highest award designation. TTUHSC currently has 365 militaryaffiliated students served by the university’s Veterans Resource Center.

One for the Record Books

TTUHSC is the academic home to several of the world’s top-ranked researchers, based on a widely publicized citation database created at Stanford University. The top 2% of global researchers were identified by assigning them to different categories of scientific expertise.

Current and past TTUHSC faculty members making the list:

School of Medicine

Steven Berk, MD; Gail Cornwall, PhD; Vadivel Ganapathy, PhD; Matt Grisham, PhD; Volker Neugebauer, MD, PhD; Kenneth Nugent, MD; Alan Peiris, MD; Hemachandra Reddy, PhD; Patrick Reynolds, MD, PhD; Rial Rolfe, PhD, MBA; Kendra Rumbaugh, PhD; Doug Stocco, PhD

School of Nursing

Myrna Armstrong, EdD, RN

Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy

Ulrich Bickel, DrMed; Lance McMahon, PhD; Cynthia Raehl, PharmD; Quentin Smith, PhD; Sanjay Srivastava, PhD.

Researchers retired from TTUHSC who are deceased: Michael Conn, PhD; James Heavner, PhD; Ann Kosloske, MD; Kenneth Nelder, MD; Danny Pence, PhD; Prithvi Raj, MD.

TTUHSC receives designation as a Military Friendly® School for 2022-2023.

Culture Club

Angelia Taylor, BSN, RN, checked off a bucket list item this fall — volunteer her nursing services to the benefit of others. An advance practice nursing student, Taylor joined 14 nursing and five public health students for a week of service learning at Silliman University in Dumaguete, Philippines — one of TTUHSC’s longest standing international partnerships.

We are global citizens, and solving global challenges takes working with communities across other countries. Even those who stay in West Texas to practice will encounter patients who are from a culture different than their own.

— MICHELLE ENSMINGER SENIOR DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF GLOBAL HEALTH

Stat

Nursing Schools Almanac named the School of Nursing as the best nursing school in Texas and the southwest region for 2022. The school also ranked No. 10 nationally among public nursing schools and No. 18 among all nursing schools in the U.S.

PHDS ARE CONFERRED ANNUALLY AT TTUHSC, SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY’S DESIGNATION BY THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION® OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AS A SPECIAL FOCUS FOUR-YEAR RESEARCH INSTITUTION.

TTUHSC was named for the first time to the 2022 Great Colleges to Work For Honor Roll — a status granted to only 30 four-year universities annually for their significant achievements across the recognition categories.

“Your contributions to my education helped me achieve more than I ever could have without your generosity.”

— KAITLYN DRENNAN, PHARMD (PHARMACY ’22)

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE SCHOOL OF NURSING

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

JERRY H. HODGE SCHOOL OF PHARMACY SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

I Can Hear Clearly Now

Vitals

Signs from the Schools

You know the old saying, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it?” Case in point: the stethoscope. The 1816 invention by French physician Rene Laennec, MD, is health care’s utility tool. The stethoscope’s simple design results from Laennec innovating a less invasive way to examine his patient — using a rolled paper tube to concentrate the sound between his ear and the patient’s chest. George P. Cammann, MD, of New York, modernized the design 25 years later to include dual earpieces. In the early 1960s, David Littman, MD, a Harvard Medical School professor, patented the acoustics to amplify sound. Although there have been adjunct technological alterations, the stethoscope has remained a simplistic but powerful diagnostic health care tool for over two centuries.

The trio of diaphragm, bell and stem, which connects them, form the chest piece of a double-sided stethoscope. Sounds produced by the patient’s organs make the plastic disk of the diaphragm or bell vibrate, creating the sound waves that travel through the tubing.

Comprised of two ear tubes and ear tips, the upper half of the stethoscope holds the tool in place, or sometimes around the neck when not in use, and concentrates body sounds from the patient into the provider’s ear canal through the tubing, which helps block external sounds.

COURAGE UNDER PRESSURE

The American Medical Association honored critical care specialist Victor J. Test, MD, with its Medal of Valor for his work on behalf of patients and his community during the epidemic. The award recognizes physicians who demonstrate courage under extraordinary circumstances in non-wartime situations.

A Stitch in Time

How can a dinosaur stuffy about the size of a 32-ounce Yeti tumbler impact learning for medical students?

For members of the Surgical, Pediatric, and Research and Clinical Scholarship Initiative clubs, handmaking them entails students practicing suturing skills, said Roald Cred0, second-year medical student and Surgery Club president.

And it’s a way to give back to the community. Dinos for Kiddos, the clubs’ philanthropic project, brings students together with residents, faculty members and other health care professionals who participate, for networking and opportunities to learn about their specialties, Credo said.

Students have made and donated about 60 dinosaurs to UMC Children’s Hospital, working with Alan Pang, MD, trauma/burn surgeon and critical care fellow, and the hospital’s child life specialists.

“In medical school, it is easy to lose track of everything around you as coursework and studying consume your time,” Credo said. “Participating in a club helps connect you with a community, and this project connects our communities on a broader scale.

“In turn, that brings a smile to someone else.”

Victor J. Test, MD, is the division chief of pulmonary care and professor of internal medicine.

The Gift of Life

The human body is a health care professional’s first patient. Life experiences and disease states leave their mark, presenting opportunities from which future generations can learn.

Individuals who choose to donate their bodies through the Willed Body Program help to advance health knowledge, education, research and training, said

Kerry Gilbert, PT, Sc.D., assistant dean for anatomy, research and education, and co-director of the Institute for Anatomical Sciences with Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Dean Brandt Schneider, Ph.D.

The institute houses TTUHSC’s Willed Body Program, which has served West Texas since 1972.

There are 11 willed body programs in Texas, all located within a health science center and governed by the Texas State Anatomical Board. TTUHSC program serves the area west from Wichita Falls to the Rio Grande.

During their anatomy studies, student groups are assigned a donor cadaver. Midway through their course, they alternate to work with a different donor cadaver. Each student can study and investigate the structure and anatomy on all 32 bodies that are in use during their course, said Jason Jones, director of the Willed Body Program, who operates the program under guidance from the anatomical board.

“They’re able to see a wide range of donors and anatomy, which is important because not everybody has had the same medical conditions or the same

medical disorders,” Jones said.

Seeing the anomalies is important because this is one of the courses that the students will recall mentally when examining or treating a patient, he added. Knowing how some of these diseases and disorders impact the body can help the students provide more effective care for future patients who may have similar characteristics.

At the conclusion of the course, the donor bodies are cremated, and the remains are returned to the families who have elected to receive them. Unclaimed or

unreturned remains are placed in TTUHSC’s ossuary. Every Memorial Day, the university conducts a service to pay respect to the donors and their families. The service allows the families to see firsthand the impact of the gift given by them and their beloved family member.

“Individuals that are willing their body to science have come up with a way to live on even after their passing,” Jones said. “What is learned from that individual by the student is going to be carried with that student throughout their career.”

TTUHSC ‘s memorial for donors to the Willed Body Program.

Amarillo’s First-Class Nurses

The inaugural class of 20 students are completing their first year in the Traditional BSN program in Amarillo at a time when front-line nurses are in the greatest demand. “As a former chief of nursing, I have seen many cycles of nursing shortages (in my 42-year career), some worse than others, and often wondered if we would ever see the day when there was not a shortage,” said Valerie Kiper, DNP, MSN, RN, (Nursing ’13), regional dean for nursing. “It is not a fun position to be in when you are needing a bed for a patient, and you cannot provide one because you do not have a nurse to go with the bed. ”

By 2030, the supply of full-time registered nurses nationwide is expected to increase by 35%, yet, the demand is projected to be close to 54%, leaving a deficit of almost 60,000 nurses. Texas has one of the higher vacancy and turnover rates, with TTUHSC’s service area at 13%.

“The nursing shortage may never be totally eliminated,” Kiper added, “but we (TTUHSC) are proud to now be among the five nursing programs in the Panhandle helping train RNs to impact this deficit.”

Innovative Intervention

COVID heightened stress levels for many nurses, but students were dealing with stressors even before the pandemic, said Karla Chapman, PhD, School of Nursing associate dean for admissions, enrollment management and student affairs.

“Faculty became the first line of defense. We wanted to support them so they could focus on delivering academics, and honor our commitment to students with resources and support.”

The school implemented a Student Wellness Program in 2018 and has since adopted a common language to triage students’ stress, based on an algorithm developed by Hollis Franco, PhD, RN, assistant dean of wellness. Green, yellow and red signals identify increasing intensity of stress — from mild anxiety about a test to concern of immediate threat to harm oneself and/or others. Faculty assist with academic related stressors, and the school’s wellness team provides support outside the learning environment. Students can access resources on the program website as well.

“Significant levels of emotional distress can be found throughout higher education, but now, more than ever, nursing schools are seeing a wellness predicament that impacts the delivery of material and attrition rates, which can ultimately affect the availability of nurses,” Franco said. “Our goal is to assist students in coping with the stress of nursing school and everyday life, as well as support them through their journey.”

The Traditional BSN program at Amarillo trains students to be front-line health care workers.

Recognitions

INVESTMENT IN WOMEN’S HEALTH

What would you do if you won $100,000? Courtney L. Luoma, MSN, BSN, RN, (Nursing ’21, ’12) knew her answer — invest in women’s health. Luoma, a certified nurse midwife with Midland Memorial Hospital, and her business partner invested their winnings from the 2021-2022 Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge to furnish and launch The Birth Center, which offers an alternative for women who want a childbirth option other than at a hospital or their home.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Michael D. Moon, PhD, MSN, RN, (Nursing ’87) received the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting on a career of dedicated service, accomplishments and contributions to emergency medicine. Moon is a professor, advanced practice registered nurse and certified emergency nurse at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.

DEAN RECEIVES LEGACY AWARD

Panhandle Great 25 Nurses Committee honored Dean Michael Evans, PhD, RN, FAAN, with its 2022 Legacy Award. The award recognizes registered nurses who have made substantial contributions to nursing in the Texas Panhandle for at least 25 years.

ORGANIZATION HONORS AGING EXPERT

The Gerontological Society of America awarded fellow status to Alyce S. Ashcraft, PhD, RN, professor and associate dean for research and scholarship. As the world’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization, the society is devoted to research, education and practice in the field of aging.

A generous gift from Ken Ketner, PhD, funds sabbaticals for nursing faculty.

Having the Ketner Fellowship supported my courses and offered me the time to take a deep dive into developing my research scholarship and service areas. I was able to earn my nurse educator certification while at the same time revise the course I’m lead on, which go hand in hand.

— JEN COLLINS, PHD, RN, CNE SCHOOL OF NURSING PROFESSOR, KETNER FELLOW, SPRING 2022

Neurological Disease Grant

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and second cause of death, after heart disease, according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, epilepsy and schizophrenia are linked to malfunctions in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs), primarily located in the central and peripheral nervous systems, which bind with neurotransmitters, producing an electrical signal by managing ion channel activity.

Michaela Jansen, PharmD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, and her team are continuing their research with a $1.53 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

Jansen seeks to fill knowledge gaps pertaining to interactions of plGICs with chaperone-like proteins, specifically resistance to inhibitors of cholinesterase 3, and conformational changes that occur during gating. Jansen’s laboratory is part of TTUHSC’s Center for Membrane Protein Research,

STUDENT RESEARCH WEEK

1 | 2023 marks the 35th year of Student Research Week. Students organize and manage the event to showcase research and serve as a platform for collaboration and interaction.

2 | The theme for Student Research Week 2023 is set for February 28-March 3, with a theme of “The Lord of the Genes.”

Michaela

Jansen, PharmD, PhD, receives extension on

3 | More than 310 students, a record-breaking number, presented posters at the 2022 event. In the first year, 25 students participated.

4 | Student Research Week 2022 was held as a hybrid event, allowing for the review of projects and presentations in person and online. SRW 2021 was virtual.

| Presentation categories are basic science, case study, medical education, chart review/survey and literature review.

| Abstract submission deadline is the end of January each year.

| Proceeds from a silent auction benefit student scholarships.

| Annually, more than 50 TTUHSC faculty and staff donate their time and expertise to serve as judges; in 2022, that number was close to 80.

| Sam Prien, PhD, professor in the School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has served as an event judge for 25 years.

| Ten years ago, Gurvinder Kaur, PhD, (Biomedical Sciences ’12), assistant professor of Medical Education, won first place in the poster competition the year she graduated. Kaur has served as a judge, judging committee chair and supervised several undergraduate and graduate student participants.

Web +Michaela Jansen, PharmD, PhD, receives extension on RO1 grant.

Vitals

News and Notes

THANKS FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE

For 25 years, Summer Balcer was a name synonymous with the pharmacy school — and not just because she was here at the school’s inception, in 1996. Balcer held three roles in the two decades, beginning as assistant to the dean. She then served as interim assistant dean for Student Services and was named senior director of Student Affairs, before her retirement in 2021. Balcer is described as the school’s “rock,” and she had an exceptional ability to befriend and support many pharmacy students, beginning with the initial Class of 2000. The school honored Balcer this summer and celebrated her many years of service.

vaccines for their furry friends, thanks to a community partnership with the city of Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare.

CARE FOR CANINES AND HUMANS

Pharmacy students paired with students in the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine to host the One Health Clinic for peole who are experiencing homelessness in Amarillo and their pets. Pharmacy students provided immunizations and blood glucose and blood pressure screenings. Veterinary medicine students gave examinations and yearly rabies

NIH RESEARCH SCHOLAR

Khadijah Mohiuddin is among the 2022-2023 NIH All of Us Research Scholars. The virtual, eight-month program champions student researchers from underrepresented communities to increase diversity in the biomedical workforce. The program provides Mohiuddin, a second-year student on the Dallas campus, with opportunities for significant mentorship, support and hands-on research experience. She plans to focus her research on mental health in the Muslim community.

Magdalena Karbowniczek, MD, PhD

Research Targets Rare Cancer Therapy

Magdalena Karbowniczek, MD, PhD, is furthering her work on pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis, also known as LAM, with a four-year, $2.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. LAM is a rare form of cancer that affects women worldwide of reproductive age; currently, there are 1,500 confirmed cases in the U.S. Karbowniczek’s work, a collaborative effort with a University of Cincinnati researcher, focuses on the role of extracellular vesicles, nanometer particles thought to be facilitators in cancer metasis, and their possible role in the spread and progression of LAM. “This multi-PI grant unifies (our) expertise in LAM again and formalizes a long-lasting collaboration for the benefit of LAM patients,” Karbowniczek said.

JERRY H. HODGE SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

What’s in a Name?

The Clinical Laboratory Science Program will become the Medical Laboratory Science Program in fall 2023 to better represent the profession’s identity, said Tammy Carter, PhD, MT, MB (Biomedical Sciences ’13, Health Professions ’13, ’00). The new name can help to clarify the health care professional’s role in the hospital setting and ensure individuals with the correct credentials are being hired.

MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY 101

ROLE REVERSAL

Once a student in the same program, Ericka Hendrix, PhD, MB(ASCP)cm, (Health Professions ’03) now shares her knowledge and expertise with students training to become diagnostic molecular scientists, learning to perform clinical genetic analysis of human DNA. Hendrix is an associate professor and director of the Molecular Pathology Program.

HANDS-ON LEARNING

Hands-on learning has given our students the greatest success and the ability to be lifelong learners, solving real-world problems in real-life scenarios. That’s why I like simulating a real-world situation; it allows students the chance to put everything they’ve learned together and apply themselves to solve problems they didn’t think they could solve. You have to learn

to troubleshoot and apply your knowledge to realistic situations.

UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

One of the final projects is for the students to design and validate a molecular lab test. Faculty assign a disease, and the students must design a test to identify the disease either by detecting a mutation or the organism’s DNA. They validate their test with proof of results that are reliable, accurate consistent and precise. If their design doesn’t work, they have to change the parameters and retest until it does. We guide them, but we also give them the freedom to fail so they can learn how to recover —and learn in the process.

DISPLAY OF SKILLS

This program moves fast. To see the students so confident at the end is truly satisfying, especially

when they understand they don’t have to be told exactly what to do by the instructor. They venture out and apply their new skills and knowledge to create something from scratch. It’s exciting to see that potential within them, and it’s empowering for the student and for us to see their hard work pay off.

THE PLACES YOU’LL GO Amanda Cramer, MP, (Health Professions ’19), for example, joined PerkinElmer, a global company providing innovative detection, imaging, informatics and service capabilities, where she was instrumental in the design and validation of a COVID-19 assay that received emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in clinical testing. Cramer now works in molecular biology research and development.

Clinical Laboratory Science Program gets a new name in 2023.

A Community Too Good

By the time Nathanael Longacre, PA-C, (Health Professions ’21) graduated, Midland, Texas, had become home.

Previously a firefighter paramedic, Longacre’s desire to provide care led him to further explore training and health care delivery options. The physician assistant degree’s versatility and courseload appealed to this nontraditional student, said Longacre, PA-C (Health Professions ’21), who works at Medical Center Health System in Odessa, Texas.

Longacre didn’t have TTUHSC high on his list; yet, the superior rankings of its Physician Assistant Studies Program and high pass rates by students on the certification exam were convincing.

But it was the community that changed his mind. The kindness of those he met while in school and accessibility of small-town living “felt homey;” and for Longacre and his family, “It fit.”

Longacre, who is from East Texas, said he did not plan to stay after graduating. Now, he is among the approximately 15% of TTUHSC physician assistant graduates who stay in the Permian Basin.

Longacre and his family enjoyed the area; but, he was drawn to the close-knit medical community.

Longacre said Daniel Babbel, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Medical Center Health System, mentored him as a young professional.

Support for health care in the Permian Basin isn’t on the medical community alone. The community as a whole wants to access high-quality health care

and are willing to invest in it. About 30% of the $30 million for TTUHSC’s recently completed physician assistant building expansion came from community partners – Midland Development Corporation, Permian Strategic Partnership, Scharbauer Foundation and Henry Foundation. Legislative funding and TTUHSC provided the remainder.

The expansion allows TTUHSC to offer academic resources including an anatomy lab, clinical classrooms and training areas, for the Physician Assistant Studies

Program at its campus, located on the Midland College campus. The expansion also enables TTUHSC to combat the impending health care shortage by increasing annual class enrollment from 60 to 72 students incrementally over the next three years.

Longacre said that giving more students exposure to the Permian Basin by having this program there is essential. “It allows people kind of like me to see and experience what there is to offer. And in my case … I chose [to stay],” Longacre said.

Nathanael Longacre, PA-C, (Health Professions ’21) feels right at home in the Permian Basin.

New Kid on the Block

The university’s sixth school, Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, is a major milestone in the institution’s larger vision to transform health care through innovation and collaboration.

By ERIN PETERSON Illustration KATHLEEN FU

nnette Lerma, MPH, (GSBS ’21) started her career as a teacher, but when she landed a part-time job as a nutritionist for WIC, the USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, with the city of Abilene, Texas, 20 years ago, she knew she’d found an even better fit.

“I fell in love with the mission of public health,” she said. “I didn’t initially choose public health, but public health has a way of choosing you.”

As she ascended the career ladder — health programs manager, assistant director and now director of health services for the city — she realized that if she paired her experience with more formal education, she could supercharge the work she did.

In 2017, Lerma enrolled in TTUHSC’s Master of Public Health (MPH), an experience that expanded her vision of what might be possible. “I had worked in public health for 16 years, but I hadn’t had much exposure to things like epidemiology and biostatistics,” she said. “I realized that there was so much more that we could do to have an impact on our community’s health.”

The lessons have led her to make real changes: The city now does active surveillance for influenza, collects and analyzes data on emergency department visits, and has added staff members, including two epidemiologists and a data analyst.

When Lerma learned that TTUHSC would transfer the MPH program from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences into a new school, she was thrilled. “I’m so excited for West Texas,” she said about the opening of the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health. “We’re going to have so many more people prepared and well-educated in population and public health. That will benefit us no matter what career path alumni of the school choose. Everyone can play a part in elevating the health and wellness of our community.”

GET SCHOOLED

IT’S TIME TO BUILD THE PIPELINE

Between 2008 and 2019, the number of U.S. public health workers declined 16%, a number that many expect to see increase as a result of burnout in health-related fields. Some 47% of public health workers say they plan to leave the workforce within the next five years. In 2021, the White House announced plans to invest $7.4 billion to recruit and retain public

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health opened in May with ambitious future plans.

Already in place at the school is the Department of Public Health with a robust group of degrees. This includes traditional and online MPH degrees and three dual-degree programs: a public health master’s degree paired with a degree in public administration (MPA/MPH), medicine (MD/MPH), or pharmacy (PharmD/MPH). The school also plans to add both new concentrations and doctoral programs in the field.

In the coming months and years, the school also will launch additional programming within a Department of Population Health, including degrees in informatics. An already-robust data resource laboratory will be expanded and strengthened to support the data-intensive work of population health.

Billy U. Philips Jr., PhD, MPH, who served as acting dean, sees the new school as a transformational opportunity for its students — and for the region more broadly. “We’re going to put a group of minds together to change the way we think about the delivery of health care,” he said. Philips also serves as TTUHSC’s executive vice president for rural and community health and director of the F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health.

As the last few years have made abundantly clear, making progress on that mandate could hardly be more urgent. COVID-19’s appearance offered a crash course in public health — the science of creating safer, healthier communities through education, policymaking and research. Before the pandemic, there had been many significant public health developments, including the eradication of smallpox, control of many childhood infectious diseases through vaccination, policies in support of clean air, water and food, and the increase in lifespan in the U.S. from age 42 in 1900, to about 80 now.

health workers as just 14% of those working in public health fields have a degree in public health.

INCREASING OPPORTUNITY

The number of health informatics jobs is expected to grow dramatically in the coming years, and one survey suggests it will be one of the 20 fastest-growing occupations in the United States.

ABC’S OF CURRENT DEGREES

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health currently offers a Traditional Master of Public Health (MPH), an Online Master in Public Health (MPH), Online MPH accelerated track, Graduate Certificate in Public Health and three dual degrees — MD/MPH, PharmD/MPH, and MPA/MPH. Additionally, school leaders are in the process of adding a degree in informatics.

Population health, includes similar disciplines as public health, but is increasingly focused on data that can help to transform the health care system. Likewise, population health researchers use large data sets to understand the nuances of health outcomes such as heart disease or cancer among different populations.

Paired together, population and public health offer a powerful one-two punch. The fields aren’t just a way to understand disease in sophisticated ways, but they also can offer pathways to take meaningful action to prevent some of the worst outcomes and promote wellness more broadly.

The need for both population and public health researchers to work together to solve these issues is particularly acute in West Texas, said Theresa Byrd, DrPH, chair of the Department of Public Health in the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health.

Compared to urban populations, for example, the rural

populations of West Texas have long struggled with higher rates of Alzheimer’s, cancer and many other chronic diseases.

In addition, health care access can be limited. “Using the ideas of population health to look creatively at the data from these populations to understand what’s happening can help those of us in public health to develop the policies necessary to improve health care for these folks,” Byrd said. “The two sides will work together on these problems.”

Faculty and alumni in the field are eager to tackle big problems in meaningful ways with the support of the new school and its students.

“Since inception, we’ve always attracted people outside of the school who are interested in working with students for applied practice experiences or who want to talk to faculty with specific expertise in an area,” said Julie St. John, DrPH, associate professor of public health. “This will expand our ability to do this kind of work.”

“It’s a way to improve our communities, and we’ll give our kids and our grandkids an even better chance of being healthy.”

— ANNETTE LERMA, MPH, (BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES ’21)

KAMI HUNT

Chris O’Dell, MPA, MPH, (Biomedical Sciences ’18), director of clinical operations for TTUHSC’s School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology, says he’s experienced the need on both sides firsthand. As a student, O’Dell was thrilled to have the opportunity to work on a mentalhealth related assessment with a local jail while he was earning his dual degree. Today, he relishes the idea of adding student brainpower to work on larger projects and research ideas linked to population and public health.

“There are a million things we would love to do in clinics that we just can’t do because of a lack of workforce,” he said.

Lerma, meanwhile, sees the school as part of a powerful flywheel that can train more experts and fuel changes that could make West Texas a healthier place for everyone to live.

“Having a school of population and public health will capitalize on the momentum we’ve been building,” she said. “It’s a way to improve our communities, and we’ll give our kids and our grandkids an even better chance of being healthy.”

When TTUHSC planted the seeds for today’s school years ago by launching a master’s degree in public health, institutional leadership could not have predicted that a pandemic would upend the world and put a white-hot spotlight on the value of — and challenges with — population and public health.

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health was always on the university’s roadmap, yet the institu-

tion is determined now more than ever to harness the increased attention on the field, said Darrin D’Agostino, DO, MPH, MBA, TTUHSC provost and chief academic officer.

“We think the population and public health school is a ribbon that can tie together all of our schools.’’

For example, in addition to the collaborations already in the works, with three schools through the dual degree programs, Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health teams are working with their counterparts in Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine to help illuminate the relationships among the animal world, agriculture and public health as part of the One Health Sciences program.

While the new school is just getting off the ground, D’Agostino believes the population- and- public- health–infused approach to health care education could be nothing short of transformational.

“TTUHSC is leading the new model of education to include population and public health, one of the most important aspects of health,” he said.

“The next generation of health care providers and health care leaders will need to be deeply connected to the needs of communities through population and public health. That’s what we’ll be doing at TTUHSC.”

Philips agrees. “At TTUHSC, we focus on innovating and collaborating to transform health care. This school is a step in that direction.”

TTUHSC’s Abilene campus is the administrative home of the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health. It is the third school on campus built with support from the Abilene community.

“The next generation of health care providers and health care leaders will need to be deeply connected to the needs of communities through population and public health. That’s what we’ll be doing at TTUHSC.”

— DARRIN D’AGOSTINO, D.O., MPH, MBA

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health is a result of a strong collaboration between TTUHSC and Abilene community partners. Pictured from left: Brad Holland, Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell, MD, Kade Matthews, Chris Matthews, TTUHSC President Lori Rice-Spearman, PhD, Jo Ed Canon, Larry Gill, and former TTU System Regents Tim Lancaster and Scott Dueser.

Family of Julia Jones Matthews have generously supported establishment of the school.

Revealing of building signage signals the official opening of TTUHSC’s sixth school.

Billy U. Philips Jr., PhD, MPH, led the school’s development as acting dean.

“We’re going to put a group of minds together to change the way we think about the delivery of health care.”

— BILLY U. PHILIPS JR., PHD, MPH

Who Is Julia Jones Matthews?

Over a lifetime of “anonymous” philanthropy, she rendered a tour de force for her hometown, quietly, exquisitely, selflessly. Her gracious spirit and her generous heart worked powerful and positive changes among legions throughout the Abilene community and beyond.

The footprint of Julia Jones Matthews’ legendary philanthropy extends deep and wide across the environment and culture of Abilene, Texas. Portending this moment we celebrate, Matthews long recognized the importance of health care. Over many years, she has magnanimously shared her considerable resources to address health needs in the Abilene community by supporting local health care institutions including Hendrick Health, West Texas Rehabilitation Center, TTUHSC and many others.

Born in December 1918, much of Matthews’ early life was spent in her childhood home on Abilene’s Alta Vista Hill, enjoying the company of her many childhood friends. During her youth, she developed a life-long appreciation of film and spent many afternoons watching the latest release in downtown Abilene’s Paramount Theatre. The pursuit of education led her to the East Coast in 1933. She attended the Maderia boarding

school in Virginia where she excelled both academically and athletically. After earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Massachusetts’ Smith College in 1942, she returned home to Abilene, marrying Albany rancher John Matthews later that year. They had five children, Joe, Jill, Watt, Matt and Kade. Dutiful service to others is a theme in the extended family. Matthews’ grandfather, K.K. Legett, helped establish not one but two Abilene institutions of higher learning, Simmons and McMurry Colleges. They are known today as Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University. Her mother, Ruth Legett Jones, was known as “the quiet philanthropist,” preferring to make charitable contributions under the veil of anonymity. Through her work with the Dodge Jones Foundation, which she established in 1954 with her mother and her sister, Edith Jones O’Donnell, Matthews employed her family’s resources to improve the lives of others.

The breadth of her generosity spans the arts, health care, education, animal rescue, the zoo and a host of other humanitarian causes. Matthews is credited with initiating singlehandedly the revitalization of downtown Abilene in the 1980s. Using grants made through the Dodge Jones Foundation and her personal wealth, she preserved and restored downtown landmarks, including the historic Paramount Theatre, Grace Museum and Windsor Hotel, downtown Abilene’s oldest building. The 1890-era three-story brick building is now home to the Development Corporation of Abilene. DCOA’s residence in this historic landmark poignantly exemplifies the convergence of Abilene’s historic past, Matthews’ dreams for her hometown and what is sure to be a prosperous future.

Following a seed grant from the Dodge Jones Foundation, the Community Foundation of Abilene was chartered in 1985 and serves as an ever-growing reminder of Matthews’ long-term vision for endowed philanthropy in Abilene.

LET’S HEAR IT FROM THE ALUMS

NEW PERSPECTIVE ON CARE

During his six years in the Army, Chris O’Dell, MPA, MPH, (Biomedical Sciences ’18) participated in several humanitarian missions, often working with people in poverty who struggled with preventable health problems — some that could have been fixed with something as simple as a pair of shoes.

“It was one of the things that made me realize public health could have an impact on an enormous number of lives,” he said.

The interest led him to become part of the second cohort of students to pursue a Master of Public Health at TTUHSC.

As director of clinical operations for TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology, O’Dell brings a holistic perspective to what is often a business-

Her forward-thinking approach to philanthropy provided the impetus for establishing the TTUHSC’s campus in Abilene. While she had no official academic connection to the university, Matthews understood the profundity of establishing an institution of higher education in Abilene commissioned to train the next generation of nurses, pharmacists and public health administrators to address the unique health care needs of rural West Texas. Her family’s philanthropic contributions provided the seminal cornerstone for TTUHSC in Abilene.

In 2016, the Texas Senate adopted Senate Resolution 384 to memorialize Matthews and her 97 years of life. The resolution states, “A woman of vision, courage and compassion, she gave unselfishly to others, and her graciousness, her remarkable philanthropic spirit, and her enthusiasm for living each day to the fullest were an inspiration to all who knew her and all who were privileged to share in her life.” Julia Jones Matthews forever changed the landscape of Abilene — and TTUHSC.

focused role. “Being focused on the business is important, but with my public health degree I bring an additional perspective. I’ll ask, ‘Is there something we could have done to prevent a disease upfront? or Can we spend a little more money now to prevent a problem later?’” O’Dell says that perspective is invaluable and it’s why he’s excited to see how the new school takes the ideas of population and public health even further. “I really look forward to seeing how future graduates go out and make change.”

AN ANSWER TO A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY

Steven Lara, MPA, MPH, (Biomedical Sciences ’18) is the veterans program director at StarCare Specialty Health Care System in Lubbock, Texas, the

state’s designated local authority for mental health, substance use disorders and intellectual disabilities for people in Cochran, Crosby, Hockley, Lubbock and Lynn counties and a state certified community behavioral health clinic.

“I was extremely hopeful,” he said upon learning that TTUHSC would be adding a new school of population and public health. “I was born and raised here in West Texas. I know what it’s like to have the health care challenges of cancer, diabetes and other issues we often see in the community. I saw them growing up, and I always felt that we could do more to help these folks out. The school is going to be able to help provide the knowledge we need to create a healthier West Texas and a workforce of future practitioners.”

“A woman of vision, courage and compassion, she gave unselfishly to others, and her graciousness, her remarkable philanthropic spirit, and her enthusiasm for living each day to the fullest were an inspiration to all who knew her and all who were privileged to share in her life.”

— TEXAS SENATE RESOLUTION 384

‘THE STROKE ARTIST’ A Tale of Survival, Painting and Urology

By BILL MONROE and BEVAN CHOATE, MD

Republished with permission

Photographer CAMILLE SMITHWICK

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is adapted from two previously published works.

The first is Bill Monroe’s notes from an interview with Bevan Choate, MD, (Medicine ‘13) on his June 6, 2022, podcast, “StrokeCast” (strokecast.com). The second is Choate’s essay written for Mindy McGinnis’ blog, “Writer, Writer Pants on Fire,” published May 10, 2022. (mindymcginnis.com/blog)

Sometimes we may “accuse” medical teams of forgetting their patients are human and not just a wristband and chart in a hospital bed; it works the other way, too. We sometimes forget that our doctors are more than white coats adjusting medications and asking, yet again — “Who is the president?” But doctors are, in fact, human. And they can create art. And they can have strokes.

Bevan Choate, MD, was a surgeon and urologist just entering his career. One morning, everything changed.

WHO IS BEVAN CHOATE, MD?

Choate was born in 1985 to a cattle ranching family in San Angelo, Texas.

“I (was) cowboying since I could ride a horse,” Choate said. “But perhaps due to Waylon and Willie’s song (“Mamma’s, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”), they didn’t want me to grow up that way. So, I was given all the odd and less glamourous jobs.”

It wasn’t until midway through his undergraduate studies, that Choate began to seriously consider a path in medicine. “I was always a science geek at heart and figured medicine to be a pure and noble application of science,” he said.

Choate excelled in medical school and a five-year urology residency in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico Hospital. “It was the roughest five years of my entire life,” Choate said. “Being a sleepless subordinate for almost 2,000 days is a tough pill

to swallow. Nonetheless, I persevered and began practicing urology in Albuquerque. I did quite a bit of oncology surgery and got good at robotic surgery using the Da Vinci robot. “

At 36 years of age, I was a titan. I was a full-fledged urologist. A urologist is a surgical cyborg and the only surgical specialist mentioned in the Hippocratic Oath (“. . . I will not cut for stone.”) We use lasers to treat stones, robots to yank cancerous prostates, and general irreverence when the going gets tough.

Despite this self-adulatory salvo, I wasn’t much like the surgeons you see on television. I drove a beat-up car, paid down student loans, and genuinely loved my patients. It was my calling, my purpose in life.

I was a titan; not a god. We’ve all at one point or another been privy to the fool with a god complex. Icarus taught us how that story ends. According to some in the medical community, “The only

In “The Stroke Artist,” Bevan Choate, MD, describes “feeling alone and adrift, a victim of a massive stroke.”

difference between God and a surgeon is that God knows he’s not a surgeon.” Be that as it may, I was not going to be some highfalutin surgeon type. I prided myself in my work in the trenches and strived to improve the lives of my patients.

Things changed for Choate on December 3, 2020.

A left vertebral artery dissection threw a clot that lodged in the left part of Choate’s cerebellum and proceeded to kill millions of valuable brain cells. The dissection has no “attributable etiology.” That’s how doctors write a shoulder shrug emoji. No one knows why it happened. Choate just got lucky.

I had suffered a life-threatening stroke. After nearly dying twice, I ultimately underwent three brain surgeries.

His procedures included a ventricular shunt, a craniectomy, and a left cerebellar strokectomy (surgical excision of infarcted brain tissue post-stroke with preservation of skull integrity, distinguishing it from decompressive hemicraniectomy).

Following this adventure, Bevan contended with a range of acute and chronic deficits — including vision impairment, vertigo, stroke neuropathy, and loss of coordination and fine motor function.

I walked out of the hospital with an aluminum walker in February of 2021. Since then, Choate has accomplished some impressive things, not the least of which are living and walking. He has also returned to his practice and caring for his patients — the laser may need to wait a little while, though.

And, he became a published author and a professional artist.

IT’S BEEN QUITE A MEMORABLE TWO YEARS. People approach their stroke recovery in different ways. Recovery is a delicate balance of accepting a disability and fighting that disability. Too far in one direction is not great for living the best life possible for many folks.

‘THE STROKE ARTIST’

THERAPEUTIC PROSE

After suffering a double stroke, Bevan Choate, MD, (Medicine ‘13) a urologist and surgeon, approached recovery by writing as rehabilitative therapy. Through this memoir, Choate provides a raw introspect into the personal battles he fought throughout treatment and months into recovery. His authenticity, sometimes graphically detailed, invites the reader into his experience — medical knowledge or not — as he creatively explains medical terminology with familiar comparisons. For example, describing the location of his brain tissue impacted by the anterior inferior

Choate started writing his book to collect anecdotes. It’s so easy to forget the details of an event with time, especially if we don’t realize at the moment how important they might be.

The very act of writing or typing them out gives them a stronger hold in our memory. Every time we read them again, we can reinforce that hold they have. We can extract more incite from them.

After suffering such a catastrophe, I had no desire to write a book. My friend and former colleague tried to convince me to start writing down the humorous and frankly absurd experiences I endured as a doctor turned stroke survivor. I needed a reason.

He muttered something about posterity and I refused, stating “I don’t want to remember this shitshow.” Yet, I ultimately agreed citing that the act of typing will be an excellent form of therapy for my feral left hand. After a few paragraphs, the storytelling began to take on its own life. I was no longer a titan, and I was now chained to a boulder. Yet, I still had an opportunity to help others by sharing my experiences.

For Choate, writing led to “The Stroke Artist,” … a no-frills divulgence of the microcosm surrounding brain injury, penned from my perspective as a young surgeon.

artery and posterior cerebellar artery strokes as “ ... with a woman’s hairstyle, the cerebellum resembles a ponytail bun.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

As noted on the cover, “The Stroke Artist” is a “firsthand divulgence of facing an unthinkable tragedy and emerging victorious to tell the tale.” It was a 2021 Eyelands Book Award finalist, an international competition for short stories. Many of the submissions are the writer’s first published work, in print or online, including Choate’s memoir.

“If you look at the silver lining of this thing, it’s definitely made me a better person. A better doctor.”

– BEVAN CHOATE, MD, (MEDICINE ‘13)

ANOTHER OUTLET FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Palette knife painting became a hobby for Choate the summer before his stroke. He had enjoyed painting as a child, and picked up this new genre via YouTube lessons, painting just to create art, which is probably the best reason to do it.

Choate returned to art after his stroke to fill his time outside of rehabilitation therapy, and before long he was selling his work online.

“All of a sudden it was like [painting] was something that I had to do instead of something that I just could do,” Choate said. “In some way, the creative process just got better, and I can’t really put my finger on why.”

The relationship between stroke and art is fascinating. It gets into the physical changes in the brain brought on by a stroke, the lifestyle changes we are forced to make, and the shift in our own priorities and world view after a stroke.

POST-STROKE REFLECTIONS

Prometheus gave the world fire and suffered dearly for it. I may have tried giving “fire” to many of my patients.

This doesn’t change the fact that I am now a “mortal” bound to a catastrophic brain injury. From this I learned that no matter how high we think we are flying, humility is right around the corner.

Is it not a god complex to think you

can make yourself whole by treating the many parts of others?

Didn’t Dr. Frankenstein try that? Can’t be, right?

I was a titan. I mean, come on, I thought I was the most selfaware doctor on the planet.

I realize now that my true life had been on life-support prior to my stroke. I previously avoided community and fellowship because my poorly evolved brain thought I was getting it in spades daily in a hospital.

My relationships with friends and family suffered throughout my years in medicine. I somehow managed to avoid those that gave me a chance to be vulnerable, self-reflect and be fulfilled.

I was always too tired or too busy. To a brain, simulation is the same as reality. To a heart, it’s a dreadful cancer.

Now, more than ever, we need to come together in a way that our hearts can enjoy. It only took a stroke and writing a book for me.

Bevan Choate, MD, (Medicine ‘13) perfected palette knife painting during recovery from his stroke.

“All of a sudden, [painting] was like something that I had to do instead of something that I just could do.”

— BEVAN CHOATE, MD, (MEDICINE ‘13)

WE’RE PROUD OF OUR LEADERS + LEADERS + LEGENDS LEGENDS

Meet the 2021-2022

Distinguished Alumni Awardees

ROTATIONS CHECK UP HEALTH SCENE

Rounds

Beyond the Call of Duty

Community: a fellowship with others as a result of something shared.

Deployment to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan linked a group of TTUHSC alumni. But their alma mater solidified the relationship.

Capt. Joseph Lozada, (Nursing ’13) took the Texas Tech flag with him to Bagram Air Base on his deployment to Afghanistan in 2019. There it remained until Lt. Col. Kristina Spindel (Nursing ’14) brought it home, when she returned to the U.S. following President Joe Biden’s order for the withdrawal of American troops.

The flag then completed a tour across the U.S. to various School of Nursing alumni who had served at Bagram. Signatures on the flag’s scarlet field proudly signify the end of the Afghanistan campaign and an everlasting appreciation for TTUHSC.

Connecting with TTUHSC Alumni

KAMI HUNT

WALK THIS WAY

To impact health outside of the clinical exam room, Charla Allen, MD, (Resident ’15, Medicine ’12) associate professor in the School of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine in Lubbock, Texas, relaunched the TTUHSC Walk with a Doc program and is collaborating with medical residents for a prescription to good health.

WALKING WORKS

Walking does not require special skills, a gym membership or expensive equipment. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control, walking produces health benefits that can improve sleep, memory, ability to think and learn, and can reduce anxiety symptoms.

150 is the minimum number of minutes per week adults should engage in moderately intense (able to converse) aerobic activity.

60 minutes of moderate-or vigorousintensity daily physical activity is recommended for children.

<50% of adults in America get the recommended amount of aerobic physical activity each week.

2 days a week, pair walking with muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).

80%

U.S. adults visit a health care professional annually. Providers can use those visits to promote the benefits of walking.

Texas Medical Association supports Texas Walk with a Doc chapters.

Campus Shots

1

TOYS FOR TOTS

1 | At the annual Interprofessional Toy Fair and Expo, TTUHSC students from audiology, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, and speech-language pathology provided developmentally appropriate books and therapeutic toys to children who receive early intervention services and share educational materials with their families.

WRECK ‘EM ALUMNI

2 | TTUHSC Alumni Association co-hosted a Red Raider watch party with the Texas Tech Alumni Association at the School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo.

HIGHEST FACULTY HONORS

3 | The provost’s office honored current and past Grover E. Murray Professor awardees at the inaugural recognition dinner. Currently, 15 faculty members hold the honorary title, the highest awarded to TTUHSC faculty.

UNCREWED TRANSPORT TEST

4 | The Matador UAS Consortium, co-developed by TTUHSC and 2THEDGE, conducted an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) transport with LifeGift to test the ability to successfully fly medical supplies and health care cargo across Texas.

IN DOWNTOWN LUBBOCK

A brewery toasting to the 806, a bookstore writing the next chapter for local authors and readers, and hand-crafted culinary creations with a down-under twist are transforming downtown Lubbock.

ALUMNI PROFILES NEWS & NOTES

FRIENDS WE’LL MISS HONORING THEIR SERVICE

Update

Catching Up With TTUHSC Alumni & Friends

Ajith Pai, PharmD, MBA, FACHE PRESIDENT

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital

Southwest Fort Worth, Texas Pharmacy Graduate: 2007

ASK ME ANYTHING

You’ve been diagnosed with a debilitating disease, say cancer.

Emotions flood as you’re pushed from doctor to doctor. Put through test after test. Internally, the questions race through your mind. “What is the reason behind each decision? Why has no one explained my condition? What happens next?”

A question enthusiast, Pai aims to change the stigma around patient questions. He says the relationship between a caregiver and patient should be a partnership. A former practicing pharmacist and pharmacy director, Pai treasures that partnership and has used questions to develop his career. He credits questioning as a skill that’s equipped him to better serve. Pai recognizes questions may require slightly more time to develop a care plan, but he’s helping lead a charge to understand that they are welcome and encouraged.

“I’ll just be honest, I think hospitals can be confusing places,” he said, especially to a patient — anxious about their care — who is unfamiliar with them. Our hospitals should be a place of healing, Pai continued, expressing he harbors no frustrations with inquisitive patients.

No matter the type of patient, it’s a verbiage and bias Pai says needs to change. Each person is different. Some have no idea what they need, while others are well-versed and prepared, he said.

“Our role here is to serve. We must be open-minded to all folks.”. —

Alessandra Singh

CAROLYN CRUZ

Berchman Vaz, MD, PhD

PHYSICIAN, BOARD-CERTIFIED IN RHEUMATOLOGY AND INTERNAL MEDICINE

Catalina Pointe Arthritis and Rheumatology Specialist, PC Tucson, Arizona Biomedical Sciences Graduate: 1993 (Medical Microbiology and Immunology)

PHYSICIAN-SCIENTIST WITH A CLINICAL PERSUASION

It’s safe to say that learning and teaching has been the highlight of a long medical career as a rheumatologist for Berchman Vaz, MD, PhD.

The specialty appealed to his researcher side when he decided to become a rheumatologist after completing his doctoral studies. He liked the approach of “newer ideas, newer medications and newer treatments” that practitioners in the field are able to offer their patients.

The privilege of taking care of patients has been a big part of what pulled this researcher to the clinical side the last few years. Vaz said he cherishes the long-term relationships he has with his patients. “That’s what’s special about being a practicing rheumatologist.”

“Rheumatology’s constant evolvement keeps me excited,” he said. There’s a vast spectrum of diseases within the specialty that sustains his interest. “It’s not just one disease we treat all day long.”

“The field of rheumatology is intellectually stimulating and has been personally fulfilling for me,” he said, calling himself blessed.

— Alessandra Singh

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

Duke Appiah, PhD, associate professor, TTUHSC Department of Public Health, was appointed for an undated term by Texas Gov. Great Abbott to a task force on infectious disease preparedness and response.

Brianyell McDaniel, PhD, (’20) has launched a podcast, “Conversations with Dr. Yella,” to better understand a diagnosis by exploring the science behind the disease. You can follow her on YouTube and Facebook.

Kerri Spontarelli, MD/ PhD student, and Valeria JaramilloMartinez, PhD student, presented at the 2022 Biophysical Society Meeting in San Francisco.

Tanvirul Hye, PhD, (’16) joined Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Department of Foundational Medical Studies to teach pharmacology.

JERRY H. HODGE SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

Nkechi Amadi, MPH, (’22) and her team won second place in the American Pharmacists Association’s Digital Health Rx Hackathon. With this win, their team secured a cash

prize for their MedMood prototype.

Craig Cox, PharmD, (Pharmacy Resident ’00) TTUHSC professor of pharmacy practice and vice chair for experiential programs, was named presidentelect of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Jason Acevedo, MD, MBA, FAAOA, (’05) joined West Texas Ear, Nose and Throat of Abilene in March.

Richard Jordan, MD, TTUHSC dean at Amarillo, received the 2021 Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation Friends of the Foundation award for his support in treating cancer patients and serving health care needs to residents in Amarillo and surrounding communities.

Jayaram Naidu, MD, a clinical assistant professor for TTUHSC at the Permian Basin, is serving a third term (through April 2027) on the Texas Medical Board.

Samuel Prien, PhD, professor, TTUHSC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Laboratory, was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors.

TTUHSC anesthesiology residents

Aron Tidrick, DO, and Hillary Powers, MD, (’20) advocated for their profession’s future during Texas Society of Anesthesiologists’ Anesthesiologist Days at the Texas Capitol of Austin.

Davor Vugrin, MD, TTUHSC clinical professor in internal medicine, received the Hippocratic Award from the Lubbock County Medical Society where he’s been a faculty member for 30 years.

Aesha Singh, MD, (Resident ’20) joined Cullman Regional Medical Group as a rheumatologist.

James Wang, MD, PhD, (’16, ’14) joined Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, as a facial plastic surgeon.

Brittany Bankhead, MD, assistant professor of surgery at TTUHSC and trauma surgeon with Texas Tech Physicians, received the first Association of Women Surgeons 40 Under 40 Award.

Jasmin Aldridge, MD, MPH, (’19) joined Lake Norman Medical Group Family Medicine in

Mooresville, North Carolina. SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Eric Steinke, DPT, (’13) expanded the footprint of Precision Sports Physical Therapy in Forney, Texas, in November 2021. He opened the clinic in 2019.

Jeffery Barnhart, (’13) has been reappointed by Gov. Abbott to serve until Jan. 1, 2028, on the Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services.

Sarah Yokum (’17, ’15) has joined Trustpoint Rehabilitation Hospital of Lubbock. She also serves as board secretary for the nonprofit global organization “The Storyteller & the World.”

Ram Haddas, PhD, (’13) serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation.

Cassie Patzig, OT, (’07) now provides contracted care in complimentary, alternative medicine through Lubbock Advanced Physical Medicine.

Cassandra Self, MSHA (’20) earned fellow status with American College of Healthcare

Bik Kafle, MLS, HTL, QIHC

LABORATORY MANAGER

Medical Clinic of Houston, LLP, Houston, Texas Health Professions Graduate: 2012 (Clinical Practice Management)

DOUBLE-SIGHTED

Behind every health care provider stands a laboratorian. It’s a position that lab manager Bik Kafle, MLS, HTL, QIHC, a graduate of the Clinical Practice Management master’s program — now Healthcare Administration — says is a vital part of the care team. Certified in clinical and anatomic pathology, Kafle can oversee both sides of the spectrum, and it’s a career he’d recommend to anyone. “It feels very refreshing to know I chose the right career path.”

Kafle takes a great pride in his position. “Even though [my] title is lab manager, [I’m] a leader.” Two titles that he says are very different. Knowledge is power to him, and as a leader, it’s his job to share that knowledge with others. There are no tricks up Kafle’s sleeve; it’s not how he operates, he said.

“The more you share, [the] more knowledgeable you get,” said Kafle. This exchange of information is how he serves other people for their growth, creating new leaders. — Alessandra Singh

David Troutman, MD

INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South, Fort Worth, Texas Medicine Graduate: 1992

SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING LOST

It has to be around here somewhere. Where did I put it? I know I just had it. Working in the operating room during a fourth-year anesthesia rotation, David Troutman, MD, stumbled onto what he’d thought he’d lost several months before – his first stethoscope — which he found hanging on a hook in the surgery department.

Troutman jokes he “predated” the traditional white coat ceremony, when complimentary Littman stethoscopes given to incoming medical students symbolized “you’re now on your way to becoming a doctor.”

This feeling of acceptance into the profession is what Troutman wanted to pay forward by supporting Stethoscopes for Students, he said, which gifts stethoscopes to incoming TTUHSC medical students. Describing the feeling as finally embarking on your “lifelong work,” it’s an emotion he associates with his first stethoscope.

Although Troutman traded his first stethoscope for a new one — a graduation present from his uncle – he couldn’t bear to lose the old one again. Packed safely away is the stethoscope that started his journey, sitting sideline as backup. You know – in case the new one goes missing. — Alessandra Singh

Executives in December 2021. He is employed with Texas Health Resources as a program director in supply chain.

Kevin Johns, PT, ScD, OCS, COMT, ATC/L (’19) received the designation of board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties of the American Physical Therapy Association. He is a physical therapist at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute.

SCHOOL OF NURSING

Barbara Cherry, DNSc, MBA, RN, (’97) and Carol Boswell, EdD, MSN, BSN, (’91, ’87) were named as TTUHSC Professor Emeritus by the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents, as requested by Dean Michael Evans, PhD, RN, FAAN.

Laurita Old Hudec, BSN, RN, (’17) received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Texas Christian University in 2021 and now practices in San Antonio, Texas.

Steve Branham, DNP, RN, (’11) associate professor in the TTUHSC Acute Care

Nurse Practitioner Program, was selected as a recipient of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses 2023 “The Circle of Excellence Award.”

Alyce Ashcraft, PhD, RN, professor and associate dean for research, and Richard Pullen, EdD, MSN, RN, program director for the RN to BSN Program, both in the TTUHSC School of Nursing, were inducted as felows into the American Academy of Nursing.

FRIENDS WE’LL MISS

Kenneth H. Benson, MD, (Medicine ’75) died August 13, 2022.

Aaron Jiunn-Yeu Chen, MD, (Medicine ’20) died October 27, 2002. He was a family medicine resident at TTUHSC in Amarillo.

John Cheng, MD, (Medicine ’95) died May 15, 2022. He was a physician in California.

Barbara Elaine Ewalt died June 8, 2022. She served as director of admissions for the School of Medicine.

Amber Linnet Avara Fountain, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, (Nursing ’20) died March 22, 2022.

BY

David J. Hentges, PhD, died Feb. 8, 2022. He served as professor and chairman of the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Microbiology.

Hentges also served as vice provost for research, associate dean of basic sciences and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Thomas F. McGovern, EdD, founding director of the TTUHSC Center for Ethics, Humanities and Spirituality, died March 21, 2022. He worked to advance humanistic medicine.

Ailena Mulkey, director of clinical research operations, TTUHSC Permian Basin, died May 19, 2022.

Michael Escobar, BSN, RN

COMMISSIONED OFFICER, U.S. NAVY

Camp Foster, adjoined to Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan Nursing Graduate: 2018 (Traditional BSN)

A CALL OUT OF COMFORT

Taking the “gamble,” as he describes it, marks Michael Escobar’s nursing career. At least for now.

Escobar, BSN, RN, served as a nurse aide at UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, and security duty in the U.S. Navy Reserve on his way to earning his bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Exposure to the nursing profession at UMC led to his career path. Describing the nurses that he worked with as “outstanding role models,” Escobar credits them for defining what it meant to be a nurse. Accompanied by leadership supportive of his educational goals, the nurses “would never hesitate to educate you, teach you.”

With graduation came a choice: return to the known or take a gamble. It would’ve been easy to remain at UMC with its familiarity, but Escobar decided to step into a new realm of the military – active duty.

The U.S. Navy continues to push Escobar out of his comfort zone. When COVID-19 hit so did the unknown. Stationed at a hospital in Virginia, Escobar was given less than a week to pack up and load onto the USS Comfort, traveling to New York. Treating 15 to 20 patients on board at any time, Escobar was part of supportive care to “alleviate the health care system in New York,” he said.— Alessandra Singh

PROVIDED

MICHAEL ESCOBAR, BSN, RN

He consistently provides exceptional care to his patients and is always willing to share his extensive knowledge with his coworkers and students. Kevin’s (Johns) certificate as an orthopedic specialist further strengthens our rehabilitation program with the ongoing expansion of the orthopedics and sports medicine services offered at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd.

— GENE CONSTANTINE, OTR, MHS, CHT DIRECTOR, REHABILITATION SERVICES, CHRISTUS GOOD SHEPHERD HEALTH SYSTEM

Honoring a Life Dedicated to Service

Who was John Cheng, MD, (‘95)?

He was “uncomplicated, humble, and an utmost giving man,” according to the South Coast Medical Group where Cheng was a family and sports medicine physician.

“A great man, a proud father, and husband and always genuine. He always had a smile on his face,” according to a statement from Aliso Niguel High School, where Cheng was a volunteer team physician.

“An upbeat individual who [was] consistently cheerful and a source of pleasure to those around him … his value system [was] excellent and his devotion to patient care exemplary,” according to a recommendation on Cheng’s 1994 residency program application.

On May 15, Cheng demonstrated heroism in its purest form, according to a TTUHSC statement.

He was with his mother at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California, when a gunman opened fire on luncheon attendees.

In an act of bravery, Cheng charged the gunman, tackling and disarming him likely saving numerous lives.

Five people were wounded; Cheng was the only fatality.

Thomas McGovern, EdD, was the voice of compassion and concern for the most vulnerable. For 40 years at TTUHSC, he addressed the needs of individuals and families as well as health care professionals, sharing with them the importance of finding a sense of meaning through life’s hardships.

‘UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN’

Thomas McGovern, EdD, died March 21, 2022.

Every Gift Counts!

Alumni and donors like you were there for me during one of the most stressful times of my life.

At 30 years of age, my life completely changed on October 23, 2021. My husband died in a rollover one semester before my graduation. He was my biggest fan when it came to my education, but he also was the sole provider for our family at the time. I knew he wouldn’t want me to give up on our shared dream this close to the finish line.

Will you be there for other TTUHSC students like me?

Our Legacy Now Student Foundation offers Emergency Hardship Awards up to $1,000 to students who are facing financial crisis because of an emergency. For many, it is the only option available that allows them to remain in school and complete their degree.

“He was my biggest fan, and thanks to you, I know every day I make him proud.”

NATALIE SUCHIL, MSN NURSING GRADUATE 2022

NEW JOB? NEW BABY? NEW AWARD?

Have an entry you would like to see printed in our update listings?

Email: pulse@ttuhsc.edu

A Gift of Impact to ensure the future of medical education.

Lisa and Nicky Holdeman, MD, (Medicine ’87) benefitted from longtime careers in higher education. Understandably, they chose to make it their legacy. The couple included TTUHSC in their will to support the establishment of an endowed chair or professorship in the School of Medicine.

Their goal is to sustain the school’s ability to recruit the type of faculty for which its known — expert physicians who look for qualities in students that sometimes others might not recognize.

Dr. Holdeman was in his 30s when he applied to medical school to pursue a career in ophthalmology. “They were very receptive to someone older than the other applicants,” he said. “They (TTUHSC) took a chance on me, and it worked out well all around.”

To make your GIFT OF IMPACT, contact Nathan Rice, CFRE, at giftplanning@ttu.edu or 806.742.1781.

Learn more about smarter ways to give: www.ttusystem.myplannedgift.org