UTRGV School of Medicine

We’re 8 days away from seeing our students receive their white coats! 🎉👩‍⚕️

Today, we meet Kaitlyn Dianne Ybanez, a first-year medical student at UTRGV School of Medicine! 🩺

Kaitlyn is from Edinburg, TX, and is a proud alumna of UTRGV, where she earned her B.S. in Biomedical Sciences with a Minor in Nutritional Sciences. Being part of the first cohort of the Vaqueros MD early assurance program, she knew from her senior year of high school that UTRGV SOM was her next step. 🎓✨

Compelled by the impact of cancer on her loved ones, Kaitlyn recognized the need for personalized medicine and innovative treatments. She chose UTRGV SOM because of its mission to enhance medical care for the community, a mission she shares passionately. She is excited to serve her home community and looks forward to becoming an advocate for healthcare education. 💪🏡

Kaitlyn believes at UTRGV SOM provides a continuous learning approach, fostering collaboration and innovation in patient care. 🤝

Welcome, Kaitlyn! We are thrilled to have you join the UTRGV SOM family! 🧡

🎉 UTRGV School of Medicine Celebrates New HCA Internal Medicine Residency Program! 🥼

🏥 13 new physician residents have joined us this summer, practicing at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen and Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville.

🩺 This program aims to address the physician shortage in our region and improve healthcare access for our community. By 2029, we hope to have 150 resident physicians across various specialties!

🌟 Did you know? 60-70% of residents typically stay where they train. We're excited to nurture the next generation of healthcare leaders right here in the Rio Grande Valley!

Join us in welcoming our new residents and celebrating this milestone in medical education for our region!

🔗 Read more here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/07/19/utrgv-school-of-medicine-celebrates-new-hca-internal-medicine-residency-program.htm

UTRGV School of Medicine celebrates new HCA internal medicine residency program UTRGV School of Medicine leaders and physician residents attended a meet and greet to celebrate the start of the new UTRGV internal medicine residency program.

🩺 Dean Hocker visited the UT Health RGV Clinical Laboratory to meet the staff and technicians.

🔬 Dr. Elias George, chair of Clinical Support Services and UT Health RGV Clinical Laboratory director, gave Dean Hocker a walk-through of the lab. The staff and technicians also participated by showcasing their daily work and engaged in a small, informal meet-and-greet with Dean Hocker.

🏅 The UT Health RGV Clinical Laboratory recently received accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, recognized for its vigorous and robust standards. They evaluate quality and mitigate risk, which is an essential way laboratories can improve patient outcomes. The UT Health RGV Clinical Lab is now one of over 8,000 CPA-accredited facilities.

👏 Thank you, Dr. George and team!

Happy 4th of July from UTRGV School of Medicine! 🇺🇸 Stay safe and enjoy the celebrations.

🎉 We are excited to welcome 49 new resident physicians to our Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs across the Rio Grande Valley! These physicians will be training in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Psychiatry.

🌟 Teresa Villagomez, GME program coordinator, orchestrated the three days of GME Orientation, ensuring the new physicians felt the excitement and commitment on behalf of the School of Medicine to transforming health in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

🥼 Dean Hocker joined the Patient Safety Workshop and reflected on how residency training has improved, sharing that there is now a focus on improving healthcare systems for the betterment of patients and communities.

✨ These are just some of the many ways UTRGV GME resident physicians benefit from being part of the UTRGV family—welcome, residents!

🎉 Celebrating the 3rd Faculty Cohort of the MedEd Teaching Certificate Program!

A huge thank you to Dr. Beatriz Tapia and the Faculty Affairs team for leading this innovative program. Your dedication to advancing medical education is truly inspiring. 🩺

🌟 We're proud to announce the launch of our first Internal Medicine residency program in collaboration with HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division at Valley Regional Medical Center and Rio Grande Regional Hospital.

🩺 On June 20, Dr. Michael B. Hocker, Dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, welcomed our inaugural cohort of 13 resident physicians during an orientation at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville. This milestone expands medical education and healthcare access for the Brownsville community and beyond.

Dean Hocker emphasized that this partnership supports the School of Medicine’s mission to make healthcare more accessible and introduces physician residents to the lower Rio Grande Valley.

“In the Rio Grande Valley specifically, there's a shortage of almost every specialty care,” Hocker said. “This partnership is creating the next generation of physicians who we hope will stay to practice here in the Rio Grande Valley.”

✨ This collaboration provides our residents with valuable training at Valley Regional Medical Center and Rio Grande Regional Hospital, addressing the specialty care shortage. By 2029, we aim to seat 150 resident physicians, further enhancing healthcare in our region.

🧡 Join us in welcoming our new residents and celebrating this significant step forward in advancing healthcare in our community!

🔗 Read more here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/06/21/utrgv-hca-healthcare-launches-first-internal-medicine-residency-program.htm

UTRGV, HCA Healthcare collaboration launches first Internal Medicine residency at Valley Regional Medical Center Through a collaboration with HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division, Valley Regional and Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen will be the sites of three years of supervised training for 13 UTRGV School of Medicine doctors-in-residency. The first cohort of the Internal Medicine program, on June 20 att...

🎉 We're excited to launch our first Internal Medicine residency program in collaboration with HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division at Rio Grande Regional Hospital and Valley Regional Medical Center.

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Our inaugural cohort of 13 resident physicians will start their training at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen and at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville. This marks the first-ever physician residency program for Brownsville, significantly expanding medical education opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley.

🏥 This partnership enhances our educational offerings and provides our residents with a broad spectrum of specialized medical training across both locations.

🌟 Join us in welcoming our new residents and celebrating this significant step forward in advancing healthcare in our community!

🔗 Read more here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/06/18/utrgv-and-hca-healthcare-launch-internal-medicine-residencies.htm

UTRGV and HCA Healthcare launch first Internal Medicine residency program at Rio Grande Regional and Valley Regional Medical Center The residency program is a collaboration with HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division, which is bringing resident physicians to McAllen and Brownsville this summer, with plans to seat 150 total resident physicians by 2029. Both Rio Grande Regional Hospital and Valley Regional Medical Center are HCA-affil...

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads out there!

Today, we celebrate the fathers and father figures who have profoundly influenced our lives.

Thank you, Dads, for all that you do! ❤️

🧠 This Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, we spotlight Dr. Jesús Melgarejo, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at UTRGV School of Medicine. Dr. Melgarejo leads groundbreaking research exploring the link between hypertension and Alzheimer's disease.

🔬 Dr. Melgarejo’s dedication exemplifies UTRGV SOM's commitment to tackling the challenges of neurobiological diseases through advanced research.

📚 Learn more about how Dr. Melgarejo and the UTRGV School of Medicine are making strides in Alzheimer's research: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/06/12/researcher-breaking-barriers-in-fight-against-alzheimers-disease%20.htm

UTRGV School of Medicine researcher breaking barriers in fight against Alzheimer's disease This Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, Dr. Jesús Melgarejo joins the forefront of the fight against Alzheimer's disease and is working to help Valley communities understand and prevent this neurological disease.

🎉 We are proud to announce Dr. Beatriz Tapia as the new Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs at UTRGV School of Medicine!

Dr. Tapia, who has been a dynamic leader at UTRGV School of Medicine since 2015, has significantly contributed to faculty development by organizing over 200 educational series and workshops.

In her new role, she will continue to lead Faculty Affairs, Continuing Medical Education, and Faculty Development, fostering excellence in medical education and professional growth.

🏫 Bringing a wealth of experience to the position, Dr. Tapia has been instrumental as a founding member and past chair of the Texas Consortium for Faculty Success, significantly shaping faculty development across Texas.

Her academic credentials include a medical degree from the Autonomous University of Puebla, an MPH from Johns Hopkins, and an EdD from the University of Houston, contributing profoundly to her impact in academic medicine.

🌟 Join us in congratulating Dr. Tapia on her appointment and wishing her continued success in her new role!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Eunbee Cho, UTRGV Knapp Internal Medicine resident of the Class of 2025!

Dr. Cho recently published a review article titled "Current and Emerging Management of Richter Transformation in CLL Patients" in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), one of the most reputable and top-ranking medical journals. 📚

🧡 It’s OK not to be OK!

🧠 This Mental Health Awareness Month, UTRGV School of Medicine is committed to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. Alcides Amador, our board-certified psychiatrist, emphasizes the importance of addressing mental health proactively.

🏋️‍♂️ Like physical health, mental well-being benefits from regular check-ups. Adjustments in lifestyle such as diet, exercise, and adequate sleep can greatly improve your mental health.

🔗 Read more about the importance of mental health: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/05/22/may-is-mental-health-awareness-month.htm

UTRGV expert stresses importance of mental health and well-being Every May, advocates and supporters come together to encourage open dialogue, support and access to resources for those facing mental health challenges in communities around the world. Dr. Alcides Amador, board-certified psychiatrist at UT Health RGV and assistant professor in the UTRGV School of Me...

🇺🇸 This Memorial Day, UTRGV School of Medicine honors the memory of those who courageously served and made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Their courage and sacrifice will always be remembered.

🔬 Dr. Subhash Chauhan and Dr. Murali Yallapu from UTRGV School of Medicine's South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research recently visited the Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología (CNyN) in Ensenada, MX.

Their mission: to explore groundbreaking nanotechnology collaborations and foster international partnerships. 🤝

The CNyN, a leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology research, provided the perfect environment for our faculty to engage with top experts, share knowledge, and discuss the vast potential of nanotechnology in medicine and healthcare.

🌟 This visit marks the beginning of what promises to be a fruitful collaboration between UTRGV School of Medicine and CNyN, dedicated to pioneering interdisciplinary research at the intersection of nanotechnology and medicine.

📚🧡 Yesterday was a fantastic day at UTRGV School of Medicine as we proudly hosted Leadership Edinburg. They toured our facilities and learned about the profound impact our medical school has across the Rio Grande Valley!

☀️ Recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month!

✨ Dr. Fatimah Bello was honored with a certificate from Weslaco's Mayor Adrian Gonzalez, officially designating May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

👏 Congratulations to Dr. Bello, assistant professor and program director at UTRGV-Knapp Medical Center's Internal Medicine program.

🥼 Dr. Shreel Patel, chief resident, and Ms. Kathleen Avila from KMC were also present, showcasing our collective commitment to mental health.

🌟 We're proud to support and raise awareness within our community. Congratulations to everyone involved!

🌟 Congratulations to Dr. Martha Solis, fourth-year chief resident at UTRGV Knapp Medical Center Internal Medicine program, on receiving one of the prestigious 2023 J-1 Physician Well-being Project Grants!

🩺 Along with her mentor, Dr. Fatimah Bello, Dr. Solis will be working to enhance the wellness of residents in their program.

🎉 Join us in celebrating Dr. Solis’s remarkable achievement!

🌸 This Mother's Day, we spotlight Natasha N. Quailes, a second-year medical student at UTRGV SOM, who masterfully balances the roles of motherhood and medicine.

💐 Natasha's journey inspires us all as she navigates her rigorous academic responsibilities while raising her son, Emeka. Her resilience and dedication are paving the way for a future where she'll impact countless lives in the medical field and beyond.

🔗 Read more about her inspiring story here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/05/8/motherhood-and-medicine.htm

Motherhood and Medicine: How a UTRGV medical student maintains both roles For Natasha N. Quailes, a second-year medical student at the UTRGV School of Medicine, motherhood and medicine share many similarities, but they both require one significant trait: resilience. This Mother's Day, Quailes, of San Juan, reflects on her dual role as a mother in medicine and ponders thri...

🎓✨ Over the weekend, we celebrated the Class of 2024 as they transitioned from medical students to medical doctors.

🧡 Congratulations to all our new doctors! We look forward to the wonderful contributions you will make to the medical field.

🎉🏥 The future of healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley is about to get brighter with the launch of our new Internal Medicine residency program this summer.

In partnership with HCA Gulf Coast Division, this program will begin training its first cohort of 13 residents at affiliated hospitals in McAllen and Brownsville starting July 2024.

Dr. Chelsea Chang, associate dean of GME, highlights the importance of this program: "We are committed to expanding our residency and fellowship programs to serve our communities and advance academic medicine."

The program aims to attract and retain talented physicians committed to service by providing residency positions and expanding comprehensive training opportunities.

🌟 Learn more here:
https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/05/3/new-internal-medicine-residency-program-to-begin-summer-2024.htm

Association of American Medical Colleges

UTRGV School of Medicine and HCA internal medicine residency program to begin Summer 2024 This is the first new residency program established by an agreement signed last year between the UTRGV School of Medicine and HCA. This agreement will allow residents from the School of Medicine to train at HCA Gulf Coast Division-affiliated hospitals: Rio Grande Regional in McAllen and Valley Regio...

Celebrating the Class of 2024! 🥼🩺

UTRGV School of Medicine's fifth commencement celebrated the transition of 52 students into doctors.

🏥 From overcoming immense challenges to embracing the opportunities ahead, these graduates embody resilience and dedication.

🔗 Read more about their journey here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/05/4/utrgv-school-of-medicine-commemorates-fifth-commencement.htm

🎓✨ The big day has arrived!

🎉 Join us virtually as we celebrate our Class of 2024 graduates stepping into their future as healthcare leaders!

⏰ The ceremony begins at 5:00 P.M.!

🔗 Watch it live here: https://www.utrgv.edu/school-of-medicine/education/commencement/index.htm

✨ We’re counting down the hours! Tomorrow, our Class of 2024 will officially become doctors.

🏥 These new doctors are set to join prestigious residency programs across the country, including Johns Hopkins, Baylor College of Medicine, and UC Davis Medical Center.

🎓 Read more about this special day and the incredible journeys of our graduates, like Prakhar Jain, who are ready to transform healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2024/04/30/school-of-medicine-2024-commencement.htm